The State of Cuba’s Infrastructure

The State of Cuba's Infrastructure
Erin Green posted on February 25, 2016

Things are starting to look up for Cuba. With improving relations
between the island nation and its neighbor the US, the state of Cuba's
infrastructure has shifted from a local issue to a global mission.

Countries from across the globe have expressed interest in helping the
island modernize itself – and US companies are no exception. But what's
got them all so interested?


Starting to Improve Infrastructure

In some ways, Cuba's infrastructure is doing just fine. The country has
a strong background in engineering education and training, due in part
to establishments like the Universidad de Oriente in Santiago de Cuba.

However, it isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Although Cuba is managing
some aspects of infrastructure quite well, others—like in many other
Latin American countries—are in serious need of updating.
"There are some areas where they absolutely need to improve and
modernize and grow," said Sofia Berger, division manager for Latin
America and the Caribbean at Louis Berger.

These areas of improvement include familiar issues for many of us—Berger
specifically cited transportation infrastructure, wastewater management
and energy production.

It won't be easy for Cuba to modernize all of these systems on its own,
which is why it isn't trying to do everything itself. To avoid that,
Berger said, Cuba has been soliciting investment from international
companies to work alongside its own engineering experts.

Cuban Infrastructure Improvements

The Cuban government has ambitious plans for the country's
infrastructure. One of these plans, already in progress, is a set of
renovations for the country's airports—a project where building
information modeling (BIM) could certainly lend a hand.

"The airport of Havana is developing a brand-new international
terminal—a passenger terminal—and it's looking at expanding two existing
terminals in the airport," said Javier Gonzalez, vice president of
aviation services at Louis Berger.

"There are also priority plans for two main entry airports in the middle
section of the island in Santa Clara and two specifically
tourism-dedicated airports in Cayo Coco and Cayo Largo del Sur,"
Gonzalez continued.

Why expand the airports so drastically?

"Since the reestablishment of relations between the US and Cuba, the
direct traffic between US airports and Cuban airports has increased 40
percent in just over a year," explained Gonzalez. That number only
represents chartered flights, as scheduled flights are still under an
embargo. Imagine how the numbers would increase once that changes.

Redeveloping Cuba's Tourism Industry

Understandably, a massive increase in air traffic will lead to a
corresponding increase in tourism—and that's something that the Cuban
government is anticipating. After all, tourism has been a staple
industry in Cuba since the days of its involvement with the former USSR.

"They are trying to redevelop the Bay of Havana," explained Berger.
"It's a big target project that they have and it's pretty impressive
what they have planned. It's definitely a megaproject."
The plans for the bay include new hotels, convention centers and
improved boardwalks.

"You don't need that project unless you're planning to cater to
tourists, so it's clear that there's a major push there," said Berger.

However, there are other issues which take priority—including wastewater
management.

Berger explained that while wastewater management might not be the first
thing one thinks of as necessary for tourism, it plays a key role in
attracting visitors. Berger put it delicately when she mentioned that
"nobody wants to go visit the beaches of a polluted area."

"There are those kinds of infrastructure pieces that need to be done in
order to make tourism possible," Berger said.

Improving Cuba for Cubans

However, Berger was quick to point out that it isn't just the tourists
who need a better system.

"Some of this is their own needs as an island," Berger said. "There are
certain remote areas of the island that are not well-serviced in terms
of their energy needs and that would be necessary regardless of the
improved relations with the US."

One of the plans for improving energy production in Cuba involves the
implementation of biomass generators. These generators are part of
the Biopower project and will be fed using marabú, an invasive thorny
plant imported from Africa that populates Cuba's agricultural land and
"energy cane," a variation of sugar cane with a higher fiber content and
lower sugar content.
"They have been very dependent on oil-based energy, their own oil and
oil from Venezuela," said Berger. This approach is unsustainable for
Cuba, but implementing biomass generators could be the answer given the
extent of Cuba's sugar cane agriculture.

Why Foreign Investment?

Although some areas of infrastructure need to have a majority ownership
by the government of Cuba, there are plenty of areas that need outside help.

"Energy specifically is one [area] where it can be 100 percent private
investment," said Berger. "I think it's kind of eye-opening for people
when I tell them because they just assume that because of how the Cuban
government [typically] manages things, they need to have their finger in
every pie."

This diversification takes much of the budgetary pressure off of the
government and could help get things done much more efficiently and in a
timely fashion.

"It's a way to prioritize where the areas of need are," said Gonzalez.

However, Gonzalez cautioned against getting things done too quickly.

"If you don't take this with a sustainable view, it will be very harmful
for the island and for the Cuban population itself," Gonzalez explained.
"It has to be taken with a sense of planned approach, step by step,
taking into consideration that there are very good professionals on the
island that are ready and willing to participate."

Jumping Through Hoops to Help

Although tensions have eased between Cuba and the US, it is by no means
easy to get involved in the massive infrastructure improvements underway.

Louis Berger, with experience in large projects, is particularly
interested in the project to rehabilitate the Bay of Havana—but it can't
get involved yet. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), part of
the US Treasury Department, has set up a series of licenses for American
companies looking for a way in. So far, only one US company has managed
to get the appropriate permissions.

