The recently concluded summer season in this eastern Cuban province combined the efforts of its authorities to provide recreational options for the inhabitants of this territory with their commitment to also make available to the public a group of social and economic projects that benefit the majority. This was summarized by Osbel Lorenzo Rodríguez, first secretary of the Party here, during the third installment of a special television magazine program.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- With the presence of Juana Yamilka Viñals Suárez, deputy governor, and the participation of the first secretaries of the political organization in the municipalities of Colombia and Las Tunas, Yandry Otaño Guerra and Roberto Carlos López Saborit, respectively, as well as other political and government officials, Lorenzo Rodríguez reviewed the significant obstacles faced during the peak holiday season in Las Tunas, marked by shortages of energy, fuel, and necessities. However, he relied on the opinions gathered to describe as positive the achievements in repairing the access road to the beaches on the coast of the municipalities of Puerto Padre and Jesús Menéndez, the rescue of some popular camping sites, and the recovery of highly coveted urban spaces as recreational options, including the El Cornito motel and the Theme Park, both in the provincial capital.
Nevertheless, the party leader did not shy away from pointing out the dissatisfaction expressed by the people regarding transportation to the beaches of the municipality of Manatí and the failure to restore the Cerro de Caisimú campground and the zoo in the provincial capital. Another reality criticized by public opinion, he noted, was the rising cost of services and products offered in the main summer resort areas. This, he said, cannot be solved by decree, but rather with more options, especially from the state sector. Official figures indicated that the costs associated with beach trips in the country have risen by an average of 8% nationwide in recent months.
Speaking to local television cameras, the first secretary of the Party in Balcón de Oriente considered that, in response to popular demand, it will be necessary to expand the number of activities in communities, together with the participation of art instructors, in the coming summer. They took note, he said, of the public's clamor for more performances by nationally renowned popular dance music groups. He was also emphatic in condemning the occurrence of violence and social indiscipline in places of collective entertainment, as well as the overcrowding of bathers on the most popular beaches. The latter, he said, will require improvements to the infrastructure in other surrounding areas.
Nor, he clarified, “do we have to wait for summer” to organize other recreational activities in each of the territories. “Much more can still be done by stimulating creativity,” he said.
Lorenzo Rodríguez also addressed the controversy surrounding the priority given to the supply of electricity to the summer resort areas in Puerto Padre. This, he said, was a task that was evaluated minute by minute, pointing out the illegalities that led to breakdowns due to network overload in the La Boca area. “There have been serious electricity problems,” he admitted, “but we always seek the greatest possible equity.”
The political leader did not rule out that at another time, this television program would address how Las Tunas is managing the severe crisis facing the province, along with the rest of the archipelago, regarding energy supply.
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According to the various people with whom 26 spoke on its most recent trip to La Boca beach, sound organization has been key to ensuring that, amid the extremely complex daily life in the country, the summer is now proceeding smoothly. Because, while it is true that resources are far from what they have been in other years, it is clear that the support, monitoring, and timely decisions have borne fruit.
For her part, Oleidis Saucedo Licea, coordinator of Programs and Objectives for the Provincial Government, referring to the organizational structure designed for this summer's plans, assured that the existence of command posts facilitated timely operational decision-making and avoided, as far as possible, the suspension of scheduled activities. as well as evaluating the provision of basic services to citizens, which are under particular pressure at this time of year.
“We overcame the difficulties and did innovative things, despite the shortcomings,” she said. However, she noted that the absence of representatives from agencies in the aforementioned collegial management structures was a clear difficulty.
Saucedo Licea praised the achievements in the workers' vacation villages and in the transportation of vacationers to and from them. From his point of view, and citing the opinions of the National Recreation Commission, he considered the results to be superior. Much of this was possible, he said, because work began earlier than in previous years.
When confronted with criticism about the lack of summer recreational activities and options in the historic center of the provincial capital, Saucedo responded that the current Noches Tuneras (Las Tunas Nights) in 26 de Julio Park may be contributing to that perception. However, she affirmed that the main gastronomic and cultural establishments maintained their respective schedules; it was just that, she commented, because they were held inside the buildings, it gave the impression of a less crowded city center than in other years.
REBUILD... REOPEN
More than a hundred social and economic projects of varying sizes were inaugurated in all the municipalities of Las Tunas, on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the attacks on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes barracks and the 99th anniversary of the birth of the historic leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, Osbel Lorenzo Rodríguez highlighted in the second part of the magazine. It was not easy, he noted, due to severe shortages, especially of cement. However, the work done at the Mártires de Las Tunas pediatric hospital demonstrated the strength of the joint effort, he said.
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In this regard, Roberto Carlos López Saborit praised the popular and institutional participation that led to progress in more than thirty projects, including buildings and urban spaces such as the El Diamante area, northwest of the largest city in Las Tunas. “It left us with important experiences of integrated actions that multiplied the will to act,” he said.
Motivated by hosting the Provincial Ceremony for National Rebellion Day, the 26 projects completed in Colombia had an economic and social impact, according to the party's first secretary, Yandry Otaño Guerra. It was not just a matter of renovating buildings, but of doing so with a sense of efficiency and benefiting neighborhoods in transforming, which, he added, was a noteworthy achievement.
“We are eternally dissatisfied, which is why we have set ourselves the goal of each territory proposing at least 100 projects and tasks ahead of the centenary of Fidel's birth in 2026,” said Osbel Lorenzo Rodríguez. He immediately commented that investments will continue in agriculture, in the repair of medical clinics, and in other construction works in different locations, taking as motivation relevant dates such as the founding of the city of Las Tunas at the end of September; the National History Congress to be held here in October; the Day of Physical Culture and Sports in November, which our province will host as a national celebration; and later, a new anniversary of the Triumph of the Revolution.
Despite the difficulties and shortcomings, we can continue to do things, he assured. That will be the best refutation of the discouragement that the usual haters try to impose, concluded the party leader, after announcing that in September, he will dedicate this television program to social indiscipline.