2007 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor - Trinidad and Tobago

Incidence and Nature of Child Labor

Working children in Trinidad and Tobago are involved in agriculture, scavenging, stocking goods, car repair and washing, construction, fishing, and begging. Children also work as shop assistants, cosmetologists, domestic servants, and street vendors.³³⁸³ These activities are reported as generally being part of a family business.³³⁸⁴ Additionally, children are reported to be victims of commercial sexual exploitation, though no specific data is available.³³⁸⁵

Child Labor Laws and Enforcement

The law sets the minimum age for employment in public or private industries at 16 years. However, children 14 to 16 years may work in activities in which only family members are employed or that have been approved as vocational or technical training by the Ministry of Education.³³⁸⁶ Children under 18 years are prohibited from working between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., except in a family business or within other exceptions.³³⁸⁷ One such exception allows children 16 to 18 years to work at night in sugar factories.³³⁸⁸ Violations of these regulations are subject to sanctions.³³⁸⁹

There is no compulsory military service in Trinidad and Tobago, and the minimum age for voluntary military service is 16 with parental consent.³³⁹⁰ Trafficking may be prosecuted under laws that pertain to kidnapping, procurement of sex, prostitution, slavery, and indentured servitude.³³⁹¹ The law prohibits the procurement of minors under 16 for prostitution or sexual offenses, with penalties of up to 15 years of imprisonment.³³⁹² Procurement is considered an offense, whether committed in Trinidad and Tobago or elsewhere.³³⁹³ The operation of a brothel is punishable by imprisonment for 5 years, and allowing minors under 16 to be on the premises of the brothel for sexual purposes is subject to imprisonment for 10 years.³³⁹⁴ Any person responsible for a girl younger than 16 who causes or encourages commercial sexual exploitation of the minor is subject to imprisonment for 2 years.³³⁹⁵

The Ministry of Labor and Small and Micro-Enterprise Development and the Ministry of Social Development are currently responsible for enforcing child labor provisions.³³⁹⁶ Labor inspectors have the authority to enter, inspect, and examine at all reasonable hours any premises when there is reasonable cause to believe that violations are taking place.³³⁹⁷ Labor inspectors are trained to recognize child labor situations.³³⁹⁸ Laws concerning the worst forms of child labor, traditionally considered to be crimes, are enforced by the Police Service.³³⁹⁹ According to USDOS, enforcement of child labor laws is weak due to the lack of a comprehensive Government policy on child labor and mechanisms for receiving and addressing child labor complaints.³⁴⁰⁰ In general, the Government's capacity to pursue its commitment to protect the rights and welfare of children is limited by lack of funds and expanding social needs.³⁴⁰¹

Current Government Policies and Programs to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor

The Ministry of Social Development continued to implement its Revised National Plan of Action for Children, which includes specific goals for combating commercial sexual exploitation of children and exploitive child labor.³⁴⁰² The Government of Trinidad and Tobago participated in the second phase of a USD 750,000 regional project to combat the worst forms of child labor in the Caribbean, funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by ILO-IPEC.³⁴⁰³

3382 For statistical data not cited here, see the Data Sources and Definitions section. For data on ratifications and ILO-IPEC membership, see the Executive Summary. For minimum age for admission to work, age to which education is compulsory, and free public education, see Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Miscellaneous Provisions (Minimum Age for Admission to Employment) Act, 2007, No.3 of 2007, Fifth session, Eighth Parliament (February 26, 2007), article 4; available from http://www.ttparliament.org/bills/acts/2007/a200703.pdf. See also Clive Pegus, A Review of Child Labour Laws of Trinidad and Tobago – A Guide to Legislative Reform, ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, June 2005, 25; available from http://www.ilocarib.org.tt/childlabour/library.htm. See also U.S. Department of State, "Trinidad and Tobago," in Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2007, Washington, DC, March 11, 2008, section 5; available from http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2007/100655.htm.

3383 U.S. Embassy – Port of Spain, reporting, August 24, 2004. See also The Protection Project, "Trinidad and Tobago," in 2005 Human Rights Report on Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, 2005; available from http://www.protectionproject.org/trinidad.doc.

3384 U.S. Embassy – Port of Spain, reporting, August 24, 2004.

3385 Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Revised National Plan of Action on Children, Ministry of Social Development, Port of Spain, August 2006, 89. See also ECPAT International CSEC Database, CSEC Overview: Trinidad and Tobago, accessed December 11, 2007; available from http://www.ecpat.net/. See also The Protection Project, "Trinidad and Tobago."

3386 Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Miscellaneous Provisions (Minimum Age for Admission to Employment) Act, 2007, article 4. See also Right to Education, Constitutional Guarantees: Trinidad and Tobago, [online] [cited December 14, 2007]; available from http://www.right-to-education.org/content/age/trin_and_tob.html. See also Clive Pegus, A Review of Child Labour Laws of Trinidad and Tobago, 25-26.

3387 Right to Education, Constitutional Guarantees: Trinidad and Tobago. See also U.S. Embassy – Port of Spain, reporting, November 30, 2007.

3388 U.S. Department of State, "Country Reports – 2007: Trinidad and Tobago," section 6d.

3389 Clive Pegus, A Review of Child Labour Laws of Trinidad and Tobago, 35.

3390 Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, "Trinidad and Tobago," in Child Soldiers Global Report 2004, London, 2004; available from http://www.child-soldiers.org/document_get.php?id=838. See also, Clive Pegus, A Review of Child Labour Laws of Trinidad and Tobago -a Guide to Legislative Reform, ILO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, June 2005, 32.

3391 U.S. Embassy – Port of Spain, reporting, November 30, 2007. See also U.S. Embassy – Port of Spain, reporting, March 1, 2007.

3392 Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, "Republic of Trinidad and Tobago," in Legislation of Interpol Member States on Sexual Offences against Children, 2006, section 17-18; available from http://www.interpol.int/Public/Children/SexualAbuse/NationalLaws/csaTri….

3393 The Protection Project, "Trinidad and Tobago." See also U.S. Embassy – Port of Spain, reporting, March 1, 2007.

3394 Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, "The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago," section 21-22.

3395 Ibid., section 8.

3396 U.S. Department of State, "Country Reports – 2007: Trinidad and Tobago," section 6d.

3397 Clive Pegus, A Review of Child Labour Laws of Trinidad and Tobago, 37.

3398 U.S. Embassy – Port of Spain, reporting, November 30, 2007.

3399 Clive Pegus, A Review of Child Labour Laws of Trinidad and Tobago, 40.

3400 U.S. Department of State, "Country Reports – 2007: Trinidad and Tobago," section 6d.

3401 U.S. Department of State, "Trinidad and Tobago," in Country Reports on Human Rights Practices – 2006, Washington, DC, March 6, 2007, Section 5; available from http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78907.htm.

3402 Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Revised National Plan of Action on Children, I.

3403 ILO-IPEC Geneva official, E-mail communication to USDOL official, December 12, 2007.