Circles Robinson, Author at Havana Times

A Needed Review of Cuba in 2010

To summarize what happened in Cuba in 2010 is no easy task; there were so many occurrences that they cannot be covered in a single post. I will try to separate the wheat from the chaff, the truth from the talk, and the outcomes from the aspirations.

The economy shifted its direction radically. This began with the announcement of the layoff of 500,000 public employees (by the end of March 2011) and the opening of self-employed work. This is a process that over a five-year period will impact a total of 1.8 million public-sector workers.

Can I visit the Masonic Grand Lodge in Havana?

To visit the Gran Logia de Cuba or any of its member Lodges elsewhere in the country, one must abide by UGLE regulations for having such contact

Haitian Women Wonder if They’ll Ever Feel Safe Again

“Happy New Year!” said one young woman with huge hoop earrings, but then she corrected herself – “No, I won’t say ‘happy,’ but I’ll say, ‘good health to you.'”

Project Image in Havana

At the moment I didn’t even remember that a friend had spoken to me a few days prior about Project Image, thanks to which they’re repairing the apartment building where he lives. This plan, which has been reversing the general visual deterioration of several buildings in the Alamar suburb, includes the repair of damaged stairways, balconies and roofs. But residents are complaining about the superficiality of the repairs and saying for example that it’s a waste to paint the large windows when the overwhelming majority of them are infested with termites and should be replaced immediately.

Cuba Awakes to New Cabinet Shuffle

By Circles Robinson HAVANA TIMES, Jan. 7 — A new shake up has occurred in the key Cuban government ministries

Video Confirms Instrument Failure Caused Air Accident

HAVANA TIMES, Jan. 6 — A video published on the Youtube platform, which reconstructs the air accident that occurred last

Cuban Intellectual Rufo Caballero Dies

Cuban critic and essayist Rufo Caballero died Wednesday in the Cuban capital due to a heart attack at the age of 45.. A full professor of the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Havana, Caballero dedicated the major part of his work to cinema critique, for which he was given recognitions such as the Ibero-American and Caribbean Cinema Essay Award, and the Cuban National Cinema Critique Prize.

Cuba Joins International Year of Afro Descendants

Cuba joined the activities for the International Year of Afro Descendants, with the opening of the Afro-American Social and Cultural Anthropology Workshop in the historic centre of the island’s capital. The event will continue today with the traditional parade of the Day of the Magi, by the Cabildo Kuisikuaba, the Alacrán Group and the JJ Traditional Dances Company.

Cuba Launches New Rum Brand

The Cuba Ron S.A. company brought out a new brand of rum, Caney 12 years, produced in the factory of the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, rum master Tranquilino Placencia announced. According to the expert, all of the production of 2011 is already under contract.

Cuba Rolls Out Red Carpet for British Cruiser

A policy change by Cuba’s government is bringing cruiser tourism back to the Caribbean island. On Wednesday the British cruise ship Thomson Dream with over 1,500 passengers pulled into Havana Harbor for a two-night stay.