Julián, 74 years old, walks with his little bag under his arm along Vicente García Street, in the city of Las Tunas. The hectic pace of many other passers-by prevents him from walking faster. And he tells me that he is in a hurry, because with his grandchildren at home he must now find sweets, bread, some main course and, of course, rice.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- "So far this morning, I've been in more than three queues," says the retiree. And even though the country's main authorities said that concentrations should be avoided, I can assure you that this is not happening. I'm extending my protection (he alludes with a hand movement to the mask he's wearing) because I feel that most people are not aware of the situation.
Beatriz tells 26Digital that she is going through this epidemic situation without any detergent or soap. Now, she has to get in some queues and panic, but she cannot afford to stay home. "I know people who recently stayed until night in front of the Casa Azul Store to buy soap, detergent and toilet paper.
BRINGING THE PRODUCTS TO THE REGULAR STORES OF MAIN SUPPLIES
Our newspaper has received many opinions from the population regarding the durability of the agglomeration in the queues. The limited quantity of supplies, below the needs, is an objective reality, but the Commerce network in the province deploys a strategy to bring the available inputs closer to the people's councils.
Nodelcio Rodríguez, acting director of Commerce, says that since the beginning of March they have taken measures in terms of distribution, but now they will reinforce them, with the objective that each family receives a small supply.
In the first ten days of the current month, we began to sell toilet articles in certain regulated stores, in a controlled manner. It is not a module, but due to the current epidemiological situation, we decided to regulate them so that they reach all households.
In the first stage, two washing soaps, two bathing soaps, two tubes of toothpaste were brought to each family of the head municipality; and in the case of those living in Popular Councils 1,2,3, 4 and 5, also a liquid detergent knob, for the others it was not enough. In addition, we offered them 1.5 and two-liter of chlorine bleach.
At the moment we already have reached the rest of the popular councils, including the liquid detergent. The municipalities have also created the conditions to continue applying this strategy.
CHICKEN AND RICE?
Trade authorities have established a network of warehouses and markets to bring chicken and rice to certain points and to decentralize sales in the most crowded markets in the city, such as La Reguladora.
"Our purpose is to bring the products closer together to avoid long queues at the same points. As more resources become available, we will expand the network and quantities.
The idea is to rotate the establishments that will sell these basic products and to take as many as we can to different Popular Councils each week. The sale of chicken will be similar.
Given the demand of 188,000 families in the capital of the province alone, in the midst of the complex economic situation that the country is experiencing, now combined with the danger of the new coronavirus, it is necessary to improve the mechanisms to speed up sales, so that the phenomenon of queues does not continue its dangerous proliferation.
