FROM
CUBA
Long lines to obtain retirees' bonds
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba - April 19 (Jorge
Ramón Castillo, ICDPress / www.cubanet.org)
- Several government officials, headed by
zone delegate Hugo Cuesta, visited Omar
Hung at home on Sunday and hectored him
for refusing to vote in municipal elections
held that day.
The officials reminded Hung that the recommendation
of neighborhood authorities are necessary
for just about any transaction involving
work or study opportunities, and told him
his present attitude would bar him later
from favorable consideration along those
lines.
Hung refused to vote, in spite of his father's
entreaties to go and save himself the aggravation.
He argued that if the elections were free,
why would they force him to participate.
A physician who is Hung's neighbor and
also a government opponent, Evelio Manteira,
did not vote in the election, and as far
as is known, was not visited by the group.
An economist who asked not to be identified
said: "I went to vote so as not to
brand myself as a counterrevolutionary,
because I could lose my job." RANCHUELO,
Cuba - April 18 (Félix Reyes Gutiérrez,
Cubanacán Press / www.cubanet.org)
- Long lines of retirees started forming
in Ranchuelo since Saturday morning for
the 50-peso (2 dollar) bonds in increased
social security assistance that had been
promised by the government.
"After getting up very early, we have
to be here all day to get 50 pesos. Many
of us feel fatigued because we haven't had
lunch and, inexplicably, there is only one
employee to take care of more than 200 people
waiting," said one grandmother who
didn't want her name used.
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