"We are not currently doing any work in Cuba," explained Berger. "We are
currently trying to get the correct approvals and licenses in order to
be able to do work in Cuba while we wait for any further developments
down the road on the embargo."

Companies like Google and Sprint have submitted proposals for the
country's telecommunications infrastructure, but in many cases foreign
participation is about control. Berger compared it to China's Great
Firewall.

"We're trying to navigate the legal waters to make sure we do things
correctly in terms of being able to start working there, but we're
really excited about the potential," said Berger. "Hopefully we'll be
able to start working there in the near future."

Source: The State of Cuba's Infrastructure > ENGINEERING.com -
http://www.engineering.com/BIM/ArticleID/11567/The-State-of-Cubas-Infrastructure.aspx

Cuba Hopes to Draw More Russian Tourists

Cuba Hopes to Draw More Russian Tourists
22:06 25.02.2016(updated 22:44 25.02.2016)

Cuba hopes to replace Turkey and Egypt as a popular holiday destination
for Russian tourists, the Caribbean island nation's ambassador to Russia
said Thursday.

ROSTOV-ON-DON (Sputnik) — Russian authorities advised its travel
agencies against selling package tours to Turkey after the downing of a
Russian warplane over Syria by a Turkish jet, while flights
between Russia and Egypt were stopped following a terror attack on a
Russian airliner over Sinai last year.

"The flow of Russian tourists to Turkey and Egypt is diminishing, so
Cuba is ready to welcome Russian visitors," Emilio Lozada García said,
adding the nation would welcome "all tourists from Russia."

A representative of the Cuban Embassy in Moscow vowed Thursday that
Havana would think of ways to make Cuba tours more affordable for guests
from Russia, where the national currency has lost more than half of its
value against the dollar.

Source: Cuba Hopes to Draw More Russian Tourists -
http://sputniknews.com/art_living/20160225/1035357924/cuba-hopes-draw-russian-tourists.html

Obama to Cuba - Who Benefits?

Obama to Cuba: Who Benefits?
February 25, 2016 COHA
By Myra Miranda and Seohyeon Yang, Research Associates at the Council on
Hemispheric Affairs

Hopes are riding high on President Barack Obama's trip to Cuba on March
21 and 22. Millions in both countries hope the visit will help ensure
the continuity in the progress already made in normalizing relations
between the United States and the island nation. Many others, including
at least two presidential aspirants, apparently hope it will fail to
advance an administration policy of rapprochement between neighbors, but
will succeed in helping elect a Republican to follow him in office.

President Obama's trip (with his wife, first lady Michelle Obama) is the
first time in 88 years that a sitting U.S. president visits Cuba. In
1927 President Coolidge traveled to the island with the official purpose
of attending the Sixth Annual Conference of American States, held in Havana.

As announced on February 18 by the White House press secretary, Josh
Earnest, the Obama administration's goals include:

"advancing commercial and people-to-people ties that can improve the
well-being of the Cuban people, and expressing our support for human
rights."

Besides meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro, President Obama "will
engage with members of civil society," Earnest said.[1]

It's about time. After half a century of Washington's desire to isolate
Cuba, this historic event marks a peak for U.S-Cuba relations. Since
July 2015, the White House has asserted that restoring diplomatic ties
between Washington and Havana will allow for new opportunities to
connect U.S. and Cuban citizens through travel, commerce, and access to
information.[2] President Obama's efforts to lift the trade embargo that
has harmed Cubans for almost 55 years has been opposed by a
Republican-controlled Congress that has shown little interest in ending
the embargo. Any U.S. president so inclined needs Congressional support,
since only Congress can repeal this exclusion policy.

Contrasting Reactions in the U.S.

Not all Republicans oppose President Obama's move. Senator Jeff Flake
(R-Arizona) issued a positive statement regarding the president's Cuba
visit in which he stated:

"For Cubans accustomed to watching their government sputter down the
last mile of socialism in a '57 Chevy, imagine what they'll think when
they see Air Force One. Just think of the progress that can come from
one day allowing all freedom-loving Americans to travel to Cuba."[3]

This is in line with Senator Flake's support on the direction of the
Administration's Cuban policy. He had welcomed previous moves to
re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, increase travel and contact
between U.S. citizens and the Cuban people. However, he is an exception
in his party.

Republican presidential hopefuls Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, both sons of
Cuban immigrants, criticized President Obama's visit to Cuba on CNN's
Republican presidential town hall last week. Senator Rubio has
consolidated his stance against Obama's Cuba policy by saying that he
would not visit Cuba if he was President unless it was a "free Cuba."[4]
Senator Cruz denounced President Obama's decision as a "mistake" in
which the president would "essentially act as an apologist … before
tyrants who hate America." He added, "My family has seen firsthand the
evil and the oppression in Cuba. We need a president who stands up to
our enemies."[5]

Cruz and Rubio found common ground in regarding Cuba's government as an
"anti-American communist dictatorship," in Rubio's words.[6] Jeb Bush,
the former governor of Florida (who has since called off his
presidential campaign), termed Obama's plans a "disaster,"
characterizing the decision as an attempt to build his legacy before
leaving the White House.[7] For U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
(R-Florida), who was born in Cuba, it is "absolutely shameful … Pitiful
that Obama rewards Castro with visit to Cuba while conditions for the
Cuban people are getting worse."[8]

