Cuba; the high cost and benefits of independence.

• Author: Atkins, Michael

I return from a week in Holguin province not that far from where Fidel (Castro) went to school and some years later started a revolution. Notwithstanding the regular predictions of collapse (of the revolution that is) all seems to be working reasonably well. The Cubans are getting oil from Chavez (in exchange for doctors), they have survived the disintegration of the Iron Curtain, which destroyed their economy in the early 90's (known as the special period) and today they ride the crest of two million tourists a year prepared to brave the wrath of the American government in search of sun and Mojitos (mint leaves, Cuban rum, lime juice, sugar syrup, more rum and club soda).

Not that the world's last remaining communist country is on easy street. The people are poor, resources limited, and freedom a relative thing, but there truly does seem to be progress, hope, and tangible improvement in the standard of living.

It's hard to figure out how things actually work. You can't move to Cuba on your own, but you can marry a Cuban (not an unthinkable consideration) and commute freely with your new partner anywhere in the world. Apparently, anyone can now leave Cuba, but at 30 pesos a month it could be a bit of wait. And if you work in the tourism industry you are welcome to leave, but if you come back you are no longer welcome in the tourism field.

The government owns or joint ventures with outside partners all restaurants that are larger than four tables with four seats to a table and any hotel larger than two bedrooms. On the other hand, there are a lot of restaurants with four tables and four chairs with a whole bunch more in the back yard behind the curtains and enforcement seems flexible.

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Many of the rural areas only get power for a few hours a day, but if you are in a remote school in the mountains you get solar panels to run your junior school and when the kids are older they commute to larger schools and are boarded for the week.

There are ration stores that provide everyone with the bare necessities (rice, beans, milk, etc.) and children and seniors get more than the rest.

There are farmer's markets where you can buy more food or clothing if you have the money. Farmers can take surplus produce (produce that isn't sold to the state at a fixed price) to the market. The free enterprise markets can be as...