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*Unmasking Cubas Bureaucracy* Posted By *Daisy Valera* On July 30, 2011 @ 5:58 am In *Daisy Valera's Diary * | *No Comments<http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=47698&print=1#comments_controls> * - Share <http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php> [1] - Tweet <http://twitter.com/share> [2] - - Share <http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php> [1] - Tweet <http://twitter.com/share> [2] - *Daisy Valera * <http://www.havanatimes.org/?attachment_id=47699> [3] Photo: Juan Garces * bureaucratic thought, [is] that parasitic plant that sterilizes creativity as well as authentic collective participation and the work of shaping the younger generations. * I couldnt be more in agreement with these words by Graziella Pogolotti, taken from her article *Otra vuelta de tuerca al pensamiento burocrático<http://www.granma.co.cu/2011/07/21/nacional/artic01.html> [4]* (*Another Turn of the Screw against Bureaucratic Thought*) that appeared in the Granma newspaper this past July 21. The article is part of the critical line that seems to have been adopted by the official paper of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC). The daily recently even called for increasing the journalistic effectiveness of the massive media in an article by one it its writers, Anneris Ivette Leyva. But we should not forget that the article by Pogolotti was printed in Granma, a newspaper that to date has achieved the merit of fostering among Cubans the capacity for intuition and the ability to read between lines. Carefully and attentively I immersed myself in the writing by Graziella, though with the expectation despite her excellent writing technique and the works coherence that she would lack the words needed to clarify to the ordinary Cuban what she was attacking. The author set sail in an assault on bureaucratic thought, which dropped anchor in this country far too many years ago. She gave the example of a low level government employee who absent from their position leaves certain key documents locked up in their office, and thereby ends up paralyzing the resolution of major problems. This situations solution (which the writer doesnt suggest), would be something as simple as this official not being the sole person having access to the documentation, be instead all the those working at the facility. Graziella criticizes the development of *timbiricherismo *(the spread of kiosk capitalism) and individualist atomizing approaches so characteristic of capitalist societies generally. However, she fails to point out that it was PCC policy that opened the gate to the creation of private businesses (well aware, according to press notes, that many of these will fail within the first year). Likewise, it was the party that approved the hiring of wage-laborers without promoting associative work [cooperatives], which would have much more in tune with a society seeking to be socialist. <http://www.havanatimes.org/?attachment_id=47700> [5] Photo: Juan Garces The writer calls our attention to the fact that lower-level bureaucrats are the ones who hinder the putting into practice of the Guidelines of the Party. But she doesnt notice that according to that same Guidelines document, these officials continue to be the one vested with power. Theyre even identified as the ones who should have the last word in deciding which people are the suitable workers and which one should be laid off. Citing the authors own words: On another side of the balance, the damage is even more difficult to repair, and they [the bureaucrats] can disable the continuity of the socialist project, lead to a loss of sovereignty and affect a vertical drop in the standard of living of the great majority, as well as enthrone violence through the entanglement of mafias of all types. Why not say that the other side of the scale is a synonym for referring to the big bureaucrats like the cases for the deposed Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and VP Carlos Lage and the ton of ministers purged in recent times. Many accused of not fulfilling their obligations or tasting the honey of power were bureaucrats who we had been required to obey for long periods of time. We followed their ideas and participated in their projects because theyd been simply unquestionable. On the other hand, not mentioned are the big bureaucrats who have come out unscathed in the latest house cleaning of the state apparatus. Nevertheless, Graziella also calls on us to change our mentalities and to permanently question our situation. However we should not forget that its necessary to dismantle the mechanisms of *secretismo* so widely used by the officials who get so worked up over the slightest criticism of our problems, since supposedly those are weapons of our enemies (the USA or the EU, depending on the moment). To get rid of bureaucratic thought the writer challenges us to develop a true culture of dialogue. I believe that, beyond dialogue and our becoming conscious, there should be a practice of eliminating the privileges enjoyed by a countless number of managers but never by common workers. These higher-ups receive cars, airs conditioners, cellphones and even trips abroad, all paid for by the resources of the government, which is the same thing as saying by ordinary working Cubans. Pogolotti comments that bureaucrats are subject to devastating criticism and ridicule, but she doesnt alert us to the causes and origins (perhaps for reason of space) of their social