Communist economy doesn't work in Cuba, neither do many Cubans

Miami Herald:

Loraicys is 27 years old, has never worked, and refuses to take just any job. She is not alone.

As Raúl Castro embarks on an ambitious plan to kick-start the communist nation's economy, he faces daunting challenges: Many Cubans simply do not work.

Decades of measly salaries and vast government subsidies have kept many young people off the labor rolls because it's more lucrative to hustle on the street. Others live comfortably enough off remittances from Miami and elsewhere.

Loraicys passes on neighborhood janitor positions in hopes of higher-paying work at nearby resort hotels, where she also would have a chance of earning tips in dollars.

''I am not going to tell you something different: there are jobs here in Cárdenas where I live. Doing what? Cleaning hospitals for 150 pesos ($7) a month,'' said Loraicys, a single mom. ``For 150 pesos, I would rather stay home with my kid. I am willing to work really hard, but not for nothing in return.''

While Cuba struggles to increase productivity, it must also find a way to entice hundreds of thousands of people to get a job. The dilemma is one of the profound systemic difficulties Castro faces as he tries to create a so-called modern socialist economy.

The government says there are plenty of jobs -- just low-paying ones Cubans won't take. Even educated professionals would rather work in the tourist industry as waiters or taxi drivers, which earn far more money than state jobs that usually offer about $10 a month.

Loraicys said she has blanketed all the state agencies that run tourist resorts near her home with résumés, but she lacks the high school diploma required for even menial work. So she spends most days hanging out in front of her house, watching horse-and-buggies go by in this Colonial city east of Havana known as Ciudad Bandera, because it is where the national flag was first raised on May 19, 1850.

''If Raúl Castro wants to crack down on people who do not work, then he should offer real jobs,'' said Loraicys. ``Don't you think people would prefer to have independence, to have something they can be proud of?''

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Note that the little sliver of capitalism that is permitted in Cuba is in the tourist business and that is the only place that people have much interest in working. A smart leader would figure that out and offer capitalism a chance, but Cuba has not had a smart leader in decades. When the Castros are gone and people can be rewarded for their efforts, the country will take off.