Liberia Labour Minister, Cllr. Charles H. Gibson has disclosed that a Liberian delegation will soon be traveling to Oman for a meeting with the Omani government to negotiate and sign a memorandum of understanding between the two countries to help resolve increased concerns of human trafficking of Liberian citizens.
The Memorandum of Understanding will mainly focus on regularizing the status of Liberian citizens, especially young women, some of whom seeking employment opportunities in that Arab Golf Nation to provide safe working environment for their rights not to be violated, or being used as domestic slaves.
The Liberian delegation that are expected to meet with the Omani government will be composed of the Ministers of Labour, Justice and Foreign Affairs.
According to Minister Gibson, through the Liberian Government intervention with support from other partners in recent time, a new batch of about 21 Liberian ladies have crossed from Oman to Dubai and are expected to book a flight to Liberia and reunite with their families.
The Liberia Labour Minister furthered disclosed that, some young Liberian women that were trafficked to Oman have returned home and trained; and few have also been employed to work with the safe home and carry out awareness about the danger of human trafficking in various communities that has the propensity to discourage other Liberian girls wishing to travel to Oman in sought of jobs as domestic servants.
In a related development, the Labour Minister who is the Chairman of the “Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce” of Liberia has expressed the need for the convening of a special symposium for Judges, Prosecutors and public defense counsels to enhance the proper implementation of the recently amended Anti Human Trafficking law.
He observed that during the last term of court two judges rendered sentences of convicts inconsistent with the law.
Minister Gibson who spoke during a Trafficking In Person (TIP) meeting that brought together many organizations that are partnering with the government of Liberia, in fighting against Human Trafficking and Child labor said, over the last eight months, there have been seven cases on Human Trafficking and Child labor in the court winning six and losing none, but only one had a hung jury or missed trial.
He therefore informed the gathering that, there are three more cases pending in Kakata, Vojamah and at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia for hearings.