Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Prime Minister Philip Davis today firmly rejected any implications of forced labor practices within The Bahamas following The Tribune's reporting on the US' expanded Cuba-related visa restriction policy.
The US is threatening to revoke visas for foreign government officials such as those in The Bahamas involved in Cuba’s labour export programme. While maintaining that there has been no wrongdoing, Mr Davis said the government would conduct a review of its current practices and provide further feedback to U.S. officials in due course.
"The decision is based upon the fact that there is a belief that we are engaging in forced labor by hiring Cubans," Mr Davis said on the sidelines of the RF Bahamas Economic Outlook Conference at Baha Mar.
"Our laws, starting from our constitution, prohibits that kind of engagement. This government will never, and don't intend to engage in any forced labor. It is our law and we are a country of laws, but we have indicated that we don't think that we have done it, we will review where we are and get back to them in due course."
Responding to US news commentary that the country was in for a "wild ride", Mr Davis pointed to his remarks at the conference that referenced historical moments of uncertainty.
"My speech was all about uncertainty, the wild ride is about uncertainty," he said.
In a statement, Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell said the government is considering the policy, "but The Bahamas believes that it follows all international best practices in the recruitment of labour".
Mr Mitchell confirmed that he was part of a meeting with US officials yesterday; however, he declined to provide further details on the outcome of those talks.
Comments
ExposedU2C says...
No one believes a word the very corrupt Davis has to say, especially the US government.
Posted 12 March 2025, 12:37 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
Appears to be an intentional misrepresentation of what the US is alleging. They are not saying the Bahamas is engaging in forced labour, they are saying the Bahamas is enabling it by working with the Cuban govt to contract labour.
I recall for example sometime between 2011 and 2014, a group of Chinese CCA construction workers marching in protest at the conditions under which they were forced to work *in the Bahamas*.
They did not claim that the Bahamian govt was forcing them to work under those conditions, but if those conditions were a reality, the Bahamian govt was certainly *allowing* it to happen. I still wonder about those men, it was the last we heard of them, we dont know if they remained in the Bahamas to work, we dont know if they were treated worse thereafter, we dont know if they were taken back to China, we dont know if they were tortured, we dont know if they were imprisoned we simply dont know. Because the govt wanted the labour, they didnt care to get involved in humane treatment policies.
And if we think that's passed us, just two(?) years ago, 62 Chinese nationals held by immigration for violations were said to not have passports. Upon investigation it was "said", that their employer the Hilton or CCA (since CCA owns the Hilton) was in posession of their passports. A call was made by Keith Bell, alledgedly after speaking with and directed by a very high ranking politician, to release the men.
There was no follow up on why any worker would have his passport taken from him. It is a telltale sign of human trafficking or slave labour. But our govt, "*allowed it to happen*", facilitated the prompt return of those workers more concerned about economic activity than human rights.
The very same thing could be happening with Haitian migrants. Is there a program of indentured labour that we turn a blind eye to? Are they facilitated in leaving Haiti then having to work to pay off a debt to the facilitator? We dont know. We just want the labour.
That is the point. Are we complicit?
Posted 13 March 2025, 2:11 a.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
We're long gone past complicit......we're outright guilty!
Posted 13 March 2025, 11:38 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
The Bahamian Govt is making contracts with the Cuban Govt to hire Cuban is the Ministries of Education and Health. No PM can deny that truth.
And it is common knowledge that these Cuban workers do not get to keep their FULL salaries as ordinary Bahamian workers do.
So, whatever happens with the Cuban workers' salaries that go to the Cuban Government, that is for those who investigate such matters to do.
Posted 13 March 2025, 5:45 p.m. Suggest removal
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