GUYANA RETAINS TIER 1 TRAFFICKING RANKING AS U.S. REPORT FLAGS DECLINING INVESTIGATIONS, VICTIM REFERRALS AND FUNDING

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA | OCTOBER 12, 2026 — Guyana has retained its Tier 1 ranking in the United States Department of State’s 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, but the assessment reveals several areas of concern, including a sharp decline in trafficking investigations, fewer victims being referred to care and reduced government funding for victim protection and prevention programmes.

The annual report, released in October, examines the government’s anti-trafficking efforts during 2025. While the United States recognized Guyana’s continued compliance with the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking in persons, it also identified shortcomings in law enforcement, victim assistance and the regulation of labour recruitment practices.

According to the assessment, the Guyana government demonstrated:

“serious and sustained efforts”

These efforts included prosecuting alleged traffickers, strengthening training for law enforcement and judicial officials, opening a transitional facility for trafficking survivors and taking steps to address forced labour concerns involving Cuban workers.

However, the report’s statistical findings raise questions about whether Guyana’s anti-trafficking response is keeping pace with the risks facing vulnerable populations, particularly migrant workers, women, children and persons employed in remote communities.

Authorities initiated 16 trafficking investigations in 2025, compared with 31 in 2024, representing a decline of approximately 48 percent. Eight investigations involved suspected sex trafficking, seven concerned forced labour and one involved an unspecified form of exploitation. Four suspects were prosecuted during the year, compared with three in 2024, while one sex trafficker was convicted and sentenced to at least 48 months’ imprisonment.

The report also recorded a reduction in the number of identified trafficking victims, from 416 in 2024 to 390 in 2025. Of those identified in 2025, 296 women and eight girls were subjected to sex trafficking, while 85 men were identified as victims of forced labour. One boy was recorded as a victim of an unspecified form of trafficking.

Foreign nationals accounted for 375 of the 390 identified victims, including individuals from Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, India and Colombia. The remaining 15 victims were Guyanese nationals, highlighting the cross-border dimensions of human trafficking and the importance of protections for migrant workers.

One of the most significant findings concerns victim referrals. Despite identifying 390 victims during the reporting period, authorities referred only 25 victims to care, according to the assessment. The government continued to provide assistance, including shelter, healthcare, counselling, legal support and repatriation services, but the referral figure raises questions about how identified victims are connected to available protection programmes.

Financial allocations also declined. Funding for victim services fell from approximately G$132.6 million in 2024 to G$116.9 million in 2025, while funding for trafficking prevention decreased from G$169.5 million to G$83.3 million over the same period.

Although the government completed a 30-person transition home for trafficking victims in July 2025, the State Department cited concerns from non-governmental organizations that some shelters had closed during the year:

“possibly resulting in the re-victimization of some victims.”

The assessment also identified continuing weaknesses in labour recruitment oversight. It reported that Guyana had not adequately regulated recruitment agencies or prevented workers from being charged recruitment and placement fees. Legislation intended to strengthen the regulation of recruitment practices reportedly remained unfinished for a fourth consecutive year.

These findings are particularly relevant as Guyana’s expanding economy continues to attract foreign workers for construction, mining, infrastructure and other sectors. Inadequate recruitment safeguards can expose workers to exploitation, particularly when they depend on employers for accommodation, immigration arrangements or continued employment.

The report also raised concerns about trafficking risks involving workers at China-affiliated worksites and the difficulties authorities face in monitoring remote communities. Limited government presence in parts of Guyana’s interior was identified as a challenge affecting inspections, victim screening and enforcement.

At the same time, the State Department acknowledged efforts to improve the government’s response through training, public awareness programmes and cooperation between agencies. Guyana maintained three anti-trafficking hotlines, including one for Spanish-speaking individuals, and introduced a QR-code reporting system to facilitate complaints.

The assessment also recognised continued cooperation with international partners and training for officials in:

“victim-centred and trauma-informed approaches to investigations and prosecutions, victim protection, interviewing techniques, and evidence handling.”

The findings present a mixed picture of Guyana’s anti-trafficking efforts. The country continues to meet the minimum standards required for Tier 1 status, and the government has maintained programmes aimed at identifying victims, prosecuting offenders and preventing exploitation.

However, the reduction in investigations, victim-care referrals and financial allocations demonstrates why the country’s highest international ranking should not be interpreted as evidence that trafficking has been eliminated or that further improvements are unnecessary.

For Guyana, the important questions concern the effectiveness of investigations, the accessibility of protection services, the oversight of labour recruitment and the capacity of institutions to respond to trafficking risks throughout the country.

The 2026 report recognises Guyana’s progress, but its findings also make clear that continued accountability, adequate resources and effective victim protection remain essential to the country’s anti-trafficking response.

Source: United States Department of State — 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, Guyana