Cuban Lawmakers Will Address Fight on Corruption and Illegalities
Cuban lawmakers will analyze the results of the fight on crime, corruption, illegalities and social indiscipline at the Cuban Parliament session, which was called for July 15th.
Parliament secretary Miriam Brito told local reporters along with that issue the deputies' agenda also includes the consideration of the people's opinions in neighborhood meetings presided over by local councilors.
The permanent commissions will work from July 11th-13th on their respective agendas prior to the 5th Parliament Session, which will also take a look at issues related to the country's economic plan for the 1st semester of this year and the performance of the budget plan for 2015.
Cuba Creates Group to Help Non-state Sector Improve Management
The National Standardization Office (ONN by its Spanish acronym) announced the creation of a working group for the promotion of quality management in the non-state sector and for small format entities in Cuba.
The team consists of quality management and trade experts, who should begin service in September, Dr. Nancy Fernandez Rodriguez, ONN general director, exclusively told local ACN news agency.
One of its essential purposes is the organization of meetings and workshops to encourage the exchange, especially since individual users do not feel safe in the knowledge that can be supported in order to obtain positive results in its management, said the specialist.
She added that this is only a good practice, but they are already working in the preparation of the technical specification in a project that will continue in 2016 with new goals of the Working Group, including the mechanisms for getting workers closer to the needs for the quality in these sectors.
Updating the economic model involved the appearance of emerging sectors: small and medium enterprises, non-state workers and cooperatives, which should help the State not to be the only one contributing to the GDP and to engage in strategic branches of the nation, Fernandez Rodriguez noted.
To that end, she added, the ONN started implementing a project for the education and training of all personnel needed, implemented with non-state workers in the Havana municipality of Centro Habana.
This allowed us to get closer to that community of producers of goods and services and meet their concerns, aspirations, knowledge and made possible the design of a strategy, Fernández Rodríguez stated.
In this regard, she stressed that quality demands for certain requirements by the fact that good practice does not depend only on the will of the people, but needs to make records, buy paper, wear gloves when handling food, and many other objective conditions.
New Habano Cigar on the Market
Cuba's Habanos S.A. Corporation launched a new cigar shape into the market known as Picadores, as part of a development strategy aimed at meeting the needs of the most demanding clients around the world.
The cigar shape is part of the legendary brand Por Larrañaga, born in 1834 and it is thick and of high quality tobacco, which characterizes the Cuban product.
Habanos S.A. vice-president Javier Terres said that the introduction of new products with high added values in the market will allow increasing sales and consolidating the world prestige of the Cuban offer.
Despite the impact of the world financial crisis and the anti-smoking campaign, Cuban cigars keep at the center of demand and preference of smokers in different parts of the planet.
At present, Habanos S.A. is marketing cigars in more than 150 countries, particularly famous brands such as Cohiba, Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, Partagas, H. Upman and Hoyo de Monterrey among others.
Cuba-Caribbean Business Forum in Santiago de Cuba
Representatives of 10 Caribbean countries will meet in eastern Santiago de Cuba July 16th and 17th for the Cuba-Caribbean Business Forum.
The forum will be attended by ministers of Belize, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Saint Lucia, the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, and the presidents of the chambers of commerce of Grenada and the Bahamas.
Trinidad Tobago, Barbados and the Caribbean Communities will have their delegates at the meeting along with directives from the Cuban Foreign Trade and Investment Ministry, the Chamber of Commerce and other institutions, according to the event's organizing committee.
The forum will include presentations of business and trade opportunities in the region by Caribbean Export promotion organization and about business opportunities in Santiago de Cuba province.
The entrepreneurial meet will take place amidst preparations for the 500 anniversary of the founding of Santiago de Cuba city.
Venezuela, Cuba Improve Joint Projects
The 9th Quarterly Meeting on Cooperation Cuba-Venezuela continues today in Havana, as part of the strategies carried out by the two nations to expand joint projects.
According to Venezuelan diplomatic sources, the talks will determine which programs should be concluded and those suitable for improvement.
Deputy Minister for Economic Cooperation and technical secretary of the agreement by Venezuela, Ramon Gordils, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and technical secretary by Cuba, Roberto Lopez, along with Cuba's ambassador in Caracas, Rogelio Polanco, and the head of the Cuban social missions in Venezuela, Victor Guate, are participating in the meeting to be concluded tomorrow.
