To prevent foreign firms from extracting all the value from Cuba's power and water sectors, the blueprint needs strict legal guardrails. One effective method is a hybrid ownership model. Instead of selling infrastructure outright, the government could issue long-term concessions. These contracts would mandate that a fixed percentage of equity remains with local cooperatives or municipal councils. This ensures that profits circulate within the local economy rather than flowing immediately to offshore accounts.
Regulatory agencies must also implement performance-based tariffs. If a multinational firm manages the electrical grid, they shouldn't get a guaranteed return regardless of service quality. We should tie their profit margins directly to reliability metrics and affordable pricing for low-income households. Without these ties, companies often cut maintenance costs to pad their bottom line, leaving residents with failing equipment.
Furthermore, the blueprints should mandate technology transfers. Any foreign company operating in Havana or Santiago de Cuba must train a local workforce and share technical IP with domestic engineers. This prevents a permanent dependency on expensive foreign technicians. If we want a stable transition, we have to build a local class of utility managers who actually live in the communities they serve.
