# The Bahamas - United States Department of State

- Economic and Health Dialogue of the Americas Advances Through a Second Annual High-level Meeting in the Dominican Republic Office of the SpokespersonOn March 10, 2024, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Jose W. Fernandez, kicked off the Second Annual High-Level Meetings of the Economic and Health Dialogue of the Americas (EHA) alongside PAHO Deputy Director Mary Lou Valdez, Department of Commerce Deputy Under Secretary Diane Farrell, Executive Vice President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Mr. Jordan Schwartz, and Minister of Health for the Dominican Republic Víctor Atallah at the welcoming reception. Official government meetings were held the next day on March 11, where ministers and vice ministers from 17 countries across ministries of finance, economy, health, foreign affairs and social development were in attendance.Several countries were represented by ministries of health, as well as ministries of finance, economy, foreign affairs, and commerce given the whole-of-government approach the EHA takes through multisectoral workstreams. EHA co-chairs, the United States and Panama, made remarks at the event along with the country host of the meeting, the Dominican Republic. EHA members focused discussions on smart spending, prioritization of health-sector transformation, responsive social protections, technology and health, workforce development, and foundations of resilient supply chains.EHA co-lead countries Brazil, Paraguay, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and the United States affirmed leadership roles for 2024, and members approved the workplan for the coming year. Several USG agencies were in attendance, including USAID, CDC, USTDA and Commerce. USAID and the Department of State made several announcements along with several EHA members. For more information on those announcements please see the fact sheet: https://www.state.gov/economic-and-health-dialogue-of-the-americas-high-level-meeting-outcomes-for-2024/.Learn more about the EHA on the main webpage: https://www.iadb.org/en/home/economic-and-health-dialogue-americas .To stay up to date, follow Under Secretary Fernandez on X: @State_E, LinkedIn: @State-E, and Facebook: @StateDeptE.For further media information, please contact E_Communications@state.gov.
- Economic and Health Dialogue of the Americas High-level Meeting Outcomes for 2024 Office of the SpokespersonThe Economic and Health Dialogue of the Americas (EHA) was launched on the margins of the 9th Summit of the Americas in June 2022 by the U.S. Department of State. In 2023, the EHA held its first high-level meeting to establish the governance structure and approve scope of work. Since then, countries have organized 11 technical meetings and a first in person encounter in Uruguay at the end of 2023.On the 11th of March of 2024, the 2nd annual high-level meeting of the EHA was held in the Dominican Republic with representation from 17 countries. Ministers and Vice Ministers from health, finance, economy, foreign affairs, and commerce agencies participated to include Ministerial-level participation from of the United States, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Mexico, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Guyana, Guatemala, Suriname, Panama, Colombia, and Paraguay, in addition to high-level representatives from Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador. In addition to government representatives, leadership from regional technical organizations participated, including IDB Executive Vice President Jordan Schwartz and PAHO Deputy Director Mary Lou Valdez. Representatives from ECLAC, USAID, USTDA, U.S. Department of Commerce, and CDC were also in attendance.What were the main agreements and outcomes of the 2nd Annual EHA High-Level Meeting in the Dominican Republic?Countries reaffirmed EHA’s commitment to strengthen health systems and economic resilience to emergencies in the region. Paraguay, Uruguay, Bahamas, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, and Chile affirmed their commitment to co-lead EHA technical working groups. Panama was praised for their leadership as co-chair of EHA along with United States.PAHO announced the launch of their Public Finance Management tool. The tool will enable countries to conduct analysis of fiscal space for the health sector to support responsible spending as well as sustainable and equitable public health financing. PAHO has committed to the goal of two countries applying the tool in 2024-2025. Several countries expressed interest at the meeting. The work supports the “Smart Spending” workstream.PAHO committed to use the Essential Public Health Functions (EPHF) assessments from 14 countries to produce a policy document that would establish shared priorities and identify institutional capacity gaps across the region that will require future investment to fill, with a sub-regional focus on Caribbean countries. This work will support the workstream on Prioritization of Health Sector Transformation, which is led by the Bahamas. The Bahamas announced the completion of their EPHF assessment at the meeting.Brazil, Dominican Republic, and Chile committed to apply the IDB’s Maturity Assessment Tool (MAT) to measure the capacity of social protection systems to respond to emergencies. Countries like Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Paraguay outlined some of the best practices around social protection during COVID-19, as well as lessons learned from other sectors and emergency response scenarios. The goal for 2024 will be to explore potential regional agreements to coordinate increased preparedness and responsiveness to future crises in the region. This work supports workstream on Responsive Social Protection.EHA countries announced commitment to conduct a pharmaceutical mapping exercise and prepare a regional strategy for nearshoring of critical inputs and consumables. EHA members short-listed mRNA vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and antimicrobials, including for malaria and tuberculosis, as priority products for the 2024-2025 analysis. The United States committed to support this analysis in coordination with co-leads Argentina and Peru. Argentina affirmed their commitment to conduct a regional Private-Public Partnership analysis. This work supports the Resilient Supply Chain workstream.USAID shared progress on the Americas Health Corps initiative, announcing the training of 120,000 healthcare workers in the region thus far.USAID also announced funding for a market analysis of the current capacity within the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region to produce or manufacture vaccine countermeasures for emerging threats, endemic diseases, and local priorities relevant to the regional market. The EHA platform committed to supporting the implementation of recommendations from the analysis.EHA members approved the work plan for 2024-2025 and committed to a mid-year high-level meeting to review progress.EHA members recognized the importance of digital health and utilization of technology in the public health system and proposed establishing a new EHA workstream on technology and health. The EHA Executive Technical Working Group will develop a scope of work for this proposed workstream with the goal of launching it in 2024.For further information, please contact E_Commmunications@state.gov, or visit the EHA website: https://www.iadb.org/en/home/economic-and-health-dialogue-americas .
- The Bahamas HomeReportsBureau of Economic and Business Affairs2023 Investment Climate Statements&#8230;The Bahamas				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Investment Climate Statements: The Bahamas																																																																																												 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															1. Openness to and Restrictions Upon Foreign Investment																																																									Policies towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																																											Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																																											Business Facilitation																																																																											Outward Investment																																																																																	2. Bilateral Investment Agreements and Taxation Treaties																															3. Legal Regime																																																									Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																																											International Regulatory Considerations																																																																											Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																																											Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Competition and Anti-Trust Laws																																																																											Expropriation and Compensation																																																																											Dispute Settlement																																																																											Bankruptcy Regulations																																																																																	4. Industrial Policies																																																									Investment Incentives																																																																											Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																																											Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																																																	5. Protection of Property Rights																																																									Real Property																																																																											Intellectual Property Rights																																																																																	6. Financial Sector																																																									Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																																											Money and Banking System																																																																											Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																																			Foreign Exchange																																																								Remittance Policies																																																																																																																		Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																																																	7. State-Owned Enterprises																																																									Privatization Program																																																																																	8. Responsible Business Conduct																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																								Climate Issues																																																																																																																																																																																																																						9. Corruption																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																								10. Political and Security Environment																															11. Labor Policies and Practices																															12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Other Investment Insurance and Development Finance Programs																															13. Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Portfolio Investment Statistics																															14. Contact for More Information																																																					EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is an archipelago of 700 islands stretching from Florida to Haiti. While most of the population lives in the cities of Nassau and Freeport, sixteen islands have significant economic activity. The country boasts a stable investment climate, democratic tradition, respect for the rule of law, and a well-developed legal system. The World Bank classifies The Bahamas as a developed country with a 2021 per capita GDP of $33,187, the second highest in the English-speaking Caribbean. The Bahamas relies on imports from the United States to satisfy its fuel and food needs and conducts more than 85 percent of its international trade with the United States. Bahamians’ use of English and frequent travel to the U.S. contribute to their preference for U.S. goods and services. U.S. exports to The Bahamas were valued at $5.6 billion in 2022, resulting in a $3.9 billion U.S. trade surplus.The Bahamas’ tourism-dependent economy has recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and is on track to welcome over seven million, mostly American, tourists this year. However, the country remains vulnerable to natural disasters and external shocks. The World Bank (WB) estimates real GDP growth of 4.3 percent in 2023 and two percent in 2024. The WB lauded The Bahamas’ resiliency in the face of increased debt, global inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The WB classifies The Bahamas as a high-income country, belying the country’s extreme income inequality.Tourism and related services account for 70 percent of the country’s GDP and employ just over half the workforce. A survey of the labor force has not been completed since December 2019, yet government and international agencies estimate unemployment rates have levelled off to near pre-pandemic levels of 10 to 15 percent as of late 2022. Financial services are the second most important sector of the economy, accounting for 15 percent of GDP. Grand Bahama, the northern-most Bahamian island, has the most diversified economic activity in the country. Its capital, Freeport, is a free trade zone that hosts many U.S.-owned businesses.To diversify the economy, the government has promoted investment in niche tourism, renewable energy, light manufacturing, digital assets and fintech, technology, agriculture, fisheries, and extractive industries. The government has also committed to digitizing business services and jumpstarting domestic productivity through small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially those operating in non-traditional sectors.Throughout 2022, The Bahamas positioned itself as a hub for new financial technologies, promoting its central bank-backed digital currency and highlighting its regulatory environment supported by the Digital Assets and Registered Exchanges (DARE) Act. These efforts attracted several fintech-related businesses and events. Despite the December 2022 collapse of Bahamas-based FTX, the world’s second largest cryptocurrency exchange, companies utilizing fintech and blockchain technology continue to show interest in The Bahamas.The Bahamas has leaned on international financial institutions for loans and has rejected offers from foreign governments to prop up its economy. Although the country has lowered its debt service obligations over the last two years, International Financial Institutions (IFIs) have voiced concern about The Bahamas’ reluctance to impose more progressive taxes to address its 80 percent debt-to-GDP ratio and to support economic development and social initiatives. The country does not levy corporate, personal, inheritance or capital gains taxes. The government faces international pressure to improve aspects of its anti-money laundering policies.The Bahamas is not a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and does not offer export subsidies, engage in trade-distorting practices, or maintain a local content requirement. The country has a strict $500,000 dollar minimum on foreign capital investments. The country attracts FDI and over the past decade has benefitted from significant investments in the tourism sector by PRC-based and backed companies. Since taking office in September 2021, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has embraced public-private partnerships (PPPs) to raise capital and engaged investors from non-traditional markets such as the Middle East and Africa. U.S. investors have focused primarily on the tourism sector and range from general services contracts to billion-dollar developments. U.S. companies have also shown interest in emerging sectors, such as non-oil and renewable energy, niche tourism, extractive industries, and digital technology.Positive aspects of The Bahamas’ investment climate include political stability, a parliamentary democracy, an English-speaking labor force, a profitable financial services infrastructure, established rule of law, general respect for contracts, an independent judiciary, and strong consumer purchasing power. Negative aspects include a lack of transparency in government procurement, labor shortages in certain sectors, high labor costs, a bureaucratic and inefficient investment approvals process, a lengthy legal disputes resolution process, internet connectivity issues on smaller islands, and energy costs four times higher than in the United States. The high cost of electricity is driven by antiquated generation systems and inefficient diesel power plants. The government has prioritized airport redevelopment and non-oil energy projects, including a transition from diesel to liquified natural gas (LNG) on its most populated island of New Providence. The government is also promoting solar-powered microgrids on smaller islands.Foreign investment in fifteen sectors of the economy require prior approval from the National Economic Council (NEC). These sectors include commercial fishing, public transport, advertising, retail operations, security services, real estate agencies, and others. Finalizing accession to the WTO would require opening some of these protected areas to foreign investment.The absence of transparent investment procedures and legislation is problematic. U.S. and Bahamian companies report business dispute resolution often takes years and debt collection can be difficult, even with a court judgment. Companies describe the approval process for FDI and work permits as cumbersome and time-consuming, although the government has voiced plans to streamline the process. Companies also complain that the tender process for public contracts is