Granma Key off Santiago de Cuba’s Bay

The inhabitants of Cayo Granma, a fishing community based in Santiago’s coastline, have received what could be described as the best gift to see 2014 off and give a warm welcome to the new year. As a result of expansion and modernization works, most of the houses in that area already enjoy telephonic services.

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"This is very positive because we live isolated here and now we can communicate in case of any emergency. The people of Cayo has been asking this for a long time and now we have received it as a New Year’s present, since most of us didn’t have telephonic line", Mirlenis Estévez, a resident, said.

So, with the support of the people, Cuba’s Telecommunications Company (ETECSA is the Spanish acronym) and its provincial delegation have installed 131 new lines that join the existing ones, thus totaling 239 telephones.

But installing the service on a small islet in Santiago’s bay was not an easy task. Gerardo Echavarría Ferrer, director of ETECSA Santiago’s territorial division, explained that the work had to be adapted to the area.

"First, we changed the existing analogical telephone exchange for a digital one, connected with underwater optical fiber, from the Technical Neighborhood to this spot."

“Afterwards, Echavarría Ferrer detailed, we got the external section restructured, including wires, posts, among others, and the work was even more complex because in this area we have to do everything on foot."

He also commented that they had to adapt to the transportation hours of a boat that takes people to Cayo. "We moved all the equipment in those hours and made the most of the day to travel back to the city in the afternoon."

Cayo Granma was one of the most damaged communities in Santiago de Cuba after hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Nowadays, when most of the houses have been rebuilt, the life quality of its people has been improved with the telephonic service.

The numbers speak by themselves: out of 251 houses, 239 already have telephones; the other 12 only have to wait until January 28.