- Title: Cubans optimistic despite shrinking economy
- Date: 28th December 2016
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (DECEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) CARS IN CITY STREETS CUBAN FLAG IN THE WIND PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH STREETS PEOPLE GETTING ONTO A BUS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) STATE WORKER, JORGE LLANES, SAYING: "Commerce is one thing, the other is the system, you get me? System and commerce don't have anything to do with each other. We should make commerce deals so we can grow, yes, definitely. Because when it comes to capitalism we have to look for the good that is there, the positive things. There aren't many good things, but the good things that are there, we have to take them on, you know, so that we can grow and move forward." STATE WORKER, JORGE LLANES AND OTHER PEOPLE OUTSIDE A STATE-RUN MARKET PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE AT A STATE-RUN MARKET SIGN ON WINDOW READING, 'HAPPY NEW YEAR' WRITTEN IN SPANISH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HOMEMAKER, LANYIN PELAEZ, SAYING: "As Cubans we're already used to the things that are thrown at us. We can adapt to situations. I don't think this is going to be like some of the worse situations we've been through, and we got through those (worse moments). The prospects for good or bad, only life will tell, but we're optimistic that everything that happens will be good." PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH CITY STREETS WOMAN BUYING SOMETHING AT STATE-RUN SHOPPE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARIEL PORT WORKER, OSNIEL DIAS, SAYING: "Just like always, the leaders of our revolution have had a very clear vision. A clear vision for their approach and the international policy and even with Venezuela having economic trouble, we keep working and consolidating the revolution's achievements. There's a saying that says, 'if one door closes, many others open'. We've got the European Union which is giving us other opportunities one way or another as well as China, Russia and other countries throughout the world who will help us." CAR AND PEOPLE IN THE STREET SIGN READING, 'I AM FIDEL' IN SPANISH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) STUDENT, GERALDO HERNADEZ, SAYING: "Fidel's image shouldn't be kept in a photo or a sculpture. You should have it inside you and every Cuban should have it and they should have it with them when they do their role and when they're playing their role in today's society so we can have a future." CARS IN THE STREET BILLBOARD WITH CUBAN HEROES, JULIO ANTONIO MELLA, CAMILO CIENFUEGOS AND ERNESTO "CHE" GUEVARA CUBAN FLAG IN THE STREET
- Embargoed: 12th January 2017 17:03
- Keywords: Cuba economy
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ESSGUB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Cubans in the street of Havana on Wednesday (December 28) told Reuters they remain optimistic about their country's future despite the government on Tuesday (December 27) saying the economy shrank 0.9 percent this year.
The figure suggests sharp economic contraction in the second half of the year after the cash-strapped government slashed imports, investment and fuel in response to lower exports and a drop in cheap oil deliveries from Venezuela. It had reported one percent growth for the first half.
State worker Jorge Llanes said he trusts the government's socialist system and hopes the country will reap the benefits of President Raul Castro's market-style reforms as it works back towards growth.
"Commerce is one thing, the other is the system, you get me? System and commerce don't have anything to do with each other. We should make commerce deals so we can grow, yes, definitely. Because when it comes to capitalism we have to look for the good that is there, the positive things. There aren't many good things, but the good things that are there, we have to take them on, you know, so that we can grow and move forward," Llanes said.
Castro started introducing market-style reforms in 2011. Cuban entrepreneurs have complained, however, that more changes are needed.
Private businesses still have no access to wholesale stores and can only import or export via government agencies. Internet services on the island are also extremely limited.
Cuba's centrally planned economy has struggled for decades with the U.S. economic embargo and mismanagement at home.
Market-style reforms and, more recently, a detente with the United States that has boosted remittances and the tourism sector, helped the economy grow on average at close to 3 percent each year between 2011 and 2015, but that suddenly seemed to come to a halt this year.
Some experts fear that future growth from thawing relations with the United States may also be at risk since Republican Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election.
Trump, who takes office Jan. 20, has vowed to "terminate" President Barack Obama's engagement with Cuba unless Havana gives the United States what he calls a "better deal."
Lanyin Pelaez said Cuba has seen worse saying she believes the island can weather whatever storm may be brewing on the horizon.
"As Cubans we're already used to the things that are thrown at us. We can adapt to situations. I don't think this is going to be like some of the worse situations we've been through, and we got through those (worse moments). The prospects for good or bad, only life will tell, but we're optimistic that everything that happens will be good," Pelaez said.
Furthermore, the long slump in global fuel prices is hurting many of Cuba's top trading partners such as Angola, Venezuela and Brazil, and revenue from the sale of professional services to those countries has dropped.
Key ally Venezuela has slashed its provision of cheap oil and the drop in global commodities prices is punishing Cuban exports of nickel, refined oil products and sugar.
But a worker at Cuba's Mariel port, Osniel Dias, said he trusts Cuba's leaders have a plan.
"Just like always, the leaders of our revolution have had a very clear vision. A clear vision for their approach and the international policy and even with Venezuela having economic trouble, we keep working and consolidating the revolution's achievements. There's a saying that says, 'if one door closes, many others open'. We've got the European Union which is giving us other opportunities one way or another as well as China, Russia and other countries throughout the world who will help us," Dias said.
Cuba's National Assembly on Tuesday also approved a law that bans commemorative statues of Fidel Castro and naming public places after him, in accordance with the wishes of the revolutionary leader, who died last month.
Castro always said he did not want a cult of personality, although critics point out that the cult was everywhere. His words are posted on billboards nationwide and his name is invoked at every public event.
"Fidel's image shouldn't be kept in a photo or a sculpture. You should have it inside you and every Cuban should have it and they should have it with them when they do their role and when they're playing their role in today's society so we can have a future," a student, Geraldo Hernandez said.
Castro died on November 25 at the age of 90, eight years after handing the presidency over to Raul.
Fidel's death, a slumping economy and Raul Castro's promises to continue reforms and seek to take in $2 billion dollars annually in foreign investment mean there are a lot of question marks regarding Cuba's future.
Cubans in the streets of Havana, however, seem to believe everything will work out in the end. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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