inconsistent, and allege it is difficult to obtain information on the status of bids. To improve transparency and efficiency, the government passed an updated Public Procurement Act, refreshed its eProcurement and Suppliers Registry System, and launched a new eProcurement platform in March 2023.The Bahamas scored 64 out of 100 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index in 2022 (where zero is perceived as highly corrupt and 100 is very transparent). This means The Bahamas is perceived as notably transparent when compared to the 180 ranked countries. However, the country’s score has dropped seven points since 2012. The PLP administration confirmed its intention to amend several good governance laws. While efforts have been made in some areas, the government has stalled full implementation of anticorruption legislation that would accelerate efforts to enhance transparency and accountability. The Bahamas lacks an Office of the Ombudsman and has not fully enacted its Freedom of Information Act (2017). Legislation to support an Integrity Commission and campaign reform have also been delayed. An independent Information Commissioner, supported by technical and administrative staff, was appointed in mid-2021, but the office is not fully operational.Table 1: Key Metrics and RankingsMeasureYearIndex/RankWebsite AddressTI Corruption Perceptions Index202230 of 180 (rank)http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overviewGlobal Innovation Index2022N/Ahttps://www.globalinnovationindex.org/analysis-indicatorU.S. FDI in partner country (M USD, stock positions)202144,303  https://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/  World Bank GNI per capita202126,490 http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD																																					1. Openness to and Restrictions Upon Foreign Investment						    																																																Policies towards Foreign Direct Investment										The government encourages FDI, particularly in the tourism and financial services sector. The National Investment Policy (NIP) and the Commercial Enterprises Act (CEA) encourage foreign investment in the following sectors of the economy: tourism; international business centers; aircraft and maritime services; marinas; information and data processing; information technology services; light industry manufacturing and assembly; agro-industries; aquaculture; food and beverage processing; banking and other financial services; offshore medical centers and services; e-commerce; arbitration; international arbitrage; computer programming; software design and writing; bioinformatics and analytics; and data storage and warehousing.The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister, has stressed its commitment to an investment-friendly environment and actively pursued FDI in partnership with the country’s embassies and consulates abroad. The Ministry has promoted investment across the country’s inhabited islands with a renewed focus on reaching less economically developed parts of the archipelago. It also touts plans to diversify the economy through targeted investments in non-traditional sectors such as light manufacturing, technology, agriculture and fisheries, extractive industries, and renewable energy. The PLP administration has embraced public-private partnerships (PPPs) to raise capital and engaged investors from relatively untapped markets, such as the Middle East and Africa.Operating from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) administers investment policies, functions as the national investment facilitation agency, and assists investors in navigating the approvals process. All foreign investors must apply for BIA approval. If operating in Freeport on Grand Bahama, investors must seek approval from  Invest Grand Bahama , the investment arm of  the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA)  – a privately owned organization that oversees development in the city of Freeport. Government administrations consistently support investment and generally honor agreements made by previous administrations.The Bahamas reserves the following 15 sectors of the economy for Bahamian investors: wholesale and retail operations (although international investors may engage in the wholesale distribution of any product they produce locally); agencies engaged in import or export; real estate agencies and domestic property management; domestic newspapers and magazine publications; domestic advertising and public relations firms; nightclubs and restaurants except specialty, gourmet, and ethnic restaurants, and those operating in a hotel, resort or tourist attraction; security services; domestic distribution of building supplies; construction companies except for special structures requiring foreign expertise; personal cosmetic or beauty establishments; commercial fishing including both deep water fishing and shallow water fishing of crustaceans, mollusks, fish, and sponges; auto and appliance services; public transportation including boat charters; and domestic gaming. The government does make exceptions, and the Embassy is aware of several cases in which it granted foreign investors full market access.The government does not give preferential treatment to investors based on nationality, and investors have equal access to incentives, including land grants, tax concessions, and direct marketing and budgetary support. The government provides guidelines for investment through the National Investment Policy (NIP), administered by the BIA, and through the Commercial Enterprises Act (CEA), administered by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The CEA provides incentives to domestic and foreign investors to establish specific projects, including approval of work permits for senior posts and the expedited issuance of work permits.The National Economic Council (NEC) must grant special approval for foreign investment projects valued at $10 million or more, those with national security implications, or those that require environmental and economic impact assessments. The NEC is comprised of government ministers, including the Prime Minister in his dual role as the Minister of Finance, and the Deputy Prime Minister as the Minister responsible for investments. The approval process generally requires review by multiple government agencies and a BIA recommendation prior to NEC consideration.Bureaucratic impediments are not limited to the NEC approvals process. The country lags on international metrics related to starting a business, registering property, acquiring construction permits, accessing credit, and resolving property disputes. Significant delays in the approvals process have occurred, including cases where the government failed to respond to investment applications.In early 2022, the government promoted plans to establish a new, independent agency – Bahamas Invest &#8211; to fast-track FDI, mobilize local investments, and improve bureaucratic delays, functionality, and transparency. However, the Embassy is not aware of progress towards establishing Bahamas Invest and it is unclear if these plans remain a priority. BIA continues its oversight of all FDI-related approvals and promotion.																																				Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment										Foreign investors have the right to establish private enterprises, and most companies operate unencumbered once approved. Key considerations for approval include economic impact, job creation, infrastructure development, economic diversification, environmental protection, and corporate social responsibility. With the assistance of a local attorney, investors can create the following types of businesses: sole proprietorship, limited or general partnership, joint stock company, or subsidiary of a foreign company. The most popular all-purpose vehicles for foreign investors are the International Business Company (IBC) and the Limited Duration Company (LDC). Both benefit from income, capital gains, gift, estate, inheritance, and succession tax exemptions. Investors are required to establish a local company and register to operate in The Bahamas.A Beneficial Ownership Registry established in 2021 requires legal entities (defined as companies incorporated, continued, or registered in The Bahamas) to file beneficial ownership information with the Registrar General within 15 days of identifying any person as a beneficial owner of that legal entity. Investment screening mechanisms assess the creditworthiness of principals, capital investment, land and personnel requirements, financial arrangements, and economic and environmental impacts. It is not clear if national security risks are assessed.																																				Other Investment Policy Reviews										The Bahamas is the only Western Hemisphere country not in the WTO, and therefore has never benefitted from a WTO trade policy review. None of the OECD, UNCTAD, or the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights have conducted investment policy reviews.&nbsp;																																				Business Facilitation										Through an e-business portal, companies can apply for or renew their business licenses online from the  Department of Inland Revenue . The government claims approvals are normally granted within seven working days, provided all required information and documentation has been submitted correctly. However, the Embassy is aware of instances where domestic and foreign owned companies have waited weeks to receive their approved business licenses. The Department of Inland Revenue attributed most of these delays to extended verification processes.Foreign owned companies must provide evidence of BIA approval when applying for business licenses. Foreign companies and most larger businesses, regardless of national affiliation, are not eligible for provisional licenses, expedited renewals, or new business license fee exemptions.All companies with an annual turnover of $100,000 or more are required to register with the government to receive a Tax Identification Number and a Value Added Tax Certificate. The sometimes-lengthy registration process is considered an impediment to the ease of doing business. In 2022, the government introduced new reporting requirements regarding real property taxes for business license applicants. Some applicants contend real property tax information requirements are onerous, difficult to obtain from landlords, and unnecessarily lengthen application timelines.																																				Outward Investment										The Bahamas government neither promotes nor prohibits its citizens from investing internationally, however, all outward direct investments by residents require prior approval from the Exchange Control Department of the Central Bank of The Bahamas. HYPERLINK &#8220;file:///C:/Users/WeschRA/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/VVAZEY33/View%20exchange%20control%20notes%20and%20guidelines&#8221;View exchange control notes and guidelines. The Central Bank considers the probable impact an investment could have on The Bahamas’ balance of payments, specifically business activities that promote the receipt of foreign currency.During the pandemic, the Central Bank suspended purchases of foreign currency to maintain a fixed, one-to-one exchange rate with the U.S. dollar. However, the Central Bank began reauthorizing these investments in October 2021 after the country’s foreign reserves stabilized.																																												2. Bilateral Investment Agreements and Taxation Treaties						    																						The Bahamas has no bilateral investment agreements but has signed tax information exchange agreements with 34 countries, including the United States in 2002. The agreement designates The Bahamas as a qualified jurisdiction and provides U.S. companies tax credits for conventions and related corporate expenses.  View the tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs) signed to date .The Bahamas was the first country in the Caribbean region to sign the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Agreement (FATCA) with the United States. Since September 2015, The Bahamas has implemented a non-reciprocal, inter-governmental agreement (Model 1B) to satisfy its obligations under the agreement. Additionally, in January 2017, the government implemented the OECD-developed Common Reporting Standard (CRS) through the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information Act and, as of June 2022, activated exchange relationships  with 67 partners .The Bahamas is a signatory to the 2008 Economic Partnership Agreement between the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) and the European Union, and the 2019 Economic Partnership Agreement between CARIFORUM and the United Kingdom. Both agreements provide for the asymmetric liberalization of trade in goods and services between CARIFORUM and the other signatories and include specific commitments on investments and trade-in services. As of March 2023, The Bahamas has not yet ratified either trade agreement, but provisionally applies both.The Bahamas is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) but does not participate in the single market, single economy, or the customs union. The Bahamas does not have a free trade agreement with the United States but is a signatory to the US-CARICOM Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (2013).																																		3. Legal Regime						    																																																Transparency of the Regulatory System										The Bahamas’ accounting, legal, and regulatory systems are generally consistent with international norms. The Bahamas has no equivalent to the U.S. Federal Register, but the government  regularly updates its website  to list draft legislation, bills before parliament, and its legislative agenda. Proposed legislation is available at the Government Publications Office, and public and private sector engagement is usually encouraged. Public consultation on investment proposals is not required by law. The Embassy is unaware of any informal regulatory processes managed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or private sector associations that restrict foreign participation in the economy.Over the past decade, the government has made several legislative and policy efforts to enhance transparency and accountability and improve the country’s fiscal governance. However, some laws have not been fully implemented, others have been repealed and replaced by incoming administrations following elections, and some platforms are not fully functional or utilized.In early March 2023, the government passed the Public Finance Management Act, 2023, aimed at improving fiscal governance and enhancing transparency and accountability. This Act repealed and replaced the Public Finance Management Act, 2021, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018, and sections of the Financial Administration and Audit Act.In March 2023, the government also repealed and replaced the Public Procurement Act, 2021, arguing that the previous legislation produced unintended public policy consequences, most notably biasing the granting of contracts to large vendors. The government contends that the new Public Procurement Act, 2023 allows preferential treatment for targeted groups such as SMEs, women-owned businesses, youth-owned businesses, and businesses operating on less developed islands. Preferences are also available for high-priority areas which diversify the Bahamian economy, such as niche-tourism, renewable energy, light manufacturing, digital assets and fintech, technology, agriculture, fisheries, and extractive industries. The new legislation requires international bidders to register with the Public Procurement Department. International bidders must receive approval to bid on lower value contracts.The new procurement legislation is supported by an  eProcurement and Supplies Registry  System and an  eProcurement platform  launched in October 2022 that will serve as a clearing house for $785 million in government contracts budgeted for FY2022/2023. The administration contends the procurement platform will address complaints about transparency in the tendering process, allowing companies to track their bids and inquire about outcomes. The government advised nearly 1,500 national and international vendors registered on the eProcurement platform as of March 2023, approximately 300 contracts have been awarded, and it realized an estimated $2.6 million in savings from the use of the platform since its launch.The official political opposition and some members of civil society contend the PLP administration disregarded key provisions of the previous procurement legislation, such as providing full reports to Parliament on contracts awarded and allowing for an appeals process.The Bahamas’ supreme audit institution, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), has demonstrated significant progress in addressing its audit reporting backlog by completing three national audits of government accounts in 2021 and 2022. The last publicly available audit covers FY2019/2020, however the OAG plans to publish the FY2020/2021 audit in Q1 2023. The OAG is working with international partners, including the U.S. Global Accountability Office and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to fulfill its reporting obligations and to implement best practices in its financial auditing practices and processes.The government continues to make key budget documents publicly available, including the executive budget proposal, enacted budget, and end of fiscal year report. Budget documents include estimates of revenue and expenditure (including estimates from prior years), the budget communication (the budget speech), appropriation bills, tax bills, resolutions, and proposed legislative changes. The government also publicizes information on debt obligations, including that of SOEs, during the annual budget submissions to the Parliament. Budget documents are available  on the government’s websites .																																				