The digital transformation that has been taking place in Cuba for years seeks to modernize governance, administrative and economic processes, and especially to put people at the center of everything in order to bring new technologies closer to the population.
By María Josefina Arce.
The digital transformation that has been taking place in Cuba for years seeks to modernize governance, administrative and economic processes, and especially to put people at the center of everything in order to bring new technologies closer to the population.
Despite the iron and prolonged U.S. blockade, which hinders access to the most advanced in this area, controlled by large U.S. transnationals, it is the government's will to enhance social connectivity.
Along this path, priority has been given to and subsidized in many cases the connection in sectors such as health, education, culture and scientific development.
In addition, several initiatives have been launched to facilitate connectivity to the population and provide it with various options, two of which have been recognized at the World Summit Forum on the Information Society, which until Friday is in session in the Swiss city of Geneva.
That is the case of the so-called Young Computer and Electronics Clubs, a network of technological centers present throughout the Cuban territory, with a wide range of services and products available to citizens.
This network was created in 1987 at the initiative of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, to provide and raise the computer culture of the communities, especially among children and young people.
In more than 35 years of existence, the Youth Computer and Electronics Clubs have been expanding their reach, even to mountainous areas, and there are currently more than 600 of these facilities in the archipelago.
La Papeleta has also been a winning initiative, which is the result of an effective alliance between art and technology. This tool, designed to promote and disseminate cultural activities and events taking place in the country, has been in operation for almost a decade.
Over the years, the digital portal has been renewed, incorporating other services such as the electronic reservation and sale of tickets for various shows. This is a way to facilitate the attendance of those interested in attending presentations in theaters, concert halls and exhibitions.
Man is the destination of the digital transformation that is taking place in the country and that seeks to meet the needs and expectations of the population.
The process is a great challenge, since it requires strong financing, which is often slowed down by the economic limitations imposed by the blockade, but work is being done and alternatives are being sought to make possible the connectivity of the whole society, without exclusions, and to contribute equally to the development of the country.