In contrast to Republican political figures' strong opposition, the U.S.
public sees Castro's Cuba positively, according to a Gallup poll taken
last week. The Gallup survey's sample in the United States recorded that
54 percent of respondents held a favorable opinion of Cuba.[9] It is the
first Gallup survey since 1997 that reflects a favorable view of Cuba by
a majority of the interviewed. Cuba, however, remains a highly
polarizing issue for many Americans, and the partisan gap has widened.
Gallup reports that the major changes in opinion relating to Cuba
happened among Democrats. In 2015, 73 percent of responding Democrats
had a positive view on Cuba, showing a 28-point increase from 2014;
there was, however, only a six-point increase in Republicans' approval
of Cuba side during the same period.[10]

Cuban-Americans, who increasingly favor Obama's Cuba policy in general,
have tended to oppose his intentions to visit the Caribbean state. A
survey made on December 17, 2015, by Bendixen & Amandi International, a
Hispanic and multicultural research firm, found that 56 percent of
Cuban-Americans agree with Obama's normalization of ties between the two
countries and 53 percent think the U.S. embargo on Cuba should not
continue. However, 52 percent answered "No" to the question, "Should
President Obama visit Cuba before he leaves office?"[11]

Cuban Ministry Upbeat on Visit

In Havana, Josefina Vidal, Director General for North America at the
Foreign Ministry, welcomed new negotiations with her government, saying:

"Obama's visit will be an opportunity for him to have a direct
experience of Cuba's reality and everything we have been doing in
accordance with Cuba's sovereignty. It will be an opportunity to ratify
Cuba's willingness to continue building new relations with the United
States."[12]

Asked about President Obama's intention to address human rights in Cuba,
she responded that she would be open to conversations with the U.S.
government on any issue but noted that the Cuban government has its own
opinion of how countries deal with human rights, including the United
States. She predicted, however, that dialogue between the two nations
could bring great improvements.

Cuban President Raul Castro has made no public statement on Obama's
scheduled visit so far. He announced at the U.N. General Assembly last
September that relations between the two countries can only be restored
when the embargo is lifted and Guantanamo Bay is returned to his
country.[13]

Despite claims that new negotiations with Cuba would make the United
States appear weak internationally, one cannot altogether deny the
advantages and positive impacts that can result from the summit-level
diplomacy. It has been argued that the embargo should not be lifted
unless Cuba is willing to abandon its Communist regime and espouse new
economic and political reforms, including a democratic system that
recognizes human rights.[14] After more than five decades of waiting for
a result that clearly did not reach its objectives, Cuba shows no signs
of renouncing its current system. Its citizens have been the ones most
negatively affected by the economic sanctions, which have deprived them
of greater access to technology, better health care, and affordable
food.[15] Additionally, a study by Texas A&M University found that the
embargo has cost U.S. farmers $1.24 billion a year in lost revenue.[16]
Same study suggests that lifting sanctions could generate more than
31,000 jobs in the United States. Clearly, removing the trade embargo
would not only allow Cuba to rise from political and economic isolation
but also advance its reintegration with world commerce and global
affairs — it would also materially benefit the United States and its
economy.

President Obama's efforts to normalize relations with Cuba have already
set a precedent for his successors. History and many academics have
concluded that isolating Cuba and applying economic sanctions to
penalize leaders only end up affecting innocent civilians and fail to
achieve positive or constructive outcomes.[17] Alternatively, a policy
of engagement can create opportunities for people in Cuba and the United
States to interact, cooperate, and do business. President Barack Obama
is making important and overdue steps in repairing U.S-Cuba relations.
The visit will be a legacy for his successors in the White House and in
the policy establishment.

By: Myra Miranda and Seohyeon Yang, Research Associates at the Council
on Hemispheric Affairs

Please accept this article as a free contribution from COHA, but if
re-posting, please afford authorial and institutional attribution.
Exclusive rights can be negotiated. For additional news and analysis on
Latin America, please go to: LatinNews.com and Rights Action.

Featured Photo: Cumbre de las Américas 2015: Barack Obama y Raúl Castro
Discurso completo, taken from NOTICIASMVS.

[1] The White House. "Statement by the Press Secretary on the
President's Travel to Cuba and Argentina." News release, February 18,
2016. The White House. Available at:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/18/statement-press-secretary-presidents-travel-cuba-and-argentina.
Accessed on February 23, 2016.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Flake Statement on President's Planned Visit to Cuba." News release,
February 18, 2016. Jeff Flake U.S. Senator. Accessed February 23, 2016.
Available at:
http://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D2D915F7-E168-4AF5-AB03-DCAE0457AB5A.
Accessed on February 23, 2016.

[4] Lee, MJ. "Cruz Prosecutes, Rubio Gets Personal at CNN Town Hall."
CNN. February 18, 2016. Available at:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/17/politics/republican-town-hall-highlights/.
Accessed February 23, 2016.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Acosta, Jim, Elise Labott, Nicole Gaouette, Kevin Liptak, and Allie
Malloy. "Obama Announces Cuba Visit." CNN. February 18, 2016. Available
at: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/17/politics/obama-cuba-visit/. Accessed
February 23, 2016.

