At the end of May, all the provinces have been evaluated in decline in compliance with the Housing Policy and the program of local production of construction materials, as revealed this Tuesday in the monthly meeting with the governors and mayors, led by the member of the Political Bureau and Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz.
From the Palace of the Revolution and by videoconference with the territories, this sensitive issue motivated an in-depth analysis, taking into account that, only at the end of the fifth month of the year, 3,579 homes were completed, which represents 0.8% of the need for homes to eliminate the housing deficit.
In this sense, Dilaila Díaz Fernández, general director of Housing, pointed out that very low execution rates are maintained, negatively affecting the different indicators. «As a general rule, the projected times to stop the deterioration and resolve the deficit increase, this is a sign of the territories’ lack of attention to what is oriented.
“Havana, Camagüey, Mayabeque, Santiago de Cuba and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, in that order, are the ones with the highest incidence,” highlighted Díaz Fernández, who explained that the production levels of construction materials are insufficient, since They represent less than 0.5% of the need in all areas. This, without a doubt, impacts the behavior of the terminations.
The review of the housing program is not new in these meetings, and the materialization of solutions becomes increasingly urgent. In this sense, the Prime Minister recalled that when the Government’s projections were reported to correct distortions and re-boost the economy this year, it was called to “do different things, not a little more of the same”, despite the problems objectives that slow down development and growth.
«On the issue of housing, it is an objective limitation that there is no cement or steel, and in the short term there will not be a substantial change in the production of these elements. So, what can we do as a Government, which has a responsibility to the people, so that a program as important as this does not stop? “Do different things from the local production of materials,” he noted.
Marrero Cruz pointed out that, to the extent that the production of construction materials and the manufacture of ovens are developed, more clay deposits are sought, this will contribute to the sustainability of the housing program. “The safest resources that we are going to have are those that we are capable of producing,” said the Head of Government, who indicated updating the strategies of each territory to promote this important line.
POPULAR RICE PRODUCTION MOVEMENT
Compliance with the Law on Food Sovereignty and Food and Nutritional Security since the creation of local productive systems, particularly the state agro-industrial company, and the popular rice productive movement, was also a topic of analysis at this meeting, in which , by videoconference, the member of the Political Bureau Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People’s Power and the Council of State.
As explained by Ydael Pérez Brito, Minister of Agriculture, the objective is to increase all small and medium-scale rice growing areas, deliver quality seed, produce the rice that demands the self-sufficiency of producers, productive bases and companies, and increase sales of the rice. cereal in state markets, agricultural fairs and popular councils to gradually replace its import.
In this regard, the vice prime minister, Jorge Luis Tapia Fonseca, stressed that the most important thing is the reserve that exists. «In each province and municipality we have identified a significant number of areas where popular rice can be planted, and with the whole issue of self-consumption, all companies must have areas, together with those that we can assign in the territories. “That’s strategic.”
Likewise, he warned that there is more rice planted and that it is produced, but not everything is contracted and, therefore, the quantities must be well quantified. «On the other hand, we have to study the harvest program and the purchase of that rice, because it does not reach the prioritized destinations. The governments in the municipalities and provinces have to control that. Another element that we have to evaluate are the incentives to buy that rice,” he said.
The agenda of the meeting included attention to the proposals formulated by voters in different ways to their delegates. Looking ahead to the accountability process, which begins on September 20, the Prime Minister recognized that this constitutes a challenge and must be aware that its success lies in its preparation.
“Life has shown us that when there is a systematic exchange with the people, when things are explained, even without having the solutions, people reason and understand, even if they have dissatisfaction,” said Marrero Cruz.
“The population has to see that we are accompanying them from the neighborhood,” while highlighting something that has always characterized us: “the truth ahead, the simplicity, the dissatisfaction we have with the problems that are still pending,” he reiterated.
THE POPULATION, THE MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE
During the meeting, information was provided on the behavior of the demographic situation in recent years in the country. Recognizing that the population is the most important resource we have, Juan Carlos Alfonso Fraga, vice head of the National Office of Statistics and Information, pointed out that, in the case of Cuba, its trend of total and natural decrease will continue, it will age and urbanize. .
When referring to the aging of the population, the Prime Minister pointed out that this phenomenon impacts the economic and social life of the territories, which is why a more comprehensive approach and “extraordinary measures are required, since the nation has to continue developing.”
He warned that from the municipalities and provinces there is no in-depth monitoring of these complexities, which must be analyzed from the base to find alternative solutions. «When we talk about the aging of the population we have to plan to continue improving the situation of grandparents’ homes and nursing homes, look for ways to make life better for those people who accumulate years of experience and work.
«It is also necessary to identify reserves of the State Budget, because the first change we have to talk about is increasing the pensions that people with advanced age have; We have to transform that, it is something necessary and it impacts people from all social sectors,” he expressed.
Likewise, the Head of Government referred to the study carried out on informal work, where the majority earn – possibly more than the average salary – but has no future guarantee and this must be rearranged, because, in the event of an accident, illness, who can no longer work for reasons of age, they should be assisted.
«Added to this is also the work of updating the number of people who, having physical and mental abilities, neither work nor study. In this matter we must move to a higher stage, of demands, of implementing what is established,” said Marrero Cruz and asserted that the demographic dynamics must be addressed together.
Finally, the Prime Minister indicated to specify the plans and adopt the necessary measures to face the current cyclonic season, guarantee political-cultural activities to celebrate July 26 and make every effort to ensure the closure of the school year.
In addition, he called for a good summer to be guaranteed, not only in terms of cultural, sports and recreational actions, but also in terms of the basic services that the population receives. He also ratified that in recent months there has been intense work on the implementation of the Government’s projections to correct distortions and re-boost the economy during the year 2024, especially those related to issues of greatest impact for the people.
