Big Problems Demand Big Solutions
Dr. Alberto Nelson Jones
cacf2@aol.com
September 16, 2008
(Spanish follows English.)
ANTECEDENT
The never before seen devastation that was caused by hurricanes Fay, Hanna, Gustav and Ike in Cuba, have meant the partial or total destruction of 300,000 homes, wiped out agriculture, industry, commerce, healthcare and educational services and a severe impact on the national infrastructure.
Not since the re-concentration and scorched land policy ordered by the Spanish occupying forces at the end of the XIX century, had Cuba experienced such a level of destruction.
Faced with such a dire situation that squarely puts the country’s survival at risk, there is no room for harangue or bombastic speech, instead, a call for a total cohesion and unity of all Cubans of good will in Cuba and those living abroad, who are respectful of the country’s independence and sovereignty, with absolute disregard for their social, ethnic, religious or ideological distinctions and concerned only for the wellbeing of the motherland.
Extreme measures taken by the Cuban government against those who left the country for a variety of reasons, should be re-evaluated and corrected on behalf of the necessary unity, except for those who openly advocated or advocate for the destruction of the country or betrayed its people; should be abolished, ignoring petty personal differences or non-antagonist contradictions in the name of common good.
The first reports of hurricanes landing in Cuba goes back to 1498, when the majority preyed upon vessels in transit. The hurricanes of 1844 and 1846 caused more than 100 deaths each.
A memorable hurricane in 1870 caused over 800 deaths in Havana. In 1926 another hurricane caused 600 deaths on the Isle of Pines, today Isles of Youth. The monstrous tidal wave of 1932, obliterated Santa Cruz del Sur, causing over 3500 deaths, and in 1963, hurricane Flora caused over 2000 deaths and irreversible environmental agricultural changes in the province of Granma.
The same can be said of most countries in the Caribbean basin with a similar history of death and destruction, in which, these tragedies should no longer be seen as an isolated national disaster, rather than, an integral regional problem, because of the impossibility of relocating these countries outside of this highly predisposed zone of violent hurricanes.
Therefore, by developing, strengthening and integrating these weak Caribbean economies, could enable that feeble, wooden, zinc, thatch and mud shacks, be replaced with cinder blocks, reinforced concrete, elevated homes, making them immune to these meteorological ravages, as those 500 plus years colonial fortifications.
This concept should become an immediate and most important regional task, before a social breakdown results from a prolonged human exposure to the environment, hunger, sickness, violence and death may take place.
Cuba cannot succumb because its people demands its survival! Cuba cannot disappear, because millions of men, women and children in tens of third world countries, would loose their most formidable, committed and faithful ally , who have offered without any strings attached, education, culture, dignity, development, health and independence.
This enormous responsibility forbids Cuba from ignoring, -in the absence of any powerful adverse argument-, suggestions, proposals or measures leading to strengthening its stability and integrity, as long as they do not contravene her ethical, moral or ideological principles.
Contrary to pessimistic prognostications, fatalistic assumptions or macabre sentiments of those who rejoice in the suffering of the Cuban people, Cuba has enormous untapped potential reserves, that once they have been carefully explored and a determination has been made for them to be implemented, could be more than sufficient to restore the totality of the destruction caused by these storms, leaving a financial residue that is capable of continuing the national development process.
RESOURCES
Sub-divide 200,000 lots of 100 x 100’ and 200 x 200’ parcels on cities periphery, reservoir banks, canals, sub-divisions, countryside, beaches etc., and classify in 10 categories according to their location, beauty etc., and lease for 20 years to foreigners with a solidarity track record with Cuba, Cubans and others respectful of the country’s sovereignty, for the construction of their homes, following norms and designs acceptable to the country and whose price could oscillate between $20,000 and $400,000 per lot, g enerating between 25 and 30 billion dollars.
