-DATE- 19890506 -YEAR- 1989 -DOCUMENT_TYPE- SPEECH -AUTHOR- F.CASTRO -HEADLINE- CASTRO DELIVERS SPEECH -PLACE- SERAFIN SANCHEZ SQUARE - SANCTI SPIRITUS -SOURCE- HAVANA TV CUBANA NETWORK -REPORT_NBR- FBIS -REPORT_DATE- 19890512 -TEXT- Castro Delivers Speech in Sancti Spiritus FL0905183689 Havana Television Cubana Network in Spanish 0100 GMT 9 May 89 [Speech by President Fidel Castro at 2200 GMT on 6 May at the Serafin Sanchez Square in Sancti Spiritus--recorded] [Text] Comrades of Sancti Spiritus: I was told that there would be a small event here in the capital of the province. From what I see, there cannot be small events in Sancti Spiritus. [applause] I remember the first time I was asked to speak here; it was in early January. Was it on 5 or 6 January? That is right, it was on 6 January. I no longer remember, because this has changed so much. However, we went down the main road. then we went down one street. I don't know which way they took me. I ended up in a balcony. [laughter] There was also a huge crowd there, but not as large as today's. They were full of enthusiasm, hope. Therefore, my visit here was unforgettable. At that time, almost all the bridges were destroyed. The march was slow, but we finally approached Santa Clara. There was a time when we had to blow up the bridges. Then, there was another time when we had to rebuild them, and another when we had to build new roads, and new bridges, such as the one we have here in the (?square). More recently, I remember the 26 July ceremony which was also a great event. For me, it was an unforgettable event. However, I must confess that the surprise I had today is greater. You have improvised. I do not know in how much time, a large event. Well, as you can see, even nature is being hospitable. Instead of extreme heat, we have shade and cool air, and almost a promise of no downpours. [laughter] On that occasion, 3 years ago, I summarized--can you hear me now--I summarized everything the Revolution had done for Sancti Spiritus. A few raindrops fell. [laughter] [30-second break in transmission] As a matter of fact, the housing buildings look like a single project, a plan, or the bridge in Diamante, or this bridge in Tres Palmas, or the highway extension [35-second break in transmission]. I was talking about white cement--can you hear me? [crowd responds: yes] It looks like I am going to have to shout. Very well, I'll stay close to the microphones to that you can hear me. I was talking about white cement. I said that if we doubled or tripled consumption [as heard], we could have enough cement even to export. However, if we need all of it, we will not export any. White cement is used for porcelain bathroom fixtures [mueblex sanitarios], tiles, and for many other kinds of construction. It is also used as paint. It is very good. It is a cement-like paint and is used in new buildings such as this one. I do not know if they used it there [30-second break in transmission]. It has been an industry which has generally fulfilled its quotas and which provides substantial amounts of cement, not only to the province [15-second break in transmission] ..a physiotherapy gym, or it could be a stomatologic clinic, like the one we saw in Fomento. It is truly marvelous, something which in the past should have been impossible to even dream about. The clinic provides good quality stomatology services for children, youths, and adults. The Fomento Municipality Institution is one which has nothing to envy from any other one in the country. There are bakeries, stores, cafeterias, there is everything. Supposedly, there are hundreds of projects we are inaugurating here. I have had the opportunity to see some things which had not been done, or completed on 26 July 1986. That is less than 3 years ago. Today, the medical school has been finished [rephases] the medical school had been finished but it still lacked some things. We insisted that the pool be built as an important facility. We insisted that the student house be built. Yesterday, we had the satisfaction of seeing those facilities which complement that medical school. It is very pretty, because now it has green areas, which it didn't have before. It has an excellent pool. It is an olympic-size pool. It is almost something to envy. When you look at the advantages the medical students have these days.... [sentence incomplete as heard] The student house is also excellent. The facilities are clean. They are very well-organized. It is truly one of the prettiest medical schools in the country. The capital does not have a single medical school which is similar to this one. Naturally, in the capital we do not have the room to build that we have here. [applause] Yesterday I had the opportunity to see an idea which became reality. However, the main value is the idea itself. I am talking about the polyvalent building. When I heard about the polyvalent building. I wondered what building that was. I did not know that building existed. I was thinking about the polyvalent clinic. When I arrived I saw it was not a polyvalent clinic but a polyvalent