-DATE-
19810727
-YEAR-
1981
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
INAUGURATES HOLGUIN FACTORY
-PLACE-
CUBA
-SOURCE-
HAVANA DOMESTIC SVC
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19810729
-TEXT-
Castro Speech

FL281240 Havana Domestic Service in Spanish 2200 GMT 27 Jul 81

[Speech by Cuban President Fidel Castro at the inauguration of Holguin's 26
July Heroes Agricultural Implements Factory--live]

[Text] Distinguished guests, dear Bulgarian and Cuban comrades: I wish to
express my profound gratitude for the sincere, fraternal, affectionate,
stimulating, moving and revolutionary speech made by Comrade Peko Takov
[applause] which describes the feelings of the Bulgarian party and people
for our country, their feelings of sympathy, of recognition and admiration
for our people's efforts; feelings which we appreciate extraordinarily
because they come from a courageous, revolutionary and fraternal nation.
[applause]

With this factory, our mechanical industry is receiving a true jewel. The
mechanical industry practically emerged with the revolution. It did not
exist prior to 1 January 1959 and today is one of the branches [of the
economy] growing at the fastest pace. At the same time, it constitutes one
of the fundamental pillars of any country's progress and development. The
value of the production of the steelworking industry in 1980 attained the
amount of 367 million pesos. The production anticipated for 1981 is 465
million for a growth of 26 percent compared to 1980.

During 1980 special attention was given to the development of the technical
and technological base required by the growth of the steelworking industry,
raising the number of workers at project research and development centers
to nearly 2,000. The qualified manpower has continued to grow, going from
an average of 37,000 workers in 1980 to 42,000 today. It must be noted that
in this growth there has been a high participation of the direct [directo]
personnel in production. This work force being incorporated now has
basically emerged from the group of graduates of the development plan
outlined by the party leadership in 1980, whose ranks were filled by the
youths who completed the general military service.

Among the most outstanding productive gains in 1980, we have: production of
factories of medium-level complexity with the completion of four citrus
fruit packing plants; the first production of plastic elements for the
irrigation program (122 systems and production of 300 aluminum systems
primarily for irrigating cane) the development of facilities in the
production of machinery and equipment for the sugar industry, having
achieved a production of 964 pieces of equipment which helped in the
maintenance and construction of new sugar mills and the manufacture of one
mill [no explanation given] in Cuba. Other production worth mentioning were
gathering centers, railroad cars for loading cane, barbed wire, containers
for the transportation of liquids, buses, batteries and aluminum trim.

Despite the modest level of the ministry's exports, which does not even
reach 5 percent of the production value, the growth attained in 1980 is
encouraging. Even though we might not attain the progress needed by our
country in the production of spare parts, production amounting to more than
32 million pesos was achieved in 1980. During the first 6 months of this
year, production of 219 million pesos was attained, representing a growth
of 34 percent compared to the first 6 months of 1980 or 155 million [pesos]
more. Compared to 1980, the growth attained in some production amounted to
34 percent in corrugated steel bars, 45 percent in buses, 34 percent in
spare parts, 79 percent in wire and electric cables and 28 percent in
steel-cast parts.

Efforts are being made to guarantee the production of the first line of
Cuban heavy trucks, based on the prototypes manufactured last year. In
coordination with the State Committee for Material and Technical Supply,
great efforts are being made in the production of spare parts to supply the
requirements being imported today in accordance with the following levels.
These levels in the past 2 years were: in spare parts, 32 million [pesos];
in 1980 and for 1981 the plan calls for 54 million, and 71 million for
1982. This is very important because of the difficulties we have everywhere
with spare parts.

During 1981 a strong program of medical equipment, furniture and
instruments is being developed which should partly satisfy the large
requirements of such an important sector. Since production started in Cuba,
we have replaced the importation of hospital beds with ones made in Cuba.
Work is going on to produce equipment for construction work which is being
imported today. There is a possibility that the mechanical industry will be
able to produce them beginning in 1982, such as front loaders, concrete
mixers mounted on trucks, cranes mounted on trucks and so forth.

A strong production of railroad cars has begun this year, including the
production of the first prototypes of self-propelled passenger cars. During
1981 the electronic industry of the Steelworking Ministry should begin
producing the first color television sets.

You all know that our country spends large sums of money in importing all
types of equipment, be it for construction work, transportation and so
forth. Little by little, we must continue to develop the production of
these equipment in our country, above all those we purchase in foreign
currency areas. If we produce them in our factories, they will cost us
less. We are projecting the development of the mechanical industry in a
systematic and determined way, This promises to solve a large number of
needs in our development.

