The voices of the three audios are similar. Will it be the same COVID biologist? asked Barbara Betancourt, recently released from rest forced by dengue fever aggravated by numerous cormobilities and chose to tell her experiences as a patient, highlighting the way in which the early warning and protection system works for people that distinguish the work of MINSAP, in a strategy that already includes television ads during prime time.

If anything has been transparently monitored in the country, it is epidemiological issues. Every day a meeting of the working groups created to deal with COVID, which have remained activated (one for the epidemic and another for experts) in the face of the growth in dengue cases, for example. In Cuba, many resources and medicines may be and are lacking, but information and primary care are guaranteed. But to be up-to-date, you really have to search for and contrast the information in the Cuban public media.

A last alarmist audio, not related to health, but to the state of mind of the population, served as the closing of the analysis.

Created as soon as the country’s presidency and the directors of MINEM reported how they had decided to face the problem of energy generation, there the elements that seek to give credibility to the hoax, make the lie seem like the truth, are heard again. It is an old but very functional technique, even more so in the stormy sea of ​​the internet, where anything goes and almost everything is believed. By identifying the voice as that of someone expert, giving apparently real locations, a degree of credibility is obtained in which to support the main message: “don’t believe what you have been told. There is no solution”.

In reality, we live in hard times of uncertainty and the objectivity of the problems, specifically the blackout, create the conditions for anyone to believe in anything. But there is a job, a serious, consecrated and professional job, that expects and deserves trust.

I have seen some post in the last few hours, stating that the changes in the direction of the UNE and the MINEM will solve everything at a stroke. Beware of over-enthusiasm. The official notes on the changes are clear in terms of recognizing the merits of the substituted teammates and those that those who assume these tasks will have to face. We should not expect miracles. Perhaps we should wait for a change in strategy, tactics, innovations.

The pressures under which you have worked so far have an impact on the valued colleagues who will take on other tasks. But we must not forget that the problem is not only Cuban. Many other countries, without a blockade and with unfenced finances, are also suffering from energy crises.

As was said when announcing the changes, work continues under tension, but the purpose of overcoming the current deficits as soon as possible remains. There is no exact date yet. There is a commitment. And the few resources available based on those efforts.

(By: Arleen Rodríguez Derivet/Cubadebate)

Some 79,000 homes and businesses were still without power in Puerto Rico on Saturday, nearly two weeks after Hurricane Fiona hit the island, data showed.

After wreaking havoc in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, Fiona turned north and hit eastern Canada on September 24, also leaving more than a third of Nova Scotia without power.

Nova Scotia Power, a unit of Canadian energy company Emera Inc., said about 78,200 customers there were still without power as of early Thursday.

Fiona hit Puerto Rico on September 18, leaving the entire island, home to some 3.3 million people, without power.

This Saturday, the company Luma Energy, in charge of the transmission and distribution of electrical energy in Puerto Rico, reported that it increased the restoration of energy service on the island to 90% after the passage of Hurricane Fiona.

As detailed by the company on its website, 1,321,567 customers of some 1.4 million already have the service, 13 days after the onslaught of the cyclone.

The number of subscribers currently with electricity represents an increase of more than 100,000 compared to the 1,214,124 subscribers who had the service until yesterday, Friday, according to the data offered by Luma on its portal.

Clients in the San Juan, Bayamón and Caguas regions already have more than 95% electricity, followed by Arecibo with 90%, Ponce with 79% and Mayagüez with 62%.

On its page, Luma also indicates that the estimated time to restore 90% of the service in Ponce and Mayagüez is between October 4 and 6.

“Although we continue to make progress, we know that there are still many people in Puerto Rico without electricity due to the impact of Hurricane Fiona,” acknowledged Daniel Hernández, Luma’s director of renewable systems and projects, in a press release.

“Given the magnitude of the damage identified through our post-hurricane assessments, we anticipate that more than 90% of customers will have service by Saturday,” he said.

Hernández, however, acknowledged that the restoration of service will take longer in the most affected areas of Ponce and Mayagüez, “where we are mobilizing brigades and resources to support restoration efforts.”

Hernández also assured that Luma continues to give priority to crucial facilities and lifelines of the community, such as hospitals and the facilities of the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA).

Therefore, he indicated that Luma has restored service in all Level 1 hospitals and 93% of AAA facilities. The company has also started reviewing critical Tier 2 and Tier 3 facilities and their infrastructure.

“Luma is committed to our restoration efforts in the most affected communities, and throughout Puerto Rico, and we will not stop until every customer’s service has been restored,” Hernández said.

(With information from agencies)

Shortly before the president’s arrival, unit 2 of that CTE was already contributing 23 MW to part of the SEN in western Cuba.

To the extent that this unit increases power and gains in stability, the conditions to advance in synchronization with the national electricity system will improve.

Footprints of Ian in Mayabeque: 85% of the damage is concentrated in three municipalities
At a meeting of the Provincial Defense Council of Mayabeque, President Díaz-Canel received updated information on the effects that have been verified after the passage of Hurricane Ian and the recovery actions that have been undertaken.

85% of the damage is concentrated in the municipalities of Batabanó, Melena del Sur and San Nicolás, where the penetrations of the sea caused flooding that still persists in many places.

According to the president of the Provincial Defense Council, Yuniaky Crespo, of the more than 12,000 people who had to be evacuated in the province, even more than 3,000 have not been able to return to their homes.

961 hectares of various crops have been affected in some way, mainly in the municipalities of Quivicán, Melena del Sur, Güines and Batabanó. Half of the damage to agriculture is concentrated in cassava and plantain crops.
Given the floods that occurred in several places in the province, of greater magnitude than on previous occasions, Díaz-Canel insisted on the importance of constantly updating our risk reduction and prevention plans in the face of natural disasters.

As lines that should be prioritized in the future in the municipality of Batabanó, he highlighted the need to build increasingly resistant houses, advance in the sewerage project that is already being worked on, and restore the roads with materials that are less vulnerable to seawater.

The president highlighted the way in which work has been organized in the province, where intelligent ideas have been adopted that can be useful in other territories. “There are conditions here to overcome the current situation in a short time,” he assured.

Diaz-Canel later came to the municipality of Batabanó to evaluate recovery actions that are being put in place and to exchange with the people.

Together with residents of the Surgidero de Batabanó community, the Head of State explained that they are working to advance in sanitation work. “Everything is not going to be resolved all at once, but everything will be taken care of and no one will be left helpless,” assured the president.

On the road to the Batabanó Port Terminal, the president stopped the caravan to greet FAR soldiers who have been decisive in the recovery. The president inquired about his study and work plans. “Take a photo journalist we want this memory,” said a soldier.

En carretera a Terminal Portuaria de Batabanó el mandatario detuvo la caravana para saludar a soldados de las FAR que han sido decisivos en la recuperación. El presidente indagó por sus planes de estudio y trabajo. “Tire una foto periodista que queremos este recuerdo”, dijo un soldado.

En el municipio de Melena del Sur, concluyó el presidente su recorrido de este jueves. Junto a varios productores compartió ideas sobre la siembra de cultivos y su aprovechamiento para incrementar las ofertas de alimentos a la población.