VENEZUELA: New Food Card Reminds Some Of Cuba's Ration Card.

N.HERALD/ BY ANTONIO MARIA DELGADO/                                     President Hugo Chavez's newly introduced "Good Life Card" can be used to buy groceries at all government markets. But some skeptical critics see it as one step closer to Cuba's notorious ration book. "It's a card for you to purchase what you are going to take and they keep deducting. It's to buy what you need, not to promote communism, but to buy what just what you need," claims Chavez.
       Also, Chavez will pay $690 million for 80% of Casino Guichard Perrachon's supermarkets seized earlier this year for so-called unauthorized price increases.