Social Security and Assistance benefits to increase (in Cuba)

[Mika]

Without wars to fund and megacorporations integrated into government to enrich, Cuba does what the US can't.


http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2005/abril/vier1/15fincre.html

the pensions currently granted to 1,465,429 Cubans and which comprise 97% of social security benefits are to be increased from May 1.

“This is a country which cannot abandon anyone, especially people who have fought so much, and the Revolution can do that at this time,” commented the president of the Councils of State and Ministers in his address yesterday evening to cadres of the Party, state and government, the Young Communist League, plus representatives of the mass organizations, the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior.

This is about benefiting all those on pensions with a low income; in other words, those people who receive less than 300 pesos per month.

The increases are to be divided by category. Those on benefits of 55-105 pesos will receive 150 pesos; those on benefits of 106-160 pesos will go up to 190 pesos. Pensions from 211-250 pesos will be increased to 230 pesos, and benefits of 251-290 will go up to 300 pesos.

In addition, all nuclear families protected by Social Assistance will have their pensions increased by 50 pesos per month, and this covers 465,512 persons.

Both measures, the president clarified, come into force on May 1 and will start being paid within three weeks (from April 20) in line with the established calendar for payments.

[Robbien]

1. Cuba is able to do this because of the infusion of new money

from trade agreements with South America. Now that we are busy elsewhere Latin America can make agreements among themselves which benefit them and not the corporate elite.

Funny, the US gets money and we get a tax cut for the rich. Cuba gives it to the poor.

[Mika]

2. Also, tourism is up. Cuba is more welcoming than ever.

While the world is apprehensive about visiting America (thumb printing, biometric scanning, etc), Cube is more open and inviting than ever.

Too bad Americans are not free enough to select a government that would put an end to nonfunctioning policies and allow them to visit Cuba.