Women in the Ministry of the Interior: The Exquisiteness of Things For tomorrow's observation of International Women's Day, Granma interviewed some women whose work requires a measure of sacrifice. Author: Ramadan Arcos | internet@granma.cu March 6, 2015 22:03:13 A CubaNews translation. Edited by Walter Lippmann. Daylenis Lobaina, professor at the Firefighters National Training School works hard at her daily lesson. Photo: Ismael Batista Daylenis Lobaina Pelier is a firefighter, a professor of Fire Prevention at the Firefighters National School “Mártires de la Calle Patria”. This profession is not as complex as women commonly think. She is 20-years old, not too young when one feels safe in one’s job. But speaking about safety among rescuers is too commonplace, because that is their bailiwick. "This profession is predominantly male, but this does not mean that we women only have the willpower; we also have a lot of physical strength to perform the same exercises, firefighting services, and search and rescue operations," she said. When asked what she would rescue in an extreme situation, this young woman replies that there are eternal fires, against which no firefighter would be found wanting "we should always save the essentials: love, affection, responsibility, the values of solidarity and humanism. To be a firefighter one must be a better person." 23 years ago, Bárbara Gonzalez Linton joined MININT at the call of the Federation of Cuban Women to support the work in this sector. Today she holds a Masters Degree in Social Community Work and works in the National Directorate of Traffic. In her view, in the natural workshop where life is forged, women always have the task to protect it. "The work we members of the National Traffic Directorate do, aimed at reducing traffic accidents, is part of that action to safeguard human lives, like a mother looking after her children." She tells us with conviction that Cuban women are a Revolution within the Revolution, "From the beginning we were offered the space, but we had to win it ... and we conquered it." Lt. Col. Bárbara is so demanding and dedicated to her job that she advises "play the role that you need to play and don’t give ground to the idea that women are the weaker sex". Norelvis Álvarez Vinent is another young woman, a little older than the firefighter. She is always ready to prevent bad things from happening. This 106th-emergency-line operator responds to reports of public order, theft, traffic accidents or complaints of suspected illegal activities. There are no men in the 106th. Why? "Women understand others better, especially in serious situations of despair; we are moved more". I wanted to "bother" Lieutenant Colonel Beatriz Acay Santos, Department Head at the Provincial Patrol-Car Division in Havana, with the idea that women have no special traits, but she cut me short and told me that to begin with she is a feminist and that experience in her work has proven that women are more advanced in organizational skills. Would it be different if a man did what you do? "We pay more attention to detail, we seek perfection. By nature, women search for the exquisiteness things. " |
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La mujer en el Ministerio del Interior La exquisitez de las cosasA propósito de celebrarse mañana el Día Internacional de la Mujer, Granma entrevistó a algunas cuya labor exige sacrificios
Dailenis Lobaina, profesora de la Escuela Nacional de Bomberos, se
esmera en su lección diaria. Foto: Ismael Batista
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