Upon arrival he found an open-air facility. More than 90% of the roofs of warehouses, production areas and other premises had blown up, but its workers, the desire to recover and the sense of belonging never went away. About 20 days later, when we arrived at the place, these were the testimonies that received us.

The night-early morning from September 26 to 27 will be unforgettable for Jesús González Arronte, one of the two directors of UEB that La Conchita has, who shows us in photos the disaster on the roofs, windows and doors of the factory. “The next day we started the recovery and in less than 10 days we were already producing, although we still have things to restore, especially roofs.”

The manager highlighted the high sense of belonging of the workers, despite the fact that more than half of the workforce had damage to their homes. “We are helping many of them and we have even sold them coal, eggs and some resources,” he says, which is confirmed by Raidel Crespo, one of those most affected by Ian’s impact. “I didn’t think they were going to help people so quickly. That speaks very well of real solidarity.”
“No one was summoned here to deal with the destruction. More than 100 colleagues showed up. That showed the love of the workers for their center, because we know the economic importance we have for the province and the country”, says Aracelys Ajete, general secretary of the union bureau, with optimism.

“Thanks to that, several production lines are already working. With our own strength we erected new roofs, collected fallen trees and cleaned the areas”, explains the veteran trade unionist who treasures 33 years of work in La Conchita in her body and spirit. “I remember other natural phenomena like Gustav, but I had never experienced something like this. Ian was devastating, but we will get up. Even a group of us went to La Coloma to help”.

United in life, and in business!
Yunia Castro has been in this factory for 13 years and suffered damage to her home, and even so, she returned to her workplace knowing the importance of resuming production, since not only Pinar del Río benefits, but also Artemisa, Mayabeque, Havana and other provinces.

“This situation has been difficult. Working hard at home and at the workplace is complicated, but there is no other option but to push forward, ”she says. “Ian affected my roof, however, La Conchita is like my house, that’s why I joined. This is where my salary comes from, the sustenance of my children, ”she confessed.

Yunia highlighted the interest of some of her managers and colleagues in helping her solve her damage. “Here we are a big family, we help each other and that is worth a lot”, she certified while she with a couple of screams, due to the intense noise of the production, she called her husband.

“I’m Martínez Álvarez, Director of Maintenance,” she said, although we barely heard him over the whistling of the equipment. “I can’t move from here now. The cyclone hit the company hard, although thanks to everyone’s efforts we have come out ahead. We have set foot on the ground because we have to produce, it cannot be stopped”.

Another veteran in these parts is Julio César de la Vega. He is from Havana, but he fell in love with a Pinar del Rio woman and has been in La Conchita for 36 years, now as head of the laboratory. “Here there were doors that the hurricane took with the frame and everything. We prepare because we have a cyclone culture. For example, sugar is collected days in advance, many raw materials are packed in tanks with lids and even then they are covered with canvas.

“The equipment is intact. The technology is not very modern, but we take care of it. Vinegar, compote for children and vitanova are being produced in this same workshop”, she informs as if he were wasting time joining his work.

“The secret of quality is putting love into it and counting on the good technologists and teachers we have,” acknowledges Julio César, who could not escape the baseball controversy because he is a fervent industrialist.

Before leaving and after touring the almost complete factory, we return to the dialogue with González Arronte. “The production plans will not be affected, only that it will force us to work more in double shifts, and of course our recovery is vital, because we produce food for the population. And now more are needed.”
One final idea we take from this group. “The idea is that the factory will be better when we finish the recovery”, emphasizes Arronte. “We put the cultural detail of the installation,” says Aracelys Ajete. “Journalist, this factory is emblematic, nobody stops us,” concludes Raymand, one of the many Pinar del Rio residents who will never forget the night his son asked him to sit at the door so that Ian would not enter his house.

( By: Joel Garcia, Daniel Martinez Rodriguez/ from Workers)

On this visit, in which he exchanges with the people and authorities of Pinar del Río, the Cuban leader is accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Alejandro Gil Fernández.