building. It has a cafeteria on the first floor, and some kind of a small motel, or hotel, something like that, on the second floor with approximately 45 rooms. Is it 45 rooms? [unidentified person answers: 25 rooms] Oh, I see, 25 rooms, but each room can lodge 3 people. It is on the second floor. See what a good idea it is! Comrade Valdes explained to me that 1 day, he and the president of the National Assembly of the People's government [ANPP] were visiting hospitals around New Years Eve and they saw the relatives of patients sleeping on the floor. A facility was needed. That facility was built with a social sense. Those rooms were built for relatives of patients registered in hospitals who do not have anywhere to stay in the city, or when there are not any rooms available. The prices for the rooms are also very reasonable. They are given lodging and facilities to cook, if they bring something. They also have the opportunity to cat there at reduced prices. It is a truly good idea. Here in front of me I have two comrades from the food industry plant. What do you call the food plant? You have already changed its name. [unidentified person answers: It is the Rio Zaza] Now it is called the Rio Zaza plant. Other buildings are under construction nearby. This was a good idea. It is the type of idea that one should try to apply elsewhere. It solves important problems. Additionally, it has several homes. A group of the minibrigade workers who contributed to the construction of that project have homes in that building. Other workers who belong to the center where the minibrigade comes from also have homes there. The idea was made reality in a relatively short amount of time. I had the opportunity to see the bridges. I saw the extension of the roadway which was built in record time. I saw the other bridge which links the roadway to the avenue. It can be called an avenue because it is 12 km long and takes you up to Sancit Spiritus. We had a chance to tour the Jiquima road. There we saw Manolo managing the project. We saw a group of men building a 120-meter bridge there. I understand that Manolo has participated in the construction of over 150 bridges here in the province. [applause] He is...[rephrases] I am not sure whether he said that he was 66 or 68 years old. He says he has no intention of retiring, he intends to continue until he is told he cannot continue building bridges. However, he was grumbling because he was told he could not climb on top of--what do they call it? [unidentified person answers: pedestal]--a pedestal. It is way out there, almost in the clouds. Everyone tries to [15-second break in transmission] ...dead there, building the bridge. He does not have to climb there. I asked him: Why do you climb it? [applause] He answered: Well, I do not have enough operators. I thought he was going to answer me: Well, I wanted to see how the welding was coming out. But no, he wanted to be there as an operator. I told him: Talk to Valdes. He will get you a young operator, someone who can even parchute down. [laugher] Anyway, we saw those and other projects that were built at an (?accelerated) pace. You can tell the difference. The pediatrics... [rephrases] the clinical-surgical hospital was fully operational. It started operating on 26 July 1986. It is because of the revitalized minibrigade movement that today we travel on a highway from Havana to Sancti Spirtus. We no longer have to take the main road which has hills, curves, and is dangerous. We can travel much more safely. All this was done in a very short amount of time. That is why the workers deserve recognition, as well as the party, and the ANPP in Sancit Spiritus for this large number of valuable projects. However, what impresses me the most is not even what has been done. What impresses me is the idea of what is being done, the things that are being planned, and the pace with which the work is being done in these times when we are making up for lost time. Everywhere we see... [changes thought] Well, now we are thinking about what to do with the factory. We have enough cement. What to do? The administrator and the workers of the Siboney factory were telling us that with a small [30-second break in transmission] ...150,000 tons of gray cement. However, we continue needing [25-second break in transmission] ... means cement for 2, 3, or 4,000 homes. It is useful for many things. However, they are projecting [10-second break in transmission] ..for the overall economic development of the province. We are also planning to build a factory for the production of asbestos-cement pipes [10-second break in transmission] ...which is very efficient. The workers of the Siboney have shown their ability to handle those [word indistinct]. We also visited the tile and mosaic factory. It is almost complete and will produce cement that I think is called (concresactil). The cement will be taken to the mountains. Everything is premixed and you only need to add water to it. We were also thinking about building a factory for pipes with steel [word indistinct] which are so necessary