Mr. Director General;

Excellencies, Heads of State and Government;

I feel honored to bring to this virtual Summit the voice of Cuba, a small developing country, where workers in power struggle on a daily basis to achieve all justice, which was the dream and a commitment of the founding fathers of our nation.

Today, as has been always the case throughout the last 61 years, Cuba is sharing the new and serious challenges facing the International Labor Organization as it enters into its second century of its existence.

The impact of COVID-19 adds to the challenges that the world of work was already facing under the tough rules of the market, which will have undeniably devastating consequences on the various crises generated by this pandemic in all countries’ economies.

Unemployment has increased several times over. Lack of social protection is on the rise, and so are inequality and poverty.

But we should not deceive ourselves. The terrible impact and nefarious consequences of the pandemic all over the world are not only a result of this lethal virus. Years of neoliberal policies and wild capitalism, subject to market laws, are the root cause of the serious global situation.

According to experts, 305 million jobs have already been lost and the livelihoods of 1.6 billion workers are being jeopardized. Hundreds of millions of persons will soon be joining the ranks of those who are already suffering from the inequalities of an unjust international economic order, whose survival is certainly at stake.

These times are dramatically serious and demand concerted actions. Neither governments, nor workers or employers, can afford standing by doing nothing. The colossal endeavor we must devote ourselves to demands solutions in the higher interest of workers’ rights.

Those who create jobs, particularly small and medium producers, will also require assistance.

It is imperative to consolidate social dialogue in the process of defining and implementing policies to confront and recover from the pandemic.

Mr. Director General:

Cuba, a small nation that has been coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, is suffering from the brutal and opportunistic tightening of the economic, commercial and financial blockade policy imposed by the United States, aimed at severely curtailing our trade and our access to fuels and hard currency.

Despite the ever-growing worldwide appeal against it, the blockade imposed on Cuba not only has been maintained since this epidemiological threat broke out in the entire planet, but it has been escalating its criminal harassment against a whole people, viciously punishing all Cuban families.

In the midst of this suffocating economic warfare, our government has implemented actions to protect the health of the entire people; maintain employment rates and defend labor rights and guarantees for all, for these have been the main pillars of our social project.

A total of 36 labor, salary and social security measures have been implemented. Distance working and tele-working are increasing; some workers have been re-assigned to other jobs and salaries have been guaranteed to workers who have remained at home, caring for their younger children and elders, as well as persons with poor health or who have failed to be reassigned to another job; more than 240 thousand self-employed workers have been exempted from paying their taxes; the payment of pensions has been maintained and social workers are paying special attention to families in need, among other actions.

Nobody has been left unprotected. There are now appropriate conditions to initiate the recovery process and move towards the new normality, based on the widest possible participation of the people in the decision-making process.

Mr. Director-General:

International cooperation and solidarity are today more necessary than ever. Nothing is worth more than a person’s life. That is a fundamental principle of the Cuban Revolution, which is at the basis of our international cooperation in the fields of health and education as well as in every other area that contributes to enhance human dignity.

That is why we strongly reject, condemn and repudiate all unilateral coercive measures imposed against sovereign nations like Cuba, Venezuela and others that are today suffering from the most cruel and massive punishments for having chosen a political or social system different from those of the dominant economic powers. Those measures are inhuman and should be eliminated, all the more so in the context of the current pandemic, when sanctions are pointing to genocide.

The International Labor Organization, with an all-encompassing work in favor of social justice, the promotion of decent employment and the protection of the human rights of workers can contribute, within its mandate, to help the world of work leave behind the crisis caused by COVID-19.

Cuba, as a founding country of this Organization, reiterates its willingness to continue strengthening the indispensable multilateralism, solidarity and international cooperation, and remains committed to continue guaranteeing the protection of workers’ rights and move on towards the construction of a more just world.

Work is a sacred right and value. As was expressed by the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, and I quote: “…only by working will it be possible to move forward; only by working will it be possible to produce the goods that the country needs; only by working will it be possible to produce more food; only by working will it be possible to address the country’s most pressing challenges.

Thank you, very much.

(Translation: Minrex)

As the President reported, this meeting of the highest body of the Cuban government was preceded by a discussion in Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, chaired by its first secretary, Army General Raul Castro Ruz, which “approved the work strategy that we must implement.”

