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The dilapidated building housing the duplicate archive of the Civil Registry in Las Tunas has been closed by health order for over a month, due to serious health hazards, which has halted essential processes, amid the negligence of the authorities.
An inspector from the municipal Health department closed the establishment located on Julián Santana Street, between Lico Cruz and Lucas Ortiz, in the city of Las Tunas, on March 6, due to the significant deterioration of the property, stated a report published by the provincial newspaper 26.
The center safeguards the original records of births, marriages, and deaths from all the municipalities in Las Tunas, as well as some citizenship records of Spaniards, primarily those who entered Cuba through Carúpano, Jobabo, Cascarero, and other points in that region of eastern Cuba.
Additionally, it processes requests from other provinces to correct legal errors and issue essential documents for national and international procedures.
There are just two workers left there. “We need another cashier, but no one wants to come here. And honestly, under these conditions, it’s easy to see why,” lamented Maritzabel Concepción Guerra, the main cashier at the site.
The newspaper 26 had already visited the site in May 2023 and now, with the news of the closure, “we found the old house much more destroyed than before” with “ragged walls, its worn-out bathroom” and the presence of a “sour dust that makes you feel a burning sensation in your throat, even if you don't suffer from allergies.”
Total impact on Civil Registry services
Concepción emphasized that the closure "causes a complete halt to the Civil Registry services in Las Tunas and a significant impact on those across the rest of the country."
The institution that provides search services receives "requests from across the Island to rectify errors, issue documents to individuals with ancestors here, and assist with paperwork; we input the information into systems and complement the work of the Civil Registry."
Along with the outstanding issues and the ongoing complaints from the population, it also seems that “the anger of seeing that ‘the little room remains exactly the same’, with no one seeming to care about the documents that rest there,” the newspaper warned.
Requests ignored for years
Although the condition of the property has been known for years, the authorities have not addressed the issue.
“We have been requesting help from the Government for years, across different administrations, and from other organizations, yet solutions do not materialize, even though they acknowledge the importance of what is happening and have occasionally made commitments to collaborate,” stated María Alina Carralero, head of the Organization and Control area of the Provincial Directorate of Justice, the entity to which the archive belongs.
"These issues are recurring in the management meetings, they are part of the Economic Plan; the Minister of Justice is aware of the situation and has requested assistance, but nothing," he assured.
The lack of maintenance has even caused health issues among the staff. Two employees had to retire due to medical conditions acquired at the center, "because the dust mites, dust, and working conditions are terrible," warned Concepción.
On the other hand, the two remaining active workers also perform cleaning assistant duties, "they purchase the supplies to do so" and lack external support, as "they are aware that for too long (the state company) Labiofam has not come by to fumigate the books," the report revealed.
Meanwhile, the files continue to pile up on worn shelves, amidst broken sawdust boards and wires in a dilapidated building that can no longer keep up, and whose decay is evident in every corner.
“But that is just a detail compared to the disaster, the evident neglect of a place where we all exist; even the personal history of those who, by failing to address it thoroughly, have spent a decade looking the other way,” concluded the newspaper 26.
For years, there has been an increase in citizen alarms and even in the Cuban Parliament to recover the deteriorated documentary source of Cuba in its various formats.
Cuban citizens have reported the poor condition of the archives in civil registries across the country, with files in evident states of disrepair, the loss of documents, and convoluted processes for obtaining them.
Frequently Asked Questions about Institutional Abandonment in the Civil Registry of Las Tunas
Why was the Civil Registry archive in Las Tunas closed?
The duplicate file of the Civil Registry in Las Tunas was closed due to health orders because of the serious unsanitary conditions of the premises, which include deteriorated walls, a bathroom in deplorable conditions, and an unhealthy environment that affects the health of the workers.
What impact has the closure of the Civil Registry in Las Tunas had?
The closure has resulted in a complete halt of services at that institution and has significantly impacted the citizens of Tunera and other parts of the country who rely on its services, as the center is responsible for processing essential requests for national and international procedures.
What problems do workers at the Civil Registry face due to institutional neglect?
Workers face health issues due to workplace conditions, with cases of illnesses related to dust and mites. Furthermore, they perform cleaning tasks without adequate support, as the state-owned company responsible has not fumigated the books in a long time.
What measures have been taken to address the situation of the Civil Registry in Las Tunas?
Despite multiple requests to the government, no solution has materialized to improve the conditions of the Civil Registry in Las Tunas. Authorities have acknowledged the importance of the issue, but have not implemented concrete actions to resolve it.
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