for aqueducts, irrigation systems, and many of those things. It is another great industry that is being developed. We had the opportunity to see another plant which is almost complete. It is the (Sifore) plant, it has been there fore years, half-completed. In recent times, it has gained momentum. It will have a great capacity for production. The shops are so big that you could install equipment to double their capacity. It is a type of block, an element [as heard] for construction which is very light and which uses one-fourth of the cement that an ordinary block uses. It allows you to build panels, walls which do not weigh [15-second break in transmission]. Production, on the other hand [30-second break in transmission]: No, no it was not that yet. It is, the ceramics plant. We saw two of them when the ground-moving preparations were taking place. The country has already acquired and received 50 percent of a large factory for porcelain bathroom fixtures. [35-second break in transmission] ..construction are being completed. They show the prospects for important industrial development for Sancti Spirtus Province. However, we are not just working here. I have already mentioned what we are doing over there near Siguaney. I had the opportunity to see the dam under construction which is called La Felicidad. It will hold several hundreds of millions of cubic meters of water to irrigate hundreds of caballerias of sugarcane at the Uruguay plant. There, we had the opportunity to meet with the council [5-second break in transmission]. We analyzed the development of the sugar plant [2-second break in transmission]. We [word indistinct] over 100,000 tons and the time it produced the most, it produced under 100,000 tons of sugar, approximately 90,000. In this sugar harvest, despite the heavy rains in March and April, they fulfilled [15-second break in transmission]. [applause] A sugar production that is as high as the one of Pinar del Rio Province, which has also increased its sugar production with its completely new plant that produces 600,000 arrobas daily. It is almost double the sugar production in Guantanamo Province. That is a single municipality, a single sugar plant here in Sancti Spirtus. It is also impressive to look at the efficiency indicators. From 1981 to now, the (?harvest) indicators have risen to over 85 percent, despite the rain. I think they would have even had a point and a half higher percentage if they had not had the weather problem. Up until the time it started to rain, they had excellent indicators, the industrial production was high. The number of storage centers and sugarcane cleaning centers they have.... [changes thought] they no longer take the sugarcane directly to the scale, but rather they first put it through a cleaning center. This reduced foreign matter by 12 or even 14 percent, or 5 or 4 percent, or even less. This is very important in the processing of sugar. They are carrying out the program for partial drainage and irrigation in low lands which used to produce very little sugarcane per caballeria, and today its production in increasing notably. What are the development plans for future years? [30-second break in transmission]. There is a dam in the northern area which is about to be built. I proposed to them that they make the effort to begin building it this year, toward the end of the year. This is the Dinora Dam, and other dams. The irrigation system will accelerate the increase of the irrigation areas. We promised them to look for some resources to form another brigade for dams. The one that is already being build goes toward the north to take advantage of the facilities that are in that northern area. We are building a dam that, in conjunction with the small reservoir in Aridanes, will help irrigate 500 caballerias of surgarcane in the northern area. However, the comrades there have an idea of everything they need to do. [3-second break in transmission]. Of course, they were very happy with the idea of being able to accelerate those plans. They already had 500 caballerieas with irrigation, and they were planning to reach the year 2000 with more than 2,000 caballerias with irrigation. We proposed an effort: we also provided a contribution to try to obtain those 2,000 caballerias no later than 1995. That is what we are currently trying to do. We are trying to push ahead many plans. However, when one sees a collective of workers which is efficient, which has been able to handle that colossus--and that truly is a colossus because it's one of the biggest sugar mills in the country, perhaps the largest, and it [28-second break in transmission] ...to cooperate with them. This is what we try to do all the time, everywhere. How do we reduce the time to do this? However, it is stimulating and [14-second break in transmission] ...with a high level of productivity, because they have more than 70 percent of the [11-second break in transmission] ...of the Uruguay Sugar Mill, but they know they're going to have more sugarcane [20-second break in transmission] ...for both things. We will be able