Laws on land, jobs get swift publicity

Laws on land, jobs get swift publicity

The official daily Granma on Friday took the unusual step of publishing
the entire text of two decrees issued by Raúl Castro -- one on the
granting of idle land in usufruct, and the other on the rehiring of
retired teachers at full pay. Castro had previewed both measures during
a National Assembly meeting on July 11.
Decree No. 259, dated July 10, "authorizes the delivery of idle
state-owned land to natural or legal persons, in usufruct, [...] for up
to 10 years and may be successively extended for a period of up to 10
years for natural persons." Legal persons (companies or cooperatives)
can work the land for up to 25 years and extend the usufruct for another
25 years. Other provisions:
• The usufruct is "nontransferable and may not be ceded or sold to third
persons," except when the farmer cannot continue to work the land
because of advanced age or ill health. He can then recommend his successor.
• Farmers availing themselves of the new law will be taxed for the use
of the land.
• Farmers who own no land can receive a maximum of 33.16 acres in
usufruct; those who already own land can expand their property to 99.48
acres.
• The new law takes effect as soon as published in the Official Gazette;
the rules to implement it will be announced on Aug. 11.
Decree No. 260, dated July 15, "provisionally and exceptionally
authorizes teachers and professors retired for reasons of age [...] to
receive the full salary of the post they assume, plus their pension."
To read the entire text of both decrees (in Spanish only), click words
in blue, above. For a detailed account in The Miami Herald, click here.
---Renato Pérez Pizarro.

July 18, 2008

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/cuban_colada/2008/07/laws-on-land-jo.html