JPRS ID: 9843 LATIN AMERICA REPORT

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• Collection: JPRS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00850R000400030024-8
• Release Decision: RIF
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 41
• Document Creation Date: November 1, 2016
• Sequence Number: 24
• Content Type: REPORTS

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JPRS L/9843
13 July 1981 `
L~tin America Re ort
p
CFOUO 16/81)
,
FB~$ FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
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_ JPRS L/9843
13 July 19 81
LATIN ANlERICA REPORT
(FOUO 16/81)
CONTENTS
~
_i
~ COUNTRY SECTION
CUBA
Meaning of Net Production Discussed
(ATexis Codina; BOHEMIA, 1 May 81)....~...~ 1
Oil Consumption Reduced During Last Sugarcane Harvest
(Andres Rodriguez; BOHEMIA, 8 May 81) 2
Las Tunas Sugarcane Harvest Results Reported
(Andres Rodriguez; BOHEMIA, 22 May 81) 4
Nek Procedure Used for Cutting Seed Cane
(Andres Rodriguez; BOHEMIA, 22 May 81) 6
Spring Sugar Cane Planting Situation Analyzed
(BOHEMIA, 1 May S1) 8
Reviewer Criti~al of Play on Ariti-Social Behavior
(Nati Gonzales Freire; BOHEMIA, 1 May 81). 10
Roundtable Crtticizes National Bus Service
(BOHEMIA, 22 May 81) 12
Resulta of Sancti Spiritus T~bacco Ha�rvest Noted
(Ma.gda Mar.tinez; BOHEMTA, 22 May 81) 21
' N~~a Tobacco Planting Technology Explained ~
(H. Nunez Lemus; BOHEMIA, 1 May 81) 25
Las Tur.as' Alfonso Zr~yae Notes Province Activities~
(Andres Itodriguez; BOHEMIA, 22 May 81)........ 29
- - [III - LP, - 144 FOUO]
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1~1)lt Uh'H'ICl ~I., USL UNLY
Reasons To Pursue Military Career Explained
(Reinaldo Penalver Moral; BOHEMIA, 2~ May 81).... 33
Science Teacher Training at Higher Institute Described
(Concepcion Duchesne; BOHEMIA, 1 May 81) 36
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~ , ,
COUNTRY SECTgON ~gA
MEANING OF NET PRODUCTION DISCUSSED
Havana BO~IIA in Spanish 1 May 81.p 35
[Article by Alexis Codina: "Popular Gloasary--Net Production"]
_ [Text] Net production means the new value. or additional product created during
a given period. It is calculated by deducting productive consumption, comprising
expenditures on raw materials, fuel, energy, etc, and tl~e value of wear and tear
on the equip~ment, machinery, buildings and installations, from gross production.
Let us suppose that in 1979 an enterprise had gro~a production totalin~ 100,000
peaos, with consumption of materials w~nrth ~0,000 and.wear and tear on the equip-
ment estimated at 10,000. The net production obtained wnuld come to 20,000 pesos
(100,000 minus 70,000 minus 10,000).
Basically, net production represents the sum of the raage.expenditures plua profit,
which in Marxist-Leninist economic theory represents the new value or additional
product created by t~e labor of man. As compared ~o other indicators such as
gross or comnercial production, it offers the advaatage.of expressing the produc-
tive effort of a collectxve of workers more precisely,~si~Ce both gross and com-
mercial production include the value. of materiale ox equipment which are not pro-
duced by the enterpriae which conswaea or usea them, but are obtained by it from
other enterpriaea.
Let us examine the effect of thia indicator on the evaluation of the work done by
an enterprise, suppoaing, taking the earlier example, that gross production was
125,000 pesos in ~980, that is to say up 25,000 over 1979. Evaluated in terms of
this indicator, the work of the enterprise wa8 poaitive�. But if we realize that
in that same year the expenditure on materials and the wear and tear on equipment
, came to 110,000 then iCs net production was 15,000, showing a decline of S,OOO.in
comparison to 1979. ThiB allowa us to conclude that t~e .inerease in gross pro-
duction was at the cost of an increase in material consumption, and not the new
value crea,ted by the collective.
As of 1981 the net production indicator will be used experi.mentally in Cuba in the
planning and evaluation of managem~ent in a group of selected enterpxisea.
The ~rinci~al ways of increasing net production are reduction in the consumption of
materials, be~ter use of installed productive capacit~r, and increase in labor pro-
ductivity.
COPYRIGHT: BOI~MIA 1981
5157
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COUNTRY SECTTON ~
UIL CONSLTMPTION REDUCED DURING LAST SUGARCAI3E HARVEST
Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 8 May 81 p 66
- [Article by Andres Rodriguez: "An Important Achievement--Oil Economy"]
[Excerpts] The announcement that thus far 13 million gallons of oil have been saved
during the 1981 sugar harvest, as compared with the expenditure originally called
for in the plan, represents a laudable continuation of the succesa which had begun
to be very evident throughout the length and breadth of the country in the 1980
sugar harveating campaign.
This saving represents the equivalent of 309,524 barrels of oil saved, at a time, as
many are aware, when the price of this fuel is high.
And if this achievement is important, even more encouraging is the fact that it has
been achieved systematically, which reveals a conaistent phenomenon unrelated to s~ny
temporary aurges or fluctuatione.
It is also encourPging that the saving in the very expensive black gold is to be
found to a greater or lesaer extent in all the provinces, although there are still
some mi11s where the oil plague continues to be almoat endemic.
At the time of thia writing, Cienfuegos continues to lead in this connection. The
fact is that the workers in Cienfuegos were the first to put into practice a very
aggreasive philosophy in the fuel sector, the hear.t of which has been and is, after
dismissing energy mythology, to work not only for savings, but against the coneump-
- tion of oil and firewood in the augar industry until it is reduced to zero.
Other provinces, such as Villa Clara, Granma and Havana, for example, have been
following steadily in their footsteps. It is worthwhile examining the savings effected
by Havana province. ~
In 1976 the Havana eugar mills consumed 14,817,000 gallons of oil, with an average
of 926,000 gailona per mil.l--in other words, an outetanding example of waete. Five
years later, during zhis 1981 season, the conaumption at these same 16 mills has
been only 310,000 gallone, with an average of lesa than 20,000 gallons per plant.
When we inquired at the Havana office of the MINAZ [Ministry of the Sugar Industry]
about the basic reasons for this drastic reduction, particularly in 1981, the comrades
there offered the following answer:
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"This reault represents greater administrative exigency, the improvement of our
_ thermal energy installations, basically in the furnace and boiler room sectors,
since fuel economy attachments have been installed for the boilere at almost all
the mills. Also, the evaporation combinations best suited to each si~e have been
' studied, along with better utilization of tiie used water. Also the increase in the
workers' spirit of saving hae been decisive, ~long with the paymant of bonuses pre-
~ cisely to encourage savings in this most vital fuel."
_ In a word, we are witnesaing an important achievement on the national level. But it
is also true that each atep taken brings one to the next. The sugar industry also
faces the challenge of waging the battle throughout the lin~s in the national elec-
trical networ_k, which also invalves oil consumption. It is this other problem which
bears careful watching, because according to the experts, each kilowatt hour is the
equivalent of 300 grams of oil.
COPYRIGHT: BOHEMIA 1981
5157
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COUNTRY SECTION CUBA
LAS TUNAS SUGARCANE HARVEST 1tESULTS REPORTED
Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 22 May 81 p 57
[Article by Andrea Rodriguez: "Notea on a Superior Harveat'�]
[Text] The workers of Lae Tunas planned thia harveet on the baeis of their real
potential at the preaent, and this was their first achievement. Based on reality,
and not just desire, they set off in m position to achieve the goal set, and in fact
they have just achieved it, experiencing the always welcome sensation of triumph,
following yeax after year of reverses in the leading national economi~ sector.
To this conceptual point of deparCure were added other objective and subjective
factors of primary importance, including, it is worth emphasizing, the opportunity to
be the center of the main 26 July activities, which served as a epur to the effort to
- make that possibility into today's reality.
Las Tunas has ceased to be the most lagging province in Che harvest sector. The
virtually negligible millinga of past years are also behind it. Its mills, powerful
indeed in terms of installations, proved during the 1981 harvest that they can operate
without major difficultiea. An.d for the firat ti.me in recent years, the harvest did
no~ have to begin in the months oi June and July with a deficit balance.
In brief, a superior harveat has been achieved in terms of a complex of agroindustrial
indicators which we are presenting to our readera in the table at the end of this
article. Naturally, there remain aome indicators in which considerable still remains
to be achieved. For example, very poor results are still being obtained in terms of
clarity of the mixed juice. Also, the augar yield assessment ia plainly low, not only
below the plan figure, but below that for the preceding harvest.
Howevex, we repeat that the goal set was achieved wiCh better reaultA and wifihout
traneforming the harvest into an epic effort inconsietent with its status as an
economic activity.
What ia the beat harvest period at Antonio Guit~ras? We asked this question at the
moat powerful of the Las Tunas milla (1 million arrobas of sugarcane every 24 hours),
and one of the strongest among the 150 in the country.
The need to begin and complet,e tne sugar harvest early in the country is well known.
This is the proper atrategy for making full use of the optimal sugar yield curve and
preventing the main economic activity from encountering major difficulties as a
result of the onelaughts of apring.
