Ecuador to Donate Homes to Santiago de Cuba

HAVANA TIMES — The Foreign Minister of Ecuador, Ricardo Patiño, said on Sunday that his country will donate a significant number of homes for families affected by Hurricane Sandy in Santiago de Cuba, reported the Granma newspaper.

After traveling from Venezuela, where he attended the celebration of the eighth anniversary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), Patino arrived over the weekend in the eastern Cuban city to tour hurricane-damaged areas where new housing is needed.

“We hope the studies are completed soon at each of the selected locations so that we can begin the construction of housing more quickly and effectively for our people,” said the South American official.

He received information on technologies to be used, the materials to be supplied, and the water, electrical, communications and road systems to be involved.

According to a televised report, the donation will consist of around 1,000 homes.

Following his visit, Patiño and the delegation that accompanied him, visited students from his country who are studying Medicine in Cuba.  Later the foreign minister held talks in the capital with his Cuban counterpart, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.