Impoverished Cuba ranks high in literacy and health, visitors say

By Ed Runyan

runyan@vindy.com

WARREN

Local elected officials and business leaders who traveled to Cuba two weeks ago learned that people of the impoverished nation of 11 million have a remarkably high literacy rate and quality of health care.

But their “frozen in time” reputation for lack of modern technology is true, and there is a market there for the products and services that could be provided by Mahoning Valley businesses.

U.S. Rep Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, and state Rep. Sean O’Brien, of Bazetta, D-64th, discussed the results of the trip at a news conference at the congressman’s Warren office Friday.

Also offering their reflections were two others who went on the trip: Cuban-American physician Dr. Milton Sanchez-Parodi of Poland, who is CEO of Vista Trade Group; and Russell H. Sewell, chief executive officer of Quality Switch Inc., of Newton Falls.

“It was a very fruitful trip” that enabled the participants to understand more about the culture of the people, the government and its “legislative process,” Ryan said.

“I think a lot of people think, you know, Raul Castro or Fidel Castro say something, and that’s the only part of the process, but there are discussions about a variety of issues that they have debates and discussions about,” Ryan said.

“They have one of the lowest infant-mortality rates in the Western Hemisphere,” Ryan said. “Basically, they have a clinic and a family doctor that’s really accessible and in the neighborhood, and they said the family doctor is literally a part of the family,” he said.

At a school they visited, they observed a focus on the arts and music and dancing.

“What I found really remarkable was the level of confidence the kids had. I left there more and more convinced that art, music, dance are really essential to a well-rounded education.”

O’Brien said Cuba has one of the highest literacy rates in the Western Hemisphere, and life expectancy is nearly as high as in the United States. Without the opportunity to invest in infrastructure because of trade embargoes, the communist country invested in education and health care, O’Brien said.

Fifteen business people made the trip, including Sam Covelli of Covelli Enterprises, Ron Klingle of Avalon Holdings Corp. and Ted Bloom of Bloom Industries.

With the “thawing” of relations between the United States and Cuba in recent months, Sewell was “thrilled” to be able to go on the trip, he said.

His business involves the design and manufacture of electrical switches for the transformer industry. “Their need is great,” Sewell said of his products and those of other industries.

To increase trade, the embargo will need to be changed or eliminated, Ryan, O’Brien and Sewell said.

Ryan said the greatest hope for that is for American business leaders to put pressure on the Republican leadership in Congress to make that happen.