to produce more sugar and more protein. They already have everything planned they know what they will need to expand that sugar mill. As they say, with a strong effort [entre ceja y ceja] they have every intention of producing 300,000 tons of product; this is in the future and depending on the availability of sugarcane to [8-second break in transmission]. If they dedicated all of it to sugarcane, they could easily reach 300,000 tons. Of course, I don't think they [4-second break in transmission] ...part of this sugarcane to sugar and an important part of that sugar to produce food for the bovine population--so they can produce milk and meat--and to the porcine [6-second break in transmission] ...larger or smaller, that feed that comes from sugarcane is of great importance because [4-second break in transmission] ...and meat. I repeat, it is [6-second break in transmission]. I know that the other sugar mills have worked very well. They have made a big effort and thanks to them they have been able to fulfill and overfulfill the sugar production plan despite the colossal rains we had last spring, and despite the early rains we've had during this harvest. This is why I say that work isn't just done here in the capital of the province. Know well, there are a series of plans that are accelerating in development. For example, I said that in the waterworks sector, a new dam is being built. However, this very year, we will begin to build the Agabama Dam. This dam will have the capacity to hold 800-1 billion cubic meters of water. [figures as heard] We will begin to build this dam in the 2nd half of this year. This is a gigantic river which could give a significant amount of water to this province's agricultural sector, as well as that of the neighboring province's--Ciego de Avila--agriculture. We have to build a 72-km canal to connect that dam with the Magistral Canal of the Zaza Dam [15-second break in transmission] ..(lguanojo) where we have over 30 million cubic meters of water. Then, we will begin to build that part of the canal within the next few months. We will organize a small contingent there and supply them with new equipment so that we can take the water from (Iguanojo) to Banao. Right now in Banao we are working on a project which will have almost 500 caballerias of lubers, vegetables, and fruits. As you know, the terrain in Banao is privileged, it has a microclimate, [as heard] and it has good earth. That is one of the things we analyzed immediately and discussed with the PCC [Communist Party of Cuba] to make it a reality as soon as possible. So then, we will begin work on the Agabama Dam: the Magistral Canal, which will [25-second break in transmission] ...Ciego de Avila. We will irrigate tens of thousands of hectares. [5-second break in transmission] ... vegetables, fruits, and sugarcane with excellent water from Sancti Spiritus Province. That canal has been built by a contingent which works at a magnificent rate. This means that, at the end of this year, work will be simultaneously carried out on three important dams. Those brigades already have their positions, in the north part of province [corrects himself] in the center of the province. We plan to dam up every last drop of water in Sancit Spiritus Province, which is, fortunately, one of the richest provinces in water. [applause] We are also going to use the underground water supply, which is around 100 million cubic meters of water in Sancit Spiritus rice fields. Those rice fields are the highest producing rice fields in the country. Also, those rice fields have semi-engineer systems [sistemas semi-ingeneros] which produce up to 1,500 quintales per every caballeria of humid rice [as heard], and even more. Sancti Spiritus was the pioneer in certain engineering projects which helped increase yields. Later, this was detained for a while, it was paralyzed, and the equipment was used for something else. So now we are working on all of the nation's rice fields to transform them [19-second break in transmission]. Brigades are already formed in Camaguey and Granma Provinces. However, we also want to--and it was one of the things we agreed on during this visit--make an effort to organize, this year, the first construction brigade to work on engineering projects in the rice fields of Sancti Spiritus. This would be the first brigade of its type. Later, we'll organize other brigades, but so that this type of work in the rice fields--which was pioneered in this province--doesn't fall behind, we'll organize this one first. I think that this will be a nice bit of news for the rice workers. This year, we will make every effort to organize this brigade. One of these brigades is supposed to create the engineering system for some 1,000 or 1,200 hectares: this isn't much. It's possible that in the future we will have to create four, five, or six more brigades because work has to be done in over 2,000 caballerias. Fine, in 5, 6, or 7 years, we hope to have all the rice fields yields elevated by over 50 percent. We are going to do this in all the rice fields in the