Sir, - I am recently returned from Cuba where I was taking part in a week-long international congress and workshop on renewable energy. This is a subject of much interest to Cuba as it has to spend a significant amount of its scarce foreign currency earnings on imported fuel to meet basic power and transport needs - just one of the many impacts of the US blockade.
The culmination and highlight of the week was a visit to an amazing school high up in the Sierra Maestra mountains in the far east of the island - which caters for over 300 children, most of whom live in the school, as commuting is not an option. The community is largely self-sufficient in food although currently suffering from an over-long dry season.
The purpose of our visit was to see the impact of a photovoltaic solar energy installation which produces electricity for the school and adjoining community/health centre. For the first time, they now have light at night-time which allows them to read, refrigeration which reduces the need to journey to the nearest town for vital items, television and radio for links to the outside world, video and tape recorder (not working) for educational purposes, etc. Prior to this they were rationed to two hours of electricity per day from an unreliable diesel generator.
This project, small by European standards, has transformed the quality of life for all concerned. Nevertheless, these beautiful happy children sleep on wooden bunks with no mattresses or pillows, just a few scattered pieces of old clothing.
There is no justification for the blockade which imposes war-like hardship on the Cuban people. - Yours, etc.,
Pat Bell, Director, Energy Transport Actions Ltd, Maynooth, Co Kildare.