Fidel Castro: New leaders must fix Cuban economy

HAVANA — A new generation of leaders must act decisively and without hesitation to correct the errors of the past and lead the island once those who fought in the 1959 revolution are gone, Fidel Castro said in a column published Monday.

Nearing the close of a critical Communist Party summit called to chart the course of the island's socialist system and right its flagging economy, the aging revolutionary leader praised delegates to the gathering. He wrote that he was impressed by their intellectual preparation and he believes they are up to the task.

"The new generation is being called upon to rectify and change without hesitation all that should be rectified and changed," Castro wrote.

"There is no margin for error," he added.

Divided into five committees and meeting behind closed doors, party delegates are considering more than 300 proposals for economic changes, many of which were first announced last year. They affect sectors from agriculture, energy, transport and housing to new rules letting Cubans go into business for themselves.

State-run Cuban news media have reported intense debate over several points, such as the need for formal contracts to improve control and payment of taxes in the agricultural sector; providing credit to independent workers who need capital to launch their businesses; and eliminating the island's unique dual-currency system, under which workers are paid in Cuban pesos, while many imported goods are available only in a dollar-linked currency that is beyond most people's reach.

One committee is considering ways to eliminate the monthly ration book, which provides Cubans with a basic basket of heavily subsidized food and other goods. Another is debating whether to do away with restrictions on selling and buying private real estate.

The ration book is one of the most cherished of subsidies on the island, but President Raul Castro has repeatedly said it is unsustainable, and a disincentive to work. Cubans have been clamoring for years to end restrictions on the buying and selling of homes and cars, which have been all but frozen since the revolution.

Delegates are scheduled to vote Monday on economic proposals that have undergone extensive revisions since they were first announced last year. The changes have not been made public, meaning Cubans won't know precisely what has been voted on until the measures are approved.

The Party Congress does not have the power to enact the changes into law, but the suggestions are expected to be acted upon quickly by Cuba's National Assembly over the coming days and weeks.