Cuban Minister Updates and Responds Online to the Population: An Experience to Imitate

The Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, made a live broadcast last Saturday on his Facebook profile to address the transportation situation in Cuba as well as his goals.

And yesterday, Sunday, regarding the first broadcast, he called on citizens with the question “How to do it better?” to give their opinions and suggestions, which numbered more than 300 at the time of writing this article, in general, show respectful and interesting considerations, as well as doubts and proposals.

These exchanges are part of the "Desafío" communication project of the Ministry of Transportation (Mitrans), which has already announced, through its official channels, new transmissions and publications.

Undoubtedly, this is an unusual event. There are not many officials in Cuba who practice these necessary exchange exercises carried out daily, even though they can constitute a valuable point in their performance as public servants.

Internet user Juan Manuel Álvarez Tur commented on the subject: “Anything that provides more information for the population, specifically, is extremely useful to understand the crisis. I’m glad that such an important ministry is moving in the right direction on a communication level. At a time when resources are scarce, the least we can do is communicate more and better.”

On his behalf, Carlos Camilo, one more among those who gave his opinion, pointed out: “Regardless of the fact that the solutions to the problems involve resources that are not sufficient right now, it’s very encouraging and admirable that you have the courage to face the public, explain and exchange directly with the people that you represent, because many forget that their positions are not private property, but to represent us.

“It’s curious to see the number of positive comments, in contrast to other publications that are immediately filled with negative and mocking comments, because they are completely far from reality. The people, which is the country, need and appreciate this way of leadership, its simple way without fancy words. Personally, I congratulate him, he has given a compelling example of everything we can do with information tools and networks.”

Orlando Nodarse wrote: “Anyone who wants to direct a sector of the economy to do good for the people must do what you are doing. Communicate and provide feedback. Get down to the base and take measures with your feet on the ground, according to what we have.”

What did the minister report?

In the almost 50 minutes of the live broadcast, followed by hundreds of Internet users in real time, the mechanical engineer and master in Automotive Transport, Rodríguez Dávila, at the head of Mitrans since 2019, offered a very “down-to-earth” overview of the difficult situation of the activity he presides.

The minister himself, very colloquial and evidencing a deep knowledge of the activity he directs, but without technicalities or clichés, served as moderator of the meeting, in which executives from the sector related to the four branches of transportation participated as guests - the airport, the railways, the automotive sector and the maritime-port sector - and whose work was incorporated into the transmission supported by very well-produced audiovisuals.

The information offered by the minister was abundant, already discussed at the end of February during the meeting of the sector, where the President of the Republic participated.

As automotive transportation is abundant, the most used and commented on by the population, these were some of the points discussed:

-More than 90% of all passengers in the country use this type of means to travel

-This passenger transport adds many quality problems, dissatisfaction, and now also problems with prices.

-With respect to the many paralyzed buses, bus cemeteries, he explained that this is because they have had to take parts from the stopped vehicles to restore the breakdowns of others due to not having timely financial resources for spare parts. For example, a bus that provides service in Havana requires more than 10 thousand dollars annually for its maintenance. “The transportation problem requires money to be able to sustain it and it needs discipline, knowledge, and organization, tasks on which we work,” he stated.

-Contracts signed last year are already in place that will allow paralyzed media to be recovered. There is not enough fuel and, therefore, we must be more efficient in organization and control.

-They will be focused on recovering public, state transportation, to recover the routes that remain without service

-We are convinced, he stressed, that the state service can be increased and that we can count on the group of non-state transporters.

-He emphasized that in the case of private carriers, it’s the provincial governments that have the power to establish prices, set the routes and reconcile the conditions of these services, while they and us have the responsibility to ensure that they are controlled and comply with what’s established, he said.

- The electric tricycle program continues, an alternative for short distances. There are already 100 new ones being assembled in the industry, which will be distributed in the eastern provinces.

-He insisted that it depends on intelligence and collective creativity, as President Díaz-Canel urged them, to make up for the lack of convertible currency opportunities to be able to buy the necessary inputs, many of which are not produced in Cuba and others which are produced, but require imported components or raw materials.

-They project an increase in income this year to keep contributions to the economy and dedicate a part of those resources to the recovery and maintenance of infrastructure and means of transportation. At the same time, also to begin looking for financing to start investments, which have not been made in transportation for five years.

This was not the first interaction of this sort offered by Minister Rodríguez Dávila, but it was the most media-friendly and an excellent example of good work, which he himself summarized in his Facebook account:

“For us, this interaction with you is very useful, not just because it allows us to receive feedback from your opinions, but also because each preparation of information forces us all to go deeper, think, reflect and, most importantly, commit to what we it’s said".

Let’s hope this experience multiplies, because the Cuban people deserve it.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff