Fidel: Happy Days Are Here Again

In Series Of Speeches, Castro Promises Cubans A Better Life

(CBS) 
Remittances undoubtedly have kept many Cuban families going through the difficult years of the post-Soviet era and have certainly bolstered the national economy. Nevertheless, Cubans consider the legalization of the dollar in 1993 to be the first inequality established by the Revolution.

The most revolutionary Cubans, who had broken relations with relatives that left the country, were the ones to suffer most for the past 14 years. Retirees whose state pensions could be as low as 60 pesos a month felt abandoned. These are the folks who are eager to hear Castro's new message.

"When he said 'there's a forgotten sector' in our society, he was talking about us," said Eunice, a retired nurse like her mother Olivia with whom she lives. Both women, widowed and struggling to feed and clothe Eunice's 38-year-old mentally challenged son on their pensions, had tears in their eyes as watched Castro on television.

Olivia can't wait to buy a new electric rice pot. "We had one years ago but it broke and we could never afford to replace it." That and new rubber seals for her aging pressure cooker and 1940s American refrigerator will make a big difference in their lives, said Eunice.

Still these two women are lucky. They have an old but functioning four burner gas range in their kitchen. A large percentage of Cubans only have two burner cookers. An electric rice pot will free up one burner-Cubans eat rice every day-for preparing dinner and for heating water for bathing as most Cuban homes only have cold running water.

There was also widespread interest in the hints of wage and pension increases dropped by Castro during his speeches but so far he has shied short of announcing any. Economist Nidia Alfonso thinks such increases are unlikely. "Fidel doesn't want to put more money into circulation. He wants to raise the value of our existing salaries, bring us back to a time when you could buy a pound of ham for 6 pesos, instead of the 30 we now pay."

Castro has repeatedly alluded to his desire for Cuba to have a single currency and eliminate inequalities. "All roads lead to a peso with value," he said.

In recent months the government has tightened State power over the economy, particularly the cash cow tourism sector. The roll-back that has eliminated many of the economic openings of the 1990s has also cutback on corruption and given the central government better control of much needed convertible currency reserves.

Castro's recent speeches make clear the direction in which he is taking the country. "I find myself increasingly attracted to the ideas of Marx, Lenin and Engel's. Their time is not past," he declared, going on to say he wanted Cubans to be in a position to enjoy a socialist society not measured by how many cars people have but by our potential."