Ruminations of an Expatriate

I spoke during my recent visit to Cuba with the son-in-law of Yolanda, the owner of the home where I stayed in Cinefuegos.  He works for the state enterprise involved in providing internet service and indicated that internet service will be available to all Cubans once a submarine cable from Venezuela is connected to the Cuban telecommunications system at a point at the East end of the island.  Currently, internet service is generally available to businesses and government agencies, though the owners of quite a number of the homes in which I’ve stayed have had computers and internet service, including the apartment in which I stayed in April, 2004.

Likewise I have encountered many folks with cell phones, mostly taxi drivers.   Last July a friend inquired in the CubaCell office in Playa Baracoa and was told she could obtain a cell phone.  Cell air time is relatively expensive as compared to here in Mexico.

One often hears USA government officials and political candidate  decry the Cuban government for restricting access to internet service, cell phone, and electrical appliances.  Cubans I have talked to have generally indicated that the restrictions have existed due to limitations of the capacities of the electrical generation and distribution, telecommunications, and cellular systems.  The limitations have been eased, in recent years, through improvements to those system through the partnering of Cuban government enterprises with foreign enterprises.

The Cuban government conducts an intensive electrical conservation effort through the distribution of compact florescent  light bulbs and more efficient refrigerators and other appliances.  Last year in Playa Baracoa trucks were driving through the streets unloading new refrigerators, manufactured in South Korea, to replace the existing less efficient models.

Further, I have found very little reluctance of folks to freely answer my questions relating to the political and economic conditions in Cuba.   A bar tender in Havana, during my most recent trip, without encouragement from us, began to tell us how inferior are folks from outside Havana  and how the Havana police were mostly from outside of  the city.   He said folks from Havana don’t like the folks from outside the city, though I think that racial bigotry may be a factor in such antipathy.  Our taxi drivers answered my political and economic questions without hesitation, as did the fellow who works for the state telecommunications enterprise and folks I met on the street.

I’m sure that it will come as no surprise to my five readers that what USA government officials and politicians have to say about Cuba is rarely true.

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