International Regulatory Considerations										The Bahamas is not a member of the WTO, so it does not notify the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) of draft technical regulations. As part of WTO accession negotiations relaunched in 2018, The Bahamas announced it is reviewing investment policies with the aim of developing comprehensive, WTO-compliant investment legislation. However, the Embassy is not aware of significant progress in this area in 2022. The Bahamas is not a member of UNCTAD’s international network of transparent investment procedures.The Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ), launched in 2016, governs standards for goods and services, particularly metrology (weights and balances). BBSQ also cooperates with other ministries on quality standards, such as sanitary and phytosanitary standards with the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources and the Bahamas Health and Food Safety Agency (BAHFSA). BBSQ serves as the country’s focal point on trade barrier issues and has received technical support on the development of national standards from the EU and the Caribbean Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ). Trade barriers are not a hindrance to trade with the United States, and U.S. products are widely accepted.																																				Legal System and Judicial Independence										The Bahamas legal system is based on English common law and foreign nationals are afforded full rights in legal proceedings. Contracts are legally enforced through the courts; however, there are some instances where civil disputes get tied up in the court system for years.The judiciary is independent, and allegations of government interference in the judicial process are rare. With the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the Governor General appoints the highest-ranking officials in the judicial system, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the President of the Court of Appeals. The Bahamas is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and uses the Privy Council Judicial Committee in London as the final court of appeal for civil and criminal matters.The Bahamas continues to advance efforts to develop its reputation as a center for international arbitration by establishing an Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit and updating relevant legislation, namely the International Commercial Arbitration Act (2021) and the Arbitration Act (2009). Amendments to these laws, introduced in March 2023, aim to attract international investors by granting them access to a more efficient resolution process outside the court system. The government advises the amendments will also provide alternative resolutions for trust and commercial disputes in the financial and maritime industries. Amendments to the legislation are in the consultative phase. Current laws incorporate key provisions of the Model Law of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).Judgments by British courts and select Commonwealth countries can be registered and enforced in The Bahamas under the Reciprocal Enforcement of Judgments Act. Court judgments from other countries, including those of the United States, must be litigated in local courts and are subject to local legal requirements. The government continues to modernize the justice system and increase judicial transparency and efficiency. Efforts since 2022 included relaunching the digital court reporting system, drafting legislative amendments to expand the jurisdiction of the Magistrate’s Court and facilitate remote trials under the Evidence Act. Discussions continue regarding establishing a Juvenile Court, Family Court, Sexual Offences Court, and Commercial Court to give focused attention to these sensitive matters and allow other matters in the courts to advance with greater efficiency.The Court Services Bill drafted in 2020 has not been debated or enacted. This law would give the courts more autonomy and control over their administrative, financial, and operational affairs. There has been little movement on the construction of a new Supreme Court complex.																																				Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment										While some public pronouncements have been made on FDI policies, the Embassy is not aware of major laws, regulations, or judicial decisions passed since publication of the 2022 Investment Climate Statement. FDI is encouraged through industry-specific legislation and a compendium of legislative incentives and concessions exist for doing business in The Bahamas.  The Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA)  regulates and facilitates FDI based on the country’s National Investment Policy.The government has drafted a Foreign Investment Bill purported to codify the existing National Investment Policy, align with international investment best practices, and bring additional transparency, accountability, and predictability to the country’s foreign investment process. The Embassy is not aware of efforts to advance this bill in 2022.In 2022, the government committed to establishing Bahamas Invest &#8211; a new, autonomous agency to oversee a modern investment regime and fast-track investments. However, the Embassy is not aware of recent progress towards establishing Bahamas Invest and it is unclear if these plans remain a priority. All relevant laws, rules, procedures, and reporting requirements for investors can be found on the website of the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA) ( www.bahamas.gov.bs/bia ).																																				Competition and Anti-Trust Laws										The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) regulates and imposes antitrust restrictions in the telecommunications and energy sectors. However, there is no general legislation governing competition or anti-trust issues. A Competition (antitrust) Bill was drafted in 2018 in line with The Bahamas’ CARIFORUM-EU obligations and WTO accession requirements to address anti-competitive conduct, merger control, and elements of consumer protection. Initial public consultations were held in August 2018. The Embassy is not aware of efforts to advance the Bill in 2022.																																				Expropriation and Compensation										Property rights are protected under Article 27 of the country’s constitution, which prohibits the deprivation of property without prompt and adequate compensation. There have been compulsory acquisitions of property for public use, but in all instances, there was satisfactory compensation at fair market value.The Embassy is not aware of any instance in 2022 where the government acquired private property for public use.																																				Dispute Settlement										ICSID Convention and New York ConventionThe Bahamas is a member of both the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes Convention (ICSID) and the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, commonly known as the New York Convention. Disputes between companies are generally handled in local courts, but foreign investors can refer cases to the ICSID. A $2.25 billion fraud and breach of contract case is scheduled for trial in August 2024.The Bahamas’ Arbitration Act of 2009 enacted the New York Convention and provides a legal framework.Investor-State Dispute SettlementOrder 66 of the Rules of the Bahamian Supreme Court provides rules for arbitration proceedings. The 1958 United Nations Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards entered into force for The Bahamas on March 20, 2007. This convention provides for the enforcement of agreements for commercial disputes. Under the convention, courts of a contracting state can enforce such an agreement by referring the parties to arbitration. There are no restrictions on foreign investors negotiating arbitration provisions in private agreements.The Bahamas is a signatory to Economic Partnership Agreements between CARIFORUM and the European Union (2008) and CARIFORUM and the United Kingdom (2019). Both agreements include dispute settlement provisions and procedures. The Bahamas has not yet ratified either of the trade agreements, but provisionally applies both.Investment disputes in The Bahamas that directly involve the government are rare, and extrajudicial action against foreign investors is uncommon. However, in late 2022 the Securities Commission of the Bahamas suspended the license of the local subsidiary of a U.S. investor and began liquidation proceedings against the company. Liquidators, appointed by The Bahamas’ Supreme Court, also sought recourse in a U.S. court to seize $4.5 billion in company assets on behalf of customers and creditors. This case is ongoing.International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign CourtsIn 2020, The Bahamas established an Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit within the Ministry of Economic Affairs, responsible for international commercial arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation and adjudication. The Unit is also responsible for developing relevant laws and promoting alternative dispute resolution.The Bahamas is a member of the World Bank’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency which insures investors against currency transfer restrictions, expropriation, war and civil disturbances, and breach of contract by member countries. Local courts enforce and recognize foreign arbitral awards, and foreign investors are provided national treatment. The Embassy is not aware of any cases involving state owned enterprises that resulted in litigation.																																				Bankruptcy Regulations										Company liquidations, voluntary or involuntary, proceed according to the Companies Act. Liquidations are routinely published in newspapers in accordance with legislation. Creditors of bankrupt debtors and liquidated companies participate in the distribution of the bankrupt debtor’s or liquidated company’s assets according to the statute. U.S. investors should be aware that there is no equivalent to Chapter 11 bankruptcy law provisions to protect assets located in The Bahamas.The Credit Reporting Act was passed in February 2018 to improve credit reporting systems and better assess borrowers’ risk. The Bahamas’ first credit bureau, CRIF Information Services Bahamas, Ltd., is a licensee of the Central Bank of The Bahamas and launched in April 2021. However, CRIF is not yet fully operational. Bahamian commercial banks and personal lenders will be required to share their clients’ credit history with CRIF. CRIF will provide lenders access to credit reports. The Central Bank identified 45 entities as credit information providers as of March 2023.																																												4. Industrial Policies						    																																																Investment Incentives										Tax relief is by far the most compelling and significant investment incentive in The Bahamas. The government does not impose taxes on income, estates, or inheritances. Other incentives for investment include waivers on import duties, property tax abatement, and, in some cases, land grants or extended leases for private development at below-market rates. Certain incentives are negotiated directly with the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA), are included in respective Heads of Agreements (HoAs) and require the approval of the National Economic Council.Other investment incentives are outlined in concessionary legislation such as the Hotels Encouragement Act, the Bahamas Vacation Plan and Timeshare Act, the Agricultural Manufacturers Act, the Family Islands Development Encouragement Act, the Industries Encouragement Act, the Tariff Act, the International Persons Landholding Act, the City of Nassau Revitalization Act, the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, Grand Bahama Act, and the Commercial Enterprises Act. BIA either administers the legislation or acts as the intermediary between the foreign investor and relevant government ministry or agency. Further information on investment incentives is available on  BIA’s website .																																				Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation										The city of Freeport is a 233-square-mile Free Trade Zone on the island of Grand Bahama. The Hawksbill Creek Agreement (1955) between the Bahamas government and the Grand Bahama Port Authority guarantees the “special economic zone” until 2054. Businesses operating in Freeport must obtain a license from the Grand Bahama Port Authority, but are exempt from most taxes (including property, excise, import, and business taxes). The government has made efforts to regulate business activities and extract tax revenues from the free zone, but most have been litigated to the Port’s benefit.																																				Performance and Data Localization Requirements										The Bahamas maintains few formal performance requirements for investments. During the approvals process, an investor provides proof of adequate and legitimate sources of funding and, depending on the type of investment, produces economic and environmental impact assessments. The government negotiates requirements on a project-by-project basis, and, in the case of large developments, offers a Heads of Agreement between the government and the investor. These agreements include government obligations to the investor. There is no official mandate to hire local personnel, though many Heads of Agreement stipulate a percentage of workers must be Bahamian and projects committing to hiring Bahamians receive favorable consideration.The government encourages commercial enterprises to source from local producers and transfer skills to the local labor market. This engagement is a part of the negotiations with the government during the approval phase, and it is common for an investor to gain concessions where they can benefit local businesses, create jobs, or support the transfer of skills and technology.In January 2022, the government announced a policy that required investors, including large resorts, wholesalers, and retailers to purchase at least forty percent of agricultural and marine products from local producers. This initiative is in line with the CARICOM objective to reduce extra-regional food imports by 25 percent by 2025. This policy is not supported by legislation, and the Embassy understands it is negotiated directly with investors.The government negotiates and sometimes facilitates work permits for key employees as part of the investment approvals process, usually under the Commercial Enterprises Act (CEA). For non-essential services, the government requires investors to document efforts to recruit local Bahamians as part of their applications for work permits, but the law does not stipulate an exact percentage. Buyers of second homes can apply for permanent residency (not citizenship) and benefit from expedited approval for home purchases that exceed $500,000. The government generates revenue by collecting fees for work permits. Depending on the category, work permits range from $1,000 to $15,000 annually.  View Bahamas Department of Immigration permit fees .																																												5. Protection of Property Rights						    																																																Real Property										Despite the high number of second-home owners in The Bahamas, local and international investors describe the process of registering property as difficult. The time to complete the registration process is lengthy, and there has been limited progress on establishing digital land registries or time limits for procedures. Successive governments have committed to creating a digital land registry to improve market transparency, facilitate the ease of doing business, and ensure households and businesses have secure titles. In 2022, the government reinvigorated its Real Property Tax Modernization Project aimed at significantly updating its real property register, upgrading the property assessment process, improving real property tax collection, and setting the foundation for improved collection, enforcement, administration, and transparency in land ownership. The government continues to engage a U.S. company to assist with the project.The government does not publish statistics regarding the percent of land without clear title. Unoccupied property cannot revert to other owners, such as squatters. This leads to a high incidence of unoccupied, derelict, and partially constructed residences. Nassau’s commercial district suffers from a high incidence of abandoned buildings. In February 2023, the government issued demolition orders for nine derelict buildings in the downtown area and announced plans to draft legislation to support management of downtown Nassau.Land ownership in The Bahamas is founded on English law and can include crown land, commonage land, and generational land. The investor’s secured interest in mobile and immobile property is recognized and enforced by law. Mortgages in real property and legal rights in personal property are recorded with the Registrar General of The Bahamas.The Embassy has received reports of problems obtaining clear title to property, often delaying real estate transaction closings. This can be due to the seller having no legal right to convey or because separate claims to ownership arose after a purchase was made.																																				Intellectual Property Rights										In 2019, the government took steps to strengthen Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in response to pressure from the business community and as part of its protracted WTO accession process. These regulations cover patents, trademarks, copyrights, integrated circuits, false trade descriptions, new plant varieties, and geographical indications. The government anticipates the new regulations will bring The Bahamas into compliance with the terms of the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. The Embassy is not aware of new IP-related laws or regulations introduced in 2022. The Bahamas is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) but has not ratified the WIPO Internet treaties. The Bahamas is also a signatory to the following intellectual property conventions and agreements.Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic WorksParis Convention for the Protection of Industrial PropertyUniversal Copyright Convention (UCC)Convention establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)Convention on the means of prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export, and transfer of ownership of cultural propertyThe Bahamas has not recently been listed as a country of concern in the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) Special 301 Report and is not included in USTR’s 2022 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy.The Bahamas’ intellectual property registry is maintained by the  Department of the Registrar General , and enforcement is coordinated by the Royal Bahamas Police Force with support from Bahamas Customs. The Copyright Royalty Tribunal, established under the Copyright Act, is responsible for royalty-related activities, such as collecting and distributing royalties.U.S. companies should be aware that intellectual property is primarily a private right, and the U.S. government cannot enforce rights for private individuals in The Bahamas. It is the responsibility of the rights’ holders to register, protect, and enforce their rights where relevant, and retain counsel and advisors where necessary. Companies may wish to seek advice from local attorneys or IP consultants who are experts in Bahamian law.For additional information about national laws and points of contact at local IP offices, please see  WIPO’s country profiles .																																												6. Financial Sector						    																																																Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment										The government encourages free capital markets, and the Central Bank supports this through its regulatory functions. The Bahamas is an Article VIII member of the IMF and has agreed not to restrict currency transactions, such as payments for imports.  The Bahamas Securities Commission  regulates the activities of investment funds, securities, and capital markets. The Bahamas International Stock Exchange (BISX), established in 1999, excludes foreign investors and is regulated by the Securities Commission of The Bahamas.There are no legal limitations on foreigners’ access to the domestic credit market, and commercial banks make credit available at market rates. The government encourages Bahamian-foreign joint ventures, which are eligible for financing through both commercial banks and the  Bahamas Development Bank .The government does not prohibit its citizens from investing internationally. However, all outward direct investments by residents, including foreign portfolio investments, require the prior approval of the  Exchange Control Department of the Central Bank of The Bahamas . Applications are assessed by their probable impact on The Bahamas’ balance of payments.During the pandemic, the Central Bank suspended purchases of foreign currency to maintain a fixed, one-to-one exchange rate with the U.S. dollar. However, the Central Bank began reauthorizing these investments in October 2021 after the country’s foreign reserves stabilized.																																				Money and Banking System										The financial sector of The Bahamas is highly developed and consists of savings banks, trust companies, offshore banks, insurance companies, private pension funds, cooperative societies, credit unions, commercial banks, a development bank, a publicly controlled pension fund, a housing corporation, and the state-owned Bank of The Bahamas. These institutions provide a wide array of services via several types of financial intermediaries. The financial sector is regulated by the Central Bank of The Bahamas, the Securities Commission, the Insurance Commission, the Inspector of Financial and Corporate Service Providers, the Gaming Board, and the Compliance Commission.In the domestic banking sector, four of the eight commercial banks are subsidiaries of Canadian banks, three are locally owned, and one is a branch of Citibank, a U.S.-based institution which has operated for more than fifty years providing corporate and investment banking services in the country. Continued reorganization by Canadian banks, including closure of several brick-and-mortar branches, has severely limited banking services on some of the less populated islands.All domestic commercial banks have correspondent banking relationships, and the Embassy is not aware of any of these relationships being in jeopardy. According to the Central Bank’s December 2022 economic development report, the private sector delinquency or non-performing rate on commercial bank loans decreased to 4.9 percent, from a pre-pandemic level of 8.0 percent. The Central Bank projects further stabilization before the end of 2023.As part of its response to the continued loss of brick-and-mortar banks, the Central Bank introduced the “Sand Dollar” in December 2019, the first central bank-backed digital currency in the world. The introduction of the new digital currency provides individuals with efficient access to financial services. Its launch has facilitated the financial inclusion of unbanked and underbanked residents. To date, nine firms (including clearing banks, money transfer services, credit unions and payment service providers) have successfully completed a cybersecurity assessment and been authorized to distribute Sand Dollars within their proprietary mobile wallets.In February 2021, the Central Bank collaborated with Mastercard and Island Pay (a local digital payment platform) to launch Sand Dollar prepaid cards allowing the option to instantly convert the digital currency to traditional Bahamian dollars and pay for goods and services anywhere Mastercard is accepted. As of March 2023, the Central Bank estimated $330,000 in digital currency is in circulation, just over 100,000 mobile phone-based wallets used the Sand Dollar, and 1,500 local businesses have access to merchant services through Central Bank licensed payment services providers. While Sand Dollar circulation increased in 2022, spending in Sand Dollars and other tokens remains low compared to the size of the domestic payments system.Some speculate the negative, global attention generated by the 2022 collapse of some large cryptocurrency companies made it harder to convince the Bahamian public to embrace the Sand Dollar. To incentivize usage, in April 2023, the bank announced the targeted giveaway of $1 million in Sand Dollars to early adopters during 2023 and 2024.The Central Bank has prioritized interoperability with the automated clearing house, so there can be direct linkages between Sand Dollar wallets and local deposit accounts. When this interoperability exercise is complete, additional businesses are expected to accept Sand Dollar as payments.Although Sand Dollar accounts and transactions are theoretically subject to the same stringent anti-money laundering and Know Your Customer (KYC) safeguards as traditional commercial banks, the Embassy continues to work with the Central Bank to ensure there is capacity to enforce safeguards and account audit capabilities. Access additional information on  the Sand Dollar .																																				Foreign Exchange and Remittances																										Foreign Exchange						The Bahamas maintains a fixed exchange rate policy that pegs the Bahamian dollar one-to-one with the U.S. dollar. The legal bases for the policy are the Exchange Control Act of 1974 and Exchange Control Regulations Act. The controls ensure adequate foreign exchange flows are always available to support the fixed parity of the Bahamian dollar against the U.S. dollar. The peg removes issues of rate conversions and allows for unified pricing of goods and services for tourists and residents. To maintain this structure, individuals and businesses resident in The Bahamas are subject to restrictions on foreign exchange transactions, including currency purchases, payments, and investments. Similarly, Bahamians cannot make payments or investments in foreign currencies without Central Bank approval.Exchange controls are not an impediment to foreign investment in the country. The government requires all non-resident investors in The Bahamas to register with the Central Bank, and the government allows non-resident investors who finance their projects from foreign currency transferred into The Bahamas to convert and repatriate profits and capital gains freely. They do this with minimal bureaucratic formalities and without limitations on the flow of funds.In the administration of exchange controls, the Central Bank does not withhold or delay approval for legitimate foreign exchange purchases for currency transactions and, in the interest of facilitating international trade, it delegates this authority to major commercial banks and selected trust companies. International and local commercial banks, which are registered by the Central Bank as “authorized dealers,” may administer and conduct foreign currency transactions with residents of The Bahamas. Similarly, private banks and trust companies which are designated as “authorized agents” are permitted to act as depositories for foreign securities of residents and to conduct securities transactions for non-resident companies under their management.The Central Bank directly approves foreign exchange transactions that fall outside of the delegated authority, including loans, dividends, issues and transfer of shares, travel facilities, and investment currency. The government has continued gradual liberalization of exchange controls over the years but confirms that the country has no plans to abandon controls on foreign exchange. The most recent measures, implemented in October 2019, applied to residential property transactions (both purchases and sales) involving non-residents. The Central Bank delegated authority to commercial banks (authorized dealers) to sell foreign currency for repatriation of residential real estate proceeds on evidence that the beneficial owner of the sold property is non-resident.						Remittance Policies						There are no restrictions on investment remittances. Foreign investors who receive a Central Bank designation as a non-resident may open foreign currency-denominated bank accounts and repatriate those funds freely. In addition, with Central Bank approval, a foreign investor may open an account denominated in Bahamian currency to pay local expenses. Increased authority has been delegated to commercial banks and money transfer businesses.The Bahamas is one of 25 member countries that make up the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) to address money laundering. The organization’s most recent peer review evaluation and follow-up reports can be found at ( https://www.cfatf-gafic.org/index.php/member-countries/the-bahamas ).																										Sovereign Wealth Funds										In October 2022, the administration introduced a National Investments Fund Bill, to repeal the Sovereign Wealth Fund Act of 2016. The Bill provides a regulatory framework for public-private partnerships and is intended to maximize economic benefits from the country’s natural assets. The Bill promotes economic development in infrastructure, food security, renewable energy, and development on smaller islands.The National Investment Funds Bill is also expected to monetize the concessionary access to Crown Land and Seabed leases already provided to foreign investors. Future Crown Land investments and royalty payments from exports of the country’s natural resources (such as salt, sand, rock, and aragonite) are also likely to contribute to the fund.																																												7. State-Owned Enterprises						    																						State-owned enterprises are active in the utilities and services sectors of the economy. A list of the 25 SOEs is available  on the government’s website . Key SOEs include Bahamasair Holdings Ltd. (the national airline), Public Hospitals Authority, Civil Aviation Authority, Nassau Airport Development Authority, University of The Bahamas, Health Insurance Authority, Bank of The Bahamas, Bahamas Power and Light (BPL), Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC), Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (ZNS), Nassau Flight Services, and the Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas.Within the past decade, no SOE has returned profits or paid dividends, although SOEs account for significant government expenditure with approximately $336 million in government transfers budgeted for FY2022/2023. The government states SOE reforms are integral to its fiscal health plan and committed to implementing cost-saving measures by mid-2023. The savings from SOE reform are expected to assist with meeting additional debt servicing obligations.The government has permitted foreign investment in sectors where SOEs operate and has approved licenses to private suppliers of electrical and water and sewerage services. These licenses have been issued for private real estate developments or where there is limited government capacity to provide services. The city of Freeport on the island of Grand Bahama has its own licensing authority and maintains monopolies for the provision of electricity, water, and sanitation services.																										Privatization Program										The government has not taken definitive steps to privatize SOEs. It has shown a preference for public-private partnerships (PPPs) to attract FDI and to promote economic development in strategic sectors. Foreign investors can participate in privatization programs and PPP offerings.The government divested 49 percent of the Bahamas Telecommunication Company in 2011 to U.S.-based Cable &amp; Wireless Communications. The government also issued a second license for cellular services and retained 51 percent equity in the new company, Cable Bahamas/Aliv. In February 2019, the government entered a 25-year, $250 million lease agreement with UK-based Global Ports Holdings to redevelop the Nassau Cruise Port. In May 2021, the company announced it successfully raised over $130 million through its private bond offering. In February 2023, the government signed an agreement with a Bahamian and UK joint venture to redevelop the Grand Bahama International Airport. Under a PPP, the consortium will design, build, finance, upgrade and maintain a new airport for the country’s second largest city. In March 2023, the government launched a PPP tender to engage qualified private sector entities to design, redevelop, and maintain government-owned airports on fourteen smaller islands.																																												8. Responsible Business Conduct						    																						Local and foreign companies operating in The Bahamas have progressively become more committed to the tenets of responsible business conduct (RBC), including environmental and educational capacity building programs, the maintenance of public spaces, and assisting charitable organizations.There have been no high-profile or controversial instances of corporate violations of human or labor rights, but civil society remains active in bringing attention to social issues. The Bahamas has strong trade unions, and labor laws prohibit discrimination in employment based on race, creed, sex, marital status, political opinion, age, HIV status, or disability.The Bahamas does not adhere to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprise.Additional ResourcesDepartment of StateCountry Reports on Human Rights Practices (https://www.state.gov/reports-bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/);Trafficking in Persons Report (https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/);Guidance on Implementing the &#8220;UN Guiding Principles&#8221; for Transactions Linked to Foreign Government End-Users for Products or Services with Surveillance Capabilities (https://www.state.gov/key-topics-bureau-of-democracy-human-rights-and-labor/due-diligence-guidance/)U.S. National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (https://www.state.gov/u-s-national-contact-point-for-the-oecd-guidelines-for-multinational-enterprises/)Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory (https://www.state.gov/xinjiang-supply-chain-business-advisory/)Department of the TreasuryOFAC Recent Actions (https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions).Department of LaborFindings on the Worst forms of Child Labor Report (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings );List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods);Sweat &amp; Toil: Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking Around the World (https://www.dol.gov/general/apps/ilab) and;Comply Chain (https://www.dol.gov/ilab/complychain/).																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																					Climate Issues																																																																																The Ministry of the Environment is developing a national climate change strategy. The country continues to suffer the effects of climate change with rising sea levels, coastal degradation, and more intense storms. In 2016, The Bahamas ratified the Paris Agreement and established its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) which commits The Bahamas to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, conditional upon international support. The government remains dedicated to meeting this goal.																																																																						The Prime Minister led a large delegation to COP27 and is a leading international voice for climate change action, including climate financing for mitigation and adaptation efforts and natural disaster response. The Prime Minister contends The Bahamas suffered $4.2 billion in damage and losses from hurricanes since 2015. In 2022, The Bahamas began surveying its seagrass and mangrove resources to establish a blue carbon credit program that will finance renewable energy adoption. The administration aims to make its carbon credits available for trade by the end of 2023. A U.S. firm received a license to establish a blue carbon credit exchange in the country in early 2023.																																																																						