Even though a definite estimate of the illegal financial gains generated from migrant smuggling is hard to be determined, a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2018 Report puts the global minimum economic return for 2016 at US$5.5 to 7 billion.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of National Security Glenda Jennings-Smith during the official handover ceremony of documents on Migrant Smuggling to the Ministry of National Security.
T&T signed onto the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and its related protocols—one of which is the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air in 2001 and ratified this instrument in 2006.
Despite having signed onto the Convention and Protocol 12 years ago, enabling legislation is still to be enacted.
However, Jennings-Smith said she strongly believes that the technical assistance accessed by the T&T Government from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the European Union (ACP-EU) Migration Action signifies that T&T has taken its first step in bringing itself into compliance with international standards pertaining to the crime of migrant smuggling.
She also gave the assurance that the Government is “committed to addressing the issue.”
“The recommendations set out by the ACP-EU Migration Action expert are intended to inform T&T’s national policy and provide a framework for the drafting of the necessary legislation, aimed at Criminalising migrant smugglers, whether an individual or an organisation, Reducing illegal migration, Averting exploitation, suffering and loss of life, Promoting cooperation among States and Providing protection and assistance to smuggled persons,” Jennings-Smith said.
She added that the next step for T&T included the consideration of the recommendations put forward by the ACP-EU Migration Action which are set out under four key areas, “Prosecution and investigation; Protection and assistance; Prevention; and Cooperation.”
“Data on smuggling are scarce, and there is no annual global report on migrant smuggling trends. Many countries, including T&T, do not collect or publish such data. The little data that does exist are based on the number of migrants apprehended by the Immigration Authorities and the number of fraudulent documentation in circulation; and this is not a comprehensive figure of the actual scale of the problem,” Jennings-Smith said.
The views of stakeholders will be sought and incorporated into a national policy document which shall form national legislation.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Ambassador of EU to T&T Arend Biesebroek was Monica Paula Mclean, project manager delegation of the European Union to T&T.
She explained that the output of this intervention, which would have included an overview of the situation, a draft policy, training materials and a cadre of trained personnel from the various services—provide an enabling framework for sustained efforts in this area.
The next phase, she added, should include the finalisation of the policy and amendment of existing, or the introduction of new legislation.
“These initiatives, which are meant to address the security and development of he country, should also promote migrants’ rights and ensure that perpetrators are penalised in accordance with the law,” Mclean said.