At the provincial headquarters of the PCC, Díaz-Canel was received by Army Corps General Ramón Espinosa Martín; the member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee Félix Duarte Ortega; the first secretary of the Party in Pinar del Río, Yamilé Ramos Cordero, and the governor of the province, Rubén Ramos Moreno.

The tour of the Cuban president began in Consolación del Sur, where more than 20,000 homes were affected. There, the electricity service has been restored to 25% of the clients and more than 300 Cubans from various provinces help in the recovery.

In Consolación, Díaz-Canel exchanged with the residents. He also shared with the pioneers at the Francisco Valdés Ramos school, in the Piloto town, in that municipality.

The same state that they call “failed” bravely called, just a week ago, for a referendum on the very advanced Family Code. The unequivocal majority of the Cuban people supported it, and a few hours later it became law. Before, this inclusive project, conceived from popular participation, had to go through a fierce campaign of demonization based on supposed moral and religious precepts. Overtly political manipulations were not lacking either. None of this prevented the triumph of the yes, reflected in a pale and reductionist way in the hegemonic press.

Coinciding with the entry into force of the Code, a devastating hurricane hit the western region of Cuba, leaving dozens dead in the United States in its wake. It is painful and difficult for any country that suffers such a contingency to get back on its feet, alleviate the suffering of those affected, try to recover from the damage and move forward.

For Cuba – economically strangled and slandered for decades – the challenge is multiplied. Only the incontestable decision to allocate the scarce resources of the country so that no one is left abandoned and the conviction that only with the participation and support of the people is it possible to move forward, can explain why we managed to overcome it again, without stopping thinking about going far beyond.

While people and organizations from all over the world have expressed their solidarity and offered concrete support to Cuba, while sister governments have provided assistance and friends like those of The People’s Forum have called on President Biden from the pages of the New York Times to show signs of the most elementary humanitarian spirit and does not hinder the Island’s purpose of rising up with its own efforts, other voices have taken advantage of the tragedy to install the opinion matrix that our ills and the difficulties to face them are a consequence of the inability of the Cuban government.

They want to capitalize on the logical discomfort of citizens deprived of basic services in the hope that nature will finally achieve what so many desperate attempts to destroy the Revolution have not been able to do. Now they politicize demonstrations and spontaneous claims, move through the networks hysterical and aggressive hate speech, incite street violence, oppose the slightest relaxation of the blockade and follow the script of the “soft coup” to the letter.

In a few days, sixty years have passed since the October Crisis, perhaps the moment of greatest risk experienced by the revolutionary process, those days in which -as Che said in his farewell letter- Fidel shone like few statesmen in history . Once again, fate offers us the alternative of surrendering to adversity and threats or imposing ourselves on them with imagination and audacity. No “failed state” could dream of the second option; no worthy people would support him.

Today the Cuba so often defamed is recovering from the ravages caused by the hurricane. Instead of the repression attributed to the fabricated “virtual country”, in the “real” one, the authorities constantly visit the affected areas and talk directly with the citizens.

As in all difficult situations, solidarity, the basic principle of our coexistence, comes to the fore. Let our friends know that the overwhelming majority of the people recognize themselves in their leaders, participate in the recovery of the country and defend the principle that is on the threshold of the new Constitution approved in April 2019: “Cuba is a socialist State of law and social justice, democratic, independent and sovereign”.

Havana, October 2, 2022.

According to a report by Tele Pinar, the meeting reviewed the main actions carried out in Vueltabajo to recover —in the shortest time possible— the damage caused by Hurricane Ian.

