By Prior Beharry
OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is asking the police to investigate whether media houses are enabling human trafficking by having escort ads in their classified section.
In a release on Thursday, she welcomed the investigation into human trafficking “by senior government officials” by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) but she said it must extend its investigation.
Persad-Bissessar said, “TTPS investigation into Human Trafficking is welcomed. TTPS must also investigate media houses that may be enabling human trafficking. The investigation should also extend to paedophile allegations in both Sabga and Judith Jones reports.
“I condemn Human Trafficking as a vile scourge and evil in our society and all those who enable it should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
She attached photos from the classified ads of the Express and Newsday on Thursday in her release.
Persad-Bissessar said, “The UNC welcomes the investigation announced by the COP and the TTPS into human trafficking by ‘senior government officials’ as identified in the US Government State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Reports. Hopefully, the counter-trafficking unit (CTU) which was formed in 2013 by my UNC government can contribute to this investigation.”
She said the US Report Human Trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago was publicly raised by the UNC since July 2022 and it was puzzling that “this important investigation is only now to be started.”
Persad-Bissessar said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley sat on his hands and did nothing and his action caused T&T to be “disgracefully downgraded” to the international Tier 2 Watch List for human trafficking.
She said she reiterated the call by Naparima MP Rodney Charles for Police Commissioner Erla Christopher to interview Dr Rowley.
Persad-Bissessar said, “Further, I call on the TTPS to also investigate whether advertising in the daily newspapers via ads for escort and other personal services may amount to enabling human trafficking.
“It’s amazing that some media continue to pontificate against human trafficking at the front of their newspapers, whilst in the back in their classified ads section, they may be actively enabling human trafficking.”
She said, “Further, I call on the COP and the TTPS to also extend these investigations to include the paedophile allegations made in the Sabga and Judith Jones reports.”