Díaz-Canel recalled, “The strategy to confront this period of the pandemic has been prepared, consisting of two stages. The first of these is, precisely, the post-COVID-19 recovery, which implies returning to the greatest possible normality.”

Over the next few days, he added, “Each one of the measures and actions will need to be ready to be implemented when we take this step.”

The President referred to indicators showing that the epidemic in Cuba is being controlled, among these, he noted, that we are back to the point when there are less hospital admissions than discharges in the public health system, with fewer active transmission events and confirmed cases also decreasing.

Almost all municipalities and provinces have reported no new cases for an entire month, and are, therefore, in a position to return to normality, he added.

In addition, medical treatment protocols have been improved based on the opinions of experts, international experience, and the contribution of the Cuban biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. This has put us in a position to control the disease, and, in the last 11 days, we have not had to regret any deaths from COVID-19 and there have been few patients who have developed serious or critical conditions.

This is giving us stability, Díaz-Canel stated, and confirms once again that the country’s main accomplishment is that we never reached the situation that other nations around the world faced, when their health systems essentially collapsed.

“We have worked hard to save lives and the data shows that we are close to recovery,” he said.

During his remarks, the President also commented that, as the country advances in the recovery, “In addition to returning to normal, we will work to prevent this disease from becoming endemic, which is possible.”

He clarified that COVID-19 will continue to be present in the country and that, at a certain point, a number of cases may be detected. Maintaining control of the epidemic means that our health system can be prepared for any eventuality that may occur in the future, Diaz-Canel stated.

In Cuba, he said, there is experience in these matters. The impact of infectious diseases within the country has been reduced considerably in recent decades. The health system has eliminated 14 of those illnesses and significantly minimized nine others.

The President emphasized, “The scaling back of measures has been well thought out and indicators established by health experts, to allow us to evaluate the behavior of the disease and incidence rates.”

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz presented the measures included in the plan to Council of Ministers members, conceived in three phases of a first stage, precisely to “return to normal life in the country, in a gradual and asymmetric manner; to avoid a resurgence and develop capacity to confront one; while reducing vulnerability to long term effects of the disease.”

The measures designed cover several areas, including health, tourism, labor and tax issues, foreign and domestic trade, transport, education, sport and culture. In addition, appropriate summer activities are being planned.

Marrero Cruz clarified, “There will be no abrupt opening during the first phase, although several activities have already been initiated. Gradually, services will be expanded and made more flexible at each stage.”

The implementation of all decisions as part of the plan is conditioned by health protocols that allow the epidemic to be kept under control. Among these measures, he mentioned guaranteeing physical distancing and the mandatory use of facemasks during all activities during the first phase. As of the second phase, masks will only be required in public places where people have congregated.

Individuals with respiratory symptoms will not be allowed to not enter their workplaces at any time; those exposed to infection working in hazardous areas will be provided all necessary protective wear; and hands, as well as surfaces, will be regularly disinfected.

He explained that, with the resumption of international tourism, each visitor will be administered a PCR test for the virus and their temperature will be taken. Teams of specialists will maintain clinical-epidemiological surveillance in the hotels.

Regarding this important sector for the economy, the Prime Minister explained that, during the first phase, only domestic tourism will be opened. In the second phase, international tourism will begin gradually and according to demand, only in the northern and southern keys of the Cuban archipelago.

In these facilities, he said, occupancy will be limited along with capacity in gastronomic and recreational facilities. Car rental and excursions, at first, will be limited to travel on the keys alone.

At the same time, Popular Camping will open for the summer, with a preventative protocol of its own to protect the health of vacationers.

In terms of labor issues, the plan stipulates that individuals who cannot perform their duties at the work site, by order of health authorities, or admitted to an isolation center or hospital, will receive 100% of their salaries. In addition, unpaid leave for mothers with small children, and personalized attention from social workers for at-risk persons, will be maintained.

Measures in the approved plan provide for the gradual resumption of funerary services, as well the opening of offices to pay electricity and gas bills, in the second phase.

Similarly, legal services, including the formalization of marriage, are restored. Beginning in the first phase, criminal proceedings will resume, depending on their urgency, nature and social impact.

In matters of foreign trade, the authority to import in certain categories will be more flexible and the reactivation of exports and foreign investment is encouraged, beginning immediately once the initial phase of the post-COVID-19 recovery is declared.

