“This has been possible thanks to the support we’ve had from the mixed brigades, which together with UE staff have worked non-stop over recent days. We are talking about 764 people who have been working every day across each of the most affected areas,” he stated.
Guerra highlighted that Villa Clara and Ciego de Ávila continue to suffer the worst damage, above all in coastal areas which were severely impacted by the hurricane.

“At this time, Camajuaní, Remedios, and Encrucijada are the most affected municipalities in Villa Clara. 191 UE workers are laboring there to restore power as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the municipalities of Chambas, Bolivia, and Ciro Redondo suffered the most damage in Ciego,” he explained.

Despite the extent of damage, directors of the Electrical Union assured that work in the affected provinces should conclude by September 30.

“However, let us state that once repairs are completed, some problems to services could persist – which will be resolved by brigades from each province – as strong winds could have caused shorts in conductors,” stated the technical director.

Guerra went on to note that the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the largest of its kind in the country and the most severely affected by Hurricane Irma, began to generate power on the evening of September 25.

“Remember, the generating facility has been out of operation causing some problems with electrical service. However, the start-up process will be initiated this Monday (September 25) evening or in the early hours of this Tuesday (September 26), putting the system in a better position to begin generating power,” he stated.

(Cubadebate)

Speaking with residents of Villa Blanca and Isabela de Sagua, he encouraged the group, emphasizing that, this time, many areas throughout the country were impacted, making it difficult to provide immediate solutions to basic problems everywhere, including those regarding housing, water, and electricity, tasks which are being afforded maximum priority.

In a conversation with Caibarién native Mirtha Suárez, Lazo said that the country has the organizational capability and the basic resources to successfully address the challenge, which requires the participation of all Cubans, with discipline, organization, and hard work.

Later, in an exchange with María Caridad Monteagudo and Juan Carlos Huet, residents of Isabela, Lazo insisted on the importance of learning from the tragedy, to use the experience gained in other situations because climate change is real, although no weather event is exactly like another. He emphasized the need to analyze how we construct, how we fasten roofing, what crops we plant, when we prune trees to protect utility lines, and many other issues that played a role in the magnitude of damages.

Several neighbors in the coastal community thanked the government for the prompt, well-organized way they were evacuated, preventing any loss of life, as well as the support provided this town devastated by Irma.

In Sancti Spíritus, Lazo also called for work to be done with discipline and organization, to avoid wasting resources on non-priority tasks.

A event of this magnitude can only be confronted with the unity of all, he said during a meeting with authorities in the municipality of Yaguajay, where he called for redoubling efforts during the recovery phase, and not renouncing plans on any front.

“I congratulate the people of Yaguajay and of Sancti Spíritus in general, because we can see that you prepared, in accordance with plans made for every phase, and today are maintaining a good pace in the recovery period,” Lazo said, while calling for an increase in local production of construction materials, needed to repair the damage caused by the hurricane in this part of the country, to homes in particular.

Accompanied by Ana María Mari Machado, vice president of the National Assembly, Lazo toured several neighborhoods in the city of Yaguajay and surrounding areas, where he asked about electrical and communications services, as well as the state of healthcare and educational facilities, the focus of recovery efforts.

In both provinces, the President of Cuba’s Parliament was accompanied by leaders of local defense councils.

(Granma)