NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC -The Bahamas authorities says paperwork leaked by a US-based human rights group, purporting to point out that Cuban medical professionals within the Bahamas obtain a small fraction of their contracted wages, might be a part of a broader effort to affect Bahamian public coverage and undermine the nation’s sovereignty.
Overseas Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell mentioned the paperwork, printed final week by the Miami-based group, have been “purloined” and lacked rationalization or context.
The paperwork, leaked by the Free Society Undertaking (Cuba Archive), counsel that whereas the Bahamas agreed in 2023 to pay hundreds of {dollars} per thirty days for every Cuban well being employee, the professionals obtained month-to-month stipends starting from US$990 to US$1,200. The remainder—between 84 and 92 %—seems to have gone to Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos, SA (CSMC), the Cuban state company that manages abroad deployments.
Well being Minister Dr Michael Darville has questioned the authenticity of elements of the paperwork, telling reporters that the figures seem skewed and counsel that staff obtain solely a small fraction of what’s paid.
He mentioned he plans to match the leaked paperwork along with his signed agreements to find out their accuracy.
However Cuba Archive has described the association as “a closely managed system” that strips Cuban staff of their rights, and the US media reviews say the US State Division has used Cuba Archive’s analysis in previous assessments of the medical program’s labor circumstances.
“Our objective is to work with governments to promptly finish the coercive and exploitative circumstances Cuba topics its staff to and the circumstances of compelled labor in lots of Cuba’s medical missions. If we see actual motion and progress at ending abuses, we’ll delay visa restrictions, however absent an actual effort to vary, we’ll impose them,” mentioned US Embassy Cost D’Affaires, Kimberly Furnish.
Mitchell has cautioned in opposition to the affect of such leaks, reiterating Nassa’s earlier denial that “The Bahamas authorities doesn’t have interaction in any apply opposite to worldwide labor norms.
“Let’s make that abundantly clear. The purloined paperwork couldn’t have been meant to do us any good, posted as they’re, with out rationalization, context, or checks on their authenticity. These are indicators of the occasions wherein we dwell, these actions the place associates are foe, and foe pretends to be a buddy, and it’s troublesome to inform who’s what and what’s what,” he added.
The paperwork, which purportedly bear the signatures of Bahamian and Cuban officers, counsel that whereas Nassau pays hundreds of {dollars} month-to-month for every Cuban medical employee, the professionals obtain solely US$990 to US$1,200 month-to-month.
Nevertheless, Mitchell advised the Parliament that the Phillip Davis authorities should resist forming coverage based mostly on “subjective interpretations of untested materials.
“That is harmful stuff, although, for Bahamians in an environment the place public coverage is being made, typically taken by subjective interpretations of untested materials,” he mentioned, noting that public officers mustn’t have their proper to journey “abridged or threatened” based mostly on such leaked paperwork.
Mitchell later advised reporters at a separate occasion that he didn’t remark immediately on whether or not he believed the US authorities had performed a job within the leak.
Nevertheless, he mentioned there’s rising concern that unauthenticated supplies might be “weaponized” in opposition to Bahamian officers. He urged Bahamians to not undertake international narratives uncritically, particularly in delicate areas like immigration and labor diplomacy.
Mitchell insisted that The Bahamas depends on its “ethical values and our voice” as a small nation with out financial or navy energy.
“We don’t have financial energy, we don’t have navy energy, and we solely have ethical values and our voice. The elephants struggle, and the grass will get trampled.
“People who’re well-meaning must be extra cautious and circumspect. You can’t argue that you simply’re doing good when you already know it’s possible you’ll be inflicting hurt,” he mentioned.
Caribbean Group (CARICOM) nations have defended the Cuban well being program after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned Washington was saying “the growth of an present Cuba-related visa restriction coverage that targets compelled labor linked to the Cuban labor export program.
“This expanded coverage applies to present or former Cuban authorities officers and different people, together with international authorities officers, who’re believed to be chargeable for, or concerned in, the Cuban labor export program, notably Cuba’s abroad medical missions.”
Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who left Cuba in pursuit of the American dream, mentioned in a press release posted on the US Division of State’s web site that the brand new coverage additionally applies to the rapid relations of these supporting the Cuban program.
Regional leaders mentioned publicly they have been prepared to have their US visas revoked in help of the Cuban well being program of their nations.
