Cuban President Raúl Castro with first vice president José Ramón Machado during the begining of the Parliament's seventh session. Photo: Omara GARCIA MEDEROS

After analysis of the transport situation in the country, and the work of the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Sports in the control of policy towards both sectors, the Cuban deputies today concluded four days of intense discussions and reflections on the most pressing problems of the island.

On Monday, at the Havana Convention Center the seventh session of the National Assembly of Popular Power for the current legislature will be held. There members will get to know about how the implementation of the guidelines approved at the VI Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba is being carried out, and the economy through the first half of year 2011.

Last Thursday and Friday at commission level meetings, and Saturday and Sunday in the plenary hall with several ministers, they deepened into economic issues, food security, education, science, technology and environment, culture, investment areas of iron and steel and construction, tourism, international relations and attention to the proposals of the population.

On Sunday, in the presence of Ricardo Alarcon, president of Parliament, the Minister of Transport (MITRANS), José Ignacio Arocha, spoke to the deputies on the country's efforts to restore the rail system, to make maritime and port operations more efficient, and especially the transportation of goods and passengers.

The measures taken are not only aimed at increasing the technical availability of resources and equipment, ie cars and railroad cars, buses, trucks and boats and secure their pieces and parts, but also to restore discipline, order, demands and control, to improve the quality of services, save fuel and other energy carriers, and to prevent and tackle crime and illegalities.

Even in keeping with the updated economic model variants are being studied to ensure the full participation of the private carriers or self employed in society, given the support they provide in many parts of cities and towns where transport is inadequate.

As well as the recovery of the railway system, the main thrust of the MITRANS for the coming years, is focused on its work on three major programs: the dredging of ports, port infrastructure renovation and recovery of the merchant fleet for national and international traffic.

Also Sunday, in the plenary hall, Cuban deputies heard of the work done by the Permanent Committee on Health and Sports and its president, Dr. Jorge Gonzalez explained that in the visits to provinces like Pinar del Rio, Matanzas and Villa Clara, and meetings with executives, specialists and workers they have monitored several issues.

He mentioned among these the process of job availability in clinics, hospitals and other health and sports centers and community services, the quality of the services to the population in these units, the progress of dental services and drug programs, training in medical sciences, optics, and hygiene-epidemiological situation in the country.

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