[NYTr] Cuban Parliament Tackles Key Socioeconomic Issues Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:22:30 -0600 (CST) Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit Prensa Latina, Havana http://www.plenglish.com Cuban Parliament Tackles Key Socioeconomic Issues Havana, Dec 26 (Prensa Latina) The Cuban deputies are analyzing major issues of the country"s 2007 socioeconomic behavior, as well as prospects for 2008, in working commissions holding sessions Wednesday and Thursday. The main objective of the two-day agenda is to examine the economic plan and budget for the sectors under parliamentary attention, as well as the fulfilment of tasks carried out by those commissions since 2003. Sources from the People"s Power National Assembly commented that the production and distribution of food for the population, efficiency, saving, productivity, and work discipline are other topics under analysis. The agenda also includes the assessment of results of educative and cultural programs, and the delivery of electrical appliances to Cuban families as part of the ongoing Energy Revolution. In addition, the commission in charge of health and sports will debate on universalization of medical sciences teaching, the new model for a degree in medicine, and use and integration of resources. The Cuban Parliament will hold the tenth period of the 6th Legislature on Friday, when it is expected to disclose economic predictions for the closing of the current year, and projects for the coming one. hr dig crc PL-8 *** Cuba Takes on Drugs, Corruption Havana, Dec 26 (Prensa Latina) Cuban judicial authorities said Wednesday that the Island is making special emphasis on the fight against crimes related to drugs and corruption. Attorney General Juan Escalona and the Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruben Remigio Ferro gave reports of the legal actions in this regard to the National Assembly's Constitutional and Judicial Affairs Committee. Both leaders expressed their views and responded to concerns of members of the committee, one of the ten in session as a previous step to the last plenary session of this legislature. Escalona noted that the Attorney General's Office will strengthen procedures to prosecute crimes detected during inspections of organizations and companies. Meanwhile the courts are implementing measures to improve the quality of the penal process, applying advanced computer technology to control sentences and consolidating professional judicial quality. ef ccs gdb ro leg PL-35 *** Cuban Deputies Urge New Med Training Havana, Dec 26 (Prensa Latina) Cuban deputies championed perfecting medical teaching to meet new challenges in the country or in their work of solidarity abroad. Members of the Health and Sports Commission of the National People's Power Assembly agreed on Wednesday that better quality in medicine teaching lies in making the new methods and techniques part of the educational programs. With this, health professionals will have the new knowledge and resources at their disposal to make their preventative work more effective. Deputy Elia Rosa Lemus said the purpose is for a greater number of diseases to be eradicated each day, and others to be diagnosed earlier. Cuban health should respond to the 50 years of Revolution, because this sector has become an example to the world for its high professional level and for attending its population totally free, said Lemus. The deputy highlighted that thousands of Cuban health professionals are fulfilling missions in the most remote places in the world, and 23,000 youth from over 20 countries are studying medicine in the Island. Hence, all Cuban doctors have to be teachers, and every health institution, from hospitals to neighborhood doctor's offices should be teaching centers. Cuban Health Minister Jose Ramon Balaguer highlighted the need to strengthen relations between teaching, clinical medicine, and research. ef ccs iom leg ale PL-33 *** Cuban Deputies Vote to Up Animal Fodder Havana, Dec 26 (Prensa Latina) Cuba is working to consolidate its food security with increased national production and better use of the land, to remove it from the high prices of the international market. The Cuban Assembly's Attention to Productive Activity Committee assured that as long as Cuba depends on imported animal feed, animal protein will continue to be more expensive. During debates it was noted that, despite increases in homegrown pork and poultry meat, eggs, milk and other products this year, costs increased 30 percent because of the high prices abroad. Committee Chairman Leonardo Martinez told Prensa Latina that animal protein is the most expensive food and that problem will not be solved land is more efficiently used. He added that it is essential to diversify and not depend on only one product, so it is important to reactivate old fodder plants and pasture crops, foster the cultivation of soy, corn and sorghum, and use modern technology to replace import operations. Deputies also analyzed home construction and rehabilitation, as construction objectives have not been met due to lack of materials. The 2008 budget will destine more funds for repairing homes, since this is the population's greatest need. ccs tac leg crc PL-31 * ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us Our main website: http://www.blythe.org List Archives: http://blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/ Subscribe: http://blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr =================================================================