European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 24, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Economic limes Castro says the Taull lies not with the system but with human frailly the Lack of revolutionary Zeal. Whatever the reason the cuban Economy has been stagnant for Mote than two years. Castro. Of course never has been one to follow the crowd. He has spent a lifetime overcoming Tong Odds. In a recant speech he recalled the time in december. 1956 when at the Start of his guerrilla struggle serious setbacks reduced his forces to no More than a few devoted followers. Deleal seemed imminent. Now we Are millions he said using the analogy to underscore his View thai seemingly insurmountable Obs acres can be overcome through patience and political will. But As Castro himself has admitted no Challenge Lor him has been mom difficult Han bringing about economic Well being for his countrymen. Food and clothing Are strictly rationed and triers is an acute shortage of adequate housing. For transportation. Cubans must rely on buses that Loo often Are overcrowded or make their rounds Loo infrequently cubans also complain about bureaucratic lethargy and poor service generally in restaurants and elsewhere. My the thousands at pre-1959 Model american ears Tor using issues. The Quality of Lite Lor the average cuban compared with developed countries is dreary although there appear to be few destitute cubans Many workers find their jobs unfulfilling. Youths complain Traut a Lack of. Recreational opportunities. As an alternative to the drab government controlled prose cubans these Days snatch up Spanish language soviet magazines which have a Quality cuban publications Lack openness. Otelia Espinosa. Who works at a local newsstand said some soviet weeklies Are sold out in five minutes. Two years ago we used to throw them out she said. There is no overt persecution of cubans who practice their religion but such people have Little Hope of rising to positions of authority. Christmas was officially. Abolished years ago because the Celebration interfered Wilh the sugar Harvest but there Are signs of a More flexible government attitude nowadays toward thai occasion. Some families say they Are discreetly doing this year what was unthinkable in previous years putting up a Christmas tree. While there is More tolerance for outspokenness than before cubans who make known their disdain Lor the system do so at their own risk. Worker absenteeism has been a problem for All 30 Castro years a phenomenon that is not surprising in a country that claims to guarantee a Job Lor everybody. Theil at state enterprises has been a major headache Lor the regime. On a secret tape that was smuggled out of Cuba defense minister Raul Castro said "1 million police could t solve the problem without stricter accounting controls. In Many professions requirements of the stale leave Little room Lor Cre Alively. A cuban judge knows the judiciary is subservient to the state. A Tournai is is aware that he must report within the narrow boundaries imposed by party Dogma. Cuba also is viewed by the Reagan administration As a threat to . Interests because of its generous support Lor Nicaragua s leftist government and Aid to guerrilla groups elsewhere. A related Issue is the militarization of cuban society. Cuba spends a higher percentage of its National budget on he military than All but a few countries worldwide. According to . Figures Cuba has 950 Battle tanks compared with Canada s 114. Its military establishment is comparable to that of Brazil a country with a population 13 times the size of Cuba s. Among nations that have embraced communism Cuba appears to be one of the More successful. Several of the More recent converts to marxism Are wracked by civil War and poverty. In Cuba there la less absolute poverty than in any country in latin America where unemployment and underemployment Rales run As High As 50 percent. For millions of cubans Castro remains an inspirational figure. His oratorical skills Are undiminished. He impresses visitors with the breadth of his interests ranging from Medicine to nuclear Power. Little occurs in Cuba which escapes his restless gaze. Seldom has a loader of so Small a country had an International Impact As great As his. A can claim partial credit for the agreement under which South Africa will Grant Namibia. Africa s last Colony. Independence and Black majority Rute. That was Castro s Price for agreeing to withdraw Cuba s forces from Angola above a he sees himself As the broker for the dispossessed. He constantly expresses outrage about