Minister of Industry Alfredo López Valdés called for frank discussion of problems to find the best solutions, during the annual review of the ministry’s work in the sector, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez participating.
The President of Cuba’s Councils of State and Ministers described industry as key to the country’s development. We have tremendous potential in terms of human resources and technology, he said, that can be modernized to achieve technological sovereignty in different areas.
Two critical aspects cannot be overlooked in productive activities and the provision of services, he insisted. One is the quality of everything we do, and the other is assuring the sustainability in three essential arenas: the economic, social, and environmental.
If we focus everything is this fashion, he commented, our work will be increasingly comprehensive.
In a sector such as this, he emphasized, in which the development of productive forces is important, a minimum should be regulated, to allow processes to flow. He noted that the Ministry of Industry has promoted both electronic government and electronic commerce, but that more attention must be paid to automation and robotics, two critical lines of development.
Faced with the reality that the economically active population is declining, given the country’s current demographic situation, it is imperative to find as many ways as possible to ensure that productive processes yield more, more efficiently, he noted.
In this context, the President emphasized the need to analyze how to modernize the machine tools existent in the country, which are strong, in good shape, but must be automated, saying, “These are key to the country, whatever can be developed here to improve a lathe, for example, must be applied in all shops fabricating replacement parts.”
As lines of daily work, he also noted the practice of calling on those who know the most, highlighting relations of different bodies with universities and research centers, saying, “We have very complex problems to solve, and to do so we need scientific research, that allows us to innovate and solve problems.”
He once again insisted on the need to learn how to communicate, not only with the population and workers, but between enterprises, to get to know each other and defend the products we are capable of making. The importing of many items is due to a lack of knowledge of domestic products and their strengths.
Given the focus of promoting foreign investment wherever possible, he referred to the essential importance of strengthening enterprise economic management and negotiating teams, to ensure that they are capable of conducting efficient market studies and adequately promoting foreign investment in all its modalities.
As another area of untapped potential for development, the President highlighted productive chains linking different economic actors, such as foreign investment, exporting, tourism, the non-state sector, home construction, and domestic industry.
In the specific case of transportation, one of the most pressing priorities for the population and the economy, he recalled that the country already has an assembly enterprise that could take on other production lines, to develop alternatives to provide the country with solutions. He commented that there is great potential to substitute imports in this sector, such as the retreading of tires, recycling of raw materials, and the fabrication of replacement parts.
Referring to investment projects, he insisted that adequate preparation and planning are fundamental, to ensure their successful execution.
He again mentioned the priority that must be given to human resources, and especially skilled workers, since their stability on the job is not only a question of salaries. Also important at times, he said, are motivation, working conditions, the way in which people’s opinions are valued, and opportunities provided for youth to develop.
The President insisted on the importance of everything that can be done to improve internal accounting, and especially to eliminate the misappropriation of gasoline, that causes serious damage to the economy.
On the basis of discussions on the national level, as well as proposals from within enterprises themselves, we can further strengthen domestic production, neglected for years under the premise that it was easier to import, he said, adding, “With the talent we have in Cuba, we can accomplish what we set our minds to, but we must open up our thinking a bit, our way of acting, prioritize.”
This is the path forward we propose to consolidate, on which we will continue to advance, to promote the development of national industries, he insisted.
With the presence, additionally, of Comandante de la Revolución Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, a vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, representatives from different enterprise groups affiliated with the Ministry of Industry reported on several lines of their daily work, through which the determinant role of this sector, key to the nation’s economic development, is gradually being consolidated.
Strengthening production is among the many challenges faced by the Steel and Metallurgical Industry Enterprise Group, called upon to supply the national market with products of increasingly greater quality. The incidence of this industry in the economy is primary, since it is its responsibility to fill orders for spare parts in different branches of industry, and develop products to meet the nation’s needs, of quality that increasing approaches international standards. “Everything that can be done in this industry gives us sovereignty,” it was emphasized.
Comandante de la Revolución Ramiro Valdés Menéndez specifically addressed the Electronics Group, noting that, in addition to all that has been done to facilitate the computerization of society, there is a broad range of products that could be manufactured here to support the process.
Of interest to all five of the enterprise groups affiliated with the Ministry was the issue of work with cadres and the development of young professionals, all agreeing that with well-prepared management any goal we set our minds to can be achieved.
Also discussed was attention provided young workers at different centers where the majority join prioritized efforts, while ties with universities and research centers were addressed. These links have proven to be beneficial to both parties, contributing to the development of industry and improving the investment process.
The debate included calls to remain unsatisfied with what has been accomplished; to seek ways to automate and digitalize all processes possible; to keep sights set on developing productive chains as a way to strengthen industry; and work to ensure that imports in this sector are primarily raw materials, that allow for the development of Cuban industry.
