Cuba To Chart Economic Future At Party Congress

Cuba To Chart Economic Future At Party Congress
by The Associated Press
HAVANA November 9, 2010, 02:01 am ET

Cuba's economic future will be hammered out next April at a
make-or-break Communist Party Congress, and President Raul Castro says
any idea for pulling the island out of its deep malaise will be on the
table — no matter how sensitive.

The congress, which last took place in 1997, is traditionally used to
announce major policy changes. It is supposed to be held every five
years, but has been delayed repeatedly as Cuba grappled with a change in
leadership and a serious financial crisis.

There has been intense speculation that the future of former president
Fidel Castro's role as Communist Party chief might also be discussed at
the congress, though Raul Castro made no mention of his brother in his
speech Monday.

"The Sixth Party Congress will concentrate on a solution to our economic
problems," Castro said.

He said that the meeting will "make fundamental decisions on how to
modernize the Cuban economic model and adopt the paths for economic and
social policy of the party and the revolution," and that preparations
for it would begin immediately.

He added that the summit, which will take place in the second half of
April, will deal with every imaginable idea for economic progress.

The Cuban leader spoke at a celebration of the 10th anniversary of an
economic pact under which Venezuela, which has become Cuba's most
important patron, sends the island billions of dollars worth of oil
every year.

He was joined by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who vowed to continue
supporting the Cuban revolution both economically and politically, as
the two countries reaffirmed the pact for another decade.

Chavez praised Castro for having the vision to shake things up.

"Raul's courage in modernizing socialism must be recognized," he said,
adding that his government would "accompany" the island going forward.

Since taking over from his ailing brother in 2006 — first temporarily,
then permanently — Raul Castro has pursued a series of major economic
reforms. In September, Cuba announced it was laying off a half million
state workers while opening up new opportunities for citizens to start
private businesses. Those layoffs are due to be completed by the end of
March, just weeks ahead of the congress.

Castro has also begun to roll back the deep subsidies Cubans have come
to rely on.

Most citizens make just $20 a month in state-run jobs, but receive free
education and health care and nearly free housing, transportation,
utilities and basic food. The Cuban leader has said the state can no
longer afford the outlays and accused his countrymen of believing they
should get paid even if they don't do any work.

Still, he has made clear he has no intention of fully embracing a free
market economy.

Despite the bold changes, Raul Castro remains an enigmatic figure to
many Cubans, toiling in the shadow of his larger-than-life brother for
decades before taking the helm. Even as president, he prefers to work
behind the scenes, speaking in public only when absolutely necessary.

Although no longer president, Fidel Castro remains leader of the
Communist Party and is still referred to as "commander in chief." After
four years out of the public eye, the 84-year-old former leader burst
back on the scene in July and now makes frequent appearances to discuss
world affairs, particularly his fear that a nuclear confrontation
between the United States, Israel and Iran is inevitable.

Before his health took a turn for the better, many speculated Fidel
would step down from his party position at the next party congress. He
has not tipped his hand either way.

———

Associated Press writer Andrea Rodriguez contributed to this report.

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