People smuggling discussed at Port Moresby meeting

International guests and members from the Papua New Guinea government and non-government sector gathered at the Workshop on People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Bill at the Hideaway Hotel on Wednesday, Sept 29, 2010.

Hosted by the Department of Justice & Attorney General (DJAG) in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the support of PNG Immigration & Citizenship Service (PNGICS), the workshop discussed the new draft bill to amend the Criminal Code to criminalise people smuggling and trafficking in persons.

The bill is the result of cooperative efforts made by members for DJAG, PNGICS and IOM, as well as the reflection of comments received by the agencies members of

the anti-trafficking committee.

 The draft bill was presented at the workshop where participants contributed many constructive comments on the bill highlighting key areas of concern.

In his welcoming remarks, IOM chief of mission in Port Moresby Giuseppe

Crocetti noted that “people smuggling and trafficking in persons are issues which are complex and transnational” and stressed the “urgent need in PNG for this groundbreaking Bill to be passed”.

The keynote speech was given by the Minister of Justice& Attorney General, Ano Pala and opening remarks were given by Joseph Nobetau, acting chief migration officer of PNGICS.

The challenges in monitoring and managing movement across PNG’s land and sea borders with lack of resources and funding, were highlighted through presentations by representatives from the border provinces: Paul Nengai, executive officer of Sandaun provincial government;  Patrick Koles, deputy administrator (operations), Autonomous Bougainville Government;  and Willie Kokoba, deputy administrator (policy) of Fly River provincial government.

International and Pacific regional responses to people smuggling and trafficking were demonstrated in presentations given by international guests Reginald Sanday, head of secretariat of the Pacific Immigration Directors’ Conference and Nemani Vuniwaqa, director of immigration for the Fiji Islands.

The launch of a two-year counter-trafficking programme funded by the United States government was announced at the workshop by Paul Berg, deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of the United States of America in PNG.

The programme will be implemented by the IOM in partnership with DJAG and with the support of ICS and other relevant government and non-government counterparts.

This project holds the primary goal of supporting the efforts of the PNG government to prosecute traffickers and protect victims of trafficking through training, data collection, and awareness campaign, both at the central and provincial levels, in the areas of:

• Criminalisation and prosecution;
•  Legislation and policy;
• Protection; and
• Prevention.