Cuban Gov. Activates New Cooperatives

HAVANA TIMES – Starting Monday 124  “experimental” cooperatives began operating in Cuba, in sectors such as construction, transportation, waste disposal and agricultural markets, reported the official media.

This type of management has been designed by the government for activities that “are not transcendental” for the country’s economy, said Grisel Tristá, who heads the Business Improvement Group of the Standing Commission for Implementation and Development.

In this first group, 112 coops come from the state sector and 12 from non-state businesses.  These include:
• agricultural markets: 99
• recycling and recovery of raw materials 2
• construction activities 12
• auxiliary transport services 6
• transportation of passengers: 5

Cooperatives “are called on to play an important role in the country’s economy, although the main role will continue to be the socialist state enterprise,” said Ruben Toledo, from the same commission.