-DATE-
19880707
-YEAR-
1988
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
REPORT
-AUTHOR-
F.CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
FURTHER ON CASTRO AT HAVANA ENTERPRISE MEETING
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA RADIO REBELDE
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19880713
-TEXT-
Further on Castro at Havana Enterprise Meeting
FL0807031288 Havana Radio Rebelde Network in Spanish 2301 GMT 7 Jul 88

[From the "Exclusivo" program hosted by Daniel Torres]

[Text] [Torres] The third meeting of Havana Province enterprises which
opened this morning continues with Commander in Chief Fidel Castro in the
chair.  Rebelde's "Exclusivo" has had a team covering this important event
from early this morning.  Here is reporter Virginia Maria Pineiro, from our
national division, to give us details and insights.  Good evening,
Virginia.

[Pineiro] Good evening, Daniel.  For Rebelde's "Exclusivo" from the Karl
Marx Theater.  Speaking in the second session of the third meeting of
Havana enterprises, the director of (Suchel) referred to the enterprise's
experience with regard to the qualifications of its present cadres.  The
results in this area have been positive, inasmuch as personnel with the
required technical and theoretical know-how have been selected.  He also
spoke of the controls applied in this industry in the various departments,
of the dedication of the officials and workers to (Suchel's) control and
production, and of the progress of the plan involving paying attention to
man.  As he had at other points in the meeting, Commander in Chief Fidel
Castro, first secretary of the PCC Central Committee then spoke with the
(Suchel) director about the connection of young people with the industries
and about the need to develop this in the economics school.  Fidel referred
to the technical training of the cadres and expressed concern about the
costs at (Suchel), which should be reduced to less than 90 centavos while
production and productivity are tripled.  We are now going to hear the
discussions, specifically about the toothpaste situation:

[Begin recording] [Speaker] As to toothpaste, we are planning a certain
amount of equipment replacement.  A report sent in by Esquivel [not further
identified] told of the problems with raw materials.  This is the program
you were asking us about, a program to replace the equipment because it is
more than 40 years old.  We need to replace some of this equipment.  We
have included this in the 1989 plan.

[Castro] Isn't there any program to increase production, or the production
capacity?

[Speaker] As I was telling you, Commander, we could produce 5,500 tons of
toothpaste.  However, it will still be a good deal for the country to
import 500.  Thus, with 6,000, this country would have no toothpaste
problem.  This has been demonstrated.  Some people may prefer this brand
over the other, etc.  That's another story.  However, we have managed with
6,000 tons of toothpaste for the past 25... [corrects himself] 22 years.

[Castro] Yes, but the population has grown.

[Speaker] Well, yes, but I mean with the population growth.  The situation
has remained the same and there have been no problems.  There have really
been no problems concerning toothpaste in the past 20 years.

[Castro] How much does as ton of toothpaste cost?

[Speaker] That's 955 pesos.

[Castro] How much does the raw material cost?

[Speaker] Well, I told you over a million for the whole production.

[Castro] Man, I'm talking about tons, not the whole industry!

[Speaker] Oh, tons.  Raw material should be about 800 pesos per ton.
Something like that. [end recording]

[Pineiro] To sum up, I should tell you that the meeting began with a speech
by Jorge Lezcano, first party secretary in Havana City Province, who noted
that the province's mercantile production grew 4.5 percent in the first 6
months of the year and that 39 million pesos were saved.  Representatives
of the miscellaneous crops and shipyard enterprises and enterprises that
produce measuring or recording instruments, as well as of the Cuban tuna
fishing fleet, also participated, referring to the situation in their
industries with regard to costs and controls of inventory, basic production
means, and idle equipment.  This is an exclusive of Radio Rebelde and
Daniel Torres.

[Torres] Virginia, before you leave, I noticed that the topics discussed
were not the ones on the agenda.  For instance, have the debates on
accountability taken place?

[Pineiro] They have discussed controls, specifically--how a new control
system has been set up that has made it possible for both the director and
the workers to be apprised of general costs.  As you know, accountability
has to do with costs and other aspects.  The basic discussion has centered
on costs, but other topics have been broached in general terms.  For
instance, tomatoes.  They talked about hydroponics in Havana and Santiago
de Cuba.  The first part secretaries took part.  I can also tell you that
Fidel asked why (Suchel) is exporting soap instead of increasing national
production of toothpaste.
-END-