By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – President of the Guyana Women Miners Organization (GWMO) Simona Broomes is calling for a special unit to be set up within the Guyana Police Force to deal specifically with the crime of Trafficking in Persons (TIP).
Broomes told iNews that she remains dissatisfied with how TIP cases are being addressed and investigated by the police.
“If I were to say I’m satisfied I’d be lying… they have a far way to go,” she added. These comments come four days after the GWMO along with officials from the Human Services and Social Security Ministry rescued two women (one Guyanese age 30 and a Trinidadian age 35) from the 14 Miles Back-dam, Region Seven, where they were being held against their will by a shop owner.
Broomes told iNews that the police have already taken statements from the women and have proceeded to conduct their investigation. However, while the women have been handed over to the Human Services Ministry, the owner of the shop is yet to be arrested.
This is the same shop where the GWMO President had rescued several girls before. The owner of the shop had subsequently made a report claiming that Broomes had assaulted her and stole from her, leading to the arrest and subsequent release of Broomes on bail.
The TIP hero has since refuted these claims and made an official report to the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) against her arrest since she felt an injustice was been meted out to her.
Broomes also dispelled allegations that her work in bringing TIP cases to the police is an obstruction to the police work.
“It is a crime that has been ignored for years… I’m only doing my civic duty” she said, adding that “I’m not challenging the government or the Guyana Police Force… people are personalizing the issue too much, making it about character instead of the issue.”
Broomes has been recognized internationally for her work in TIP locally and her determination to rescue girls trapped in such situations.