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But ther~ are apecific cases which merit detailed analysis with a view precisely to
making good use of thie optimal yield curve and preventing th~ unnecessary loss of
sugar. And this is the case, we believe, with the Antonio Guiteras mill, which is
loc~ted on the northern coast of the province of Las Tunas.
There are several factors in this connection here which we set forth �or the con-
sideration of those intereated.
Antonio Guiteras mill began its harvest rather early, on 30 November 1980, and al-
though this strategy wae and is the proper one generally, there are many at the mill
who now believe that in retrospect it ehould be viewed as an error. Ztao basic reasons
accounC for this, they claim.
1. December is a very low yield month, eaFecially the first half.
2. May is a month in which the weather and yield develop well through the first two
weeks.
A specific atudy of the 1981 harvest yielde the following r.esults in this respect.
,~uring the 31 days of December, the mill nev~r achieved a yield level of 9, and never
; conld achieve the 1,000 tona of sugar a day. In addition, it was shut down for five
consecutive days becauae of the winter rains.
However, throughout the first 14 daya of May the yield remained above 11, and pro-
duction never dropped below 1,000 tons per day.
Finally, augar production was much higher in the first lk days of May than in the 31
days ~f December.
Some IndicaCora (in in Las Tunas in 1980 and 1981
1980 Harvest 1981 Harveat
' Milling norm fulfillment 68 86
Total time lost 36.35 17.74
Time lost due to lack of cane 13.21 3.44
Time lost due to operational
interruptions 6.18 1.37
Time lost due to breakdowna 6.63 1.99
' Recovery 80.92 83.03 ~
COPYRIGHT: BOHEMIA 1981
5157
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COUNTRY SECTION CUBA
lf
NEW PROCEDURE USED FUR CUTTING SEED CANE
Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 22 May 81 p 32
[Article by Andres Rodr.iguez: "Cutting Seed Cane with a Combine"]
[Text] We have seen with our own eyes (the redundancy is justified) the mechanized
cutting of seed cane. We saw this at two enterprises on the northern coast of the
province of Villa Clara, which has become a kind of testing ground for thia unusual
practice in our sugarcane growing aector.
We should stress the novelty of this procedure here, for in fact cutting seed cane
with combines has been implemented for some time now in other parts of the globe,
some of them as close as Florida in the United States.
In principle, thia practice ie of interest and therefore is worth following up.
Naturally, as with many thinge in real life, it has its supporters, opponents and
auapicious neutrals.
Ita advocatea argt+e, based on facts which seem convincing, that this syatem of
cutting leads to a reducCion in the coet of planting, particularly in the use of
manpower in those placea where it is not abundant, or simply in short supply for
various reasons.
This argument gaina even greater strength under the current conditions when the
country is facing a tenae spring planting season which covera no mare and :;o less
than 30,000 caballerias.
At the sam~ time, another economic factor comes to the defense of the advocates. It
pertains to the greater use of the combines, not only during the harvesting period,
but during the preparations for the following aeason, which is the time, and certainly
not a ahort one, when this costly basic equipment stande cmnpletely idle, although
ita coat continuea to increase due to depreciation.
The opponenta or those who view this procedure auspiciously, for their part, cite the
undeairable aspecta which also liave a rational juatification.
First of all, to put the arguments in order, they point to ~he greater quantity of
seed cane per caballeria planted, which as is evident works to increab~ the total cost
of the planting and in addition removes from production a not negligible tonnage of
cane which ia for this reason not milled in the harveat season.
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Another undesirable aspect mentioned has to do with the damage suffered to the seed
cane as a result of the blows dealt by mechanical cutting. The traditional rule has
invariably involved great~care of the seed cane so that no difficulties will later be
encountered in germination, for example.
, Naturally, these stalks damaged in cutting by the combines must be ~:~.scarded when the
time comes for selecting for planting, a fact which, as has been u~ntioned above, ~.Fads
to a really much higher seed consumption thau is the case with traditional cutt�:.;:g 'oy
machete.
It can be seen, then, that this matter merits proper consideration and a complete
atudy of its advantagea and disadvantages in order to be able to reach the proper
conclusions for the country without excessive feelings in one direction or anothe*
and without the pendulum swing of emotion. What is certain is that this matter is
worth following very closely in the public forum of the economic section of BOHEMIA~
COPYRIGHT: BOHEMIA 1981
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COUNTRY SECTION . CUBA
SPRING SUGAR CANE PLANTING SITUATION ANALYZED
Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 1 May 81 p 62
(Text] Single variety farming reflects the tendency to settle for substantially a
single variety in the sugar cane plantings, as in the case which concerns us. Such
a commitatient,,, however many virtues a given variety may poaseas, entails serious
rir~ka which do not require much explanation. It suffices to suggeat that we remem-
ber the rust.
Naturally, the comrades in the Hector Molina unit were in no way prophets equipped
with the gift of foresight. Making this statement might cause the reader to laugh.
But it seems that before the rust disease erupted suddenly two years ago and liqui-
dated the plantings of Barbados 4362, these comrades, for o~her reasons, had al-
ready established the desirability of beginning to limit that variety.
This d~es not mean that their enterprise went unscathed. The rust penetrated their
plantings too, without a doubt, but with the difference that the seed banks were
already befng supplied with new varieties, whose behavior was also being studied.
These cir~umstances, then, made it possible to deal with the consequences of the
disease thanks to a certain avai~ability of seeds not only of the universal Jaronu
' 60-5 variety, but other new varieties as well, such as Cuba 323-68 and 187-68,
which fortunately, revealed promis:tng characteristics under the specific conditions
at the enterprise.
In brief, seeds were available both for the replacement needs of the the Hector
Molina unit itself and also for other enterprises in other provinces of the country.
We will follow the ancient maxim of St. Thomas, then, and present to the reader the
varieties planted and those which will be planCed at thia important enterprise in
the southern part of Havana during thie spring campaign.
The following have been planted as of 31 March:
- Variety Caballerias %
Jaronu 60-5 ' 33.9 24.3
Cuba 87-5i 17.2 12.3
Cuba 187-68 47.7 34.?.
Cuba 323-68 4d�~ 2$�6
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As can be seen, there is a certain balance and therefore, no evidence nf an exces-
sive proportion or impassioned commitment among the varieties planted up to
31 March.
The following is the plan for April and May planting:
Varieties Caballerias
Jaronu 60-5 6.0
Jaronu 64-19 2.5
Cuba 187-68 25.5
Cuba 323-68 42.5
Again the development seen �or the new Cuba 187-68 and 323-68 varieties can be ob-
served. As noted previously, they are regarded as very promising because of their
overall characteriatics, according to the studiea made, including the possibility
_ of harvesting it as fallen cane.
One can also see how the Jaronu 60-5 vsriety, which accounted for a heavy propor-
tion of about 47 percent in 1980, is beginning to be limited precisely with a view
to a proper balance and presenting a relapse toward the risky practice of single
variety cultivation. '
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CUBA
COUNTRY SECTION
REVIEWER CRITICAL OF PLAY ON ANTI-SOC7AL BEHAVIOR
Havana BQHEMIA in Spanish 1 May 81 PP 24-25
[Review by Nati Gonzales Freire of the play "Rampa Arriba, Rampa Abajo," by
Yulki Cary]
[Text] Dramaturgical problema prevent "Rampa Arriba, Rampa Abajo" [Up and Down
~ La RampaJ from being the play we had hoped for. Yt is clear that the desire of its
author, Yulki Cary, was to issue a warning about family responsibility for the~young
- people who make "shady dealings" a way of life. BEStionsof anluniden ifiedt con-
sistency with the title of the work. And the sugg and where in addition nothing
exterior location, with no hint at all of La Rampa, ,
happens, although people come ~d~ rldCannot take the place of the relat_:~n the
play should have with the stree
In the final analysis, despite the name, thia play takes place in the reapective
rooms o� two girls who are the protagonists, surprising tae S~~~e~i8 disillusion-
that the title of Che work has nothing to do with La Ramp
ment, then, bec~use no hint oa ater~the reg ettable~c nseque
cea~resulting$from
is provided on the stage. An ,
this dramatic error begin to be visible, for the play becomes an a11usion to indi-
viduals and events which are never seen by i~i8$u~ile~despairuas toeeverebeing
great influence on the lives of the young g ~ eo le
able to underatand the circumstances affecting the decisions of the young p P
becomes ever more conerete.
In other words,it is not enough to queation the.hvme. What,was needed was to show
And indeed we wanted to
the social aspects in which these devia~ions d~eveloped.
get deeper into the matter, to explore more profoundly how a hysterical mother or
other confidant can do such dama~e r_3 childrei: little inc.lined to effort, fu11 of
petty ambitions snd won ov~ar by the see~ingly easy li�e. There is a need to pre-
sent the individual ,qnd t~ie envirornuent.which leads him�to vacillate, rather than
reduce *hem to words, such as to make the importance of decency"in~numanhe~fe~~ re
obvious. Then we note that not even the intervention ot a young
level can make the protagonist aware of her misCake. This indicates that education
is a question of inethod, moral authority,o learn reapect$fromlchildhoodb~if e are
one's elders, from whom it ia necessary t `
not to find ourselves later useleas and excluded as their advisers.
