The housing built by individuals has exceeded what was agreed in the 2021 plan in Sancti Spíritus, while the State fulfilled just over half of what was agreed. The provincial director of Housing, Néstor Borroto, count this tuesday in the local newspaper Escambray that the new work is saved thanks to the push of the own effort and, although it does not give figures of how much expectations are exceeded, the amount is guessed high.
In February 2021 the planned plan was announced in the year, which added 1,441 new properties to the precarious housing fund of Spiritus. Of these, 993 had to be by private initiative, including 452 basic housing cells (CBH) – of about 25 square meters -. The rest, 448, would be executed through the state.
Borroto now places 55%, about 246, state homes delivered and 56% state CBH completed (253 units). “Not so the own effort, which exceeded the agreed figure,” he said without saying by how much.
The article, titled The house is still in debt, It starts by saying that “despite complying with the delivery plan for new works”, the State did not arrive, from which it can be deduced that the 1,441 planned could be built thanks to its own effort that, if the figures provided by the ruling party are correct It had to build almost a thousand houses, around double the 541 that corresponded to it.
The official blames the breaches on the pandemic, which caused a high number of infected in the construction sector affecting the final result, and the US sanctions, which are the origin of everything
The official blames the breaches on the pandemic, which caused a high number of infected in the construction sector affecting the final result, and the US sanctions, which are the origin of everything: lack of resources, inability to produce materials or shortage of fuel with which to transport them.
Inflation is also mentioned as one of the causes, since, according to the text, “already at the beginning of the year there was no budget to cover the expenses of the subsidized with the increase in prices of construction materials.” But the worst thing is that nothing portends that the situation will improve. Borroto explained that the housing plan for 2022 has not yet been established, but since it will have to include what has not been done in 2021, especially at CBH, things get complicated.
The problem has been dragging on for years. According to the data, of the 2,752 CBH approved from 2012 to now, 141 are still pending and, in addition, there are 508 unbuilt houses for those affected by meteorological events, being Sancti Spíritus one of the provinces that suffers the most from the effects of climate change, according to the authorities. For this reason, the article indicates that more and more even efforts will have to be made if the serious housing problem is to be solved.
Experts, adds the official newspaper, ask that disused premises be adapted to integral construction, as an alternative to the large amount of resources that are needed for it. 22% of the houses in the state plan were built in this way, saving money, supplies and earthworks.
The official also held officials responsible for corruption when assigning homes that are completed without being finished or with poor quality and violations in the granting of subsidies
In addition, they also point out that the lack of materials will continue and ask that construction techniques continue to be used with clay brick and zinc roofing, compared to the concrete roof, which should be more scarce. Last November, Vice Prime Minister Ramiro Valdés reproached in Sancti Spíritus those who resisted using these more “natural and traditional” materials in favor of newer and more resistant ones.
The official also held officials responsible for corruption when assigning homes that are completed without being finished or with poor quality and violations in the granting of subsidies. In addition, it also noted that significant materials were stolen for resale.
“Very often the construction materials do not reach the population, we lack exchange with the people and popular control over these processes; we must pay more attention to the opinions of the people, but we cannot allow resources to be diverted to us. the places that were not assigned. “
Many of these thefts are produced due to the scarcity of materials, which not only does not allow the completion of new works, but also to rehabilitate faults in existing ones. At the end of February, the director of the Siguaney Cement Company, in Sancti Spiritus, revealed that the Government has given the order to send gray cement to stores in freely convertible currency (MLC) instead of exporting it as was done before, in such a way as to ensure that it stays in the country. However, the prices in these establishments are unattainable for many Cubans, not to mention those who only have national currency.
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