IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 7 ENGLISH | Page 33

The heyday and the crisis
In around January 1980, the Ministry of
Construction Materials in Cuba aligned
itself with the Ministry of Construction
(MINICONS), when then grew at an
annual rate of 9.5% between 1980-1985,
and 45% in industrial construction. The
micro-brigades were also revived, which
not only built housing but also preschools and hundreds of family doctors’
and nurses’ offices. The Revolution’s
fourth decade demanded a total change
in its investment policies. In 1989, Cuba
had imported 8,139 million dollars worth
of goods and materials; by 1992, that
number was down to 2,236. The few
resources there were for investing we
dedicated to
government-provided,
monthly food supplies, and activities

such as tourism and biotechnology,
which could and did have to assume an
extremely important role in the attempt
to radically transform the economy. Beyond those activities, one could say that
almost all construction work became
paralyzed, despite the fact the low-cost
housing policy did allow for the construction of 243,000 units at a cost of
887.8 million pesos between 1995-1999.
Currently, the construction sector is in
true chaos. The quality of most projects
(although I could say all) completed by
the official housing sector is dismal; it is
shocking to find that a building completely a few months back has leaks,
peeling paint due to humidity, electrical
problems, and an endless list of other
kinds of problems.

Infanta and Zapata streets

33