Liliam Llerena, with the Bertolt Brecht group, was little help.
The staging by eratin
Rather it sought to adjust and define contrasts nonexistent in the work, exagg g
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the characteristics of certain characters and pushing them almost to the point of
ca=icature. Thus Gloria, the mother of tlle protagonist, played by Elba Mar~uez, is
consistently laughable despiXe the tragedy she ia living, and although we underatand
the excellent effort of the actress, this interpretation destroys the character.
~'he same thing happens with Alejandra, played by Luisa Maria Jimenez, whom we see
represented wiCh wlgar gestures and mannerisms and got.up as a circus personage,
such that ehe loses her character as a typical girl through the use of for.eign
clothing which makes her into a c2own. The best direction of the pZayers is seen
in Alicia, played by Amarilys Pumeda, who describes the audden reverses in vacil-
lating conduct of a girl of her age with noxmal freshness; the vigorous Panchito,
played by Rini Cruz Vera, who presents a young gallant, without superficiality; and
the smoothness with which Orquidea Rivero, on the one han3, and Raul Eguren, on the
other, create Eloisa, the understanding but unconcerned mother, and Arturo, the
father dietracted to tY~e point of absurdity, respectively. There is also the
habitual personal grace with which Lilian Renteria carries off her some:what over-
blown role as the schoolmistress Ma.galy, as we11 as the sympathetic.respectability
Rolando Nunez gives his character, the profesaor.
The totally formless scene design by Derubin Jacome contributes nothing to the work,
while the costuming by Miriam Duenas is ~enerally acceptable, except for the a~iaicu-
lous costumes worn by the.protagonist and the last outfit, entirely unsuitable, in
which Magaly appears. Only the lighting, under the tec~ni.cal direction of Carlos
Maseda, and in particular the music by Jose Maria Vitier, provide a certain
atmosphere.
We hope that Yulky Cary's enthusiasm will not expire wi�~h this work, but will be
turned again to this fascinating and urgent theme.
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. CUBA
CGUNTRY SECTION ~
ROUNDTABLE CRITICIZFS NATIONAL BUS SERVICE
Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 22 May 81 pp 28-~31
[Roundtable conducted by Gregorio Hernandez with participation by officials nf the
National. Bus Enterprise; date and place not specified]
[Text] Transportation problems, reqardless of the type of tr~a~
portation involved, are always a ma~ter of public ihterest.
fact results in a constant struggle to increase efficiency, which
is reflected in the improved quality of the service. But achieving
that quality means that many resources--ranging from the organiza-
tional and operational stru.cture to opti.mum results from the support
provided by the maintenance and repair shops--must be brought into
action.
For this economic BOH~MIA roundtable, we met with the representa-
tives of those various activities which combine to make up the
Ministry of Transportation's National Bus Service.
It is well known that in the last years of the past decade, a posi-
tive change has gradually been taking place ~n the way it manages
its business of transporting passengers. ~ut shortcomings and dif-
ficulties obviously remain, and they are hindering successful better
management. That is why the questions tend to find in the answers
the solutions to those problems--primarily of a subjective nature--
which still spoil such an important activity on the part of a na-
tiona~. public service.
- Making up the panel of guests were Gerald Simon Escalona, director of
, the enterprise; Agustin Alfonso ~arballo, deputy director of opera-
tions; Maximino Martine~ Fornells, deputy director of economy; Guido
Lopez Infante, head of the commercial department; Reinaldo Hernand~z,
a~ministrator of the Augusto Cesar Sandino Depot~ Rolando Gomez Chala,
administrator of the national charter bus depot; Luis Freda, adminis-
trator of the Francisco Caamano Depot; Alfredo Estevez Miro, adminis-
trator o~ the Havana Bus Terminal; Bartolome Soler Hidalgo, Nelson
Milian Pedreira, and Jose Romay Menendez, members of the enterprise's~ ~
management; and Carlos Eznaola, organization secretary of the union
office.
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Without further introduction, we here present the dialogue from
start to finish.
[Moderator] The quality of service has many aspects, but one basic aspect concerns
the departure and arrival of buses on schedule. How is that indicator performing?
~ Agu~tin Alfonso: The service quality indicator currently stands at bei:tiaeen 96 and
97 percent for the time between the vehicle's arrival and its departure with the re-
quired cleanliness in each vehicle.
Gerald Simon: We feel that the quality of a~ervice is decisive. Apart from on-timP
departures, in 1980 we also worked on reducing the so-called waiting list at the
Havan~ Bus Terminal, on establishing the central reservation office, which is oper~
24 hours a day, on improving the food services in some towns along the routes in coop-
. eration with the people's government, and on reducing from 1 hour to 30 minutes the
time that the user must spend in the terminal. We still hane problems with the check-
in of luggage, the supplying of adequate a.nformation, improved comfort during the trip,
and other matters related to cleanliness.
- [Moderator] At one time the "waiting list" would usually result in hundreds of peo-
ple being crowded into terminals all over th~ coLntry. Have you succeeded in over-
~:oming that situation, which was taking on epic proportions?
Guido Lopez: Some time back we began taking steps enabling us to eliminate that prob-
lem. The availability of seats for the people is the first thing. Today we can as-
sure you that each bus is filled to almost 90 pcrcent or more of its capacity. Cur-
rently we are trying out a system for selling tickets up to 20 minutes before the
departure of long-distance buses and up to 10 minutes before in the case of short
runs. We feel that those measures are going to contribute directly to a shortening
of the "waiting list."
Alfredo Estevez: Since from 96 to 97 percent of the departures are on time, this con-
tributes to the traveler's certainty when he makes his reservations that he will leave
at the time he reserved.
Gerald Simon: The enterprise feels that the "waiting li~t" ~ndicates a failure in
managing the supply, because we used to put on extra buses when we already had people
on the second floor, where they might number 3,000 or 4,000. But now we sche~?ule
extra buses in enough time to be able to sell seats at the reservation office., s~
now we do not wait until the traveler is here before putting on the extra bus.
[Moderator] One of the problems existing in some towns where buses s~op for meals is
the lack of proper hygiene. Has this been discussed with the appropriate agency of
_ people's government?
~ Guido Lopez: Throughout the country, in the towns where our buses make meal stops
for the passengers and crew, there have been discussions at the leyel of people's
government with the food enterprises providing that service. In almost every case,
the party participated on the municipal and provincial levels. ~oday we can say
that towns~which =aced serious problems in the past as regards both hygiene and quali-
ty have shown i~-~provement. We can mention the cases of 5anta Clara and Holguin and,
_ even more recently, Pinar del Rio and Ciego de Avila, although there are some towns
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where the problems persist, one example being Cascorro~ where the h;!gienic situation
is not the best. The Havana Bus Terminal is a vivid example of what the hygienic
services in a terminal ought to be, and this is very praiseworthy~ since about 25~000
persons enter that terminal every day, and a large percentage of them use those serv-
ices.
[Moderator] Is there any -~rob7.em with a lack of hygiene in the rollinq stock?
Gerald Simon: We believe the situation has improved, because one of the problems we
had years ago concerned insects and cockroaches. This has been resolved for quite a
while now, and at little cost. It was a matter of ~organization, sinee a.very active
crew was organized, and it solved the problem ba~sed on the life cycle of the insects
usually found in the buses. We believe, however, that it is necessary to in~:ure maxi-
mum hygiene in the special services-~such as, for example, retaining the iMdividual
cloth that covers the back of the seat. We had probTems with cleanliness inside the
buses, so we obtained vacuuminq equipment suitable for the job, and it has improved
the internal cleanliness of the buses.
[Moderator] Have luggage losses been reduced?
~ Guido.Lopez: They have been declining extraordinarily. In 1979, out of approximately
4 million pieces of luggage handled in the buses, 18 were lost. In 1980, with a simi-
lar number being carried, only 10 were lost. There are still short~;omings, but they
are being overcome to a noticeable extent. I feel that work must b~~ done to elimi-
nate them entirely.
Gerald Simon: The system we use in the Havana Terminal is very bad: it causes the
traveler inconvenience. The comrades are to present a report 'very shortly on how to
facilitate the delivery of luggage at the Havana Terminal.
Alfredo Estevez: Zn the case of outbound luggage, the idea is to have a place for
checking it in at the entrance to the terminal. From there it would be taken directly
to the baggage room. And on the platform for arrivals, we would have something simi-
lar to the system at the Rancho Boyeros Airport. With that in mind, we are holding
discussions with the comrades at SIME [Steelworking Industry]. We want to point out
that in 1980 not a single piece of luggage handled by workers at the Havana Terminal
was lost.
[Moderator] What results are being achieved with the express to Santiago de Cuba?
Agustin Alfonso: Because of the temporary closing of the Guantanamo and Santiago de
Cuba airports, it was decided to put on an extra bus at 2130 hours. That was not
enough, so another one was added, this time an express, and its travel time between
EIavana and Santiago de Cuba is 12 hours 50 minutes, since the number of stops is lim-
ited. Th~re are days when the demand ex~eeds the available seating on the two extra
buses, and when the demand is higher, we initiate another plan providing more travel
space. This helps reduce the congestion on the "waiting list."
Gerald Simon: We think that on those lines that have several departures, we are go-
ing to increase the number of express buses. This cannot be the general practice,
because we have responsibilities to meet along the route, but it is fair that all
those going to the same place should be brought together for one departure.
