Cuba USA
Here is the 24th and final instalment of my translation of the booklet Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, an explanatory document published together with the final version of the Guidelines adopted by the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) Congress in April.
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 17, Social Policy
Here is Part 17 of my translation of the booklet Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, an explanatory document published together with the final version of the Guidelines...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 16, Health/sport
Here is Part 16 of my translation of the booklet Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, an explanatory document published together with the final version of the Guidelines...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 10, Foreign Trade
If you like Cuba's Socialist Renewal you may like to check out a new page, Support this blog, with suggestions for various ways you can promote and support this solidarity project. Here is Part 9 of my translation of the booklet Information...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 4, Cooperatives
Cooperatives seem poised to multiply, expand their range of activities and play a critical role in the new Cuban socialist-oriented economic model that is emerging. Cooperatives are nothing new in revolutionary Cuba, but with the exception of the urban...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 3, Enterprises
Cuba's Granma newspaper reported on March 17 the decision of the Council of Ministers to allow the self-employed to hire workers in all 178 permitted categories of self-employment. Since October, when self-employment was broadened and a new tax...
Cuba USA
Translation: Guidelines debate 24, Commerce
Here is the 24th and final instalment of my translation of the booklet Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, an explanatory document published together with the final version of the Guidelines adopted by the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) Congress in April.
I'll compile the 24 instalments into a single PDF document for easy reading and sharing and post a link to this blog.
286. Design a national supplies policy that takes into account the participation of the national producers and the efficient management of the imports that they carry out. Within this policy, define the forms of wholesale distribution, including those that cater to the new forms of non-state production or services, as well as the scope and characteristics of the retail network. (Maintained as Guideline 307)
287. Introduce non-state forms of management in this activity, in particular in the case of dining.
Introduce non-state forms of management in commerce, above all in food services and in domestic services and tradespeople. (308)
Substitutes “activity” for “commerce” for precision. Incorporates “domestic services and tradespeople”, which is one of the activities in which the new management models [of state-owned productive property – translator’s note] will be promoted. 1,751 opinions expressed nationwide.
288. As a consumption development policy, meat consumption, clothing and footwear, the sale of household electrical goods, construction materials, furniture and household furnishings, among others, must be prioritised.
Promote the offer of food products that encourage the attainment of a balanced diet, as well as prioritising the sale of clothing and footwear, household electrical goods, bicycles and spare parts, construction materials and hardware, furniture and household furnishings, among others, as a policy for developing consumption. (309)
Broadens the scope of the guideline. In response to 3,916 opinions nationwide.
289. Restructure the offers of goods and services, reviewing the retail prices of the basic basket of products [i.e. those available through the ration book – translator’s note], deciding which of them may be able to be sold in unrestricted quantities, without subsidies, in regular Cuban pesos.
Restructure the offers of goods and services, reviewing the retail prices of the standardised household basket of products, deciding which of them may be able to be sold in unrestricted quantities, without subsidies, in regular Cuban pesos. (310)
The term “basic basket” is amended to “standardised household basket”, referring to regulated [i.e. rationed and highly subsidised] products that will be gradually released for sale in unrestricted quantities without subsidies.
290. Structure the offers of goods and services to the population in accordance with solvent [i.e. debt-free] consumer demand. Revise the prohibitions that currently limit commerce.
Create and structure offers of goods and services to the population in accordance with the solvent demand of consumers, including after-sales services. Revise the prohibitions that currently limit commerce. (311)
Improves the wording and broadens its content. The subject of 746 opinions nationwide.
291. Exercise effective control over the management of purchases and the clearing of stock throughout the retail network, both wholesale and retail, with a view to minimising the immobilisation of resources and financial losses. (Maintained as Guideline 312)
New guideline:
Apply an effective consumer protection policy that ensures the fulfilment of the duties and rights of all retailers and consumers of goods and services. (313)
Included as a new guideline on the basis of 781 opinions.
The format is as follows: number and text of the draft guideline, followed by the text and number of the corresponding guideline approved by the Communist Party Congress, followed by the drafting commission's explanation for the change. At the foot of the translation you'll see the label "Guidelines". Click on this blue label to view all of the instalments of my translation of this explanatory document sequentially.
An official English translation of the final version of the Guidelines has just become available. It does not include the draft Guidelines for comparison, nor the explanatory notes on the additions, deletions and amendments made on the basis of the public debate in the lead-up to the PCC Congress, all of which are included in this explanatory document.
An official English translation of the final version of the Guidelines has just become available. It does not include the draft Guidelines for comparison, nor the explanatory notes on the additions, deletions and amendments made on the basis of the public debate in the lead-up to the PCC Congress, all of which are included in this explanatory document.
Commerce policy
Guidelines
283. The conditions in which the economy will operate, with the diversification of the forms of management of social property and of the participants in productive processes and in the provision of services, require a restructuring of both wholesale and retail trade.
Restructure wholesale and retail trade according to the conditions in which the economy will operate, with the diversification of forms of management of social property and the participants in productive processes and in the provision of services. (304)
Guidelines
283. The conditions in which the economy will operate, with the diversification of the forms of management of social property and of the participants in productive processes and in the provision of services, require a restructuring of both wholesale and retail trade.
