Economy and Planning Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez affirmed on Monday in the western city of Pinar del Rio that Cuba is prepared to confront economic and ecological catastrophes in the world.

Winding up a national activity commemorating Day of the Economist, the Cuban official explained that since 2004, the island has been experiencing a growth of its Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and at the end of the year the growth will be around 10 percent.

"We must confront complex situations, said the Economy Minister, like the ever growing oil prices forcing us to carry out strict savings policies in the use of oil", although he recognized the island's advances in the current Energy Revolution.

He stressed the importance of the population's debates on the speech delivered by First Vice President Raul Castro last July 26th and discussions with the workers of the 2008 budgets of their work places. These discussions, said Jose Luis Rodriguez are the type of analysis that legendary guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara considered of great importance.

The complex international situation, said the Cuban Economy Minister, "forces us to have an in depth knowledge of economic issues".
(CubaNews)