Living place:

63,000 forms of needs to account for losses are distributed in the province, 1,619 are ready and 62 of them belong to families who are in evacuation centers.
Families who are evacuated will be prioritized and help will begin with those most affected.
Education:

The school year should start next Tuesday gradually according to the possibilities of each municipality. Several of the educational centers serve as shelters for the victims.
Energy:

3.5% (7,546) of customers in Pinar del Río have electricity service and that figure should double by tomorrow. In Los Palacios a lot of progress has been made.
In 15 to 20 days, the bulk of the electrical service in Pinar del Río should be restored.
There are eight water wells that have electric service.
Priority will be given to restoring electrical service to water wells.
Water supply:

In Los Palacios, water pumping was interrupted due to lack of fuel at the three key points.
Work is being done in the municipality of Pinar del Río to restore the pumping of water in all its wells.
In La Palma (head municipality) the generator set that guarantees electricity for pumping water burned down, but solutions are already being sought.
For Guane, a generator was brought to mount it and guarantee the pumping of water.
21 large-capacity plastic tanks are installed in the buildings of the Hermanos Cruz neighborhood.
Evacuation centers:

The living conditions of the evacuees have been improved in terms of food and comfort.
At night a group of beds, bunk beds, destined for these centers will arrive in the province.
Dissatisfactions: Little presence of culture personnel and INDER in the evacuation centers.
Basic basket and food:

A group of products from the basic basket will be increased (soaps, detergent, toothpaste)
Totally free donation modules will soon arrive in the province (grains, oil, canned products)
Pregnant women and vulnerable cases will benefit. In the case of the vulnerable, they will receive double products (per vulnerable case and for the family nucleus).
Several tons of potatoes will be distributed throughout the province, starting with the municipality of Pinar del Río, then La Palma, Viñales and so on to all the municipalities.
The biscuit factory is producing 24 hours a day so that in cases where the bread cannot be produced, it can be replaced by it.
Food tablets have been created for sale to the population.
The CDP also evaluated the situation of water supply, the delivery of the basic basket and other resources that reach the province:

According to Francisco Ismael Valdés Chirino, delegate of Hydraulic Resources in Pinar del Río:

The municipal capitals of Guane and La Palma are the most critical of the water supply due to problems with the generator sets.
There are already 21 tanks of 30 with a capacity of 1,500 liters on the multi-family buildings of the Hermanos Cruz neighborhood.
More than 1,000 200-liter plastic tanks were sent to the municipalities.
Tapia Fonseca pointed out that inertia is still present in some teams when making decisions to speed up. In the case of the distribution of food and supplies, it was reported that:

A toilet soap per consumer and half a laundry soap, a liter of detergent and a turn of toothpaste per nucleus will be distributed.
A donation after day six, of 229 tons of grain at a rate of 1kg per nucleus and double to vulnerable cases.
21,700 liters of oil will be received at the rate of one liter per nucleus.

Two cans of sardines per core. In the case of pregnant women from the municipal seat, they benefit from double delivery.
An additional three pounds of rice per kernel and corned beef will be provided.
1,100 tons of potatoes are about to arrive in the territory. The sale will start in the head municipality starting tomorrow. San Luis and San Juan will be prioritized later.
There is flour coating for making cookies
Prepared food is sold in 141 units in the province at affordable prices.
Tapia Fonseca indicated speeding up the distribution of coal since only 10 tons have been sold to the population of more than 100 who have been delivered.

San Juan y Martínez: Vulnerable families must be a priority
Likewise, the recovery actions in the Municipal Defense Council of San Juan y Martínez were checked. This territory has four points to receive construction materials and with the possibility of continuing to expand.

It transpired in the meeting that they began to lift the damages, however, they are not advancing at the required pace. Tapia Fonseca was critical in reasoning on this point. Vulnerable families have to be a priority at this point, he urges to collect debris to identify the most affected. It is time to act, he said.

Odalis Hernández, head of the water subgroup, explained:

The ten popular councils of the municipality already receive water by pipe and through the distribution network. Today aqueduct is responsible for 28% of supply, the rest is done by the tobacco company.
Not in all cases the population has received the service, hence the supply is reinforced with the ten pipes that are available for distribution.
Today a strategy is being carried out to reach 30 multi-family buildings, in addition to resolving the situation with the 21 tanks affected during Ian’s passage.
The deputy prime minister directed linking the commercial pipes for the distribution of water and also using the existing ones in the productive structures to supply the largest number of people in this municipality with around 43 thousand inhabitants. “True municipal autonomy must be put to work.”

