Guantanamo.- The Center for Information and Technological Management (CIGET) in Guantánamo is entering a new organizational phase as a basic business unit (UEB, its Spanish acronym) under the Knowledge and Technology Management Enterprise (GECYT). The transition changes its operational and financial framework while preserving its core areas of work.
Introduced last July, the change is part of a broader transformation of the science, technology, and innovation system. Previously a state-funded entity with special status, CIGET now operates on a self-financing basis, requiring revenue from its services to cover operating costs.
UEB Director Elizabeth Álvarez Cambas said the new status gives the center greater autonomy to allocate resources, build relationships with companies and other economic actors, and adapt its internal structure to the needs of its services.
“We must be self-financing. As a business unit, we are required to generate enough income to cover our expenses,” she said.
Álvarez believes the transition builds on the center’s existing strengths rather than starting from scratch. Its experience in organizational consulting, stable workforce, and culture of supporting other institutions provide a solid foundation. The center also has an information infrastructure and specialists in document and information management, enabling it to enhance its advisory services with specialized expertise.
CIGET’s work is divided into three main areas. The first is developing and sharing knowledge through courses, workshops, events, and professional training. The second is organizational consulting, including guidance on quality, environmental, innovation, and safety management systems, as well as the provision of software applications and information-based products.
Services include consulting on management-system implementation and the protection of industrial property, including trademarks and other distinctive signs. Constante Bonnané said these services respond to organizations’ need to improve their processes and enhance the competitiveness of their products and services.
The shift to a business model has not ended CIGET’s state-mandated work. The organization remains involved with EcuRed, Cuba’s collaborative encyclopedia; the scientific journal “Hombre, Ciencia y Tecnología” (Man, Science, and Technology); the Observatory for Science, Technology, and Innovation; and the provision of specialized information to government agencies to support decision-making.
Álvarez Cambas said that, in its first months under the new structure, the organization had met its revenue targets and paid employees’ salaries. However, it began operations without the working capital typically provided when a business is established, leaving it to cover most expenses from revenue generated by its own activities.
Fuel and transportation constraints further complicate service delivery beyond the province and efforts to attract new clients. In response, the business unit (UEB) is considering adopting artificial intelligence tools and developing online training programs to reach more users and expand its commercial presence, potentially beyond Cuba.
Human capital is another resource that management considers essential. Most employees have remained with the institution, and many bring 15 to 20 years of experience. The workforce also includes researchers and specialists with postgraduate qualifications. At the same time, the institution is recruiting young professionals, combining their academic training with the expertise of long-serving staff.
“We aim to pair experience with the fresh perspectives of young people,” said the director, who emphasized that professional development and continuous skills upgrading are vital to meeting new challenges.
The challenge for this business unit (UEB) is to turn its accumulated expertise into the capacity to sustain services and extend their reach. A shift to a business-oriented system offers greater management autonomy but also requires the unit to attract clients, generate revenue, and maintain services that continue to serve Guantánamo’s scientific and social needs.
