Havana: Communist Cuba's legislature is to hold its first working session under President Raul Castro next month, its speaker said today.

National Assembly speaker Ricardo Alarcon said in a statement published in official media lawmakers would meet July 11.

Elected in January, the 614 assembly deputies held a constituent meeting February 24 at which the 31-member Council of State was elected; since then it has been led by Raul Castro after ailing Fidel Castro, 81,did not stand for reelection.

Fidel Castro had led the Americas only one-party regime for almost five decades. He remain a deputy but does not attend meetings due to his health limitations following a major intestinal surgery.

Legislative sources said the meeting s agenda as not been finalized but that it will address a report from the mechanical-industrial sector, and that permanent committees will be named for health, defense, science, economy, agriculture, energy and environment issues.

Lawmakers likely will give a seal of approval to farm sector changes, aimed at boosting food production; and could also handle highly sensitive migration-related issues.

In their five-year term, lawmakers could pass social and economic reforms for which he population of he cash-strapped Caribbean nation is keen.

Raul Castro recently lifted a series of bans on Cubans renting cars and hotel rooms and purchasing goods such as pressure cookers, DVDs, electric bikes and cell phones

About 61 percent of Cuba national lawmakers grew up under Fidel Castro s regime.

Source : PTI