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".
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 bodyguards 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 (cf. 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. [Central Intelligence] Agency 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 Tourism in Bhutan Tourism in North Korea
References