St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has warned his residents that babysitting offers in the United Kingdom could potentially lead to citizens becoming victims of human trafficking.
Gonsalves issued his concerns while speaking on national radio on Wednesday February 9.
He warned that travelling to England to take up babysitting offers could not only hurt the individual but also the country as well.
The prime minister therefore instructed the Commissioner of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Mr. Colin John as well as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Unit of the constabulary to “get involved” in addressing the issue.
He said, “It has come to my attention that some persons — it hasn’t become a flood yet — but it may become if we don’t put a stop to it and it deals with some persons who are holding out promises to young ladies to go to England to be babysitters.”
Gonsalves, who is also the minister of national security, said that some of these women go to the Office of the Prime Minister seeking help in getting to England.
He said that some of these same people who travel to England in these circumstances work illegally as babysitters at below minimum wage.