Briceño Administration is Pleased with Belize’s Revised Ranking

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Council, (ATIPS), is chaired by the Ministry of Human Development and is the multi-sectoral body which coordinates Belize’s response to human trafficking.

On the phone: Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“Because Human Development is sort of like the coordinator of our anti-trafficking efforts, we have to kind of wear the hat of bringing everybody together.  And I do want to recognize as well our partners in the N.G.O. community because we can’t do it alone. In Belize, we still have a lot of labor trafficking, probably a bit more than the sexual exploitation trafficking because, you know, recently there was an incident down south of some allegations and accusations of possible labor trafficking which we are still looking into.  We haven’t given up on that effort. But I do want to specify and to highlight today that we have a long way to go but we do have our focal point and we are making significant efforts to move in the right direction. Now, I would be the first to admit that because of the COVID pandemic that is going on two years now, we have had some challenges because trafficking tens to go a little bit underground in serious and difficult times. But I believe that we are beginning to rebound and that we will continue to focus on what is called the three Ps: prosecution, protection and prevention. So I want to say on behalf of government that certainly we’re not ringing our bell in any way, but we feel good that the U.S. are recognizing that we are continuing to make the significant efforts that need to be made.”