Plans to amend human trafficking legislation

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - With international pressure mounting on Jamaica to re-double its efforts to clamp down on human trafficking, the task force appointed to deal with this issue is pushing for amendments to already existing legislation. According to Carol Palmer, Chairperson of the Task force Against Human Trafficking, the recommended amendments will be submitted to Cabinet shortly for approval. She said the changes were aimed at increasing penalties as well as including other aspects of human trafficking that may not have been included in previous legislation. She also revealed that they were contemplating changes to the legislation to increase for the penalty for human trafficking from 10 years to life imprisonment. Another step taken by the task force was the establishment of a shelter for victims.