United States [US] Ambassador Brent Hardt, today in response to a question from the media about the President Donald Ramotar’s statements yesterday on the US Trafficking in Persons [TIP] report, says he does not believe the Head of State was fair in his assertions.
Ambassdor Hardt said while trafficking in persons happens in many parts of the world and the United States remains very critical of itself but at the same time the country has the institutions in place to grabble with it.
He said the focus should be on the victims of these crimes and protecting them. The US Diplomat noted too that Trafficking in Persons does not necessarily hinder investment as in the case of Thailand.
Ambassador Hardt said the point that bad things happen everywhere, was raised throughout the investment conference, but the response is what is important.
During day one of the Guyana investment conference President Donald Ramotar spoke of the perception created by Guyana being ranked on the tier two watch list of the US TIP report affecting Guyana’s reputation.
The Head of State also said he believed Guyana was unfairly judged but remained open to working with international partners to eradicate these social problems. [Delicia Fletcher]
