The Best Policy

Bosses of Havana's embattled bus company, the Cooperativa de Omnibus Aliados, have suffered and bled for years over the old Cuban custom of filtracion. Under this time-honored racket, unscrupulous conductors on the company's rickety, orange-painted guaguas (pronounced wah-wahs) have filtered up to 40% of each day's fares into their own pockets. Last year, in a desperate effort to replace the conductors with temptation-proof turnstiles, the company offered to retire all surplus conductors at full pay. Their union--the Sindicato de Empleados de Omnibus Aliados--refused.

Last week the company struck a shrewd blow at filtracion. Under a new plan, the conductors (many of whom are women) were required to hand out a ticket for each fare received. When a passenger had collected 25 tickets, he would turn them in for a numbered "gift certificate." Holders of each month's lucky numbers would win: a $15,000 house, six refrigerators, six console radios, six washing machines, six bicycles, 99 table radios, 99 pairs of shoes, 700 towel sets and--just to keep the gambling wheel spinning--2,277 tickets in the National Lottery.

Lottery-happy habaneras, who support five flourishing policy games in addition to the National Lottery, thus had a vested interest in keeping the conductors honest. Guaguas, always jammed to the fenders, grew even more crowded. Marveled one conductor: "Before, we had to chase down some passengers for their fares; now they chase us down for their tickets." A jubilant inspector reported that his job had suddenly become a lead-pipe cinch; "Some people try to pay twice just to get an extra ticket." The company estimated that fare collections would climb some $70,000 a month; the prizes would cost only $40,000.

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