Guantanamo.- Forty-one years ago, on July 26, 1985, in his speech in Guantánamo commemorating the 32snd anniversary of the attacks on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes barracks, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro called for action in the province to reduce the exodus of the population from the mountains and the damage caused by drought and soil salinization.
By defining these three major challenges (one social and two natural), Fidel outlined the guidelines for the development of Cuba’s easternmost province; a goal that may be only achieved through the implementation and application of science, technology, and innovation.
Alongside social communication and the computerization of society, the integration and use of science and innovation are pillar of government management in Cuba, a commitment to solving multiple problems, advancing towards sustainable economic and social development in municipalities and provinces, and consequently raising the population’s quality of life.
Despite resource limitations, fuel shortages, and the near impossibility of accessing cutting-edge technologies, the country continues, in its Economic and Social Development Program, to encourage the transition to municipal autonomy, enabling them to gradually achieve a surplus based on their potential.
In this endeavor, it is vital that the territories prioritize social, scientific, and innovation projects that contribute to increasing food production and local products, thereby strengthening the basic food basket, as well as the program for the gradual transformation of the energy matrix and reducing the budget deficit.
Currently, all municipalities in Guantánamo have a portfolio of Local Development, International Collaboration, and Science, Technology, and Innovation projects, which must be included in economic plans and aligned with territorial development strategies.
These projects range from the creation of mini-industries for processing fruits and vegetables that often are lost in the fields; others aimed at strengthening cooperative forestry development; and the electrification of homes and businesses in rural areas using solar panels.
There are also projects to improve school meals and support for vulnerable populations; projects related to sheep and goat farming centers; the intensive production of rice, coffee, plantains, milk, and meat; health resilience; and disaster risk reduction, among others.
However, a review of the current status of these projects reveals a stark reality: many are in the initial stages of implementation, others are awaiting the necessary investments, and many remain merely as a plan.
The question then arises: why, despite difficulties and limitations, are projects that drive development and improve the population’s quality of life not given greater priority in these territories, so that they can begin to yield the expected results?
For a province like Guantánamo, marked by adverse weather conditions and unique environmental contrasts, the introduction of science, technology, and innovation is not just another option, but an imperative.
If we aspire to true municipal autonomy and the achievement of sustainable territorial development, based on the potential of each region, we cannot afford to shelve the future.
The question then arises: why, despite difficulties and limitations, are projects that drive development and improve the population’s quality of life not given greater priority in these territories, so that they can begin to yield the expected results?
For a province like Guantánamo, hit by weather events and unique environmental contrasts, the introduction of science, technology, and innovation is not just another option, but an imperative.
If we aspire to true municipal autonomy and the achievement of sustainable territorial development, based on the potential of each region, we cannot afford to sweeping the future under the rug.
