Cuba cuts free lunches

The Cuban government is expanding a programme that shuts workplace cafeterias and instead gives people stipends to buy food.



This means that about 5 per cent of Cuba’s official workforce of nearly five million people will have to find their lunches, although the government will provide about US$0.70 per work day to help to offset the cost.



The Communist Party newspaper Granma reported that a pilot programme that started in October to eliminate free lunches for 2,800 government workers would grow to include another 225,000 as of July 1.



The move is expected to save the cash-strapped country US$27 million.

The programme is being extended to government workers in sectors such as banks, transportation and foreign investment.