The World - News from Feb. 5, 1986

Cuban President Fidel Castro, warning he will not tolerate “negligence, laziness, inability or irresponsibility,” launched his harshest attack ever on inefficiency and bureaucracy in his country. In a four-hour speech opening the 3rd Communist Party Congress, Castro cited disappointing export levels, unnecessary imports, bad service and poor-quality consumer goods. On the plus side, he said that the economy has grown in the last five years by an annual average of 7.8%. He also asserted that his government has met the food, health, housing and educational needs of the island’s 10 million residents.