country. This means that we will have all the water we want right here in the province. More than likely, we will also have the best rice fields here because the abundance of water--which enables us to double the yield--gives the Sancti Spiritus rice fields an advantages. This very year we will begin to develop an important dairy project. In a few months--in 1989--the forces to build over 150 dairy farms in Sancti Spirtus Province will be organized. These farms will be finished in just a few short years. We believe they will be finished within 5 years--7 years at the most. All of these plans are new plans. They are ideas that are being applied, programs that are advancing in every sense. As I was telling you, we have Banao and the ideas related to it. This is another program which is advancing rapidly. We are building an integral swine center and other porcine installations are being expanded. The poultry plants are being expanded to increase egg and poultry production. So you see in every field there is an important food program rice, lubers, vegetables, fruits, sugar, raw material to produce animal feed to produce more milk and meat, cattle plans, swine plans, and poultry plans. I think that if we work intensely in this area, the province will become not just the industrial area, but the agricultural area. This will make is a type of jewel for the nation. Of course, this is not the only province working on this, because any province we visit shows the same spirit and the same ideas for development that we have seen here in Sancti Spirits. However, we can say that good natural conditions are found here, water ad earth, as well as a magnificent population with a great zeal for work. [applause] I haven't mentioned the other activities that we plan to promote. We want to promote tourism for the benefit of our economy. We have need of funds because much of this equipment we have to pay for with convertible currency; many of the raw materials have to be paid for with convertible currency. We need to increase funds. The entire nation is working on developing tourism. We plan to give tourism in the province a big boost since we have this city, which is very attractive as an old city with valuable architecture. We also have the city of Trinidad, which is known the world over and was declared partimony of humanity by UNESCO. It is a city very well-liked by international tourists and it has excellent beaches. We plan to develop the capacities of those beaches to the maximum level possible. Sancti Spiritus also has that valley called Los Ingenios, which we plan to develop, and there is the city. I think this will become an important source of convertible currency for the nation. Besides, these tourist attractions, the ones that don't belong to mixed enterprises but are the nation's property, can also be used for national tourism. Part of the year, usually the winter months. Cubans don't like to go--nor are they in the habit of going--to the beaches, because they think it's too cold. This is when the foreign visitors usually come. However, in July and August, which is when everyone wants to go to the beaches with the family, part of the installations which will be developed for tourism can be used by our people. The summer months are when we have less international tourism and when our people are used to going to the beaches. So then, not only will the economy come out ahead, the provinces that develop the tourist sites will be an important source of employment. These jobs will have relatively high salaries and the national population will be able to enjoy the development of the tourist areas. We are also going to promote a construction organization in the Sancti Spiritus area. There are some other natural resources, such as the famous medicinal waters, the Mayajigua water area, and we have Tope de Collantes, where some important enterprises have been built. We are going to study how Tope de Collantes can contribute convertible currency to the economy by taking advantage of the altitude and all that. We will also study how we can combine the partial use by national tourism and the partial use by international tourism. We still haven't made a final decision on this, but we are thinking about it. We are trying to see how Tope can become a little gold mine to contribute convertible currency to the national economy, perhaps from something like what we call medicinal tourism or medical tourism, which is growing in our country due to Cuba's prestige in the field of medicine. The number of people who come here for medical treatment increases every year. Some diseases that don't have a cure, such as vitiligo, are now being cured in Cuba, thanks to medication prepared in Cuba. There are other diseases which are treated the same way. We are developing the production of our medical equipment and medication. Right now we have a monopoly on the production of the meningococci vaccine and we are carrying out a massive vaccination plan against meningococcal meningitis which, up to now, has been a curse. Every year, it used to kill hundreds