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[Moderator] what results are being achieved with the incentive program and the bonus
system?
Maxi.mino Martinez: The first steps in that direction were taken in 1975, when incen--
tives were applied to the washing operation. The results were positive. Beginning
i in Jariuary of this year, the incentive program was changed in our basic shops, where
we succeeded in introducing forms of payment more directly related to the results,
quantity, and quality of the work. This includes piecework for certain operations.
This new system was aimed at insuring that job performance would be related to making
the buses ready on each shift so that they would be available for departure on time.
During 1980 we ran a pilot program with the drivers based on a system of a set rate
for the trip plus a bonus for sticking to the schedule, collections, and having no
accidents. That system was put into general use beginning in the last half of Jan--
uary 1981.
Beginning in November 1980, we also put the incentive program into effect for the
drivers in our National Charter Fleet, thus making them--that is, the drivers on our
interprovincial and charter lines--factors for speeding things up in terminals and
agencies for passenger transportation.
[Moderai:or] Has the number of accidents increased or decreased?
Agustin Alfonso: We ended the year 1980 with 0.54 accident for each 100,000 kilome-
ters traveled. To reduce the number of accidents, we worked out a plan with all the
o�fices nationwide. Under that plan, informational blackboards have been set up in
each of the main agencies to advise drivers of~the situation on the highway: sections
with obstacles, any dangerous places in the dark, loose livestock, and so on. The
drivers passing through see the blackboards and fir~d out which sections of the road
have obstacles.
In addition, the incentive program that has been in effect since January stipulates
that comrades who have no accidents during the quarter will receive a bonus of 5 per-
cent over the wages due them. Our Enterprise has also established an annual award
for those who have had no accidents for 5, 10, or 15 years.
Gerald Simon: That figure of 0.54 per 100,000 kilometers--wl:~ch is a good figure
internationally--includes all types of accidents. It covers those caused while back-
ing up in the shop as well as big collisions on the highway. There has been a very
considerable reduction in both types in~the general struggle. The second aspec~ is
economic in nature, since the type of collision that occurs inside our own facilities
puts a bus out of service for 4, 5, or 6 days. We have been achieving good results
in eliminating it.
[Moderator] Have you overcome the difficulties in the charter service?
Gomez Chala; In our activity, the basic job is to provide service for government or-
ganizations, and this is independent of our work in mass transportation and the sup-
port we give the interprovincial service during peak months. Our facility has been
working hard to salvage the Leyland equipmen~, and there has been a tremendous effort
on the part of our ce~iter's workers and organizations.
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Gerald Simon: This charter group recently salvaged an extraordinary number of buses
that had been scrapped and put them in totally satisfactory technical condition. The
facility also meets the needs of tourism, both national and international, as well as
those of the CTC [Central Organization of Cuban Trade Unions], and it also helps the
terminals maintain their schedules. One of the difficulties that used to exist was
that of not being punctual in picking up the group from the organization that had
chartered the bus, and this has improved substantially. There are no problems with
hygiene here. The driver keeps his bus in the best possible order from the standpoint
of esthetics and hygiene. We still have problems to solve, but we are aware of almost
all of them, and the workers can solve them.
Gomez Chala: It is also true that we had a few difficulties at the start of the in-
centive program--that is a fact. But we set up an "apparatus" made up of a group of
comrades, and that enables us to distribute the service among our drivers without
any uncertainty. It also means that they are informed 24 and even 48 hours ahead of
time.
[Moderator] We know that problems exist in the area of maintenance and repair. For
example, there is poor quality in the repair of engine assemblies. Some of them have
even been rejected. What is the situation in this regard7
Nelson Milian: During 1980 and so far in 1981, we have encountered quite a few prob-
lems with the quality of engine assembly repairs. In the Hino RC, 37 and even 38 per-
cent of the engines repaired for us failed before completing the 10,000 kilometers
stipulated i.n the guarantee we get from the repair plants. We have had the same situ-
ation with the Hino RV engine. This requires double work in the depots. In this spe-
cific case, an engine is a unit whose assembly requires a day of work, and when it
does not meet requirements, it must be removed again. In September and October we
had 42 vehicles out of service because of problems with the Hino RV's transmission.
That vehicle also presented a technological problem in fif th gear, and we had from
- 60 to 70 buses in that condition. 'i'his meant that in order not to affect the service,
we had to issue instructions for vehicles on short runs not to go higher than fourth
gear and not to exceed 65 or 90 kilometers per hour--in order not to disrupt the
scheduling.
[Moderator] It would be helpful to hear other opinions concerning the quality of
repairs.
Reinaldo Hernandez: Despite all the difficulties being experienced by the Sandino
Depot with the larger assembly components--such as transmissions, differentials, and
other components of less importance--in relation to their quality when they come from
the support centers, we have adopted organizational and technical measures with the
cooperation of the workers, and these enable us to keep to the schedule in 96 and
. even 97 percent of the cases on the run between Baracoa and Pinar del Rio.
Luis Freda: Our depot--Franci.sco Caamano-~takes care of buses in regular service.
During 1980 we were faced with situations of poor quality in the repair of engine as-
semblies. In 1981 the situation is growing even worse: in February 29 engines were
out of service, and four of them had zero kilometers on them. This causes annoyance
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_
among the workers, who see that the incentive for productivity is not achieving its
purpose.
[Moderator~ What about the rebuilders?
' Bartolome Soler: This situation with the quality of the enqine assemblies and their
~ durability has shown that the production plans agreed on between us and the enter-
. prise are inadequate. As regards the rebuilders, last year we salvaged a considerable
- number of Leyland buses, and this year we have included a provision for stepping up
plans to salvage Hino RC's, which are the ones used in regular service.
Gerald Simon: Along with what the comrades have mentioned, I might add the problem
~ with the parts used by the enterprises that repair engine assemblies. They are im-
ported, and in general there are failures in delivery of the parts. You were talking
about the fifth gear in the "white fang"--the RV. The technological solution was
sought, we complained to the head office, and it solved the problem. I want to point
out that the Economic Management and Planning System enables us to solve these prob-
lems, and we have used the elements of that system and relied on it in resolving mat-
ters that affect our enterprise.
For example, the comrades at TRANSIMPORT [Cuban Enterprise for the Import of Vehicles
and Transportation Equipment] agreed to allow the contract for 1981 to be signed by
quarter, assortment, and value, and that is how we signed it. That tak~s care of a
few problems, since all the enterprises have to do the same. There was a time when
we did not lodge complaints, and the system allows us to do so. As far as this year
is concerned, we have obtained a considerable amount of money as a result of those
complaints, and this minimizes the problem of effort by the workers and of resources
expended in assembl~ng and disassembling something that was not working right. Now,
at least, we don't pay for something that is bad. But it is also true that a few
months ago we were knee-deep in shortcomings--some of which remain--in the acceptance
of deliveries, in evaluations and technical discussions concerning what is delivered
to us in the way of repaired engine assemblies, in standards for assembling and test-
inq the engines themselves, and so on.
[Moderator] When will the general wage reform ~e implemented in the National Bus En-
- terprise?
Jose Romay: We hope to complete implementation of that reform around June this year.
This is based on a nlan that we are in the process of presenting to the variou~ pra-
vincial commissions. All of our presentations should be completed in Rpril or May.
We have had to redo scveral reports, but we have no doubt that the reform will be es-
tablished in our enterprise by the end of the first half of this year.
[Moderator] Does the enterprise have any chance of setting up economic incentive
funds this year?
Maximino Martinez: We can say that in 1980, for the second year in a row, the enter~
prise was able to establish economic incentive funds as a result of having fulfilled
the necessary condit~~ns. In 1979 the fund totaled 633,000 pesos, and in 1980 it
amounted to 738,517 pesos. In other words, the combined total for both years was

~ 1,372,232 pesos.
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As far as 1981 is concerned, the National Bus Enterprand East rnninterprovincialren-
other enterprises~~the former Central~ Central~West,
terprises. In previous years, those enterprises did nOfundsievlnt~hefProcess of or
overfulfillment that would have allowed them tO that planning should again contemplate
merger, it is a premise of our collective group
the possibility of setting up an economic incentive fund in 1981.
[Moderator] The National Bus Enterprise made a great leap forward in quali~y during
in the past 2 years, but this roundtable has
the decade just ended, and especially
brought to light innumerable shortcomings that remain to be overcome. What can you
tell us in this connection?
Gerald Simon: We would have to talk about i~rOf economic manaqements~ sen~i~e to the
user, organizational problems, and the prob
We believe it is necessary to continue working hard to insure convenience f~hettri
traveler. For example, We ~St alvaleethertechni altmeansewhichaouraequipment used~
and to do that we will h3ve to s g
to have but which are now damaged to a considerable extent. This is the problem, or
example, with the microphones used to provide information.
We have no problems in the charter fleet. ST~ha~ erovide theaspeci llsehedulingand it
is in good working order. But of the buse p In the 1981 plan
through terminals, a large percentage do not have that accessory� airs and commu-
we have included for the first time the manpower neededtoohave thosepresources. We
nications inside the buses, and this year we are going lllows and hy-
a].so talked about conveniences c~n the bus during the trip, such as P iene and neat-
gienic covers. We intend to continue our efforts to provide great~r hyg
ness in the terminals.
