I read with great pleasure your article "Why Cubans haven't overthrown Castro" (The Straits Times Commentary Feb 02, 2004). Coming from a country similarly labeled as "autocracy" or "dictatorship" or whatsoever, I enjoy looking on people from our "democratic" counterpart, like this author from the States, impotently lamenting why Cubans or Chinese haven't overthrown the "tyranny" imposed on them. Instead of hinting that Cubans do wish to topple Castro, such pitiable grief merely reminds readers of the abortive Bay of Pigs Invasion attempted by CIA in 1961. What else action can Cuba's bullying neighbor resort to other than sabotage and slander?
Nonetheless, Prof. Chavez correctly pointed out that Cuba provides free and sound public service in education and health care, and ranks the end of corruption list regarding Latin American countries. It is also mentioned, unwillingly though, that the US sanction has been the main reason of Cuba's stagnant economy. In a country that has highly benefited from globalization, it is hard for Singaporeans to imagine how tough life could become when a small island nation is imposed by the most powerful country of the world with stringent embargo. From this point of view, I applaud the Cuba Government's ability to, with extremely limited resource, maximize the public service that its citizens could commonly enjoy, and make Cuba one of the safest countries in Latin America.
Why not consider spending your next vacation in this beautiful Caribbean Island renowned as the foundation of Salsa dance?
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2000-2007 Wang Yi