The Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, showed his discontent during a visit to the municipality of Antilla in Holguin, where he once again criticized those who work as transport providers in the private sector in front of state-run transporters.
Marrero Cruz scolded Antilla's transporters after the public transport buses were stopped due to a lack of fuel, while private transport trucks were operating.
Regarding the question about the cost of transportation from Antilla to Holguín, Marrero Cruz was told that it was 17 Cuban pesos, while in private trucks it was 50 Cuban pesos.
"We are financing the private sector so that transportation fees are higher," were the words of the Prime Minister.
Marrero Cruz said that if tomorrow the buses were taken over by private companies, they probably wouldn't be stopped like they were at that moment.
"How can private transportation be moving while state transportation is paralyzed? On days when there is no fuel, there is none for anyone, but it cannot be that there's a guarantee for private transportation and not for state transportation, which is the affordable option for the population," said the Prime Minister.
This is not the first time that Marrero has launched "poisoned darts" against private transporters, of whom he has said that the government treats them with "softness."
Precisely, when the temporary halt in the sale of fuel in Cuba and the enforcement of its new rates on March 1st, the Cuban government announced a crusade against private transporters who increased service fees to the population.
Days later, the Prime Minister himself threatened to revoke the license and even the vehicles of all those who raise the service prices.
In a Council of Ministers meeting, the leader emphasized the responsibility of local governments to enforce what has been established and made very specific threats that worsen the outlook.
However, what the prime minister seems to forget are the disagreements between government levels and transporters, adding to the tensions in a sector that is so much in demand by society.
Recently, a report published by the officialist channel Tele Turquino in Santiago highlights the contradictions in the sector: on one hand, private transporters claim that if they charge the agreed fare, they do not make a profit; while on the other hand, the regime states that they can lower the price because they supply them with fuel.
A private transport driver explained that they try to approach the established rate, but in many cases end up charging more. In this regard, he stated: "If we stick to the government's established price for the entire month, we don't have any kind of profit."
While it is the population who pays the consequences of so many disagreements and contradictions between what one says and what others do.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under:
