The Effects of Bureaucracy in Cuba

Mercedes González Amade

HAVANA TIMES — Thanks to Havana Times I have been able to meet wonderful and very humane persons; from the way we are living these days I thought people like that no longer existed.

In this space I have told a few passages of my life, the difficult life of a disabled woman, but not for people to take pity on me or give away anything. However, kindhearted people have been moved and have given me help, as well as others with a similar situation to mine.

But often that help, especially if it comes through donations, fails. The bureaucracy, whose role should be to facilitate such deliveries, instead hinders them. It has managed to block, for example, that means of locomotion (wheelchairs) reach those in need.

Often when a donation is sent its takes forever to arrive, no one knows why, and no one informs us where the bottleneck is.
Those who make a donation despair seeing that despite all the money invested and the efforts made, the items sent are lost or infinitely slow in reaching the recipients. We have cultivated a Chinese patience.

I want to take the opportunity here to thank all those who seek to help us.

Mercedes González

Mercedes González Amade: I'm 38 years old and physically challenged. I struggle daily in this life be it on crutches or in a wheelchair. I have a 12-year-old son who is my main inspiration and for who I have fought tooth and nail. I hold a position in the governmental institution that serves the handicapped in my part of the capital. In the afternoons I practice tennis well away from where I live. My intention with Havana Times is to help spread the desire to live and to do so with dignity, especially to persons with physical and motor difficulties.

One thought on “The Effects of Bureaucracy in Cuba”

  • In 1964 one of the best films of all times was made in Cuba ‘Death of a Bureaucrat’.
    Unfortunately nothing has changed.

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