User Reviews

In her trip to Cuba, Joanna Lumley regularly talked about Cuba's dilapidation, problems with the hotel, and the general poverty she saw. This was all fair, albeit a little biased (though I have to say, more honest than most travel shows). But she repeatedly mentioned a myth that is always told about Cuba. That is, that Cuba is quite poor and underdeveloped due to trade restrictions, "sanctions," and a "blockade" (implied but not mentioned by name). None of this is correct. First of all, trade has a very limited effect on economic growth (this is well established in economics - trade is very good for efficiency and helps with standards of living, but has little effect on true, long-term growth, surprisingly). And more importantly, Cuba was only restricted from US trade. Cuba was free to trade and seek investment from the other 95% of the world, particularly after the Cold War ended. It wasn't "sanctions" that kept Cuba underdeveloped. It was poor economic and political policies that kept the people poor, lowered the life expectancy, and keeps the people in hardship today. Cuba can freely trade and seek investment - no one wants to invest there with the current regime. The media needs to get this straight (and they do NOT have a nice medical system, that is another fantasy).