Given the recovery efforts that are taking place in Havana after the passage of Hurricane Ian and the recent protests that took place in some parts of the capital, Cubavisión Internacional spoke with Luis Antonio Torres Iríbar, president of the Provincial Defense Council of Havana.
It is said that the hurricane did not pass through Havana, what can you tell us about it?
-Well, I would tell you that it is true that a category 3 hurricane passed through Pinar del Río, but a hurricane also passed through Havana. I have been in my responsibility for 17 years as Party secretary in different provinces and I have seen several hurricanes, but this is one of the ones that has caused the most damage to the electrical system, to communications. Therefore, our people must understand that a hurricane also passed through here.
What kind of damage did it cause?
-The first thing was the damage to the trees of the city. There are hundreds of trees that fell and affected the electricity. All the circuits were paralyzed, largely due to the effects of the hurricane on the networks. Communications were also affected. But already today Havana has recovered more than 50% of its electrical system and around 60% of customers have electricity.
At what point are we in this recovery phase?
-We have proposed for the weekend to recover 100% of the primary circuits of the city, that is, that electricity has reached all areas. It may be that there are people who, punctually, in the secondary circuits, have to be enabled. But we advocate that the circuits all have electricity.
“In addition, we are receiving forces from other provinces and we are also working on the recovery with resources from the capital, Micons, communications, the Armed Forces, the Union of Military Construction, MSMEs, among others.”
But, sometimes, people want faster solutions and, even if they are given explanations, they have come out to protest.
I believe that protesting is a right. But it is a right when those responsible, the State and the Government, stop doing what is their responsibility. Under the conditions of yesterday’s protest, what it does is stop the fulfillment of our mission, which is, in the shortest time possible, to achieve full recovery.
“Last night, many cadres had to go out to explain, to give those arguments, to participate and be with those who protested, providing them with opinions and criteria so that they could understand the situation. Those cadres could have been with the electricians, with the communicators, with the construction workers, community workers, collecting debris.”
Recently, the president of Cuba said: “It takes a lot of arms and a lot of will to get out of this situation together.” What do you think about it?
– I ratify it. What the president said is being fulfilled in many places with popular participation. In this exercise of hands together and souls together, we are going to emerge victorious. I call that in every place where there are fallen trees and debris we all join. The greatest claim we must make at this time must be directed at those who have not joined the battle for recovery.
“We must unite and work hard so that the country’s capital can be fully recovered in the shortest possible time and can even help the sister province of Pinar del Río, which is in such a difficult situation right now.”
(Take from Cubavision Internacional)