President of International Triathlon Union in Cuba
HAVANA TIMES — Spanish sports advocate Maria de la Soledad Casado, who is the president of the International Triathlon Union, began a working visit in Cuba on Thursday, reported Prensa Latina.
The purpose of Casado’s trip is to publicize and promote the leadership of Cuban sports in realizing international events over the next few years. For this, she will meet with Jose Ramon Fernandez (the head of the Cuban Olympic Committee) and visit the Varadero resort area with the hope of promoting events in that city.
Casado, who is also a member also International Olympic Committee, will tour facilities and meet with the Cuban Triathlon Federation to see what possibilities exist for collaboration and what concrete actions can be taken to help sustain the sport on the island.
Veronica Fernandez, if your observations, endorsed by several commentators are an accurate reflection of the trend in Cuba in general, what do you suggest? If among the causes is a lessening of individual thinking, involvement of community, and no or little social or civic means to change the direction of this coarsening of the public events, than what is the alternative you would suggest? Easy to criticize, and yes, it is very important to do, not only to complain, but to bring to wide public awareness that there are problems that will likely get worse if not corrected. But, usually criticism alone, without any suggestions about alternatives doesn’t bring about better results.
And those who blame it all on failed socialism and varies bad leaders, I have yet to hear a persuasive argument that introducing the pre-1960 or unfettered US influence would fix it all. Quite the contrary I believe. I can show you festivals and daily communities here in the U.S. that are far worse than anything I’ve seen in Cuba. That doesn’t mean it is good when here or in Cuba. And I assure you regardless of the alleged politics and economics in charge, the evils of corruptions, social chaos and depravity and the worst forms of violence and indifference can take over. Often it is in the eyes and prejudice of the observer, but when we get past anecdotes and blaming the poor and colonized for their centuries of wounds, we have to get back to “what can be done?” and most
importantly, what do you suggest that would make the public spaces better for the old, the young, the visitors and whoever has to clean up afterwards?