[Marxism] Raul wraps parliamentary session

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is a short summary of the remarks Raul Castro made yesterday
concluding the National Assembly session. The English translation
of his remarks should be out later in the day or perhaps tomorrow.
Notice that the various changes discussed and adopted will then
be taken out to be discussed publicly and adoption of some will
be proposed at the subsequent session of the National Assembly.
The change upwards in retirement age, so dramatically reported in
the foreign press is being proposed to be implemented over SEVEN
years, not all in one fell swoop, as was suggested in the way it
was reported in the foreign media.

In GRANMA, the title of the speech was given in this formulation:
"Socialismo significa justicia social e igualdad, 
pero igualdad no es igualitarismo" (Socialism means social 
justice and equality, but equality is not equalitarianism.)

JUVENTUD REBELDE's headline has a different emphasis:
"The production of food is strategic for the Revolution.

These two short reports provide more details than all of the
other reports in the foreign capitalist media, but you need to
read the material through carefully to catch all of it. 

Those fretting about Raul, and thinking he's going to take
Cuba down the Chinese road to capitalism ought to pay careful
attention. He lays out specific facts and figures, anchoring
them in a precise look at Cuba's changing reality and their
changing historical and demographic contexts.

Not mentioned here, but in the complete presentation, Raul 
spoke toward the end about the continuing process of getting
rid of unnecessary rules and regulations.

Spanish-speakers might enjoy watching the entire presentation 
via a series of Internet videos you can find:
http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2008-07-12/la-produccion-de-alimentos-es-estrategica-para-la-revolucion-/

COMPLETE SPANISH TRANSCRIPT:
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2008/07/12/nacional/artic06.html

Raul Castro: We will Preserve the Achievements of the Revolution

HAVANA, Cuba, July 11 (acn) Cuban President Raul Castro said that, with 
the joint and conscious effort of all the people, Cuba will produce the 
necessary food and will preserve the main achievements of the 
Revolution, while it will continue to advance without disregarding its 
defense one single minute. 

The Cuban President called on the people to modestly meet their daily 
duties at their work posts every single day, as he gave the closing 
speech of the First Session of the Cuban Parliamentâs 7th Legislature, 
which was held at HavanaÂs Convention Center. 

He said that the draft bill on Social Security and the changes proposed 
in relation to the retirement age and the service years to be benefited 
by the new legislation are in tune with the reality of a country where 
the expectancy of life increases and the birthrate keeps at very low 
levels for some years now.

Raul stressed that the country faces a demographic situation which is 
different from the one that prevailed in May 1963, when the Revolution 
approved a law that guaranteed social security for all workers and their 
families.

Since the countryâs reality is radically different from that year, it is 
necessary to extend the working age of the citizens, said Raul, who 
recalled that the budget approve by the parliament for the current year, 
the expenses in terms of social security and assistance represent 13,8 
percent of the total budget.

The aforementioned fact is joined by the problems post by a low 
birthrate prevailing for several decades now, said Raul Castro who noted 
that the combination of such factors begins to show in an unfavorable 
way in the population with a working age. Over 238,000 youths arrived 
at their working age in 1980, while last year that figure was little 
over 166,000 youths and the indicator is expected to fall down to 129, 
000 by the  year 2020.

There is also a new study in progress about part-time jobs, which will 
allow the people to hold more than one labor contract and receive the 
corresponding salaries. The implementation of new indications will be a 
gradual process over the next seven years in order to not affect the 
workers who arrive at their expected retirement age according to current 
legislation.

The Cuban President said that once the new considerations proposed  by 
the deputies these days plus those that will stem from consultations 
with the workers be included, the draft bill will be drawn up and 
submitted to the next session of the Cuban parliament by the end of the 
year. 

It is a new step as many others that will be taken in establishing norms 
and mechanisms aimed at having the salary recover its role, Raul said 
and he added that the salary is an issue that keeps under study in order 
to increase it in a gradual manner according to priorities, which will 
depend on the economic situation of the country now inevitably linked to 
the crisis hitting todayÂs world that could even worsen. 
  


Raul Castro Summarizes Actions of the Cuban Parliament 

HAVANA; Cuba, July 11 (acn) Cuban President Raul Castro called on 
teachers and professors who are no longer working to return to their 
noble profession of teaching, especially retirees with the capacity to 
contribute their professionalism and experience in the classroom. 

While summarizing the sessions of the National Assembly, President Raul 
Castro explained that before the beginning of the upcoming school year, 
the parliament will propose the authorization of the reinsertion of 
teachers at their full salary, which will not affect their retirement 
pension. 

In his speech, Castro also referred to a declaration in support of five 
Cuban anti-terrorist fighters who have been unjustly imprisoned in US 
jails, and added that this statement is another action in the struggle 
for their freedom.

Raul Castro talked about the national life expectancy and birth rate, 
and their effects on the working force, a fact that backs up the 
necessity of modifying current Social Security law. 

The Cuban President reflected on the need for workers to feel themselves 
as owners of the means of production, which do not depend only on 
theoretical explanations. 

The workerâs income must match their output and their workplaceâs 
fulfilment of its social purpose, which was the reason for its creation â
 to attain the level of productivity or services previously established, 
he affirmed. 

âCuba has to reverse, once and for all, the trend of the decreasing 
cultivated land area, which between 1998 and 2007 was reduced by 33 
percent, a fact that greatly influenced the limitations imposed by the 
economic crisis,â said Raul. 

âIn other words,â he added, âwe have to go back to the land! We have to 
make it produce!â 
  
Raul Castro said that in the future, legal regulations will be approved 
to start giving idle land to those capable of making it produce 
immediately, as he mentioned other measures that will be taken in 
relation to agricultural activity. 

Another topic mentioned by Castro was the price of oil. While in 2003 it 
was around 28 dollars a barrel, and this same time last year it 
oscillated between 70 and 80 dollars a barrel, just a few hours ago it 
surpassed 147 dollars a barrel in Europe. This increase âalong with the 
impact of bio-fuels, speculation and the devaluation of the dollarâ have 
sent food prices skyrocketing. 

The Cuban President recalled the valuable experiences accumulated by the 
Cuban Armed Forces (FAR) in the planning and production of food, and 
affirmed that todayâs preparation for defence is more effective than 
ever. Arms have been modernized, thanks to the efforts and intelligence 
of the engineers and workers at several state companies, he noted. 

=========================================
     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un ParaÃso bajo el bloqueo"
=========================================

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