HAVANA (Reuters) - Cubans have a new vehicle to express their opinions: letters to the editor of the ruling Communist Party newspaper Granma.
Letters for and against reforms under consideration byCuba's new President Raul Castro were published by Granma onFriday.
One writer called for the elimination of the dual currencysystem, a major source of complaint among Cubans, who are paidin Cuban pesos but must buy many consumer goods in Cuba's hardcurrency Convertible pesos worth 24 times more.
Publication of the letter was a novelty in a country wherethe press is controlled by a one-party state that allows noindependent media and has a record of suppressing dissent.
It follows a new trend of stimulating public debate startedby Raul Castro since he took over running the government whenhis brother Fidel Castro fell ill in mid-2006. The older Castrohas not appeared in public again and his brother was installedlast month as Cuba's first new leader in half a century.
Raul Castro has encouraged Cubans to speak out on theproblems that need fixing in the inefficient economy heinherited from his brother.
The letters to the editor section began to appear lastFriday in a larger edition of Granma with 16 pages instead ofthe usual eight.
"The idea is to show the public what people think. It isthe people that will write the letter," said a journalist atthe newspaper, who asked not to be named.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Bill Trott)
