October 17, 2005
Where'd you put it, fidel?
I kid you not, Cuba is facing GAS SHORTAGES! Despite trading all its doctors over to Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez in exchange for 'free' oil, 100,000 barrels, more than Cuba can possibly use. Now, Cubans not only get no free health care, they get no gas either! Gas shortages!
castro is raking big on that free Venezuelan oil, selling it to the Central Americans - and at a handsome profit. But back in Cuba, penury amid socialist inefficiency reigns, with mountains of socialist mismanagement that has led to the inevitable shortages being blamed on 'hoarders' and 'theft.' Yeah, sure. As if there was anything in Cuba to steal. castro only gives the worst to his own people. After all, they hardly have a vote.
Meanwhile, the electrical shortages return after all of castro's crowing about how Cuba supposedly recovered from Hurricane Dennis without a scratch. Riiiiight, castro. Still no electricity since the July storm, the hurricane that blasted Cuba for 12 hours and thereafter castro turned down U.S. and U.N. aid!
Where'd you put it, fidel? Where?
The story, which must be read to be believed, is here:
Cuba facing electricity and fuel woes Havana, Oct 17 (EFE).- The maintenance activities at one of the main electricity generating stations in Cuba that have led to long power blackouts in some parts of the country will continue for some days more, the government said on Monday.On another energy front on the weekend, the authorities implemented a plan at service stations and automobile repair shops in this capital to counter rumored hoarding or contraband of gasoline.
After a summer marked by frequent and lengthy blackouts, Cubans got a respite in September, but over the past week the blackouts have been reinstituted for several hours each day in various cities, including Havana.
The Cuban Electrical Union on Monday attributed the new outages to supply limitations at the Antonio Guiteras electricity plant, one of the country's most important power stations, which is undergoing maintenance.
Meanwhile, several hundred young social workers dressed in blackshirts replaced employees who pump gas for the public at Havana gas stations and garages.
"It's a job ordered by the highest level (of the government) at all the gas stations," sources in the sector told EFE, adding that "it's an attempt to control the fraud that exists in fuel sales." "We're all from the interior of the island and we were summoned to Havana several days ago to carry out this mission, which began early Saturday morning," said one of the young workers participating in the operation.
The black-shirted workers operate the gas pumps, serve the public and keep track of how much fuel is sold at the gas stations and by resupply tanker trucks.
The previous attendants have been removed from their jobs for 45 days awaiting the results of the current operation, said the sources consulted by EFE.
Although the social workers have been instructed to manage the pumps and help customers, their inexperience has caused delays at some of the busiest gas stations in the city."It's unbelievable. I've been here at this service station for more than half an hour and they still haven't helped me because these boys don't know anything about how to sell gas," one irritated Havana driver commented while he waited in line to fill up.
The measure comes amid widely circulating reports over the past few weeks about a possible 10 percent fuel price hike.
Cuba receives 90,000 barrels of petroleum daily from Venezuela at preferential prices in exchange for providing medical, educational and sports services to the South American country. EFE mar/bp
Note that detail about castro's blackshirts not knowing how to pump gas! Incredible! They must be total good-for-nothings, knowledgeable only about repression.
castro's blackshirts pumping gas
UPDATE: Thanks to our amigo Isaac for the link!
Posted by Mora at October 17, 2005 03:11 PM
Comments
I know what he's doing. It's a no-brainer for a professional thief like him. He gets it for free from mini-me, sells it on the secondary market, and pockets the cash. Net result: the Cuban people get fucked -- again.
Posted by: George L. Moneo at October 17, 2005 03:44 PM
WHAT do Cubans get in return for this deal? Venezuelans, who at least have a vote, even if their elections are cheat-fests, get doctors. Cubans lose their doctors and now literally get nothing! The only one who benefits is castro. It's just so sick!
Posted by: A.M. Mora y Leon at October 17, 2005 04:14 PM
CASTRO PASSES GAS
In Cuba there's now a shortage of gas,
Except for that which comes from Castro's a--.
There'd be no shortage on that Island Hell,
If he's just pass the kind that they could sell.
They'd sure have enough electricity,
If he'd just go on a f--ting spree.
HEM
Posted by: Howarde at October 18, 2005 12:23 AM
The first thing I thought of while reading was, how can this be, everyone knows how to pump gas. My kids knew how to pump gas before they were in Jr. High. Ah...but we have cars and gas stations. One more sacrifice for the revolution? Like regular meals, electricity, and human rights.
Posted by: Kathleen at October 20, 2005 01:12 AM
I still can't figure out the "trabajadores sociales" -- maybe they mean "trabajadores sociables".
Posted by: Fausta at October 20, 2005 09:08 PM