Today we are inaugurating this factory. The executive project and supplies
agreement was signed in 1975 with the People's Republic of Bulgaria. It is
of special importance that this factory will make it possible for us to
solve basic problems in the national production of agricultural equipment
and implements and, in addition, assist the steel-working industry. This
factory guarantees the supply of iron and steel-cast parts for the cane
harvester factory.

Today the production of harvesters and their spare parts depends on a group
of some 12 factories and shops, creating difficulties for the adequate
process of production. This factory also makes it possible to concentrate
and produce specialized agricultural equipment and, in addition, due to,its
equipment, replacing the importation of a portion of them, increasing the
degree of complexity and supplying a product of better quality.

It represents strong support for the production of agricultural spare
parts, including those that the harvester factory cannot produce in
required quantities.

In concentrating and specializing production of agricultural equipment in
one place, it makes it possible for us to avail ourselves of other
capabilities which will be devoted to the development of important
programs, such as railroad and construction equipment. It guarantees a
broad diversity of agricultural equipment and implements, substituting its
production for some imports, such as plows with four or six discs, hay
balers and so forth. The factory occupies an area of 340,000 square meters.
This is nearly 2 caballerias. No, I think I made a mistake. It is nearly
three. The size of the roofed area is 85,280 square meters. Of these,
68,000 square meters are for production shops.

It covers five basic areas for shops, which are preparation shops. These
are cutting and molding, steel casting, nonferrous casting and forging;
production shops, machining, I thermal and galvanizing treatments; assembly
plant, assembly for soldering, mechanical assembly, assembly lines; paint
shop; auxiliary production shops; maintenance shop; templating and
carpentry shops; service areas; electric complex with electricity, air,
vapor, water and gases; central laboratory; vehicle shop; warehouses;
socioadministrative offices. All the shops in the factory will work two
shifts 280 days in the year, with the exception of the steel foundry which
will work three shifts 300 days in the year.

The basic program of production makes it possible to attain full production
capability of the following: 10,850 units in the production of equipment,
15,000 tons in production of equipment and parts. Of these 6,000 tons are
spare parts. The main production lines of equipment are: harrows, subsoil
plows of the Mayari and Bayamo types, cultivator- fertilizer spreader for
FCS cane, rock remover from 965 kgs to 17,0100 lbs, plows with 3, 5 and 6
discs.

When in full operation, the factory will have a work force of 3,300 workers
distributed as follows: 363 higher and medium level technicians, 1,947
qualified workers and 990 others. The construction and assembly of the
factory began in February 1976 with the earth-moving process. The project
was completed in 4 years and 6 months at a cost of 26 million pesos in
construction and assembly. Participating in this effort were, Industrial
Construction Enterprise No. 9, Engineering Enterprise No 17 and the
Architectural Projects Construction Enterprise No. 28 of Holguin Province.
The construction and assembly was carried out with 1,000 workers, although
in some instances up to 1,500 workers were used in the project. The total
amount of the concrete used in the construction amounted to 55,000 cubic
meters. The volume of supplies amounted to approximately 20,000 tons. Cost
of the investment in equipment and machinery was 447 million pesos,
construction and assembly 26 million, others 17 million; for a total of 90
million pesos. [as heard] That is the cost of this project.

We have given you some data and we could give some more on other supplies
needed by this factory. But it is not possible to have an idea of this
factory by merely reading about it. In order to know this factory, one has
to visit it, enter it and tour it. We, who from the beginning were aware of
this project, who saw the cornerstone laid and who knew it was an important
and big factory, were astonished after visiting it when it was completed.
As I said before, it is a true jewel. It is a well-conceived project,
well-rationalized, encompassing all aspects of production--and not only the
production aspects--it also provides for the workers' social aspects.

The installations are well distributed in a very intelligent manner. In
reality we have to congratulate the project designers, especially the
Bulgarian project designers who worked on this project. The construction
appears to be of great quality, excellently finished, which is why we have
to congratulate very sincerely the construction workers who participated in
the project. [applause] The foundry shops are big, among the biggest in the
country. They are iron-casting shops, steel-casting shops, bronze-casting
shops, aluminum-casting shops. The entire process is mechanized in the
smelting shops. It is very safe for the workers.

