-DATE-
19870317
-YEAR-
1987
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
INTERVIEW
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO OPENS HOME FOR ELDERLY IN GUANABACOA
-PLACE-
HAVANA
-SOURCE-
TELE-REBELDE NETWORK
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19870317
-TEXT-
CASTRO OPENS HOME FOR ELDERLY IN GUANABACOA

FL171855 Havana Tele-Rebelde Network in Spanish 1255 GMT 17 Mar 87

[Announcer-read report over video on visit made by President Fidel Castro
to the opening of a home for the elderly in Guanabacoa.]

[Text] [Begin Castro recording] I am going to tour the place and see the
building that took so long to complete. If the peoples' government and the
laborers had not come here it would have never been completed. They said it
would have been completed by 1988. I do not believe so; it would not have
been completed by 1988. [end recording]

This new home for the elderly has room for 160 residents, as Fidel called
them, inasmuch as all of them could not be called elderly because most of
them look very good. This project was considerably delayed during the first
3 years of construction, but thanks to the efforts made by the workers of
the area, who contributed over 20,000 volunteer hours, it was completed.
The institution has a small staff, corresponding to the number of beds.
Fidel considered this to be positive although he noted that a lot of
construction space was used.

[Begin Castro recording] With the help of microbrigades and a revolutionary
concept, Havana Province is working on hundreds of projects in the capital.
It is possible that construction materials may be lacking but the will,
muscle, labor force, and spirit for that of construction are not. We have
to put an end to all those vices [as heard]. This is why it is very good
that currently if something like this is planned it should be completed in
1 year or a maximum of 18 months, and not in 4 years. It was completed in 4
years and 2 months because these forces came to finish it, because the
peoples' government and the factory's laborers came to complete it.
[Otherwise] it would not have been completed. It could have easily taken 10
years. I have seen things like this. This project was also stopped for some
time, but it is very nice that it was completed and it should be completed
as the [word indistinct] building was completed. They are two projects.
When was the maternity hospital completed here?

[Unidentified speaker] On 13 August, Commander.

[Castro] Well, in that case thank you very much because that is my
birthday. [the crowd laughs, applauds] That is when the Guanabacoa
Maternity Hospital was completed. How long had they been working on it,
comrade?

[Speaker] Five years.

[Castro] And if you do not begin working hard there, another five?

[Speaker] It was supposed to be completed this year, at the end of 1987.

[Castro] With a little more it would have lasted 6 years. So in a few
months, two important projects have been completed. No more projects should
be left unfinished. No projects should last forever.

That is why I say that those are two good things that are marked with the
inauguration of this center. One, the fact that it was completed with the
support of the people, of the masses, of the workers, and with a special
effort. See how pretty this is when it is completed and how many people are
happy. Imagine if this center took 4 more years to complete and all the
people who are going to start receiving services beginning today -- the 160
people who are going to receive necessary services in this center -- how
would they have managed during those 4 or 5 extra years? How would those
mothers have managed in that hospital which was so overcrowded if that
project was not completed?

It is very nice to see a project completed and see happy and satisfied
people and how useful it is going to be. It is not only the fact that it is
going to be useful to 100 elderly, 160 [interrupts himself] I made a
mistake again. [laughter] Some 160 residents of the home. Some 160 people.
We all feel good when we see them doing well. We all feel good when they
are happy. So this is not an institution in which only 160 people benefit
but an institution in which thousands of people benefit because they are
happy that those 160 people with serious problems are solving them.
[applause]
-END-