Washington rates Belize as improved on trafficking

Government officials are feeling good tonight following reports out of the United States that Belize is being praised for its efforts against human trafficking. According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Department has upgraded Belize, moving us from the tier two watch list to a substantive tier two. The ranking means Belmopan “is making significant efforts to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons … in the areas of prosecution, protection and prevention.” When Belize received a bad review in 2003 as a major violator, the Government responded with a flurry of legislative and executive activity. The creation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Committee was one of those official reactions and that body is being credited for its sustained efforts to raise awareness about trafficking, victim protection and the prosecution of traffickers. The latest initiative was in February 2007 which involved the arrest of two police officers who were identified by illegal immigrants as the persons who smuggled them into the country. The case against twenty-four year old constables Lauren Flowers and Allyson Muslar on charges of trafficking in persons has yet to reach trial.