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Idiomas
Cuban Hurricane Victims Receive New Petro-houses
Cuba, January 5, 2010 .—The local government of the Cuban special municipality of Isla de la Juventud presented 42 of the families who lost their homes during 2008 devastating hurricane season with brand new petro-houses.
In 2008, the island was directly hit by two major hurricanes and is still in the process of recovery. The new petro-houses are made out of PVC, one of the by-products of the oil refining industry.
Leonel Pérez and his family were some of the citizens who benefited from the program. «Imagine, having a new house is a like a dream come true after living in a temporary wooden home!» said Pérez.
Gabriel Valdés, a local official from the building sector, explained that the selection for rendering the houses prioritized those victims from previous meteorological events, and those living with especially difficult circumstances.
The petro-homes are cool and comfortable, with more than 90 square meters; and include three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, two bathrooms and a balcony.
Twenty-eight more apartments in a building that used to be an educational institution have been completely renovated and are ready to go to locals who lost their homes to Hurricane Gustav.
Jesus Tamayo, speaking on behalf of the construction workers, expressed their desire to continue working to reverse the damage caused by 2008’s hurricanes, and acknowledged the contribution of the future home owners in the construction of the apartments.
In 2009, 12,000 buildings were restored on the Isla de la Juventud, which represent 64 percent of the total homes that were damaged (18,805); more than 98 percent of the homes whose roofs were destroyed, 3,452, have been restored; and 74 percent of the partial collapses have been resolved by alternative means. Meanwhile construction workers are busy converting five rural schools that were no longer being used into apartment buildings with a total of 300 apartments.
In 2010, plans are to build 500 additional homes for hurricane victims. (Cubaminrex – Juventud Rebelde)