Truemors
Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor
Certainly Castro's brother is taking minute baby steps in allowing certain Freedoms such as Cell Phones, most Cubans can ill afford, choosing food over cell phones.
Western Goods, such as electronic goods normally out of reach for Cuban consumers for decades will be offered in state run stores, again very few will be able to afford such luxuries when an average monthly income caps at around 20 dollars a month.
One wonders if Cuba's citizens will be able to recieve these luxuries outside of state run stores, perhaps sent as gifts through relatives abroad.
HAVANA -- First microwaves, now cellphones. Is this the new Cuba?
Raul Castro is revolutionizing his brother's island in small but significant ways -- the latest in a decree yesterday allowing ordinary Cubans to have cellphone service.
Until now, the only people legally allowed to have a cellphone were foreigners, Cubans working for foreign companies and top government officials. Thousands more illegally use phones registered to foreign friends or relatives.
"Finally. We have waited too long for this," said Elizabeth, a middle-aged housewife waiting in line to pay her home telephone bill.
The new program could put phones in the hands of hundreds of thousands of Cubans, especially those with relatives abroad who send them hard currency. But they will remain out of reach for most because minutes are billed in convertible pesos -- which cost Cubans 24 times the regular pesos they are paid in.
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