New Agreements of the Council of Ministers of Cuba

HAVANA TIMES, April 5 — An expanded meeting of Cuba’s Council of Ministers made changes to the existing structures of the island’s government and adopted guidelines for the state budget for 2013, reported the Granma newspaper today.

According to minister of Economy and Planning, Adel Yzquierdo Rodriguez, growth in the nation’s GDP is expected to at least be positive, especially due to “growth in productive activities resulting from strategic investments,” though these were not specified in the note.

Yzquierdo said that priority would be placed on food production and support for the commercialization of agricultural inputs and construction materials, as well as sales to “non-state forms of management.”

Vice President Marino Murillo Jorge reported on the current unfavorable economic and financial state of the Ministry of Agriculture, and indicated that actions and measures have been taken insufficient to date.

Murillo also presented the policy that was approved for the experimental creation of non-agricultural cooperatives, but said that the regulatory role of the state and government would be preserved in all cases.

During the meeting, plans for improving the Ministry of Informatics and Communications were discussed and Major General Samuel Rodiles Planas was presented as the new president of the Institute of Physical Planning.