The annual Trafficking in Persons Report for Belize has been issued by theUs State of Department - and - once again - they aren't terribly impressed.
The report keeps Belize in the tier 2 classification and says, quote, "The Government of Belize does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so."
It makes a long list of recommendations and notes that, quote, "corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes – particularly among lower-level officials who likely facilitated transportation of victims or took bribes to ignore trafficking crimes – remained significant concerns, inhibiting law enforcement action. The Director of Public Prosecutions reviewed one investigation initiated in the previous reporting period of an allegedly complicit police officer and authorities continued to investigate two high-ranking retired government officials – a police officer and an immigration officer – for alleged labor trafficking of a Salvadoran while in government service."end quote. The full report can be found online.
