NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas has retained its Tier 1 ranking in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report, but serious concerns remain over the country’s labour deal with Cuba.
The report notes that under the agreement, up to 92 percent of Cuban workers’ salaries were withheld by the Cuban regime, raising red flags about forced labour. In response, the Bahamian government has begun cancelling contractor-based agreements and confirmed that Cuban health professionals will now be hired directly by the government. Recruitment of new Cuban workers has also been temporarily halted following talks with the United States.
Beyond labour reforms, authorities increased trafficking prosecutions, boosted funding for victim care, and rolled out a new rapid screening tool to better identify victims. Still, no traffickers were convicted for the second year in a row, and a new national action plan to replace the one that expired in 2023 has yet to be finalized.
The report praises The Bahamas for serious and sustained efforts but urges stronger action to tackle official complicity, expand victim housing, and ensure fair labour practices for foreign workers.
