Castro speech scolds islanders for bad behavior

Posted on Sunday, 07.07.13

Castro speech scolds islanders for bad behavior
BY PETER ORSI
ASSOCIATED PRESS

HAVANA -- Raul Castro spent the lion's share of a prominent speech
Sunday scolding his countrymen for all kinds of bad behavior, everything
from corruption and theft to public urination and the odoriferous
practice of raising pigs in cities.

Speaking before legislators at one of parliament's twice-annual
sessions, the Cuban president railed against decaying morals, a
deteriorating sense of civic responsibility and vanishing values like
honor, decency and decorum.

Castro aired a laundry list of complaints about illegal activities that
he said do the country harm: unauthorized home construction, illicit
logging and slaughter of livestock and the acceptance of bribes, to name
a few.

He also fulminated against baser examples of "social indiscipline":
shouting and swearing in the streets, public drinking and drunk driving,
dumping trash on the roadside and even people who relieve themselves in
parks.

At times, the 82-year-old's speech sounded like a generational broadside
against disrespectful youth who do as they please, a diatribe that could
have crossed the lips of many a grandfather.

"When I meditate on these regrettable displays, it makes me think that
despite the undeniable educational achievements made by the Revolution
... we have taken a step back in citizens' culture and public spirit,"
Castro said. "I have the bitter sensation that we are a society ever
more educated, but not necessarily more enlightened."

Other examples of bad behavior cited by Castro:

- People showing up late to work.

- Graffiti and vandalizing of parks, monuments, trees and gardens.

- Loud music that disturbs neighbors' sleep.

- Raising pigs in cities despite the public health risk.

- Scavenging metal from phone and electrical lines, sewers, signs and
traffic lights.

- Fare evasion on public transportation.

- Failure to comply with school dress codes, and teachers who accept
bribes for higher grades.

- Lack of deference to the elderly, pregnant women, mothers with small
children and the disabled.

- Children throwing rocks at cars and trains.

"All this takes place right in front of our noses without inciting
public condemnation and confrontation," Castro said.

"It is not acceptable to equate vulgarity with modernity, sloppiness and
negligence with progress," he added. "Living in society entails, in the
first place, accepting rules that preserve respect for decency and the
rights of others."

The Cuban leader also spoke of the corrosive effects of official
corruption, quoting his elder brother Fidel as saying such activity
poses a greater risk to the Cuban Revolution's success than any outside
forces.

Castro's biannual speech to parliament has sometimes been a moment to
announce new initiatives, but Sunday's was short on specifics. Perhaps
his most notable comment was a reiteration of the importance of doing
away with Cuba's unique dual currency system.

Most citizens get paid in Cuban pesos, while a second currency, the
dollar-pegged convertible peso, is used in tourism and to purchase most
imported goods.

Castro told legislators that the Cuban economy is advancing "positively"
even if those gains have yet to be felt by the average Cuban family.

On Saturday, Economy Minister Adel Yzquierdo reported to the body that
GDP growth for the year will likely be between 2.5 and 3 percent, short
of a previous forecast of 3.5 percent.

Castro also voiced support for Latin American allies' apparent
willingness to grant NSA leaker Edward Snowden asylum, though he did not
say whether Cuba itself would offer him refuge or safe passage.

Peter Orsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peter-Orsi

Source: "HAVANA: Castro speech scolds islanders for bad behavior - Cuba
- MiamiHerald.com" -
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/07/3489464/castro-speech-scolds-islanders.html