In the aftermath of Hurricane Oscar, a mere 8% of the damaged homes in Guantánamo have been rebuilt, leaving thousands of families anxiously awaiting a resolution. As reported by the newspaper Venceremos, out of the 13,000 affected homes, most repairs have been limited to partial roof patch-ups.
Yoel Pérez García, the head of the Provincial Defense Council (CDP), has called for an evaluation of local resources and suggested transforming an INDER camp into housing for those displaced. He also stressed the importance of enhancing the efficiency of permit offices and construction supply stores to expedite the rebuilding process.
State Institutions Prioritized Over Citizens
Despite these initiatives, the focus has predominantly been on restoring state institutions, with 75% already repaired, in stark contrast to the sluggish progress in home reconstruction, according to the state-run news portal. Out of the 700 state facilities damaged by the hurricane, 525 have been restored, representing 75% of the total; meanwhile, 97 of the 175 still pending have secured the necessary resources for rehabilitation.
Infrastructure and Water Supply Recovery
Regarding water supply, 84 out of 88 damaged aqueducts are operational, benefiting more than 98% of the eastern Guantánamo population. However, the government acknowledged the continued outages in systems serving Jamal, La Tinta, El Salao, and Macambo.
Land access has been partially restored with repairs to bridges and roads, yet some communities remain isolated. "Of the eight bridges damaged by flooding, six have been restored," authorities reported. Meanwhile, supplies like baby food, powdered milk, and mattresses continue to trickle into the province, though they fall short of meeting the affected residents' needs.
Public Outcry and International Aid
Recently, a victim of Hurricane Oscar in Guantánamo, whose home suffered extensive damage, expressed outrage over the government's sale of a mattress priced at 735 pesos. The woman from Baracoa showcased the mattress—more akin to a thin mat—in a video, noting it was intended for a cancer patient.
Amidst the challenges posed by the Cuban government's handling of the crisis, the United Nations (UN) announced an increase in the required funding to $78.3 million (75 million euros) for its action plan addressing the severe damage in Cuba caused by two hurricanes, two major earthquakes, and a new collapse of the national electrical system. Initially, the initiative aimed to mobilize $33 million to respond to the destruction from Hurricane Oscar, which struck the island's northeastern tip on October 20, as reported by EFE.