[7] Dyer, Geoff. "Barack Obama to Press for Reforms during Cuba Visit –
FT.com." Financial Times. February 18, 2016. Available at:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0843732a-d5fa-11e5-829b-8564e7528e54.html#axzz40Xp6HyXM.
Accessed February 23, 2016.

[8] Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana. "Ros-Lehtinen Statement on Obama Visit to
Castro's Cuba." Ros-Lehtinen Statement on Obama Visit to Castro's Cuba.
February 17, 2016. Available at:
https://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/ros-lehtinen-statement-obama-visit-castro%E2%80%99s-cuba.
Accessed February 23, 2016.

[9] Norman, Jim. "Majority of Americans View Cuba Favorably for First
Time." Gallup.com. February 15, 2016. Available at:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/189245/majority-americans-view-cuba-favorably-first-time.aspx?g_source=cuba.
Accessed February 23, 2016.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Amandi, Fernand R.
Polling_Results_on_Cuban_Americans_Viewpoint_on_the_Cuba_Opportunity.
PDF. Bendixen & Amandi International, December 17, 2015. Available at:
http://www.american.edu/clals/upload/Bendixen-Amandi-Poll-Cuban-Americans-Viewpoint-2015-03.pdf
Accesed on February 23, 2016.

[12] " Será una oportunidad para que el presidente Obama pueda apreciar
la realidad cubana y seguir intercambiando sobre las posibilidades de
ampliar el diálogo… también una ocasión para ratificarle la voluntad
del gobierno Cubano de continuar avanzando en la construcción de una
nueva relación… Esta visita constituirá un paso más hacia la mejoría de
las relaciones entre Cuba y los Estados Unidos." Translated by the
authors. Taken from: Sitio Oficial Del Ministerio De Relaciones
Exteriores De Cuba. Proceedings of Cancillería De Cuba Anuncia Visita
Oficial Del Presidente De Los Estados Unidos, Centro De Prensa
Internacional. February 18, 2016. Available at:
http://www.cubaminrex.cu/es/cancilleria-de-cuba-anuncia-visita-oficial-del-presidente-de-los-estados-unidos.
Accessed on February 23, 2016.

[13] "Remarks by Raul Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of States
and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba." In General Assembly of the
United Nations. Proceedings of General Debate of the 70th Session of the
UNGA, New York. Available at:
http://gadebate.un.org/sites/default/files/gastatements/70/70_CU_en.pdf.
Accessed on February 23, 2016.

[14]Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996, §
6021-6091 of the U.S. Code (1996). See also CUBAN DEMOCRACY ACT ("CDA"),
§ 6001 (1992).

[15] Frank, Michele, Elisabeth A. Squeglia, and Robert J. White. et.
al. Denial of Food and Medicine. The Impact of U.S. Embargo on Health
and Nutrition in Cuba. Report Available at:
http://www.medicc.org/resources/documents/embargo/The impact of the U.S.
Embargo on Health & Nutrition in Cuba.pdf. Accessed on February 23, 2016.

[16] Rosson, Parr, and Flynn Adcock. Economic Impacts of U.S.
Agricultural Exports to Cuba. Report. October 2001. Available at:
http://cnas.tamu.edu/publications/CubaFinal2.pdf. Accessed on February
23, 2016.

[17] Gottstein, Ulrich. "Peace through Sanctions? Lessons from Cuba,
Former Yugoslavia and Iraq*." Medicine, Conflict and Survival. Volume
15, no. 3 (1999): 271-85. Accessed on February 23, 2016.

Source: Obama to Cuba: Who Benefits? | COHA -
http://www.coha.org/obama-to-cuba-who-benefits/

Ros-Lehtinen goes toe-to-toe with White House on Cuba

Ros-Lehtinen goes toe-to-toe with White House on Cuba

Questions administration's commitment to human rights
Criticizes State Department's 25-percent cut in pro-democracy spending
Secretary Kerry says administration in a better position than ever
BY FRANCO ORDOÑEZ
fordonez@mcclatchydc.com

WASHINGTON
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen challenged the Obama administration's
commitment to human rights in Cuba on Thursday, pressing Secretary of
State John Kerry on the administration's plans to cut spending next year
on democracy and human rights on the island by 25 percent.

ARE HUMAN RIGHTS A PRIORITY FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION?
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

The State Department has requested $15 million, down from $20 million
this year, to pay for assistance to victims of political repression and
their families and to strengthen independent Cuban civil society.

"Are human rights a priority for this administration?" Ros-Lehtinen asked.

Kerry's response: "Of course, they are."

The four-minute confrontation at a House Foreign Affairs Committee
hearing on the State Department's budget was the latest confrontation
between members of Congress and the administration over Cuba policy.
Both Ros-Lehtinen and her fellow Miami Republican, Rep. Mario
Diaz-Balart, have called the warming relations with Cuba shameful, while
Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas, both Republican
presidential contenders, have accused Obama of making too many
concessions to the communist government.