We have the cutting shops, furnaces of various types. They appear to be
sound, efficient equipment, both for smelting metals and giving them
thermal treatment. It is capable of cutting laminated metal of any
thickness almost up to 25 cm. It has large warehouses. It has a machine
shop that is the biggest in Cuba. No other machine shop in our country is
that size. It is very modern with very good equipment. It has automated
assembly lines. It has programmed lathes. All this gives one the impression
that the factory and shops can produce much more than what is anticipated.
I believe the estimates are conservative.

Then there are the assembly and paint shops, the instrument shops, the
shops to produce the parts for the machines of the factory itself.
Actually, one experiences not only satisfaction, but I would say one
experiences pride when one completes a factory of this type, when one
inaugurates a factory such as this one.

We can see that the workers are beginning to set it into operation.
Different shops are already operating. They look prepared, disciplined,
conscientious; and many of them are in the factory and hundreds more are
being trained to enter this factory and work in it in the future. We can
also observe the social facilities, the lockers. It has a large and modern
food preparation center with the capacity to produce meals not only for
this factory but for all three which will be combined here. This factory
alone has two messhalls due to its size and the distance between some shops
and others. It was considered convenient to have two shops [as heard;
messhalls]. It has a theater and sports areas. It has its green areas,
areas to store raw materials over there. In fact, we get the impression
that this is a very complete factory.

However, there are other elements which we must take into consideration,
which in the first place says much for Bulgaria and its development. This
is the fact that it has been able to supply us with a factory of this type
as a complete factory. Bulgaria carried out the project and supplied us
with all the technological equipment for the factory. It took the
responsibility of supplying us with this equipment. This demonstrates that
the country is capable of projecting itself and exporting complete
factories. This is important. We are pleased to see our sister Bulgaria is
entering, let us say, the world sphere by exporting not just equipment but
complete factories.

We are encouraged and stimulated by this because we can also in a certain
way in the near future become exporters of complete sugar mills [applause],
with the projects and 60 percent of the equipment manufactured here. Seeing
the Bulgarian example stimulates us, shows us that it can be possible.

The first two sugar mills, the first four we did not export, we
manufactured them here and two of them have already begun to produce during
this year's harvest and they have fulfilled their plans. [applause]

The next two will be even better. Small details were changed and improved.
Our country will have mechanical factories in Santa Clara itself--the
boiler factory, the tandem factory were in Santa Clara which is also
nearing completion. In the future we will also produce centrifuges. We will
eventually produce 70 percent of the equipment for a sugar mill. Our sugar
mill project also looks very rational, very well distributed.

I was saying that it says much for a country, for its development, for its
industrial and technical development, when it can export a complete factory
such as this, of this quality. I would also say that the Bulgarians have
taken special pains with this factory. I do not know whether they have
exported many complete factories and they are only in an initial phase, but
they have really taken special pains to make it a complete success.

There is another lesson in this. Most of the equipment, down to the screws,
is manufactured in Bulgaria. This says a lot for a country which, when it
began the construction of socialism, was an agricultural country,
underdeveloped, which at one time had millions of owners of tiny land
plots, of minifundia, and which had practically no industrial production.
Nevertheless, one has to admire these machines which were produced in the
Bulgarian factories, excellent machines.

There is more. It is that whatever equipment was not produced by Bulgaria
was produced by other socialist countries and supplied by other countries.
The GDR supplied equipment. Czechoslovakia supplied equipment. The USSR
supplied equipment, and I believe that even Hungary supplied equipment. In
other words, Bulgaria supplied the complete factory, took full
responsibility for all the equipment and whatever it could not produce was
supplied by other socialist countries, which demonstrates the possibilities
of international cooperation. It demonstrates the growing possibilities of
the socialist field for the supply of industrial equipment and industrial
factories. This demonstrates CEMA cooperation in action. Very good
machinery. We have been inspecting it.

Therefore, we can say that we have constructed a giant of the mechanical
industry. That is why I mentioned products which could be manufactured in
this factory, such as furrowers, straw conveyers. In this factory we can
manufacture whatever we want. It is a very flexible factory. In this
factory we can manufacture many other kinds of equipment. It has very broad
possibilities.

Speaking of new factories, recently we have been inspecting several
factories under construction. This morning I visited the bottle factory,
another giant, in Las Tunas which will also be inaugurated soon and begin
operation. This bottle factory is very important. It should eventually
attain a production of 300 million units a year. It is important because
milk is bottled, soft drinks are bottled. You have completed the
soft-drinks factory. We have examined the soft-drinks factory and I know
that it is limited especially by bottles. Often there is not sufficient
beer and more could be produced, but there are no bottles for beer, drinks,
liquors, food in general. One could say that without containers there could
be no products. That factory in Las Tunas is a giant, very modern.

