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In a clear sign that it will take several years to fully recover from three major hurricanes in the second semester of 2008, Cuban Economy Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez said that 23 percent of the 600,000 damaged homes have been repaired, while noting that to date only 4 percent of those totally destroyed were rebuilt. Rodriguez made his statement in an address to the Cuban parliament. He estimated the total damage to homes at US $4.997 billion, around half the damage caused by the storms to Cuba’s infrastructure, agriculture and other areas of the economy.

The Cuban government is carrying out a program for the expansion of underground electricity lines in the residential sector as well as for water pumping to the island’s capital to reduce the impact of hurricanes on that infrastructure, announced Vicente de la O Levy, general director of the Electricity Conglomerate (UNE), reported IPS. The island was hit by three major hurricanes in 2008 and the electricity distribution network suffered considerable damage in the affected areas.

When it meets on Saturday the full Cuban parliament will analyze structural changes in agriculture and industry to increase efficiency and productivity, said Economy and Planning Minister Jose L. Rodriguez, at a legislative committee meeting. Rodriguez explained that during 2008, Cuba had to lay out some US $2 billion in unplanned expenditures due to the increase in the price of fuel and foodstuffs, in addition to the costly resources needed to begin the recovery effort after the extensive damage caused from three hurricanes.

The European Union (EU) will debate in January the possibility of taking in prisoners from the US prison camp at the Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba, reported IPS on Wednesday. “The time has come for the European Union to face the challenge of closing down the Guantanamo detention center and help the US government to resolve the problem,” said Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado.

Nine days before the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution a book by Luis Baez titled “Asi es Fidel” (That’s Fidel) was presented Monday in the capital. Published by Editorial Abril the book includes numerous anecdotes and experiences, many unpublished, of people who in one way or another came into contact with the Cuban leader.

The Cuban parliament holds its second session of the year starting Friday December 27, with preliminary committee meetings starting on Tuesday. Among the most important issues on the agenda are a new Social Security Law that would raise the retirement age; the strategy undertaken to greatly increase food production after the three hurricanes, and consideration of the 2009 budget.

Also causing considerable expectation is the probable address by President Raul Castro. Upon taking office in February 2008, Mr. Castro asked for time until the end of the year not only to name his full cabinet but to consider structural changes “that might be required in the system of institutions pertaining to the central administration.” At that time, President Castro also said that in today’s world “a more compact and operational structure is required, with a lower number of institutions and a better distribution of their functions.”

As Christmas Day approaches, a long list of US Christian leaders made a call for President-elect Barack Obama to seek rapprochement with Cuba and scrap the travel ban on US citizens visiting the neighboring Caribbean island.

On December 18, the day after 33 Latin American and Caribbean countries meeting in Brazil urged Washington to end the nearly half century US blockade against Cuba, the group of religious leaders sent a letter to Obama calling for a change of course when he takes office in January.

“For decades the U.S. policy toward Cuba has had unfortunate consequences for the Cuban people, while denying important freedoms to Americans,” states the letter adding, “We are convinced that it is time to change the ineffective and counter-productive U.S. policy toward Cuba.”

The religious leaders that signed on the request to Obama are from the following church organizations: American Baptist Churches in the USA, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Church World Service, National Council of Churches, Disciples of Christ Church, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Mennonite Central Committee, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ, reported the Baptist Standard online journal.

Former Bush administration official Felipe Sixto pleaded guilty Friday to skimming off US $600,000 from a government program that funds Cuban “dissidents” to carry out their actions against the Cuban government. Working for the “Center for a Free Cuba”, one of several front organizations funded by Washington to destabilize Cuba, Sixto resigned his job as a special assistant to the president back in March.

Sixto allegedly used the now familiar tactic, -often employed by Pentagon suppliers-, of overcharging for simple items, like radios and flashlights in this case, under the guise of “promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Cuba.”

When he takes office on January 20, President-elect Barack Obama will face the decision of whether to continue using hundreds of millions of taxpayer’s funds to try and create an internal opposition in Cuba or take the route of moving towards more friendly relations with the neighboring country.

Cuban President Raul Castro said in statements to the press in Brazil that the island does not have to make gestures to the United States to begin bilateral talks because Cuba is the attacked country. “Unilateral gestures are over,” affirmed Castro, who reiterated his willingness to talk with President-elect Barack Obama on an equal footing.

Cuban publishing houses will bring out more than 6,000 new titles for the 18th International Book Fair to be held February 12-March 8, reported the local press. Chile will be the event’s guest of honor and tribute will be paid to intellectuals Fina Garcia Marruz and Jorge Ibarra. The highly popular yearly event begins in Havana and then spreads both east and west of the capital to all provincial capitals and many municipalities.