Widlife Returns to Havana Bay due to Cleanup Efforts
Finally, the birds and the schools of fish are making their way back to Havana Bay. Their return marks the fruits of the Cuban government's efforts to clean up the famous bay and reduce the pollution in the area.
According to a report from Fox News Latino, experts have spoken up about the success of the cleanup efforts, revealing that the pollution in Havana Bay has already decreased by about 50 to 60 percent over the last decade.
Cuba's Havana Bay stretches two square miles with an average depth of 30 feet. Due to being the dumping ground for industrial and community waste, the large body of water has earned a reputation for being one of the most contaminated areas in the entire Carribean.
Things began turning around in 1998 when Cuban officials started the cleanup program that also aimed to determine the sources of the waste and chemicals that were continually flooding the bay. Eventually, 124 industries were identified as "aggressively" dumping waste, while 53 more were tagged as "highly polluting".
A bulk of these industries is going to be transferred to the port of Martiel, the site of the new Special Economic Development Zone that's being developed.
The cleanup of the country's different zones and the consequent return of the wildlife spell good things for Cuba's tourism industry, especially as the U.S. tourists rediscover the destination upon the lifting of the embargo. In fact, the influx of travelers flooding in may be too much too soon for the small Latin American country.
According to a report from The Guardian, the IMF has revealed that Cuba's improving relations with the U.S. could result in as much as 10 million American tourists visiting the country annually.
"The infrastructure just isn't there to cope with such numbers," Belmont Freeman, a Cuban-American architect, said. "The city is woefully underserved for hotels and even if more were built, the services couldn't supply them. The mains water system hasn't been improved since the 1920s - it still loses around 50% through leakage."
Still, luxury hotels and resorts are popping up in Cuba, anticipating the surge of tourists and the business they bring. Late last year, renowned architect Frank Gehry sailed into the country and offered his expertise to the country.
"You know that Cuba is at the centre of attention of many people," Gehry said. "And in the immediate future, it will attract many investors -- particularly the tourism sector. But I am sure that you know to be careful with those projects."
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