An important aspect of the strategy is that of domestic commerce, with the plan stipulating that controlled sales of toiletries and cleaning supplies in neighborhood outlets, and regulation of purchases of high-demand products in retail stores, will continue.

Regarding transportation, the Prime Minister noted that, in the first phase, restrictions on entry and exit from the country remain in place. Meanwhile, urban, inter-municipal and rural services, both public and private, are to be restored with limitations. Transport on regular routes between provinces will be restored in the second phase.

The current school year will reopen in September for its completion and in November the new school term will begin. Meanwhile, in Higher Education, classes and entrance exams will continue to be postponed during the first two phases.

As for sports, international events remain suspended, although preparation for these events will resume. In the second phase of the initial recovery period, the 60th National Baseball Series will begin, with necessary physical distancing measures to avoid contagion.

In the cultural sector, museums will begin to open and the commercialization of artistic services will begin, based on the demand from restaurants and tourism, but only within facilities. For the second phase community cultural centers, theatres and cinemas will begin to operate, in accordance with health requirements that have been defined.

Minister Marrero reported that the upcoming summer season was not overlooked in the plan, with swimming pools to be opened at 30 percent of their capacity and a hygiene protocol to be followed strictly. Access to beaches will be under the control of local governments and Ministry of the Interior forces, in order to guarantee compliance with measures and maintain discipline.

During the summer period, activities that involve crowds and large concentrations of persons, including carnivals and other popular festivities, will not be scheduled.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister stressed that the plan guarantees “gradual progress toward normality, without undue haste, so that in the event of any situation that may arise, timely action can be taken.”

The transition from one phase to the next, he emphasized, will depend on health indicators and the specific situation, at the time, in each area of activity.

(Source: Granma)

Leading the meeting of the highest body of the Cuban government, chaired by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, the President said that the objective must be “to achieve the productive transformation that the country needs at this time, to guarantee more efficiency, productivity, utility and income, satisfying internal demand and allowing for export possibilities, while promoting well-being, development and prosperity.

Strategies for the country’s recovery and confronting the global crisis generated by the pandemic are to be presented for approval shortly, the President stated, emphasizing that the plan must “lead to a firmer, surer, more rapid implementation of everything foreseen in the Conceptualization of the Economic and Social Model and policy guidelines.”

Plans for the recovery stage, he noted, must include three fundamental objectives: returning to a new normality; avoiding a resurgence of COVID-19 and addressing any such events effectively; as well as reducing ongoing vulnerabilities associated with the new coronavirus.

Looking toward the post-COVID-19 period, the President identified a number of issues to be addressed, including the gradual, asymmetric increase in activity; implementation of productive processes and services in the shortest time possible; maintenance of physical distancing during the new normality; adoption of differentiated measures for vulnerable sectors of the Cuban population; and preparing steps to be taken during the summer months to avoid an outbreak of the disease.

(Source: Granma)

After listening to two presentations on the strategy guiding work on a Cuban vaccine against SARS-COV-2 and the COVID-19preventive program, Díaz-Canel noted, “Over the last few days it is has become clear that all the efforts we have been assessing, week after week with scientists and the expert group, are producing results.”

The six consecutive days without deaths reported at that time; lower numbers of patients in critical and serious condition; more people recovering from these conditions and less entering them, are, he added, “undoubtedly the result of the clinical trials conducted and the research you have been explaining regularly, which has given us confidence in what we are achieving.”

Commenting on the collapse of many health systems worldwide, with insufficient capacity in intensive care units, the President explained that in Cuba “The day we had the most patients in critical and serious condition, there were 15, and we had prepared, over the three stages, to have more than 1,400 intensive care beds ready to confront COVID-19.”

During the dialogue with the researchers, Díaz-Canel noted that the work done early on was key, “…We detected cases and immediately began to isolate their contacts and contacts of contacts,” not in their homes, he added, but in institutions set up for this purpose.

The President also referred to the gradual process of returning to normality, which, he said, “will not be as normal as before, because there are things that we must maintain into the future as everyday rules, and others that we must conceive of differently.”

The country cannot lose control at this point, he stressed, we must move toward normality, recognizing that people will continue to be infected, but maintaining safety measures to avoid a second outbreak. Herein lies the strength of what we have done thus far, he said, not only evident in what we have experienced, but for what we do in the future.

He indentified two health problems that must be observed and researched: How do we immunize the population with vaccines and use drugs that have proven to boost the immune system? How do we treat children who show signs of long term damage from COVID-19?