of people, mostly children. The number of dead would sometimes exceed 200 and the number of sick used to over 1,000. Ciego de Avila used to be in first place with this disease, after the vaccination program it had dropped down to eighth place. This battle is being won. Many countries have shown much interest in acquiring this vaccine which is being produced in our country. Medical tourism is also a source of income for our country. Of course, we help many people. Sometimes they ask us for an operation or some medical service they can't pay for and we give it to them. But, the number of people who do have economic resources and come here asking for treatment is also increasing. Perhaps Tope de Collantes, with the installations that have been built there, can play an important role in the development of this type of tourism, the tourism associated with medicine. This is another important sector to be developed here. Besides all this, we also have the highway. We have been studying and discussing what to do with the highway. This is in view of what the province did with its section of the highway and the effort they put into it. We have already agreed to designate a number of machines to lay asphalt on the other part of the National Highway--from Santa Clara City to El Diamante. We will take six lanes up to the Zaza River. What we are thinking of doing then is this: Keep the six-lane stretch of road from the Zaza River Bridge on. However, we would work on four lanes, two on each side, as we did in Pinar del Rio. We would reserve the other lanes for the future, for whenever the nation decides to build them by making the connections as if they were for six lanes but not by building all six. [sentence as heard] the plan is to advance. We want to advance as much as possible on the four lanes by going at full speed toward Ciego de Avila. Then, we would continue and take it with six lanes to the Bayamo-Holguin road. From there on the road would continue to be six lanes until it reaches Santiago de Cuba. This part of the road has already been extended to Palma. The most difficult part of the road has been made: now they have to advance from Palma Soriano to the Bayamo-Holguin road. Making that stretch of highway with four lanes, like we did with the Pinar del Rio Road, is an excellent idea. We would be reserving the bridges and the foundations and not letting anything be built or any obstacle arise so that when the country is ready in the future and needs it, they can add the third lane to each side of the road. We have agreed to this. A lot of equipment has been assigned to this to asphalt the road, and the forces that build this highway will reinforced. Some of them are up there around Palo Alto doing some emergency work, others are in El Purio, and what we are going to do is gather them up and send them as reinforcements to push on. Later, when Sancti Spiritus reaches the limits of Ciego de Avila, they will turn the torch over to Ciego de Avila so that they may continue, with those brigades, toward Camaguey and the eastern provinces. However, they are talking about reaching Ciego de Avila toward the end of 1990 or the beginning of 1991. they say they will take the highway into the city of ciego de Avila which means that the province will have been passed through. There are other construction plans. The brigade that is building the Jiquima Road will later go to the south to build a 7-km stretch on the road that leads to the shrimp breeding center--it's for the artificial breeding of shrimp. What's it called? [addressing person close to him] It' s called the Tayabacoa Road. That's an Indian name, isn't it? That's good, it's good to conserve it. Then immediately after, they are going to build the (Acier) Road. The province, now that the harvest is over, is planning to promote those works. I think that in a short time, that brigade will be able to go to the south. That is another area that is developing the shrimp breeding sector. We already have the technology for the artificial spawning and insemination, could you image that, of shrimp. The spawning and cycle of shrimp breeding is just the same as if you were breeding chickens in our country, which is an important advance. Sancti Spiritus has a part in this national project, but later they are going to build the (Acierpe) Road. We are also studying other important provincial works to carry them out as soon as possible. The social projects are also being developed. I don't even have to talk about the medical programs. The province already has over 150 family doctors. Yesterday, I had the privilege of meeting with the provincial family doctors. They are excellent professionals and excellent people who are dedicated to their work. They have turned the family doctor institution into a great success. We met at the medical school, it's an excellent school that produces more and more graduates every year. This way, the province will covered with family doctors in a few years. The mountains are already covered, then the fields will be covered: parts of the cities are covered