Cubans began taking a hard look this week at entrenched customs like food rationing, pilfering on the job, cradle-to-grave subsidies and black market trading in a national debate called by President Raul Castro. Authorities have circulated a ten-point agenda for thousands of open-ended public meetings over the next month to rethink Cuban socialism, focused on economic themes. The discussion guide makes clear that questioning the communist-ruled island's one-party political system, or calling for a restoration of capitalism, are off limits. But it said: "It is important that the meetings are characterized by absolute freedom of criteria, the sincerity of participants and respect for differing opinions." (Reuters, BBC)
Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).