class, nor does she discuss their arms and methods, which we should strip from them. The most effective ones who think critically are branded mercenary, annexationist, or counter-revolutionary (we can recall the recent cases of Esteban Morales and Pedro Pablo Oliva) and they are isolated socially. I dont agree with the idea that bureaucratic thought is a problem that can be addressed with respectful conduct, frankness and mutual trust. <http://www.havanatimes.org/?attachment_id=47701> [6] Photo: Juan Garces Precisely because the bureaucrats have not been frank with the people or respected them, masses of people have lost confidence in the ability of the socialist ruling class to move the country forward. In my opinion, this would be like making a revolution at night so as not to bother anybody, much less that same bureaucracy. We shouldnt be naive; those holding the power wont give it up peacefully. We Cubans have a long battle ahead of us. The only thing left to say is that articles like the one by the writer cause only paralysis and a conciliatory attitude toward that same bureaucracy theyre trying to fight. * * * * ------------------------------ Article printed from Havana Times.org: *http://www.havanatimes.org* URL to article: *http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=47698* URLs in this post: [1] Share: *http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php* [2] Tweet: *http://twitter.com/share* [3] Image: *http://www.havanatimes.org/?attachment_id=47699* [4] Otra vuelta de tuerca al pensamiento burocrático: * http://www.granma.co.cu/2011/07/21/nacional/artic01.html* [5] Image: *http://www.havanatimes.org/?attachment_id=47700* [6] Image: *http://www.havanatimes.org/?attachment_id=47701* [7] Image: *http://www.linkwithin.com/* ------------------------------------------------------------- *And this dedicated to Walter Lippmann who a little over a year and half ago accused me of slander and worse for saying that there was corruption in these industries including the Tourism industry and CCP.* ** *What a dumb ---!* ** *Cort* *-------------------------------------------------------------* ** *Cuba Aviation & Biotech Execs Off to Prison* Posted By *Circles Robinson* On July 30, 2011 @ 7:31 am In *Business & Economy,Lead Articles,Updates* | *1 Comment<http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=47711&print=1#comments_controls> * - Share <http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php> [1] - Tweet <http://twitter.com/share> [2] - - Share <http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php> [1] - Tweet <http://twitter.com/share> [2] - *By Circles Robinson* Control tower at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. Photo: Caridad HAVANA TIMES, July 30 At least ten executives in Cubas government controlled airline and pharmaceutical industries were sentenced to 3 to 13 prison terms for corruption, announced official sources on Friday. The accused received cash and other benefits to favor foreign companies in business transactions with the Cuban firms they represented, found the court, which also ordered the confiscation of money and goods obtained by the executives in their criminal activity. Among those punished was Jose Heribrerto Prieto, the director of the cargo division of Cubana de Aviación who got 13 years. Jair Rodríguez Martin, former head of exports for the Herber Biotec S.A. Biotech and Pharmaceutical products was given 10 years. Nonetheless, the deposed president of the Institute of Civil Aeronautics, General Rogelio Acevedo, was not mentioned in the case. He was also absent from sentencing of other officials under his command earlier this year<http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=44959> [3]. Cubas President Raul Castro has repeatedly warned that corruption will not be tolerated under his government, struggling to kick-start the countrys depressed economy. In a recent meeting of the Council of Ministers, Castro said: Whoever commits a violation, whatever it is, will be brought to task, and to do so our courts, judges and prosecutors will begin to play a more decisive role. Cuban political analyst Esteban Morales told IPS that corrupstion represents an extraordinary danger to the country and that its corrosive power makes it a matter of national security. ------------------------------ 1 Comment (Open <http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=47711&print=1#> | Close<http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=47711&print=1#> ) 1 Comment To "Cuba Aviation & Biotech Execs Off to Prison" *#1 Pingback* By *PPC Techs iPAQ hw6940/6945 Lil Sync Airline Power Adapter | Louis Sanchez Info* On July 30, 2011 @ 9:35 am [...] Cuba Aviation & Biotech Execs Off to Prison By Circles Robinson HAVANA TIMES, July 30 A host of executives in Cuba's government controlled airline and pharmaceutical industries were sentenced to 3 to 13 prison terms for corruption, announced official sources on Friday. Read more on Havana Times [...] ------------------------------ Article printed from Havana Times.org: *http://www.havanatimes.org* URL to article: *http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=47711* URLs in this post: [1] Share: *http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php* [2] Tweet: *http://twitter.com/share* [3] earlier this year: *http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=44959* [4] Image: *http://www.linkwithin.com/* [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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