Cuba's thinking beyond all State-run economy

Deputy Prime Minister and Economy and Planning Minister Alejandro Gil noted on Thursday that Cuba will maintain the centralized economic planning, as a matrix, but opening to decentralization in which all economic factors play a role.

This does not mean the centralized allocation of resources, but that we are taking steps towards its decentralization, Gil explained on the Mesa Redonda (Round Table) radio and television program, chaired by Vice President Salvador Valdes.

The top Cuban official listed a group of key principles contained in the country's special economic strategy, including defending national production and eradicating the importing mindset. He also mentioned the regulation of the market through indirect methods, and the complementariness of the economic stockholders: the state sector, the private sector, self-employed workers and cooperatives, because we all are Cuba, he noted.

Gil referred to the strengthening of the role of domestic demand, which has a driving function in the economy.

We have to equip the state companies with more managing autonomy, more possibilities to make decisions, so that the socialist enterprise can be more efficient, the deputy prime minister said in reference to other key factors.

Gil highlighted the need to encourage competitiveness, efficiency, saving and motivation for work in the current situation of restrictions, due to the tightening of the blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba.

He also noted the importance of compatibility among the measures contained in the strategy and the environment; that is, they must prevent the deterioration of the latter.

Gil emphasized that the country's main priority is domestic food production, in which there are dissatisfactions with the results.

The deputy prime minister announced the design of small and medium-size enterprises according to the economic model and conceived by levels of income and not by the form of property.

We will work so that conditions exist so that non-state forms and cooperatives can export and import, he pointed out.

The deputy prime minister defended the need for shops in hard currencies, a measure that, along with the elimination of the 10-percent levy on the US dollar, will contribute to strengthening the supply capacity of the national currency.

He reaffirmed that the concept of the above-mentioned strategy is comprehensive and will allow boosting the economy.