Espinosa Martín reasoned about the importance of linking all the organizations in the recovery. The people must also do and help the soldiers and groups specialized in the collection of waste. We cannot sit idly by, we have to join in, this task belongs to everyone. Here there are six trucks, four lifters and chainsaws.

In the case of food distribution, all work centers with conditions to carry out this task are added to the cooking and sale. Yesterday, 8,000 thousand meals were sold. Already today the sale and distribution of milk to customers who consume this food will begin. The sale of cookies has begun, although insufficient, it is an incentive at this time when most of the infrastructure for the production of bread was rendered useless. In this case, work is carried out in two uninterrupted daily shifts.

Distribution of the basic food basket is starting – albeit slowly – due to workforce limitations, which is why it is a priority to strengthen human resources and speed up this important issue, as Ramos Cordero directed.

Here the largest number of damages is associated with tobacco houses and the housing fund of the municipality.

More than 100,000 homes were affected in Pinar del Río by Hurricane Ian

Photo: Tele Pinar.

More than 100,000 homes in Pinar del Río were affected, in one way or another, by Hurricane Ian, a category 3 phenomenon on the Saffir-Simpson scale (out of a total of five) that left a mark of destruction in the province .

According to Andrés Marín, Provincial Director of Housing, this figure represents about 60% of the housing fund and the main damage is found in the roofs, taking into account the high percentage of existing light roofs in the western territory.

Ian’s strong winds were felt strongly in Vueltabajo, with reports of significant gusts, the highest of 218 kilometers per hour in the municipality of San Juan y Martínez.

Today there are 103 paperwork offices – one in each defense zone – in order to expedite surveys of damages, finish quantifying them and bring resources closer to the victims, the official said.

Vueltabajo presents a complex situation since it is one of the provinces with the largest number of houses pending construction from tropical cyclones in previous years, more than 6,000. He assured that among the strategies in Pinar del Río is now to promote local production construction materials, especially for the manufacture of tanks for storing water.

Housing constitutes one of the fundamental effects caused by the hurricane, in addition to agriculture and electrical and telephone services. In a recent recovery review meeting, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, insisted on urgently working on the issue of housing in Pinar del Río due to the magnitude of the damage and the number of unrecovered dwellings from past events.

I propose that we do everything we can do without going through the phase of temporary facilities, because there are people who have had up to five cyclones in temporary facilities and do not have a strong home. These temporary facilities – he said – are the first that later fall with the winds, highlights the national press.

Likewise, René Mesa Villafaña, Minister of Construction, referred to the shipment to the province from various parts of the country of trucks loaded with cement, in bulk and in bags; tiles of different types; wood, wire rod, nails, among other materials to undertake the reconstruction in the shortest possible time.

(With information from Tele Pinar and Guerrillero)

Leaders of the Party and the municipal government, together with PNR officers, explained to everyone, with understanding and delicacy; They argued over and over again.

But since everyone knows their own drama, the people from Fraternity who gathered on the corner, a relatively small but representative group, explained the situation of each one at home, about the lack of water and the loss of what little or much that each had in the refrigerator.

Abel, Edel and Abdel, three young and well planted mulattoes, were among those who most passionately raised the feelings of those who were there. They did so eloquently, respectfully and sensitively to the situation, but firm in the specific problem of each person.

They spoke at length with Eugenio, the first secretary of the Party in Arroyo Naranjo and president of the Municipal Defense Committee, who explained to them everything that was happening and the enormous effort that was being made in the municipality, the province, and the nation.

The exchange closed when Abdel, looking at a huge garbage dump where trees, branches and other debris were accumulating, said, “well, now what is needed is that they send trucks to collect that garbage.”

Eugenio replied that they were coming, but that everyone had to pick her up. “Let them come,” Abdel replied. “No, and I’m going to pick it up with you and the others; although I would be more useful organizing and directing the recovery work, I am going to stay to do it”, replied the president of the Municipal Defense Committee.

