Oswaldo de Céspedes, CPI
HAVANA, June – Havana districts lying off the beaten tourist paths are likely to be neglected in terms of the availability of public services, such as street repairs, sewer systems and garbage disposal.
Neighborhoods such as Párraga, Arroyo Naranjo, La Víbora, Lawton, Santos Suárez, and El Cerro don't have any attraction for tourists and are not likely to find themselves in the government brochures.
In Párraga, for example, most buildings are in dire need of repair. The streets are full of holes that haven't been patched in years. The sewer system is downright dangerous. A typical problem can be seen at the corner of María Luisa and Estela Streets, where a broken sewer pipe
spills thousands of gallons of sewage daily onto the pavement, endangering residents' health.
Armando Oliva Almendis, a local resident, says that the neighbors complained to the municipal authorities a week ago and haven't even received a coherent response yet.
In one spot, less than two meters from where the pestilential waters run there is a dwelling where two children live. Both are presently in the hospital with viral meningitis.
The Ministry of Public Health has not taken official notice of the hundreds of possible infectious spots around the city.
Versión original en español
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