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Trade union members assemble for the Labour Day march in Fyzabad on June 19. - Photo by Lincoln Holder THERE were no significant changes in the country’s human rights situation for 2024, according to the United States’ 2024 Country Report on Human Rights Practices for Trinidad and Tobago.
The report found no credible evidence of major abuses and said the government took effective steps to identify and punish officials responsible for any violations.
The report was published on August 12 by the US State Department.
According to the report, there were no reports of extrajudicial killings during the year, enforced disappearances, or government-led coercion in population control. It also confirmed the government generally respected freedoms of expression and the press, supported by an independent media and a functioning democratic system.
Worker rights, the report said, remained protected under law, though it noted limitations persisted for certain groups, including defence force personnel, police, firefighters, prison officers, teachers, and domestic workers.
The report also said that while the government enforced labour laws on wages, hours, and safety standards, there were insufficient labour inspectors to cover all sectors, especially the informal workforce, which the Inter-American Development Bank estimated at up to one-third of total employment.
The report highlighted persistent concerns over lengthy pretrial detention, with detainees often waiting seven to 10 years for trial — sometimes as long as the maximum sentence for the alleged crime. The backlog was attributed to burdensome preliminary inquiries and limited use of plea bargaining.
The report also noted a parliamentary report to the Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, Equality, and Diversity, which contained allegations of sexual exploitation by Coast Guard members of migrants at immigration facilities.
The report also noted that the government enforced applicable laws and penalties for violators of child labour laws, as children between the ages of 14-16 were allowed to work in activities where family members were employed or those approved as vocational or technical training.
The legal minimum marriage age of 18, the report noted, was effectively enforced.
On refugee protection, the US found that TT lacked a legal framework for granting asylum, relying instead on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to determine refugee status, a process that did not guarantee protection from deportation.
“The law did not provide for granting asylum or refugee status, and the government did not have a system for providing protection to refugees.
“The government allowed UNHCR to conduct refugee status determinations. A positive determination by UNHCR, however, did not confer automatic recognition by the government of refugee status or always protect persons from deportation.
“Access to asylum remained a significant problem for detained individuals, since there were no formal procedures to register those who sought asylum. UNHCR and other international observers did not have regular access to immigration detention centres to register asylum seekers or screen for other needs.”
The report noted a May 2024 High Court ruling in which a judge overturned the 2017 denial of entry to three Venezuelan women, based on an unjustified claim that the women might become a financial burden.
“The judge criticised the lack of standard policies and proper assessment procedures by the immigration division and emphasised the need for clear guidance, training, and the use of special inquiry provisions to ensure fairness and accountability.
“Although no damages were awarded, the judge annulled the rejection orders, potentially allowing the individuals to return.”
The report also documented a small but visible increase in antisemitic incidents, including graffiti with swastikas and online hate speech, particularly in reaction to events in the Middle East. The Jewish population in the country numbers fewer than 100.
“Throughout the year, there were isolated instances of violent messaging, including the use of swastikas in graffiti and in signs during demonstrations in reaction to the Israeli response to the October 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
“Online antisemitic hate speech increased. A small number of religious and nonprofit organisations used antisemitic language in their messaging and demonstrations, including some vague calls for violence.”
Overall, the report described a stable human rights environment.
English (US) ·