According to Gordils, improvements in area of health, education and quality of life of the Venezuelan population are tangible, thanks to the Cuban cooperation.
On the other hand, Lopez recalled that October 2015 will mark the 15th anniversary of the beginning of the agreements between both countries led by the late President Hugo Chavez and the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.
About 62 cooperation projects, an amount corresponding to the annual average, will be developed during 2015.
Cuban and Mexican Sugar Experts Meet in Havana
Representatives of the Associations of Cuba Sugar Technicians (ATAC by its Spanish acronym) and its Mexican counterpart (ATAM by its Spanish acronym) recently assessed in Havana alternatives to increase yields and reduce costs in the cultivation of sugarcane in the two countries.
Mutual experiences will be discussed in the 2nd bilateral meeting to be held from July 21st to 22nd at Havana's Lazaro Pena Convention Center.
A keen interest agenda will be discussed at the event, which includes initiatives for harvest in high humidity and subsequent assistance for shoots, Eduardo Martinez Lamadrid, president of ATAC, told ACN local agency.
He said they will exchange on sustainable increase in the varieties of high sugar potential, technical measures to achieve growth in tons of sugar per hectare and possibilities of payment by quality.
They will also deal with issues linked with the production of animal feed, treatment of waste from the sugar industry and derivatives, as well as the rise in industrial efficiency by depletion of final molasses.
According to Martinez Lamadrid, this will be a great opportunity for companies in the energy sector to be aware of the new possibilities of technical and commercial exchange that Cuba has currently and for the immediate future.
Executives of the two associations ratified a cooperation agreement, signed in 2009, to increase twinning partnerships of Mexican and Cuban plants.
Visit of Spanish Minister to Cuba to Boost Economic Links
Business people from Cuba and Spain will try to find new opportunities to grow in economic and commercial exchanges, on the occasion of the visit to the island next week of Luis de Guindos, Minister of Competitiveness and the Economy of the Iberian nation.
As announced by the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba, the business forum will take place on July 7th at the capital's Melia Cohiba Hotel, which will be attended by representatives of both countries in sectors such as energy, tourism, construction and services.
Spain is Cuba's 3rd trade partner and the main investor for Cuba in the world, in addition to occupying one of the first 5 places among nations sending tourists to the Caribbean island.
Cuba and Ivory Coast to Strengthen Bilateral Trade
Cuba and the Ivory Coast will identify opportunities to expand their commercial exchanges, when Charles Koffi Diby, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of the African nation, visits the island next week.
According to the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba, business persons of the two countries will hold exchanges on a business forum to be held on July 6th at the capital's Hotel Nacional de Cuba.
Traveling together with the distinguished visitor will be other officials of the Ivory Coast's ministries of Foreign Affairs and Bilateral Cooperation, who will know firsthand the opportunities currently offered by the Cuban nation to foreign capital, with a view to revitalize its economic development.
Also part of the mission will be representatives of the private sector in activities associated to the petrochemical industry, biotechnology, tourism, telecommunications and medical services, among others.
According to the program scheduled, the delegation of the Ivory Coast is composed of 15 companies, which in turn will represent the interests of others in the Cuban market.
Cuba and China Sign New Cooperation Accords in Biotechnology
Cuba and China signed 8 new cooperation accords during the 8th Meeting of the Cuba-China Joint Working Group on Biotechnology and the Pharmaceutical Industry, which wound up last Tuesday in Havana.
The vice-president of China's National Commission for Development and Reforms Lin Nian Xiu, who headed the Chinese official delegation with some 15 companies, and Dr. Carlos Gutierrez, President of BioCubaFarma Entrepreneurial Group, presided over the signing of new accords to further expand bilateral cooperation.
The agreements included the distribution of antibodies and vaccines by Cuban and Chinese companies, letters of intention to set up joint ventures at the Special Development Zone of western Mariel harbor to produce and market pharmaceuticals and cancer vaccines. Also included was an accord to transfer technology to the Cuban Finlay Pharmaceutical Institute and other to introduce anti-virus vaccines in Cuba and in Latin America, as well as the setting up of a joint lab to develop neurological products and a contract to offer medical services to Chinese patients in Cuba.
The Chinese and Cuban delegations also reviewed the pace and impact of the accords signed two years ago.
The Chinese delegation said that the government of the Asian nation will increase the financing of different companies and universities involved in scientific research in the biotechnology area, not only linked to the health area but also to agriculture, particularly in the production of pesticides.
