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President Chávez considers that housing is not a commodity - Magda Hassan - 06-06-2009
Now this is a novel concept. Houses for people to live in. Why haven't they thought of it before? Sounds good to me. Shhhhhh, don't tell the homeless (or those soon to be homeless) in the west or they'll all be wanting one. And that would be bad for those poor struggling banks and we can't have that.
President Chávez considers that housing is not a commodity
The residents of socialist houses cannot dispose of them
People will only inhabit in the houses to be delivered in Ciudad Caribia, central Vargas state
Economy
Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez Frías spoke openly. "These houses will be delivered with a high level of subsidy, in some cases up to 100 percent, to the poorest families. Listen, Diosdado! (Cabello, the Minister of Public Works and Housing), let us be clear, comrades, this is not for sale. No, you can not sell it. This is for you and your offspring."
He repeated his idea in order to be no doubt altogether. "Now, this is not for you to turn it later into a commodity, which is the evil of capitalism."
The president referred to the houses of the Ciudad Caribia Socialist Urban Development, located in central Vargas state, where he pressed yet another bottom in the way towards socialism.
Use, instead of disposal
The residents of these houses will be unable to dispose of them. They will just inhabit them, use the space. They will never rent them, let alone sell them.
Such is the concept that was included in the constitutional reform proposed by the president that was rejected in December 2007 and it is the model of the socialist economy set forth in the Bill on Social Property that is being prepared by the National Assembly (AN).
While the head of state insists on saying that they will respect private property, the delivery of houses under the government plans follows a different scheme. Families receive the houses. However, they cannot dispose of them. And the developments are to become communes.
As a matter of fact, during his speech, the head of state stressed that, together with the houses, social production units should be organized, which "will be in the people's hands."
During this period, 20,000 houses will be completed and additional 11,000 will be built. But the houses will be delivered as social property.
The appetizer
Experts claim that the transition to the socialist system is like a curtain-riser for the final thrust. According to the government plans, private property is to live together with other forms of property, yet overlapped by social property.
Thus far, the supporters of the scheme, including lawmakers, vow that social property will cover only the businesses and other assets owned by the state, particularly the means of production.
However, analysts still wonder if reference is made only to government assets or any other ownership.
There is increasing uncertainty in the building sector. The plans for additional developments could be thwarted in the event that lands will also become social property.
The president has said that communal ownership has nothing to do with personal, individual property. However, jurists consider that in the envisaged scenario, private property would be negligible.