In the United States, anyone over the age of 65 has government sponsored health care.  Anyone under that age does not have any type of government care.

In Cuba, everyone has free health care.  I was recently talking to a Boston Chiropractor and he was telling me that there are a number of people within the medical establishment who feel that a one payer system in the USA would be a better fit than the employer sponsored coverage we have now.  

Why?

Unlike any other service, we know everyone is going to have to use the health care system at some point in the future.  It isn’t like buying a television, you can’t choose to not  use it.

Recently US custom officials have reported a substantial rise in the number of contraband cigars they have ceased as they try to find their way into the States, and this trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

Cuban cigars are the finest in the world, and cigar smokers are renowned for wanting to smoke the best products they can get their hands on. This means that people who are otherwise perfect law abiding citizens are willing to risk being charged for a crime, simply to fill their lungs with Cuban smoke. Perhaps the fact that these products are illegal which makes them so desirable.

Interestingly most of the Cuban cigars which find their way into the States are purchased by Swiss companies and are flown indirectly to the country. Many are ceased before they make it to the market, but you can be sure a huge number as still being enjoyed on a regular basis by our citizens.

If you are one of the people who uses these tobacco products then you don’t have to worry about getting into too much trouble as the law is not tough on offenders. If you are importing them however you should be aware there are tough penalties for repeat offenders. Fines of over $50000 are possible not to mention a prison sentence if you are really unlucky.

This nationalization policy was inspired by the Marxist ideology espoused by both Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. This has been the stance taken ever since the revolution more than 50 years ago. American companies lost millions of dollars as a result of this move. It was an unexpected shock to the economics of the region. Similar in some ways to the economic shock caused by the Indian tsunami of 2004 that wiped out thousands of businesses along the Anadaman coast in Thailand, especially in the flat Khao Lak area. Since small local business people had no money with which to rebuild, outside interests moved into the devasted area and bought up the leases and freeholds of prime real estate. The victims of the tsunami were effectively hit twice. There has been no true compensation for the change in financial power in the Khao Lak region.

Similarly, Cuba has refused to accept any responsibility for its initial actions of nationalization. They have not pursued a case by case review. Rather their actions have been motivated by unflinching ideological conviction. Only when compromise is truely broached by both sides; when both sides are willing to practically talk about property ownership then the relations of Cuba and America might improve. America, for example, might be willing to give up Guantanamo Bay in order to sort out the legal mess that the revolution has caused. Such is ther hope, no doubt, of many Cubans and Americans.

Now as we enter the second quarter of 2012, it seems that history could be repeating itself.  Daniel Ortega has just won his third presidential term (and his second consecutive term) and the former left wing dictator is showing shades of the Somoza regime he ousted many decades ago.  The words “dictator” and “authoritarianism” are being wielded about more and more in the press, and Ortega is aligning the country with “controversial regimes” in the region such as Venezuela and Cuba.

But look beneath these moves and it all gets rather complicated.  Left becomes right, former guerrilla movements spawn authoritarian leaders with populist polices.  So is the question of whether Nicaragua will become another Cuba that filled newspapers back in the late 1970 and early 1980s, pertinent once again?

Of course the business community, and Nicaragua real estate prompters will beg to differ.  They’ll point to the fact that despite Ortega’s fiery left wing rhetoric, he’s the most powerful capitalist in the country.  And they are absolutely right about this.  Ortega’s family (or should I say the Ortega dynasty) is one of the richest in the country; his FSLN party the very same Sandinista party that overthrow Somoza has promoted widespread privatization and the government has been pushing a strong neo-liberal restructuring agenda.

In fact, Ortega’s leadership style is becoming much more like the right wing Somoza dynasty that he overthrew than the Cuban example.

Ironic really, isn’t it.

Thankfully, today fans of Cuban appetizers can get a wide range of dishes from a variety of Cuban themed diners in the Miami area of Florida.  Florida – which contains large numbers of Cuban immigrants who have fled Castro’s regime – is by far the best place to find tasty Cuban appetizer plates.

My personal favorite is Cuban Empanadas.  These easy to make dishes are available everywhere.  Even if you are just making a layover at Miami airport between flights you can find a store or two within the airport itself selling delicious Empanadas.  The prices are not too bad either – compared to other airport alternatives at least.

