Archive for the ‘General’ Category

What´s next for bankrupt Cuba? More Freedoms…..?

You don´t need much imagination to establish that Cuba´s recent “easing” of regulations is a desperate attempt to appease an increasingly frustrated populace. The cold reality however is, the country entered bankruptcy in early 2010 and all measures being taken are to bring in more cash to prop up the communist government and those few […]

A visitor’s review – Festival del Habano 2011

As owner of Singapore’s largest private collection of Cuban cigars at one time it has been my dream to attend one of the annual Habano festivals in Cuba.   I finally made it! I attended the XIII (13th) Festival del Habano from February 21 to 25 but it was no dream, it was more like […]

Alan Gross Trial in Cuba – The side show with an unlikely outcome

This case has received a great amount of press over the past year, reaching fever pitch this week. With the trial now over, there are certain points worth taking note of that will probably decide the outcome for Mr. Gross.   Both Governor Bill Richardson and Hillary Rodham Clinton have stated that they would consider […]

Fidel Castro plays it safe talking about education

  Cuban television aired on Thursday the third and final part of the meeting which took place on Tuesday and in which Cuban and foreign personalities shared with Fidel their concerns on the need to improve the education and training of the new generations.  Argentinean writer Estela Calloni said that it is essential to consolidate […]

Cuba legitimatize black market via taxes

A decision by Cuban authorities to open up the island’s state-controlled economy to some private enterprise has seen many line up for a new business license.   The fiscal overhaul was announced in September last year by president Raul Castro as a way to reinvigorate the economy, but is only now starting to show signs […]

Throwing out the soap with the bathwater

As Cuba moves away from its 5 decade old ration book, many are still asking questions. Is this all just a cost cutting measure propped up by propaganda of greater freedoms? What is the average Cuban getting “new” these days? Well he can request to start a business in a pathetic array of vocations for […]

The precursor of Cuba’s online Travel business goes global

From humble beginnings in France during the early nineties on the Minitel programming format, followed by several printed magazines in Europe in the late 90´s, the web development firm Digital Panorama S.A. created Cuba´s first online Gift Store along with Cuba´s first travel booking website GoCubaPlus. After later developing a whole host of websites for […]

The US has a way to shut down Wikileaks, the infamous SDN list

  Could the SDN list be the best censorship tool for websites?   You may not know what the SDN list (Specially Designated Nationals) is but we´ll explain. It’s the US version of Iran and Chinas state censorship machine. Initially created with good intent to inform the world (and US entities, persons) of Terrorists, Rogue […]

Autentica Cuba – Cuba´s tourism ministry launches its new campaign

  Officially putting the “Viva Cuba” campaign to rest, the Cuba Tourist Board unveiled their new global marketing campaign ” Auténtica Cuba ” In addition to the launch, attendees welcomed visiting Cuban vice-minister, Maria Elena Lopez, as well as introduced Cuba’s new director, Ruben Jimenez.   Jimenez, who will be based out of the tourist board’s […]

Eusebio Leal of Habanaguanex meets with Unesco official

    Irina Bokova of UNESCO met today with Old Havana´s infamous front man Eusebio Leal. Few Cubans have lasted so long in such a post and the reasons why Mr. Leal has outlasted most of his peers (and critics) is that the job he has done and is doing is truly remarkable. Whether it […]

Cuba Travel: The big squeeze

This year has seen the biggest exodus of Cuba dedicated travel agencies since the government allowed representation offices on the Caribbean island of foreign agencies in the early 90´s. The idea back then was to allow foreign travel companies and wholesalers to have on the ground staff to better manage inbound visitors and thus increase […]

Cuba releases dissident just before he dies in jail

Close to death and probably to obvert further international outrage of jailed regime opposition, Cuba released Ariel Sigler Amaya, 46, who had been in prison for more than six years. “He is already home, they brought him by ambulance and carried him in on a stretcher because his health has greatly deteriorated,” his brother Juan […]

Cuba back in the fray for real estate investments after 9 year hiatus

Cuba allowed the building of 16 developments between 1998 and 2001 which were sold as condos to foreigners. Buildings were built under a clause in the 1995 law 77 for foreign investment. It is rumored that the clause was designed to allow the building of hotels and when the then president, Fidel Castro, learned that […]

Cash-strapped Cuba will require visitors to buy health insurance

Cash-strapped Cuba will require visitors to buy health insurance if they want to enter the country, according to a new government measure disclosed on Saturday. Under the measure, which takes effect in May, the insurance will be sold by foreign companies approved by the Cuban government or by Cuban firms at ports of entry to […]

Yoan Earns 500 dollars selling Internet access on Cuba’s vast and varied black market

Yoan used to earn 25 dollars a month working as a computer technician for a state company — and an extra 500 dollars selling Internet access on Cuba‘s vast and varied black market. The 31-year-old managed 10 accounts for government employees who had authorized email access and would rent out their passwords to trusted clients […]

CUC – Cuban Convertible Peso to be eradicated by Cuban Government

In another sign that Cuba´s economy is walking a financial tight rope the government is set to abolish the CUC or Cuban Convertible Peso by March 2010.   Introduced as the brain child of Fidel Castro in a measure to eradicate the U.S Dollar and also reduce the value of remittances, the CUC was an […]

Going, Going, gone…Libreta set for extinction, now what? Raised salaries? Direct payments to each Cuban or, nothing?

  Comments such as this abound in Havana today – One day after the shocking news – “Cuban´s who earn 14 USD per month received the monthly rationed food, touted by the government to be valued at over 200 USD of food supplies, as a supplement to low salaries. We wonder who in government will […]

Yoani Sanchez travel to US – Refusal Video

Cuban Blogger Yoani Sanchez refused departure from Cuba – Founder of www.desdecuba.com  

Could the Cuban government be abolishing benefits to raise wages to international standards?

At present the whole concept of Cuban workers receiving 15 USD per calendar month and for 40 hour work weeks was the concept of receiving several “benefits”. These look set to disappear as Cuba grapples with a critical economy. But can the government afford to pay its workers proper wages to cover the following lost […]

Cuban rations and the famous “libreta” to be a thing of the past

The system that allows islanders to buy food at deeply subsidized prices each month has long been one of the central building blocks of the country’s socialist system, providing everyone from surgeons to street-sweepers the same allotment of basic foods like rice, beans and a bit of chicken.   Now, state-run media are suggesting the […]

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