European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 23, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                June 1985 the stars and stripes Page 17 austerity castros economic War by Jane Bussey United press International president Fidel Castro is trying to Channel his country energies toward a new fight an economic War of austerity aimed at paying off Cubas foreign debt and importing techno in the last castros cry has turned from defense of the Island against a feared invasion to the Battle against waste and other top cuban officials have chimed in with exhortations backing castros at this years May Day Roberto Veiga Secretary general of the cuban workers appealed for efficiency and productivity and called on each worker to be More and More an Active protagonist in the economic Battle of the whole Cuba has labelled 1985 a year of transition to gear up for production of exports to earn the foreign currency badly needed to pay off its billion foreign debt and import crucial Western this has to become the economic Battle of All the the economic War of Castro told the nation Al Assembly of Peoples Power in a december speech outlining the need to limit consumption and increase the Call for a general Bel buckling follows a decade of rising living standards in gone Are the lean years that came after the 1960 embargo cubans today Are one of the bes educated and Healthiest people in the developing but signs of the new austerity Campaign Are every prominently displayed in the editorial offices of the newspaper the voice of the communist is a Chart showing Gas and electricity savings from March 1984 to March fuel conservation is crucial to forty percent of the billion it earned from 1983 to 1985 in hard currency from exports was made by re exporting at a higher Price soviet supplied fuel saved in the Conser vation the fuel reexports take on even More significance when compared with disappointing earnings from the Export of Nickel and Citrus the production of which fell below projected yields in the same three like other developing Cuba has had austerity forced on it by the rising interest on its billion foreign falling prices for its exports and the increasing Cost of importing manufactured goods and advanced at the end of Cubas foreign currency reserves had dwindled to Only this year Cuba must reschedule some million with european along with million in Short term Loans that commercial Banks have been rolling Over Ona year year according to an economic report prepared by the Banco Nacional de the country also requested european countries lower tariffs and no Tariff barriers to cuban products in an Effort to increase its exports to free Market which now Only make up 14 percent of its total cuban economists credit the governments Central planning of the Economy and its favourable relationship with East bloc countries for a 1984 economic growth of Western blame rigid Central planning for Many of Cubas financial the government says that the soviet Union spends billion annually subsidizing which has a Gross National product of one Western Diplomat said that the Call for a new work ethic was a recognition of the need to combat glaring problems in the productivity is there is a lot of absenteeism and said the who asked to re main the austerity Campaign goes against what appears to be cubans growing desire to cubans spend less than a Quarter of their salaries on rationed goods such things As Rice and one Pound of meat a the rest can be spent in some 700 state run stores that offer goods at unregulated in one incentive to top workers get the Chance to buy on credit soviet made Lada or Muscowitz Auto mobiles which sell for other incentives include the Opportunity to buy a scarce commode or take coveted trips to East in cubans will be Able to Purchase their Homes or apartments from the state on terms stretching from seven years to 20 the cuban government obviously wants to nip the consumer society in the at least for lets All think More in development instead of the development of reads one billboard on a Havana and shows to cruise Cubas sales agents do not wait for them at but join the ship at the preceding port with color slides and cuban immigration officers also Fly to nearby countries to Board the ships so that there Are no administrative delays to prevent tourists from going ashore and spending Cuba also makes Money from the shipping which buy food and water last tourists came to Cuba on package an increase from in this with a prosperous summer season already under Are in tourists travelled to Cuba on their own last and another people came to visit even Cuba remains far behind Jamaica and the dominican two nearby countries that also offer a variety of bargain each attracted More than tourists last besides bringing in the tourist business is teaching cubans about other one example is the different responses to with the a tourism official if you shut off the music before 1 they Howe with the if you continue the music after 10 they according to a like to spend at least one of their two weeks in Cuba travelling around the the he Are not so de manding they spend 15 Days just lying on the some visitors say despite Cuba is still not geared to tourism Here entertainers at the havanas famous open air new York times photos