Statement by Mrs. Edilen B. Pita Rodriguez, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Cuba in Geneva, on item GB.350/INS/9: "Review of the functioning of the Executive Board, identification of areas for improvement, and modalities and timetable for results-based follow-up action".
Mr. Chairman,
Cuba takes note of the document presented by the Bureau.
My country attaches particular importance to actions aimed at advancing the process of democratization of the ILO's governing bodies, and to the review of the functioning of the Governing Body.
We agree that certain aspects need to be discussed in order to further improve the functioning of the Governing Body.
We believe that the Board should consider improving time management. Late-night meetings are detrimental to the efficiency and productivity of meetings, to health and to the rules governing the regulation of working time. It is possible to reduce speaking time. Positive examples can be found in other bodies in Geneva.
Another possibility is to reduce the number of items on the agenda, as proposed during the present debate, by reviewing the frequency of recurring items.
The power given to the Board Bureau to decide on the inclusion of an item on the agenda when no consensus has been reached within the tripartite selection panel is questionable. This point should be reviewed, bearing in mind that the absence of consensus is subsequently reflected in the decisions taken by the Council and in the number of votes that have taken place in recent years.
Mr. Chairman,
We agree with the proposal that the Bureau should prepare a position paper containing a brief analysis of the specific aspects, rules or practices that need to be addressed, modified or improved in order to guide the Board in its decision. This document should be prepared on the basis of tripartite consultations.
We recognize that the best way to advance discussions on these issues is to entrust them to a working group. The Bureau could present a discussion paper containing proposals on the composition, mandate and duration of such a group.
The composition of the group is crucial. We believe that equitable regional distribution and parity between the tripartite components are essential.
Mr. Chairman,
In conclusion, we would like to express our readiness to participate actively in future consultations with a view to identifying aspects that will contribute to a better functioning of the Board of Directors.
Thank you for your attention.