-DATE- 19921206 -YEAR- 1992 -DOCUMENT TYPE- -AUTHOR- -HEADLINE- Castro Gives Speech to Construction Workers -PLACE- CARIBBEAN / Cuba -SOURCE- Havana Radio Havana Cuba -REPORT NO.- FBIS-LAT-92-235 -REPORT DATE- 19921207 -HEADER- ========================================================================== Report Type: Daily report AFS Number: PA0612040792 Report Number: FBIS-LAT-92-235 Report Date: 07 Dec 92 Report Series: Daily Report Start Page: 11 Report Division: CARIBBEAN End Page: 11 Report Subdivision: Cuba AG File Flag: Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Language: Spanish Document Date: 06 Dec 92 Report Volume: Monday Vol VI No 235 Dissemination: City/Source of Document: Havana Radio Havana Cuba Report Name: Latin America Headline: Castro Gives Speech to Construction Workers Author(s): Nancy Lopez on ``excerpts'' of speech by Cuban President Fidel Castro on the ``Occasion of the Day of the Construction Worker'' in Havana on 5 December-recorded] Source Line: PA0612040792 Havana Radio Havana Cuba in Spanish 0000 GMT 6 Dec 92 Subslug: [Report by Nancy Lopez on ``excerpts'' of speech by Cuban President Fidel Castro on the ``Occasion of the Day of the Construction Worker'' in Havana on 5 December-recorded] -TEXT- FULL TEXT OF ARTICLE: 1. [Report by Nancy Lopez on ``excerpts'' of speech by Cuban President Fidel Castro on the ``Occasion of the Day of the Construction Worker'' in Havana on 5 December-recorded] 2. [Text] During Fidel Castro's nearly one-hour-long speech to construction workers at the Eastern Scientific Center in this capital, the Cuban president gave an account of the progress achieved by this sector, following the process of rectifying errors and negative tendencies. He mentioned the construction of hydraulic works, the rise of the contingents as a superior form of work organization, and the microbrigades that gave unprecedented stimulus to the housing program and social projects. All of this, he said, was impaired by the regrettable events in Eastern Europe, one of Cuba's main suppliers. Despite the limitations of the current phase, the nation perseveres with top priority programs such as tourism, biotechnology, and others, the Cuban leader confirmed. Here is an excerpt of Castro's speech. 3. [Begin Castro recording] Many of the programs we had were put off, and in some cases some were almost totally halted. Many programs were reduced to a minimum, even though they were very much needed, such as housing construction. Imagine how much work was put into carrying out the construction of 100,000 houses, then having those programs reduced to just a few thousand. This tragic situation in the wake of the socialist bloc and the Soviet Union's collapse has forced us to sacrifice a whole bunch of things and to struggle against the blockade, without the support of trade [words indistinct] means. This has been a real feat in every sense. Of course, it has translated into suffering great privations and making big sacrifices. Nevertheless, look at what we are accomplishing with the few resources we have. Look at how our people's organization, unity, and discipline is upheld. This is why we are not only able to face the special period but, we are also able to simultaneously carry out important tasks n the midst of so many limitations, such as the sugar harvest, the wheat planting program, and the entire food program. [end recording] 4. Fidel Castro underlined that Cuba's main resource is the spirit of sacrifice of its workers and its people, their intelligence, and their inventive capacity. 5. [Begin Castro recording] Our main resource is the people, their willingness, their spirit of struggle, their capacity to make sacrifices, their intelligence, their capability to look for solutions to the problems. They are inventors and innovators. Currently, there is no other place in the world where there is such a great movement of inventions and innovations as exists in our country. Shortly, the forum on spare parts and advanced technology will be held, in which I believe, 60,000 solutions will e presented. These are astronomic figures. How much intelligentsia, how many men and women full of love, enthusiasm, and affection for their fatherland will be looking for solutions to problems aggravated by the special period. You know what problems there are in the construction field. We are going through difficult times in regard to fuel supply. Approximately 40 percent more of the nation's revenue has to be earmarked for fuel. With what is left, we have to attempt to purchase the rest of the things such as food, medicines, and raw materials. This is the heroic struggle in which we have become involved just when we were achieving so many things. We have had to give up a large portion of these things- for now that is- because if there is one thing we have not given up and we will never give up, that is hope. We have not given up hope nor will we ever give it up. [end recording] -END-