ZHITKOVICHI, 7 November (BelTA) - During a working trip to Zhitkovichi District on 7 November, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko warned of strict accountability for the improper storage of agricultural machinery and announced that control in this area will be tightened starting next year, BelTA has learned.
The head of state noted that current conditions, including a slight dip in deliveries of domestic machinery to the Russian market, have created an opportunity to supply more equipment to the domestic market. The president has tasked the industry with this goal, but it comes with a requirement for farm managers to ensure the machinery is used efficiently, operated correctly, and stored properly.
“God forbid we find equipment left out behind a fence after winter,” Aleksandr Lukashenko warned. “We must have proper order. Every available resource must be used to keep the machinery in good condition.” In this sense, there is a need for the same level of order and discipline as in the military sector.
We must also push the chairpersons of the district executive committees to deliver more. They are essential - without the work of the district executive committees and city halls, nothing will be accomplished. This is achievable. The only thing missing is discipline,” the president said.
He also reminded everyone of the special terms under which agricultural enterprises will receive new, expensive machinery with state support: such machines must be operated by qualified, professional specialists. These specialists could be found, for instance, at industrial enterprises and temporarily hired to work in the fields.
The president described such options as perhaps unconventional, but effective in allowing a targeted and timely solution to the pressing problem of skilled labor shortages on some farms. “Of course, it is a non-standard step, a non-standard move. Many here might criticize me for it. But it’s a way out of the situation, an opportunity to preserve the expensive machinery,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, adding that in this regard he counts on the understanding and support of industrialists.
The head of state emphasized that the problem of personnel shortages is often exaggerated on the ground: “We have enough people. The worst thing is when there are people but no work. That is what’s terrible. But when there’s plenty of work and an alleged lack of people, that is manageable. Pay a person well, and they will do three or four times the norm.”
“We must take unconventional steps to ensure people are provided with food and clothing. A country cannot exist without this,” the president stressed.
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