To know and use more potentialities that already exist in the country for the advancement of electronic commerce, President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez urged the members of the Council of Ministers and representatives of different agencies in a meeting held on Friday to examine what It has already materialized in the development of this activity.

Once the first stage of presence of the electronic Government has been completed, with the concretion of public institutional portals in all the organisms and territorial governments - he pointed out - it is now necessary to promote a second moment in which we go to a greater interaction of the people with the Government.

In turn, he called for multiplying efforts for the efficient development of electronic commerce. Its use has to be extended in the national territory, "he said," because not only does it increase efficiency in the procedures that are carried out at different instances, it also helps to avoid corruption phenomena by leaving traces of all transactions.

The Minister of Internal Trade, Betsy Díaz Velázquez, said that eight projects representative of the trade of goods and services are currently under development. Gradually have been created infrastructures for its proper functioning with priority in the validation of the quality and security of the software, as well as a permanent attention to the results of the pilot tests that are carried out.

He stressed that there are still problems of a subjective and objective nature to achieve the progress of everything designed, but work together with the different stakeholders to achieve solutions and improve management.

Even when the first steps are hardly taken in these directions and the transactions carried out are not significant, the Minister mentioned as projects already visible in the retail network the 5th and 42 retail store where products are offered to people; the Superfácil Shopping Center that sells, among others, Cuban digital content and computer solutions for their own businesses; and the virtual store of Correos de Cuba through which money orders are sent by electronic means.

He also commented that, dedicated to meet the needs of non-state forms of management, two wholesale stores are currently under development, one for the sale of food products and another for the industrial ones.

The site that will allow companies to manage the marketing of idle and slow-moving inventories in the country's economy is also being prepared; make accommodation reservations in domestic trade units; as well as execute retail sales of goods through the integrated virtual store to the national and transfermóvil payment gateway.

Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella, Minister of Communications, said that there are still many reservations in e-commerce between companies, which not only helps to reduce the chains of non-payment, but also helps to detect corruption.

The President of the Councils of State and Ministers insisted that projects that have already been put into operation in different places should be validated, in the shortest time possible, so that they have all the security measures required.

In the same way, he told the representatives of the different agencies to clearly design how they will implement electronic commerce. This will allow a greater use of applications that already exist in the country, which gives us greater sovereignty, he stressed.

Later, Irma Martínez Castrillón, Minister President of the Central Bank of Cuba, explained about the development and use of electronic payment channels and infrastructures that it has been necessary to create for it.

After the purpose of bringing more and more banking services to society, at the end of 2018 the number of ATMs amounted to 927, distributed in 70 municipalities of the country, which is gradually being extended throughout the national territory. At the same time, work has been done to consolidate the services of multifunctional cashiers and Mobile Banking; the figures of active magnetic cards are increased; and there is stability in Telephone Banking in the country.

We lack communication at all levels in the banks -he acknowledged- to reach people with information in less technical terms and that can be understood easily.

He also insisted on the benefits offered by the use of point of sale terminals - popularly known as POS - that not only decrease the movement of cash in stores, but also make the purchase process more efficient in them.

The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Margarita González Fernández, called attention to the need to create the conditions to include all pensioners in the payment by magnetic card. In addition to eliminating unnecessary paperwork, it also facilitates the collection of these people, he said.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, stressed that in the electronic industry should be created the conditions that allow, both computer and electronic support, of what has been proposed to put in the country in these matters, which will enable the use of proprietary technology even if it is necessary to import certain components.

Medardo Morales Martín, general director of the company XETID, explained about the development of computer platforms and systems for electronic commerce that already exist in the country that cover different areas of society. From them, it is intended to respond quickly and timely to various problems present in Cuban society in a way that contributes to the well-being of the population and increases the effectiveness and efficiency of government, productive and service institutions.

As it was known, through these platforms it will be possible to capture, exchange and analyze data; as well as obtaining truthful, immediate, safe, accessible and transparent information about all those involved, which facilitates the taking of timely and well-founded decisions.

In the area of commerce and electronic payments, a variety of virtual stores have been developed for different types of businesses that will facilitate the acquisition and payment of products and services both between entities and between individuals.

This conception - he explained - can contribute to boost the expansion of electronic commerce in state entities and give participation to people, with the benefits that it means to the quality of life and to the commercial and fiscal management of the businesses.

Other designed platforms will also allow procedures and reservations; access to entertainment and information sources; manage intelligent equipment infrastructures such as ATMs, generators and transport fleets; as well as those that will enable popular participation and from any place you can report an event or make a suggestion to influence it.

With regard to this last aspect, Díaz-Canel commented that it constitutes one more way to interact with the population, to maintain a direct exchange and to know with immediacy any fact. Potentialities to develop the government and electronic commerce in the country have enough - he emphasized - now it is better to make better use of them.

Source: YAIMA PUIG MENESES / Granma Digital