Everyone’s Task

Everyone's Task / Fernando Damaso

Posted on June 30, 2013



If we observe the behaviour of the Cuban economy in 2012 and the first

half of 2013, what becomes clear is that, in spite of the "updating" and

new "guidelines" (which amount to nothing more than a simple wish-list),

there are no significant achievements to indicate that at least we are

on the right path.



Neither agriculture (a real disaster), nor industry, nor construction,

nor transport have shown improvement. On the contrary, they remain

laggards, failing to make a collective contribution to the country or to

improve the lives of its citizens.



The only successes to be reported are in what is referred to as

international collaboration (the hiring out of professionals at

low-cost) and tourism. Reaching a level of two million visitors a year

(a ridiculous figure for any country in the region) has been billed as

"a great achievement" in spite of all the many projects and all the

foreign capital invested in this sector.



What is really going on? The effectiveness of the few measures taken so

far has been limited by absurd restrictions and excessively slow

implementation (so in that sense nothing is new). They hinder

development and, worse yet, do not completely free up productive forces

or allow for economic expansion in all areas.

Politics continues to be focused on the economy. Out of fear of having

to pay the costs for decades of mistakes and volunteerism (which by

necessity will have to be paid), the economy is being sacrificed. Bets

are being placed on an uncertain, miraculous future, the discovery of

oil, a change in U.S. policy, a Latin American economic union, and even

effects from widening the Panama Canal and the possibilities presented

by the port of Mariel. The hope is that one of these developments will

get our chestnuts out of the fire.



Cuba's economic problems, as well as its political and social problems,

have been multiplied many times over. They must be resolved by all

Cubans — those here and those overseas — with our resources, efforts and

intelligence. As long as this participation is premised on accepting

absurd and archaic political restrictions, and as long as a small group

of "chosen ones" retain control of the thunder key — the only ones

capable of doing anything in spite of their multiple failures – very

little will be accomplished.



28 June 2013



Source: "Everyone's Task / Fernando Damaso | Translating Cuba" -

http://translatingcuba.com/everyones-task-fernando-damaso/