If nothing else, the BBC is quite adept at disseminating misinformation. So adept, in fact, that they have become quite efficient at it. In this short BBC News article, which is only 251 words, the writer manages to cram in 10 lies about the reality of life in a totalitarian Cuba. That comes out to 1 deception for every 25.1 words. Quite impressive.

Let's take a quick look at the BBC's handiwork:

Cuba announces new austerity plan

That's the title of the article, and if you are a Cuban on the island, there is nothing new about austerity.

Cuba has announced it will introduce an austerity programme in June to try to offset the impact of the international financial crisis and reduce energy use.

Of course, because you know the Cuban economy was just humming along wonderfully before the financial crisis.

Unless energy use is reduced over the summer there could be blackouts, the authorities warn.
Details of the restrictions have yet to be announced but could include limiting the use of air conditioning at work and home, and shorter working hours.

Here we have the suggestion that Cubans, just like everyone else in the free world, all have air conditioning in their homes.

Until recently the global recession has not been felt by most Cubans.

How can a population who has lived in misery, struggling to feed and clothe themselves for the past half decade feel the global recession? Cuba has been in a global recession since 1959.

There have been no mass redundancies in this state-run economy where most workers have jobs for life.

That is one of the benefits of being a slave: you have guaranteed employment for life.

But life is about to get harder.

Prices of Cuba's major export, nickel, have slumped, tourism revenues are down while last year's hurricane caused $10bn (£6.25bn) worth of damage and the US trade embargo continues to bite.

Oh that nasty US embargo rearing its ugly head once again. Fifty-years of stealing and mismanagement by the regime has nothing to do with it.

Liquidity problem

The result is a serious liquidity problem.

The government is running out of money to pay for imports.

That is the BBC's politically correct way of saying that the Cuban regime is running out of dupes to borrow money from and never repay it.

Shortages are starting to appear in the shops of items ranging from milk to toothpaste and babies' nappies.

Shortages are starting to appear? Are they serious? Did they just say shortages are starting to appear?

Cuba used 40,000 more tons of fuel to produce electricity in the first three months of 2009 because of increased consumption, according to figures published in the state-run newspaper Granma.
According to Cuba's Minister of Economy and Planning, Marino Murillo, the predicted 6% growth in 2009 is now expected to fall to barely 2%.

You know you can always trust a leftist dictatorship to give you reliable economic figures. A right-wing dictatorship, not so much.

Many foreign firms operating in Cuba are currently unable to send money abroad or take cash out from their corporate accounts.

That sounds familiar. I believe something similar has been happening in Cuba for the past fifty years.

There you have it, my friends -- a fine example of the BBC's efficiency. Fidel has taught them well.