Esteban Lazo Hernández, the president of Cuba's National Assembly and a member of the National Defense Council, issued a stern directive on Saturday, urging residents of Havana to personally take charge of cleaning the streets and workplaces. His announcement was accompanied by harsh criticism of those who fail to comply with this directive.
During a meeting with the Provincial Defense Council of Havana, Lazo emphasized that both workers and neighbors must take responsibility for maintaining public spaces. This includes cleaning streets, schools, local stores, and workplaces, as reported by the state-run Canal Caribe.
Lazo stressed the importance of collective effort in keeping the city clean, stating that "the country is making an extraordinary effort to try to clean Havana." However, his comments conveniently overlook the widespread criticism that points to the capital's pre-existing waste management crisis, which predates the impact of Hurricane Rafael. This suggests a management issue that cannot be solely blamed on recent weather conditions.
In his address, Lazo also condemned those who fail to mobilize for this task, insisting that no areas should remain dirty in the capital. He emphasized, "We achieve nothing if we mobilize all that strength and are not capable of mobilizing the internal force here in the province." His call highlights the government's ongoing strategy of shifting responsibilities onto the populace, rather than taking effective leadership in managing basic services.
As Havanans are asked to clean their surroundings, the city continues to grapple with chronic waste collection issues, a lack of infrastructure, and insufficient resources for urban maintenance. This reflects the state's failure to meet its obligations in these areas. Although promoted as a collective effort, the initiative seems more like a temporary fix rather than a comprehensive strategy to address the structural deficiencies plaguing the city.
Two weeks after Hurricane Rafael's passage, Havana remains in disarray, with thousands affected by water shortages and the accumulation of garbage and debris, despite the cyclone not directly hitting the capital. Lazo's message aligns with an attempt by leader Miguel Díaz-Canel to display "concern" over the state of neglect, filth, and pollution dominating the Cuban capital.
Díaz-Canel himself admitted on social media last Saturday to the severe deterioration affecting Havana on its 505th anniversary, which drew a barrage of criticism from social media users.