Crack down on Human Trafficking in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye

INTRODUCTION
Our two previous Appeals to the Government of Belize, in which we urged them to
stop human trafficking in their country, extended a hand of partnership to Prime
Minister Dean Barrow.
In this our third Appeal, we provide further details on a step that can be taken
immediately to address human trafficking in Belize: crack down on San Pedro Am
bergris Caye.
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
The Belize tourism boycott has designated San Pedro a red flag no-go zone for to
urists because it is a center for human trafficking. In fact, it is among the wo
rst violators in Central America.
San Pedro is heavily populated with ficha bars specializing in exploiting women
victims of human trafficking. The Town of San Pedro counts 90 human trafficking
bars that specialize in forced prostitution of human trafficking victims. This
is in a town with a population of a population of 12,000.
Human Trafficking Corruption in San Pedro
Top Cop Corrupted
Top Cop Corrupted
Corruption in San Pedro as it affects human trafficking has three pulse points:
Mayor Elsa Paz; the police; and the bar owned by the Mayor, Big Daddy’s Night C
lub.
Mayor Paz – enjoys the benefits but none of the restrictions associated with con
flict of interest for politicians. The Mayor appointed her brother George to the
resort island’s five-member liquor board, which is authorized to issue and enfo
rce liquor regulations locally. The liquor board approved over 390 licenses this
year. Ninety of those licenses were awarded to ficha bars known for offering hu
man trafficking victims as part of their bill of fare.
As the co-owner of Big Daddy’s Night Club she uses her influence to make sure th
e human trafficking victims in her club remain enslaved, working for her and her
brother. Together they profit from the trade in drugs and human trafficking, s
elling victims to other local bar owners or forcing them into prostitution at Bi
g Daddy’s.
Big Daddy’s Night Club – is the anchor for human trafficking in San Pedro. It i
s the hub out of which all of the human trafficking victims coming to town are s
old and dispatched to other local ficha bars. Our sources in San Pedro tell us
up to 500 human trafficking victims a year are processed through Big Daddy’s. No
torious for its selection of trafficked girls, it operates without interference
from the police. It is also a major drug-dealing establishment, which the polic
e also turn a blind eye to.
The police – are in Mayor Paz’s pocket. They do not enforce liquor licensing la
ws, which hold that prostitution in bars is an offence, punishable by fine and p
ossible conviction. They also provide security for Big Daddy’s and are among th
e establishment’s best customers for trafficked girls.
Appeal to Prime Minister Dean Barrow: start with a crack down on San Pedro
In our recent Appeal #2 to the Belize government, we urged Prime Minister Barrow
to strengthen and enforce liquor laws so they provide penalties to bar owner pr
ofiting from prostitution, including:
1) Fines for bar owners, starting at $2,000 (Belize) for a first offence
2) Suspension of liquor license for a period of six months for the first offence
, up to two years for the second, and up to five years for subsequent violations
3) Monitor police enforcement of liquor license laws
In the immediate term, we are asking the Prime Minister to enforce Belize’s curr
ent liquor license laws. These laws that would empower inspection and crack down
on bars which permit on-premises prostitution.
We respectfully submit that Prime Minister Barrow move immediately to investigat
e and prosecute San Pedro bar owners profiting from human trafficking victims in
forced prostitution. We suggest he make a first-strike example of Mayor Paz, h
er bar, Big Daddy’s Night Club, and her relationship with the police.
We further submit that the following San Pedro ficha bars, which openly exploit
human trafficking victims, be investigated and pursued under Belize law: Tinapa;
Black& White; Back-A-Town; Riverside; Mings; Las Amigos; Pedro’s; Sport Bar; Jo
vinies; and Tackle Box.
APPEAL
In submitting this appeal to the Belize government, I am urging the Dean Barrow
government to act immediately to address human trafficking along and within its
borders.
Specifically, I am endorsing the above-noted anti-trafficking measures regarding
: targeting a crackdown on human trafficking in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye; inspe
cting and pursuing under Belize laws San Pedro bar owners who profit from human
trafficking victims.