And so the debate between Abel, Edel, Abdel and Eugenio, the first secretary of the Party in Arroyo Naranjo, was settled.

When the truck arrived, I also joined. Between five of us, we filled the first transport that parked.

(By: Rene Tamayo)

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)

The ambassador of the Aztec nation on the island, Miguel Díaz Reynoso, and local authorities, received the solidarity charge that will contribute to the recovery in the western region.

Recently, the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced the sending of aid in the face of the effects caused by Ian and recognized that this determines the continuity of the exchange between the two countries, constantly in recent years.

During his morning conference at the National Palace, the president conveyed “a hug to all the Cubans on the island and I hope they come out well because the hurricane hit them and affected their electrical power system, I’m sure they will come out ahead.”

This new contribution ratifies the policy of support for Cuba maintained by López Obrador, who also supplied medicines and food in 2021 during the covid-19 pandemic and assisted with the Armed Forces and technicians from Petróleos Mexicanos in controlling the fire in Matanzas.

For its part, Cuba agreed with the Ministry of Health the arrival of around 500 doctors, in order to make up for the shortage of specialists and provided nine million doses of its Abdala vaccine, intended for children, and its Sovereign formula is in approval process.

According to official data, the greatest damage reported in the western towns affected by Ian is in homes, electricity networks and agriculture.

(With information from Prensa Latina)

Although we are living in exceptional times, the sons and daughters of this combative, generous island will not forego celebrating the date across the nation, even in remote locations and areas hit hard by tropical storm Eta, facing the additional challenge of recovery.

The determination to achieve this objective was made evident during a videoconference with governors held by President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez; Party Central Committee Second Secretary José Ramón Machado Ventura; and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, according to the Presidency’s website.

Without renouncing quality, relevance, logistics and a culture of detail, planned activities will take place primarily in community spaces, respecting all sanitary measures to guarantee epidemiological stability, as established in protocols for each of the phases and stages of the battle against COVID-19.

Deputy Prime Minister Roberto Morales Ojeda presented the proposal for January 1, 2021 as a day of recognition for our health personnel, scientists, youth, and the heroic attitude of our people, with a profound, sincere tribute to our Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro at the center.

(Taken from Granma)

These have been days of hard work and solidarity, he said, of respect for citizens affected, who are also our compatriots and family. This has been a learning process. We have experienced moving life stories, ones that amaze, about what the people can accomplish when we organize ourselves.

Over the days following the tornado, Díaz-Canel noted, “We have been able to appreciate close-up the urgent needs of the affected population. We have called on all functionaries to be understanding of those affected and we have asked families to have patience.”

With regards to assistance provided, he explained, that in the past 14 days, Processing Offices have received 9,000 visits by those seeking support in repairing tornado-damage, while 7,000 damages have been recorded. This means that for every case, more than one member of an affected family has sought help, or some have made more than one visit.

Paperwork for more than 5,700 cases has been concluded, and more than 3,600 persons have materials in hand to begin repairs, representing more than 50% of those affected. And some 900 cases have been fully resolved.

At this rate, the President said, we can say that, before the end of the year, we will have the majority of the cases resolved or in the process, “What’s most important is to recover and emerge from this stronger.”

The Cuban leader recalled the Comandante en Jefe’s ideas regarding the effort that must be made when faced with situations like this, and emphasized that work is advancing guided by these principles, and that there had been no delay in allocating the principal resources needed.

He stressed that, from the beginning, priorities were identified. Quantifiable evaluations were conducted of damage and repairs needed, and work began with simpler tasks, moving gradually to the more complex.

Photo: Estudios Revolución
He added that this was possible because of two fundamental advantages of our system. First, despite our limitations, the economy leaves no one without protection, and the second is that the Cuban people is one of the world’s most solidary. He emphasized that the population has unique, practical experience in voluntary work and solidarity efforts, and that the values of self-sacrifice and determination are something natural here.

