Police found ten juveniles claiming to be Haitians at a hotel in Skeldon, in Region Six last Thursday, prompting the government to alert international agencies that deal with human trafficking and to impose immigration restrictions.

In a statement, the Guyana government said members of the police force, acting on information received, went to Swiss Hotel located at Skeldon, Corentyne, Berbice, where they found the children.

The children, the statement said, did not possess any form of identification or passports. However, during questioning, one of them who speaks English, related to the police that they arrived in Guyana on Monday, June 14th. The individual said that the group was bought from neighbouring Suriname via speedboat.

“The person who brought them reportedly took away their passports, documents, money and other personal belongings,” the statement added.

The government noted that it has long been suspected that there is a huge trafficking in persons and human smuggling ring, including children, taking place in the region and Guyana is being used as a transit point in this racket, which includes Cubans, Nigerians and Haitians, among others. It is believed that the victims, including children, are being trafficked to various parts of the world.

It called the discovery of the juveniles the latest manifestation of this nefarious racket at work, while adding that it seems to be operating on a daily basis.

Only last Wednesday, the statement said, the police arrested a number of Haitians, Nigerians and Cubans in close vicinity to Lethem, Region Nine. “Some of these persons did not have entry stamps in their passports in relation to Guyana. This is taking place when all neighbouring borders with Guyana are currently closed. There is a continuous influx of these persons at both Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle,” it further said.

The Brazilian Government, the statement added, has already expressed concern about the situation, while the Surinamese Government has also shared intelligence that suggests that the racket extends to that neighboring Republic. The Cuban Ambassador to Guyana has also been engaged on the issue.

Against this background, the government said it will be informing the relevant international agencies dealing with human trafficking and smuggling of persons, including children. “In this regard, we will engage the United Nations Humans Rights Council, the International Organisation for Migration and INTERPOL and requests their urgent intervention and assistance,” the statement said.

In addition, it noted that the Government will also “immediately” review its immigration protocols and impose lawful restrictions and conditions that it considers necessary.