“We must not only overcome the illness, but ensure quality of life for those who were sick, make sure they don’t develop complications, children, for example.”

Regarding Cuban vaccine candidates under investigation, the President pointed out, “Although there will be vaccines from other countries, we need our own, to guarantee sovereignty.”

The fact that we are going to have a vaccine will add to our accomplishments, he stated, emphasizing the pride Cubans feel for all that our scientists have done.

“Adding a Cuban vaccine to this, made available in the shortest time possible, will be an important contribution from all points of view,” he said.

During his visit to the Center, the President learned details of the strategy being followed to obtain a Cuban vaccine and aspects that differentiate it from those being developed in other countries.

Staff also explained administration of the preventive injection VA-MENGOC-BC to 17,000 residents in areas of Havana most affected by the pandemic, including 4,000 primary health care workers. This vaccine, although not specific to COVID-19, is proven to strengthen the immune system.

Prior to his tour of the Neurosciences Center, President Díaz-Canel visited the central offices of the Electronics Enterprise Group in Havana, where he learned of progress being made in national industry to support the COVID-19 battle, including the development of a respirator prototype, which, after being certified, will be available to intensive care units, as well as the production of lab coats, protective masks and equipment for disinfection with ultraviolet light.

Accompanied on the visit by Comandante de la Revolución Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, the President highlighted the country’s capacity to produce all types of equipment, based on the talent of our technicians and engineers. We can do whatever we set our minds to, he said, but to do so, we must banish the “import mentality” that hinders development.

(Source: Granma)

As part of this meticulous work, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz commented that some 230 government measures have been adopted, and implementation is moving forward as projected.

He stated that, given the advance of the pandemic globally, and in line with Cuba’s prevention and control plan, the decision was made to request the withdrawal of all foreign vessels from our territorial waters.

He noted that, as the Revolution has taught us, if any situation arises regarding the health of crew members or passengers, technical problems, or fuel supplies, our government will, of course, respond as needed.

The current context also demands the suspension of arrivals to the country of all passenger aircraft, regularly scheduled or charter flights, he stated, since this poses an additional risk for our people.

In this case and as previously announced, exceptions will always be made, for our international brigades, the delivery of donations from another government, an emergency that requires facilitating airport services, or the arrival of needed supplies and merchandise, etc.

Cuban civil aeronautics authorities will convey the decision to airlines that continue to fly to the island, so protocols that are established in such cases are followed, the Prime Minister added.

(Source: Granma)

“As a state and government, we have the responsibility to protect human lives and the entire social fabric, addressing the situation in a comprehensive manner, with serenity, realism and objectivity. There can be no panic, but no overconfidence either,” Díaz-Canel stated.

In his initial comments, the President noted that those who are rightly concerned about the pandemic, and have suggested social isolation or total quarantine, should consider that while the majority of Cubans can isolate themselves, another portion of the population cannot halt activities that are vital to the country.

The President called to banish “selfishness in our reaction to the threats the moment brings. Among our strengths, solidarity has always been a fundamental value, and it is solidarity that we must promote at times like these.”

He said that the Cuban government feels highly committed, aware and responsible for preserving the life and health of our people, and that “this same commitment, this same responsibility, calls us to offer solidarity and cooperate with all those in the world who need it.”

The President said that, given global development of the pandemic, at this time, and the country’s own situation, the decision has been made to intensify detection and isolation work to prevent contagion and transmission.

The first measure announced by Díaz-Canel in this regard was the regulation the country’s ports of entry, with authorization only for residents of Cuba, although there will be flexibility to provide for cooperation with other countries.

“In this way, we ensure the entry of Cubans who are currently abroad, the return of foreign visitors to their home countries, and commercial activity,” he stated.

“This will allow us to avoid new cases, and focus on detecting more cases within the country, and avoid further transmission,” he explained.

This measure, which will be implemented as of Tuesday, March 24, and remain in effect for a period of 30 days, also stipulates that Cuban residents returning to the country will be quarantined for 14 days, to protect families on the island.

President Díaz-Canel also called for more serious application of social distancing practices, in everyday life. “This is responsible behavior to protect the most vulnerable sectors. Young people must avoid infecting their grandparents and parents, who may be the most affected.”