WE BELIEVE WE HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF CHANGING CUBA THAN ANYTHING THAT
HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.
Secretary of State John Kerry

Kerry defended the administration, saying the improvement in relations
allows the U.S. to have more diplomats in Cuba and creates opportunities
to work in areas of mutual interest.

"In fact," Kerry said, "we believe we have actually created more
opportunities for intervention, more opportunities to make progress. One
in four people in Cuba are beginning to work for private enterprise."

Ros-Lehtinen says that assessment is naive. She cited Cuba's harsh
treatment of dissidents since the announcement in December 2014 of the
new relationship, with the reported arrests of more than 8,000 people,
many of whom expressed points of view that contrast those of the Cuban
government.

Citing the 20th anniversary Wednesday of the downing of two Brothers to
the Rescue aircraft by a Cuban jet fighter, Ros-Lehtinen also pressed
Kerry for a commitment that the administration would seek the
extradition of the government officials responsible for the shoot-down,
which killed four Miami-based anti-Castro activists.

Kerry did not respond directly, but reiterated that more groups,
including non-government agencies, are traveling to Cuba and working
directly with the Cuban people more than ever in the past half-century.

"We believe we have a greater chance of changing Cuba than anything that
has happened in the last 50 years," Kerry said. "It didn't work for 50
years. Nothing changed. Now it is changing."

Email: fordonez@mcclatchydc.com; Twitter: @francoordonez.

Source: Ros-Lehtinen goes toe-to-toe with White House on Cuba |
McClatchy DC -
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article62482337.html

Canadian airlines fear U.S. carriers could undercut them to Cuba

Canadian airlines fear U.S. carriers could undercut them to Cuba
Airports in border cities like Burlington, Vt., are salivating at the
prospect of boosting business as U.S. airlines get set to launch flights
to a sun destination long popular with Canadians.
By: Ross Marowits The Canadian Press, Published on Fri Feb 26 2016

MONTREAL—Canadian airlines say impending U.S. travel to Cuba could spur
cross-border travelling by Canadians in search of cheaper flights from
American airports to the Communist Caribbean island.
While the low loonie has generally discouraged treks by Canadians to
border-area airports in recent months, an eventual rise could prompt
them to head once again to the U.S., especially if those hubs start
offering an array of flights to Cuba, a longtime favourite for Canada's
sun-seekers.
"Should U.S. border airports start offering services to Cuba, it
definitely has the potential to exacerbate the leakage of passengers,"
said Marc-Andre O'Rourke, executive director of the National Airlines
Council of Canada.
That would add fuel to the industry's long-standing complaint that its
competitiveness is hurt by "a Canadian policy framework that treats the
aviation industry as a source of public revenue by downloading
government taxes, fees and other charges on airfares."
Some of those concerns were addressed in a report released Thursday that
recommends the phasing out of airport rent, reducing the security fee
and working with provinces to reduce or eliminate fuel taxes on
international flights, O'Rourke added.
Gene Richards, director of aviation for the airport in Burlington, Vt.,
said he expects Canadian business and leisure traffic to Cuba will pick
up after U.S. airlines begin scheduled service through their hubs,
possibly later this year.
American carriers face a March 2 deadline to submit applications.
"I think there's going to be endless opportunities," Richards said in an
interview.

The U.S. and Cuba, longtime Cold War foes, recently signed a deal to
resume commercial air traffic for the first time in five decades. It
will eventually allow up to 110 daily flights from the U.S. to Havana
and nine other Cuban cities.
Travel purely for tourism, however, won't be allowed until U.S. Congress
lifts a long-standing embargo that also restricts most trade with Cuba.
A Cuban tourism boom ensued after U.S. President Barack Obama announced
in December 2014 that his country was going to normalize relations with
Cuba. Obama is visiting Cuba next month, the first sitting president to
travel to the island in 88 years.
In 2015, 3.5 million visitors travelled to Cuba, according to the Centre
for the Study of the Cuban Economy at the University of Havana, many of
them travellers who wanted to visit the island before an influx of
Americans changes the island too much.
Millions of additional U.S. travellers could join the millions of
foreigners who visit Cuba annually — the largest contingent from Canada.
Canadians spent $780 million in 844,000 visits in 2014, says Statistics
Canada.
Nonetheless industry observers believe an expansion of air service to
Cuba will be gradual because the island's infrastructure can't handle a
tidal wave of new visitors.
"I think the (Cuban) government's got to be very careful because it
could flop really quickly if it isn't done correctly," said Richards.
WestJet Airlines expects the influx of American tourists will make the
destination more expensive.
"We do expect to see pressure on hotel room inventory and pricing once
the market is opened up to U.S. tourist traffic," said spokeswoman
Lauren Stewart. The lower Canadian dollar caused prices to rise last
fall because hotel packages are priced in U.S. dollars.
Jury Krytiuk, head of the Cuban travel department at Toronto-area agency
A. Nash Travel Inc., said the aggressive construction of beach resorts
will support existing Canadian traffic and new U.S. travellers. However,
the situation is far more challenging in Havana, where there is a
shortage of hotels, especially the ritzy five-star offerings many
Americans crave.
Hotel prices in Havana have surged 35 per cent because of growing demand
in the past year since travel restrictions were eased for Americans, he
said.
"Everyone wants to see Havana before it changes," says Krytiuk, who's
been sending passengers to Cuba for 40 years.
The lure of Cuba is different for Canadians than Americans, he adds.
Americans will initially be attracted to the culture, old cars and
architecture of Havana while most Canadians favour all-inclusive beach
vacations.
Tour operator Transat A.T. said the impact on the company from the flood
of Americans will be limited because some restrictions on travel remain,
and many U.S. flights will be converted from charters that currently fly
mostly expats to Cuba to visit family.
"There will not be an abrupt change or nothing will happen overnight,"
said vice-president Michel Lemay, whose company manages three Ocean
Hotels in Cuba that it partially owns with a Cuban state-owned agency.
Cuba could be a springboard for Transat's ambition to become a
U.S.-based player as either a tour operator or distributor to help grow
its presence in the Americas.
Krytiuk said that makes sense since Canadian tour operators like Transat
and Sunwing can parlay their hotel ownership and deep knowledge of Cuba
to serve the U.S. market — one that isn't familiar with the Caribbean's
largest island.