The government encourages private sector action to support the country’s goal of 30 percent renewable energy usage by 2030; transition from diesel to liquified natural gas (LNG) on its most populated island of New Providence; and the introduce renewal energy microgrids on less developed islands. The country increasingly includes environmental or green growth considerations, such as resource efficiency, pollution abatement, or climate resilience in its public procurement policies and specific Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Expressions of Interests (EOIs). U.S. firms express significant interest in these initiatives.																																																																															9. Corruption						    																						Bahamian laws provide criminal penalties for corruption, and the government generally implemented the law effectively when applied. However, laws to combat corruption by public officials have been inconsistently applied. The Bahamas would benefit from a more robust enforcement of rules to prevent conflicts of interest related to government contracts. The country grapples with reports of corruption, including allegations that contracts have been directed to political supporters, isolated reports of officials accepting small-scale “bribes of convenience”, and favorable treatment given to wealthy or politically connected individuals. In The Bahamas, bribery of a government official is a criminal act carrying a fine of up to $10,000, a prison term of up to four years, or both.In June 2022, a former Member of Parliament was charged with more than 50 counts of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, receiving, and laundering more than $1 million connected to government contracts granted during his tenure at a government agency. The former MP maintains his innocence and the case is ongoing. In March 2023, a former government Minister was charged with one count of bribery and 14 counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false pretenses concerning government contracts valued at over $700,000. The former Minister resigned from Cabinet in February 2021 amid an audit of a government agency and pled not guilty to the recent charges. The case is ongoing. There were no other formal cases of corruption in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches during the reporting period.The Public Disclosure Act requires senior public officials, including senators and members of Parliament, to declare their assets, income, and liabilities annually. In 2022, the government gave extensions to all who were late to comply. The government did not publish a summary of individual declarations, and there was no independent verification of the information submitted.In March 2023, the government repealed and replaced the Public Procurement Act, 2021, arguing that the previous legislation produced unintended public policy consequences. The government contends that the new Public Procurement Act, 2023 will overhaul the administration of government contracts and improve transparency and accountability.While efforts have been made in certain areas, the government has stalled full implementation of anti-corruption legislation that would promote transparency and good governance. The Bahamas lacks an Office of the Ombudsman and has not fully enacted its Freedom of Information Act (2017). Legislation to support an Integrity Commission and campaign reform has also been delayed. The campaign finance system remains largely unregulated with few safeguards against quid pro quo donations, leaving a vulnerability for corruption and foreign influence. An independent Information Commissioner, supported by technical and administrative staff, was appointed in mid-2021, but the office is not fully operational.According to Transparency International’s 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, The Bahamas ranked 30 out of 180 countries with a score of 64 out of 100, the same score as the previous year. There are no specific protections for NGOs involved in investigating corruption. U.S firms have identified corruption as an obstacle to FDI and have reported perceived corruption in government procurement and in the FDI approvals process.The government does not, as a matter of government policy, encourage or facilitate illicit drug production or distribution, nor is it involved in laundering the proceeds of the sale of illicit drugs.The Bahamas ratified major international corruption instruments, including the Inter-American Convention against Corruption in 2000, and has been a party to the Mechanism for Follow-Up on the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC) since 2001. The Bahamas is not party to the OECD Convention on Combatting Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions.																																									Resources to Report Corruption						Government agency or agencies responsible for combating corruption:Royal Bahamas Police ForceAnti- Corruption UnitP.O. Box N-458(242) 322-4444Email: info@rbpf.bsWatchdog organizations:Citizens for a Better BahamasTransparency International (Bahamas Chapter)(242) 322-4195Website: www.abetterbahamas.orgEmail: info@abetterbahamas.orgOrganization for Responsible Governance (ORG)cBay Street Business Center, Bethell EstatesEast Bay Street (at Deveaux St.)Website: www.orgbahamas.comPhone: 1-242-828-4459Email: info@orgbahamas.com																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																10. Political and Security Environment						    																						The Bahamas has no history of politically motivated violence, and the political process is peaceful and transparent. Minor incidents may occur before general elections, including damage to political party installations and billboards, social media harassment, and altercations between political party supporters.																																		11. Labor Policies and Practices						    																						The labor force is considered well-educated by international literacy and numeracy standards, and both skilled and unskilled labor is readily available. Although a formal Labor Force Survey has not been completed since December 2019 when the unemployment rate was 10.7 percent, government and international agencies estimate the December 2022 unemployment rate at pre-pandemic levels of 10 to 15 percent. The National Statistical Institute’s February 2023 Labor Force Survey was delayed.Under normal conditions, wage rates are lower than in the United States but higher than most countries in the region. In January 2023, the minimum wage increased from $5.25 per hour ($210 per week) to $6.50 per hour ($260 per week). There are significant numbers of documented and undocumented foreign workers. There are approximately 45,000 registered work permit holders in The Bahamas, and the majority are designated as unskilled or semi-skilled. This group is comprised primarily of Haitian nationals.The Bahamian government has granted special permission to several construction projects to bring in foreign workers. These concessions were negotiated as part of the Heads of Agreement for specific, large-scale investments. In most other cases, the employment of foreigners requires applying for individual work permits. Bahamian labor law governs all workers, both foreign and domestic.The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires at least one 24-hour rest period per week, paid annual vacations, and employer contributions to National Insurance (Social Security). The Act also requires overtime pay (time and a half) for working more than 40 hours a week or on public holidays. A 1988 law provides for maternity leave and the right to re-employment after childbirth. The Minimum Labor Standards Act, the Employment Act, Health and Safety at Work Act, Industrial Tribunal and Trade Disputes Act, and the Trade Union and Labor Relations Act were passed in 2001 and early 2002. Foreign workers also have the right to social security benefits after five consecutive years of contributions.Bahamian law grants labor unions the right to free assembly and association and to bargain collectively. The unions and associations exercise these rights extensively, particularly in state-owned industries. The Industrial Relations Act governs the right to strike, which requires a simple majority of union members to vote in its favor. The Ministry of Labor oversees strike votes and manages overall industrial relations. Industrial unrest occurred throughout 2022 due to unresolved industrial agreements, delayed promotions, immigration and citizenship issues, and the proliferation of crime. Demonstrations were organized by the Coalition of Independents (a political organization), Bahamas Public Services Union, the Union of Public Officers, the Nurses Union, the Doctors Union, the Consultant Physicians Staff Association, the Bahamas Educators and Managerial Union, Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union, the Union of Tertiary Educators, and the Union of Teachers.In 2016, the government amended legislation to require employers to inform the Minister of Labor in instances where more than ten people were being laid off.The Bahamas has ratified most International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions and domestic law recognizes international labor rights. The Department of Labor’s Inspection Section has been strengthened to investigate occupational safety and health issues, including both on request and random inspections. The country is committed to eliminating the worst forms of child labor, and the Ministry of Labor has periodically inspected grocery stores and other establishments where child labor in commonplace to ensure the enforcement of laws governing child labor.																																		12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Other Investment Insurance and Development Finance Programs						    																						The Bahamas is a member of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency of the World Bank (MIGA), which insures investors against currency transfer restrictions, expropriation, war, civil disturbances, and breach of contract by member countries. Because the World Bank designates The Bahamas as a high-income country, it generally does not qualify for development assistance.																																		13. Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Portfolio Investment Statistics						    																						&nbsp;Table 2: Key Macroeconomic Data, U.S. FDI in Host Country/EconomyHost Country Statistical sourceUSG or international statistical sourceUSG or International Source of Data:  BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherEconomic DataYearAmountYearAmountHost Country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (M USD)202111,2102019      21,433,000https://data.worldbank.org/country/bahamasForeign Direct InvestmentHost Country Statistical sourceUSG or international statistical sourceUSG or international Source of data:  BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherU.S. FDI in partner country (M USD, stock positions)20212,0232021     44,303BEA data available at https://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/factsheet.cfm Host country’s FDI in the United States (M USD, stock positions)2021N/A2020        N/ABEA data available at https://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/factsheet.cfm Total inbound stock of FDI as % host GDP2021  N/A2021N/AUNCTAD data available athttps://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-reportTable 3: Sources and Destination of FDIData not available.																																		14. Contact for More Information						    																						Political-Economic SectionU.S. Embassy NassauNew Providence, The BahamasP.O. 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Openness to and Restrictions Upon Foreign Investment																																							Policies towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																						Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																						Business Facilitation																																																						Outward Investment																																																			2. Bilateral Investment Agreements and Taxation Treaties																3. Legal Regime																																							Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																						International Regulatory Considerations																																																						Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																						Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Competition and Anti-Trust Laws																																																						Expropriation and Compensation																																																						Dispute Settlement																																																						Bankruptcy Regulations																																																			4. Industrial Policies																																							Investment Incentives																																																						Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																						Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																			5. Protection of Property Rights																																							Real Property																																																						Intellectual Property Rights																																																			6. Financial Sector																																							Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																						Money and Banking System																																																						Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																				Foreign Exchange																																												Remittance Policies																																																																																				Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																			7. State-Owned Enterprises																																							Privatization Program																																																			8. Responsible Business Conduct																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																								Climate Issues																																																																																																																																														9. Corruption																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																											10. Political and Security Environment																11. Labor Policies and Practices																12. 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- Press briefing with Todd D. Robinson, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd D.  Robinson, Assistant SecretaryBureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement AffairsMODERATOR:  Greetings to everyone from the U.S. Department of State’s Media Hub of the Americas in Miami, Florida.  I would like to welcome our participants who have dialed in from the United States and across the region.  This is an on-the-record press briefing with the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd D. Robinson. Assistant Secretary Robinson will discuss outcomes from Friday’s virtual ministerial to launch a Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats as well as next steps for the global coalition.  This coalition seeks to unite countries worldwide in a concerted effort to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs, identify emerging drug trends, and respond effectively to their public health impacts. As a reminder, today’s briefing is on the record.  And with that, I will turn it over to Assistant Secretary Robinson. ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you for joining this call today and for the opportunity to discuss the collective efforts we have undertaken to confront the important issue of synthetic drugs. Last Friday, as you know, Secretary Blinken hosted a virtual ministerial to launch a Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.  Nearly 100 countries and international organizations participated in the launch, underscoring the shared concern about this public health and national security threat.  The coalition aims to unite countries worldwide in a concerted effort to combat the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.  Together, we hope to strengthen efforts to prevent the production and trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, identify emerging synthetic drug trends and use patterns, and promote efforts to respond effectively to the public health impacts they impose. Participants at the ministerial underscored the importance of sharing data and increasing efforts to mitigate the health impact of synthetic drug use.  As you all already know, synthetic drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine pose a grave risk to the health and security of our citizens here in the United States.  The consequences of these drugs are devastating as evidenced by the alarming statistics. In 2022, the CDC estimated that nearly 110,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses.  Recognizing the gravity of this situation, the Biden administration is fully committed to preventing drug use and minimizing its negative impact.  We understand the importance of connecting individuals to treatment and supporting the more than 20 million Americans in recovery.  President Biden’s National Drug Control Strategy has allocated a substantial $24 billion dollars in this fiscal year to strengthen drug-related public health interventions.  These measures not only safeguard the health of our citizens, but also exemplify our dedication at home as we look to other nations to also take action. It is vital to note that these dangers are not limited to the United States.  More countries than ever are facing an increasing threat from synthetic drugs like tramadol, Captagon, MDMA, and Ketamine.  Criminals are constantly innovating to create new synthetic drugs, adjusting formulas to avoid international controls and domestic regulations, and creating new demand.   One staggering number to note:  Over the past decade, more than 1,100 new synthetic drugs were detected and reported by the United Nations.  Through the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, we are harnessing international cooperation and shared knowledge to tackle this crisis head on.  