¡Viva el reproductor de dvd!

Warm up the production lines, Sony and Panasonic. Now that Fidel Castro has officially stepped down, the state has graciously decided to let the Cuban people buy DVD players and gasp, personal computers!

How progressive. All kidding aside, it’s nice to see some of its long-suffering people, if not all of them, enjoy a few luxuries.

The change of policy, was made apparently because of the improved "availability of electricity" on the island. The state will allow Cuban citizens to buy air conditioners next year as well. Apparently, only foreigners on the island before now were allowed to buy consumer electronics of any sort.

That wasn’t my experience when I visited the island in January, 2003.

Before I officially entered the country, I had my DVD player confiscated by the authorities at an airport in the Varadero region. I was able to reclaim it at the end of my one-week R&R trip though I must admit I would’ve happily given it to them after I saw the large machine guns strapped around the shoulders of the guards.

We are a fortunate lot in Canada and the United States.

March 14, 2008 | Filed Under News Items and Commentary

Comments

6 Responses to “¡Viva el reproductor de dvd!”

Henry Gomez on March 14th, 2008 9:35 pm

A couple of notes. First is making legal to buy and having the money to buy are two different things. The average Cuban that doesn’t receive money from relatives abroad makes $15-20 Dollars a month in Cuban pesos. The items that the ban is being lifted on will be sold in State owned stores at incredible mark ups from what you would see in a country with competition at the retail level and will only be available for purchase with CUC (or convertible Cuban pesos) that most people don’t have.

Also a laptop is one thing but without internet access, the Cuban people are still in the dark.

And lastly you experience doesn’t refute the point that only foreigners could buy the stuff in Cuba. You were trying to bring stuff in nor buy it there.
Kevin Restivo on March 14th, 2008 9:40 pm

Hi Henry,

Thanks for your comments.

Can’t say I disagree with anything you’ve said though I think you may have misinterpreted my last comment. I didn’t attempt to refute or confirm anything.

My intention was to merely relay a somewhat related story - that’s all.

Sorry for any confusion.

Kevin
Henry Gomez on March 14th, 2008 9:47 pm

No sweat. I think the reason they wouldn’t let you bring a DVD player in was because they assumed you were bringing it as a gift for a friend or relative. They prefer that you buy it from them at inflated prices. It’s a shakedown.
Kevin Restivo on March 14th, 2008 9:50 pm

Lovely. Nice to see a government take advantage of its people! Can’t say that it doesn’t happen in Canada albeit in subtler ways.
Kevin Restivo on March 14th, 2008 9:51 pm

And thanks for the context Henry.
Kevin Restivo’s Tech Blog : ¡Viva el teléfono celular! on April 15th, 2008 10:44 pm

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