Cuba urges economic gain, work at May Day rally

HAVANA-Hundreds of thousands of Cubans marched through Havana's Revolution Square on Thursday for a red-splashed May Day celebration that urged economic gains and increased productivity from workers.A sea of people, wearing red shirts and waving red flags, paraded through the vast square as President Raul Castro, making his first May Day appearance as Cuba's leader, looked on from a podium beneath a statue of national hero Jose Marti.He did not speak, but the emphasis Castro has placed on improving Cuba's socialist economy was a dominant theme during the annual festivities that celebrate the international labor movement."It is fundamental to concentrate efforts on increasing production and productivity, above all of food," said Cuban labor leader and high-ranking Communist Party official Salvador Valdes Mesa in a speech to the gathered masses.He said there had been "modest advances" in production and services, but that Cuba must "reduce costs and achieve the economic efficiency we need."The same message was seen on some of the banners carried by marchers."With efficiency, quality and productivity, we salute the first of May," said one."Work, resist, overcome," read another.

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