CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Cuban Council of Ministers Meeting Held on Saturday.

By Leticia Martínez Hernández and Yaima Puig Meneses
CUBA, May 17, 2011.- The price increases on the international market, particularly of foodstuffs and fuels, was a major factor considered in the update of the Economic Plan for 2011 during a meeting last Saturday of the Cuban Council of Ministers, presided over by Army General Raul Castro.

As Raul explained in the closing session of the 6th Congress of the Cuban Communist Party, the price increases alone raised the cost of planned imports for the year by an extra amount of more than 800 million dollars.

The meeting was warned about the current big imports of commodities which could be produced in this country, a situation that keeps it tied to the trends of the external market.

Participants acknowledged the results of the latest sugar cane harvest, which far from being optimum, allowed meeting the production plan and increased the export of sugar and its derivatives.

The ministers also analyzed a report on the state budget update, which revealed an income growth due to, among other factors, the additional sales (out of the ration system) of commodities such as rice, bread, sugar and eggs, as well as due to the taxes and contributions by the self-employed workers.

The results of an analysis about the implementation of self-employment revealed inadequate initial preparation for that process at local levels. The analysis indicated that in several municipalities, for instance, not all necessary conditions were created to guarantee appropriate attention to those persons interested in joining self-employment. Some documents not established in the legislation were unnecessarily requested, which led to additional actions, while the license-granting procedures experienced excessive delays. At the same time, some self-employees maintain their businesses set up on main city thoroughfares, which runs against an proper urban image, while there are state-owned facilities with very low activity levels, so they would be more efficiently used if rented out for these purposes.

The Council of Ministers agreed to extend to all self-employment activities the hiring of workers and continue boosting this working modality. The Cuban press will continue to print articles giving more details about this issue analyzed at the meeting.

Participants also adopted a proposal to extend the timetable set for the treatment of redundant workers, on the grounds of principles such as not hiring new personnel except for crucial necessities and prioritizing the relocation of workers to non-state jobs.

Army General Raul Castro insisted that such a huge task, involving so many people, requires time, appropriate organizational conditions for its implementation and paying attention to the smallest details in order to adjust this process to the country’s realities. Raul reiterated the principle that no Cuban will be left unprotected.

In this regard, the ministers learned that a major concern has focused on pregnant women who might be declared redundant workers without the possibility to be relocated. According to legislation, these women would only benefit from a one-month salary and then they would remain with no right to get the money stemming from the maternity leave. In the face of such unfavorable situation, their rights to a paid leave for 18 weeks, divided into six weeks before delivery and 12 afterwards, on the Social Security Budget were recognized.

Finally, the ministers watched a TV reportage by journalist Gladys Rubio about the Special Development Zone in the western Mariel harbor, a project for a modern port facility that will further widen Cuba’s doors to the world. (Cubaminrex-Granma)

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