The new economic-social strategy that the Cuban government will soon implement includes the elimination of “excessive subsidies and undue gratuities,” in the words of Marino Murillo Jorge, head of the Permanent Commission for the Implementation of the Guidelines, to the deputies of the National Assembly.
On Friday, when explaining aspects of the announced "monetary ordering", the official pointed out that one of the dangers of this process is the population's perception of the deterioration of purchasing capacity, both with their income and with their savings, as consequence of the elimination of part of the subsidies and gratuities that exist today.
Murillo specified that At first, a group of total subsidies will be maintained, which cover specific products that are delivered to children from zero to six years old, and those who suffer from chronic childhood diseases, among others.
Regarding medicines, an issue that raises great concern among citizens due to the prolonged shortage of drugs in hospitals and pharmacies, the leader explained that there is now a group of medicines that are partially subsidized. Of them, only those that are prescribed for chronic diseases will maintain that benefit.
Besides, The exceptional benefits approved for family units will be reviewed that from now on they have opportunities for new income. This evaluation will be made in the next six months, counted from the day the new monetary policy begins.
According to Murillo, those who need protection can submit a request to the social worker of their popular council or to the labor department of their municipality.
Only if that person is considered insolvent will he or she be entitled to an eventual benefit which will be granted within a period of no more than 48 hours.
The government has not informed so far which products and services will increase their cost, something that generates concern in the population, mired for months in a deep shortage of basic goods, which has caused a rise in the prices of food sold in agricultural markets.
At the moment, it was announced that the price of 42 products will be centralized ranging from construction materials to fuel, including numerous foods, such as mincemeat.
“In order to avoid inflation higher than designed, it has been proposed that a small group of products that are transversal to the economy have centralized prices,” Murillo explained.
Among these items the official mentioned fuel, electricity, water and sewage services; cement, cigarettes, toothpaste and foods such as sugar, blended coffee, textured hash, beef and fish; milk, processed cheese, soy and natural yogurt, compotes, mortadella, pasta, hard crust bread and chicken sausages, among others.
“The monetary and exchange order is not without risks. One of the most significant is that inflation is higher than designed, as a consequence of the solution to monetary duality,” said the official.
Furthermore, although the government has promised that The balance of all bank accounts will be respected, Murillo admitted that "in the case of savings accounts, if there are price increases, purchasing capacity will inevitably be lost, since it is unsustainable for the economy to multiply that savings by the exchange rate that is established."
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