Sub-divide 200,000 lots of 100 x 100’ and 200 x 200’ parcels on cities periphery, reservoir banks, canals, sub-divisions, countryside, beaches etc., and classify in 10 categories according to their location, beauty etc., and lease for 20 years to foreigners with a solidarity track record with Cuba, Cubans and others respectful of the country’s sovereignty, for the construction of their homes, following norms and designs acceptable to the country and whose price could oscillate between $20,000 and $400,000 per lot, generating between 25 and 30 billion dollars.
All lots, homes and improvements made on these properties, will revert to the Cuban patrimony at the end of the leasing period or before, if death of its occupants precedes.
Create urgently 20 seaports across the country staffed with employees from Alimport, Mincin, Customs etc., and promote these “Free Zone” in the region to encourage, receive and market food, industrial equipment, construction materials, personal goods and others, arriving from Caribbean islands, Central America and Mexico in form a cabotage or coasting trade, which will be sold to Cubans owning trucks and other means of transportation with a minimum profit, for its distribution and sale within their region, increasing the access and availability of material goods, avoiding lack of supplies, inflation and price gauging.
Recover all discarded trucks, tractors and other vehicles in salvage yards, repair, reconstruct and sell to people interested in expanding the trucking business, farming, construction or general services.
Once the post hurricane recuperation campaign have concluded, begin an orderly immigration process of 100,000 poor families from the English speaking Caribbean Islands and Haiti, assigning them agricultural plots in usufruct for 20 years in large sugar cane plantations in northern Oriente, Camaguey and Ciego de Avila and for the development of coffee, cocoa, coconut, plantain and produce in southern Oriente, tripling present produce output in the next five years, just as they did at the turn of the past century, turning towns and cities into vibrant economic centers and generating billions for Cuban land barons and US transnational. The personal income obtained by these migrant workers, would enable them to financially support their families and build adequate housing in their countries.
Encourage the immigration of 10,000 poor farming families from Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua for the expansion of beans production in Velazco, Valle de Caujeri and Banao.
Promote the immigration of 5,000 poor potato farming families from Peru, to expand this staple in the province of Havana.
Promote the immigration of 10,000 Palestinian families from Gaza and the West Bank and relocate them to semi-arid southern Oriente , for the development of non-existent agriculture staples in Cuba, such as dates, olives, nuts and massive rearing of goats, sheep and donkeys.
Create the huge Caribbean Medical Center in the province of Oriente and offer its paying services to 50 millions patients without healthcare insurance. Special emphasis should be placed on Neurological and Psychiatric disorders, employing thousands of higher education personnel and generating billions in hard currency.
Many more sources of income and development are available to the Cuban people, if a more rational, increased productivity employment policy for tens of thousands of technicians, professionals and ordinary workers in every fields were to be implemented.
Present and future generation of Cubans demands from its government, a profound,
exhaustive and critical analysis of the country’s realities, capabilities, goals
and direction, in order to apply the most effective corrective measures, that
are capable of leading the country to occupy the outstanding position it deserve
in most walks of human development, among our community of nations in this
hemisphere.
Dr. Alberto Nelson Jones
September 16, 2008
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/message/91668
GRANDES PROBLEMAS DEMANDAN GRANDES SOLUCIONES
Dr. Alberto Nelson Jones
16 de Setiembre del ano 2008
ANTECEDENTES
La devastacion sin precendente que han causado los ciclones Fay, Hanna, Gustavo y Ike en Cuba, ha significado la destruccion total o parcial de 300,000 viviendas, asolado la agricultura, industria, comercio, centros asistenciales, educacionales y un severo impacto en la infraestructura nacional.
Cuba no habia vivido un cuadro tan desolador desde los anos de tierra arrasada y la reconcentracion ordenada por las fuerzas de ocupacion Espanola a finales de la decada siglo XIX.
Ante una situacion tan grave que pone en peligro la supervivencia misma de la nacion, no hay espacio para arengas o discursos altisonantes sino, un llamado a la total cohesion de todos los Cubanos de buena fe de intra-muros y los que residen en el exterior, respetuosos de la independencia y soberania de la patria, sin distingos sociales, etnicos, religiosos o ideologicos en favor de la madre patria.
