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FROM
CUBA
Cuba
retail sales down this season over last
HAVANA, December 15 (www.cubanet.org)
- Christmas sales this year in Havana's
dollar stores are reportedly below last
year's levels, reflecting problems in several
areas of the Cuban economy.
"Last year we couldn't keep up,"
said Mercedes, a sales clerk at the CIMEX
store Mercado de Carlos III, one of Havana's
larger malls. "It's true that supplies
have shrunk, but even so, people don't want
to spend the money," she said.
An economist who requested not to be identified,
said "This has been a hard year, economically.
Although no official figures are available,
there are indications that family remittances
from the United States are down, so people
have less money to spend in festivities,
and that is reflected in lower sales. Despite
the official announcement of modest economic
growth, the reality in the streets indicates
a contraction."
The economist pointed to other factors
as possible contributors, such as the ongoing
repression by the Cuban government against
self-employed workers, and the toughening
up of the U. S. embargo which has translated
to a decrease in foreign visitors to the
island and a further decrease in money sent
to Cuba through visitors that usually came
to Cuba through third countries.
The harsh conditions of the Cuban economy
and the resulting default on many debts
has moved many foreign firms and suppliers
to abandon the market altogether, causing
a shrinkage in the availability of products
available for sale.
In the larger stores, the only departments
that are crowded are those stocking everything
for a dollar or under, suggesting consumers
are short on spending cash.
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