He recommended that highly susceptible persons stay at home, avoiding close contact with others, as much as possible, and reducing the number of contacts and the duration of visits, which have the greatest impact on the possibility of transmission.

He reiterated the importance of working at home, tele-commuting, providing online classes and activities for students, and going out only to purchase food or medicine, or take care of an urgent matter.

“Avoiding crowds, travel and public transportation at peak times, and cancelling social events, also demands a high level of consciousness and responsibility on the part of the population,” he emphasized, without overlooking basic measures like hand washing, keeping a distance of at least one meter from others, and seeking medical attention immediately in the event of any illness.

He said that health measures will be adopted to increase the identification and isolation of those infected, to halt transmission; along with others to regulate commerce, including the identification of activities that must be stopped, and those that must be better organized to avoid crowding.

Also announced were a number of economic measures to protect the population’s income, including restructuring the workweek, extending unemployment benefits and temporarily waiving the payment of taxes, among others.

(Source: Granma)

President Díaz-Canel leads third regional meeting to evaluate implementation of Covid-19 prevention and control plan, noting that steps being taken are no cause for alarm, but rather intended to ensure timely preparation of authorities and the population

“This is not a plan of slogans, this is a realistic plan, to be executed with absolute precision,” said the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, leading the third regional meeting to follow up on Covid-19 prevention and control plans, held in this eastern city, with public health, Party and government authorities in attendance, from the provinces of Holguín, Camagüey, Las Tunas, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo.

No cases of coronavirus have been identified in the country to date, and when they do appear, the news will be reported immediately, Díaz-Canel stated, noting that the situation has been objectively assessed based on the virus’s presence in the region, insisting that steps being taken are no cause for alarm, but rather intended to ensure timely preparation of authorities and the population.

“We must work with a great deal of intelligence. The plan contains fundamental concepts, to be followed by thousands of opportunities to enhance them based on everyday realities,” he stated.

He referred to the importance of community family doctors, basic working groups, district delegates and People’s Council leaders, who can ensure adequate vigilance and the dissemination of timely information at the grassroots level.

“Family doctors will need to work more intensely, covering more ground, visiting all families where there are symptoms of any abnormality associated with this type of virus,” he said.

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero insisted on the importance of outlining procedures for specific types of cases, including those for bed and breakfast inns and private restaurants, serving by a large number of international tourists. He insisted that support for personnel working in these establishments be added to surveillance and prevention plans.

(Source:Granma)

Army General Raul Castro Ruz, Party first secretary, led a meeting of the Political Bureau this week to consider new measures to contain the introduction and spreading of Covid-19 in our country, while yesterday, the Council of Ministers approved an updated plan to confront the new coronavirus

To date, no cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Cuba. Nevertheless, the Council of Ministers, in an extraordinary session yesterday, approved an updated version of the Plan for the Prevention and Control of the new coronavirus, given the continuing expansion of the disease, with 95,315 cases in 80 countries and 3,282 deaths reported thus far.

The international situation prompted the Communist Party of Cuba’s Political Bureau – in a meeting led by its first secretary, Army General Raul Castro Ruz – to specify new measures to contain the risk of introduction and spreading of Covid-19 in Cuba.

Likewise, during the the Council of Ministers meeting, President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez reported that an intense effort was launched to update and improve the Plan approved in January to confront the disease, when the situation was different. What we are doing now, he said, will help us respond in the event of other epidemiological situations that may arise in the future.

He emphasized the fundamental role played by community institutions and organizations, especially family medicine offices, district delegates, Presidents of People’s Councils, mass organizations, and the labor movement.

“All the work we do with the people is important, to ensure that they are well informed, well prepared and can participate. We will accomplish this with popular participation, with the convocation and work of all,” he said.

(Source:Granma)

Heading the meeting of Cuba’s highest body of government, chaired by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, Díaz-Canel stated that, given the tense situation generated by U.S. government aggression, we must do things differently, think differently, but we cannot renounce the plan.

We must erase, from our discourse, any justification of shortfalls based on lack of fuel, he said. This problem may continue and what we must do is focus on how we are going to meet objectives. This is the challenge facing those of us who lead.

“These are times when the example, austerity and dedication with which we conduct leadership processes provide the pennies and drops of fuel we don’t have today.”

In assessing the economy’s performance in the first month of 2020, Díaz-Canel noted that results are acceptable thus far – despite internal problems, the escalation of hostile U.S. policy and continuing efforts to prevent fuel from reaching the island.

