BRACO, Trelawny — Jamaica’s Acting Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang says human trafficking forms a part of transnational criminal activities and poses a danger to the national security of the country.

“Trafficking in persons represents a threat to Jamaica’s security and safety. It is very much a part of the transnational criminal activity. And, just as illicit goods are trafficked, it is human beings that are treated as illicit goods,” argued Dr Chang, who is also the minister of national security.

“The same channels used to carry coke, marijuana and guns are the same channels used to traffic individuals,” he said.

Dr Chang charged that the perpetrators of the human trafficking scourge, which, according to Global Slavery Index, contributed to the slave population of over 40 million globally, should be forcefully hunted and brought to justice.

“There should be no hiding place for traffickers. They should be vigorously pursued and fearlessly prosecuted. The time is right to secure meaningful partnerships with academia to bring scholarship and scientific study to human trafficking. In addition, the media must also accept their responsibility to expose and condemn this activity,“ said Dr Chang.

He was addressing yesterday’s opening ceremony of the two-day National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP) Human Trafficking International Conference 2018 at the Melia Braco Village here in Trelawny, yesterday.

The conference is the flagship event of Trafficking in Persons Week, which is being observed from July 22- 28, 2018.

There was a strong show of support from the diplomatic community yesterday, with diplomats from the European Union, Canada, USA, Russia, India, Panam,a and Venezuela representing their countries at the opening ceremony.

Laurie Peters, Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica, and Mark Seibel, deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Kingston, lauded Jamaica for the efforts made in combating human trafficking.

Peters called for a multidisciplinary, victim-centred, gender-based, and trauma-informed approach against human trafficking.

Seibel, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude for the partnership between his country and the Jamaican Government in fighting against the modern-day form of slavery, and for putting together the groundbreaking conference.

In highlighting his country’s assistance to Jamaica to combat the scourge, he pointed to the US$12-million security assistance budget as an example of the United States’ commitment to assist Jamaica.

“This year our security assistance budget exceeded US$12 million in a clear sign of our commitment,” Peters explained.

“The United States is committed to ending this crime; a commitment demonstrated through numerous efforts here in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean. We are so grateful for our partnership with the Government of Jamaica and other regional partners on this issue, and I want to commend the Government and people of Jamaica for their effort and their leadership in fighting against this modern-day form of bondage and for their struggle to vouchsafe and secure the dignity of all persons,” he told the conference.