“With the current context in the capital, the watchwords ‘The best for Havana’ is no longer a slogan, but a reality, and our media has witnessed the generosity that this people displays with every donation. We all hold this value in our memories,” he insisted.

“The most challenging moments are coming now,” he cautioned, recalling that alongside ministers, provincial functionaries, and officials are neighborhood delegates to Municipal People’s Power Assemblies, who were the first to arrive when the tornado hit. They are in charge of this whole phase of recovery that will continue over the next few months.

“Today, we want to listen to those at the grassroots level, the municipal level, the anonymous heroes.”

Before the program’s conclusion, the President stated, “We are making Cuba all together. When you see the demonstrations of dedication and effort, you feel even more proud to be Cuban. This is the life of Cuba in Revolution.”

“This tragedy has strengthened the collective leadership of our country. Our relations with those affected are closer, allowing us to interact directly with the problems.

“This phenomenon occurred at a tense moment for our country, amidst threats and the tightening of the economic blockade imposed by the United States; within a context of talk about a military intervention in a country that is our friend: Venezuela. At a time when our people are about to approve a new Constitution of the Republic.”

Nothing will detain our forward march, he insisted, we will continue the recovery, and we will continue to be a world reference in the way we care for our people, he said.

“The enemy is perturbed, because our victories generate victories. It bothers many of them that there is unity between the country’s authorities and the people. Over these days, we have interacted amidst embraces and understanding. There are complaints, of course, but also comprehension of the situation.

“Work continues on organization, on providing answers to the people. Our experiences these days have been uplifting. For these reasons and others, on February 24, I will vote Yes.”

WE WILL COME OUT AHEAD

Whoever travels along Luyanó Avenue at night, does so now thanks to LED light technology, reported Reynaldo García Zapata, president of the Havana Provincial Assembly of People’s Power.

He also highlighted that the willingness of state agencies to make underutilized buildings available to tornado victims, and offer their staff’s support, must be recognized.

Likewise, “We must give special recognition to the people for their conduct and participation in the recovery process. This shows that we can move forward,” he noted.

García stated that the coordinated work of authorities at the municipal and provincial levels has had a positive impact on the recovery, emphasizing the daily functioning of the Provincial and Municipal Defense Councils, with the regular participation of key leaders.

The deployment in neighborhoods of technicians, People’s Power delegates, and activists from mass organizations has been critical, he said, in the search for solutions.

HOUSING DAMAGE

7,872 TOTAL CASES:

—730 total collapses

—931 partial collapses

—3,152 Type 1 damage

Some 6,239 technical reports have been filed, while 80%, that is 5,497 cases are ready. A total of 3,696 households have materials needed to complete repairs. Reports indicate that 952 cases, including 814 with Type 1 damage, have been resolved.

García reported that forces from the Water Resources Institute and Ministry of Construction have been involved in this work.

There are 2,543 households which have not yet purchased assigned materials, but that these are available at sales points

He also reported on the work of state agencies in identifying underutilized facilities that can be remodeled as housing, saying that locales to provide 240 dwellings have been found.

He likewise reported that damage has been reported at 190 institutions, including 78 schools, of which 48 have been repaired, along with 13 public health facilities. Some 31 industrial facilities suffered damage, 74% of which have been repaired.

In terms of telephone service, he said that the network has been restored, while infrastructure has been improved and services expanded. In the neighborhoods of Tamarindo, Chibás, and Armada, capacity has been increased.

SOLIDARITY WITH – AND FROM – THE CLASSROOM

Yoania Falcón, provincial director of Education in Havana, reported that across the city 78 schools, with a total enrollment of 17,938 students, were affected. These students were temporarily placed in 11 other schools within 72 hours, allowing them to continue their studies without interruption following the tornado.

Residences housing 303 teachers in the capital were also damaged, and all were rapidly repaired, she said.

Among the six tornado-related deaths, one was a teacher at Guillermón Moncada Elementary School in the municipality of Diez de Octubre. Family members have been offered extensive support, and expressed their gratitude to the country, despite the pain, she said.