On this subject, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Planning Alejandro Gil Fernandez presented a report to the country’s highest leadership body outlining economic indicators that characterized the month of January.

Exports, for example, grew as compared to the same period last year, while imports declined, “in line with the Plan,” he noted, adding, “Remember that for 2020 a decrease in imports was projected, not accompanied by a decline in the economy.” Among the best performing export items were tobacco and lobster.

During the first 30 days of the year, some 393,768 visitors from abroad arrived in the country, 99.5% of the number projected, while goals for domestic tourism were surpassed by 6.7%.

Among other statistics, Gil Fernandez reported that projections for production of steel and lumber were met, while only 94% of the cement planned was in fact produced.

In the food program, he stated, production of rice and eggs was in line with projections, while bean production reached only 64% of the tonnage planned.

During January, 1,629 homes were built to begin the second year of implementation of the national Housing Policy, having successfully met plans during the first year.

Gil Fernandez noted that during 2020 the country should have a more favorable situation in terms of availability of personal hygiene products, especially the more economical lines. Toward this end, and despite the country’s limitations, financing is assured for the purchase of raw materials needed to manufacture soap, toothpaste, detergent, and other high-demand products.

Likewise, steps are being taken to increase the participation of domestic industry in the supply of medium and higher-priced products, sold in hard currency retail stores, including air conditioners and televisions. At the same time, a contract is being negotiated to acquire bicycles and electric tricycles to be sold in these outlets.

Financing is also assured for BioCubaFarma, to alleviate to some extent the deficit of medicines, a situation that will not be solved overnight, he said.

AUTOMATION AND CARE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES:

TWO NEW POLICIES

During this session, Council of Ministers members approved two new policies: one for automation in Cuba and another to improve care and services provided to persons with disabilities, two issues of significant impact in the life of the nation.

Regarding the first, the Minister of Industries Eloy Álvarez Martínez explained, “The objective is to establish the direction of comprehensive development of automation in the country, which should contribute to safety and technical sovereignty, an improvement in quality of life in our society, increased efficiency, and growth in the Gross Domestic Product.”

The policy contains general principles on the ministry’s state responsibility for this strategic issue; the sustainability and development of automation; security in control systems; the development of domestic systems, products and services in this branch; and the preparation of human resources.

This basic outline will be followed by work to include the necessary elements for automation in national economic plans. At the same time, technical and vocational training in associated specialties will be restructured, to include the creation of industrial site learning centers that will contribute to improving students’ training.

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz insisted on the need for development in this arena to be conducted mostly at the national level, to achieve the technological sovereignty Cuba requires. Likewise, he said, automation should be linked to the process of computerization of society which the country has undertaken. The two issues will be assessed jointly and organizations and enterprises must ensure that their production processes are automated and computerized.

The Council of Ministers also considered reports on the improvement of care and services for persons with disabilities, the principles of which were explained by Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, Minister of Labor and Social Security.

She noted that this is an issue to which the Cuban government has given its full support, as part of the Revolution’s social policy and our humanism. Specific objectives have been developed with the active participation of the National Association of the Blind (ANCI), the National Association of Persons with Physical and Motor Disabilities (ACLIFIM) and the Cuban National Association of the Deaf (ANSOC).

According to the design, she pointed out, future work will be directed toward the fundamental aspects of continuing to prioritize care of persons with some type of disability; the elimination of architectural and communication barriers; categorization of artistic talent; and support for high-performance para-athletes.

Although government and institutional work is decisive in achieving a more inclusive society, no less important is the role played in daily life by families, who are responsible for providing careful attention from an early age, with enormous responsibility for care and respect of persons with disabilities, Feitó Cabrera noted.

Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz emphasized that this is a very important issue, given its sensitivity. He reiterated the Cuban government’s commitment to all persons with disabilities, which cannot, he added, replace the commitment of the families.

He insisted that priority must be given to eliminating architectural barriers and to more broadly promote the complementary addition of sign language and subtitling on television.

WATER FOR HAVANA

In 2019, 1,040 millimeters of rain fell in Havana, a number that represents 81% of the historic average for the period and qualified as the lowest in the last decade. This January saw rainfall of only 70% of the average and specialists at the Institute of Meteorology estimate that the pattern will continue until March.