the injustice of a world in which some countries enjoy boundless abundance White others starve 120.000 children every three Days a Hiroshima and a Nagasaki every 72 hours a claims. Castro is proud thai the intent mortality rate in Cuba is comparable to thai in some of the most developed countries. One reason Cuba has had difficulty developing economically is thai so much of the country s resources go Loward meeting Basic human needs housing schools and hospitals. Tho vast majority of Cuba s children have the Opportunity to develop their minds and bodies through Cuba s far reaching educational and sports programs. On a per capita basis Cuba quite possibly produces Moro Good boxers runners swimmers and baseball players than any other country. --.-. While More than a million cubans have fled Tho Island since 1959, the revolution has rescued countless others mostly peasants and workers from the social. End economic oblivion they endured under the previous system. Block by Block defense commit tees Are used to Monitor the politically suspect but they also have helped make Cuba s streets As Sale As any in the hemisphere. Castro also boasts that Cuba is drug free Castro has been at the Helm in Cuba for Well Over half his adult Ife and at 62, he shows no sign of stowing Down. If he Doos taller brother Raul 57, has been tapped As the successor. .".-. Bui Fidel As he is known to his countrymen May Well to around for years to come. He has outlasted six american presidents. Next month Ronald Reagan will become the soon la. There have bean numerous minor like the Navy erecting a 50 foot Fence near Gate to thwart cubans trom throwing rocks a the marines and cubans taunting sentries by shining spotlights in their eyes. ". Over the years some cubans have reportedly fled to Etmo for Asylum. The. Navy refuses to lath about it but Castro responded Long ago by planting Cactus known As the Cactus curtain along the Border. / /.-. " every year the United Stales sends Castro a Check Lor $4,085 As rent. He won t even Cash them. That s of Wilh the Navy brass who intend to keep who strategic foothold in the Caribbean m Happy id say we have a very sound arid professional and quiet. Relationship with our landlord says Boyd. I Hope he Castro would say the same about his in recent years it has been quiet along the Fer Iceline periodically a stray cheer will set Oil a mine or a pack of cat size banana rats w it Scurry along the bord Erthe last big news was in 1986 when the Mcdonald s opened. What we could use now is a Burger King or a Taco said Nancy hand dining on a big Mac with daughter,1 Audrey 2, and husband Frankle hand a 26-year-old Sailor from new York City. A aviation machinist first class hand december 24,1968 said i feel better about raising my child Here than in some City where you have a lot of crime and drug problems. Base Security is tight.". The hand family moved to Etmo this fall they live in a cinder lock apartment. Well six it he said. I think Well like i Here the Lishing is supposed to be John Coates. 24. Of Blairstown. New Jersey arrived at Etmo last Winter the Young Sailor had jitters about the cubans. " the first week i did t sleep much. I did t know what to expect i was just 1,000 feet from the said. Coates Riding a Lerry from he Bay s Leeward to Windward Side. Now it s just part of everyday a member of the base police keeps Busy during of f hours by working part time at the recreation Center and competing in numerous sports. Particularly softball. ,. When got Here i haled softball. But everybody Here plays. So i started playing ii too. I had Cuba presents a problem for american pilots. They Are forbidden Lolly Over in. So. They Are forced to make a Sharp Lurn arriving and departing Etmo to avoid violating cuban airspace and creating an International incident. Coast guard it. Cmdr Jim Moukawsher 32, based at the naval air station in Norfolk. Virginia often flies out of Cuba in i e-2. A radar plane used to detect drug smugglers in the air arid on the seas this is a great place to be if you want to work because other than scuba diving in tire in t thai much to do said Moukawsher. He likes to work. A lot. We All want Pur flight to gel away fora few Days residents hop military planes on a space available basis to another Caribbean Island or the United states Tor a Lew Days of shopping and relaxation. Guantanamo . Naval base oldest . Naval installation on foreign territory and the. Only american base in communist count Baxey Nelto perimeter -175 Square Miles a population-2,100 Navy and Matiiw personnel 3jboo civilians the stars and stripes Page 15
