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The Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) of the Ministry of Homeland Security is determined to elevate TT's global standing in the fight against human trafficking.
CTU has been working closely with local, regional and international partners to help move TT from Tier 2 to Tier 1 in the US Department of State's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.
CTU deputy director Dane-Marie Marshall reaffirmed the unit's commitment to combatting trafficking through a strategic focus on the "four p's": prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership.
"As we go to tier one (the highest ranking), we have to put it out there in Jesus' name. We have to want it for our country. This is not about CTU or Homeland Security; this is about TT," she told the attendees.
Tier 1 is not about perfection, but a country's progress and proven commitment.
[caption id="attachment_1182002" align="alignnone" width="702"] Dane-Marie Marshall, deputy director, Counter Trafficking Unit -[/caption]
She was speaking at a media sensitisation workshop held on September 30 at the Brix Hotel, Port of Spain, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
After spending three consecutive years on the Tier 2 Watch List, TT was upgraded to Tier 2 in 2024, a development officials attribute to increased prosecutions, stronger partnerships and intensified public awareness campaigns.
TT remained on Tier 2, representing countries that are recognised as not fully compliant with the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA's) minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to do so.
TT now joins seven other Caribbean countries at Tier 2: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Belize, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Marshall, like other presenters, shared some of the projects the unit hosted.
The CTU's public outreach has expanded significantly over the past year, targeting diverse audiences through creative and educational initiatives.
It included the Guardians of Hope Art Exhibition in collaboration with the Art Society of TT which showcased artworks that depict the struggle against human trafficking and celebrate survivor resilience.
It also included Voices Against Human Trafficking, a spoken word competition that gave secondary school students the opportunity to raise their voices against trafficking. The event was endorsed by the Ministry of Education.
The deputy continued that CTU messages featured on billboards across East and West Trinidad, benches at Cedros beachfront, and a fully wrapped PTSC bus launched in 2024, carrying anti-trafficking messaging across the nation
In January 2025, there was the screening of Silenced: A Short Film to Combat Human Trafficking in partnership with Trinity Dance Theatre, aimed at fostering community dialogue and reflection.
Marshall also highlighted two major convictions that underscore the government's renewed commitment to prosecution.
She recalled that Anthony Smith, the first person convicted under the Trafficking in Persons Act, was found guilty in 2023 on five counts of child trafficking for offences committed between December 2014 and July 2015. He received 15 years per count, to run concurrently.
Valentine Eastman, a former police constable, was convicted in January 2025 for trafficking three Colombian women for exploitation in 2013.
[caption id="attachment_1182006" align="alignnone" width="985"] Allan Meiguel, director, Counter Trafficking Unit. -[/caption]
He was sentenced to 16 years, five months, and 15 days in prison. The judge cited deception, intimidation, and the abuse of power as aggravating factors.
Marshall said media reports contribute directly to international perception and tier placement.
CTU's senior legal officer Arnella Lalloo emphasised that effective partnerships remain central to progress.
She noted the CTU's active engagement with NGOs, secondary schools, fisherfolk communities, and regional agencies, building cross-sector collaboration to support prevention and victim protection efforts.
CTU director Allan Meiguel, and IOM reporting and communications officer Kandy Serrant and permanent secretary Videsh Maharaj of the Ministry of Homeland Security also addressed the gathering. They reiterated the government's support for CTU's goals to disrupt trafficking networks, protect victims and prosecute offenders.
Apart from journalists, students, and stakeholders, including representatives from the University of the West Indies, COSTAATT, and IOM officer-in-charge Desiree Jordan-Whiskey attended.
 
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