By working together, we can more effectively disrupt the illicit synthetic drug supply chains, enhance our ability to identify and respond to emerging threats, and protect the lives and well-being of our own citizens and of people around the world. The United States has already been working with partners like Mexico, Canada, and other countries to drive urgent global action to disrupt the synthetic drug trade from beginning to end.  We are engaging with countries such as India to strengthen our partnerships on securing pharmaceutical and chemical supply chains to prevent criminal diversion of dual-use precursor chemicals, and we remain committed to engaging with the PRC to address the threat illicit synthetic drugs pose to our countries.  The Department of State also works within the UN, the Organization of American States, the G7, G20, and other organizations to improve the abilities of our countries to detect and disrupt the illicit manufacturing, diversion, and trafficking of precursor chemicals and finished drugs.   We have more important work to do, so in closing, let me express my gratitude to our international partners who have already joined us in this crucial endeavor.  The fight against synthetic drugs requires a global response, and we are confident that our collective efforts will yield significant results.  Together, we can create a safer and healthier future for our citizens and generations to come.   Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.   MODERATOR:  Thank you so much, Assistant Secretary.  We will now begin the question-and-answer portion of today’s briefing.  For those on the English line asking questions, please limit yourself to one question related to the topic of today’s briefing.  If you submitted your question in advance, I have incorporated the question into the queue.  Our first question today we received from Daniel – from Jim Carson of La Jornada in Mexico:  “What specific will be new out of this declaration?  Are you setting up a FinCEN-type structure to share information, do evaluations, and a secretariat, or is it simply a reiteration of past commitments without any specific additional actions?”   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Great question.  The first thing I would say is we are – we are building on what we have done in the past and what has been done by other countries in the past.  The coalition is intended to be an inclusive forum for sharing best practices and identifying areas for collaboration to improve the global response to public health and security threats posed by synthetic drugs.  We ask that countries commit to working collaboratively with other coalition member countries at both political and technical levels to develop a joint framework for addressing synthetic drugs and develop actions in line with that framework.  Thanks.   MODERATOR:  Thank you.  We received a question from journalist Fernando Morales from Red Salvadoreña de Medios in El Salvador: “El Salvador is a corridor for the transit of synthetic drugs like fentanyl.  How is work being done to prevent the trafficking of these narcotics?”   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  I’m sorry.  Could you say that again?  MODERATOR:  Absolutely, Assistant Secretary.  “El Salvador is a corridor for the transit of synthetic drugs like fentanyl.  How is work being done to prevent the trafficking of these narcotics?&#8221; ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Great question.  As our correspondent will note, the United States Government on several different levels is working with members of the civilian security forces in El Salvador and throughout the region – El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras – on things like investigations, going after the trafficking networks.  We have experts on the ground from DEA and the Department of Justice.   We also work on training.  As the correspondent will note, there is an International Law Enforcement Academy hosted by the Government of El Salvador where we can do training for police and prosecutors in the region on different techniques and modernized techniques for going after these networks.  So those are ways that we are – those are ways that we are trying to get after these – shut down these corridors.   MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  The next question will go to Jesús Esquivel from Proceso Magazine in Mexico.  Jesús, please unmute yourself.   QUESTION:  Hello.  Can you hear me?   MODERATOR:  Yes.  Please ask your question.  &#8212;    QUESTION:  Okay.  Yes.  Under Secretary, there has always been the accusations that the Mexican cartels are responsible for all the synthetic drugs in the United States, but as you probably know, the domestic cartels in the U.S. are also responsible for the distributions and sale of these drugs.   My question to you is:  What exactly or when exactly the U.S. Government for the first time is going to be exposing the domestic cartels in this problem and in the United States?  And also, if you think the accusations as – members of the U.S. Congress made to Mexico and threats that they probably going to invade Mexico to stop the drug trafficking, it will help in this global coalition in the case of – specifically of Mexico to cooperate with the U.S. Government?   ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you, Jesús.  Both good questions.  Look, first of all, I would – I would not exactly support the premise of your question.  We have never said that all of the fentanyl or synthetic opioids that are coming to the United States are coming from Mexico.  We know that this is a global – a global effort by cartels from different regions around the world, including criminals in the United States.  I don’t think the FBI or the Department of Justice or our local law enforcement authorities have been shy about exposing the criminal networks in the United States that are trafficking in these drugs.  I think they will continue to publicly expose them when available.  So that’s thing number one. Thing number two, we have – the United States has an excellent relationship with our counterparts in Mexico.  We are both working very close to go after the networks in Mexico, to increase our cooperation on both sides of our southwest border, your northern border.  And we are working together internationally to share our experiences with working together with other countries around the world.  I’m very proud of our relationship with our Mexican counterparts, and we’re going to continue to call on them as they call on us to work together to do more to stop – to stop this global trafficking of synthetic drugs. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary Robison.  The next question will go to Adyr Corral from El Sol de Mexico.  Adyr, please unmute yourself.  Go ahead.  Adyr, can you hear us?   Okay, unfortunately we’re going to have to move on.  I see we have a submitted question in our Q&amp;A from Brendan O’Boyle from Reuters in Mexico City: “Thank you, Ambassador.  Within the coalition, where is there concern about fentanyl’s short-term spread geographically?  In Mexico, some experts have sounded alarm about fentanyl spreading in drug supply domestically, though data is scarce.  Have coalition partners in Mexico recognized domestic spread?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  I’m sorry, can you repeat that question again? MODERATOR:  Sure, sir.  “Thank you, Ambassador.  Within the coalition, where is there concern about fentanyl’s short-term spread geographically?  In Mexico, some experts have sounded the alarm about fentanyl spreading in the drug supply domestically, though data is scarce.  Have coalition partners in Mexico recognized domestic spread?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  The short answer is I believe the Government of Mexico has recognized the short-term spread of synthetic opioids.  We are – and – but there’s a very good relationship between our Office of National Drug Control Policy and the secretary for Health in Mexico.  They are working very closely together on campaigns to raise awareness about synthetic opioids and what can be done to avoid falling into – into that addiction.  So we feel like we have a burgeoning story to tell, a better story to tell as we go forward on our cooperation on the messaging against the domestic – in Mexico, the domestic spread of the – and growth of the use of synthetic opioids. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  I’m told we’ve resolved the microphone issues with Adyr Corral, so we’ll go back to Adyr Corral from El Sol de Mexico.  Please unmute yourself. QUESTION:  Hi.  You can hear me? ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Yes. MODERATOR:  We can hear you. QUESTION:  Ah, thank you very much.  Sorry for the problems.  I would like to ask the assistant secretary for a comment on the initiative to designate the fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction in Congress.  How about that, Assistant Secretary? ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you, great question.  We have currently – the Department of Justice, DEA, FBI, Department of State – we feel like we have the authorities necessary to go after the networks that are trafficking in these drugs.  At the moment, we don’t see that classifying fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction will give us any more authority than we already have to try to stop its trafficking.  So we feel pretty comfortable that we’re in a good place in terms of having the tools necessary to go after the drug and to go after the networks that are trafficking the drugs.  QUESTION:  Thank you very much.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  The next question was submitted in advance from Juan Silva from W Radio in Colombia:  “How do you assess the current situation in Colombia in terms of the fight against drugs?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, as the correspondent, as Juan will know, we have a very long, very strong, very deep relationship with Colombia and Colombia’s security forces that has developed over a number of years.  We feel like we are – we have developed into great partners.  Colombia has become a net exporter of security globally, and that is in large part due to the very strong relationship that has developed with the United States.   Today we continue in that effort.  There are areas where we are hoping to start working – new areas where we are starting to – we want to begin working with the Petro government, and we are in constant conversation with Petro and his team to figure out how we can best help them bring greater security and safety to communities in Colombia, and by doing so, help shut down the networks that are trafficking drugs north to the United States.  Thanks.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.   Our next question we received from Eduard Ribas from EFE:  “What responsibility does China have on the trafficking of fentanyl precursors?  How can this coalition be successful without Chinese participation?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, I would say the – we know good things happen when China is involved in conversations like this.  You will recall in 2019 the Chinese Government scheduled fentanyl and made it much harder to get out of the country directly and be shipped directly to other countries.  And when they did that, the trafficking of fentanyl itself in the United States from China went to almost zero.  So we think that there’s a lot more that can be done by the PRC in terms of greater monitoring and labeling and information-sharing on the precursor chemicals that are leaving the PRC, and they – we invited them to join the coalition.  We expect at some point that they will take us up on our invitation because they want to be responsible, a responsible country in this effort.  And we all know that they play – that there are companies in China that play an important role in the distribution of the precursor chemicals that go into making these drugs.  Over.  MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We have time for about two more questions.  One was submitted in advance from a journalist in Guyana regarding CARICOM, Denis Chabrol from Demarara Waves Online News:  “How badly are Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations affected by synthetic drugs?”  ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thank you.  Again, this is a – that’s a great question.  I would say although we haven’t seen significant production in the Caribbean, it’s important to note that criminal chemists can easily synthesize fentanyl almost anywhere.  The Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats will provide a foundation for developing and implementing effective, practical solutions to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.  It will help detect emerging drug threats, and we hope it will help respond to the – to their public health impacts.  Over. MODERATOR:  Thank you.  I see in the chat the journalist had added:  “What do we expect from CARICOM and what assistance the U.S. can provide?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, actually, I would turn it around.  The question should be:  What more can CARICOM countries do?  And I think, again, when we talk about things like exchanging information, when we talk about things like making sure that they are getting access, making sure their communities are getting access to the antidotes for overdoses, making sure that they are reporting to the international organizations that are collecting information that everybody else can use – those are the things that that we would hope we could get from countries that are involved in the global coalition.  And the United States and the international community will continue to help with training and equipping those police forces and prosecutors that are working on this issue.  Over. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We had a question from Martin Villena from Andina News Agency in Peru:  “Concerning the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, does its launch also mean strengthening even more relations with countries such as Peru and Colombia, which face the issue and the related problems concerning cocaine productions in their territories?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, we’re always working to strengthening – strengthening the relationship with our good friends in Peru and Colombia.  But in fact, again, we will – what the establishment of this coalition is looking to do is to have our friends from Peru and Colombia share their experiences with other countries around the world and help other countries who don’t have the expertise that our countries do, help them address the issues in their countries.  We have great relationships with our partners in Peru and Colombia; I don’t expect that will change.  But we will – in the establishment of this coalition, we will be asking them to do more to help on a global level.  Over.   MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  We received a question from Carrie Kahn with NPR:  “How do proposals from some Republicans in the United States urging military intervention to stop fentanyl trafficking in Mexico affect your plans to enlist global partners?” ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Well, I would say we’re going to let Congress – the Senate and the House – develop and debate their own ideas.  We are going to – I am focused on working with our civilian security partners globally, making sure that they have the training, the equipment, the strategies; making sure they have access to the expertise necessary to focus on what is our responsibility, which is providing civilian security to our communities, both in the United States and around and world. MODERATOR:  Thank you, Assistant Secretary.  I believe we’ve gone through all the questions that we had today, so that will conclude today’s briefing.  I wanted to thank you for joining us today, as well as all of the journalists on the line for their questions.  If you have any follow-up questions about today’s briefing, you may contact the Miami Media Hub at MiamiHub@state.gov.  An English recording and transcript will be available for this briefing, as well as transcripts in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.  Thank you so much and have a good day. ASSISTANT SECRETARY ROBINSON:  Thanks.  Thanks, everybody. 
- The Bahamas Independence Day Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateOn behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on 50 years of independence.Since independence, The Bahamas has been a friend and key partner of the United States in the region. We take this opportunity to congratulate The Bahamas on its successful chairmanship of the Caribbean Community. Together we are addressing the regional challenges of irregular migration, the critical insecurity and political turmoil plaguing Haiti, transnational crime, and the climate crisis. The United States appreciates The Bahamas’ leadership defending democracy and human rights internationally.On the occasion of your 50th year as an independent nation, the United States and the American people wish the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people a prosperous year to come.
- Assistant Secretary Nichols’ Travel to The Bahamas Office of the SpokespersonAssistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols will travel to The Bahamas, on June 8-9.  Assistant Secretary Nichols will accompany Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris for her trip to the region to discuss climate resilience, energy and food security, and economic prosperity with Caribbean leaders.  This trip also celebrates the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between the United States and The Bahamas.On June 9, Assistant Secretary Nichols will provide remarks at the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030) Climate Resilient Clean Energy Summit hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Caribbean Initiative.The agenda for the PACC 2030 Climate Resilient Clean Energy Summit can be found on the Summit website.For further information, please contact WHAPress@state.gov, and follow @WHAAsstSecty on Twitter.
