By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE US State Department has said credible allegations of corruption in the Immigration Department has made potential victims of human trafficking vulnerable in The Bahamas.

In its latest human trafficking report, the United States also says migrants are vulnerable here to “rapid arrest and summary deportation” by the Royal Bahamas Defense Force without “proper trafficking screening”.

The Bahamas has nonetheless maintained its tier one placement in the report, indicating the country continues to be one of few in the region that is fully compliant with minimum standards of the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.

“The government increased law enforcement efforts. The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention and Suppression) Act 2008 criminalised sex and labour trafficking and prescribed penalties ranging from three years to life imprisonment,” the report noted.

“These penalties were sufficiently stringent, and with regard to sex trafficking, commensurate with penalties prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials complicit in human trafficking offences; however, alleged ongoing corruption within the Immigration Department remained a concern, as it created vulnerabilities for potential trafficking victims.”

The report also noted: “The government demonstrated serious and sustained efforts by securing its first conviction since 2015. The government also screened more potential trafficking victims, increased funding for victim assistance and collaborate with foreign countries on investigations.”

The report said the Bahamian government has increased law enforcement efforts to counter human trafficking.

“Authorities initiated 12 new investigations involving 60 potential victims, compared with 11 new investigations involving 37 potential victims in 2016,” it said. “Authorities ultimately determined only one of these cases to constitute trafficking. Authorities initiated two prosecutions, compared to one in 2016, and continued three prosecutions from previous years. The government recorded its first conviction since 2015 and sentenced the convicted trafficker to 21 years imprisonment. The Magistrate’s Court acquitted three alleged traffickers prosecuted in the previous reporting period; the government’s appeal of those acquitted was withdrawn due to lack of sworn witness testimony.”

According to the US State Department, the Bahamian government reported spending approximately $82,060 on trafficking victims’ care—which included assisting victims’ children and continued funding for trafficking victims from prior reporting periods—$59,450 in 2016.

“The government also provided subsidies of $240,000 to four NGOs that provide services to trafficking victims, among other vulnerable groups,” the report noted.

After several years with a tier two listing, the Bahamas has received a tier one listing in the trafficking report for the fourth consecutive year now. Guyana is the only other country in the region with a tier one listing. Overall, 39 countries in the world fall in this category.