Underwater Fiber Optic Cable Reaches Cuban Shores

The vice president of the councils of Ministers and State, Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdes, as well as leaders and workers from the informatics and communication sector, and neighbors from that coastal town, witnessed the arrival of the cable to Cuban shores.

The president of the Gran Caribe telecommunications enterprise, Wilfredo Morales, talked about the significance of the project –– boosted by the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of the Americas (ALBA) –– which favors the independence of Latin American in the sector of informatics and the exchange among nations.

Morales affirmed that it shortens the distance between both states and boosts integration among Caribbean countries, solidarity and cooperation for eliminating social and economic differences.

He stated that, according to the schedule, the next step is the installation of equipment in the stations and the testing of the system in order to guarantee the beginning of the operations in July 2011.

The minister of Informatics and Communication (MIC), Medardo Diaz, pointed out that this shows the progress and the willingness of integration of the Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Diaz mentioned that in the next 48 hours the laying of the cable will continue towards Ocho Rios, in Jamaica, which offers the opportunity to connect this country and other nations of the region.

The cable will have a useful life of 25 years and the $70 million investment will be returned in appropriate installments, according to MIC authorities.