It has amended media laws to allow for private ownership of broadcasting outlets. In 1998, the government denied asylum requests and deported scores of Cuban refugees held in detention centers. Among those repatriated were three Cuban national baseball team members, who were returned despite an asylum offer from the government of Nicaragua. Bahamian authorities responded to criticism of the deportations by noting that they were complying with the terms of a 1996 memorandum of understanding with Cuba. Labor, business, and professional organizations are generally free.
Unions have the right to strike, and collective bargaining is prevalent.
As many as 40,000 Haitians reside illegally in the Bahamas. Tight citizenship laws and a strict work permit system leave them with few rights. The influx has created social tension due to the strain on government services. In November, law enforcement authorities disbanded an international flesh cartel that was trafficking in illegal Asian immigrants by supplying U.S. businesses with cheap labor.