Cubans want new leader to tackle economic woes

By Nelson Acosta

HAVANA (Reuters) - When Cuba's National Assembly met to pick the nation's first new president in half a century, many Cubans treated it as just another Sunday, shopping for groceries or washing the car.

Some huddled around radios and televisions as Raul Castro was confirmed as successor to his sick brother, Fidel Castro.

Others went on with the daily business of coping with the economic hardships that plague daily life in the Caribbean island after nearly five decades of communist rule and a U.S. embargo.

In the ramshackle streets of Havana, where the announcement of the new president was met with little surprise, people bought fruit and vegetables at corner markets while others played dominoes on the sidewalk.

Many are hoping the new president will bring some relief.

"Raul won't be able to get the economy back on an even keel without dedicating a lot of time to economic improvements for Cubans," said Rolando Bellman, 59, a security guard.

"How can the state sell most its products and goods in a currency that it doesn't use to pay people? This is a big contradiction to resolve in the future," he added.

One of the biggest financial complaints is Cuba's dual currency system. While wages -- which average $15 a month -- are paid in local pesos, basic consumer goods must be bought with the official hard currency called convertible pesos or CUCs. There are 24 national pesos to a CUC.