Cuban central bank officials and representatives of the Paris Club group of creditor nations are due to meet in the French capital today. Cuban officials made it clear that President Fidel Castro s government would not accept demands for changes to the island s political system or to its socialist economic policies. Cuba left the IMF not long after the 1959 revolution. Cuban officials, citing advances in tourism, oil and nickel production, forecast the island s economy will grow 5 per cent this year, consolidating a process of recovery that started in 1994.
Foreign analysts are sceptical about the upbeat forecast but acknowledge the economy has improved.
Bonne said in a report that while foreigners were allowed to invest in Cuba, ordinary Cubans could not form their own private companies, could not buy cars nor houses and were barred from dollar tourist hotels. Political indoctrination and discrimination marked the entire society, and overseas travel, access to the internet and foreign TV channels were restricted.