HAVANA, Cuba. – Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, headed this Tuesday the meeting of the Council of Ministers that analyzed the behavior of the Cuban economy until last April, as well as the directives for the preparation of the Plan of Economy and State Budget for next year.

Other issues related to administrative corruption and the potential of the Military Industry Union according to the national economy were also included on the agenda of the meeting of the highest governing body.

Cuban Economy at the End of April

The first Deputy Minister of Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil Fernandez, informed the members of the Council of Ministers about the performance of the Cuban economy at the end of April.

Among other topics, he said that there is a good behavior to date in exportable lines such as rum, lobster, shrimp, nickel and steel.

During the period under review, several prioritized investments were checked, including those of the furniture industry program, the modernization and expansion of textile industry in Holguin province; the recovery of fuel capacities, and the new international hotel in Varadero.

These investments are going well, the official considered, although not without any mistimes, that show, in some cases, a limited preparation of the actors involved in the investor processes. It is essential to overcome deficiencies and ensure that investments are amortize with their performance, without subtracting liquidity from economy, the first Deputy Minister said.

In general, the manufacturing industry has suffered from raw material shortages. However, at the end of the semester, major productions are guaranteed such as soap, toothpaste, perfumery, tin cans, irrigation systems and cylinders for liquefied gas, among others.

On tourism it was pointed out that despite the damage caused by Hurricane Irma was restored before the start of the high season, there were effects on marketing in major issuing markets. That adds to the intensification of measures by the United States Government, questions that did not prevent that the figure of two million visitors would be surpassed in May.

Gil Fernandez concluded that for the second semester of the year we must place resources where they are essential and find solutions with available inventories and local productions. It is not possible to think that in the face of breaches in national production, the alternative is import.

In this regard, Diaz-Canel pointed out that amid the complications that are also imposed now by the damage caused by heavy rains, we must be as close as possible to the fulfillment of the Plan of 2018.