We must continue ~~~orking on the reservation system. Althaugi ne~or return@reserva~
cesses in the Havana Terminal, it is necessary to set up P
tions. An important matter for breakdownser Thishproblemthas beenrreduced re ently,
buses on the highw~,:Y because of s to continue improving their work, we are
= but in addition to the need for the shobu~es in the country's interior.
going to increase the number of backup
We must look into the possibility of cChnasnincreasing their le
el of~trainin.gtandn
clude items not ;:overed at present, su we wi11
specifying their duties and au~oolower t etaccid.entlrate.noWearegardcaslaccidents
continue struggling fervently In the plan, our drivers
anything from an abrasion to a collision on the highway. of Interior and
are the best weapon we have, in addition to help from the Ministry
the Traffic Bureau.
From the standpoint of econamic management in 198G, the production value p~an was
Pulfilled and overfulfilled: the n~ssen ersrcarriedreanddthiscwa aaccomplishedhwith
year before, as did the number of pa 5
t lower average number of WPrTesultnthat productivity insthatnyear was 105hpercent.
?ess than the plan, with th.. merging with three other enter~
~~n January of this year? we beefed up our force by Were having
�:~ises operating in the former Camaguey Province and Las Tunas� Z"heY
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financial proUlc:ms and difficulty in meeting their schedules and insuring departures
on time. It is a responsibility of the workers to go on solving those problems
rapidly so that they do not have a negative influence on this year's plan, and we
are already achieving a few positive results.
; [Moderator] How is emulation proceeding as far as fulfillment of th~ technical-
economic plans for passenger transportation is concerned?
- Carlos Eznaola: Out of a total of 6,449 workers in the enterprise, 94 percent are
emulating, and 81 percent have met the requirements of the lOth WFTU Congress ~mu1u
tion. We feel that in the work done by the working co~lective in 1980, we must draw
attention to the Hino rebuilding enterprise, the central office of the enterprise,
the Francisco Caamano Depot, the Ciego de Avila Terminal, and the downtown office.
As far as outstanding crews are concerned, there are the Guantanamo driver crews and
the full maintenance crews at the Augusto Cesar Sandino and charter depots, together
with the fire and baggage crews at the Havana Terminal. We expect that in 1981, as
part of the lOth WFTU Congress E~i?ulation, we will be able to see 100 percent of the
national bus workers in the emulation program. Let each one know whom he is emulat-
ing, why he is emulating, and what he is ~~~ntributing to society through that emula-
ti.c?n.
[Moderator] What prospe~ts for development does the enterprise have, i:ncluding re-
placement of old equipment?
� Gerald Simon: For this 5-�year period we have a plan for increasir~g our rolling stock
by 500 new buses--200 special buses and 300 of the regular type. This will make it
possible to meet the growing demand, which is rising by 8 and even 10 percent per
year. During 198T and 1982, we will have to absorb that growth with our current equip-
ment, sinc~ large ntzmbers of buses to meet the greater demand will not arrive until
1983.
From the standpoint of prospects, the services in the special category will have to
really earn that standing. They must have th~ opportunity to be regarded as such.
We are convinced that with the support we have had from the higher organizations in
the ministry and as a result of the joint work we have done a~.d are continuing to do
with the uniun, the party, and the people's government, our enterprfse will neces-
sarily gain even more prestige among our people ir. the future.
Comments: With this economic BOHEMIA r.oundl-.able ~aeighed on the
scales, it becomes e~ident that the pointer tilts favorably ir.
the da.rection of good results in the management of the National
Bus Enterprise. Nevertheless, the explanations by each of the
panelists revealea shortcomings and difficulties, both objective
and subjective. The objective ones are basically external in
nature: for example, the parts far engine assemblies or the fifth
gear. But the subjective shortcomings and difficulties, which �
are of an internal nature, lead us to ask this: why were there no
solutior.s 'hroughout a17. these years to problems such as the "wait-
ing list," extra buses to handle failures in departures, return
tickets, the maintenance of strict hygiene in the vehicles and the
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terminals, and practically all the problems that became apparent
as each of the panelists spoke? Ir~ our opinion, this is the
Achilles' heel of the National. Bus Enterprise~~the fact that it
waited so long when th~ solution was obviously within reach.
COPYRIGHT: BOHEMIA 1981
11798
csa: 3010/1454
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~ COUNTRY SECTION ~BA
RESULTS OF SANCTI SPIRITUS TOBACCO HARVEST NOTID
Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 22 May 81 pp 48-49
[Article by Magda Martinez: "The Biggest Among the Big"]
[Text] You cannot imagine the tremendous joy we felt in looking over some pages
of copy, yellowed by the passage of time, never published before, which can be
blamed on blue mold in this case. Nevertheless, today we return to those same
districts of the ~Neiva'' tobacco enterpriBe in Cabaiguan, Sancti�Spiritus, and the
situation is entirely different. The spirit of the workers here is so encouraging
that I may well say without fear of exaggeration: We have the biggest tobacco har-
vest here in the enterprise's en~ire production history.
At the end of October 1979, the ~La Campana'~ district still had not prepared some of
- its land for planting and it was assumed that the planting would start in November.
In analyzing the situation with a large group of the enterprise's workers, the mana-
ger and the party, it was established without much effort that everyone was terribly
discouraged. There was talk of poor soil, of declining yields, of lack of work in
the planting areas since the machinery did not arrive in time.
In other words, a long series o= calamities. That is what emerged during the con-
tinuous discussions taking up the management figures and the guidelines for the plan
to be accomplished.
Right now, since we are moving again, what was the first thing we saw? Well, it was
the tobacco which covered everythj.ng and wherever we looked there was incred~'�?.n
health and exuberance. The aromatic plant was growing all ov~r the place. A group
of comrades was loading the harvested leaves on the trailer. They would then be
taken to the curing houses.
- Inaide we saw Juana Fonseca, who had been on the ~ob for 5 years and who, in 8 hours,
can finish 50 sticks of tobacco--and the standard is 41.
At the time BOHEMIA visited it, the district had 107,G30 sticks of tobacco in curing. '
This is a very encouraging result if we realize.that this diatrict at most used to
collect 80,000. Nevertheless, at that time it still had approximately 100,000 sticks
left.
We ~nquired abuut some of the points raised earlier, such as the poor condition of
the soil. We were told about the agricultural engineering work done to improve the
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soil. They applied [suga.r] juice froth to the soil, along with lime, before plow-
ing. They likewise did nc?t lose sight of the i.act that the bad plants had to be
removed. For that pE'nall tfitheusresolvedCthoseaoldkdisputesfbylimprovingdthensoil
the entire season. ys Y
and facilitating the job of servicing the equipment.
The comrades emphasized the seriousness which prevailed in managing this ogeration.
They said that this, as neveeriaf~whereasethe planihad calledifor 16e000,of 21,744.
sticks of tobacco per caball ,
We must not downgrade the decisive factor represented by the wage reform and the
institut:on of on-the-spot consumption by the workers. The work force was able to
purchase riceimum outnutfbecause the~nwere free~of~worries ~incerth~undamental
achieve a max P
necessities of their home life had been taken care of.
There was no lack of water either. They irrigated day and night. There was only
one rather deep-rooted enemy and that was the parasite plant known as broomrape.
- But here again there was a way to fight against that parasite: early planting.
This weed generally appears in January.
For the next season they will have better soil and all areas will be tied together.
They will use the C-30 variety on their 23 caballerias.
Every last one of the old-line workers assured us: "This is the f irst time that
I have seen real tobacco at La Campana."
Abilio Sanchez, an old worker whom we met during our earlier visit, when he was
the labor union leader at the ent~rprise, is today the municipal secretary-general.
With his usual triendlinesss he once again took us on an inspection tour. We walked
along f our curing shinvolvedhanainvestmenteofCaboutu2,000 pesos7which hadcremained
hold tobacco. This
idle for more than 3 years.
We continued on to the Yamagua district in order to check on the reports we had
received earlier. There the workers were busy combining two harvests into one.
- After collecting the planhs~stbeinreimplementedlamidhthe dinaof thepcurrenteharvest
This is a new method whic 8
drive.
Orlando Fleites, thethere is a~marked~concernsw~thudoingSthingsnwell.efThetideaeis
also mentioned that
to earn bonuses for good output.
"The blue mold disaster did not break us," exclaimed Orlando, sitting high on his
horse, and he continued: "Before that, we would ride right over the shrubs. Now
nobody would ever damage a s3ngle one. Everybody realizes that this is his own
field and acts accordingly."
Fleites continued the ~�le bo rwhenihe emphasized that itdwasrsimplyecrazyrtoscome
He was like a happy litt y
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1 ~
back here and ~lant tobacco "~ust to see what comes up." In this way he prepared
one caballeria and then another one which was in cultivation: "We have great hopes
here."
- The yield at Yamagua was between 225 quintals per caballeria and somewhere close
to 250. And they still had tobacco left, which made that figure look even better.
Fleites still had one complete caballeria to harvest. He told us that they are
putting 400 leaves into each stick whereas before they only got 270.
The varieties used are C-30 and S-70 which is very similar to Black Root and Fleites
told us: "This is a high-grade tobacco. It is the best."
