>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 10 May 2000 > > > -U.S. POSTPONES INDEFINITELY GRANTING VISAS TO ELIAN'S GRANDPARENTS > -ELIAN'S GRANDPARENTS CALL STATE DEPARTMENT VISA REFUSAL "INHUMANE" > -MAJORITY OF AMERICANS FAVOR RETURN OF ELIAN TO CUBA > -21st TOURISM CONVENTION CONTINUES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL > -CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO WELCOMES THE MAYOR OF OVIEDO, SPAIN > -PRESIDENT OF THE CANARY ISLANDS VISITS CUBA > -CUBA COMMEMORATES 55th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY OVER FASCISM > -INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM EXPLORES IMPACT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON HEALTH > -DECISIVE GAME IN BASEBALL PLAYOFFS TONIGHT > -Viewpoint: CUBA'S SUGAR INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO RECUPERATE > > >U.S. POSTPONES INDEFINITELY GRANTING VISAS TO ELIAN'S GRANDPARENTS > >Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The U.S. State Department has indefinitely postponed >granting visas to the grandparents of Elian Gonzalez. > >According to an official statement, released Tuesday evening by the Cuban >government, the maternal and paternal grandparents of Elian, along with the >grandparents of his seven-month-old baby brother, applied for entry visas at >the U.S. Interests Section on Friday, May 5th, and were led to believe that >they would receive the documents by Monday or, at the latest, on Tuesday. > >The official statement affirms that a small, private jet was in the air and >on its way to Havana to pick up the grandparents at 10:30 Tuesday morning. >But at 11 o'clock, the U.S. State Department surprisingly sent word to the >U.S. Interests Section in the Cuban capital -- informing its diplomatic >personnel that the visas would not be granted immediately and indefinitely >postponing the requests. > >The Cuban government stated that these types of strange and contradictory >actions by the U.S. State Department have characterized recent conduct by >Washington -- which includes placing obstacles in the way of Cuban diplomats >to visit Elian and his family in Maryland as well as refusing visas to >classmates and doctors who could help in the young boy's psychological >recuperation. This latest action by the U.S. government is added to >aggressive statements by high-ranking government officials and shameful >provocations by right wing Cuban-Americans in Miami. > >The Cuban government statement concludes by asking what U.S. officials fear >by allowing Elian's grandparents to visit him before the Atlanta appeals >court hearing that begins on Thursday. > > >ELIAN'S GRANDPARENTS CALL STATE DEPARTMENT VISA REFUSAL "INHUMANE" > >Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The grandparents of Elian Gonzalez have termed as >"inhumane" the U.S. State Department's refusal to grant them visas to travel >to the United States. > >During a news conference in Havana, the visibly upset grandparents stated >that with the refusal to allow them to see Elian, his father, his >step-mother and his half-brother, the Cuban child is no longer the only >person being held against his will. > >A tearful Raquel Rodriguez, who lost her daughter -- Elian's mother -- in >the fatal journey across the Florida Straits, said Elian is all she has >left. > >Questioned about their expectations concerning tomorrow's legal proceedings >in the case, the paternal grandfather, Juan Gonzalez, said they've received >so many blows that they don't which the next one will be. > >At the end of Wednesday's news conference, Cuban Parliament President >Ricardo Alarcon told reporters that this case is unprecedented, and that >even the absurd and the bizarre have their limits. > > >MAJORITY OF AMERICANS FAVOR RETURN OF ELIAN TO CUBA > >Washington, May 10 (RHC)-- Only twenty-four hours away from the beginning of >the Atlanta court of appeals hearings, the vast majority of Americans >surveyed support the return of Elian with his father to Cuba. > >The ZOGBY America national survey, which surveyed 1021 adults nationwide, >determined that 72.5 percent of those questioned believe that Elian should >return to Cuba with his father, Juan Miguel. 17.9 percent registered >disapproval of the boy's return to the island, while 9.6 percent were >unsure. > >>From an ethnic perspective, the same survey indicated that nearly 70 percent >of Hispanics believe the young boy should be returned to Cuba, along with 77 >percent of the white population and 80 percent of the African-American >populace. > > >21st TOURISM CONVENTION CONTINUES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL > >Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The 21st Tourism Convention continued today at >Havana's Pabexpo Exhibition Hall. As part of the Cuba 2000 event on >Wednesday morning, Cuba's Deputy Minister of Tourism, Eduardo Rodriguez de >la Vega, offered a lecture on the perspectives and development of tourism on >the island. > >In 1999, Cuba obtained almost five times the number of visitors and close to >eight times the revenues obtained from international tourism in 1990. He >added that 64 percent of the rooms are in the four and five-star categories >and practically all existing properties have been refurbished or upgraded. >The deputy minister of tourism said that although most of Cuba's tourist >development has been financed with domestic resources, foreign investment is >expected to play a significant role in coming years. Currently, there are 26 >joint venture companies established with a capital of more than 900 million >dollars. > >On Wednesday, the organizing committee of this year's tourism convention >also granted awards to the best stands presented at the trade fair. Panama, >Spain and Cuba received the top awards. > > >CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO WELCOMES THE MAYOR OF OVIEDO, SPAIN > >Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has received the Mayor >of Oviedo -- a city located in Spain's autonomous region of Asturias. >Gabino de Lorenzo has been in Cuba since last week, discussing arrangements >to make Oviedo and the Cuban central city of Santa Clara sister cities. > >According to news reports, Oviedo's delegation signed a cooperation protocol >with Santa Clara authorities. The accord provides for the donation of half a >million dollars over the next three