Cuban parliament discusses resources, wages at opening session

Cuban parliament discusses resources, wages at opening session
By Doreen Hemlock | Havana Bureau
July 12, 2008

HAVANA - Cuba's new president, Raul Castro, called Friday for raising
the island's retirement age among a series of hard-nosed measures aimed
to boost the island's standard of living at a time of rising oil and
food prices worldwide.

The longtime defense minister invoked military-style organization and
the success of companies run by the Cuban armed forces since the 1990s
as an example of how the country must work harder and smarter to grow
its socialist economy.

"The less resources there are, the more discipline is needed," he told a
session of parliament in his first speech to the group since formally
assuming the presidency in February from his ailing brother Fidel
Castro, the leader since 1959.

Raul Castro said his administration proposes to increase the retirement
age by five years — to 65 for men and 60 for women — to expand the work
force and meet the needs of a rapidly aging population. The measure
would be phased in over seven years starting in 2009 and is expected to
be put to a vote in the next parliamentary session in December.

The government also plans to turn over idle land near cities to farmers
to expand food production, start double shifts at construction sites and
crack down on worker theft and corruption among new moves to accelerate
the economy, Castro told the one-day parliamentary session attended by
569 deputies, or almost 93 percent of the group's members.

Deputies repeatedly interrupted the president's speech with applause,
especially when he said he took lessons from Fidel Castro.

But Raul Castro has been pursuing a more pragmatic course than his more
ideological and charismatic brother. His recent reforms include lifting
salary caps, allowing new licenses for private taxis and allowing
individual Cubans to open cell phone accounts.

Cubans now average salaries of less than $20 a month, though they
receive free housing, health care, education and subsidized food. Living
standards plunged after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its hefty
subsidies to the island.

Doreen Hemlock can be reached at dhemlock@sun-sentinel.com or 305-810-5009.

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