In May, I went to Cuba for the 21st ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival. It took place in Havana from May 24 to June 1.
ASSITEJ International is an organisation that unites individuals, organisations and theatres throughout the world who make theatre and performing arts for children and young people. It was established in 1965 and has national centres around the world.
Earlier this year I was sent the information to apply to attend the world congress and performing arts festival. I applied not expecting anything but was one of the lucky ones selected to attend. Being passionate about the performing arts and Cuba being one of the places on my bucket list, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of something amazing. I was the only Guyanese to attend.
It was an awesome experience. The performances I was privileged to see were spectacular. The opening and the closing ceremonies left me in awe. Though the language barrier at times posed some challenges during some of the performances, meetings, and workshops for us who spoke English, I was fully immersed in the experiences, was inspired to build on the work I have done as a playwright and theatre practitioner, and I am richer because of the experience.
What I loved most about Cuba was the rich and vibrant culture. Wherever I went in Havana, there was music, people singing, dancing, playing instruments, and just having a good time. While there Africa Day was observed on May 25th. It is a day on which they pay homage to their African ancestors and being there during that time was special to me.
I of course also loved the classic cars that are seen all over Havana and was happy to take rides in them.
The people of Cuba were friendly. They recognised those of us who were foreigners and were quick to ask where we were from and welcome us to their country. Visiting some parts of Havana, it was like taking a step into the past. The reminders of Cuba’s colonial past are evident. The infrastructure is amazing and if some of the buildings are to be restored with a little paint and repairs the beauty of Cuba will shine even brighter.
When it came to Cuban cuisine, much is to be desired. There were a few places where I had good food, but I cannot say that I had any great food while I was there. I was told that part of the reason for that is because there are not a lot of seasonings in the country. This made me laugh. However, with the new friends I made from Trinidad and Jamaica, it was wonderful walking for miles almost every day and exploring different restaurants bland though most of the food may have been.
There were also experiences in Cuba that saddened me. There is no doubt that Cuba is a land filled with potential, an abundance of natural resources and hardworking people, but it is also plagued by poverty. While interacting with some Cubans they expressed how difficult life is for them. Some spoke of wanting to leave the country for greener pastures. Some areas are dilapidated, and one could see and feel the struggle. There were people on the streets asking for money to buy food. There were even children, some with their parents and some alone begging for money.
Before we traveled, we were told that there were shortages of some items in the country, and it was indeed so. Toilet paper and bottled water were two items for example. On my way from the airport vehicles were parked in a line for about a quarter of a mile leading up to a fuel station and I was told that there was a shortage of fuel in the country.
While in Cuba and observing the struggles of the poorer people, I of course thought about Guyana. Cuba was once thriving. In the early 1900s because of their high sugar prices, they were prospering. The United States and Cuba defeated Spain in 1898. In 1902 Cuba gained Independence from the United States and took control of their government. According to an article from ‘The Hill’ titled “Cubans are starving because their regime is power-hungry” there was a time when Cuba’s industrial and agricultural wages ranked among the best in the world.
“In 1958, Cuba’s industrial wages were the eighth highest in the world and its agricultural wages ranked seventh. In the 1950s, with half a day’s wages, a Cuban worker could purchase seven eggs, 2,600 grams of sugar, 1,500 grams of bread, 380 grams of butter, and 390 grams of meat. And in 1957, Cuba’s annual inflation rate was 3.1 percent.”
Communism is blamed for Cuba’s struggles. After the revolution which saw the overthrowing of the government in 1959, Fidel Castro ruled the country from 1959 to 2008.
In the early 1960s the United States placed an embargo on trade between them and Cuba because Cuba had nationalised US owned oil refineries without offering them compensation.
The history of Cuba is a lesson for us in Guyana. We see how a prosperous nation can be brought to its knees and how countries can suffer when places like the United States decide to spite or punish them.
Guyana is said to be the world’s fastest growing economy. However, we see some struggles here like the people are experiencing in Cuba. There are poor people and those homeless and begging on the streets. Some may argue that even in the most affluent of societies, there will always be a part of the population that is suffering, homeless and begging. However, that does not have to be Guyana’s story when we look at our population size and our resources. It is not only the poorest of Guyanese that are struggling. Within the last four years the price of food especially seems to be ever increasing with no end in sight. We can deduce that the oil curse has taken hold and if nothing is done to alleviate the struggles of Guyanese then the poverty will only increase.
We the people of this country like to sit and wait for a saviour, but perhaps the time has come for us to stop waiting and do what is necessary to save ourselves. Lessons of the past have taught us that the politicians are not here to save us. Not only can we in Guyana learn from Cuba, but we can also learn from Kenya where there were protests last month against a law that was going to result in raised taxes. The protests resulted in the president not signing into law the new finance bill. Yes, blood was shed, but the people triumphed.
The fact that we Guyanese continue to sit and complain, and it is fear that keeps many of us from standing united in our power, is a recipe for a disastrous future.
I am glad I went to Cuba and plan on visiting again. Maybe one day they will emerge from the grasp of hardships and hopefully we Guyanese will be spared from such prolonged suffering and better will come.
