Edy Bover Fuentes can be defined as the “dad” of the enormous laboratories of the Camagüey Biotechnology Center. Everyone knows him, asks for his advice, and feel proud that he remains young and diligent in spirit. He is one of the few founders still active in the scientific institution that this year celebrates its 34th anniversary.
Edy Bover Fuentes is a chemical engineer. He began in 1988 as a staff of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of Camagüey (CIGB, by its acronym in Spanish), when the facilities were still under construction. Along with other young people, he went to train at the CIGB in Havana.
He remembers those years with a lot of passion, because according to him, learning to use new technologies was very intense. With his happy face, he comments that regardless of the workload, that time was wonderful.
To make up the staff, they chose young graduates from different specialties: chemical engineers, biologists, veterinarians, doctors, laboratory workers; a varied range, so that everyone contributed to the investigations from different angles.
The official opening
At the end of that stage, they returned from Havana to set up the first laboratories. It was precisely on the eve of the celebration of the historic July 26th, 1989 in Camagüey -date on which Fidel predicted that the Socialist Bloc was in danger of disappearing- when the scientific institution opened its doors, which today has been sowing science and health for 34 years.
It would not be the first time that those young people saw the Commander up close. They all expected it. The photographs captured the moment, like a treasure that they share with the new generation of scientists, who are inheriting the commitment to the health of the people and the environment.
Memories
The Commander’s visits to the CIGB in Havana were very frequent, as he closely followed its progress. For this reason, Edy met him several times during his stay there. He remembers, for example, the day he was walking down a corridor with a cart full of test tubes and he ran into Fidel. In surprise, he did not know what to do and he was paralyzed.
At another time, when he was going to wait for the elevator, and it opened its doors, Fidel was there. Edy evokes those meetings as something daily in the beginning, since Fidel used to ask about the smallest detail and talked face to face with the workers, always concerned about his well-being.
The Commander was the first to talk about health at work and propose an exercise schedule for the scientists inside the building.
The CIGB: A family
For Edy, the CIGB is a big family; he defines it that way. They all help each other and care about each other, feel proud of each other, and walk in the same direction – giving their all so that the investigations progress and come to light for the good of the health of all.
That is its mission, and the best tribute to those who bet on the prestigious facility. Congratulations to the great family of scientists!
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