Beside it is another one, not much smaller. It is the steel structures
factory. Several days ago I visited another giant, but a real giant. That
is the textile factory under construction in Santiago de Cuba, which also
has its mechanical industry nearby. It will have 500 workers producing
parts for the textile industry. You can see how important it is. It is also
encouraging, especially when we recall our first years, when we were left
with all those factories without parts and no possibility to get any, and
our workers fitting a screw here and another there solved many problems.

Imagine a textile factory with Soviet technology and a parts factory beside
it employing 500 workers. What a guarantee of security for the factory.
That giant will employ 11,000 workers when in full production, if we
include the 4th Brigade.

We are building another giant here, in Holguin Province: the Moa 30,000-ton
nickel plant. Its dedication day will arrive in the same manner that the
dedication day of this plant arrived. We saw this plant grow year after
year until today. Now I have come here to find a giant. I myself didn't
know this was a giant plant, but when I walk through it I can see that.

The problem of these plants, the problem is no longer getting them. Most of
the plants I have mentioned are from socialist countries. The suppliers of
the Las Tunas structure factory, the Santiago textile factory, this plant,
and that of Moa, were socialist countries. So it is not so difficult to
acquire a factory.

And it is not so difficult to build them, either. We already know we can
build anything. We can do it. We can even build a glass pyramid if
necessary [applause], because our construction workers have demonstrated it
doing these works: the Santiago textile factory, the bottle factory, new
factories.

Speaking of giant works, we have not been able to speak about iron and
steel plants. This is the greatest work we must carry out and we are
already starting on the construction of an iron and steel plant in northern
Oriente region, in this province. Obviously this province has been called
the one that has some of the country's largest works. [applause]

It is competing with Cienfuegos. It has a great fertilizer industry. It is
beginning to build its new refinery, which is fairly large. It is also
beginning to build its nuclear powerplant. There are other important things
done around here. In the future you will also build a nuclear power plant.
So you will continue to win the lottery of great projects.

[applause] I said the steel and iron plant will not be a very big one but
it will be quite big and will have possibilities of being expanded. It will
be built in the northern part of the eastern end of the island. It will
require a large number of workers, and possibly will make us sweat a lot,
because Mao, Moa is an example with its 10,000 construction workers. That
is the number [of workers] there. It is the biggest project we have
undertaken. Never before [was there anything like it]. The nuclear power
plant will also require thousands of qualified workers, but the steel and
iron plant requires much more. It even takes a few more years to complete.

Not too long ago, approximately 4 years ago, we dedicated another giant of
our basic industry; the cane harvester factory. [applause] And this year it
will attain a production of 600 cane harvesters a year. These machines are
fundamental for our sugar industry. These machines have saved our workers
much work and sacrifice. They have replaced hundreds of thousands of
sugarcane cutters. By now they must have replaced 140,000 or 150,000
cutters and sugar production continues growing and the number of combines
is also growing, and the percentage of sugarcane being cut by machines also
continues going up. This combine factory has represented a true liberation
of our workers from a very hard type of work. Its importance is
immeasurable.

In recent years, Holguin has built several factories at a fast pace, the
city of Holguin has. We have seen a transformation in the region, not only
in the economic but also in the social field. We hope that the housing
construction industry will grow in the next few years. We have been able to
see new roads, highways, communication links, notable progress.

And this has been done in a brief period of time. Many of you can remember
what Holguin was like in the past. Anyone can see the changes that in every
sense have taken place. In this area alone, we have three factories: the
60th Anniversary Factory, the combine factory; the 26 July Heroes
Factory--this mechanical plant--and the new one being built, the truck
factory.

The three will form a complex that will comprise approximately 6,000
workers. How pleasant it is to know that 6,000 workers from Holguin will
have sure jobs in these wonderful plants, under adequate and honorable
conditions.

The problem of these factories, I want to tell you, does not consist of
getting them or of building them. The main problem is to put them to work.
That's the really difficult task. When I saw the Santiago textile factory
and thought about 8,000 workers, I thought about all the difficulties of
putting that factory in motion: the number of engineers, technicians,
skilled workers, of cadres who know the process and who are capable of
efficiently organizing production, that are needed.

