In The Independent Today - Partagas Goes Quiet

[Robusto]

Alice Jones: High rollers and the fate of fat cigars

Havana Notebook

Monday, 6 April 2009


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So the credit crunch has reached even the shores of Fidel Castro's crumbling Communist outpost. It seems that in the depths of a recession there are far fewer fat cats celebrating a clinched deal by chewing on a fat Montecristo No. 2. Setting fire to a bundle of dried leaves at around a pound a puff is a luxury to live without in straitened times.
For the last three weeks the schoolroom on the first floor of the elegant 19th-century Partagas cigar factory in central Havana has lain empty. Chairs are piled up on top of the rows of wooden desks where up to 300 trainee torcedores (rollers) are normally taught the intricate art of cigar-making.
The factory is no longer recruiting and has further sacked 15 per cent of its staff, thanks to a spectacular fall in demand. Those remaining are no longer allowed to produce over their quotas to earn a little extra. Once they have reached their target ? for the highest rollers, up to 120 deftly hand-made cigars a day ? they are sent home.
There is light on the horizon, though. Last week, the US federal government announced a tax hike on tobacco which, combined with a new bill relaxing the rules on allowing Americans into Cuba, should see the industry warm up again. And if all else fails, perhaps the Cuban tourist board can look into developing Guantanamo Bay (on the island's south-eastern tip) as a potential holiday hot-spot. According to Miss Universe, it's a "lo-o-o-t of fun" this time of year.

[Stevieboy]

I was always under the impression that demand far outstripped supply!?! I never imagined that the market could be saturated enough that importers might be buying less from Cuba hence rollers are being laid off :eek:

[Stogiedog]

Buy, Buy, Buy :849:

[Robusto]

I'll be pissed off to jet over there and look at stacks of chairs in an empty hall. That's my frickin day job!

[larrysputnik]

I'll be pissed off to jet over there and look at stacks of chairs in an empty hall. That's my frickin day job!

LMFAO:hail:

[TJCoro]

LMFAO:hail:

:doh:Really senor Larry??? LMFAO???:hmmmm:

Right! Here's one for you - Knock! Knock! (and you say - Who's there!...):rolleyes:

:bandit: Names TJ, TJCoro, and I think :mullet: Larry's been smoking a pipe again! :canabis::hippie:

[larrysputnik]

:doh:Really senor Larry??? LMFAO???:hmmmm:

Right! Here's one for you - Knock! Knock! (and you say - Who's there!...):rolleyes:

:bandit: Names TJ, TJCoro, and I think :mullet: Larry's been smoking a pipe again! :canabis::hippie:

Well I guess you can give a brother a hard time for being easily amused. Who'd of thunk it? :cool: Robusto and I share the same day job. Maybe it's an acquired taste in humor.

But it's probably just the drugs.

[TJCoro]

Well I guess you can give a brother a hard time for being easily amused. Who'd of thunk it? :cool: Robusto and I share the same day job. Maybe it's an acquired taste in humor.

But it's probably just the drugs.

:shakehands:Thanks for clearing that up Mr. Larry. :mullet:

:nerd:Now I understand that Mr. R's subtle Brit humor is an acquired taste. Well above the cognitive skills of a simple minded, hard working, God frearing, booze drinking, trouble making, fist fighting, muckraking, stogie smoking Mf'ing hombre like me, from the State of Mind, Mexico. :twitch:

Good to know. :bored:

I was afraid an intervention might be needed.:boink:.

:bandit: Names TJ, TJCoro, and I have an acquired taste for the :849:finest Habana puros. :amen:

[Robusto]

I went in to work to tidy up today for an hour or so and wanted to take a picture of an empty hall and some stacked chairs for those who don't get it.

I found our dance girls and their teacher wigging out to wild air-guitar and leaping around the room to a speeded up Rosanna by Toto so I walked through and smiled without chatting or snapping - quiet as David Coverdale's hair.

Did you used to have this David Coverdale in Mexico, TJ, mi old amigo?
Has he got there? Like Adele?
I think he's been stopped here.

[TJCoro]

:cool:We get it amigo, just stayed attached to our asses:reddy:, that's all.

No White Snake sightings, amigo. Sorry. Only Coyote Oldman and LIMITE.:willy:

:bandit:

[larrysputnik]

:cool:We get it amigo, just stayed attached to our asses:reddy:, that's all.

No White Snake sitings, amigo. Sorry. Only Coyote Oldman and LIMITE.:willy:

:bandit:

Oooooooh man. Just change your name to TJboro for typing such boring posts! Geeeeeeez Louise. :rolleyes: Must be Mexican humor. :yawn:
:p

[TJCoro]

Oooooooh man. Just change your name to TJboro for typing such boring posts! Geeeeeeez Louise. :rolleyes: Must be Mexican humor. :yawn:
:p


What did you expect senor...dry, convoluted Brit Wit??? :der:

:doh:BTY senor Larry, did you ever get your ass back?:eyebrows:


:bandit: Names TJ, TJCoro and I'm :boring:

[Stevieboy]

.dry, convoluted Brit Wit???

:confused::confused:

[TJCoro]

:confused::confused:

What Stevielad...did I go over the top with my post???:confused:

:bandit: