The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

AS The Bahamas prepares for a US republican administration, local human rights defender Alexus D’Marco expressed confidence that US advocacy for vulnerable communities, including LGBTI people, will remain steadfast.

Ms D’Marco highlighted the long-standing partnership with the US Embassy, which has provided technical assistance and resources for local initiatives. She said the collaboration has continued through various US administrations, even amid funding cuts.

“We don’t expect any significant change to the work that we’re about to carry out in 2025 and beyond,” Ms D’Marco said. “The US Embassy has always been a partner with us. They’ve always opened their doors to us.”

She pointed to initiatives such as the Leadership Visits (LV) programme, which connects LGBTI advocates across the Caribbean and globally, as examples of sustained US support. Under past Republican administrations, she noted that while there were funding reductions, critical programmes and training opportunities were not significantly affected.

“Under the last administration, we always had support for the work that’s being done in The Bahamas as it relates to vulnerable communities,” she said. “The US Embassy has always been a partner with us as it relates to providing technical assistance, providing spaces, or paying for spaces that we can do workshops and transition training.”

Ms D’Marco acknowledged, however, that anti-transgender rhetoric in US politics could influence policies in the Caribbean. She said Bahamian leaders to take greater responsibility for advancing LGBTI rights instead of relying solely on international allies.

“What I’m hoping for is that we leave no one behind as it relates to access to healthcare, access to education, access to employment, and access to justice,” she said.

Ms D’Marco also noted progress in the visibility of LGBTI people in Bahamian society, particularly in the arts, sports, and professional careers.

“We’ve seen them through the arts. We’ve seen them through the crafts, doing well in sports, and excelling in their professional careers,” she said.

“It takes not just relying on US foreign policy, but it takes our own community members, our own governments, and our own political will to get the work done here in the country.”