Raul Castro Calls for Better Economic Planning

Raul Castro Calls for Better Economic Planning Havana, Jul 29. – Cuban President Raul Castro called to use planning to achieve better economic results.  "If we plan well, we will achieve more savings and greater benefits," the Cuban president stated during an expanded meeting of the Council of Ministers, which discussed the first semester of the year.

It was reported that the economy grew in the first semester of the year compared to the same period in 2010, but reserves exist that if better used would achieve better results, according to an official note reported on Cuba's nightly TV news program Thursday.

The meeting also heard about the shortcomings of some agencies in certain activities, one of them agriculture, leading to the unforeseen import of a large amount of food.

Not having certain lines ready by the deadlines set affected the performance of the food industry in areas of production that rely on those raw materials, the note said.

On that issue, the Cuban president stated that a common factor in these examples of incompliance were a lack of foresight, reconciliation with demand, limited use of contracts, and other factors that show how poor the current planning process is.

Raul Castro insisted on the need for everyone to play his or her corresponding role to recuperate order, discipline and exigency, and the participation of all of society is essential for that purpose.