Power cuts and fewer beans for crisis-hit Cubans
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| Published on Friday, June 12, 2009 |
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HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) -- Smaller bean rations and longer bus lines are among the new hardships hitting Cubans in their already difficult lives as the world economic crisis tightens its grip on the communist island.
Holding an empty palm leaf basket, 67-year-old Luisa Suarez said she was already resigned to a recent government directive to reduce monthly rations.
"Of course it affects us, but we're used to suffering," said Suarez, standing at a counter in an Old Havana shop with 1950s appliances and paint peeling off the walls.
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| Cubans buy food with their ration books at a government store of the kind known as "Bodegas" in Havana. AFP PHOTO |
A sign in black letters, as in all stores, explained that bean and pea rations were dropping from 30 to 20 ounces (850 to 567 grams), and that salt rations would be practically halved.
"They told us that this was due to the difficult economic situation, but we don't know if it will extend to other products," said the store owner, who declined to be named.
Cubans -- whose average monthly salary is 400 pesos (17 dollars) -- can buy a basic bag of groceries, including rice, sugar, oil and eggs, at very low prices with their ration books. But they need to top up supplies on the black market, or in high-priced shops that accept only foreign currency.
"What international crisis? In Cuba we've been in crisis for 50 years," a 28-year-old dentist told AFP wryly, declining to be named. "I'm tired of hearing justifications for the problems we always have."
The crisis has reduced the island's predicted economic growth from 6.0 percent to 2.5 percent, and authorities have acknowledged it will hit key areas of the economy including tourism, nickel and tobacco exports.
The island will this year be unable to import all its necessary primary materials, equipment and consumer items, and will have to "readjust its enormous expenses on fuel and food," an editorial in the official Granma newspaper said this week.
The government of 78-year-old Raul Castro will carry out "inevitable adjustments" to the economy to face up to the crisis, it said.
These included decentralizing farming from August 1 to ease access to food in a country which imports 80 percent of the products it consumes and last year spent 2.5 billion dollars on food purchases.
"The crisis is knocking on our doors," said Ana Orosco, a craftswoman selling cloth dolls on a central boulevard, who can earn up to 30 dollars per day.
"Someone with their own business makes money here, but it's really difficult for someone on a state salary," said the 60-year-old.
Meanwhile the brakes have also been applied on a project to renovate public transport, which began in 2004.
"It got much better for a while but now the 'guaguas' (buses) are bad again," said a young girl studying at a sports college in the east of the capital, declining to be named.
A positive assessment of the situation could at least be heard on the airwaves, however.
"Take the bad luck away. We're sure the bad times won't come," rang out the lyrics of a popular reggaeton tune.
Sweating behind the window of a Havana shop, 44-year-old Yakelin Rodriguez was not so sure.
Under a new energy savings plan introduced this month, and amid sweltering heat, she can only turn on air conditioning for four hours in the afternoon.
"I'm about to die in this heat," Rodriguez said. | | | | Reads : 484 | | | |
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