Cuba's Council of State approves two Decree Laws

 

HAVANA, Cuba, Nov 28 (ACN) The Decree Laws "On the Special Social Security Regime for the Agricultural and Forestry Sector" and "On the Special Labor Regime for Persons in Prison who work inside or outside Penitentiary Establishments" were approved by the Council of State in its ordinary session on Monday, headed by the President of this body, Esteban Lazo Hernandez.

The first of these normative provisions extends the coverage of social security protection to the agricultural and forestry sector, by means of a single special regime, of a contributory nature, which covers in a coherent and uniform manner, all the contingencies recognized by the general social security regime in force in the country.

Its objective is to gather in a single legal body, all the subjects of the agricultural and forestry sector, protecting those who do not receive the benefits of the special social security regime, extending the coverage of the risks and standardizing the treatment with the state sector, said Marta Elena Feito Cabrera, Minister of Labor and Social Security, in her presentation. With the adoption of this norm, universal social security coverage is achieved for all workers in the country.

Meanwhile, the second decree law issued establishes the special labor regime applicable to Cuban or foreign individuals serving criminal sanctions in penitentiary establishments, who work inside or outside such establishments during the criminal sanction or precautionary measure of provisional imprisonment imposed.
In this sense, this norm "regulates the legal work relationship established between the person deprived of liberty who is able and willing to work and the penitentiary authority for the development of a subordinate paid work service; it also applies to those who serve a precautionary measure of provisional imprisonment in the Cuban penitentiary system; and it excludes the activities that are part of the educational process in the penitentiary establishment," the text states.

Homero Acosta Alvarez, secretary of the National Assembly of People's Power and of the Council of State, pointed out that this last provision is deeply advanced and revolutionary, respectful of work as a constitutional right of all persons in conditions to work, of great humanist scope and with a superior normative hierarchy; as well as it is in accordance with the international norms that regulate this matter.

The agenda of the session of this body also reviewed the measures approved as a result of the exercise of the highest audit to the Ministry of Energy and Mines ( MINEM), developed by the National Assembly of People's Power from January to June 2022, which resulted in 13 recommendations associated with the fulfillment of its state functions and public policies.

The Council of State evaluated in special detail information related to the recovery of the National Electric System, maintenance and repair plans, oil and gas production, the investment process, the situation of the labor force in this decisive sector, the policy for the prospective development of renewable sources and the efficient use of energy, among other aspects of maximum interest for the Cuban population due to their direct impact on the welfare of our citizens and the economic and social development of the country.

How is work on implementing the Family Code and improving the activity of care for the population in the bodies of the People's Power?

The Minister of Justice, Oscar Manuel Silvera Martínez -together with speakers from the People's Supreme Court, the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic, the National Organization of Collective Law Firms and the Commissions of Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Attention to Youth, Children and Equal Rights of Women of the National Assembly of People's Power- presented a comprehensive report on the results of the implementation of the Family Code, in the stage from September 2022 to October 2023.

He deepened in the main actions developed, with a view to expanding the capacity to respond to the demand for notary and registry services; training; communication to internal and external audiences; control and coordination and cooperation relations with other bodies, agencies and organizations on this issue.
After the analysis of this topic, the speakers emphasized that the implementation of the Family Code is progressing positively; the institutions have complied with the actions of communication, preparation and control, which has allowed the correct implementation of this broad, revolutionary and complex legal norm, which demands preparation and high work performance from the jurists and other professionals involved in this task.

Subsequently, the Secretariat of the National Assembly of People's Power reported on the actions for the improvement of the activity of attention to the population in the National Assembly and the Municipal Assemblies of People's Power.

Homero Acosta specified on the fulfillment of the mandates in the provisions of the decree laws issued by the Council of State in 2022. The parliamentary commissions carried out the verification of 15 decree laws, and it was concluded that the complementary provisions set forth in these controlled regulations were complied with.

Finally, the members of the Council of State approved the proposal for the control and audit of this body to the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources, which will be carried out in the first quarter of 2024 by the permanent working commissions of the National Assembly involved.