Nagra Plunkett, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
A 22-YEAR-OLD Barbadian woman, suspected to be involved in human trafficking, was held by the Montego Bay Police yesterday during a pre-dawn operation at Dolls House - a nightclub which offers exotic dancing.
"The raid comes in the wake of reports of trafficking in humans, particularly relating to sexual exploitation," Assistant Commissioner of Police, Keith 'Trinity' Gardener told The Gleaner.
The woman, who gave her occupation as a dancer, has been identified as Eulando Skeete of Christchurch in Barbados. She was held along with seven other foreign nationals, all females, from Russia, Cuba, Guyana and Dominica. Two Jamaicans were also detained.
The group was processed at the Area One Police Headquarters in Montego Bay where Skeete was subsequently charged for having no work permit. The other women were processed and released. Skeete is scheduled to appear before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court today.
RANKING LOWERED
Last month, Jamaica was in the spotlight after the United States Government reported that the island was demoted to a tier three ranking - the lowest - for failing to take adequate steps to address human trafficking.
The U.S. State Department reported that Jamaica was being used as a transit country for illegal migrants to North America, as well as a source country for children trafficked internationally for sexual exploitation.
Likely sanctions as a result of the downgrade from the 2004 assessment include a slash in humanitarian aid and being struck off the list of countries eligible for cultural and educational exchanges with the U.S.
The Jamaican Government has pledged to take steps to remove the island from a list of 14 countries that could face sanctions over the issue.
In recent times, there has been a significant influx of foreign dancers, predominantly Russians, on the local entertainment circuit in Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios and Kingston.