Source: Canadian airlines fear U.S. carriers could undercut them to Cuba
| Toronto Star -
http://www.thestar.com/business/2016/02/26/canadian-airlines-fear-us-carriers-could-undercut-them-to-cuba.html

Cuba Isn’t Libre

Cuba Isn't Libre
The Castro brothers try to exile dissidents for Obama's March visit
Feb. 23, 2016 7:21 p.m. ET

The media build-up to President Obama's March 21 visit to Cuba is well
along pumping "historic" significance into the trip. That's what
happened last year when Pope Francis visited Cuba, with "history" served
by publicizing photographs of the pontiff with Fidel and Raul Castro.
The real story in Cuba, though, is always out of sight, in the cells of
its many political prisoners.

Human-rights groups recently have noted something odd about Mr. Obama's
historic normalization of relations with Cuba in late 2014. Since then
the number of individuals jailed arbitrarily has gone up. This past
January, according to the Madrid-based Cuban Observatory on Human
Rights, some 1,474 individuals were jailed at the regime's whim, more
than 500 of them women.

On Monday Cuba's interior ministry told eight paroled political
prisoners that they were being given permission to make a "one-time"
trip abroad. Unlike Americans hopping on planes to discover Cuba, the
average Cuban can't leave the island without permission.

Opinion Journal Video
Heritage Foundation Senior Fellow Mike Gonzalez on the implications of
President Obama's planned trip to Cuba in March. Photo credit: Getty Images.
The response of the dissidents to the get-out-of-Cuba offer speaks
volumes about the reality of life there. Felix Navarro called it a
"strategy" related to the Obama visit and said he isn't leaving. "I will
always continue to live in Cuba," Mr. Navarro said.

Marta Beatriz Roque, the one woman in the group, said "My perception is
that they want us to stay [outside of Cuba], but I've been going along
like this for 25 years and I'm not going to throw in the towel for a trip."

Announcing his March trip Saturday, Mr. Obama said he will "speak
candidly" there about "our serious differences" on democracy and human
rights. Asked about the President's intentions last week, Josefina Vidal
of Cuba's foreign ministry said, "Cuba is open to speak to the U.S.
government about any topic, including human rights." But she added: "We
have different ideas about human rights."

It's nice, we guess, that Fidel and Raul are willing to chat about all
this with President Obama. More significant will be the day when one of
these historic visitors from the free world asks to visit with Cuba's
political prisoners in their cells.

Source: Cuba Isn't Libre - WSJ -
http://www.wsj.com/articles/cuba-isnt-libre-1456273316

Open Letter to ETECSA Against Its Continuous Privacy Violations

Open Letter to ETECSA Against Its Continuous Privacy Violations / Somos+
Posted on February 25, 2016

SOMOS+, 20 February 2016 — We've got a special post today, an Open
Letter written for us by Lizet González Rodríguez, a mother from
Cienfuegos who recounts her battle against the ETECSA monopoly, in
addition to giving us important details about her life and way of
thinking. It also serves as a gloomy reminder of the constant and
flagrant violations this company commits against the privacy of its clients.

We've faithfully honored this author's text. It's a bit extensive, but
it's worth it.

Somos+

From Lizet González Rodríguez — Thanks to the kindness of the
Revolution and not my own, after 7 years of living with a Latin American
student from the ALBA project in the field of Medicine, it is with a
clean human conscience and without an eye for greed, that it was because
of him, during the last year of his career, I was granted telephone
service as a reward for my hard work, gained in large part due to my
effort and sacrifice, and not due (at all) to the Cuban Revolution. It
was through his stay in the house that we got to know other foreign
students that would visit us for the friendship and familial support our
home provided.

It's well known that our only telecommunications company, ETECSA, famous
for their poor understanding, or their complete ignorance of the
difference between quality service and cost, offers internet services to
foreign students in Cuba.

Since the company does not provide telephone services, these students
visit homes like mine near the school of Medical Sciences that have
telephone service in order to ask for permission to use the family phone
and to link their internet account to our telephone number so they can
stay in touch with their family abroad, thereby using the full palette
of options. They can do this without signing a contract, or without any
explanation of the ins-and-outs of the service, the account owner cannot
use the service that is being linked to their own, and no favors, or
exchanges of any kind takes place.

