Only The Beginning? Cubans Line Up for Cell Phones…
In what appears to be a shift in policy which the State Run Communist paper, Granma, says are a series of changes Fidel himself spoke about wanting to do – though he hasn’t been seen in public for several years and still writes essays against ideals that go against Communism – Cubans of all ages have been lining up at Cuban cell stores since yesterday.
In Cuban most people until yesterday could not get their hands on a cell phone – common cell phone ownership was relagated to black market purchases, and legitimate contracts set up by willing foreigners. Getting their hands is now easier, but that doesn’t mean that most Cubans will be able to afford a cell phone since the cost of getting one is still beyond the reach of most. Average contracts can cost about nine months worth of a typical Cuban’s salary in Cuba, which is around 400 Cuban pesos – roughly US$18.00.
The cost aside, many people waited hours to get their hands on a cellular phone, which were basically banned from typical use since the early 90′s.
Critics believe that the change is not the beginning of the end of communism on the Island, though this along with other changes in recent years since Castro stepped down have opened up the possibilities that it may just be the beginning of the end. Considering that giving people more freedoms and the right to do the things that citizens the world over can do can give people more hope.
Of course these changes can’t go without being credited to the ailing former Cuban President, err, Dictator. It would not be Cuba if Fidel didn’t get some credit for the changes, even if the credit is being given by a State run newspaper. What’s the point of a State run paper anyways?
According to the Associated Press, “President Raul Castro has done away with several other small but infuriating restrictions, and his popularity has surged as a result…”
Let’s hope that things continue to change.
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