Cubans invited to work differently and to dynamize processes

By Roberto Morejón

Cubans must strive in 2022 to mitigate material shortages and inflation, for which they have a government strategy.

With the pandemic under control although with a slight rebound of cases since the end of 2021, the largest of the Antilles suffered a thorny juncture.

After a 13 percent decline in Gross Domestic Product due to the intensified U.S. blockade and the impact of the expenses to face Covid-19, the country slowed down the slope at the end of 2021.

Ultimately, the year ended with a modest but creditable 2 percent increase in Gross Domestic Product.

With the return to take-off, by 2022 the Caribbean nation sets a gradual recovery, as defined in the government's strategy.

This policy highlights, among other aspects, the improvement of state-owned enterprises, today far from yielding the expected results, although they have received greater autonomy.

Cuba's agenda also includes favoring local development, with emphasis on municipalities; inspiring innovation and preventing the widening of the partial dollarization of the economy.

Complementing the above is the recovery of the Cuban peso, with a greater supply of locally produced goods and services, essential mechanisms to counteract an uncomfortable 70 percent inflation.

Since the end of 2021, the strengthening of the national electro-energy system, threatened by interruptions due to the lack of reserves in its predominant thermoelectric power plants, which have been operating for decades, has received special mention.

While renewable energies and micro, small and medium-sized companies, both state-owned and private, of which there are more than a thousand, are being invigorated, the authorities foresee greater support to vulnerable communities and people.

And they have oriented to undertake it without welfare criteria, since the starting point is to promote the incorporation to work of individuals with the capacity to do so.

One of the vital labor destinations is agriculture, which will benefit during 2021 with more than 60 provisions aimed at stimulating higher yield productions, since the contributions are far from the requirements.

Two thousand and twenty-two also marks a rough road towards the reduction of the daily hardships, but the reopening of borders, the return of tourism and the gradual revival of other spheres should breathe new life into the calendar.