Over the past two years, more than 20 Chinese and Cuban delegations in the scientific world have visited their countries, and have signed over 20 accords, including 13 agreements with joint ventures.
Cuba Upgrades Milk Collection Equipment for Farmers
At the end of the 1st half of this year, ranchers in Villa Clara province have 158 collection points of milk, equipped with high-tech refrigerators, as part of the modernization program of this work in Cuba.
Miguel Rodriguez Galvez, an official of the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI by its Spanish acronym) in the province, told local ACN news agency that the upgrade includes means for performing various tests, including those that determine the presence of mastitis, acidity, and hygienic characteristics of milk.
The increased purchase price of a litter of milk, from 2.40 to 5.00 pesos, requires several laboratory tests that guarantee the quality of the liquid they will sell, he argued.
He noted that the 1 860 farmers who have signed agreements with the State for the collection and marketing of that food have had reported significant increases in sales.
In June, the month in which much of these actions became effective, the province reported 135 300 liters sold to the milk plant, 61 500 more than in May, he said.
Vivian Garcia, president of Jose Marti cooperative, in Remedios city, told ACN that the placement of thermoses and the increased purchase price has doubled the amount of milk they receive.
To exemplify this, she said that from June they are receiving about 1 600 liters daily, an amount almost double the total of the previous month.
Cuba Wishes to Augment Socio-economic Cooperation with Vietnam
The 1st Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party Central Committee (CCPCC) President of the State Council and the Council of Ministers Raúl Castro affirmed his nation's desire to share experience in various realms and advance bilateral socio-economic development cooperation with Vietnam.
At a June 18th reception for Politburo Member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi, who led a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) on an official visit to Cuba, Castro recalled the fond memories of the faithful and pure relationship between the two peoples of Vietnam and Cuba and compared notes on some issues of shared concern.
The distinguished visitor extended greetings from Vietnamese Party and State leaders to Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro and President Raúl Castro while briefing his hosts on the results of the working visit to Cuba and reiterating the Vietnamese people's consistent sentiment toward Cuba as well as their determination to help bilateral ties grown and flourish in the time to come.
At an earlier working session with Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca, Mr. Nghi also expressed the nation's wish to increase economic and trade links on a par with the fine political relations between both nations.
Minister Malmierca, who is also co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee between the two countries assured Cuba's willingness to welcome Vietnamese investors to Mariel Special Development Zone.
He said he hopes the two sides would take more concrete steps to realize enhanced cooperation agreement between the two leaders at the forthcoming 3rd Intergovernmental Committee.
The same day, Mr. Pham Quang Nghi and his delegation visited Mariel Special Development Zone, 25 km from the West of Havana where there is the only deep water port that is seen as an ideal place for investment attraction in the coming years.
On June 19th, the Vietnamese delegation left Havana for Hanoi, concluding their working visit to Cuba, where both leaders spoke on the historical relation between the two countries and the good health of bilateral relations, and on the need to strengthen cooperation bonds.
Cuban Port Shows High Levels of Efficiency
Workers in the port of Nuevitas city, north of Camaguey province, report high efficiency indicators in the current year, especially for the early release in the downloading of vessels through which they have achieved an average of 1.3 days in advance.
José Luis Bello Aguero, Chief of Operations of the company, told ACN that until the end of May, they have operated 92 000 tons of goods from a plan of about 85 000, for a 107.8% compliance.
The majority of imports of that port terminal include fertilizer products such as urea, potassium chloride and the new formula of fertilizer NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) used in the production of citrus fruits in Ciego de Avila, in the rice planting in Granma, and in that of coffee in the eastern region of the country, in addition to salt and sugar for the western provinces, said the official.
This entity has 70 workers whose receive compensation for compliance with the standard and speed in downloading to avoid demurrage charges.
For the longshoreman Ricardo Silva Cabrera, that form of payment is satisfactory as from January to May, during the arrival of ships; he earned monthly 800 Cuban pesos (CUP) and about 120 CUC.
The history of the Port of Nuevitas or Tarafa dates back to 1780 when it was enabled for cabotage, subsequently in the 19th century it was destined for sugar export mainly, which contributed to its development as twenty covered warehouses were built, the largest area in these conditions in Cuba today. After the triumph of the Revolution it becomes a general cargo port.