Medidas extremas tomadas por el gobierno Revolucionario en contra de aquellos que por diversos motivos abandonaron el pais, deberan ser re-evaluadas y corregidas en favor de la unidad necesaria. A excepcion de aquellos que abiertamente abogaron o abogan por la destruccion del pais o traicionaron a su pueblo, se debera suprimir de inmediato nimiedades personales o contradicciones no antagonicos en nombre del bien comun.
Los primeros reportes acerca de ciclones que han azotado a cuba dat an de los anos 1498 hasta hoy, en los que la mayoria se ensanaron en navios en transito. Los ciclones del ano 1844 y 1846 causaron mas de 100 muertes cada uno de ellos.
Son memorables el ciclon de 1870 que causo mas de 800 muertes en la Habana, el de Isla de Pinos hoy Isla de la Juventud que en 1926 ocasiono unas 600 muertes, el monstruoso ras de mar del ano 1932 que arraso a Santa Cruz del Sur causando unas 3500 muertes y el ciclon Flora en 1963, que ocasiono unos 2000 muertos e introdujo cambios medio ambientales irreversibles en la agricultura de la provincia Granma.
Lo mismo puede decirse de la mayoria de los paises de la cuenca del Caribe con un historial similar de muerte y desolacion, por lo que estas tragedias no deben seguir tratandose como problemas nacionales aislados sino, como una problematica regional integral, ante la imposibilidad de reubicar nuestros paises fuera de esta zona altamonte predispuesta a la formacion de violentas tormentas huracanadas.
Por tanto, desarrollar, fortalecer e integrar las debiles economias del Caribe, le permitiria sustituir cada una de las endebles viviendas de madera, zinc, guano o adobe, por otras de bloques, hormigon armado y montado en pilotos en las zonas bajas, haciendolas immune a estos embates metereologicos, tal como ocurre con las fortificaciones coloniales eregidas hace mas de 500 anos. Esto debera convertirse en la tarea inmediata mas importante de la region, antes de producirse el deterioro social a consecuencia de la prolo ngada exposicion de la poblacion al medio ambiente, hambre, enfermedades, violencia y muertes.
Cuba no podra sucumbir porque asi se lo exije su pueblo. Cuba no podra desaparecer porque millones de hombres, mujeres y ninos en decenas de paises del tercer mundo, perderian a su aliado mas formidable, comprometido y fiel, quien les ha proporcionado desinteresadamente educacion, cultura, dignidad, salud e independencia.
Esta enorme responsabilidad impide a Cuba ignorar en ausencia de un poderoso argumento en su contra, cuantas sugerencias, propuestas o medidas tendientes a fortalecer su estabilidad e integridad, siempre que estos no contravengan sus principios eticos, morales o ideologicos.
Al contrario de los pronosticos pesimistas, fatalistas o de los que se regocijan del dolor de nuestro pueblo, Cuba tiene aun enormes reservas potenciales sin explotar, que una vez tomada la determinacion de aplicarlas, bastarian para restanar la totalidad de los danos causados por estas tempestades, quedando aun un remanente para continuar el proceso de desarrollo nacional.
RECURSOS
Parcelar 200,000 lotes de 100 x 100’ y 200 x 200’ en la periferia de ciudades, margenes de presas, canales, repartos, campina, playas etc., y clasificarlas en 10 niveles acorde con su belleza urbanistica y arrendarlas durante 20 anos a extranjeros solidarios con Cuba y Cubanos respetuosos de su soberania, para la construccion de viviendas de uso personal siguiendo normas y disenos nacionales y cuyo valor podria=2 0oscilar entre los $20,000 y $400,000 por lote, los que generarian entre 25 y 30 mil millones de dolares.
