The restoration efforts at Guanabo Beach in eastern Havana are experiencing significant setbacks and hurdles, according to Osleidys Torres Valdespino, the regional representative for the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA). In a segment called "Letter to the Editor" in the state-run newspaper Juventud Rebelde, Torres acknowledged that despite research initiated in 2011 and planned measures to protect the dunes and combat erosion, progress in rehabilitating this vital tourist spot remains minimal, leaving both the local community and visitors without effective solutions.
Infrastructure Issues and Environmental Impact
A major issue highlighted is the lack of upkeep for the beach access walkways, originally built to shield the dunes from deterioration. Although a project began in 2013 to construct and maintain these paths, most are now in poor condition due to insufficient funding during the COVID-19 pandemic and rising construction costs. Torres noted that social misconduct, including vandalism and misuse of the structures, further complicates the beach's preservation.
The situation has been exacerbated by adverse weather events, such as Hurricane Milton, which severely damaged the area's infrastructure. Torres emphasized that comprehensive rehabilitation of Guanabo Beach extends beyond walkway maintenance, requiring broader structural improvements. These include upgrading the sewage network, treating wastewater, and removing buildings encroaching on crucial areas for natural dune development. Without these measures, any recovery effort will be limited and unsustainable.
Community Concerns and National Priorities
Despite claims from CITMA that studies of the Sibarimar Cove, which encompasses Guanabo, are 75% complete, critical areas like Boca Ciega and Brisas del Mar remain unresolved. Identified as priorities in the State Plan for Climate Change Confrontation (Tarea Vida), tangible results are yet to be seen on the ground. Meanwhile, Guanabo Beach continues to lose sand and environmental quality, underscoring the urgency of moving from planning to effective action.
Torres' remarks were in response to a criticism published in the same section of Juventud Rebelde by Evelio León Díaz, a Guanabo resident, who warned on July 2, 2023, about the alarming sand erosion at the beach. León urged the construction of more access walkways to safeguard the dunes, a crucial element for the conservation of Havana's eastern beaches. He also stressed the need for proper maintenance of existing walkways, as their deterioration has increased the coast's vulnerability.
León recalled successful dune protection efforts in Boca Ciega years ago, achieved through walkways, lamenting that the initiative didn't continue. The absence of new dune development and the neglect of existing walkways have left many unusable. When León inquired at the local council why construction and maintenance of these structures hadn't progressed, he was told the expenses weren't included in the municipal plan—a justification he found insufficient for an issue transcending local boundaries.
In his view, coastal protection, part of Tarea Vida, should be a national concern, not merely a municipal one, and he stressed that these investments should be prioritized within CITMA's national budget, warning that time to act is running out. "Nature doesn't offer many reprieves, and we might realize it too late," he cautioned, highlighting that while sea-level rise cannot be halted, protective measures can mitigate or at least delay its impacts.
In 2023, Osmany García Zaldívar voiced concerns about the pollution at Guanabo Beach, which has turned into a dumping ground. A doctor in Physics and a professor at the University of Havana, García shared images on his social media account showing the sand littered with cans, sticks, empty plastic containers, and nylon bags, all within close proximity to beachgoers.