My Cuba Wish List for 2008

By Circles Robinson

The German author Herman Hesse once said that one should aspire for the impossible to obtain the possible. With his guiding light here is my wish list for Cuba in 2008:

— A low key hurricane season giving the eastern part of the country time to fully recover from the flood damage in 2007 and the western part a continued breather.

— For the huge order of new Chinese buses and trucks to roll off the boats and on to the streets on schedule.

— Increased industrial production including that for much needed building materials and other basic consumer items.

— A news media opening that allows for real debate on national and international issues and welcomes a diversity of opinion on all subjects.

— A rebirth of the countryside that greatly increases the food supply and strengthens rural communities and people’s desire to live in them.

— For the National Assembly to pass a bill allowing for same sex marriages and adoptions.

— For Cuba to confront its internal deficiencies publicly and head on.

— Progress in dealing with the difficult salary, prices and two-currency issues and in fighting theft and corruption at any level.

— For a successful war on bureaucracy and low productivity.

— For Cuba to finish in the top ten at the Beijing Olympics.

— For Cuba to continue making progress on saving energy, avoiding blackouts and helping other struggling countries do the same.

— For the least aggressive and warmongering of the candidates to win the US presidential elections next November.