The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.59/No.38           October 16, 1995 
 
 
`Going Backward Is Not The Answer'  

BY JOYCE FAIRCHILD

MANCHESTER, England - "Today we see a tremendous campaign to isolate Cuba. That's why it's so important for us to get together, especially for young people, who have a special responsibility to change things."

That's how Cuban student leader Kenia Serrano explained the importance of her speaking tour to the 26 students at Manchester University who attended a lunchtime meeting September 28. The event was chaired by Paul Cammack, a senior lecturer in Latin American Studies. It followed a successful meeting in Liverpool the previous evening that kicked off her tour in this region.

In response to questions on the Cuban economy, Serrano explained, "The 1995 budget of parliament has been increased for education, the environment, health, and social services. The new generation is considered a priority. These are our priorities while facing economic hardships; other countries facing this choice have chosen neoliberalism, which means privatization and human beings turned into a commodity. We face a very difficult situation, but going back is not the answer. Each generation has had to face challenges and this is ours."

That evening Serrano spoke to another 30 students at the Manchester Metropolitan University. One of the students there asked her about the significance of the recent Cuba Lives international youth festival, held in August. "For us the youth festival was a tremendous success," Serrano responded. "It was important that youth were able to explain to Cuban families themselves what it was like in their countries, and for the Cuban people to explain to the youth the Cuban reality."

Serrano was the main speaker at the Cuba Lives dayschool hosted by the Sheffield Cuba Solidarity Campaign on September 30. The dayschool was attended by 55 activists from Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, and Lincoln. One of the participants asked a question about bureaucratism and corruption in Cuba.

"I would be lying if I said there is no bureaucratism in Cuba. Especially some of the ways that were brought from the former Soviet Union," Serrano said. "Sometimes people who study a specialty in the Soviet Union copy the ways of behaving and bring them to Cuba. Sometimes we have people even in the Communist Party who don't act the way they should given their positions. Also in the joint ventures it is possible that some opportunist-minded people can be bought. It is better to discuss these problems and recognize them and deal with them, otherwise the revolution will suffer."

Throughout the day participants entered into lively discussions at workshops on themes such as Democracy and the Cuban revolution, Cuba's environmental policy, the Helms- Burton bill and Washington's economic blockade, Cuba's new economic measures, and challenges facing Cuban women.

At the end of the day participants discussed building support for the upcoming Hands off Cuba march and rally in London on October 14, where Serrano will be speaking. The London demonstration is one of many that will be taking place all over the world as part of international days of action in October.

Joyce Fairchild is a member of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union in Manchester.

 
 
 
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