Parcelar 200,000 lotes de 100 x 100’ y 200 x 200’ en la periferia de ciudades, margenes de presas, canales, repartos, campina, playas etc., y clasificarlas en 10 niveles acorde con su belleza urbanistica y arrendarlas durante 20 anos a extranjeros solidarios con Cuba y Cubanos respetuosos de su soberania, para la construccion de viviendas de uso personal siguiendo normas y disenos nacionales y cuyo valor podria oscilar entre los $20,000 y $400,000 por lote, los que generarian entre 25 y 30 mil millones de dolares.
Los terrenos, viviendas y demas mejoras creadas en dichas propiedades, revertiran al patrimonio nacional al final del periodo del usufructo o antes, por la muerte de sus ocupantes.
Habilitar urgentemente 20 puertos a lo largo del pais con personal de Alimport, Mincin y otros, y promover esta “Zona Franca” en la region para estimular la llegada, recepcion y commercializacion de productos alimenticios, industriales, construccion, personales y otros, provenientes de los paises del Caribe, Centro America y Mejico, llegados mediante naves de cabotaje, commercializandolo de inmediato entre Cubanos con medios de transporte para ser distribuido y vendido rapidamente en sus respectivas regiones, incrementando dramaticamente el acceso y disponibilidad de bienes m ateriales, evitando el desabastecimiento, la inflacion y especulacion.
Recuperar camiones desechados en rastros, reconstruirlos y venderlos a choferes interesados en la ampliacion del servicio de porteadores de carga, la agricultura, construccion o servicios generales, mejorando y agilizando sustancialmente este servicio.
Concluida la recuperacion post ciclonica, iniciar una inmigracion ordenada de 100,000 familias del Caribe Anglofono y Haiti hacia asentamientos en el macizo canero del norte de Oriente, Camaguey y Ciego de Avila y otros, para el desarrollo del café, cacao, cocoteros, platano vianda/fruta y frutos menores en Oriente sur, triplicando los actuales volumenes de produccion de esos rubros al cabo de cinco anos, tal cual habian hecho a finales del siglo pasado, cuando convirtieron a villas y ciudades en vibrates centros economicos que generaron billones para terratenientes nacionales y las transnacionales Americanas. Los ingresos obtenidos por los trabajadores inmigrantes, les permitiria sostener economicamente a sus familiares y construir viviendas adecuadas en sus respectivos paises.
Propiciar la inmigracion de unas 10,000 familias de agricultores de Mejico, Honduras y Nicaragua para desarrollar la produccion de granos en Velazco, Valle de Caujeri y Banao.
Estimular la inmigracion de 5000 familias campesinas del Peru, especializados en el cultivo de la papa, para expandir la produccion en provincia Habana
Promover la inmigracion de 10,000 familias Palestinas de Gaza y la ribera Occidental y relocalizarlos en la zona semi-arida de Oriente sur, para el desarrollo de especies agricolas no existentes en el pais como, higos, nueces, olivos, datiles y un masivo desarrollo ovino-caprino y burros.
Crear el Gran Centro Medico del Caribe en la antigua provincia de Oriente y ofrecer sus servicios no-gratuitos a mas de 50 millones de pacientes carentes de seguro medico. Decenas de miles de pacientes hispanicos afectados de patologias neurologicos y trastornos psiquiatricos, carecen de centros especializados para su atencion, pudiendo generar empleo para decenas de miles de profesionales y tecnicos, generado billones en moneda convertible para la economia nacional.
Otras fuentes de ingreso y de desarrollo al alcance del pueblo Cubano permanencen ignoradas, requiriendo solo una forma de empleo mas racional e incremento de la productividad de decenas de miles de profesionales, tecnicos y obreros.
La actual y futura generacion de Cubanos exijen de sus gobernantes, un analisis profundo, critico y exhaustivo de las realidades del pais, sus capacidades, objectivos y direccion, que le permitira aplicar medidas correctivas efectivas, que sean capaces de llevar a la nacion a ocupar el sitial que le corresponde dentro de la comunidad de naciones de nuestro hemisferio.
Dr. Alberto Nelson Jones
16 de Setiembre del ano 2008