The Danger of Playing with Fire and Electricity
By Aurelio Pedroso (Progreso Semanal)
HAVANA TIMES – Really stressed… that’s how we’ll start January waiting for our electrical bill at the beginning of February. Let’s hope there aren’t any other surprises for consumers.
I might be wrong, but the ups and downs and worries about food have been put on the backburner recently. This because a new worry appeared: related to the “current”, as my grandmother would say.
Between calculations and predictions, many Cuban homes weigh the critera that the government stands by “yes, we can.”
It’s like jumping from night to day without any psychological and financial preparation. Despite official calculations based on wage increases uncertainty prevails. They are unable to switch off people’s concerns and annoyance when figures go up by four or even five times.
Surprisingly enough, it turns out that air conditioning is now a luxury which we must (stoically) renounce, fan or ventilator in hand. Supporters of such ideas seem to forget the great delivery of electrical appliances by CDRs. People who wanted to could buy an appliance from the neighborhood rations store when picking up their daily bread.
Two things are very clear. The essential need to save on energy consumption and calculate the weight of the measure. Fixing things has always been a wise option. However, it isn’t right that an economic situation becomes policy when we can’t afford the smallest blunder.
If it was always dangerous to play with fire, the list of risks will also have to include electricity. Thus, preventing a social “short-circuit”, which is looming on the horizon. And not from Miami or Honolulu, but here, on Cuban soil.