Price of phone calls reduced

Progreso Semanal/RPA

HAVANA – Cubans will be making calls to different U.S. cities without fear of paying much higher prices. The decision was taken by the State Council.

Is it an act of good will or political decision? These are two of the several interpretations that are being applied to the repeal of Decree 213 from the year 2000, which established a 10% surcharge on each minute of phone calls from Cuba to the United States, or vice versa.

According to sources at ETECSA, the cost of calls from Cuba to the U.S. will be 1.40 CUC (convertible pesos) per minute (calls from Cuba to Mexico cost 3.40 CUC). As for call received from the U.S., the source consulted is not sure of cost per minute.

The repealed measure was introduced in response to the arbitrary use of funds belonging to Cuba for services in the field of communications between 1966 and 1994, which have been frozen for 28 years by the U.S. government.

Eliminating that tax facilitates the links between Cubans on the island and residents in the U.S., the essence of the Council of State’s decision to lower the cost of calls to and from the island. The decision is also linked to the recently approved immigration bill that aims to facilitate ties with family and friends in Cuba than and the U.S., or any other region of the planet.

However one gauges the act, this comes amid a steady trickle of news about the reorganization of the state, which is easing and prioritizing the enterprise system, a new profile of possibilities.

The importance of the reduction should be reflected in a greater flow of family relationships on both sides of the Florida Straits. The humanitarian and civilized content is as important as what is happening nationally and where surprises are yet to come.