Cuban speak

As you may have read elsewhere, a Washington-based group called the International Republican Institute has just unveiled the results of a "secret" poll conducted in Cuba on the likelihood of political and economic changes in the future.

Asked to nominate the most serious problems facing ordinary Cubans, over 42 per cent identified low salaries and a high cost of living, with another 18 per cent or so naming the lack of political freedoms.

Curiously, 6.3 per cent of respondents said they thought there were no problems at all on the island. Everything was just fine ...

I suspect they are the ones who know very well that regardless of whom is asking the questions, there is no such thing as a "secret" survey in Cuba.