With its first secretary Army General Raúl Castro Ruz presiding, yesterday December 20, the Communist Party of Cuba’s Central Committee met. José Ramón Machado Ventura, Central Committee second secretary, reported on work undertaken by the Political Bureau, in particular that related to the fulfillment of agreements made during the 7th Party Congress.

He said that the leadership body’s commissions had analyzed questions related to the implementation of the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines of the Party and the Revolution, as well as the central economic and social issues facing the country

Later Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, minister of Economy and Planning presented a report on the economy’s performance in 2017, as well as the proposed Economic Plan and State Budget for next year.

Likewise, Marino Murillo Jorge, head of the Permanent Policy Implementation and Development Commission informed the Central Committee of progress being made on approved Guidelines.

These final points discussed by the body will be presented today to deputies in the National Assembly of People’s Power, meeting in the 10th Period of Ordinary Sessions of the current legislature.

Before the gathering concluded, Raúl indicated that, next March, another plenum of the Central Committee will be held to further analyze progress in the implementation of Guidelines, and consider strategic projections for the coming years.

He insisted on the need to give more attention to addressing the housing situation in the country, noting that a broader program to do so is being developed. To be included are the use of a variety of construction technologies and strengthening of local production of materials, along with those produced nationally, in a effort to develop more comprehensive and timely solutions to this problem.