Likewise, Danhiz Díaz Pereira, president of the Federation of University Students (FEU) at José Antonio Echeverría Technological University, reported that some 2,313 students from the school have participated in recovery efforts in affected areas.

Students were accompanied by professors and other university staff members, to offer help in affected neighborhoods, as determined in conjunction with municipal governments.

He emphasized that they have received thanks from fellow students in other parts of the country, and that their professors have said they were proud of students taking up pencils at school, torches during the José Martí march, and shovels in the recovery.

She added that, even as the academic years continues, they will keep working. “All the help that was provided shows that we are continuity.”

WORKING WITH SENSITIVITY

Meisi Bolaños Weiss, Minister of Finance and Prices, stressed the importance of good organization, and working with sensitivity, since not all offices have the capacity to take on such a workload.

Another lesson learned is that facilities must be set up to serve the population and address any problem that may come up.

Regarding the computer application developed by Geocuba, she stated that it has been very valuable, since technical reports are being computerized. This is very important, she said, because it allows us to verify the address where damage occurred and its magnitude, which facilitates paperwork. Betsy Díaz Velázquez, minister of Domestic Trade, reported on plans to ensure that repairs on 30 retail stores leave them in better condition than before the tornado.

“We know that there are concerns at sales points, because purchases are suspended when trucks arrive with more merchandise. So we’re trying to arrange a second door (for deliveries).”

On the other hand, she added that more than 850 water tanks are being moved from the center of the country to the city. We are taking into account the amount of water each household needs. Although there are families who want tanks of more than a thousand liters, we ask for their understanding, water must be used rationally. If there are surplus tanks after the recovery period, they will go on sale to the population.

Díaz highlighted the work of transportation providers and suppliers; and daily efforts to perfect the work, such as, for example, increasing the number of cash registers. Today materials are being supplied to more than 200 people a day at 16 sales points, she said.

Orders have been given to review files on a case by case basis, to close those that can be resolved quickly.

The goal is to have all those whose files are complete purchase materials before the end of February, she said. The minister also addressed care being provided 1,045 people staying in shelters and arrangements made to guarantee their food.

WALKING THE STREETS

Alberto Osorio, delegate to the Luyanó People’s Council, explained that in this community, work has advanced in resolving housing damage.

Since the tornado, the work has not stopped, he said. National authorities have not left any families on their own, he said, adding that the mood is very positive.

In our People’s Council, it has become normal to see authorities on the streets, as if they were neighbors, he said.

At present, 69 new construction projects are being undertaken, in order to provide solutions to the damage to seven complexes and 16 private houses in the area.

People are very happy with this.

Others are advancing in the solution of their problems, through their own efforts.

We still have deficiencies, because we have focused our efforts on the most severe damage left by the tornado. I think we should continue working to reach all victims, although the damage they experienced may be minor, he commented.

“We are a very united People’s Council. We never felt alone.”

Regarding the municipality of Guanabacoa, Annia Lemus Prieto, president of the Municipal Assembly of People’s Power, reported that in the area the 1,130 damages which occurred in four neighborhoods have been quantified.

She stressed that, thus far, 950 households have been assigned and purchased material resources and that solutions have been found to deal with dwellings totally destroyed. In the case of homes that are being built by families themselves, owners are provided help from various officials and entities.

First Party Secretary in La Lisa, José Felipe Interián Rodríguez, added that this municipality’s government and residents have joined the clean-up since dawn on the 28th.

There has been extraordinary participation in the recovery by all workers, many very young, he said, including FEU members who filled trucks with rubble with incredible speed.

BRICKS, CEMENT, SAND… AND DETERMINATION

Norberto Pérez Morales, vice president of the Ministry of Construction’s Construction Enterprise Group, highlighted the mobilization of all forces, and workers’ willingness to contribute, so that those affected have a dignified, beautiful home.