' Before completing our rounds, we met to talk in detail with Abilio in the premises
of the municipal CTC [Central Organization of Cuban Trade Unions].
The 'Neiva~ tobacco enterprise has 212 caballerias and is planting 175. It has a
personnel force of 1,320 workers and an estimated output of 150 quintals plus
800,000 sticks of tobacco to string toget~;er.
Without fear of contradiction--and I believe that we all ahare this view--we have
the biggest tobacco harvest here which we ever had. The record of this enterprise
came to 10,Q00 quintals and estimates for the current harvest are around 32,000.
Is this not reason for satisfaction? We can also see that al1 cf the various opera-
tions involved in this harvest are coming along much better. Regardless of blue
~mold, the operation had deteriorated here in terms of quality. There was a total
neglect of details, from soil improvement all the way to working with and managing
people.
Said Abilio: "Sugar ~uice frotli ~nd lime were added to the poor soil. We also
' demanded constantly high standards .tn work performa.nce. WQ did not tolerate, we did
not allow any bungling. That had no: always been the case."
The ties between the workers and the high-yield areas was another ~nitiative that
produced results. Iii these ar~as, the workers are very efficient and the workers
actually push the supervieors. Besidea, t'~ey are not stumped 'oy problems but
rather tackle them and reaolve them.
The workers have also been given material to improve their housing facilities. 'ihe
people's government i.s selling 60 percent of thos~ units in coordination with agri-
culture. The labor union is responsible for distribution of housing units. This
does not mean that all needs are being met but it is a step in the right direction.
Said Abillo: "Since December, they have been getting the benefits of the wage re-
form and they feel more motivated economically. They are piling up vacation time,
independen~ly of the rice, the heans, and the meat which is also being sold to them,
that is, pork, in some places. They are fighting fiard to keep imp~oving things."
- The 1981-1982 harvess- drive is well underway. Soil preparation will start right
now and should be ready by 24 Ju1y. We sincerely applaud this step because the
soil must be prE~ared early and must be given the proper, high-grade care. By June,
most of the areas should have their seedlings planted in furrows.
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Finally, they are correctly applying the technical norms this time. Since planting
time is drawing near, they cannot afford to fall behind in their schedule just be~
cause some areas are not ready. Everybody knows that early planting will resul~
in thicker growth, giving us plantations with magnificent nutritional conditions,
to be able to cope with any contingencies, and to attain the ainbitious goal of high
yields.
COPYRIGHT: BOZiEMIA 1981
5058
CSO: 3010/1453
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I
COUNTRY SECTION CUBA
NEW TOBACCO PLANTING TECHNOLOGY EXPLAINED
Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 1 May 81 pp 90-91
[Article by H. Nunez Lemus: "Minimal Labor--A New Technology in Tobacco Growing"]
[Text] R~search carried out by the Soile Institute of the Academy of Sciences of
Cuba and the San Juan y Martinez experimental tobacco station in Pinar del Rio
over a period of six years have made it posaible to develop a new technology for
preparing soil for tobacco growing called the "minimal labor" technique, which has
reduced the number of ta'sks from between 11 and 14, taking a period of 90 to 110
, days--the method recommended by the technical norms--to three to five tasks taking
20 to 30 days.
The yield and quality of the tobacco obtained through the use of the new technique
proved similar during the f irst year of experimentation, but as of the second year
substantial increases of 11 to 15 percent were obtained in the best categories of
tobacco. From the economic point of view, this achievement means an increase of
4050 dol'_.ars per hectare, based on the current price of the product on the world
market.
Also, petroleum consumption for the preparation of the land is reduced from 32.09
gallons per hectare using the traditional system to only 7.52 with minimal labor,
while expenditures for wages, technical maintenance and equipment depreciation are
reduced by 60 percent. Taking the indicators mentioned abova into account, it is
estimated that with the implementat~on of the new system in the tobacco growing
areas in Pinar del Rio alone an annusl saving of almost a million gallons of petro-
leum will be realized.
Also, the production of pasture forage preceding tobacco cultivation wa.s substan-
tially increased, providing an important aource for the raising of the nutritional
level of our liveatock herd.
Other Achievementa
According to the calculations made by the Soils Inatitute, the annual losses in-
curred with the traditional technology in areas with slopes comea to 30 to 40 tons
of soil per hectare, due to erosion. This means that with the continued use of
the present metl,ou of prepar.ing the land, thia loss would account for a thickness
of ten centimeters over a period of 40 to 50 years, representing approximately half
of the plant layer. If this phenomenon were to occur, the compact crust w~tifi.
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limited productive value which underlies the tobacco soils on the lower layers
would emerge on the aurfaces, decreasit~g the productive capacity of the land by
more than 50 percent.
On the other harid, w3th the use of the�minimal labor technology, it i.s possible td
~ reduce the amount of the soil. losses as a result of water erosion by a factor of
15, practically eliminating the effects of this nefarious phenomenon, while ~t the
eame time producing a gradual increase in the fertility of the soil.
Because of the successful anti-erosion effect of the new technology, it is believed
that its introduction will make it posaible gradua~l.~r�. to eliminate the additions
of full and organic matter syetematicallq made to tobacco growing areas; at an
annual cost estimated at a million pesos for P3nar del Rio alone.
; Application of this technique on a production scale does not require additional
investment, since the same equipment and tools used ordinarily in the preparation
of the soil are utilized, but to a much lesser extent.
_ Minimal labor makes it possible to complete the tobacco soil preparation cycle in
70 or 80 days, inereasing the potential for obtaining two harv~sts a year from
the same area, as well as the use of the land in rotation with other farm crops,
thus facilitating the more ratioaal use of the soil.
~ The new technology was initially introduced under production conditions--farm exten-
sion phase--and with satisfactory results during the current tobacco season at the
Edor Reyes and Hermanos ~aiz in Pinar del Rio.
The most recent experimental results obtained in the last three yeara reveal the
possibility of still further reduciag preparatioa work, which will not only lower
costs but will also eneure harvest inereases of up to 20-27 percent. This last
mentioned varia~ion excludea the use of harrows in the preparation of the ao3.ls.
' They are replaced by cultivators which are less~technologically compleac and cheaper.
It must be borne in mind that both harrows and their replacement parts are basically
purchased fr~m the freely conve~tible foreign exchange area.
Valid Recommendation ~
: Taking the positive results achieved into account, the Service Institute of the
; Academy of Sciences of Cuba has recommended that its study by eactended to other. ,
� provinces, with a view to its development throughout the tobacco growing territory
; of Cuba. The Inatitute also reco~ends that this research be eatteaded to other
crops, particularly augar cane, which because of its special characteristics should
respond satisfactorily to the use of the miaimal labor technique. More than a
method of work, it representa a new concept of w~rkiag the�land which has been
gaining increasing acceptance internationally as a result of the need to conaerve
petroleum. �
Under the conditions in our country, minimal labor, in addition to being an impor-
~ tant means of saving on fuel and production costa, respoads to the urgent need to
preserve and increase the �ertility of farm lands, since intensified soil fertility
. under the conditions provided by our tropical climate considerably speeds ug the
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_ processes of mineralization of organic matter, the result of which is the gradual
reducLion in the farm production capacity of the land. This is particularly serious
in the sloping areas, where in addition, the excessive use of machinery causes
gre~t soil losses as a consequence of water erosion, speeding up the exhaustion o�
the land.
The soil is mankind's main resource. It is the source which provides us with food
and other resources, and it will continue to be in the future, thus realizing the
- Marxist postnlate of leaving the best for the coming generations.
Finally, the words apoken by Fidel Castro during the First Congress of our party
should be borne in mind:
"The pro~ect undertaken by the Revolutionary Government, designed to put an end to
the criminal destruction of the natural environment from which the country has suf-
~ fered for centuries, is expressed in the protection of the eoil against the ele-
ments which salinize and erode it."
Two Harvests a Year
According to the technical norms for tobacco cultivation approved by the INRA
[National Institute for Agrarian Reforms].in 1971, the planting season comes be-
tween the second half of October and the last half of December, and the beginning
of the harvest between the first half of Deceamber and the second half of February,
bearing in mind that the growing period for black tobacco of the Creole (Criollo)
variety is 80 to 85 days. In general, tlie process takes 150-160 days, including
the work of soil preparation.
During tl:e tobacco growing seasons in 1979-80 and 1980-81, an experiment in ob-
taining two harvests per year was undertaken, based on the premises of the short
time the land ie in use, the posaibility of intensifying cultivation and the proven
fact that the reduced labor system can be used for the second harvest.
The results of the field experiment shown by the table below indicate that it is
possible in the course of a year to obtain two rich leaf harvests, both from the
agricultural and economic points of view, because they are c:ompleted within an
acceptable period of time--0ctober to April--and the production volume is almost
doubled in comparison to the traditional crop planted in the months of Nove~~~er to
December. Moreover, the quality is similar and the expenditures on preparing thE
land for the second harvest drop by between 50 and 60 percent with the use of the
minimum labor system.
Also, as a coilateral but very importanC result, the period between 16 and 24
October was established as the best for early planting, and 22 February as the
critical date for late planting.
With a view to preventing infestatdone of plant diaease and insects, the crop is
rotated with natural pasturage and kidney beana of the Bau~tifut L-1-0049-78
variety, althoubn lt is believed that further research along this 13ne is necessary.
