The Tribune

ON November 1, Charice Rolle, Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Financial Services, paid a courtesy call on US Charg� d’Affaires John Dinkelman following her participation in the US Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) professional exchange “Combating Trafficking in Persons”.

During the two-week exchange held from August 17-31, 2013, Ms Rolle visited Washington, DC, Portland, Oregon and San Diego, California.

She was among a delegation of 22 participants from: Australia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Latvia, Liberia, Macao, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, Sweden, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey and the United Kingdom that consisted of both law enforcement officials and victims’ advocates.

The participants had the opportunity to examine US local, national, and international efforts to combat trafficking in persons; present innovative law enforcement strategies for preventing, investigating, and prosecuting trafficking crimes; and discuss awareness and education efforts and international cooperation in combating trafficking in persons.

During the courtesy call with Mr Dinkelman, Ms Rolle discussed what she learned and how she has already started to apply her experience to human trafficking initiatives in the Bahamas.

She noted that she found a number of surprises during the trip, even though it was not her first visit to the United States.

Citing the group’s visit to the San Ysidro Port of Entry into the United States (from Mexico), she was “overwhelmed” by the sheer numbers of people constantly moving through this border, noting that it gave her a greater appreciation of the amount of work done by immigration services at this location.

Ms Rolle said she was very grateful for the chance to interact with what she described as “the uniquely American, grassroots non-profit culture – which does not exist in the Bahamas.”