He added that housing was considered the fundamental challenge to be addressed. Thus, from the first moment, they reported to affected areas, where assessments were made to determine if re-construction could take place at the same site; the family’s commitment was confirmed; and builders were identified. At the same time, areas were selected for new housing complex sites.

“Today we are concluding 534 homes, more than 75% of the total losses are under construction and work will begin in the next few hours on the rest,” he said.

In February more than a hundred homes will be delivered and the first will be this week. The execution timeline projects concluding the majority in the first half of the year, he said.

EXPEDITED HELP

Rodrigo Malmierca, minister of Foreign Trade and Investment (Mincex), explained the procedure being followed for the reception and distribution of donations. He recalled that the Cuban government has a clear policy regarding international aid, which is to accept it and channel its distribution.

He highlighted, in particular, the help of Venezuela, which despite suffering an economic war waged by the United States, was among the first to offer support.

Help comes in two forms he said: material and monetary. For the monetary, two accounts were created, both administered by the Havana provincial government.

Embassies abroad have also contributed to this task.

The fundamental issue with the donations, he said, is to facilitate their arrival to the country. Hence, the goods are not subject to tariffs, entering without customs charges, and are distributed free of charge to the population, by the relevant agency.

He emphasized that all donations are distributed free of charge, rejecting comments made in bad faith, early on, that obstacles were being created to the arrival of aid. In reality, the government, like the people, was intent upon advancing the recovery rapidly, with a spirit of solidarity. Whoever tries to distort this, is lying, he concluded.

THE HUMANISM OF THE REVOLUTION

Luis Antonio Torres Iríbar, first secretary of the Provincial Party Committee in Havana, said that the common denominator evident in the recovery is unity.

He added that the Revolution is humanistic and participatory – made with, for, and by the humble – and this has been reflected over these days.

Torres added that this fusion of people, leaders, and students, is what has made it possible to see the full scope of the recovery process, saying, “It is important to reaffirm that we have identified solutions for 100% of the houses that were totally destroyed.”

The Party first secretary highlighted the role of finance specialists, who have guaranteed that the funds are available and that victims are purchasing the resources they need. He also recognized the work of the press, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, and the Ministry of the Interior.

He spoke about an experience in Regla, where someone commented, “The tornado surprised me, but not the Revolution, because the Revolution has shown the people that no one is ever left abandoned.”

He said that the 500th anniversary celebration will go on in Havana, and thanked Army General Raúl Castro, the Party, the President, and the Council of Ministers, for their support and vigilance, at this time of commitment, pride and victory.

(Granma)

The President said that Army General Raúl Castro and José Ramón Machado Ventura, first and second secretaries of the Communist Party of Cuba, respectively, are attentive to progress being made in recovery efforts.
“We are going to pick ourselves up, because in Cuba, as the song says, the day always dawns after the darkest night, because we are continuity,” he said.

Díaz-Canel reiterated condolences on behalf of the Party, the government, and other organizations, to families afflicted by the loss of human life, the injured, and those who suffered the loss of property and damage to their homes.

“This event differs from those we are accustomed to facing. A tornado cannot be predicted like a hurricane. Information had been announced about forecasts of thunderstorms, high probability of rain … and measures were adopted, like not holding the March of the Torches as usual on January 27. What we could not anticipate was that an event of this magnitude would develop, a scale EF4 (tornado).”

After the tornado, the response of leaders and cadres of the Party and government, the National Civil Defense General Staff, with cooperation from central state administration agencies, was immediate, he recalled.
“It should be noted that there were firefighters, rescue workers, emergency services, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, and the people. From the first moment the people were present,” he said.

Diaz-Canel recalled that the Provincial Defense Council met at 8am the morning of the 28th, and the Council of Ministers was convened two hours earlier.

Before dawn, he said, “Several ministers were present where the most complex problems were occurring,” he said, adding that experience was gained and lessons learned, which should be shared with the population.
To do so, and to provide information on the recovery work of many organizations and people, he suggested presenting another Mesa Redonda program on the issue, next week.

(Granma)