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In view of the possibility that the second harvest o� tobacco will be affected by
the mosaic virus, becaus~ of the continued planting, testing the Escambray 70
variety, which is resistant to this virus, was considered. This was done on the
agricultural areas at the above~meuaranteefthesdoubledharvestreVThistwassachieved
this virus and in order fully t g
successfully as the results obtained show.
Table 3--Results Obtained from ~ao Tobacco Harvests Per Year oa a Given Area,
Creole Variety �
Variant Planting Harvest Total Increase over Control
Date Harvest
kg/ha k~ kF~~ - ~ -
1. Tobacco (one 100
harvast per year) 2/11/78 1760 1760
2. Tobacco harvest I 16/10/78 1710 194
Tobacco harvest II 7/2/79 1700 3410 1650
3. Tobacc:o harvest I 24/10/78 2060 201
Tobacco harvest II 15/2/79 1480 3540 1780
4. Tobacco harvest I 2/11/78 1760 173
Tobacco harvest II 22/2/79 1290 3050 1290
COPYRIGHT: BOHEMIA 1981
5157
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COUNTRY SECTTON CUBA
LAS TUNAS' ALFONSO ZAYAS NOTES PROVINCE ACTIVITIES
_ Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 22 May 81 pp 55-56 ~
[Article by Andrea Rodriguez: "Las Tunas in 26"]
[Text] How do you view the situation in the province?
"We have a tremendous ~ab a1-iead of us but we are making
progress," says Luis Alfonso Zayas, f irst party secretary
in Las Tunas in an interview given to BOHEMTA. The har-
vest has ceased to be a headache; we did the job properly
for the first time in recent years. Progress in other
economic areas, such as food, milk, eggs, and meat. The
main problem is housing. The city has five swimming pools.
We will end the hotel crisis ir. the province. Improvement
in commercial network being planned. Highway restoration
bei~g started. Much more work will be done for the younger
generation. BOHEMIA will return in December; Zayas invites
us to inspect the province to determine the social-economic
advance here.
Luis Alfonso Zayas received the correapondents from BOHEMIA early in the morning.
The day before he was inspecting the townships in the province and we were unable
to catch up with him. This time we coordinated our meeting b;:cauSe he is supposed
_ to leave at 1000 to go to the townahip of Colc,mbia with the minister of communica-
tions and later on, in the afternoon, he will be visited by Irm~ Sanchez, chair-
person of CEAT~i [State Committee for Technical and Material Supply].
The first sec:retary of the party in Las Tunas certainly has a lot of running around
to do. But ~Je are now in his office as part of his daily routine. The first topic
we take up n~3turally is the harvests; we say "naturally" because this eastern pro-
vince is one of the country's big sugar-producing areas, with six sugar mills run-
ning, the smallest one of which, for example, comnetes with the biggest one cur- .
rently operating in the province of Cienfuegos.
"We can say," Zayas notes, "that we have come up with the kind of harvest that Fidel
asked us to produce. We did that with a harvest drive ahortened by one month and
b?aides, our mills d~e no longer a headache. They showed that they can do ti~~:r
~ob without fear, especially at Argelia Libre~ and ~Amancio Rodriguez, which were
such big problems fo'r us for so many years." ~
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"In your opinion, which were the best ones?"
"Well, Colombia and Jesus Menendez~ worked rather nicelp. ~Antonio Guiteras' will
finish with an output of more than 170,000 tons of augar to become possibly the
country's biggest producer."
"What about electric power this year, was there a concrete response to Fidel's call
for putting an end to the electric power breakdowns in the province?"
Zayas reached for one of those strange ob3ects on the floor in his office and came
up with one of them which he put on his desk. It was an insulator.
"That is what we were having problems with," ha told us. "But at the same time we
must say that the electric power situation improved greatly this year; we have de-
tected a greater degree of concern in this respect and we therefore cannot say that
the effect of this situation has been the eame as in other years."
"Could you summarize for us the greatest achievement in the harvest?"
"Our greatest achievement was the awareness we acquired to the effect that the lxar-
vest has to be organized well from the very beginning. That was the most important
th3ng because we understood that everything has to be organized in advance and not
later on when, no matter what other steps you take, you can never catch up with the
situation such as it really develops."
"And what has been your biggest difficulty?"
"We had di.fficulties on account of the rain at the start of the harvest; the sugar
harvest dropped; the left-over sugar surplus forced us to keep on milling excessively
until the end of tae season and, when it was all over, we still had the ~ob of
improving the quality of the raw material."
"What is your esCimate of achievem~nte in other areas of the economy?"
"In general, we have had a year of progreae ~.n various areas. We advanced, for ex-
~ ample, in the areas of food in general, milk, eggs, and meat, and we have taken
positive steps in the construction industry. The 3ob we still face is gigantic but
we will continue to make progress; we have one very important e?.ement here and that
is the spirit of the people of Las Tunas; there is much enthusiasm, much hope, and
consequently, a great readiness to work."
The spirit of the people of Las Tunas is indeed an interesting subject. At this
point we might insert two specific examples on that score which the correapondents
of BOHEMIi? observed. The people are maesively joining the great apring sugar cane
planting drive; many people are planting in the morning, they then go back to their
usual ~obs in the afternoon, and later on, at night, they help in the revitalization
effort conducted by the CDR [Committees for the Defense of the Revolution] in their
block. We watched a young tailor putting in long working days in his shop; we saw
him on both days and we became rather curioua about him. "Since I am aick and since
I cannot go out into the fielda~ since I cannot do any heavq work either," he told
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us, "I fully devote myself to my trade~� Nearby, in a commercial estahlishment, a
home-made sign, not very elegant, but nevertheless verq spontaneously, read "Fidel,
Zayas, we are with 26."
"Fr�om the social viewpoint," we asked the first party secretary in Las Tunas, "how
do yc~u view the situation in the province and what are its prospects?"
"Our main problem is housing and we have begun to tackle it through a construction
plan which includes the buildings for the sugar mills, the sugar cane enterprise
areas, and the seats of tr.e various townships. Of course, this is a plan whose
implementation will require a certain amount of time but which, I repeat, we have
begun to work on."
Looking at the other social aspects, the situation will advance gradually. By 26
July, for example, we will have renovated .*_he hotels in the province and in that
way we will eliminate the crisis we have been having in this respect. Along with
this renovation, we are building the new 136-roum ho~el whose civ~l engineering
construction phase will also be ready by l6 July. We will also build 100 additional
units for the E1 Cornito motel and another 20 at the Caisimu recreation center."
Zayas' office manager suddenly came in; it seems that the minister of communications
is about to arrive and tha time is getting close to 1000, the time scheduled for
the inspection of the township of Colombia. But we still have a little time left
to continue our interview.
"What can you tell us about the recreation aspect?"
"We have t~ do much more work for our young people and w e will do so over the next
several years. Right now we are building four swimming pools in the capital of the
province, plus the one being built in the new hotel. We are also planning to con~
verC the Tunas movie house into a theater and we want to turn the entire area bor-
dering on E1 Cornito into a recreation area, all the way to the highway runr.ing from
Tunas to Jobabo; E1 Cornito of course will also have its swimm3.ng pool. We are
thinking of using the dams around Caisimu hill for recreation purposes.
- "Talking about recreation, wh~en we were in Colombia recently, we were told that the
big demand in this township is that the Habanero beach, the only facility of his
kind in this area, be opened once again. Is there any r~;sponse to that demand?"
"This is a fair demand to which we will have a response during this 5-year term when
we finish the reconstruction, in other words, the complete asphalting, of the high--
way running from the township's seat to the beach."
"We would now like to take up the important matter of roads; as far as we have been
able to see for ourselves, the province has a tremendous ~ob here. In this con-
necCion, in the township of Manati, we were told earlier that its only asphalt plant
was closed down. What is going to be.done on that score?"
"The Manati asphalt plant is already in operation, and those in the townships of
Puerto Padre, Jesus Menendez, and Amancio Rodriguez are also working. Besides, we
have already begun the restoration of highwaps linking Tunas with Jobabo and Jesus
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Menendez with Puexto ~adxe. Although th~.s does not have anything to do exactly
with roads, we must say that we are already draw~ig up tite pilot plan for the xe~
modeling of the conrmercial network in the city of Tunas, wIiich today is really.
obsolete."
The office manager turned up again and he was followed by Communications Minister
Guelmes. The hands on our watch had gone past 1000. Nevertheless, Zayas very
cordially asked us whether we had any other questions.
"Just one thing, one last thing," we said. "Would it not be worthwhile systematically
to follow up on what we have taken up here today?"
"Agreed. Come back by the end of the year, apecifically in December."
And so we sealed this pledge which will enable us, on the spot, to keep tabs on
the social-economic advances of the people in Las Tunas.
COPYRIGHT: BOHENflA 1981
5058 ~
_ CSO: 3010/1453
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COUN~'RY SECTION ~JgA
t
REASONS TO PURSUE MILITARY CAREER EXPLAINED
Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 22 May 81 pp 58-61
[Article by Reinaldo Penalver Moral]
[Text] If you have sons, you have surely heard this sentence:
"When I grow up, I want to be a soldier." Before the triumph
of our revolution, the only ones privileged to study for a mili-
tary career were the sons of high military officers or those
from wealthy families. Today, it is the sons of our workers and
peasants who are being trained as command cadres in our military
training centers.