with family doctors and soon the rest of the cities will be covered. No other country in the world has medical services like this. The people have happily received the services brought by the family doctors. They are doctors who study and are becoming specialists in general integral medicine. So you can see that this province, like the rest of the country, has excellent health possibilities. In the same way, it has excellent possibilities in education. We are building (?AIDS) polyclinics, stomatology clinics, and the hospitals are being expanded--and we've made many advances here--but not a single spot of Sancti Spiritus Province will be forgotten by the Revolution's medical services. We are also pushing forward the construction of housing. We have been discussing how to increase the number of those that are already being built. We want to know how to increase the minibrigades output. Many of the industries I have mentioned are related to construction cement from Siguaney, procelain bathroom fixtures, (Siforet), tiles, and tubing of one type or another. All of these industries we are building will permit us to dispose of a large base to construct all the housing that is necessary within the next few years. Besides this, the effort this province is putting forth in the material industry sector is so voluminous that it will be able to send products to Villa Clara. Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila, and other provinces. The cement that is produced here is more than half... [sentence unfinished as heard] if we increase production we should have more cement here for housing construction here, and in other areas. However, a solid construction material industry is being created here. I know that with the working spirit that the young people. the workers, the men and women of this province have,if we have the materials, we will be able to build all the housing we want to. [applause] We must build them with better quality each time. This building, and others we have seen, is proof of this. Sports are developing in the province. Today, you know what it means to talk about sports. [applause] Today, we have that phenomenal thing, because it was such a coincidence. [sentence as heard] I can assure you I have nothing to do with that event. It was a coincidence. I had already planned my visit to this province some time ago, it was just the date that needed to be set. Then, when I got here, I started to hear talk about a ball game, the championship, and that it was going to be determined here, and that is was the last series. [applause] So, I said how interesting it was, but I didn't know where it was. I thought it could have been in Villa Clara. Havana, or Pinar del Rico. I did not know where it was going to be held here, in Jatibonico, no less. [applause] So, I thought I should clarify this so they would not think that I took sides, and that I cam here to motivate Villa Clara so that they would beat Havana, etc. etc. [applause] This should be clarified, right? Although everyone knows that a large number of those of use who live in Havana came from the eastern provinces. However, those from the eastern provinces always make us look bad in sports. That is okay, but I will not say who I am cheering for. I will simply say that I like the provinces to have these games and that they win trophies. Generally, I am in favor of the most underdeveloped area of the country, which is no longer underdeveloped. [applause] I have not said who I am siding with, but I have said I am in favor of development. [applause] I have not said who I am siding with, but I have said I am in favor of those who fight and struggle and try to make progress like the provinces of our country are doing. The first time the Revolution did was to establish justice, help the whole country, and countryside, and within the countryside it helped in the mountains. Then, it distributed the resources of the country. That is what the Revolution has done, and that is why today we have such great teams. They complete on a one-to-one basis with the teams of the capital of the Republic. It is a healthy population which has been developing its physical and mental abilities. That is what has made them competitive, and I like these events to be disputed so that they maintain interest and passion until the end. Of course, I mean passion with discipline. What I do ask--and there is no need to ask--of the Sancti Spiritus residents is that they behave like they always have, with their traditional courtesy, spirit of solidarity, and hospitality, and that no the slightest conflict arise in that stadium. [applause] Well, speaking of sports, there is a project I did not mention. I was telling the party comrades that there are two small things in which we have fallen behind. One is the polyvalent [sport building]. They said that everything is ready, and they are awaiting the (?money) to build it, and that they already have everything else. The polyvalent will be an excellent sports facility. There is another small problem we have not been able to solve yet among the