The topic of human trafficking was at the centre of debate during a simulated parliamentary sitting by participants of the 2025 Cohort of the Young Women Empowered to Serve (YES) Leadership Programme.
Held under the auspices of the Women Parliamentarians of Trinidad and Tobago, the YES Leadership Programme is designed to prepare young women for leadership through exposure to real-world legislative procedures.
Moving the motion was Opposition Leader Tehilla Paul, who emphasised that human trafficking remains a critical public issue.
“The lives of the vulnerable are stolen, leaving near irreparable damage on families and societies. In our discussions today, let us be reminded that behind every statistic is a cry for help, a human being. Our silence and inaction is complicity. Due to an early call for the 2025 General Elections and a subsequent change in government, we have been unable to complete our legislative agenda as projected.”
The Prime Minister, Sheyan Wade, emphasised that stricter regulations and ethical recruitment practices must be pursued, as she noted that the government has seen human trafficking occur through fake job listings.
“This is not the fight of one Ministry. Under this government, we are not just responding. We are rebuilding a broken system to protect our vulnerable. So, through you, Madame Speaker, allow me to address the nation of Trinidad and Tobago and say that we must now call human trafficking what it is: a system of violence, of exploitation, and abuse.”
Also contributing to the debate was the Member of Parliament for Diego Martin West, Tehilla Jeffery, who said victims require special support from healthcare providers.
“We need to include training for our frontline healthcare workers and implement addiction screening in our hospital systems. As a matter of fact, Madame Speaker, it is understandable that the Counter-Trafficking Unit has done tremendous work. They have provided psychological services to victims, and they have included Regional Health Authorities in working groups to help fight human trafficking.”
At the end of the session, Acting Clerk of the House, Chantal La Roche, reminded viewers that the participants had undergone several weeks of preparation in parliamentary procedure, etiquette, research skills, debate, and artificial intelligence.
The mock sitting marked the culmination of the leadership programme, aimed at equipping young women with the tools and experience to engage in national leadership and parliamentary affairs.