And I know that it is going to be difficult and I believe it would be
advisable for the party to start making, as of right now, a very special
effort to train personnel and to create the social conditions
necessary--such as how many houses should be at the disposition of the
factory to assure its operation.

I have noticed that these conditions are not completely met in the two Las
Tunas factories, that is, there is only a group of apartments vacated by
the technicians who came. I believe that very soon we should build a few
hundred homes there to guarantee stability, good conditions, for personnel
who sometimes must come from other provinces, from other places. This would
be the case of a technician in this or that field who is not from this
province. The least we can do is to offer him some social conditions to
transform him from a Havana man, for example, into a Holguin man, to go
wherever he is needed.

This is necessary. We cannot forget that at the same time we build these
giants, we must also build constructions to guarantee the presence of
technical personnel, stable personnel, especially personnel indispensable
for making the factory operational.

Those things must go together, I think that in the future, every time we
manufacture one of these giants, we should almost simultaneously construct
the buildings that will support the setting in motion of this factory. Not
only the setting in motion of the factory but to get the most out of the
factory.

All our factories show, as do all our sugar mills, for it has been said
that our sugar mills have a very hardened and well-trained working class
that is full of affection for its mills. [sentence as heard] And you ought
to see our mills, many of which were founded in the past century. Parts,
machines, tandems, boilers, and so forth were gradually added later. And
how our mills function--they often produce more than is expected from them.
We have seen that when the factories are completely dominated by the
workers. Once workers become experts, they always get more from the factory
than had originally seemed possible. I am sure that in the future this
great factory will produce more than the present figures indicate, once the
workers duly get to control it.

In a relatively small ceramics factory that we visited in Isla de Pinos, my
attention was caught by the fact that there were 18, 19 and 20-year-old
boys and girls--a young, a very young, working class. The same thing can be
appreciated in this plant, and it is also very noticeable in the combine
factory. A young working class is now emerging because due to the effort,
organization and discipline they demand, these factories manufacture not
only combines, equipment and material goods, but they also forge
proletarians and proletarian, socialist and communist conscientiousness;
because socialism was born in the factories, as was the workers'
conscientiousness--that is, the most revolutionary conscientiousness of
today's world.

This is why I also feel satisfaction when I think that these factories will
also produce a new generation of proletarians, [applause] a new generation
that will have higher technical and cultural levels than our workers ever
had; for they have been to technological and polytechnical schools, have
attended various learning centers and have been provided all facilities to
train in the factories themselves, right beside the machines.

I think these young people coming to the factories constitute a promise to
the country, especially the ones coming to this type of factory. This
factory requires a special disposition because, despite the many facilities
and the mechanization--automated processes which help tremendously with the
work that is constantly introduced--there is no doubt that the work in
these mechanized industries is hard. It is work that helps temper the
spirit and the character.

We have seen all. that in this factory. We have also seen something else of
inestimable value: Here we have again met a large contingent of Bulgarian
technicians. Our relations with the Bulgarian technicians are already
traditional. Bulgaria was one of the first socialist countries to send
technicians to our country, especially in the area of agriculture. They
have sent us many technicians who have taught us a lot about agricultural
matters: the organization of agriculture, the construction of dams,
microdams), highways, roads, and so forth. Hundreds of them have come, and
our relations have always been excellent. I have always admired the spirit
exhibited by our Bulgarian collaborators, their ability to live fraternally
among our people, their ability to adapt to our country, their work spirit.

Through them I have measured the performance of the Bulgarian Communist
Party. I measured the generation that socialism has formed in Bulgaria
through these technicians, through their inexhaustible work spirit and
enthusiasm for any task at any given moment. Their enthusiasm has elicited
the sympathy and affection of our workers and our people; everybody
respects them. Today, I have again had the pleasure of meeting many
Bulgarian technicians by the furnaces and by the machines. I know that
about 90 of them are in this plant. We can say that a Bulgarian adviser,
collaborator or technician is a guarantee of seriousness, responsibility,
and work spirit, of a truly communist spirit, of a truly internationalist
spirit. [applause]

That is the work of Dimitrov's party. That is the work of Zhivkov's party.
That is the work of the Bulgarian Communist Party: the making of men such
as these who, although thousands of kilometers away from their fatherland,
are capable of giving themselves to cooperation they way they do.

