Cuban Ministries to Undertake New Tasks

As part of the process to improve Cuba”s economy, new tasks will be undertaken by several bodies of the State Central Administration. The Official Gazette published the Decree Law 321 on the tasks to be carried out by the ministries of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (MINCEX), Food Industry (MINAL), Domestic Trade (MINCIN) and Construction (MICONS).

The document says that those institutions will be in charge of proposing and, after approval, directing and monitoring the implementation of the policies of the State and the Government in their fields of operation, so that they can focus on their state functions.

That way, the separation of these bodies from administrative activities in the entrepreneurial sector is legally established, so that companies will have more autonomy and faculties, says the decree.

In the case of the MINCEX, it will be in charge of “foreign trade, foreign investment and economic collaboration, based on the established development strategies.”

The MINAL will be responsible for “the development of the food industry, including the sector of beverages and liquors, as well as activities related to research, extraction, cultivation, preservation, processing and commercialization of fishing resources.”

The MINCIN will focus on “wholesale and retail domestic trade, the storehouse logistics and the protection to customers,” the decree stresses.

The MICONS will be in charge of “construction, production of construction materials and products, and housing and urbanization,” says the Official Gazette.

The improvement of these ministries will also contribute to more integrality, coherence and rationality of their structures, thus easing the functions of the public administration bodies and strengthening their regulating, controlling and supervising role.