As another option, they sell a certain amount of hours for a price, and
if they go over their allotted time, they incur extra cost; all this for
an astronomical cost. After some time, practically at the end of the
student's course study, the one we let use our telephone service, we
find ourselves summoned by ETECSA; they accused me, as the named owner
of the telephone account, of committing fraud against the company, and
I, as the account owner, and not the foreign student who had a
contracted service with ETECSA, could do so without needing to
authorize, nor officially sign as owner.

My story begins at the end of 2014, one morning I heard shouting in the
streets and it was directed towards my husband. I got close to the door
and saw three people, one in particular, a supervisor from ETECSA,
Yoiner Besada Chaviano, whose photo I've attached to my letter, I got it
from his Facebook profile, because I consider him to be the most
sadistic and sarcastic person that could exist in this company, truly
fear inspiring; he's followed by two people, one who is the whistle
blowing agent from MININT [Ministry of the Interior], who days earlier
had been interrogating the neighbors.

But, not to get off topic, I'll tell you how things went down. Not
wanting to explain myself from behind the fence and in front of the
neighbors, I invited them in my house.

Amusingly, supervisor Besada said they were there due to anomalies in my
service and they wanted to check the service connection in the house, of
course, without a service order, or warrant. I agreed since I had
nothing to hide. They didn't find what they were looking for.
Afterwards, I told them to come outside to the patio to where the
telephone connection hooked up and again, they didn't find any
"anomaly." We went back into the living room where I asked them exactly
what type of anomalies they expected to find? He said he wasn't sure,
but they were under orders from the Havana office's anti-fraud department.

I kept pressing the question and he continued to be evasive. Finally, I
asked the million dollar question: "Do you think it's from an internet
connection that a medical student has linked up with my phone?" He
answered with another question as would any of his kind, "Ah, why do you
have an internet connection?" "You should know," I said, "it wouldn't
come in through thin air, nor satellite, but through an obsolete
telephone cable."

That's when he gave me a summons and had me sign to the effect that my
husband, who is the account owner, should appear at his offices next
week to explain the use of the telephone services and another form where
it said that our telephone service was under investigation. I didn't
sign this last form because I didn't agree with it, not to mention, I
wasn't the user under contract.

My husband went to the interview where we left practically accused by a
commission of telephone fraud and were to await a judgement. Two days
later our service was cut off and the company had us under
investigation. We were notified that same day of the suspension, which
had to be done within 30 days, and our service remained cut off for 2
months despite the fact that the investigation was supposed to take only
9 days. Ok, fine, my questions are thus:

— How can they sell an internet service to a student without providing a
personal line to link it and force him to give 2 telephone numbers of
third parties in order to get service?

— How do you charge a telephone account, month after month, for access
to ENET and continue collecting fees from a student for internet service
if according to your company, it was fraudulent?

— How do you investigate and prosecute a national user if he never had a
contract for said service and as a consequence, his link, if he wasn't
notified to verify what happened and inform him of his national rights
and duties, or is that something too unimaginable to ask for?

— And finally, how could this national user be prosecuted for a fraud he
didn't commit due to not being the person authorized to use the said
service, without being notified, but investigated, stepped on, judged,
bullied instead of it being the foreign user who is the exclusive party?

In February of 2015, after 2 months and several weeks, the judgement on
the investigation found the national user committed "telephone fraud"
and was issued an excessive fine, based on the company's losses, which
as we all know is a totally inflated rate, it's extremely expensive,
well out of the financial reach of people who work and is compensated
with only a part of their salary.

This supposed fee for "the alleged economic losses" incurred by ETECSA,
was expected to be paid in CUC [hard currency], which is not the
customary, monetary form of payment for services.

This case is based on subjective proof and threats, in findings of
espionage through the use of the telephone service likely by cell phone
(my cell phone), while they violated the terms of confidentiality of
clients without any recourse, and they were always sure to note they
wouldn't give any data if we got a lawyer, and all the while, this
threatened to uncover our own Pandora's box: that our mobile telephone
service, for which we Cubans pay a veritable fortune, has become our
worse enemy; they tap all our calls and listen to our messages in a
truly despicable manner and later use them against us.

And fine, I ask myself:

Where does this leave this dominated people's rights to citizenship, to
humanity?

How far can the impunity of man go? How can they reduce us to a bare
minimum?

In this abusive and arbitrary, and somewhat polemic case, I was found to
be acting as "head of a group," named without much explanation (since I
wasn't the account owner, but my husband).

Just the chilling image of a video conference, they'd say from Havana,
could very well be from the office next door, explaining via antiquated
and stupid equipment run by a paid underling which they claim are the
same services used by the Highest Offices of the Province so they can
speak to their families abroad, some because they can't afford it
economically, and others so they're not monitored by machinery used for
spying by those they flatter and defend. Betraying themselves when they
seem lost, the very occurrence of making a call to a third-party in the
outside world as a suspected fraud.