They have told me that in the past few weeks they did not even go to the
cafeterias. On many occasions they did not even go to their lodgings. The
comrades have told me that they worked day and night to set the factory in
motion. [applause] I think this sets a great example and makes us feel more
like brothers and more appreciative of and thankful to Bulgaria. It also
convinces us further and makes us feel more certain that the future of
peoples, the future of mankind, lies with socialism. It makes us feel
certain of the force of our cause, our invincible cause, for only socialism
produces this type of man when the principles of Marxism-Leninism are
conscientiously implemented. [applause]

These are the results. Today I kept recalling the day that Comrade Zhivkov
visited us. We passed near this place. The factory was under construction.
I would have liked him to be able to enjoy the dedication of this great
project with us today. (?Of course), his tasks and obligations made this
practically impossible. We hope, however, that during his next visit to our
country he will visit this factory and will see it completely in motion,
which is what we are interested in. There was great zeal in making this
project a success, in making its construction and quality a success. All
interest was placed in this, and here we see the results.

I think that this new plant is a source of satisfaction and pride not only
for the people of Holguin, not only for the people of Holguin who are
present here, but also for the entire country.

I am looking for a slip of paper, which has to do with the residents of
Holguin. [applause] I know that those in attendance here are outstanding
workers from various sectors. I know that you are not here by sheer
coincidence, that you were selected for the honor of attending this event.
Here we have the outstanding workers of the 12 tasks that the party
discussed on 25 April: completing the sugarcane harvest; carrying out the
sowing; attending to and promoting the irrigation systems; agricultural and
livestock production; the production of combines; education, where there
have been big successes this year; services, particularly in public health;
the nickel production; the construction of the 26 July, Heroes Factory,
this project; and the defense.

I have learned that you have fulfilled the 12 tasks honorably. [applause] I
know that 109 percent of the plan for the difficult and complex Moa project
has already been completed, if I am not mistaken, and that construction
projects in general in this province have been 108-percent fulfilled. I may
be wrong, in which case they would be the opposite; that is, 108 and 109
percent respectively, but Cano [not further identified] here can tell me.

[Cano] Moa is 108.

Moa is at 108 percent and construction projects in this province are at
109. That is the way it is. [applause]

I know that Holguin's schools had one of the best years in their history.
We are perfectly aware of the efficiency and determination with which you
struggled against the epidemic and the mosquito. You are already winning
this battle; the number of cases reported daily has been reduced
considerably.

For this reason, what I said about the construction workers, I want to
congratulate them twice or even three times for having Moa at 108, for
having the province at 109 percent of the plan and for the quality and
punctuality with which this great factory, which we are dedicating today,
has been delivered. [applause]

With interest and emotion I listened to the words of the worker who spoke
in the name of the construction workers. I was especially touched when he
said that they are willing to work here and anywhere else, for that is the
spirit of construction workers: to exchange their white hardhats for the
green helmets and their work instruments for rifles, [applause] and to work
whenever necessary. We know these are not just empty words; on the
contrary, there is much sense to them and they are endorsed by the great
spirit of our construction workers.

As we pointed out yesterday, they have also had great success with the
projects they are carrying out abroad. They have also raised their level of
productivity tremendously this year. They do great honor to our
fatherland's name. We know we can count on our construction workers for
whatever might be necessary. [applause]

I think projects such as this, signs of progress such as this one, should
fill us with optimism, confidence and faith in the future. The struggle is
hard and the path is long. An underdeveloped agricultural country cannot be
turned into a developed country with a strong industrial base in a matter
of months or even in a few years, but we are gradually getting there. We
almost had to begin by eliminating illiteracy so that one day we would be
able to have the doctors, engineers and technicians we need. We know that
about 200,000 people are currently studying in our universities and many of
them are workers. We have created the (educational base to have all the
technicians 9(9 might need. We are also creating the material base.
However, there is still much to be learned along the way so that we can get
the most from these machines and investments. Time will tell; we will see
what you can do in this factory.

We are gradually achieving these goals even if the struggle is hard and the
path is long. Our own generation is achieving this, but with what we are
planting now, the next generation will achieve it in a more secure and
faster way. The effort made by this generation will leave a lot to our
youth, to the future of the fatherland.

Today is 27 July. Yesterday we commemorated the 28th anniversary of the
attack on the Moncada Barracks. The events of those days have been
mentioned with admiration and acknowledgement; the heroes have been
recalled. It is, however, with events such as these, with efforts such as
these, with successes such as these, with projects such as these, that we
can pay the greatest tribute to those who fell for justice and for the
well-being and progress of our people. [applause] Fatherland or death, we
will win! [applause]
-END-