Restructure wholesale and retail trade according to the conditions in which the economy will operate, with the diversification of forms of management of social property and the participants in productive processes and in the provision of services. (304)
Improves the text. Gave rise to 2,496 opinions nationwide.
284. The structure and organisation of retail trade must be aimed at diversifying the quality and variety of the products and services offered, in order to satisfy the demands of the various sectors of the population and their purchasing power, as factors that contribute to incentivising work.
Diversify the variety, quality and prices of the products and services on offer in order to satisfy the demands of the various sectors of the population according to their purchasing power, this being one of the factors that contributes to incentivising work. (305)
Improves the text and broadens the scope of the guideline. 5,804 opinions were expressed nationwide.
285. Until currency unification has been achieved, there will continue to be a two-tiered retail trade structure, with offers differentiated by their quality or characteristics in the current network of convertible currency stores and raising the quality of the offers in regular Cuban pesos. (Maintained as Guideline 306).
284. The structure and organisation of retail trade must be aimed at diversifying the quality and variety of the products and services offered, in order to satisfy the demands of the various sectors of the population and their purchasing power, as factors that contribute to incentivising work.
Diversify the variety, quality and prices of the products and services on offer in order to satisfy the demands of the various sectors of the population according to their purchasing power, this being one of the factors that contributes to incentivising work. (305)
Improves the text and broadens the scope of the guideline. 5,804 opinions were expressed nationwide.
285. Until currency unification has been achieved, there will continue to be a two-tiered retail trade structure, with offers differentiated by their quality or characteristics in the current network of convertible currency stores and raising the quality of the offers in regular Cuban pesos. (Maintained as Guideline 306).
286. Design a national supplies policy that takes into account the participation of the national producers and the efficient management of the imports that they carry out. Within this policy, define the forms of wholesale distribution, including those that cater to the new forms of non-state production or services, as well as the scope and characteristics of the retail network. (Maintained as Guideline 307) 287. Introduce non-state forms of management in this activity, in particular in the case of dining.
Introduce non-state forms of management in commerce, above all in food services and in domestic services and tradespeople. (308)
Substitutes “activity” for “commerce” for precision. Incorporates “domestic services and tradespeople”, which is one of the activities in which the new management models [of state-owned productive property – translator’s note] will be promoted. 1,751 opinions expressed nationwide.
288. As a consumption development policy, meat consumption, clothing and footwear, the sale of household electrical goods, construction materials, furniture and household furnishings, among others, must be prioritised.
Promote the offer of food products that encourage the attainment of a balanced diet, as well as prioritising the sale of clothing and footwear, household electrical goods, bicycles and spare parts, construction materials and hardware, furniture and household furnishings, among others, as a policy for developing consumption. (309)
Broadens the scope of the guideline. In response to 3,916 opinions nationwide.
289. Restructure the offers of goods and services, reviewing the retail prices of the basic basket of products [i.e. those available through the ration book – translator’s note], deciding which of them may be able to be sold in unrestricted quantities, without subsidies, in regular Cuban pesos.
Restructure the offers of goods and services, reviewing the retail prices of the standardised household basket of products, deciding which of them may be able to be sold in unrestricted quantities, without subsidies, in regular Cuban pesos. (310)
The term “basic basket” is amended to “standardised household basket”, referring to regulated [i.e. rationed and highly subsidised] products that will be gradually released for sale in unrestricted quantities without subsidies.
290. Structure the offers of goods and services to the population in accordance with solvent [i.e. debt-free] consumer demand. Revise the prohibitions that currently limit commerce.
Create and structure offers of goods and services to the population in accordance with the solvent demand of consumers, including after-sales services. Revise the prohibitions that currently limit commerce. (311)
Improves the wording and broadens its content. The subject of 746 opinions nationwide.
291. Exercise effective control over the management of purchases and the clearing of stock throughout the retail network, both wholesale and retail, with a view to minimising the immobilisation of resources and financial losses. (Maintained as Guideline 312)
New guideline:
Apply an effective consumer protection policy that ensures the fulfilment of the duties and rights of all retailers and consumers of goods and services. (313)
Included as a new guideline on the basis of 781 opinions.
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 17, Social Policy
Here is Part 17 of my translation of the booklet Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, an explanatory document published together with the final version of the Guidelines...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 16, Health/sport
Here is Part 16 of my translation of the booklet Information on the results of the Debate on the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution, an explanatory document published together with the final version of the Guidelines...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 10, Foreign Trade
If you like Cuba's Socialist Renewal you may like to check out a new page, Support this blog, with suggestions for various ways you can promote and support this solidarity project. Here is Part 9 of my translation of the booklet Information...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 4, Cooperatives
Cooperatives seem poised to multiply, expand their range of activities and play a critical role in the new Cuban socialist-oriented economic model that is emerging. Cooperatives are nothing new in revolutionary Cuba, but with the exception of the urban...
- Translation: Guidelines Debate 3, Enterprises
Cuba's Granma newspaper reported on March 17 the decision of the Council of Ministers to allow the self-employed to hire workers in all 178 permitted categories of self-employment. Since October, when self-employment was broadened and a new tax...