In the central province of Sancti Spíritus what happens in most of the territories that already have stores for the sale of household and automotive equipment in freely convertible currency (MLC), the two commercial establishments located in the town of Yayabo are distinguished by High demand and shortage.
An article recently published by the provincial newspaper Escambray, recognizes the contradiction, but maintains that the offers have been affected “by the obstacles of the blockade”.
However, the current shortage of supplies is not something that I take by surprise, nor is the justification to be appealed once again, since the embargo has long been the comfortable alibi to which it is always possible to go when you need to justify the ineptitude of the government.
In spite of the initial enthusiasm, there was no lack of those who resorted to that old saying of much noise and few nuts, to presage what would happen with the new businesses. Indeed, a few days after the first openings in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, the problems with the supplies began, and that has been a constant that has been maintained in the rest of the territories where other similar stores have gradually been inaugurated .
However, while customers queue for several days at the doors of the units waiting for new arrivals of merchandise, and question the state’s ability to keep the new stores stocked, Escambray boasts the good results he described in his first month The initiative:
“Despite the obvious instability in the supply of the most demanded assortments, the commercializing stores of household appliances and motor equipment in Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) existing in the spirit city made notable sales in its first month: more than $ 638,000” , indicates the weekly spirit.
Today in Sancti Spíritus there are two operational stores while the SASA unit, of the spirits subsidiary of Servicios Automotores S.A., is already conditioned, but it still does not have assortments and the date of its opening is unknown.
Despite the inability to maintain constant assortments in stores already opened CIMEX is projected to add new establishments. “We have the future intention of extending to two other units of this type, one here and one in Trinidad,” said Melvin Ruiz, commercial manager of the CIMEX Corporation in the province.
According to the manager, what has sold the most in Sancti Spíritus are the frízeres, splits, refrigerators, televisions, roast ovens and fryers. However, today many of these products are no longer available in the Zona Tec store, belonging to the aforementioned corporation
The same applies to La Época, a unit attached to the Caribbean Store Chain, and where today, according to Escambray, only motorbikes, deep fryers, heaters, stoves and computer accessories are offered.
Kenier Aguiar Ramos, director of that chain of stores in Sancti Spiritus, explained to the newspaper that this shortage is due to the obstacles imposed by the blockade:
“Many products have been sold out because the planned tickets have been delayed due to the well-known siege and commercial persecution imposed by the US blockade on the arrival of goods to the country,” said the director.
As in Sancti Spíritus, the stores opened in the other territories of the country look shortages, and irregularities in the sale of lithium batteries and some types of tires have been reported in provinces such as Ciego de Ávila and Villa Clara.
In September 2019, the government announced that it would start the sale, in Free Convertible Currency and through magnetic cards, of some household appliances, electric mopeds, as well as parts and pieces of motor vehicles. In this way, the state intended to take away the prominence of the so-called “mules”, the only bidders of such articles in the country.
These individual importers bought their merchandise in countries of the region, mainly Panama, and introduced them on the island bypassing the tight customs controls to sustain the informal market. However, in spite of the pitfalls that had to be freed, they showed greater efficiency in their purchasing and supply management.
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