Cuban dissidents call for independent small businesses

Cuban dissidents call for independent small businesses

Last update: 5:53 p.m. EDT Oct. 2, 2008
Havana, Oct 2, 2008 (EFE via COMTEX) -- The Party of Democratic
Solidarity, a moderate group within the Cuban opposition, revealed here
Thursday a proposal for the "economic restructuring" of the island
through the creation of small and medium independent businesses.
The PSD, as the party is known, said that Cuba "demands an urgent
economic restructuring" and that the government's "persistence" in
following the current economic model confirms that "real socialism as an
economic, political and social system has failed."
The PSD plan conceives of "an initial process based on independent small
and medium companies," which could be private, cooperatives or mixed
firms, as a way to revitalize the economy and create jobs.
The group said that the small and medium businesses "would help reduce
the exodus of Cubans" and would be a "factor to attract capital."
In addition, the PSD called for strengthening "the right of Cubans who
live abroad to invest in Cuba."
The PSD rejected the government's initiative to hand over idle lands to
peasants to work, considering it a "negative measure that will not
resolve the food crisis in Cuba, which has already lasted 50 years."
The group said that peasants, because they are not the owners of the
land they receive to work, will try to "get the maximum out of it" and
will thus degrade it.
"The economic, political and social panorama is dismal and bleak as
never before, above all after the passage of the hurricanes," the PSD said.
Between Aug. 30 and Sept. 9, Hurricanes Gustav and Ike caused an
estimated $5 billion worth of damage in Cuba, though outside experts say
the true figure could be twice that amount.
"In the PSD, we're aware of the total lack of willingness on the part of
the most intansigent sector of the elite in power to make the necessary
transformations. But the reality that the regime is confronting today is
not the same one as 10 years ago," the document added.
Gen. Raul Castro, who this year succeeded ailing older brother Fidel as
Cuba's president, pledges to reform the economy but has given no
indication he will end the Communist Party's monopoly on political
power. EFE
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