One other tasty Cuban appetizer I once tried was a Cuban Avacado Mousse.  This is a rather unusual dish – a combination of salty desert and Guacamole – but it pleased my taste buds to no end.

One day sanctions against Cuba will be lifted and it will become, once again, a popular tourism location. Until then we should just do our best to sample tasty Cuban appetizer plates anytime we are in Florida, and wait for better times.

The American tobacco industry has a virtue in the opposite sense. The American tobacco industry does not have great quality tobacco, but it does have the machinery to process vast quantities of tobacco. American companies have used this to there advantage for decades, but now as smoking becomes less socially acceptable appreciation for quality rises.

If trade embargoes with Cuba were lifted American tobacco companies could utilize premium Cuban tobacco and could use that as a selling point for much more expensive cigarettes. The fewer smokers there are, the more expensive cigarettes will have to be deliver profit to shareholders. It’s likely rebranding with Cuban tobacco could be the only thing to save the failing tobacco industry. As the world becomes more health-conscious smoking will need to be a more occasional treat. GM tobacco one day could give a rush without cancer and stink. Here’s hoping’.

It is in bad shape, really bad shape.

Cuba has long held the mantle as the one region which could help to save the tourism industry in South Florida, which is having similiar issues to the larger wine market.  Unlike wine, there could be a silver bullett if the Cuban market was opened to USA visitors.

Seriously, who wouldn’t want to travel to Cuba? I’d personally love to go both to see what so many years of Communism has brought them, as well as meeting people and enjoying the food which is suppose to be incredible!

There are some causes why Cuba can be set up to do business together with international entrepreneurs and companies from various business sectors. If the business handles mineral and petrol in Cuba could be the most suitable country to accomplish business along with you. Each entrepreneur has got to produce their own strength in order to confront the fact that venturing out by themselves that signifies no benefits and no stability. However you must carry out the particular decision to take the effects. Amazingly, the world reacts to the distinct purposes.

The work force within Cuba can also be highly trained within the web design templates and Biotech industries and may end up being ideal for organizations seeking to set up a major international business office inside Cuba. Keeping in your mind that may be the era for technology in Cuba has capitalized onto it, organizations with a business sense will be able to earn within the business market sectors of IT, Biotech and other job areas which in turn demand officially skilled workers. Companies that have their heart in Cuban business tendencies, and still have a robust analysis and growth section can know how advisable to utilize these types of trends and earn important profits through performing business in Cuba.

During much of this time Cuba was being held back by not only American trade sanctions but the declining strength of the Castro brothers. The country is ready to be re-born, to emerge from the stultifying economic policies of a hardline communist approach.

Cuba should learn from South East Asia. This was an area deeply effected by the American war against the Viet Cong. The conflict lead to communist regimes in Laos and Vietnam. It also left Cambodia at the mercies of the ultra-marxist Kymer Rouge.

At the same time Thailand enjoyed continued prosperity. Freed of competition it consolidated its agricultural base and is now a net exporter of food. Moreover, resorts in Koh Samui, hotels in Phuket, villas in Koh Phangan and bungalows in Koh Tao, to name a few, have captured a multi-million dollar tourist industry.

Cuba with its beautiful beaches, fertile land and educated workforce could perform a similar economic miracle. More than becoming friends with America, it needs to make friends with capitalism. If it did so, it  might challenge America for a slice of the pie.

Disaster was to strike however, as one of the lads made it to the airport minus passport and visa. The clot had left it lying on his table and forgot to bring it with him. Panic in the ranks there then. But I knew someone who would come to the rescue, my brother Dom. He would be able to go and get the stuff and bring it to us on his motorbike. I knew that he wouldn’t object because he owed his riding that thing to me. I paid to have it fixed after he had an accident and the bike needed some work and a new chain and sprockets to make sure that it still was rideable.

Then I was on the moby to him and telling him to get the finger out and get the kit. Bless him he did and I promised to bring him back a stick of Cuba rock in the shape of a Havana cigar…he doesn’t smoke…but it was all I could think of from Cuba at the time.

We got there and the information on the website was not only accurate, but a big help to us as well…it certainly helped ensure that we had a whale of a time… the rum was good, the weather better and the ladies…well if I could have brought one home in my suitcase…say no more.

I got home and gave my brother his prize…it wasn’t a cigar but a lump of fossilised dinosaur crap off of the beach…he believed it as well…it was just a rock!