Cuba, Land Of Promise

Our neighbors are former residents of Cuba. Since we have known them I have been so enlightened about conditions on that island that I was embarrassed.  I always thought that the island was a beautiful place with a healthy agricultural presence and a growing tourist trade.

On our recent cruise were sailed all along the north western coast of Cuba and I was amazed at the size of this Island. With a population around 7,000,000 people and an excellent educational and medical system the people are well served. The great natural resource for the future is the existence of huge , sandy beaches. The tourist trade is strong now but when Cuba becomes free there will be a great boom all over Cuba.

Because Cuba is a dictatorship it has been cut off from most countries for trade. The USA embargo had hurt Cuba but is not effective. The people suffer from lack of bare essentials and the government has control over all aspects of life. The people who visit for a week or more get a picture of a beautiful tropical island but in reality when you do not have freedom you are missing a essential fact of life.

Florida is home to over a million Cuban exiles who have settled in the Miami area. Their contributions are considerable and they have become a power in the political arena.I wonder if they would return to Cuba if it was opened up in the future.

I keep hoping the end would come to the dictatorship so Theresa and I could travel with our friends in Cuba.I feel that the embargo is not working and the exclusion of Cuba in the American federation is ridiculous. Cuba is no worse than other states within the federation and perhaps if they were included they could be convinced to change their ways. Canada has always been a friend of the Cuban people and I was surprised that Canada along with the USA once more used their veto to keep Cuba out of the federation.

I view Central America as a potential stable area but we have neglected this area so long that it has remained as a economic wilderness. It will become and has become a potential home to unrest and terrorism..Maybe , just maybe we in Canada and the USA will treat this area with more respect and a partner rather than a burden and It will become the land of promise rather than poverty.