A minder is the person assigned to guide or
escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who "
minds
Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) is a voluntary welfare organisation based in Singapore, that provides services for the intellectually disabled. MINDS was founded in 1962, and remains one of the largest charities in ...
".
Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are often termed minders, assigned to offer assistance such as acting as a
guide or as a
translator, or protection in dangerous areas, or to define areas of permitted travel. Often they are perceived as also attempting to
censor or otherwise control the flow of information to the visitor.
Government appointed minders are used in North Korea.
Minders can also be personal
bodyguard
A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects a person or a group of people — usually witnesses, high-ranking public officials or officers, w ...
s or protectors, either in an official capacity such as protecting celebrities or
VIPs, or in an unofficial capacity as a protector of members of the criminal underworld, as described by the UK television series ''
Minder.''
A minder can also be a term for anyone who looks after the interests of someone or something, such as a
talent manager, a
caretaker, or a person that ensures that a certain official
protocol or plan is adhered to by others, or someone that is designated to look after someone who needs assistance (c.f UK English: Child minder for
nanny).
[George Crile, In ]
Charlie Wilson's War
', Grove Press 2007, , p259, Google Books search (partial preview), "It was an outrageous request. entral IntelligenceAgency officers are not permitted to lobby congress for money. They're not even permitted to talk to members of congress without an authorization, and then only when accompanied by a minder", Retrieved on 14 January 2009
See also
*
Agent handling
In intelligence organizations, agent handling is the management of so-called agents (called secret agents or spies in common parlance), principal agents, and agent networks (called "assets") by intelligence officers typically known as case o ...
*
Tourism in Bhutan
*
Tourism in North Korea
References
{{Reflist, 2
Protective service occupations