How long are we going to be prisoners of a system that doesn't let us
communicate with the real world so that people continue to live under
the shadow of an expired world model without knowing reality, a reality
that we all know is censorship and being manipulated by a system imposed
on our country, while they shout to the four winds that they are not the
ones who deprive us of these services, rather it is the fault of a
brutal imperialism that makes them do it and limits our development, the
very same imperialism with which they are currently seeking to
re-establish relations.

Even though our rights are neglected in contemporary Cuba. How far and
for how long are we to suffer the despotism and trampling of rights
normally bestowed to any individual in other parts of the world, making
us prisoners on our very soil.

Given everything that was exposed, I had to "hand over" my telephone
service to a neighbor in order to pay the "compensation."

A year later, in February 2016, the second part of this nightmare
begins. The neighbor that I gave my telephone service to was called in
by ETECSA for suspicion of fraud, which we thought was the result of
some leftover data error that reappeared from the last case that came to
the surface now that she has no internet access. I mean, since December
2014, that phone did not have an internet link tied to it.

In her case, the same history was repeated in those offices, she was
surrounded by "a commission" of 8 individuals, like a firing squad, and
through their affirmations their intimidations, where they told her that
her telephone service was under constant monitoring during the last year
(once again, a clear violation of citizen rights).

During the questioning, it became known that I, the little so-and-so,
had "transferred" my telephone service, to which she explained that I
had done so due to the problems previously described and my desire to
not continue with this named entity's service.

Afterwards, they continued questioning why she used services like "3
party calls, call waiting, and busy signals, etc. (Ah, fellas, isn't
this . . . phone service?) to which she alleged that she didn't stop
those features because she didn't think it was necessary, plus they
questioned the use of a card to call long distance to which she gave her
own explanation. They argued that it was through that same avenue that
fraud continued to be committed, something totally impossible and stupid
(which now is sadly a common occurrence), ironically, even by they
themselves.

When she asks why she's being investigated and accused by this
"commission," all of this, mind you, without any proof of internet
access and without knowledge of the subject, is when they asked her
about me, if Lizet González, daughter of . . . if I've visited her home,
used her telephone, if she's given me an illegal extension, what's my
relationship with her, etc. to which she responded: No.

This is when they tell her, clearly intending to create conflict between
neighbors, that I'm tricking her and using her (I guess, telepathy, or
magic), and since I don't have a phone, I have somehow interfered with
her connection, making it some kind of receptor so that I can continue
my "telephone fraud."

It is inexplicable for a reasonable person to understand, always arguing
even amongst themselves, questioning the sheer possibility of it all,
and in the end, thinking "yes, it can be so."

Nevertheless, without giving much explanation, after an afternoon of
shock and visible deterioration, my poor neighbor was advised to go
home, to change her telephone number, cancel all her services with
ETECSA and that afterwards said entity would give her the "ultimate
verdict" — to either pay a high restitution "for nothing," or end her
telephone service.

This is where we are in this moment and of course, there's much friction
between the families, but once more, this is just another sad example of
Divide and Conquer.

I ask myself. Now, do I truly warrant this type of high-level attention
as if I worked for the CIA, or NASA?

This has an indisputable not so hidden connotation: politics.

Political views vary within my family. My father is a retired, General
of a Brigade. My husband, on the other hand, is one of the few direct
family members of Luis Clemente Posada Carriles living in Cuba; this is
reason that neither of us can have communication with the exterior
without being monitored by "them."

They wanted to stay on top of what we thought, even what we ate, and
this intensified after my husband presented an invitation for an
entrance visa at the U.S. Interest Section in Cuba for his radicalized
cousin in 2013. She didn't have anything to do with his previously
mentioned Uncle, but it left us MARKED and of course, the visa was not
granted, so we wouldn't have gone through this nightmare if it hadn't
been for that.

Since that time, a relentless pursuit began, to strangle us with
never-ending fines (related to other entities), all arbitrary and
inexplicable, asphyxiating our family's economy of which I have the proof.

The goal of this letter is to relay my story, one of thousands as a
victim of a system that for a long time, I DO NOT BELIEVE; the one that
my father, a man who I admire and respect, fought for, one that promised
and didn't deliver as we all know, that brags about non-existent human
rights that are constantly violated; that represses, that abuses; that
blocks; that persecutes; that brands anyone who wants change as
counter-revolutionary, those who intend to revolutionize problems; or
has the concept already changed?

This letter could cost me dearly, but it's necessary for the world to
know the reality we live in and all the deprivation and spying the Cuban
people are subjected to. That's why I am demanding my rights and liberty
and nothing more than what should be ours. I don't think we should wait
anymore for it, but instead, we should pursue the truth. Change is
within our grasp, that's why every day WE ARE MORE (Somos+), we are
voices that rise up to denounce the oppressive abuses of those who
suppress us as a people, as Cubans.

Sincerely,

Lizet González Rodríguez

Natural de Avenida 30 entre 47 y 49, edificio 2, apto 9. Cienfuegos. Cuba

Email: lizetete71@gmail.com

Source: Open Letter to ETECSA Against Its Continuous Privacy Violations
/ Somos+ | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/open-letter-to-etecsa-against-its-continuous-privacy-violations-somos/