An old Cuban looking at a Dvd player in an electronics shop.

What’s so interesting when people buy cellphones, DvD players, motorcycles and pressure cookers? I’m not talking about old times, but about Cuba under new reign of Raul Castro. Cubans were banned from using electronic goods like Dvd players untill mid March. and Cuban Government finally allowed general consumers to buy electronic goods. Only companies and foreigners were allowed to buy computers also. Bans are lifted off from Cubans using tourist hotels and farmers are allowed to manage unused land for profit.

Raul Castro factor
This probably is one of the best changes from Raul Castro, who said he would remove some limitations on the daily life of Cubans. Even his first public act as president was a little bit of surprise. He met with Vatican’s secretary of state Tarcisio Bertone, a traditional enemy of communism and a critic of Cuba’s record on human rights. By the looks of things Raul, plans to go on with a new course for the communist country. Roul was formerly the head of Cuban military and a tough man who demand results from his managers. He seems to focus entirely on domestic issues where Fidel seeked international limelight.In his first speech itself he made it clear that he would continue to consult Fidel. by announcing and making changes, Raul’s is willing to take Cuba in to a different direction.

What Raul inherits from Fidel is a failed social economy that has never recovered from the collapse of Soviet Union. His plans and changes will make Cuba better, hopefully. First of all he have to revamp the Soviet style of economy (which is a failure in the eyes of most Cubans ), like China who did it successfully. But many believe Raul lacks the charisma to convince people. it’s something only time can tell.

The other side of the story
But we still need a reality check here. Philips and Panasonic DvD players are found between $118 and $162. a computer with an Intel Celeron P4 chip, 512MB of RAM and an 80GB HDD will go for about $865. Leave it... A Chinese made rice maker costs $70. Price is steep, but not that much you think. But When you realize that even an university graduate makes $17 a month, things are not what you and me expected.

Many of the shoppers felt these goods are beyond their salaries but that didn’t stop them from being in a queue outside these shops. Bu anyway these changes made by the new president have stirred a new sense of hope within the nation. Many of them believe there will be a new kind of an economy where they all get paid enough to buy up these electronic goods.

One Cuban at Afterdawn wrote

“90% of Cubans cant buy none of this stuff. This is just another way from the government of keeping us on the dark from technology and everything else . What good is letting u buy this goodies if you don’t have that kind of money, only people receiving money from family in the good old USA can do it, plus they can take that away any time the want. They just buying time to keep oppressing the people. It is a shame to see such a beautiful country and people get treated like little kids with new toys.”

Cubans want much more than electronic goods. One of the best thing that the Government can do is to allow the people to travel outside Cuba without those permission slips. The president himself said Cuba had so many limitations and in a few weeks time most of them will be removed.

As for now, changes hadn’t made much buzz between the ordinary people. It will, when the government looks in to their basic problems and rectifies them.