years for the preservation of downtown >Santa Clara and the launching of other social projects. > >The delegation toured the city of Santa Clara and the Ernesto Che Guevara >Memorial where they made a statement strongly condemning the U.S. blockade >against Cuba. They also demanded the immediate return of six-year-old Elian >Gonzalez to his homeland. > > >PRESIDENT OF THE CANARY ISLANDS VISITS CUBA > >Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The President the Spanish Autonomous region of the >Canary Islands, Roman Rodriguez, is in Cuba on an official visit at the >invitation of the Cuban government. > >In statements to the press shortly after his arrival, the president of the >Canary Islands pointed out that his country and Cuba are united in history, >sentiments and common values. > >The president of the Canary Islands expressed his interest in broadening >cooperation with Cuba, mainly in the area of tourism. > > >CUBA COMMEMORATES 55th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY OVER FASCISM > >Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The victory over fascism by the former Soviet Union >was marked in Cuba with a military parade at the Mausoleum of the Soviet >Internationalist Soldier, located west of Havana. > >Speaking at the activity, Cuban Division General Samuel Rodriguez Planas >said that "the Cuban people fully appreciate the meaning of the victory of >May 9th, 1945." The Cuban general stressed that the Red Army victory over >fascism not only saved the lives of millions of people, but it also >preserved humanity's cultural legacy, spiritual world and sense of dignity. > >Meanwhile, Tuesday evening, Cuba's Defense Minister Raul Castro attended a >reception at the Russian Embassy on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of >the victory over fascism and the 40th anniversary of the resumption of >diplomatic relations between both countries. > >Also present at the reception were Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida >Bosque, Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and other high-ranking Cuban >officials. > > >INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM EXPLORES IMPACT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON HEALTH > >Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- An International Symposium entitled "The Impact of >Science and Technology on Health" got underway on Tuesday in Havana with the >participation of Cuban and foreign researchers. > >During the event, participants are discussing subjects related to primary >health care, medication and rehabilitation, as well as transmittable >diseases and environmental health. Experts from the European Union and UN >Population Fund are also on hand at the event. > >Observers note the event is also a good occasion for the negotiation of >funding of research in the field of health care and an opportunity to expose >foreign guests to the achievements of the Cuban Revolution in the field. > > >DECISIVE GAME IN BASEBALL PLAYOFFS TONIGHT > >Pinar del Rio, May 10 (RHC)-- Havana's Industriales will take on Pinar del >Rio in what will be THE game that will decide who will challenge the >defending national champions -- Santiago de Cuba -- in the finals on >Saturday. > >After Pinar del Rio's victory over the Industriales on Monday, the series >was tied three games to three. > >Pitching star Pedro Luis Lazo will be the starting pitcher for Pinar del Rio >and Lazado de la Torre will take the mound for the Industriales. > > >Viewpoint: CUBA'S SUGAR INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO RECUPERATE > >Although Cuba's sugar production during the 1980's reached a top figure >which has not been surpassed since, the national sugar industry has >seemingly entered a process of restoration that could lead the nation to the >recovery of its traditional leadership in the world sugar market. > >The sugar industry in Cuba is very closely linked to the history of the >country. Since the early 19904s, sugar production fell to some three >million, two hundred thousand tons in 1998 -- the lowest figure in fifty >years -- when scarce resources and adverse weather conditions struck the >island in an unfortunate combination. > >The situation began to change last year, when the country's production >reached nearly three million, eight hundred thousand tons. The improvements >are also shown in production during this present harvest, which has so far >reported nearly four million tons of sugar. > >Although it is still considered only a modest improvement, the present >harvest surpasses that of 1999 by 6.7 percent and the efficiency indicators >also show a significant increase. > >The economic strategy launched by the Sugar Industry Ministry consists of >an annual increase in production to over three hundred thousand tons, aimed >at fully stabilizing once it reaches more than seven million tons. > >The strategy, which is said to be the locomotive of the national economy, is >aimed at improving not only the harvests, but also agricultural and >industrial efficiency related to decreasing the cost of production and the >manufacture of quality products. > >Although tourism is currently the main source of hard currency in Cuba, the >sugar industry continues to be one of the most important economic sectors in >the country. More than one million seven hundred thousand people >economically depend on the sugar industry, either directly or indirectly. > >Furthermore, Cuba possesses the world's biggest infrastructure for the >production of sugarcane and its derivatives. We should remember that over >the last 40 years, sugar exports provided the country with over one hundred >billion dollars in gross income. > >With the collapse of the socialist camp in Eastern Europe in 1989, Cuban >exports suffered dramatic changes. For example, the production of sugar and >its derivatives represented 73 percent of foreign sales in 1989, while only >nine years later, in 1998, sugar only covered 42 percent of Cuban sales >abroad. > >The recovery of the Cuban economy, which began in 1994, is expected to bring >about an increase of 4 to 4.5 percent in the GDP this year. The fulfillment >of the sugar production plan will undoubtedly have a very favorable impact >on the island's economy. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba. 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