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Cuba Opens Door to Most Small Business Initiatives

Reuters

   HAVANA, CUBA - In a major reform of the state-dominated economy, the
   Cuban government will allow small private businesses to operate in most
   fields, eliminating its limited list of activities, state-run media
   reported on Saturday.

   The measure, coming as the Caribbean island seeks to recover from an
   economic slump, will expand the field from 127 activities to more than
   2,000 Labor Minister Marta Elena Feito Cabrera was quoted as saying.
   She spoke at a council of ministers meeting that approved the policy.

   She said there would be 124 exceptions, but the media reports provided
   no details.

   Reform-minded Cuban economists have long called for the role of small
   business to be expanded to help jump-start the economy and to create
   jobs.

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