Havana, Cuba.- The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel insisted Wednesday on the need to conceive community recreational options from the integrality of all factors, to do with quality and devise recreational proposals that contribute to the cultural, spiritual and educational development of the people.
The dignitary intervened in the joint meeting of the parliamentary commissions of Attention to Youth, Children and Women’s Equal Rights, and Health and Sports.
In that context, the deputies analyzed the verification of the activities conceived by the Project of Recreation and Use of Free Time for the summer period in the municipalities.
Díaz-Canel commented that the COVID-19 meant a halt in sports, cultural and gastronomic services programs, and once the pandemic was overcome, there remained a link of inertia, so he called to resume the good practices and incorporate new ones.
He pointed out that the country is going through complex times, especially from the economic point of view, but it is not possible to let that constitute a brake, because in his opinion if anything helps to promote spirituality is recreation, so it is very important in the current times.
“It is not possible to try to solve with it the deficiencies that provoke in the population other types of processes”, he warned.
He recalled that history, art appreciation and the habit of reading are elements that are worked on at school and that can later be consolidated in recreational spaces.
The President emphasized that the programming of activities for children, adolescents and young people is very important, but it is also important for senior citizens, and options should be designed for this sector.
Likewise, he acknowledged the lack of confectionery, as well as of resources for children’s playgrounds, to which he affirmed that alternatives must be sought, and from the territories, innovation and creative resistance must be put into operation.
Regarding the high prices of the offers in recreational spaces, an issue put on the table by several deputies, the Cuban president assured that where this occurs it is due to the lack of popular and governmental control.
The deputies agreed on the need to take recreation to intricate or difficult to access areas, while expressing their concern about the abuse of cell phones by children and adolescents.
Photo: Omara Garcia Mederos
The increase of night spots, where alcoholic beverages are consumed, to the detriment of other healthy recreational areas, as well as the impact of the transportation situation on people’s access to recreational spaces were also alerted in the interventions.
In addition, a call was made to take better advantage of the Pioneers’ Palaces, the network of Young Computer and Electronics Clubs, the potential of the Union of Cuban Computer Scientists and the university potential.