Taking advantage of opportunities to progress

Taking advantage of opportunities with more autonomy will continue to be a challenge for Cubans companies this year when the national economy is called to improve its efficiency.

Cuba began implementing measures in 2011 aimed at giving its entities more autonomy. Among some of those measures was the separation of state control over the enterprises, easing their social objectives and transforming its economic contracts and indicators that measure their outcome.

The deputy Minister of Economy and Planning Rene Hernandez told ACN that last year was the first in which the measures were implemented, however, there are those that still do not have an adequate grip of the regulations, or its interpretation and application.

He stressed that the major challenge for the Cuban business system in 2016 is to develop actions in order for its directives to be capable of taking on the adequate management.

According to Hernandez there are entities that present difficulties in their economic outcome and beyond having a cause associated to the identified financial sector, it incurs in the application and incorrect use of the norms like Resolution 17.

The report presented in the last session of the Cuban Parliament reported that by the end of last September, 113 companies had not complied with the salary expenses per peso of added value with loses of 54 million pesos.

The specialist highlighted the possibilities that the companies currently have in order to increase their productivity starting from the opportunity of deciding the secondary activities and support including commercializing its surplus depending on the offer and demand.

Still, those entities do not take advantage of these powers in favor of achieving major development, since they, said the expert, are still reporting loses contrary of what has been planned.

According to the weekly Trabajadores newspaper, almost half (72) the number of entities were reduced with negative outcomes in their financial management in the first semester of 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, figures that continue to be pessimistic despite the approval of the State Budget Law with only six that were reported with loses.

Hernandez also added that in recent years work has been underway in order to support what is planned that is why the need for administrators to work with efficiency and responsibility.

The deputy Economy and Planning Minister also recalled that the socialist state companies as expressed in the Guidelines approved in the 6th Party Congress is the most important entity for the national economy "we must aim our efforts in strengthening it", said Hernandez.