technicians, planners, and others. It is the pool for the sports school. As it is known, the problem is the phreatic mantle, the technicians... [changes thought] However, I am told that they are about to find the solution. Those are the only two small things that have fallen behind in the province. [Crowd makes indistinct statements.] No? Which one? Just a moment, you are not letting me talk. You don't let me finish. I was going to say, as a matter of fact, [applause] I was going to say that now, the ground preparations for the stadium are being made. We saw that today when we went by it. We have promised some contribution so that you can accelerate the stadium project. The budget was not large enough. Today we have some materials, steel rods, some wood--we do not have much of it--but I also offered some wood we have in reserve, so that they can move the stadium forward. So, I think that maybe in the near future, the great game, series can be held here, in Sancti Spiritus. [applause] Valdes is telling me that in 1991 the [word indistinct] is going to be played here, in the stadium. That means they plan to do it [applause] in practically 11 or 18 months. I hope that the people will participate in these activities, constructions right? [applause] I remember that this is how the Cienfuegos one was built, as well as the one in Santa Clara. I also remember that the one in Havana was expanded in the same way. Anyway, I was told that it will hold 10,000 people, and it will be set up in such a way that the stairs will hold another 20,000. What do you think? Will that be enough? These days, how many people go to a game? How many of you would go to the stadium? [Crowd gives indistinct reply] It gets full? Well, we will soon see. It will seat 10,000 nd the other seats without a roof will later have one. The 20,000 would be enough, right? If not, you can come up with something else, and build some stairs outside. I was told that it will have the precise measurements. I heard that this one in Jatibonico... [changes thought] If the fence is 5 feet shorter, the 5 feet can turn into a disaster for any team. I was told that it is an advantage for the Centro team because they have batters who hit further. [applause] That can be a double-edged argument. Someone who could have caught the ball next to the fence would lose it if it is too low. Also, the Havana team, a far hit by them which would not be a home run over there, could be a home run here. So, that is the double-edged argument. Anyway, I see that the enthusiasm here is high, happy, etc. If you manage to pass on that enthusiasm to your team, it could be possible for you to win the trophy. Although, it is said that the other team's pitcher has a great record. You would have to break that winning record. Everyone is talking about this, and everyone is waiting to see what will happen. [Words indistinct] it gets better, and to continue with Las Villas so that they are tied. Then, that will be decided in tomorrow's game. Let's see if at the end they are tied. That would be great there would have to be a play-off. No one would get angry about that. So, if you have to sacrifice something... [rephrases] if you end up tied, great. then this series will be even more exciting. So, in this area, there is progress being made. I asked that this event be held 1/2 hour earlier. It was supported to be at least 1800 but I had it changed to 1730. I calculated the time you needed to go home to watch the game on television. I also figured the time for those of you who will need to get to Jatibonico for the game. You will have 1 and 1/2 hours. [applause] I do not know if they kept the seats for your. That is why this event will not be very long. In conclusion, comrades of Sancti Spiritus, I see there is progress being made in all sectors. I also think there is progress being made in the area of culture. I saw very good cultural exhibits at the university. There has been great progress in the field of defense. You have worked to turn this province, as well as the whole country, into an indestructible bastion. I have seen you have received new reinforcements, new fresh experienced, and victonous troops have arrived. [applause] Therefore, gradually, it becomes more and more difficult to crush the Revolution, attack our country. He who knows it... [rephrases] he who does it will know the price he will have to pay for his audacity. [applause] We are becoming revitalized with this effort. We are strengthening the economy. To strengthen the economy is to strengthen the country and the Revolution in the military terrain. I repeat my impression is that the spirit that is found here is found everywhere in the country. People are working very seriously, and I would say better than ever. That is why, because you are part of that effort, because of the successes you have achieved, we congratulate you and which Sancti Spiritus Province, the people, as well as the people of our whole fatherland, that they attain the future they deserve, and they will have it. Fatherland or death, we shall win! [applause] -END-