Cuban Ambassador explains Cuba's electoral system

Accra, Jan 16, GNA - The electoral system in Cuba was constantly being attacked by the United States of America, but it was unique as it represented the voice of the people, Dr. Miguel Perez Cruz, Cuban Ambassador to Ghana explained on Wednesday in Accra. Dr. Cruz told a press conference the press always indicated that Cuba has no electoral system but there was public participation in the selection of President of Cuba which needed to be explained for people to understand.

He said the system was unique to Cuba as the people did not need to use money to run an election or engage in propaganda neither did they need to form political parties.

"It is the ordinary people who propose and elect the leader." He said the structure of the system begun with the council of state which is the body of the National Assembly of people's power that represent in the period between sessions, then followed by National Assembly, the supreme body of power of state and expresses the sovereign will of all the people, the provincial, municipal, constituencies, electoral areas and electoral tables.

He said at the age 16 years, one was qualified to vote in Cuba and that the council of state was accountable for its action to the national assembly's power to which it must render accounts of all its activities. He noted that the national assembly was made up of 50 per cent of the ordinary people 50 per cent of other organizations that elected from among them their deputies, the council of state which consisted of one President, one first vice president, five vice presidents, one secretary and 23 other members.

He said the structure was such that the members of parliament when elected did "not sit in parliament like we have in democratic system but work accordingly and render accounts to the assembly. Dr. Cruz said voting would take place in Cuba on the 20th of January 2008 for provincial and national assembly and "this is the 6th time that Cuba was conducting an election using this system with its leaders running for five years." He said that on the 24th of February after the constituted national assembly, a council of state would be formed. 16 Jan. 08