June 27, 2005
Where's the money, fidel?
According to the Cuban government Cuba had more European tourists this year than any year before. I wonder how they explain the following:
CIENFUEGOS, Cuba - June 23 (Vicente Pérez Varela, Cubanacán Press / www.cubanet.org) - Administrators of the government-operated Municipal Commerce Enterprise in Cienfuegos were told Sunday that the company doesn't have the cash in hand to pay for salaries or purchases.The company distributes foodstuffs and was left strapped after the government leadership ordered salaries raised. The company's deputy director for finance said all income had been used to comply with the directive from above, creating a total collapse.
A member of the Board of Directors, who asked his name not be used, said there is no money in the accounts to pay salaries for the current month, if the National Bank doesn't grant a loan.
Or this:
SANTA CLARA, Cuba - June 23 (Karel Castillo, Cubanacán Press / www.cubanet.org) - Incentives based on performance for workers in the food industry were cut back effective June 20 in Santa Clara.Administrators in charge of facilities belonging to the Enterprise in Service to Travelers received a memo indicating the maximum incentives would be reduced from 300 pesos to 225, since they couldn't exceed salaries earned.
"It's hard to believe they would reduce the incentives we earn by overfulfilling the economic plans," said Marcos Quintana, administrator of one such facility.
The incentives used to range between 300 and 400 pesos, according to the level individual performance exceeded economic plans.
Does it really cost that much to send ten or so thousand doctors and "diplomats" to Venezuela? Or is it the cash is being used to purchase stuff up front from the US so tourists can be fed?
Posted by Val Prieto at June 27, 2005 06:26 AM
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Comments
Five-star hotels cost a lot to run - five-star hotel food costs a lot to prepare. The hotels have been busy what with all the visits from U.S. governors, US-Cuba Trade Association members, lesser state dignataries, millionaire American cigar smokers, Canadian girls who are amazed by stilts, American TV anchors and their Sports Illustrated photographer husbands, and such notable guests as Asata Shakur.
Posted by: Juan Paxety at June 27, 2005 06:42 AM
It sounds like the stealing has reached Chavista levels. Who says castro can't learn new tricks from his minime?
Posted by: A.M. Mora y Leon at June 27, 2005 08:36 AM
Tourist dollars, drug money, the bearded bastard and his brethren fatten their bank accounts while the tourists are wined and dined in luxury at the expense of Cuban citizens. Cuba has been raped for forty-six years.
Posted by: Kathleen at June 27, 2005 11:19 AM
NOTICE how a communist (and stupid at that) system works:
Europeans tourism increases... AND
What is the NET revenue per tourist? We are left blank on THAT key issue.
5 million Chinese tourists expected ..
Yeah, and they all come on some cheapy tourist package with VERY limited funds , and let's face it the Mainland chinese are NOT the most generous people on earth. (Taiwanese is another story , but THOSE aint going to Cuba)
One tourist regardless of how much revenue he/she brings to the island requires exactly the same amount of effort to maintain and the cost of doing business is exactly the same as the tourist (Like the USA tourist) who stays at the best hotels eats at the most expensive restaurants and DOES buy a bottle of MOET for $135.00 (about a 400% markup)
On my next to last trip to La Habana I had to finagle a reservation through a family member who works there.. on my LAST trip , my family and I were the only customers AND then I read that up to THAT point 2001 had been a banner year for tourism in Cuba!
In 2001 you could walk into EL Aljibe and be the only client there, you could walk into Marina Hemingway and be the only client there.
Cayo Coco was pretty much the only place that saw action , and that fom Cubans who won some notorious award for turning in the most neighbors or some other crap like that.
Orwellian logic: war is peace; hate is love and blah blah blah…
Posted by: KillCastro at June 27, 2005 12:49 PM