This situation has caused a deficit of 1.75 liters per second in four of the capital’s water supply systems (the Almendares, Vento, Jaruco, Ariguanabo and Sur basins), with a consequent shortage of water and low pressure.

This was reported to the Council of Ministers by the president of the National Institute of Water Resources, Antonio Rodríguez, when he presented a strategy to confront the water situation in the city of Havana during this year’s dry period. At the moment, he said, some 333,000 persons are affected, most facing changes in availability schedules and distribution cycles. Some 51,000 are supplied water from tanker trucks.

During the 2018-2019 dry season, he recalled, more than one million were affected in Havana and some 500,000 were obliged to rely on water truck deliveries. Work on the distribution system carried out between 2012 and 2019 has allowed us to avoid such a serious situation now, Rodríguez stated.

He commented that an action plan is being implemented, to speed up maintenance of networks and conductors, efforts to reduce losses and increase the water supply, drilling of new wells, while limiting excessive consumption and encouraging conservation.

He clarified that the resources to complete these investment projects are in the country, some of domestic production and others imported.

During discussion of the issue, Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman Waugh, emphasized the importance of stemming water losses, “from both conductors and by high-consumption users in Havana, including some that consume almost twice as much as they should, which affects the population, as well, she noted.

José Ramón Machado Ventura, second secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, commented that, just as important as increasing volume, opening new wells and acquiring new pumping equipment, is saving water. Much is lost from large conductors and leaky faucets, and wasted with irrigation practices like flooding. Domestic industry must participate much more in remedying this situation with its productions.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez insisted that all water systems be interconnected to maintain supply when one fails; that efforts to increase potable water treatment capacity continue, along with studies on the possibility of linking small reservoirs near Havana, and increasing the participation of domestic industry in the repair and maintenance of pumping equipment.

He added that work must be done on the automation of Havana’s aqueduct, as well as the capital’s storm sewer and drainage system.

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND RECEIVABLE

Minister of Finance and Prices Meisi Bolaños Weiss reported on the status of overdue accounts receivable and payable at the end of December 2019, a matter that was systematically analyzed by the highest government body and generated a broad, critical debate.

The Minister pointed out that, although there was improvement in the total number of overdue accounts payable in relation to the same period in 2018, the same causes of non-payment seen in previous years continue to manifest themselves, associated fundamentally with debts owed provincial food wholesale suppliers and producers associated with the Food Industry Enterprise Group, by retail companies in the commerce and gastronomy sector, where one of the principal chains of overdue accounts exists.

This is an unresolved issue in the country, she said, and we cannot be satisfied with reducing the amounts that are overdue; we must continue to attack and confront with the utmost rigor the causes and conditions that generate this situation.

Among other aspects, she cited as an example the fact that violations of contracts persist, which are not controlled with the necessary rigor, nor is consistent follow-up conducted by responsible entities; and the reconciliation of debts between enterprises continues to be a pending task, a task not being completed in depth or systematically.

As a principle established by the government, the Minister of Finance and Prices reiterated that the State Budget will not finance losses caused by lack of control and theft.

After the debate on this agenda item, in which it was recognized that overdue accounts payable and receivable constitute one of the most serious and complex problems in the economy, the Prime Minister stated that in order to eradicate them, it is necessary to go to the base, to the provinces and municipalities, and confront the problem firmly where it originates.

President Díaz-Canel, for his part, indicated that the focus with which the matter is analyzed must change; the way control is exercised must change. We cannot admit losses in gastronomy; we must reconcile accounts and make deposits every day, he said.

We must confront theft, Diaz-Canel added, and this is a required, challenging task at the local level, which must be addressed immediately in a prioritized manner, along with the illegal sales that provide a market for products stolen from stores and state establishments. Everyone must take action against illegalities, he stated.

THE LAND REGISTRY, A VALUABLE TOOL

Later on the agenda, the president of Cuba’s Institute of Physical Planning, Samuel Rodiles Planas, presented a report on progress in implementing policies for the development of the national cadastre and strategies to computerize services and procedures which are the responsibility of the country’s Physical Planning system.

According to the report, once the Council of Ministers approved the Policy for the Development of the National Cadastre in March of 2014, the Institute of Physical Planning began work on actions planned, in accordance with projections defined in November of that year for the creation of the Urban Cadastre, which was scheduled for completion in 2021, to simplify and reduce timeframes for procedures needed by the population, including measurements and boundaries of dwellings.

