• Submitted by: manso
• Editorial Articles
• 12 / 16 / 2010

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AP. By PAUL HAVEN, Associated Press Paul Haven, Associated Press – Wed Dec 15. HAVANA – Cuba's parliament convened Wednesday to discuss the government's make-or-break plans to retool the island's economy.

Cuba's 611-member National Assembly meets in full session just twice a year, and then only briefly, to approve laws and discuss national issues. The next session is due to take place next summer.

President Raul Castro was expected to address the lawmakers in one of his few yearly speeches, though it was unclear whether his remarks would come Wednesday or at the close of the session. Foreign journalists are usually granted access to the opening of the assembly, but were not invited this year, and the session was not broadcast live on state-run television.

Castro has announced plans to lay off half a million state workers, and the government is already issuing licenses for a limited number of small businesses in an effort to open the state-dominated economy to more private enterprise.

Castro has slashed some food subsidies, raised state-controlled oil and utility prices and eliminated free lunches from many government workplaces. He says the state simply cannot afford them any more.

Cubans make just $20 a month, but in return get free health care and education, and nearly free housing, utilities and transportation. Even so, making ends meet is extremely difficult for most people on the island.

The government has begun distributing a 32-page list of guidelines for next year's Communist Party Congress — the first such gathering since 1997. The guidelines are being discussed by Cubans in thousands of meetings at workplaces and neighborhoods around the country.

In addition to allowing more private enterprise, the government has said it wants to pay down the island's billions of dollars of foreign debt and eventually scrap an unusual dual currency system.

Parliament chief Ricardo Alarcon said Friday that this week's assembly session will allow legislators a chance to weigh in on the changes."We're going to talk about the economic plans. The main focus is going to be to allow the delegates to debate the guidelines," he said.

Parliament is also likely to receive a year-end report from the economy minister. Cuba's economy grew by just 1.4 percent in 2009, and the results this year are likely to be similarly discouraging.

Cuba has slashed imports due to lack of funds, and has already announced that harvests of key crops like sugar and rice were among the worst in decades. Tourism revenue has been a bright spot, holding steady despite the global economic slowdown.

Cuban economists have been warning that there are more hard times to come.Joaquin Infanta, one of the island's main economists, told state-run Juventud Rebelde newspaper on Sunday that Cubans should prepare to tighten their belts because the economic overhaul will take time to bear fruit.

"It will have an impact in 2011 and 2012," he said. "The benefits of the changes won't be seen until 2013."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101215/ap_on_bi_ge/cb_cuba_parliament_1;_y