Flipping through various economic and social information, for the Republican era in Cuba, in newspapers, magazines, yearbooks and other documents of the time, I note, again, the actual development reached by the country, and the prominent place it held in many important indicators, a measure of the effectiveness of policies implemented by the different governments. Not everything was resolved, of course, but the path of solutions in process for fifty-six years, with undeniable results, allowed confidence that what was still lacking was only a matter of resources and time, because the forms and methods to achieve it were more than proven by years of successful application. That was the country that existed on 31 December 1958.
The new regime introduced from 1 January 1959, overturned the whole economic, political and social structure, engaged in the execution of willful experiments, with no serious scientific basis or citizen control, which converted the normal evolutionary process of the development of a nation into an artificial accelerated involution, with increasingly absurd decisions and actions.
The result: a country in ruins. We can put forward thousands of reasons and justifications to try to validate the hundreds of costly mistakes, but the harsh reality of generations sacrificed, resources wasted, destroyed wealth and talents lost, will not allow it. It has been over fifty years of continued decline, promising an uncertain and unattainable future, at the expense of the daily misery of the majority of the population.
Now they try to attack the evil with pills, bandages and some ointment, but it is an impossible mission: to bring about healing of the nation surgical actions are essential sooner rather than later. Everything else is the waste of time to save time.
The measures implemented, greatly limited and in drips and drabs, remain far below the expectations of citizens. Many more and deeper measures are needed in virtually all areas, and must be applied in the near term, if we are to begin to undo many wrongs, although it will by no means solve all the complex problems accumulated.
We can not ask for calm and wait for the Greek calends — that is a time that never comes — until the many committees set up complete their work.
On the street people are saying we are now in the early chapters of the first season of the guidelines — those created to “update” the model. These opening chapters aroused some interest but with the passage of time, they have been losing their following.
If the script of this drama is not improved, viewers will stop paying attention, as has happened with other earlier serials. But all kidding aside, this is not actually a soap opera, but something much more momentous and important to the nation.
I hope the authorities are aware of this situation and act with responsibility and restraint, but also with depth and speed. Despite all the many signs to the contrary, this is what the average citizen really expects, being so bored and tired of government inefficiency.
Photos: Rebeca
February 11 2012
