The Bahamas - 72.42
47
All advancements in the name of the Almighty Dollar
The main motivator for development in The Bahamas has been in the name of attracting more Western tourists. In doing so, The Bahamas has become one of the most developed nations in the Caribbean, lagging only behind overseas territories, but has left its poorest residents behind. The Bahamas has some of the highest economic disparity in the Caribbean, with the economy primarily benefiting wealthy expats and the tourism industry. Additonally, The Bahamas struggles with horrible prison conditions and brutal prison guards. The Bahamas has a single prison in the entire country that is grossly overcrowded and in severe direpair. The prison was under renovations as of 2021 but faced temporarily worse conditions as the country lacked an interim facility to move prisoners to during the renovations. The Bahamas struggles additionally with restrictive laws on homosexuality and abortion. The Bahamas faces threats from climate change not shared by much of the rest of the Caribbean, as key tourist areas may be rendered unusable by 2100.
Human Rights - 58
The Bahamas has functionally abolished the death penalty; it last carried out an execution in 2000. The only prison in The Bahamas saw harsh and life-threatening conditions worsened by ongoing renovations. The country lacks an interim facility to move prisoners to during the renovation process, so prisoners were still held in a prison under renovation. The prison lacked adequate food and medical supplies and staff. Maximum security cells lacked plumbing and maximum security prisoners were not allowed to leave their cells for exercise. Police abuse was far from uncommon. Homosexuality is legalized but The Bahamas has not legalized the age of consent for homosexuals and heterosexuals. Trans Bahamians cannot change their legal gender but can access sex reassignment surgery. The Bahamas has no discrimination protections or recognition of same-sex marriage or joint adoption. Abortion is legal to preserve the physical health of the woman.
Democracy - 88
The Bahamas is a Commonwealth democracy, limiting its score to 95. The governor-general is appointed by the queen and the prime minister is appointed by parliament. The lower house of parliament is directly elected, while the upper house is nominated by the governor-general. The unelected upper house is largely ceremonial but still holds some veto power. Elections are free and fair. The Bahamas has a two-party system but party formation and participation are not restricted. Being born in The Bahamas does not guarantee citizenship. Children of non-citizens born in The Bahamas must still obtain citizenship. Only citizens can vote, so some citizens of immigrants are disenfranchised.
Freedom - 87
“Negligent libel” is a criminal offense with broad grounds that goes generally unenforced. The Bahamas has strictly enforced drug laws, which has led to overcrowding in Bahamian prisons. Bahamian gun laws are ambiguous but there are few guns in The Bahamas.
Economy - 77
Health - 69
The Bahamas has a life expectancy of 74 years and an infant mortality rate of 1.1%. 31.3% of Bahamians are obese and 5.14% are malnourished. The Bahamas is working on developing a universal healthcare system. Under the current scheme, healthcare is free for pregnant women, children, government employees, and the elderly, with employers providing for all of their employees. Under normal circumstances, all Bahamians have access to clean, running water. Hurricanes that ravaged Grand Bahama have meant that an estimated 4% of Bahamians currently lack access to running water. The Bahamas is in the midst of a mild HIV/AIDS epidemic, seeing higher rates than any other wealthy country in the Caribbean.
Corruption - 70
Corruption in the Bahamas is generally minimal but the means to investigate corruption are minimal. Very few reports of corruption ever result in an investigation. The deputy prime minister and the finance minister both resigned amidst a corruption scandal. Both were accused but not charged of embezzling over twenty million dollars.
Competency - 60
The government is failing to provide for prisoners, allowing the country’s only prison to persist in squalor and failing to relocate prisoners during renovations. The government has not repealed several unenforced laws. The government has failed to provide for hurricane victims, allowing as much as four per cent of the population to go without running water for months.
Future - 45
The key factor threatening The Bahamas is climate change. Rising sea levels affect a number of areas key to the tourism industry of the Bahamas. The entire country could be rendered uninhabitable within the next two hundred years. On the bright side, The Bahamas is remodeling the country’s outdated prison, potentially improving the country’s human rights score in years to come.
Actions Abroad - 90
The Bahamas does not maintain an expeditionary military force, only a coast guard. The Bahamas is a tax haven. The Bahamas hosts many American companies and wealthy Americans attempting to avoid taxes.
No Bahamians live under the international poverty line and 9% of Bahamians live under the national poverty line. The Bahamas has a high economic disparity, driven by development focused on the country’s tourism industry. 14% of Bahamians are unemployed. The minimum wage in The Bahamas is $5.25 per hour. The Bahamian government is currently working to establish a universal healthcare system. Currently, healthcare is free for pregnant women, children, government employees, and the elderly. Otherwise, employers are expected to provide health insurance, which is a problem given the high unemployment in The Bahamas. The Bahamian economy shrunk 16.3% in 2020 and grew 1.2% in 2019.