By Michael Voss
BBC News, Havana
5 October 2009
They say there is no such thing as a free lunch - but for years the
majority of Cubans have been given free meals at state-run workplace
canteens.
But in a bid to balance the budget, the Cuban authorities are about to
abolish the scheme.
This week, four government ministries closed all their free lunchrooms
across the country.
Instead, workers are being given an extra 15 pesos (70 cents) a day to
buy their own meals.
If this trial is successful, then all such workplace canteens could be
abolished.
Monthly ration card
It is a small tentative start to what could become a major overhaul of
communist Cuba's welfare state.
The state provides about 3.5 million free lunches a day.
The government says in these tough economic times it can no longer
afford $350m a year it spends on the scheme.
In his most recent address to parliament, President Raul Castro said
subsidies "are ineffective or, even worse, make some feel that they
don't need to work".
Next on the list could be the monthly ration card. Every family here
receives a supply of heavily subsidised staples, such as rice, beans,
cooking oil and chicken. Most of it is at below cost price.
There has been talk in the Cuban press of this system being replaced by
some form of means-tested support, where only those in real need receive
such help.
The move to close workplace canteens is also seen as an attempt to cut
the amount of food stolen from state-run enterprises.
Workplace theft is common in Cuba, where it is viewed as a way of
supplementing salaries, which average less than $20 a month.
BBC NEWS | Americas | Cuba 'to end' free-lunch scheme (7 October 2009)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8294375.stm
No comments:
Post a Comment