Transforming our thinking,
and doing it fast,
is the key for success…
Diaz-Canel visited the provinces of Ciego de Ávila and Sancti Spíritus on Friday, October 11, 2024. Exchanges and tours shed light on the paths that will make it possible to overcome the complex moment that Cuba is experiencing today
Author: Alina Perera Robbio | perera@juventudrebelde.cu
Picture of Oscar Alfonso Sosa
Experimental Station Granos de La Sierpe has successfully created more than 60 varieties of rice, and the seeds of corn, sorgho, beans and chickpeas.
Transforming our thinking, and doing it fast, is the key for success. It has been demonstrated in the places where good things are taking place in favor of Cuba. Early in the morning this Friday, the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, shared this reflection during the Extraordinary Plenary session of Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of Ciego de Avila.
He shared his thoughts on a cardinal issue such as food production. And to the people of Avila, due to the results that are being felt. The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba said: “I am confident that you can be from the provinces that demonstrate that you can have food sovereignty.” In this sort of stop on the road that seeks to reach the end of 2024 in better conditions, the Head of State spoke about the value of banishing the philosophy of complaining about what one does not have, and enthrone the question of what can be done despite what is missing.
During this meeting, with chief of the Cadres’ Policies Department of the Central Committee, Humberto Camilo Hernández Suárez, emerged a portrait of life in the province experiencing palpable achievements in crucial aspects such as militancy life and food production. Ciego de Ávila has launched an integrated work system this year, allowing for differentiated attention to the Party, the Union of Young Communists and other societal organizations. At the same time – as the first secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Party, Julio Heriberto Gómez Casanova explained during the meeting, special attention has been given to the process of delegates’ accountability, which is going well, to sanitization of the environments and exchange with agricultural producers at the base.
Militancy and the importance of growing that membership, active participation in Social Networks, Health indicators, Economy indicators, the Banking penetration process, Crime – which has, in a general sense, decreased – were some of the topics addressed. Julio Heriberto Gómez shared details about these aspects and alluding to an issue as vital as food production, he said: "The food of Ciego de Ávila is in our fields."
Leaders of the territory joined their voices explaining experiences and working methods, and ratifying, among other ideas, that the cadre policy must be worked on every day, also affirming that the most important thing is the people, to which all possible offers and services must be presented. During the day of analysis, an interesting starting point was the happenings, for the better, in La Cuba Agricultural Company, municipality of Baraguá. In La Cuba ongoing exchanges with producers have led, among other good things, to a notable increase in production. In this regard, President Díaz-Canel mentioned that "Now, with fewer resources, we are recovering things. The main theme is work, intelligence, collective participation, the use of science and, the theme is also about, leadership."
In this province, from January to September, agricultural production has grown fivefold. The use of agroecology has been essential to this leap. But, first we had to change our ways of thinking, because among other limitations, Diaz-Canel reasoned, "The import mentality closed our horizons." Discussing the sugar harvest, which has not achieved goals, Diaz-Canel commented on the value of turning the program from a sugarcane-sugar into a sugarcane-sugar derivatives program. Thus, he said, the sugar production plants would be busy all the time. Towards the end of the day, possible actions to reduce the fiscal deficit were also discussed, and Díaz-Canel returned to a concept he has shared in the most recent session of the National Assembly of People's Power, "The moment is extremely complex, but not insurmountable, it can be overcome and we are going to overcome it." To do it we have to work efficiently and intelligently, performing with compromise and optimism.
Exemplary militancy is a cornerstone for the effective work of the Party. Participation is the formula to consolidate unity. Training the leaders that Cuba needs, strengthening Party structures, attending to the new generations –who are the main target of the empire's strategy of cultural colonization, ensuring an orderly economy and developing a culture of detail. Diaz-Canel addressed all these issue, and stressed to clarify that "one thing is lack of resources and another is lack of order." To those attending the Plenary, the president commented that according to indicators and experiences discussed the people of Avila are working with a sense of responsibility and following their very own way of doing things.
Trip to Sancti Spiritus territory
The second part of the agenda the Cuban President fulfilled on Friday was a stop at another place of economic interest, the municipality of La Sierpe in the province of Sancti Spíritus. The first point in that itinerary was Pastoreo Cuatro, belonging to the Sur del Jíbaro Grain Agro-Industrial Company. This is not just any company: it gravitates with great weight in the national production of rice but, due to multiple reasons – such as lack of fuel, fertilizers or other resources, deficiencies in the organization or in work styles – this structure reaps today about 20% of its historical yields. On his arrival to Pastoreo Cuatro, the President highlighted the importance of diversifying productions as is done there, venturing into the production of meat and root vegetables. He was also interested in exploring the salaries of people working there, the beneficial influence of science, and the possibility that profits make it feasible improving living conditions for workers.
The second stop on the tour of La Sierpe was the Grain Experimental Station, belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture. Throughout its history, this scientific entity – of 90 hectares – has achieved more than 60 varieties of rice, and also seeds of corn, sorghum, beans and chickpeas. There Díaz-Canel asked if workers feel that research and its results have an optimal application throughout the country, and when learning that all these contributions are not being financially remunerated, he stressed the relevance of seeking fair financing schemes.
The “Españoles Base Business Unit” (UEB), an industrial plant processing wet rice from the field belonging to Sur del Jíbaro, was the final point of the day in La Sierpe. This plant has a processing capacity of 300 tons per day. Díaz-Canel inquired about workers' salaries, whether they have profits or earnings translate into self-consumption or payment in kind. The plant is in optimal conditions thanks to the innovative zeal of its members, so the President stressed the importance of doing everything today without ignoring the country’s focus on conserving energy. The tour this Friday made it very clear than what is taking place in La Sierpe may very well decide the well-being of the municipality, even the entire province.
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