| Guyana has written to the Trinidadian authorities since April over media reports that there was abuse of the free movement facility that Caribbean territories had introduced some time ago.Yesterday, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that it had been issuing permits for artisans, a category of workers whom one Trinidad entity said was being facilitated by CSME certification to gain entry to the twin-island republic, then being held under hostage-like circumstances.The reports resurfaced this week, with the Trinidad Guardian carrying a full-length report quoting the Estate Police Association (EPA), General Secretary, David Webber, saying that in many instances the passports of the “trafficked” persons were seized, leaving them at the mercy of their employers.Webber said field research indicated about two years ago there was an influx of illegal nationals into the security industry.Many of them were duped into believing they were entering T&T as tradesmen which was permitted by the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).The Guyana Foreign Ministry,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, in a release yesterday referring to the reprinted article carried in the Kaieteur News titled “Guyanese among Foreigners being trafficked to T&T under guise of CSME” on Wednesday, made it clear that Guyana is not issuing certificates for masons and carpenters which falls under the ‘Artisans’ category.“The Ministry wishes to inform that while tradesmen may qualify under the approved CARICOM Skilled Nationals category of artisans, Guyana has not begun issuing CARICOM Skilled Nationals certificates to this category of workers, since the Ministry of Education is addressing the relevant requirements.”The article raises some “serious issues” with respect to trafficking of Guyanese and other CARICOM nationals in Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry admitted.“In this regard, the Government of Guyana had written to the Trinidadian authorities in April 2011 when similar statements were carried by the media, with a view to collaborating to combat this problem.However, the Ministry wishes to clarify any misconceptions that CARICOM Skilled Nationals Certificates are being issued by it to carpenters and masons and are being used otherwise. Such certificates are not issued.”Currently, there are ten categories of persons to whom CARICOM Skilled Nationals Certificates can be issued.Guyana has been issuing certificates to facilitate free movement within the region to eight of the approved categories of workers, including university graduates, trained teachers, registered nurses, artistes, musicians, sports persons, media workers, associate degree and equivalent qualifications.“The other category that Guyana has not begun issuing certificates to is domestic workers in possession of a Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ). These requirements are being addressed.”The Ministry also said that the free movement under the CARICOM Single Market requires a valid CARICOM Skilled Nationals Certificate, commonly called a CSME Certificate, under one of the categories.“This certificate is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A holder of a valid CSME Certificate is not required to obtain a work permit.”In the article also reprinted in two other dailies, EPA’s Webber said that in recent times, workers from Guyana, Haiti and Jamaicans have been coming in as tradesmen, but there is no work for them so they end up in security companies.“We know for a fact that some of these companies are registering them as tradesmen so they could get work permits for them, but put them instead to work as security officers. The work permit they would have been given is not for them to perform the duties of the security officer. They are operating in the country illegally.”He said to avoid detection owners of security companies would send a representative to do the registration of work permits.Describing the situation as well orchestrated, Webber said there were “scouts” working with the private security firms to source outside labour.He said in some instances advertisements were placed promising “good pay and perks.” Once in Trinidad, however, the nationals are placed in “safe houses” with minimal comforts and conveniences.“They are charged a hefty sum for room and board so that these people are working for next to nothing. They are paid below the minimum wage and are virtually slaves. It is our information that there is one “safe house” in San Juan, and one in Fyzabad,” Webber stated.He said one of the ploys for the illegal nationals not to be detected by the authorities was making them work only night shifts.“The companies hide them during the day and only bring them out at night when the potential for them being identified is less.The officers are also instructed not to talk to anyone because their accents would give them away,” Webber added.Firms who “traffick” these foreign nationals charge exorbitant fines, which the EPA has deemed illegal.“If there is a family emergency and the officer left work or did not come to work and no call was made to the employer, there is a $150 fine.Fines are also imposed for reaching to work late. We have also found that some operation managers, who are not the owners of the companies, have been creating these fines to pocket the money.These people came here with the offer of good jobs, but when they arrived their passports were seized and they are subdued by threats so they have to conform to what is happening,” Webber emphasised.The culprits who bring in the foreign nationals, he charged, are “low end” security firms that comprised the bulk of the private protective service industry.Describing the industry as virtually self-regulatory, Webber said repeated appeals and proposals to the T&T Government to implement proper legislation have not been heeded.“The legalisation that exists has become archaic. It is irrelevant to what is happening in the security industry. “The client doesn’t care where the officers are coming from once the work is done and it is cost effective.” |
