Nelvis Jiménez Enrique is a teacher by profession. She used to live in the municipality of Manatí, but one day she came to El Cornito and was fascinated by the rural environment. When she was allowed to work at the Zoo, she had no doubts, she would make a new home there. Since then, she has been trapped by the magic of the flora and fauna, so much so that she is already fluent in the most curious scientific names, reminding me that such an establishment is not only for fun but also for learning.
This simple woman, who speaks as if she has known me all her life, is the acting director of the recreational complex and, together with the rest of the staff, has spent intense days preparing for the summer period, especially about painting and repairing equipment, aviaries, and animal exhibits.
On July 1st, the Las Tunas Zoo-Amusement Parks Recreational Complex reopened with the expectation that the repairs undertaken, thanks to different entities, will be long-lasting on this occasion. The family, especially the children, need it beyond summer.
HAKUNA MATATA?
When you enter the amusement park, you can see different colors on the fences, renovated equipment... everything is more beautiful. According to Nelvis, the fighter planes and the one that bears the name of Cubana de Aviación are already functional, as well as the carousel, the sled, the flying chairs, and the little boats.
The Francisco (Paco) Cabrera Metal Structure (Metunas, in Spanish) and Stainless Steel (Acinox Las Tunas) companies, the Logistics Business Group of the Ministry of Agriculture (Gelma, in Spanish), and Constructive Maintenance have been involved in the work; which -according to Jiménez- have done a good job. "They have taken parts, cast new ones, assembled them, and tested them here. They fixed the necessary shafts, such as the carousel, which caused the chain to break. There is the case of the fighter planes, which had a much-deteriorated structure, and a new one was made...”
Nelvis highlights the accompaniment of the government authorities in the preparation process, an attitude that would be good to imitate throughout the calendar. He also comments that the participation of state and private sector gastronomic entities has been managed in the assurance visits to guarantee food on site, with the sale of jams, refreshments, and other snacks. The efficient implementation of this service is a priority for the population, who often travels from distant parts of the city in the sweltering heat of these months.
He also refers to the intention emanating from these meetings to favor transportation to the enclave with buses and the urban train, an aspect that should not be neglected due to the great demand of the place. "And the prices of the entrance to the enclosure are maintained, 5 pesos in national currency for the children and 10 for the adults, as well as similar figures for the mounting of equipment".
"The zoo area has also benefited from the painting of cages, repairs to some of these, such as the cages of the peccaries and lions, and repairs to the mesh in the crocodile area," continues the director.
A buffalo, ostriches, zebras, ponies, dwarf cows, various birds, and monkeys, among other specimens, make up the local Zoo attractions. The park has in its favor the size and the natural environment that surrounds it, which can impact the vitality of the species. However, an appeal is necessary: "The population should not feed the animals, which have their diet, because - if this is violated - it could affect their health. Nor should they scratch benches, trees, fences, or other elements. We must avoid indiscipline".
Nelvis says he has no problems with the animals' water and food supply, the latter, guaranteed by cooperatives and urban farms in the province. And, given the lack of guards, he says that the workers themselves have helped with the guards and thus contribute to the security of the place.
I am left with the hope that in the future we won't have to close the recreational complex for a month to prepare it against the clock for the arrival of the holiday period. By then we will have learned - from the provincial authorities - the importance of its year-round vitality. When the process of repair and maintenance is constant, there is rarely a need to stop something, only to perfect it. And so, the Swahili expression "Hakuna Matata" popularized by the movie The Lion King, literally meaning "no problem", would be another motivation to celebrate.
