Raul Castro: Cubans can have cell phones

AP via Yahoo! News ^ | 03/28/08 | AP

[bws53]

HAVANA - President Raul Castro's government is allowing ordinary Cubans to have cell phones.

The luxury was previously reserved for those who worked for foreign firms or held key posts with the communist-run state.

Friday's decree officially lifts a major restriction on daily life in Cuba.

[bws53]

small steps...

[reagan_fanatic]

See the light at the end of the tunnel, Raul? That’s the exit sign.

[The South Texan]

Well it’s that sweet of Papa Raul?

[Abathar]

Raul must have finally gotten in the boatload of tape recorders he was waiting for to announce this.

[Constitution Day]

Ping

[PGalt]

LOL! Compassionate Socialism.

[tiredoflaundry]

What a swell guy!

[NonValueAdded]

Ahem ... an offering of freedom or casting a wide net to see who is still with the Revolution? I suspect the latter although I also think the former will break out because Raul overestimates his ability to contain the situation.

[BGHater]

Sounds like he is following the China model. Give a little, people think they are free and are happy to have it.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Refrigerator's would have been a more compassionate choice.

[Southack]

So *this* is the upside to having a bunch of cell phones made in Communist China!

The ChiComs are pissed that a market has been closed to them!

[VeniVidiVici]

SEE!! SEE!! Communism IS benevolent!!!
(Sean Penn)

[Jet Jaguar]

Small steps indeed. Good.

[Moose4]

Can the secret police hear you now? Good.

}:-)4

[Savage Beast]

Gee Raul, how magnanimous! I wonder if Jimmy and Roselyn Carter will pitch in an buy the cellphones for them.

[t1b8zs]

who is the carrier(s)in Cuba

[PLD]

How will they afford the cell phones?

[bws53]

Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A.

[spectre]

Maybe that's the catch?

sw

[The KG9 Kid]

Next up:

1. Teenage girls may now color their hair.

2. Sandals no longer need to be polished to a high sheen.

3. The 5:30am calisthenics has been removed from the schedule.

4. Kitchen knives shorter than three inches may now feature a sharp point.

[BigLittle]

[stuartcr]

At least now they can coordinate their escapes. I imagine there will be a lot of calls to Mexico.

[t1b8zs]

Obamas aid to underprivileged countries

[Moonman62]

Sounds like he is following the China model. Give a little, people think they are free and are happy to have it.

Raul was always the true communist in the family and a fan of the Chinese model. Fidel was a fan of Hitler, and would have liked to have taken over the world.

[weegee]

President Raul Castro's government is allowing ordinary Cubans to have cell phones.

All animals are equal. Some are more equal than others.

4 legs good. 2 legs baaaaaa-hhhhd.

[theDentist]

In 2010 they can have cell phone batteries!

[COUNTrecount]

Raul Castro: Cubans can have cell phones

They just can't have cell towers.

[Piquaboy]

That is quite white of him.

[wideawake]

The number of Cubans who can afford cell phones is small.

And all cell phone use will be fully monitored.

The Castro regime will glean a lot of useful information about who in Miami are the most effective opponents of the regime and who their underground network in Cuba are.

[babygene]

“Refrigerator’s would have been a more compassionate choice.”

Most households in Cuba have refrigerators, though most are old american made ones that are decades old. They pride themselves on keeping them running. There getting the new ones from China... Smaller and most people think not as good. (check where yours was made)

[weegee]

“Let them eat cake!”

[weegee]

They needed a Greener Red solution anyway. < /s >

[weegee]

The communist paradise of Cuba just got EVEN BETTER!!! < /s >

[Hebrewbrother]

Testing the waters beyond the dark ages.

[babygene]

With an average $20 a month salary, the service is going to have to be real cheap for widespread use.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

(check where yours was made)

It’s a Kenmore, where it’s made is anyones guess! :)

I saw photo’s of a market in Havana, where meat was left out in the open. There were flies all over it, quite disgusting! How can people eat that stuff and not get sick?

[ElPatriota]

Oh no!... Cells now... Internet tomorrow?... What is a dictator to do? :)

[70th Division]

Maybe some Muslim can show those cubans how to use those cell phones to full advantage against RAUUUUUUUUUUUUL! Bang go BOOM!

[babygene]

“How can people eat that stuff and not get sick?”

It’s not near as bad as you make it sound. The lifestyle in Cuba is better than most of Latin America.

And yes, I’ve been there... as I have visited most countries in South and Central America.

[Mr. K]

cool
wireless internet and some laptops would show them the rest of the world and what freedom is like, and they will do the rest.

[DBrow]

Who owns the cell towers that the “foreigners” were allowed to use?

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I had an opportunity to visit Cuba in 2005, via Cancun. I declined, upon the advice of my lawyer. She said that it was illegal and that I wouldn’t want my passport stamped to show that I had been there.

[DBrow]

“show them the rest of the world and what freedom is like,”

I’m not sure if six hours of youtube nad milkandcookies would show them a good picture of the world!

[sanchmo]

Bingo.
Who will afford cell phones?
Will they be priced in the worthless pesos or in dollar-convertible pesos?
Who will build cell towers in Camaguey and Cienfuegos?
Will a for-profit company operate them in a country notorious fo rnot paying its bills? Or wil the government manage the network, and be able to track every call?

[NRA1995]

They have excellent health care; why do they need cell phones?

[DGHoodini]

That’s what I was thinkin....They may be allowed to have cell phones but even cheapo ones are like $30 right? Isn’t the average monthly wages in Cuba lrss than that? and that’s not even taking into accout service fees. Even Prepaid phones, the lowest i’ve heard is $20 every 3 months, as long as you only make about 2 local calls a week... Raul must be planning on opening up more capitalist opportunities for rhe Cuban people, or only a handful more Cubans are going to be able to afford the Crll Phones. In which case, building out the network is likely to be a big waste of money.

[MrB]

What I don’t understand is why the left can’t acknowledge that socialism can’t exist without loss of freedom.

I guess, from my experience with “liberals” (who deny they support socialism, but do), they feel that the “security” of having your needs provided for is well worth giving up the freedom.

[stylecouncilor]

LOL!

[TexasRepublic]

If I was a Cuban, I would be more impressed if I could buy a ski boat. For recreational purposes, of course.

[griswold3]

I’m with you!

When you see a pro choice rally, you see many signs saying “Keep your laws off my body”. Yet, what do they think universal health care will do?
I think they’re officially deranged! God help us!