Hundreds of Cooperative Make their Way in Cuban Economy

Havana, Cuba, May 20.- Some 246 cooperatives are already operating in Cuba, with a total of 498 approved to kick off activities, though many of them are still at different stages before being officially registered.

Cuban official Grisel Trista, in charge of the Department attending to the development of entities at the Permanent Commission on the Implementation of the economic guidelines, said that those cooperatives already approved to operate are in the areas of domestic trade, gastronomy and other services like cargo and passenger transportation, construction, food processing, energy and accounting.

Experts say that the development of the non-state collective modality faces obstacles such as the lack control measures that can be applied to their function, while other control systems in force are not appropriate. The lack of access to wholesale markets and limited relations with state enterprises are also considered hurdles in the new economic sector.

The solution to many of the current problems identified in the current experimental operations of cooperatives on the island is still being addressed by state bodies and the Commission to implement the new transformations, said the Cuban official.(acn)