The Party must be increasingly closer to and involved in all processes, in both the production and service arenas. The route to making life more similar to what we want is through our ties with the people, and untapped potential exists, stated Roberto Morales Ojeda, Party Political Bureau member and secretary of Organization and Cadre Policy.
Speaking on the Mesa Redonda television program, focused on Party efforts giving continuity to agreements reached at its 8th Congress, he recalled that, in the 7th Congress five years ago, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz emphasized the Party’s critical role in the country’s economic development, the struggle for peace and ideological resolve.
A deep analysis of these issues was presented in the Central Report to the 8th Party gathering, which was reiterated in the closing remarks by Central Committee First Secretary and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who called for strengthening the internal life of the organization to more effectively impact life outside the Party, that is, the economic and social development of the country, closely related to Cubans’ quality of life.
Based on these documents, Morales explained, a process of discussion has begun at all levels of the Party and government, the Union of Young Communists and mass organizations, with the purpose of defining the concrete responsibilities of every member in their areas, to ensure that agreements reached during the Congress are implemented.
Morales noted that, in his opinion, meetings with principal leaders of the organization at different levels have shown that the membership is not waiting for directives. This, he said is a reflection of the necessary changes underway, “Because a Party branch does not have to wait for orders to discuss a problem that is undermining the quality of a service or production of a given item, or one that affects the people.”
He insisted that nothing is alien to the Party, be it food production, housing construction or recreation and summer activities.
He pointed out, “Despite the pandemic, we expect favorable results from the sanitary interventions underway, and by the end of June we will have 20% of the population immunized and, by the end of August, 70%, which, along with continued adherence to hygienic-sanitary measures, will allow for greater opening (of the economy).”
Morales added that both the Secretariat and the Political Bureau have clarified the issues to be analyzed, and at the same time have identified indicators that will be used to evaluate what is accomplished. Party efforts to support implementation of the 63 government measures approved to increase food production, he noted as an example, also include keeping track of how this translates into more food, more vegetables, more milk.
The Party is now focused on giving continuity to agreements reached at its 8th Congress, held in April. Photo: Juvenal Balán
He added that an analysis of the sugar cane program is scheduled to take place shortly, since this season’s results were not good. A better outcome is not expected this year, but the planting of cane for the 2022-2023 harvest must be guaranteed.
Regarding the strengthening of Party work, he mentioned that the Secretariat has proposed to attend meetings of provincial bodies, at least once every three months, and those of local units every six months, without replacing the coordination already in place at these levels.
He emphasized that locals must “increase their militancy, since, although the economic blockade remains intact, what we can achieve also depends on our own efforts.”
Morales emphasized the work of cadres on the basis of our concepts and premises, first of all, the concept of Revolution. Assuming tasks with optimism, confidence and commitment is imperative; getting to the bottom of problems, with sensitivity, a sense of urgency, avoiding carelessness and consolidating a culture of attention to detail and good taste.
The transformation Party work, he stated, is based on another three pillars: use of scientific methods; the updating of communications strategies, with greater visualization of our efforts; and advancing the process of computerization which must reach mass organizations and the Young Communists League, and involve Party schools.
At another point in his remarks, Morales reported that the work of Central Committee commissions focused on ideological and economic activities, as well as science and innovation, is also being studied, and findings will be submitted to the body’s Second Plenum.
THE BATTLE FOR FOOD PRODUCTION
The Party supports the Ministry of Agriculture (Minag), with its ten state enterprise groups and more than 300 enterprises; as well as the Ministry of Food Industry (MINAL) and the Azcuba enterprise group, noted José Ramón Monteagudo Ruiz, Central Committee Secretariat member responsible for agro-alimentary activity, emphasizing that the battle for development of the national economy is decisive to constructing the society we want.
At the 8th Congress, he explained, the First Secretary called for greater pro-activity and mobilization of the country’s energy to meet sustainable development objectives. Among these, the Party considers food sovereignty and security as essential.
This commitment is evidenced by the fact that, of 201 updated policy guidelines, 17 are related to food production and processing. Thirty-three policies have already been approved in this regard. The issue is also prioritized in the National Development Plan through 2030 and, of course, the current socio-economic strategy.
In order to better perform all these tasks, the Central Committee is perfecting its work system, Monteagudo stated and, as a distinctive element, he highlighted the strengthening of leadership bodies and local units; as well as ties with party members, youth, workplaces and a comprehensive approach to issues.
He commented that the Party is now focused on political and ideological support for the 63 measures approved to increase agricultural production, and also prioritizes those intended to strengthen the socialist state enterprise. The Party, he added, must ensure that measures in each arena are implemented as designed, and that workers feel the benefits.
Other important issues include territorial self-sufficiency, developing each locality’s full potential, starting with the cultivation of arable land. In this respect, he reported that more than 2,600,000 hectares of idle land have awarded to farmers across the country, which should have a notable impact on efforts to expand production.
In addition to all this, he noted, is the task of improving the state sugar enterprise group Azcuba, which includes having the company’s active presence in all the country’s 56 sugar mills, improving support to the cane harvest and plantation recovery plans.
THE CHALLENGE OF STRENGTHENING STATE ENTERPRISES
Among the transformations in the internal functioning of the Party which the 8th Party Congress approved, is a new body headed by Félix Duarte Ortega, member of the Central Committee Secretariat, which will focus on support to Industry, Construction, Tourism, Transportation and Services, and include two departments.
One, he explained, is related to the production of goods and services in the country, collaborating with the Ministries of Energy and Mines, Industries, Construction, Tourism, Transportation, Communications and Domestic Commerce, as well as the Institute of Water Resources and the Institute of Physical Planning.
The other department will address political activity in the General Customs of the Republic, 33 Central Enterprise Management Groups (OSDE), and seven trade unions linked to the aforementioned ministries, he said.
“In this department, we have more than 105,000 Party members in 9,068 units across the entire country, and the arena includes approximately 1,150,000 workers, of whom some 750,000 are employed in the state sector,” he specified.
Referring to the challenges the Party faces, Duarte Ortega emphasized the importance of the Secretariat maintaining close ties with provincial and municipal committees, mass organizations and grassroots bodies.
We must work on ensuring that all these political forces, the mass of workers we can count on, play their role in each one of the activities and sectors we assist, he expressed.
“We must also be able to respond to the problems the national economy faces today, which, given the economic blockade and limited availability of financing, material resources and fuel, impose greater challenges on the enterprise system.”
Among the challenges to be met, he asserted, is the strengthening of management by all economic actors, and especially socialist state enterprises. In this task, he argued, the Party plays a fundamental role given its mission of bringing forces together and demanding results, without interfering in the administration of entities.
Concluding the discussion, Roberto Morales Ojeda reported that the holding of accountability assemblies will begin in November and December, continuing into January and February of 2022, starting with discussions within Party district committees and then at the municipal and provincial levels
He noted that the intention is that these meeting conduct an evaluation of what has been done during the period since the last review, above all, to analyze progress in implementation and fulfillment of the ideas, concepts and directives emerging from the Congress.
He added that the objective is to discuss the accountability reports with the entire membership, to ensure that, at the time of the assembly, be it district or provincial, significant debate with broad participation has already taken place.
(Taken from Granma)