Not very far from the center of our capital, in Ceiba del Agua in the municipality of
Calmito, is the Gen Antonio Maceo Interservice Academy of the FAR [Revolutionary
~ Armed Forces]. There our oun
y g people who are graduates of the upper secondary sys-
~ tem (preuniversity schools or polytechnic insti~utes) are offered one of the most
~ attractive career o tions, considerin the o
P g pportunities it provides for being useful
to the country while also permittinq their individual, complete, and unlimited ad-
vancement.
The academy, which we could very well describe as a small city, has five schools in
~ which 10 specialties are taught. 'I'he courses of study last either 4 or 5 years, and
~ students graduate as engineers, with the exception of those p1�eparing for the military-
political specialty, who graduate with a licentiate in political science. Upon gradu-
ation, the rank of lieutenant is conferred.
Durinq our tour of the modern facility, its deputy director, Col Ramon Marquez Silva,
explained to us that the reason why the co~anand cadres in our armed forces take uni-
versity courses at this school is that the scientific and technical revolution has
developed not only technology in the areas of production and services but also mili-
tary technology, and the result is new concepts regarding the organization and leader-
ship of contemporary combat.
Colonel Marquez said: "Our graduates must be prepared to cope with the specific and
practical problems that will face them every day in their units and in their daily
lives, and basicall;~, they must be capable of organizing and directing combat in com-
plex situations using the modern armament under their command.
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The Gen Antonio Maceo Interservice Academy of the FAR was founded on 7 February 1963,
and those admitted to the cadet courses offered there come from the Camilo Cienfuegos
Military Vocational Schools~ from military units, and from the upper secondary schools
in the national educational system.
- To enter the 4- or 5-year courses of study, each applicant must have reached the pre-
university level. Upon completion of the course, he or she will be appointed substi-
tute company commander for political work (in the case of officers for politieal work
among general troops) or commanding officer of a small unit or substitute for weapons
and equipment (in the case of armored engineers and engineers in engineer equipment).
Modern Facilities
To provide instruction, the academy has special classrooms, simulators, eleccronic
resources, laboratories, training fields, a study hall, teaching films, libraries,
assembly rooms, studios, and modern combat weapons and equipment as its study materi-
als program.
To provide recreation for the cadets, weekly outings are organized to visit museums
and historic and cultural spots. There are the theater, movies, and Lenin-Marti
Halls. Sports are also practiced twice a week, with the cadets being organized ac-
cording to their preferences.
Their many-sided training includes swimming and self-defense.
On graduation, they have unlimited pro~pects for development, since they can pursue
higher military studies at the FAR Academy and at other training centers in the USSR.
They can also earn scientific degrees.
Specialties
The following specialties are offered at the academy:
l. Military political officer for qeneral troops: specializing in general troops, the
; graduate receives the advanced rating of licentiate in political science.
' 2. Tactical command of motorized infantry troops: having specialized in that type of
troops, the graduate receives an advanced rating as engineer in the operation of auto-
motive equipment.
3. Tactical command of tank troops: these cadets graduate with an advanced rating as
~ engineers in the operation of armored equipment.
4. Tactical command of engineering troops: these cadets graduate with an advanced
rating as engineers in the operation of engineer equipment.
5. Tactical command of chemical warfare troops: these cadets graduate with an advanced
_ rating as engineers in chemical warfare equipment.
6. Tactical command of motor troops: these cadets specialize in motor troops and
graduate as engineers in the operation of automotive equipment.
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7. Tactical command of troop food supplies; they specialize in rear troops and re-
ceive the advanced rating of economic engineer.
e. Tactical command of troop clothing supplies; they specialize in rear troops and
receive the advanced rating of economic engineer.
- 9. Tank and transport engineers: they specialize in the operation and repair of tanks
- and transports and receive tb.e advanced rating of military mechanical engineer.
10. Engineer equipment engineers: they specialize in the operation and repair of en-
gineer equipment arid receive the advanced rating of military mechanical engineer.
The course of study for the first eight specialties lasts 4 years, while that for the
last two lasts 5 years.
Enrollment Requirements
1. Must be physically and mentally fit.
2. Must be not less than 16 nor more than 21 years of age.
3. Must be unmarried.
4. Must have successfully passed the preuniversity school level (or completed the sec-
ondary technical level in a specialty related to the career in question).
How To Obtain a Scholarship
1. Through the principal of one's preunivers~ty school or polytechnic institute.
- 2. Through the provincial SEPMI (Society for Patriotic-Military Education).
3. In the case of enlisted men and sergeants, through one's co~ananding officer or sub-
stitute for political w~rk.
Young people desiring m4re information may apply to the SEPMI in their province or
write t4:
Gen Antonio Maceo Interservice Academy of the FAR
Ceiba del Agua, Calmito, Havana Province
COPYRIGHT: BOHEMIA 1981
11798
CSO: 3010/1454
35
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L~va~ ~i~ r i~.t~au u.~?: Vl7LL

~ COUNTRY SECTIQN ~ CUBA
SCIENCE TEACHER TRAINING AT HIGHER INSTITUTE DESCRIBED .
F~avana BOHEMIA in Spanish 1 May 81 pp 61-62
- [Article by Concepcion Duchesne: "Science and Teaching at the Enrique Joae Varona
Higher Institute"]
_ [Text] Since its founding i.n 1964, the Enrique Jose Varona Hi6her Teaching Insti-
tute has been training s~ience teaching cadrea wit~~u~ tnte~r~ption, in order to
fulfill its main purpose: to raise the quality oic teach.tr.g through those who are
directly responsible for it, the teachers.
The task of educating and instructing the new generations is one of the most
arduous, responsible and patient of social efforts and therefore conatitutes one
of the most prestigious and praiseworthy.
The teachers in our Fatherland have always demonstrated their unself ishness and
sacrifice, and since the beginning of the building of the new society, this voca-
tion and calling has achieved very subatantial results. Education has proceeded
from a mass effoxt to the point at which~we are today, having teachers with the
necessary technical skills and greater experience.
This constant movement toward higher scientific goals characterizes the process of
rigor and self-exigency on which the teaching inatitutes have based their main
goals. ~
The Enrique Jose Varona Institute now ha8 the scientific background and cultural
solidity which has enabled it to eponsor three acientific gatherings in the past
six years, activities in which the quality level has been high, despite the fact
that only two yeara eeparated them.
When.an institution not only pasaes on knowledge in various sub3ecta, but in turn
already has ~ staff which can engage in reaearch and the deepening of knowledge, .
� it is indeed capable of carrying out truly creative activities, which will nurture
our natic^al ~ducational syatems.
The fact that these atatements have become possible is a rea~on for pride for all
those who in one way or another bear reeponeibilities in the ~reat task of educa-
tion, because the re~ults of thia Third Scientific Gathering of Teachers at the
Enrique Jose Varona Higher Teaching Institute are not to the credit of this insti-
tution individually, but all the educational and scientific inetitutions and
36
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bodies in our country, because the identification between science and teaching acti-
vity is necessary when the technical and scientific duties of all of the branches of
production, science and defense. '
If we want to keep up wtth the level of development af modern soci.ety and the ad-
vances of the scientific-technical revolution demand, we must train cadxes who are
capable of teaching and are provided with the teaching tools needed to transmit
knowledge in any specialty. This is what characterizes our whole education and what
has defiried the entire revolutionary educational process.
This event was eff iciently organized on the basis of 21 comm~.ttees, fin which 208
worka in the fields of biology, physics, chemist~~r; mathematics, pedagogy, geogra-
phy, history and archeology, teaching metl~ods, psychology, Marxism-Leninism, lin-
guiatics, literature and physical education were d~scusaed. A total of 486 teachers,
- researchers, specialists, officials and directors were included among the delegates
and gu~ats, and ~Z1 of these were affiliated with the institute hosting the gather-
� ing, while 102 were affiliated with other bodies, ineluding all of the t.eaching
institutes in the country, the Central Pedagogical Sciences Institute, Havana, Las
Villas and Camaguey Universities, the c~c;ademy of Sc~.eac~s, the Ministry of Educa-
tion, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ynstitutes of Medical Science, Geogra-
phy and Chartography and physical planning, and the National Scientific Research
- Center. The 360 addresses delivered to the various committees reflected~the in-
tense interest, exchange and comparison of experiences whieh.took place among the
- participants.
More than 40 works received honorable mention on the basis of the incentive system
established at the gatheriag, i.e., were noted as conatituting contributions, works
' of interest or recommended for publicat~oa. Many of them, the most outstanding,
, met all :hree criteria.
The importance and magnitude of this collective effort made on 24 and 25 April at
' the headquarters of the Enrique Jose Varona Inetitute were summ~rized in the
closing address delivered by Minister of Education Jose Ramon F~ernandez.
i This institute has the responsibility for part of the great task of developing
' teaching literature in the sub~ects where it is mnst limited. Therefore, an impor-
! tant aspect of the activity at this event should be reflected in the publication
of_ the monographs, articles and texts for which there is such great need. ~
I "Improving the quality of teaching is the main task the Second Party Congress has
entrusted to us," he said. ~
- COPYRIGHT: BOHEMIA 1981
5157
C~O: 3010/1.450 E~
37
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