“Cuban workers no longer guaranteed a meal ticket for life in state industry..”
“Self-Employment May Be Answer to Cuba’s Problems…”
“A total of some 500,000 Cubans could end up being moved from their current jobs amid Cuba’s drive to cut state costs”
“economists have put the number of Cubans who would be shunted out of their jobsat 1 million or more. Some say this implies a need for more radical reform, including allowing small private businesses and not just self-employment.”
“some 160,000 Cubans have obtained licenses to provide authorized goods and services in about 140 categories, ranging from selling homemade peanut candy to repairing bicycles….This could rise to half a million people…”
All the above dates from a Reuters story—dated February 23, 1995.
The Cuba Experts might have advised their Cuban case-officers: “Pero Chico!…you guys are even using the same NUMBERS as during the Special Period! “Half a million”…”One million!” COME ON!!!–what would your KGB and STASI instructors have to say about such sloppy work!…we’ll be the laughing stock if we try to run the same IDENTICAL stuff again!..SHEEEESH!..”
Naturally they need’nt have feared. The MSM is eating it up–right from their hands, like trained pigeons… as usual.
(HT Capitol Hill Cubans)