- The Bahamas HomeReportsOffice to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons2023 Trafficking in Persons Report&#8230;The Bahamas				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Trafficking in Persons Report: The Bahamas																																					Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons																																																																																																				 In this section										/																							THE BAHAMAS (Tier 1)																																													THE BAHAMAS (Tier 1)																															PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATIONS:																																																																																		PROSECUTION																																																																																		PROTECTION																																																																																		PREVENTION																																																																																		TRAFFICKING PROFILE:																																																																																																								THE BAHAMAS (Tier 1)				The Government of The Bahamas fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.  The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, if any, on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore The Bahamas remained on Tier 1.  These efforts included convicting and sentencing a trafficker to imprisonment and making efforts to provide restitution to a repatriated foreign victim.  The government also adopted legislation to allow victims to testify remotely, including from overseas; provided continued support for foreign victims repatriated abroad; and cooperated with a neighboring country to repatriate three victims.  It also trained high-level officials, including five new members of the Trafficking in Persons Task Force (Task Force), and new labor inspectors; carried out more awareness raising; created new hotlines to report trafficking cases; and solicited feedback from underserved groups on anti-trafficking policies.  Although the government meets the minimum standards, it did not initiate any prosecutions, continued to identify few victims, and did not provide investigative data.																																					PRIORITIZED RECOMMENDATIONS:						    																																															Increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers, including officials complicit in sex or labor trafficking, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms.Improve efforts to identify victims and refer them to services, particularly among vulnerable groups, including underserved stateless persons; migrants and asylum-seekers from Haiti, Jamaica, and Venezuela; LGBTQI+ individuals; and Cuban nationals working on government-sponsored programs.Reduce delays in court proceedings.Ensure the process to find alternate housing for at-risk communities does not create additional vulnerabilities and continue to train surveyors to identify trafficking victims.Include Haitian Creole and Spanish-speaking services on the trafficking hotline.Remove a requirement for migrants switching jobs to obtain a letter of release from their employer, take steps to eliminate recruitment fees charged to workers by labor recruiters, and ban employee-paid recruitment fees.Provide a dedicated shelter for trafficking victims.Include representatives of LGBTQI+ groups, Haitian and stateless persons, and foreign diplomatic missions as appropriate in discussions with the National Trafficking in Persons Inter-Ministerial Committee (Anti-Trafficking Committee).Improve regular investigative data collection and record keeping.Establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework for anti-trafficking policies and efforts and consult survivors on policies.Ensure the Ministry of Immigration digitally shares all official communications and documentation with employer and employee.																																												PROSECUTION						    																																															The government maintained law enforcement efforts.  The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention and Suppression) Act 2008 (TIP Act) criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking and prescribed penalties up to life imprisonment.  These penalties were sufficiently stringent, and with regard to sex trafficking, commensurate with penalties prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape.The government did not report data on investigations, compared with initiating one sex trafficking investigation involving two suspects in 2021, 13 cases (11 for sex trafficking and two for labor trafficking) in 2020, and 16 investigations in 2019.  The government did not initiate any new prosecutions for the second year, compared with two prosecutions initiated in 2020 and 2019.  The government continued prosecution of five alleged sex traffickers in three cases from previous reporting periods, compared with continued prosecution of one alleged sex trafficker in 2021.  The government reported two cases were awaiting trial in the Supreme Court and one case was awaiting trial in the Magistrate Court, compared with seven suspected traffickers awaiting the start of their trials in 2021.  The government convicted one Bahamian male sex trafficker under the TIP Act and other laws in a 2021 case, the same number as the past two years.  The Chief Magistrate sentenced the trafficker to penalties consistent with a plea agreement, including 12 months’ imprisonment, three years&#8217; probation, restitution in the amount of 10,000 Bahamian dollars ($10,000) each for two victims, and counseling.  Courts dismissed a case from 2020 against a Jamaican female defendant after the three Jamaican victims refused to testify, reportedly out of fear of the suspected trafficker.  The government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials complicit in trafficking crimes.The Task Force, an interagency coordination body that tracks victims and specific law enforcement cases, maintained an investigative unit.  The Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Missing and Exploited Section was responsible for investigating sex and labor trafficking crimes; in addition, the RBPF had a specialized Sexual Offenses Unit that investigated sex crimes, including sex trafficking.  The RBPF representatives on the Task Force were mid- to high-ranking police officers who served as investigators to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.  Trained prosecutors in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions worked closely with RBPF investigators to prosecute cases; they also offered legal advice to victims and the RBPF investigative team.  While the government did not assign any courts specifically to handle trafficking cases, prosecutors brought all trafficking cases before the Magistrates and Supreme Courts.  Experts reported concerns about excessive pretrial detention because of criminal justice system delays, preventing even the most serious criminal cases from advancing in a timely manner.  Observers noted the pandemic and lack of judges and prosecutors in the country contributed to significant backlogs in all cases.  The courts easily granted bail, even to defendants accused of violent crimes, and law enforcement did not have the resources to fully uphold the law.  NGOs reported that although the country adopted appropriate laws and procedures, lower-level police, immigration officials, and labor inspectors did not implement them because of a failure to understand them, neglect, or complicity.  Observers also noted some immigration officials may have solicited Haitian migrants for bribes to prevent detention.The government participated in an operation with Caribbean and Latin American countries and INTERPOL targeting migrant smuggling and human trafficking criminal networks.  The government reported it completed a draft National Operational Plan for these crimes in conjunction with INTERPOL and other international partners.  The government increased its training for government officials on: the UN TIP Protocol; Bahamian legislation and investigative processes; trafficking definitions and types, root causes, and indicators; the Task Force’s mandate, roles of different agencies, and how to report cases; victim screening, identification, referral, and care; medical SOPs; traffickers’ profiles, recruitment, and operational methods; and combating child sex tourism and child marriage.  However, observers noted that although the government provided substantial training, officials did not fully implement guidelines with regard to protection and prevention.																																												PROTECTION						    																																															The government maintained efforts to protect victims.  The government identified six potential victims, of which three were confirmed victims, including a Colombian woman and a Jamaican woman exploited in sex trafficking and a Guyanese woman exploited for labor trafficking; this compared with one Colombian woman identified as a sex trafficking victim in 2021, two victims in 2020, and five victims in 2019.  A foreign embassy identified one potential sex trafficking victim who returned to her country of origin of her own accord prior to involvement of Bahamian authorities.  The government repatriated two of the victims it identified.  The government reported it also cooperated with Jamaican authorities to repatriate three Jamaican victims identified in previous reporting periods who subsequently declined to participate in the prosecution of traffickers.  The Department of Social Services (DSS) provided access to medical care and financial support for three confirmed victims and housing for two victims, along with monthly stipends for one adult victim and counseling and vocational services for two child victims.  The DSS could also provide housing; food; clothing; transportation; assistance with shopping; legal assistance; resume preparation; job placement assistance; security monitoring, including home visits, especially in cases involving children; furniture; school placement; and the wiring of money abroad.  The government provided legal aid to victims only for each victim’s trafficking case and not for other legal matters.  The government’s spending on trafficking victims’ care was 33,467 Bahamian dollars ($33,467), compared with 48,462 Bahamian dollars ($48,462) in the previous reporting period.  The government also provided 26,930 Bahamian dollars ($26,930) to victims in the previous reporting period for rent and food assistance and needs resulting specifically from the pandemic.Authorities implemented a formal protocol to guide front-line responders in identifying sex and labor trafficking victims and referring them to services.  The protocol had a detailed, victim-centered approach to the screening process, including the use of qualified interpreters of the same gender.  The government identified the six potential victims through regular screenings of vulnerable individuals.  Observers, during previous reporting periods, reported uneven application of the protocol, especially with at-risk populations, such as undocumented Haitian migrants and stateless children; the government and other observers reported the extensive training of officials aimed to address these concerns.  The government had a formal process to guide officials in transferring victims to governmental or non-governmental options for short- or long-term care.  The DSS was responsible for victim care and oversaw victim support by service providers, attorneys, and law enforcement.  Department of Health practitioners screened patients for trafficking indicators and could refer patients for further evaluation or care, but authorities did not report doing so.  The government typically provided most services for victims, but NGOs could also provide services to victims, including housing, food, meals and water, hygiene supplies, clothing, financial assistance, medical and psychiatric care, and a non-threatening, neutral environment for authorities to conduct interviews; the government, NGOs, and international organizations (IOs) reported effective coordination on victim services.The government did not have a dedicated shelter for trafficking victims; however, the government could provide accommodations for victims or refer them to an NGO for shelter.  Authorities placed referred child victims in a DSS childcare facility.  Authorities continued to place victims in NGO-managed shelters shared with domestic violence victims.  The government considered victim preference when determining the appropriate shelter, and victims could choose not to reside in a shelter; the government provided safety information to victims who lived independently.  The government did not report any cases of victims with disabilities; however, the national anti-trafficking budget included resources to make accommodations, if necessary, and also reported services were available for LGBTQI+ individuals.  Shelters did not restrict the movements of victims and allowed them to leave for employment.  The government provided services to victim-witnesses for the length of the trial and continued to provide services after completion of the trial until the victim was either resettled in the country or, if applicable, in the country of origin.  The government worked with an IO to provide longer-term support.  Victims who chose to return to their country of origin also received continued financial support until resettled; the financial support was not contingent on participation in trials.Courts could order traffickers to provide restitution in criminal cases; victims could also take civil action against the trafficker for compensation.  The government did not maintain a victim compensation fund.  Two child victims from the case that achieved a conviction in the current reporting period received restitution payments.  The Task Force made multiple attempts to deliver a compensation payment to a foreign victim from 2020 in cooperation with a foreign embassy and an NGO.Victim participation in trafficking investigations and prosecutions was voluntary, although encouraged.  A victim provided evidence in a case that resulted in a guilty plea.  The government reported three confirmed victims from the current reporting period in addition to the three confirmed victims from 2020 refused to participate in the investigation or prosecution of the traffickers.  However, a foreign embassy reported one potential victim filed a complaint and gave evidence to the police before returning to her home country; the embassy reported it was in contact with the victim who was cooperating with the investigation and awaiting further contact from the RBPF.  Observers noted the victim had returned to her home country to be near friends and family after expressing concern about the possible long length of a trial and her desire not to stay in the country alone; observers also noted foreigners’ difficulties integrating into Bahamian society and the high cost of living may have caused victims to return home instead of participating in trials.  The law granted victims immunity from prosecution and protected victims’ identities.  Courts closed trafficking trials to the public, and the media could not publish the victims’ identities.  In July 2022, the government passed legislation allowing for victims to testify via videoconference, including from overseas; the government did not report using this method during the reporting period.  The law also permitted victim testimony via live television links and for the reading of written statements into evidence, but this did not happen during the reporting period.  Authorities advised victims of their legal rights.  The government prevented re-traumatization by limiting the scope of initial interviews and limiting contact with the trafficker.  The government offered the victims an alternative to speaking with law enforcement, such as social workers or NGOs, during investigations and prosecutions of traffickers.  The government reported it interviewed potential trafficking victims in a safe place with an interpreter available and provided a social worker as an advocate for the duration of the investigation and prosecution.  The government advised victims of government protection services and provided three confirmed victims with a designated caseworker and protection services, including frequent monitoring of them and their families and a police security detail for moving to and from the airport and to and from housing; the government could also provide a police security detail for court appearances, during which a police officer and a DSS representative stayed with the victim.  Victims could leave the country or move freely within it while awaiting trial proceedings.  The government encouraged victims returning from abroad and participating in trials to bring a family member with them for additional support.The country lacked a visa classification for crime victims, but the law entitled foreign victims to the same assistance and services provided to Bahamian victims.  Authorities did not tie benefits to foreign victims’ willingness to cooperate with law enforcement or to testify in court, and the outcomes of legal proceedings did not affect victims’ temporary immigration status.  Foreign victims had the option to remain in the jurisdiction with legal status or to return to their country of origin; the government reported it did not deport victims.  Foreign victims who decided to stay in the country received assistance with obtaining legal residency for humanitarian purposes, which included a standardized certificate that resembled the asylum certificate but did not identify the holder as a trafficking victim and enabled the holder to work legally.  Foreign victims – particularly undocumented Haitian migrants – may not have felt comfortable enough to report crimes to law enforcement officers, who could identify them as victims, because of their fear of deportation.																																												PREVENTION						    																																															The government increased prevention efforts.  Ministry of National Security officials led the government’s overall efforts to combat trafficking and chaired the Anti-Trafficking Committee, of which membership included representatives from 10 government agencies, NGOs, faith-based organizations, a foreign embassy as a regular observer, and the Task Force.  The Anti-Trafficking Committee solicited additional feedback on policies from representatives of human rights organizations, underserved Haitian groups, and LGBTQ+ leaders.  The Anti-Trafficking Committee coordinated policy recommendations, disseminated information and public awareness materials, and provided advice on trafficking matters – including strengthening national anti-trafficking initiatives and opportunities for training.  The Task Force comprised specially trained victim interviewers from the same Anti-Trafficking Committee agencies who monitored and tracked each investigation and victim.  The Anti-Trafficking Committee trained five new Task Force members from the Department of Immigration (DOI), the Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services, and the Attorney General’s Office on trafficking awareness, the anti-trafficking law, the UN TIP Protocol, and the victim identification and care referral process.  The Anti-trafficking Committee Secretariat consisted of four full-time, seconded government officials from the Ministry of National Security (Chair), the RBPF, the Ministry of Social Services, and the DSS.  The Anti-Trafficking Committee and the Task Force met bimonthly, via in-person and virtual platforms.  Governmental ministries, agencies, and departments had operational, specialized anti-trafficking units.  The government had an anti-trafficking NAP for 2019-2023.  Observers noted in the previous reporting period that victims’ desire to return to their home countries as soon as possible limited the effectiveness of survivor engagement.The government funded anti-trafficking initiatives through the national anti-trafficking budget, which was included in the Ministry of National Security’s annual budget.  The Task Force had a dedicated budget of $95,000 Bahamian dollars ($95,000), which was the same budget as in 2021 and 2020.  The Secretariat of the Anti-Trafficking Committee received 104,601 Bahamian dollars ($104,601) for victim care in the 2022-2023 budget, the same budget as 2021-2022.  The government reported spending 10,580 Bahamian dollars ($10,580) for awareness campaigns and general office supplies.  Funding for trafficking-related work in other ministries came from the general budgets for those ministries or departments.  The government added trafficking questions to the National Health Survey for 14-17-year-olds, including those from marginalized communities.  Authorities shared statistical information and updates within the Anti-Trafficking Committee and provided updates on the Ministry of National Security website and social media platforms.  The government participated in two research projects: one in cooperation with a foreign government and another in cooperation with an IO.  