Lucas Garve, CPI
HAVANA, April - Going shopping in Cuba means carrying enough small change for all your needs. Keep it in mind!
It is common to get on a bus and have the driver ask for exact change for the fare. The same can happen when one tries to buy any article at a store.
Today I joined three others who sailed the Bermuda Triangle of small change, delimited by the corner grocery store, the cafeteria at the other corner and the bar where they sell rum and warm drinks.
The four of us were going back and forth, propelled by the necessity of breaking bills of different denominations. We even held a summit in the middle of the Triangle, to see if we could solve our mutual problem. But we didn't have change.
"I don't have change!" is an expression frequently heard from shopkeepers everywhere. By the same token, I have never had a similar experience at a private establishment. They always have the right change, the small coins ready to work.
The owner is concerned. He is interested in satisfying the customer. A better deal.
This is not understood, or attended to, or solved by the government. It is concerned by the bigger deal, the macroeconomy.
In the small detail of being offered the right change is perhaps hidden one of the many reasons why so many want to emigrate to a country where one can find the right change with no more delay than the smile of the clerk.
Such a small detail implies walking and wasting time one hadn't counted on, expending mental energy in solving such a trifle... and life is not long enough to waste it on that.
Nonetheless, the answer to the problem has been known for some time. Privately-handled small, medium and other businesses run much smoother than those managed by the most efficient of State enterprises. If you think otherwise, come to Cuba and... bring small change.
Versión original en español
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