HAVANA, Cuba.-The meeting of the Council of Ministers corresponding to July, led by its President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, discussed policies for the improvement of the system of territorial planning and urban and land management, as well as the special plan for the management of Varadero tourist pole.

They also analyzed the territorial planning scheme in four mountain massifs of the country, the results of the newly concluded sugar harvest and the projections for the next one.

Anelis Marichal Gonzalez, director of Land Management and Urban Planning of the Physical Planning Institute, presented the policy for the improvement of the system of territorial and urban order and for land management. She said it is the result of the working group composed of representatives from different agencies and entities. In addition, experiences from other regions of the world were taken into account.

Among the main current problems, there is the lack of articulation between the instruments of territorial and urban ordering with the Economic Plan, and the insufficient participation of key players in the development and management of instruments. There is also an inadequate assessment of soil and its mishandling, as well as low densities of its occupation by the use of typologies and constructive technologies that are not favorable.

The high social conditioning of physical planning demands that its instruments be useful tools for the exercise of public administration, while becoming a territorial complement to the economic and social development plans.

Hence, the importance of the policy adopted by the Council of Ministers, that endorses the activity of territorial and urban planning and land management, according the Guidelines of the Social and Economic Policy approved at the Seventh Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba.

The President of the State and Ministers Councils highlighted the enormous relevance of this policy that allows guidance in the territorial and urban planning in relation to land management.

Later, Samuel Rodiles Planas, President of the Physical Planning Institute, presented the Special Plan of Urban Ordering of Varadero, considered the main tourism destination of the country.

Varadero, with 22 kilometers of beach of white and fine sands, warm and transparent waters, is a natural heritage par excellence that will have about 45 thousand rooms, including complementary services and facilities.

The adoption of this Special Plan, designed in stages, strengthens order and control over the territory and its area of influence. It also conducts the investment program taking into account the current and future perspective in the territory, and corresponds to the nation’s strategic lines of economic development.

In this regard, the President of the Provincial Assembly of the People’s Power in Matanzas, Tania Leon Silveira, considered that this plan reinforces existing determinations and regulations and defines in detail the path to follow seven years of a process to consolidate the territorial order in the Peninsula.

For its part, Diaz-Canel appreciated that with the implementation of this Special Planning Plan we must enforce the indication and aspiration of Army General Raul Castro Ruz to continue the beautification of the town, so that Varadero remains that place that distinguishes tourism in Cuba.

The Council of Ministers later approved the Territorial Planning Scheme of the Mountain Massifs. The President of the Physical Planning Institute explained that it i proposes a model to foster the rational and sustainable use of natural resources, as well as efficient land use and development and elevation of people’s living conditions. It also aims to strengthen the human settlement system.

The official added that mountain massifs “occupy 16.4% of the Cuban territory, are present in 47 municipalities of nine provinces, concentrate 50% of the forest formations and provide permanent residence to about 550 thousand people, which means 5% of the country’s population.”

Among its potentials, the official mentioned the existence of soils for agroforestry production; predominance of natural forests and 6 watersheds of national interest; important metal, non-metallic, mineral, and mineral-medicinal deposits; as well as 69 protected areas, whose environmental, landscape, cultural and historical values allow to enhance different forms of tourism.

The presidents of the Provincial Assemblies of the territories where the massifs are located, agreed to highlight the usefulness of the document as a working tool to ensure the sustainable development of mountain areas.

AZCUBA in Perspective Development

Julio Garcia Perez, president of the Azcuba Sugar Group, informed the Council of Ministers that the newly concluded sugar harvest reached 87% of the compliance with the Sugar Ton Plan.

There was an affectation of 13% due to low agro-industrial efficiency; lack of workforce completion; delay in the entrance of some insurances, which affected the enlistment and availability of power plants, harvesters and trucks; high industrial lost time, in harvest and transport; poor condition of roads; impact of climate; and external involvements.

Notwithstanding these realities, Garcia Perez recognized that “non-compliance with the sugar plan could have been minimized with greater use of the potential standard in the period when atmospheric conditions allowed it and a better organization, direction and discipline.”

The Council of Ministers also approved the projections for the 2019-2020 sugar harvest.

Salvador Valdes Mesa, First Vice-President of the Councils of State and Ministers, defined as strategic everything related to the sugar harvest recovery, for which it is necessary to make the utmost effort until the end of the year and to comply with the planting cane plan. This is important not only for the production of derivatives, but also because of the prospects of changing the country’s energy matrix and the fundamental role of sugar cane biomass in it.

Similarly, President Diaz-Canel underlined the need to introduce research results on the problems of sugar harvest, so that solutions are proposed to work on a “stronger ground”.

He also emphasized that exports in the sector, especially derivatives, should continue to be boosted, a route that offers new possibilities, and within which there are now important businesses in different phases, mainly regarding rum.

The President further emphasized that in the next sugar harvest the first bioelectric will be incorporated, as part of the renewable energy sources program. It should mean a positive impact so it can contribute to electricity generation and the benefits in the performance and profitability of the sugar industry.

Another issue to pay attention to and science is the development of seeds and cane varieties.

Later, Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz, Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, presented a comprehensive analysis of the work of Azcuba Sugar Group on foreign investment, use of external credits and exports, as part of which “it is necessary to identify positive experiences, review difficulties and vulnerabilities and project superior results.”

Malmierca acknowledged that the Business Group gained experience and assumes the conception that foreign capital is a priority for the sector.

With regard to obtaining loans, the Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring that new financings link debt service to the results of the investment itself, and have well-defined sources for depreciation.

The official explained that, despite production breaches, at the end of June 2019, exports in securities were exceeded 116.7%, motivated by obtaining favorable prices regarding to the designed plan and the sales of derivatives.

When Internal Control Is Neglected

Gladys Bejerano Portela, Comptroller General of the Republic exposed two cases denoting lack of control of resources, monitoring and sensitivity on the part of those who are responsible.

In both situations, they violated the rules of the internal control system with the consequent violations and indisciplines, and lack of risk identification and preventive measures. Besides, the counterparties of the managers and the collegiate management bodies did not react in a timely manner to these problems became part or lived with them.

The President of the Councils of State and Ministers insisted that waiting for another one to do our fair is not how we have called for work. We have spoken of revolutionary sensitivity and concern, as well as the responsibilities that must characterize those who perform administrative functions. No one here can stand still knowing that something is being done wrong.

The Council of Ministers also discussed the measures identified to boost economy, which will be gradually approved in the coming weeks and months.

 

Taken from www.presidencia.gob.cu