Observers, during the previous reporting period, noted the government did not regularly collect data on investigations, prosecutions, and convictions and could not respond to requests for data in a timely or coordinated manner.The Ministry of National Security maintained a dedicated English-speaking trafficking hotline as well as two new DSS hotlines and one new police hotline.  These services were in operation 24 hours a day and funded by the national security budget.  One NGO had its own emergency hotline to report all forms of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.  All hotlines remained fully operational with English-speaking trained personnel; the government reported hotline calls did not result in the identification of any victims or the investigation of any cases.  The government hotline operators had access to translation services.  The government advertised the hotline through English-language media, billboards, and some English-, Mandarin-, Creole-, and Spanish-language brochures placed in public spaces.  The brochures provided information on trafficking, including child trafficking and labor trafficking, and victims’ rights; the government disseminated the brochures to neighborhood watch groups, clinics and a medical center, the RBPF, the Department of Labor (DOL), the Department of Gender &amp; Family Affairs, the DSS, an NGO, and faith-based organizations.  The Anti-Trafficking Committee continued its awareness campaigns on billboards in Nassau, including at the international airport, along with virtual and in-person educational campaigns and training.  The government publicly raised awareness via media outlets and in person, including for members of a rehabilitation center, NGOs, faith-based organizations, and schools.The government reported it screened for individuals in commercial sex.  Authorities reported screening individuals for trafficking indicators during routine checks of nightclubs.  The government did not report screening Cuban medical workers for trafficking indicators.  The government reported it formed an interagency working group to survey irregular communities, predominantly those housing Haitians, Haitian descendants, and displaced Bahamians.  The working group trained surveyors on trafficking indicators.  The government reported it screened all migrants, including unaccompanied children, arriving by sea for trafficking indicators as they came into contact with authorities.  Immigration officers referred potential victims to the RBPF for further investigation and care.  Observers noted, because of a surge in migration, authorities lacked the capacity to respond to all requests for sea interdictions, and foreign counterparts completed an initial screening after interdiction before transferring migrants to Bahamian authorities.  The government reported the surge in migration led it to construct a second, temporary migrant detention center; the government reported using the same trafficking protocols as in the existing permanent detention center.  The government and observers reported consistent screening of Haitian migrants, including at detention centers; IOs reported the government may have more comprehensively screened Cuban migrants than Haitian migrants, who the government primarily considered economic migrants; these organizations reported the government prioritized expediency with regard to deportations.The constitution prohibited forced labor.  Bahamian trafficking and labor laws did not explicitly prohibit charging workers recruitment fees, switching contracts, and withholding wages to compel service.  The DOL trained labor inspectors on trafficking and hired eight new labor inspectors, doubling the capacity to conduct announced and unannounced job site inspections.  No surprise inspections resulted in trafficking investigations.  The trafficking screening questionnaire for labor inspectors asked them to determine if an employee’s job situation was different from what was promised or expected and if payment was withheld or deducted.  The government reported the DOI granted work permits that were specific in nature, the DOI included trafficking information for first-time applicants, and the Immigration Board reviewed applications for every job more than six months in duration to prevent the issuance of unqualified permits and to protect against exploitation.  The government allowed migrant workers to change employers in a timely manner without special permission.  Workers needed a letter of release, but an employee could apply to the government for an exemption.  NGOs reported the government did not have a fully digitized work permit process, and the Ministry of Immigration did not share all official communications with employer and employee, leaving the employee without required documentation and relying on information from their employer.  NGOs reported the government deported migrants, including potential victims of labor exploitation and trafficking, for being in violation of their work permits if they reported a labor violation.  NGOs reported they could find other employers for migrant workers if they were given a grace period to find alternative employment.  NGOs also reported employers of migrant workers withheld workers’ passports and wages.  The DOL, through the Public Employment Services Unit, worked with private sector organizations to recruit Bahamians for specific projects.  The DOL conducted unannounced inspections to detect forced labor in domestic and global supply chains.  When an employer submitted a request for a work certificate for a foreigner to work in the country, authorities issued anti-trafficking brochures to the employer, but DOI personnel rarely interacted with the nearly 40,000 prospective foreign workers prior to or after arrival in the country.  During the reporting period, the government received no reports of workers recruited through knowingly fraudulent job offers, contract switching, or confiscating or otherwise denying workers access to their identity documents.  Authorities began discussions with an IO to establish an MOU on multiple issues relating to migration, including trafficking and its impact on immigrants.  The government did not make efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts.  The government did not make efforts to reduce the demand for participation in child sex tourism.  The government provided anti-trafficking training to its diplomats.																																												TRAFFICKING PROFILE:						    																																															s reported over the past five years, traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in The Bahamas, and traffickers exploit victims from The Bahamas abroad.  Traffickers recruit migrant workers, especially those from Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, People’s Republic of China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, the Philippines, and the United States through false offers of employment, through advertisements in foreign newspapers and social media.  Upon arrival, traffickers exploit victims in sex trafficking and forced labor, including in domestic service and in sectors with low-skilled labor.  NGOs reported sex trafficking victims were more likely to come from Jamaica or Latin America, whereas labor trafficking victims were more likely to be Haitian in situations of debt bondage.  The government reported female migrants were particularly at risk during the reporting period; observers noted some recent female foreign victims seeking employment opportunities were well-educated yet unaware of trafficking risks.  Certain individuals born in The Bahamas to a foreign father, to a female citizen, or to foreign born parents do not automatically receive Bahamian citizenship or documentation and are at a heightened risk of trafficking.  Unaccompanied migrant children, individuals lured for employment, those involved in commercial sex and exotic dancing, undocumented migrants, stateless persons, LGBTQI+ individuals (particularly from outlying areas), and migrants displaced by Hurricane Dorian have been trafficking victims or are particularly vulnerable to trafficking.  In particular, irregular migrants living in informal settlements on the Hurricane Dorian-ravaged islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama, as well as those who fled to New Providence after the storm, exist in what observers call “dark spaces,” which deter them from reporting abuse.  In January 2022, the government signed an official agreement with the Cuban government to temporarily host 50 medical workers to provide medical care during the pandemic; the government reported the medical workers were working in the country during the reporting period.  Cuban medical professionals may have been forced to work by the Cuban government.  The high unemployment rate resulting from the pandemic – reported to have exceeded 40 percent – may have increased vulnerabilities for potential victims.																																				    							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- Bahamas, The HomeReportsOffice of International Religious Freedom2022 Report on International Religious Freedom&#8230;Bahamas, The				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: The Bahamas																																					Office of International Religious Freedom																																																																																							Download Report																																																																																	 In this section										/																							Executive Summary																																													Executive Summary																															Section I. Religious Demography																																																																																		Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom																																																									Legal Framework																																																																											Government Practices																																																																																	Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom																																																																																		Section IV. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement																																																																																																								Executive Summary				The constitution states freedom of religion is a fundamental right. Individuals may practice freely the religion of their choice or practice no religion at all. The law prohibits discrimination based on religion. The constitution refers to “an abiding respect for Christian values” in its preamble; however, there is no state-established religious body or official religion.The government regularly engaged the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC), composed of religious leaders from Christian denominations, on societal, political, and economic issues. Smaller groups, like the Jewish, Rastafarian, and Baha’i communities also held consultations with the government. The Rastafarian community continued to raise concerns over profiling, marijuana use, and access to education. Some members of the Rastafarian community said the government violated their constitutional right to religious freedom by detaining community members for marijuana use and prohibiting marijuana-based ceremonial rituals. In June, Prime Minister Philip Davis’s government announced plans to introduce legislation to regulate the medical cannabis and industrial hemp industries in 2023.Rastafarian leaders said some private schools banned dreadlocks and Rastafarian turbans.U.S. embassy representatives met regularly with government officials from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss religious freedom issues, with a focus on religious diversity. Throughout the year, embassy officials met with the members of the BCC to discuss their positions on social and political issues. Embassy officials also engaged with members of the Muslim, Rastafarian, and Jewish communities to discuss religious freedom and tolerance.																														Section I.													 Religious Demography												    																																															The U.S. government estimates the total population at 355,600 (midyear 2022). According to the most recent census in 2010, more than 90 percent of the population practices a religion. Of those, Protestants make up 70 percent of the population: Baptists, 35 percent; Anglicans, 14 percent; Pentecostals, 9 percent; Seventh-day Adventists, 4 percent; Methodists, 4 percent; Church of God, 2 percent; and Brethren, 2 percent. Approximately 12 percent of the population is Roman Catholic.Other Christians comprise 13 percent of the population, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, Greek Orthodox Christians, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other religious groups include Jews, Baha’is, Rastafarians, Muslims, Black Hebrew Israelites, and Hindus. According to a leader of the Rastafarian community, there are more than 20,000 Rastafarians in the country. The leader of the Jewish community estimates there are 1,000 Jews. A small number of persons practice Obeah. According to the census, 5 percent of the population is listed as having other, no religion, or unspecified beliefs.																																					Section II.													 Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom												    																																																Legal Framework										The constitution provides for freedom of conscience, thought, and religion, including the freedom to practice one’s religion. It forbids infringement on an individual’s freedom to choose or change his or her religion, and prohibits discrimination based on belief. Parliament may limit religious practices in the interest of defense, public safety, health, public order, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. The constitution refers to “an abiding respect for Christian values” in its preamble; however, there is no state-established religious body or official religion.The practice of Obeah, an Afro-Caribbean belief system with some similarities to Voodoo, is illegal. Those caught practicing it or attempting to intimidate, steal, inflict disease, or restore a person’s health through the practice of Obeah may face a sentence of three months in prison. Stealing from a place of worship is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The publication and sale of any book, writing, or representation deemed blasphemous is punishable by up to two years in prison, but opinions on religious issues “expressed in good faith and in decent language” are not subject to prosecution under the law. The government typically does not enforce the blasphemy law.The law requires religious groups to register if they use any form of income to promote their religion. Religious groups must legally incorporate to purchase land. There are no legal provisions to encourage or discourage the formation of religious communities, which have the same taxation requirements as profit-making companies if they incorporate. To incorporate, religious groups follow the regulations applicable to nonprofit entities, requiring the “undertaking” of the religious organization to be “without pecuniary gain,” and that the group maintains a building for gathering. In accordance with legislation, religious organizations seeking value-added tax exemptions must register with the Ministry of Financial Services, Trade, and Industry and with the Department of Immigration and apply for exemptions on a case-by-case basis.The law prohibits marijuana use, including for religious rituals.Religion is a recognized academic subject at public schools and is included in mandatory standardized achievement and certificate tests. Religion classes in government-supported schools focus on the study of Christian philosophy, Biblical texts, and, to a lesser extent, comparative and non-Christian religions. Religious groups may establish private schools. The constitution states no one shall be compelled to participate in religious instruction or observances of a religion other than his or her own. It allows students, or their guardians in the case of minors, to decline to participate in religious education and observance in private schools. The government permits home schooling and regulates it under the Ministry of Education.The country is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.																																				Government Practices										The government regularly engaged the BCC on societal, political, and economic issues. Smaller groups like the Jewish, Rastafarian, and Baha’i communities also held consultations with the government to discuss issues of mutual interest.Some Rastafarians continued to state the government violated their constitutional right to religious freedom by prohibiting the legal use of marijuana in ceremonial rituals. Rastafarians said police continued to profile and arrest them for possessing small quantities of marijuana used in ceremonial rituals. If convicted of a crime, Rastafarians were not exempt from the prison’s short-hair policy and were required to cut their dreadlocks. Rastafarians convicted of drug offenses were also placed in drug rehabilitation centers. During the year, the government entered consultations with Rastafarian religious leaders on medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp legislation. Rastafarian leader Rithmond McKinney said the discussions were a step in the right direction in sanctioning marijuana use for the Rastafarian community. The government said it expects to introduce the bill in 2023.Rastafarian leaders said public schools required Rastafarian students to wear turbans to cover their dreadlocks.The government continued to include Christian prayer in significant official events. Government officials and members of parliament routinely quoted religious teachings during speeches, and senior government officials in their official capacities occasionally addressed assemblies during formal religious services.																																					Section III.													 Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom												    																																															The leader of the Jewish community highlighted public support for the opening of two kosher restaurants during the year.Rastafarian leaders said some private schools banned dreadlocks and Rastafarian turbans.																																					Section IV.													 U.S. Government Policy and Engagement												    																																															Embassy representatives met regularly with government officials from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Discussions included promoting inclusive communities with a respect for human rights and religious diversity in the country.Throughout the year, embassy officials met with the members of the BCC to discuss their positions on social and political issues. Embassy officials also engaged with members of the Muslim, Rastafarian, and Jewish communities to discuss religious freedom and tolerance.																																				    							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Religious Demography																																																	Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom																																							Legal Framework																																																						Government Practices																																																			Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom																																																	Section IV. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement																																																							Tags																					Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Office of International Religious Freedom																																Religious Freedom																															The Bahamas
- Nassau, Bahamas: Lyford Cay International School: Spring 2023 Special Needs Profile Office of Overseas SchoolsDownload the Special Needs Profile (Spring 2023 Special Needs Bahamas, Nassau) for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.&nbsp;Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) is an independent, nondenominational day school offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) program from preschool through grade 12 (ages 18 months – 18 years). The school was founded in 1962 and is authorized by the IB Organization and accredited by the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.This is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of March 2023 and provided by the school.NOTE: School situations can change quickly, particularly as schools face cutbacks to learning support programs due to the pandemic, unrest, and economic uncertainty. For the most current information, work with the REO and school. Information in this document was collected by the Department of State’s Office of Overseas Schools directly from the school in spring 2023 and shows the availability of services rather than an assessment of the quality of the services. The profile is intended as a jumping off point for a conversation with the REO and school to understand the best fit for your child. Definitions may vary school to school.
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