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WORLD NEWSSaturday 9 April 2016

Cuba’s economic model in spotlight at party congress Fidel Castro, age 89,
makes a rare public
CHRISTINE ARMARIO island’s ailing economy. oriented changes enacted model through 2030. appearance in Cuba
ANDREA RODRIGUEZ It’s also likely to be the last in 2011 in Cuba’s most sig- So far, Cuban leaders have
Associated Press Communist Party congress nificant economic over- indicated the government C. ARMARIO
HAVANA (AP) — Victor Ro- with any Castro in power haul to date. intends to maintain strong Associated Press
driguez imagines a future as President Raul Castro “Everybody’s wondered control of the island’s cen- HAVANA (AP) — Fidel Cas-
Cuban economy that will has said he intends to re- since 2011, what’s the end trally planned economy. tro has made a rare pub-
Less clear are the roles the lic appearance, speaking
Sandy, the barman at the upscale private “El De Enfrente” Bar serves drinks in Havana, Cuba. One state and private market to school children about
month after President Obama’s visit, all eyes will be on Cuba’s Communist Party congress for the will play, and how much his brother’s late wife and
clearest picture yet of just how far the island’s leaders are willing to open their economy to deeper the non-state sector will be revolutionary figure Vilma
free market reforms, if at all. permitted to expand. Espin.
Since assuming power in The 89-year-old former
(AP Photo/Desmond Boylan) 2006, Castro has instituted president regularly writes
scattered free-market re- reflections in the state me-
let him import large quan- tire in 2018 when he will be game?” said William Leo- forms to alleviate the is- dia and meets with digni-
tities of thread, export the 85, turning 86 that June. His Grande, an American Uni- land’s deep fiscal woes taries but seldom appears
women’s clothing he de- older brother Fidel stepped versity expert on U.S.-Cuba while preserving the com- in public. His last appear-
signs and keep him from aside at age 79 in 2006 in relations. “What are they munist system ushered in ance at a public event
worrying about obtuse what he said was a tempo- anticipating Cuba will look by the 1959 revolution. In was in July 2015. Wearing
regulations such as where rary move after suffering a like when the restructuring 2010, he announced plans a white sports jacket and
he can place items on his serious illness and retired for is done? Will it look like Viet- to permit more small busi- speaking in a scratchy
small retail stand. good two years later. nam? China? Something nesses and reduce state voice, Castro told a room
“Maybe then I could think “This is basically setting the else?” employment. The 2011 of students and teachers
about opening a full store,” future of Cuba,” said Car- Based on the Marxist-Lenin- Communist Party congress that Espin would be happy
he said. melo Mesa-Lago, an eco- ist model, the Communist passed 313 resolutions that to see the fruits of her sac-
One month after President nomics professor at the Uni- Party of Cuba is the only included legalizing car rifice at schools like theirs.
Barack Obama’s visit, is- versity of Pittsburgh. legal political party on the sales, encouraging the Thursday’s appearance
landers are now looking to The congress has already island. It holds its congress development of mid-size came on what would have
Cuba’s upcoming Com- generated much atten- roughly every five years to cooperatives with dozens been her 86th birthday.
munist Party congress for tion with party members map the island’s political, of employees and elimi- “For those of us who are
the clearest picture yet complaining about a lack social and economic fu- nating an exit permit all here we consider it a privi-
of how far their leaders of the advance debate ture — except for a 14-year Cubans once needed to lege to be in this school to-
will open the economy on economic and social stretch from 1997-2011. travel outside the country. day because this type of
to deeper free-market re- reforms seen in the past. The latest congress will Cubans were also permit- school is getting close to a
forms — if at all. The party’s official news- bring together 1,000 party ted to buy and sell homes kind of dream,” he said.
The congress being held paper, Granma, published members from throughout for the first time since the The revolutionary leader
April 16-19 comes at a criti- a lengthy article explain- the island to discuss Cu- early years of the revolu- did not make any remarks
cal juncture in Cuba’s histo- ing that instead of inviting ba’s plan going forward. tion. about last month’s visit to
ry, with diplomatic relations new public discussion of re- Among the things mem- Emilio Morales, an eco- Cuba by President Obama
with the U.S. generating en- forms, this year’s congress bers will consider this year is nomic analyst who heads in televised portions of the
thusiasm but bringing lim- will focus on the continued a description of the island’s the Miami-based Havana visit aired on Cuban state
ited improvements to the implementation of market- economic development Consulting Group, said the news media.
reforms to date have en- Castro wrote a 1,500-
couraged the growth of a word essay in response to
small business sector that Obama’s trip in his only
includes retail enterprises statement about the U.S.
like Rodriguez’s clothing leader’s visit to date, re-
stand, stylish new restau- minding Cubans about a
rants and polished 1960 long history of U.S. aggres-
Cadillacs and other old sion against the island and
cars serving as taxis. About stating “we don’t need the
500,000 Cubans now run empire to give us any pres-
their own businesses, yet ents.”
total private-sector em- Castro stepped aside in
ployment represents just a 2006 after suffering a seri-
fraction of the economy — ous illness and officially re-
an estimated 23 percent tired two years later, but his
of all employment in 2014, presence still casts a long
compared to 18 percent in shadow on Cuban govern-
2011. ment and society.q

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