Guyanese girls lured into prostitution in Trinidad

The arrangement which led to the Trinidad travel had its genesis in an advertisement aired on a popular Guyanese night television programme, with the host operating as agent for the named Trinidadian firm located in St Augustine, East Trinidad.

In a telephone interview on Tuesday with one of the girls at the Immigration Office in Port-of-Spain, she said she had approached the television host, name provided, after viewing the advertisement, the Guyana Chronicle reported yesterday.

During the discourse she was told that persons were being recruited to participate in the training, which included no touching, as the company had intended to open a branch in Guyana. Also included in the agreement was the provision of return airfare to Trinidad for one month along with free meals, accommodation and a salary of TT $500 per week.

According to the young woman, she and the other girls were met on arrival in Trinidad by an official of the named St Augustine company who took them to the place which was to be their home and work environment for the one-month stay.

Management also took possession of their passports and tickets, claiming they were advised to so do by the Trinidad immigration authorities.

However, things went sour after a request by management for the trainees to have sex with their clients and they asked that they be sent back home. They were told that would have been done at 3 pm on Tuesday.

The young woman related that as a result of a new development in which the company also took possession of their personal belongings, they sought the assistance of the immigration authorities.

On the advice of the immigration authorities not to return to the premises, the young woman who has a close relative in Trinidad, said she and her friend approached the relative for lodging.

Another relative in Guyana told the Chronicle that the girl’s aunt in Trinidad said she had become uneasy concerning her niece’s employment with the company during a previous encounter at a marketplace. The chatty girl was then unusually quite reserved and seemed in a hurry to return to where she was staying, as if she were given a curfew.

The aunt subsequently went in search of the company and, on enquiring, related how people in the area gave a demeaning description of the place which left much to be desired.

Confronted by the Chronicle, the TV host explained that he was contacted by the owner of the Trinidad firm who invited him to attend a go-go dancing contest in Trinidad sometime around March or April of this year. He said the man, who is well-known as a sex therapist and radio talk show host, asked if he could procure Guyanese girls to take part in the show as well.