Of the 611 urban human settlements existing at the end of 2019, he explained, 125 have been fully registered, with appropriate surveys and investigations completed.

Rodiles added that work will continue in 2020 to achieve significant improvement in services provided by Physical Planning to the population, which requires further computerization of procedures.

On this subject, Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman Waugh stressed the importance of analyzing the issue in the Council of Ministers, since its impact affects other areas under discussion, including water and food production. She added that the national registry is also a valuable tool in efforts to order communities, both urban and rural.

INDUSTRY AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE, EXPORTS AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT

Also addressed during the February meeting were foreign investment, external credit and exports in industry and domestic commerce, both of which are prioritized in plans for the country’s sustainable development and have an immediate impact on the functioning of the economy.

According to Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, central enterprise management organizations affiliated with the Ministry of Domestic Commerce (Mincin) have approved negotiation directives for two joint ventures: one in the refrigerated food supply arena and another for the marketing of hardware and construction materials.

Industry is among priority sectors in national foreign investment policy and 24 such companies have been established, six in the Mariel Special Development Zone, while negotiations are underway for another 27.

In the area of external loans, the domestic commerce sector is working on identifying sources of financing, to guarantee development and the modernization of technological infrastructure.

Cuban industry has traditionally relied on foreign loans, and important investments financed in this way are currently underway, including modernization projects at the Ramón Peña enterprise, Antillana Steelworks and the Mechanical Combine, as well as facilities where the Cuban press is printed.

Industrial exports last year reached only 79% of the volume projected, mainly due to quality problems; delays in the export schedule; deficits of raw materials; lack of financing; instability of prices on the international market and strong foreign competition, Malmierca stated

This year, he reported, an increase in exports of goods and services related to the electronics industry and recycling of raw materials is expected.

STATE AND GOVERNMENT CADRE POLICY

The main problem with current cadre policy is not a question of numbers, but of a qualitative nature and, above all, related fundamentally to selection, ethical behavior, performance and the work that must carried out in the selection of promising youth.

This was the opinion expressed by Miguel Mario Cabrera Castellanos, head of the State and Government Cadre department, referring to statistical indicators of progress in this arena in 2019.

During his report, he cited aspects such as understaffing, women in management positions, the inclusion of black and mixed race professionals in management positions, and issues of age. With regard to the latter, he pointed out that there is a trend toward a progressive increase in the number of staff over the age of 50, reflecting current demographic trends in the country.

Referring to the mobility of cadres, he said that previously established pools of candidates for different positions are not always used. Also impacting the work is instability in economic, auditing and investment departments. Assistant directors, deputies and substitutes are not always appropriate candidates for promotion; while extended occupation of positions that can be considered transitory is common.

Cabrera additionally reported on professional development and training efforts designed for different management levels and improvement of the evaluation process, the results of which are not effectively used as a management tools.

President Díaz-Canel recalled that this is an issue that has been emphasized on several occasions by the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, and despite progress made, weaknesses in performance, implementation and results persists.

He emphasized that we must all maintain reserves of candidates for management positions, recruit the best and assign them tasks that allow for evaluation of their performance. This is an essential element to be taken into consideration when evaluating cadres,” he insisted, “It is critical to know how you are preparing reserves and how the cadre policy is being implemented in your respective entities.”

He also referred to work styles that must be promoted, which facilitate identifying colleagues with the most potential.

Concluding the meeting, the Prime Minister called for optimism in everything we do, in the difficult times we are living, as we learned from Fidel and Raúl.

The battle we are waging today, he said, is our Moncada, our Granma, our Sierra Maestra, and this battle is about knowing how to find alternatives and solutions to problems, based on the use of local resources.

(Granma)

Here, the President learned about the production of rum, alcohol, liquor and CO2, asking as well about workers’ salaries, environmental protection and the reuse of waste.

“Santa Cruz del Norte is a very important economic pole for the country with the development of energy and hydrocarbons, the food industry, agriculture and other productive sectors,” he stated.

Later, Díaz-Canel visited the vegetable processing plant located near the former Camilo Cienfuegos sugar mill in Hershey, where export quality products are prepared, also marketed at the Mariel Special Development Zone.

He also toured the SAVING ceramic tile factory, a Cuba-Vietnam joint venture, unique in the country with modern technology that allows for production of up to 3 million square meters per year.

(Granma)