Cuba’s Communist Party congress ended its third day of closed-door sessions with the approval of new economic and social reforms for the next five years while one of its top young leaders harshly criticised US President Barack Obama’s rhetoric during his visit to the island last month.
The 1,000 delegates of the party congress on Monday approved changes to the process of economic reforms for the following five years which are aimed at opening up a private sector without renouncing socialist economic principles, Xinhua news agency reported.
The new additions or modifications to the guidelines are related to the role of foreign direct investment, the introduction of advanced technology and know-how, and the improvement of local government bodies, among other issues.“We are working at all government and party levels to implement these guidelines in the next five years to fully update our economic and social model,” said Economy Minister Marino Murillo.
During the day, the congress also approved a draft document of the national plan for economic and social development until 2030 that will be submitted to popular consultation among broad sectors of Cuban society.
The text defines the strategic goals for the island’s development and identifies key economic sectors for foreign investments. Some of the party’s top leaders, including President Raul Castro, have called to put an end to bureaucracy and provide greater initiative to implement reforms in the Caribbean nation.
First Vice-President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Monday that “obsolete” ways of thinking have led to “inertia”
in enacting changes during the last five years. “Along with other deficiencies, there’s a lack of readiness, high standards and control, and little foresight or initiative from sectors and bureaucrats in charge of making these goals a reality,” Diaz-Canel said.
According to the party’s Central Committee, only 21 percent of the original guidelines approved in 2011 have been carried out while the rest are still being implemented. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister and party congress delegate, Bruno Rodriguez, referred to the US president’s visit last month in Havana as an “attack” on Cuba’s history, culture and symbols.
Obama came here to “dazzle” the private sector, “as if he wasn’t the representative of big corporations but the defender of hot dog vendors or small businesses in the US, which he isn’t,”
Rodriguez said.