The Cuban government acknowledged the inefficiencies in the construction sector following the release of a report that outlines failures in housing construction, production of supplies and materials, and exports.
Santiago Eduardo Lage Choy, president of the Commission of Industry, Construction, and Energy of the National Assembly of People's Power, presented the report resulting from a fiscal oversight of MICONS conducted in 2020, which highlights the grievances of the public, particularly concerning the delays in bureaucratic procedures.
In 2020, the plans for the construction of housing and prefabricated concrete were not met, nor was the production of sand, blocks, sanitary furniture, tiles, roofing tiles, and asbestos cement tanks; additionally, the production of cement and clinker (a granular product obtained by the calcination of limestone and clay) for export also fell short.
The utilization of available capacity for cement production reached only 59% and 43% in 2019 and 2020, respectively, according to official data presented to the ANPP and published by the state-run newspaper Granma.
"The available construction capacity is not being utilized, and although it has been limited in recent years due to the low availability of central balance resources, difficulties are observed in adhering to the investment process timeline, as well as in the quality and efficiency of the process and in making the most of the workday, among other challenges," the report highlighted.
From 1990 to 2018, the Cuban government built only 401,777 homes, benefiting just over one million people nationwide. This number is insufficient considering that by the end of the last year, there was a housing deficit of 862,879 houses.
Another piece of information revealed by the Cuban government is that out of more than 29,000 mothers with three or more children under the age of 17 who require constructive actions in their homes, only 5,841 benefited.
Due to the fact that home repairs are often not carried out properly in many cases, this is one of the main issues affecting the housing infrastructure in Cuba, as acknowledged by the Cuban official.
The population is complaining about delays in the housing program and a lack of material resources, as well as the accumulation of subsidies from previous years and financial resources that are immobilized in banks for this reason.
In this regard, the Ministry of Construction was urged to take appropriate action to ensure that the subsidies are implemented, even though this task falls under the responsibilities of the municipal and provincial housing authorities.
By May 2021, only 99,252 homes had been completed in Cuba, of which over 46,000 were built through personal efforts. However, the issue persists with houses affected by natural disasters, total collapses, unfinished habitable basic units, earthen floors, and vacant lots, which collectively amount to 203,901.
Although the official figures for 2021 are lower than those of the previous year, many people are still living in poor conditions or are waiting for government action to improve their housing situation.
The housing problem in Cuba is complex, and it has worsened with the coronavirus crisis due to a lack of financial resources and inadequate conditions to meet the demand.
Although Article 71 of the Cuban Constitution recognizes the right of all individuals to adequate housing and a safe and healthy environment, and the State claims to implement policies to achieve this, it is evident that there is a lack of effectiveness in its decisions.
At the end of September, it was reported that the Local Construction Materials Production Company (PLOMAC) in Villa Clara is facing difficulties in marketing the bricks and tiles it produces due to their poor quality, despite the high demand they have in the market.
One of the most recent cases of a Cuban mother without a home is that of Kirenia Sánchez, originally from Morón, Ciego de Ávila. She is living with her children in an old abandoned warehouse in Cienfuegos, waiting since 2019 for an institutional response to address her situation.
"I'm not asking for anything out of the ordinary, but rather for help, just like they have assisted other women with fewer children," Sánchez said in a video that was shared online.
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