Hosts of Insensitivity

I confess that one of the most disheartening sights as I walk through not only the Cuban capital but also other cities across the country is the unusual number of once-famous restaurants, shops, and various commercial units now overtaken by apathy, filth, irresponsibility, shoddiness, and countless other synonyms for stagnation.

When was the last time you walked down San Rafael Boulevard, one of the most central and important pedestrian promenades in Centro Habana and Cuba? Or the avenues Infanta, Reina, Monte, Galiano, or any other street in our Havana? Don’t forget to stop in front of the entrance to the well-known Fin de Siglo. Draw your own conclusions.

I’m not referring to the fact that certain establishments no longer serve their original purpose—I’m well aware that our weakened economy cannot sustain the level of service once offered by restaurants, stores, cinemas, and other commercial units. I also know that many of these places could have had a better ending, such as being repurposed into housing.

I’m talking about spaces and premises left “to the mercy of God,” as we Cubans often say—places where there’s not even the slightest sign of respect for public norms of coexistence, and which have reached the end of their useful life as hosts to solid waste, insects, and rodents.

Why wasn’t another alternative considered and demanded, instead of just putting up a few boards and a sign at the entrance—usually without any security—and letting life unfold there in chaos, where anyone can relieve themselves without regard for the most basic standards of public decency?

I’m convinced that with desire, responsibility, and creativity—essential words, especially in these times—bad examples wouldn’t proliferate as they do now, and the outcomes would be entirely different.