Cuba spends 122 mln USD in supporting small private enterprises

Cuba has spent about 122 million U.S. dollars importing raw materials and other supplies to support its new small private enterprises, Cuban official newspaper Granma said Friday. "In 2011 the government has spent 122 million Cuban convertible pesos (122 million dollars) to ensure the necessary material supplies for the rising small private companies on the island," Granma quoted Labor and Social Security Ministry official Idalmys Alvarez as saying. Alvarez, employment director for the Ministry, said Cuba already has a network of more than 300 markets whose customers are private employers who need a wide range of appliances, tools, equipment, products and raw material. Under a series of reforms, including developing the private economy, to overcome the country's economic crisis, private employers have increased to 338,280 in Cuba by last September.