Distribution of the Cuban budget for 2017
A deeply humanist budget is under way. The meetings with the workers to analyze the State budget for 2017 have already begun. This happens in Cuba every year, even though it may seem incredible to the majority of the readers.
The working groups, either those of the State enterprises, or those of budgeted entities, have now under discussion how to use –with higher efficiency — the assigned resources of the State, and to generate profits, goods and services which the country calls for.
Much interest is given to avoid formality; likewise, they insist on the importance of the participation of each worker, cadre, or specialist in the process of analysis and control of the session, budget planned in their field of work. To that end no efforts are spared to spread the fundamental aspects of the Law of the budget of the State, passed in the parliament in December each year.
Here, nothing is to be hidden, rather, too much to be published, both for Cubans and foreigners, for them to know that the Cuban State, in this year, characterized by acute economical tensions, assigns 23% of its budget to education, 28% to health care and 16% to social security, percentages much higher to those assigned to such items, in practically the rest of the world.
Whole planned expenses go up to 63,811 million pesos (it grows up 11% regarding the previous year) and it assures the financial sustainability of the policies approved and the keeping of the conquests in social services that constitute achievements of the Revolution.
The budget supports important decisions of the Revolutionary Government to continue with the recovery of the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew which devastated three municipalities of Guantánamo Province, in the easternmost part of Cuba.
Fifty-four million pesos are allocated as subsidies for construction material for repair the houses of the families.
The benefits to social security are supported with six thousand million pesos, thus guaranteeing the pensions for one million 672 thousand people, and for maternity support, 245 millions.
These expenses are covered partially (86%) with the aid for the contribution to social security, which are esteemed in five thousand one hundred eighty millions.
A growth fund was planned with 100 million pesos to finance material investments, capital for working and acquisition of fixed assets, with incidence in development.
Subsidies to back the production of the agro nutritional sector, useful for the substitution of imports are increased, the same happens with exports.
Expenses to finance investments grow 49%.
Regarding incomes, it is planned to get 52 thousand 587 million pesos, that means a growth of about three percent regarding 2016.
That implies a fiscal deficit of 11 thousand 453 million pesos that represents 12% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), justified by the financial backing to the increase of overproductions for export, or those that substitute imports, and the execution of investments that foster the growth of economy, in addition to assure similar levels to those of 2016 in the social class.
The incomes for the application of taxes, rates and contributions represent 75% of the whole, it is also ratified that government enterprises may have at their disposal 50% of profits achieved to foster their development, once their commitment has been fulfilled.
These are only some meaningful figures, so as to offer a look over a State budget which stands out for its deeply humanist character. It might as well be an example for many skeptics, who cannot believe that a poor, underdeveloped country, submitted to a brutal blockade, may face up a year of a complex economical panorama, without drawing back a bit in social aspect, without any shock therapy, and without conditioned financing by sovereignty concessions.
Translator: Reinaldo Fernández
A deeply humanist budget
Distribution of the Cuban budget for 2017
A deeply humanist budget is under way. The meetings with the workers to analyze the State budget for 2017 have already begun. This happens in Cuba every year, even though it may seem incredible to the majority of the readers.
The working groups, either those of the State enterprises, or those of budgeted entities, have now under discussion how to use –with higher efficiency — the assigned resources of the State, and to generate profits, goods and services which the country calls for.
Much interest is given to avoid formality; likewise, they insist on the importance of the participation of each worker, cadre, or specialist in the process of analysis and control of the session, budget planned in their field of work. To that end no efforts are spared to spread the fundamental aspects of the Law of the budget of the State, passed in the parliament in December each year.
Here, nothing is to be hidden, rather, too much to be published, both for Cubans and foreigners, for them to know that the Cuban State, in this year, characterized by acute economical tensions, assigns 23% of its budget to education, 28% to health care and 16% to social security, percentages much higher to those assigned to such items, in practically the rest of the world.
Whole planned expenses go up to 63,811 million pesos (it grows up 11% regarding the previous year) and it assures the financial sustainability of the policies approved and the keeping of the conquests in social services that constitute achievements of the Revolution.
The budget supports important decisions of the Revolutionary Government to continue with the recovery of the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew which devastated three municipalities of Guantánamo Province, in the easternmost part of Cuba.
Fifty-four million pesos are allocated as subsidies for construction material for repair the houses of the families.
The benefits to social security are supported with six thousand million pesos, thus guaranteeing the pensions for one million 672 thousand people, and for maternity support, 245 millions.
These expenses are covered partially (86%) with the aid for the contribution to social security, which are esteemed in five thousand one hundred eighty millions.
A growth fund was planned with 100 million pesos to finance material investments, capital for working and acquisition of fixed assets, with incidence in development.
Subsidies to back the production of the agro nutritional sector, useful for the substitution of imports are increased, the same happens with exports.
Expenses to finance investments grow 49%.
Regarding incomes, it is planned to get 52 thousand 587 million pesos, that means a growth of about three percent regarding 2016.
That implies a fiscal deficit of 11 thousand 453 million pesos that represents 12% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), justified by the financial backing to the increase of overproductions for export, or those that substitute imports, and the execution of investments that foster the growth of economy, in addition to assure similar levels to those of 2016 in the social class.
The incomes for the application of taxes, rates and contributions represent 75% of the whole, it is also ratified that government enterprises may have at their disposal 50% of profits achieved to foster their development, once their commitment has been fulfilled.
These are only some meaningful figures, so as to offer a look over a State budget which stands out for its deeply humanist character. It might as well be an example for many skeptics, who cannot believe that a poor, underdeveloped country, submitted to a brutal blockade, may face up a year of a complex economical panorama, without drawing back a bit in social aspect, without any shock therapy, and without conditioned financing by sovereignty concessions.
Translator: Reinaldo Fernández