Delegates to Cuba’s National Assembly Blame the “Weekly Packet” for Drug Use in Schools

Delegates to Cuba's National Assembly Blame the "Weekly Packet" for Drug
Use in Schools / 14ymedio, Rosa Lopez
Posted on July 16, 2015

14ymedio, Rosa Lopez, Havana, 13 July 2015 — Ten official caucuses of
Cuba's National Assembly of the People's Power* convened last weekend to
discuss –among other things – the state of the country's senior
citizenry, and the use of drugs in schools. This gathering at Havana's
Convention Center was a working prelude to the July 15th's opening of
the eighth session of the National Assembly.

The caucuses also examined Cuba's housing problems. They reported that
from December 2011 until this date, more than 424,000 credit
applications for housing improvements have been approved by the
government, totaling 4.4 billion Cuban pesos. Still, the delegates in
attendance criticized the pervasive irregularities and illegalities
hampering production, transportation, and the sale of construction
materials.

A delegate from Ciego de Ávila Province, Antonio Raunel Hernández,
reminded his colleagues that 19% of the current Cuban population is
older than sixty years, and it is anticipated that by 2025 that figure
will reach 30.5%, making the island the oldest country in Latin America.
Faced with this challenge, delegates agreed to launch programs ­­­–
within the framework of senior citizen homes – focusing special
attention on those suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other ailments
requiring special attention.

Children also took center stage in last weekends' meetings with a
discussion on the urgency of improved training for childcare
specialists. Martha Elena Fleitó, First Vice-Minister of Labor and
Social Security, stated that of the 1,726 childcare professionals in the
country, 34% of them work in Havana. The increasing propensity among
Cuban parents to opt for private daycare facilities has raised alarms
about the conditions of their State-run counterparts.

The Economic Affairs Caucus reported that revenues to the State's budget
last year rose to 47 billion Cuban pesos. At the moment, there are 498
cooperatives in the country, of which 204 focus on gastronomy and other
services. According to Tania Duconger, President of the Customer Service
Caucus, 95% of these enterprises are "turning a profit."

While Cuban national television did report summaries of the topics
discussed, many viewers lamented the lack of a "National Assembly
channel" where speeches, reports, and debates could be followed live.
Among the numerous topics for discussion, one that aroused enormous
interest is the consumption of alcohol and drugs in schools. Although
barely ever mentioned in the official media, this consumption is
increasingly common in the country's educational institutions.

The caucus meetings disclosed that with each passing year Cubans who
smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol are younger and younger. Several
deputies attributed this to newscasts and audiovisual materials that
reach the youth through "el paquete" or the "weekly packet," where they
learn about celebrities who consume drugs. Therefore, a new law will be
passed requiring the expulsion of young people over sixteen who consume
or distribute alcohol and drugs in schools.

At the meeting of the International Affairs Caucus, Josefina Vidal,
Director General of United States Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, gave
a synopsis of events after the announcements of December 17, 2014. Ms.
Vidal confirmed the opening of an embassy in Washington on July 20th,
and also said: "On that day we will be ending the first phase of the
process we initiated with the United States." Nevertheless, she warned
that the process towards normalization of relations between both
countries "would take some time…We have yet to discuss very complicated
matters that have accumulated over the past five decades."

Translator's Note: According to Cuba's 1976 Communist constitution, the
"Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular" is the single-chamber legislative
branch of government. All its delegates are Communist Party members,
nominated by their local Party branches, and elected unopposed through
obligatory universal suffrage. The National Assembly, which seldom
meets, serves as a rubber stamp for the decisions of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Translated by José Badué

Source: Delegates to Cuba's National Assembly Blame the "Weekly Packet"
for Drug Use in Schools / 14ymedio, Rosa Lopez | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/delegates-to-cubas-national-assembly-blame-the-weekly-packet-for-drug-use-in-schools-14ymedio-rosa-lopez/