Engineer Carlos Serrano Górgora is not diabetic, but “I have sugar in my blood”, he confesses it with self-approval gestures that convince, and after knowing in detail an important part of his life, of his work trajectory... There is no room for doubt.
In his curriculum, there are enough arguments to understand why he “swims” against the current, and he opposes a trend that these days harms the sustainability of sugar production: the fluctuation of qualified technical force that young people and even veterans of this sector in Cuba, and the Antonio Guiteras sugar mill is no exception.
Those who quit argue, among other reasons, that their salaries do not correspond to their efforts, nor the high cost of living. Carlos defends a better income, makes proposals... and takes refuge in his convictions and the real possibility of recovery with the help of everyone.
THE RETURN OF CARLOS
When he turned 65, he retired, and a few hours later the nostalgia was pressing on his chest, and his absence was strongly felt in the factory, "they called me from the management and invited me to return. I was determined to return and I consulted with my family, and here I am," he says with the satisfaction of feeling useful and knowing he is part of a vanguard that turns challenges into opportunities and writes pages of heroism every day.
"I owe my permanence to my wife and my family, who were consistent when I informed them of my decision. They knew of my love for the industry and supported me. I reminded them, because they also know, that it was a difficult task, a hard task, because here there are no rest hours, no Saturdays, no Sundays, no holidays... But there is a lot of work."
He re-launched his working life as a full shift manager and then took on the position of production manager, which he still performs with enviable agility and energy.
His office doors are always open. It is located on the second floor, and the steps of the old staircase are proof of how often they feel the weight of a man who, every minute and with well-defined objectives, moves through the different areas of the mill.
The responsibility is great, and "I am assuming it with a lot of love, desire and dedication. As long as I have physical and mental health I will be here, it is my commitment", he testifies and defines priorities and ethical principles with which the managers must exercise their functions in the present times.
FROM THE MANAGEMENT...
He recognizes that the management of the head office is young, but treasures knowledge forged in the daily work, in facing many challenges with the will to do things well and overcome difficulties.
The practice of more than 50 years linked to sugar production has taught him that "teamwork and dialogue with the workers, listening to their criteria, speaking clearly and transparently so that they listen to us and follow us in our decisions are irreplaceable in management methods. It is vital to take advantage of their experiences to enrich the strategies for moving forward. To be a good manager, you also have to have optimism and transmit it.
Carlos feels a special admiration for the young people who fight and accompany them against all odds, and he dedicates time to their preparation, “we meet with them a lot, we talk about all the topics with emphasis on the secrets of this industry, its challenges..., because they are our natural successors."
DISSATISFACTIONS, EXPECTATIONS...
“I see the last two harvests with results that are far from the traditional ones, and I feel very sad,” he confesses, saddened, and makes a deep silence that I respect because I share his nostalgia for the glory days of the colossus of Las Tunas.
He recovers from the ecstasy and affirms categorically: "The ‘Guiteras’ has to return to the place of always, to return to be the biggest sugar producer of the country. The workers here are true warriors, I affirm it because they have demonstrated it to me in the more than 28 years in which we have shared and defended dreams, desires, tasks... and celebrated successes."
He reaffirms the role of the administrative and union management, “we have to exchange at all times with the workers, to know and feel their needs as our own and, as far as possible, help them to find solutions, because there are many shortages, but when you listen to them and accompany them, it is proven that they all step forward."
"At 67 years old, I feel healthy. I am going to give my all for the company and the sugar sector, which is my life, which is the only thing I know how to do. I love the sugar mill and its people, and I will continue to accompany them in these difficult times because I am proud to work to rescue their production," he said.
RETROSPECTIVE
Carlos Serrano Górgora was born and lived for some years in Tacajó, a municipality in the province of Holguín, where the Fernando de Dios sugar mill reigned, and he enjoyed the smell of molasses, fresh guarapo, the whistles announcing shift changes, and productive achievements.
“And I even liked the soot emissions that emanated from the gigantic chimneys and made our school uniforms ‘terrible’,” he recalls now and seems to return to childhood, to adolescence, to the streets of his town.
"I have gone through two centrals and that has served me in my preparation for life and profession, both in the ‘Fernando de Dios’ and the ‘Antonio Guiteras’. I have always done the same functions directly dedicated to sugar production from different positions, and I have developed them all with dedication and a lot of love.”
