Has your Bic Lighter gone on the fritz? The (illegal) Bic repairman will fix it - for 8 cents - if the police don't get to him first...
Whatever you want to buy in Cuba, you’ll find it on the black market. From necessary items (like sneakers and door hinges) to luxury goods (like brand name soap and printer ink).
There are now over 200 authorized private professions in Cuba, employing nearly a million Cubans. If you happen to be a button maker or shoe repairman, you’re all set. But what is life like for an unlicensed private worker - say, a Bic lighter repairman?
On the upside, he doesn’t have to give the bulk of his earnings to the State in the form of a monthly license fee.
On the downside, he has to pay enormous fines every time the police catch him and he’s always son the run - moving around, posting lookouts.
Check out:
• How to make a living fixing old lighters
• What happens if you don’t pay the fine
You will never guess what common household item they use to refill the lighters
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Category: Travel