Castro urges embrace of economic changes,

Posted on Tuesday, 11.16.10
CUBA
Castro urges embrace of economic changes

Cuba's Granma newspaper reports a Communist Party gathering had many
questions about proposed economic changes.
BY JUAN O. TAMAYO
jtamayo@ElNuevoHerald.com

Cuba's Raúl Castro says the island ``has no alternative'' but to embrace
the economic changes he has proposed, and claimed they are based on
brother Fidel's ideas, according to the Granma newspaper.

The Granma report Monday added that some of the changes had been
subjected to ``repeated questions'' or ``a broad debate'' during
Castro's appearance before 532 top Communist Party officials.

Castro and most of his cabinet met with the party officials over the
weekend for a seminar to explain the details of the changes, designed to
slash public spending and overcome a bleak economic crisis

The changes, listed in a 32-page document made public last week, are to
be debated at the grass-roots level throughout Cuba before they are
taken up in April at the party's first national congress since 1997.

Castro told the seminar that Cuba ``has no alternative left'' but to
approve the changes, Granma reported before adding a curious sentence:
``He was precise in pointing out later that Fidel's ideas are embodied
in each of the proposals.''

Fidel Castro long opposed many of the policies now proposed, such as
allowing private-sector economic activity to flourish, before he
surrendered power because of ill health in 2006.

The older Castro has not commented publicly on the proposed changes,
although some orthodox communists have argued they amount to a turn
toward capitalism and perhaps even a risk for the revolution.

Granma's report -- nearly 3,400 words -- seemed to indicate a level of
apprehension or lack of understanding among party officials and noted
that Castro told them ``that life is enriched when there are
discrepancies.''

The official newspaper of the Communist Party reported said the four-day
seminar was ``characterized by clarifying debates'' and that Castro had
urged his audience to ask questions ``about those issues that would be
most difficult to explain to the people.''

Granma wrote that ``due to the anxiety of various participants''
Economic Minister Marino Murillo explained that the proposed change of
state-owned shops such as bakeries into worker-run cooperatives would be
done ``in an orderly fashion.''

One of the proposals ``that drew the most questions'' requires the
shutdown of state enterprises that lose money, Granma reported. ``The
state cannot assume the costs of an enterprises that has lost money for
10 years,'' Murillo said in reply.

Questions on when salaries could rise -- the official average stands at
$20 per month -- ``came up repeatedly because this issue is expected to
be one of the most debated among the people,'' Granma reported.

The newspaper reported Murillo replied that the government must first
cut its payroll -- 500,000 state workers are to be laid off by April 1
-- reduce excessive subsidies and increase productivity.

There were also ``repeated questions'' about the planned unification of
Cuba's two official currencies, Granma added. Most salaries are paid in
pesos but Cubans need convertible pesos, known as CUCs and worth 24
pesos, to buy some food and imported items.

Another proposal that ``caused a broad debate'' would change university
admission to favor careers in science, technology, agriculture and
teaching over the humanities.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/16/1927851/castro-urges-embrace-of-economic.html