>Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit > >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 15 May 2000 > > > -CUBAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH HIS COUNTERPART FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS > -11th NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON ORTHOPEDICS HELD IN CIENFUEGOS > -9th CONGRESS OF CUBAN SMALL FARMERS UNDERWAY IN HAVANA > -HOUSING PROGRAM UNDERWAY IN EASTERN GUANTANAMO PROVINCE > -HAVANA'S 10th INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL AND COMPETITION UNDERWAY > -CUBAN SPORTS MOVEMENT UNDER ATTACK, BUT DEFENDED BY AN ENTIRE PEOPLE > -Viewpoint: CUBA'S FARMERS PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE ISLAND'S FUTURE > > >CUBAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH HIS COUNTERPART FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS > >Havana, May 15 (RHC)-- The visiting President of the Canary Islands, Roman >Rodriguez, expressed his pleasure at meeting Cuban President Fidel Castro, >calling this weekend's encounter "very interesting." Both leaders reviewed >the current state of bilateral relations and exchanged views on various >issues. > >During a news conference Sunday evening with national and international >journalists, the president of the Spanish autonomous region stated that >conditions exist for expanded and strengthened bilateral relations with the >Caribbean island. The Spanish dignitary pointed to the historical ties of >friendship and solidarity that exist between the two peoples. > >Asked by reporters about the case of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez, who is >still being illegally held in the United States against his father's wishes, >the president of the Canary Islands came out strongly in favor of returning >the boy to Cuba. He noted that international law clearly stipulates that the >boy belongs with his father and immediate family. > > >11th NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON ORTHOPEDICS HELD IN CIENFUEGOS > >Cienfuegos, May 15 (RHC)-- Renowned Cuban orthopedists along with foreign >experts participated in the 11th National Conference on Orthopedics, which >wrapped up over the weekend in central Cienfuegos province. Cuba's >achievements in the field were demonstrated during the five-day event, >especially regarding the application of minor surgery. > >Rodrigo Alvares Cambra, a well-known Cuban orthopedist, offered a lecture on >the general principles and possible complications of the technique, as well >as its specific use to treat different bone diseases. > >The island's advances in orthopedics has been internationally recognized, >particularly regarding the treatment of athletes. > >The National Scientific Conference on Orthopedics also included a roundtable >on the treatment of hip fractures, considered a challenge for the new >millennium. > > >9th CONGRESS OF CUBAN SMALL FARMERS UNDERWAY IN HAVANA > >Havana, May 15 (RHC)-- The 9th Congress of Cuba's National Association of >Small Farmers (ANAP) got underway on Monday at Havana's International >Convention Center with the participation of some 800 delegates, representing >agricultural cooperatives throughout Cuba. > >Participants at the congress are discussing issues of crucial importance for >small farmers -- particularly economic efficiency and the need to increase >production levels. > >The strengthening of relations between ANAP and the island's Ministries of >Sugar and Agriculture -- especially in terms of joining efforts to boost >national production of agricultural products -- is also a priority on the >event's agenda. > >On Monday, delegates gathered in working commissions to focus on the >association's local structure and organizational operations, the need to >improve farmer's participation in decision-making policies and attention to >independent farmers and cooperatives. ANAP President Orlando Lugo Fonte >stressed the need to reach objective agreements that have a direct impact on >the life of the organization. > >The Association of Small Cuban Farmers is made up of more than 200,000 >members grouped in more than 1100 agricultural cooperatives. There are also >some 3400 independent farmers who contribute 50 percent of all the >vegetables and grain production sold by the organization. ANAP is also >responsible for 42 percent of the nation's total livestock potential and 84 >percent of Cuba's tobacco production. > > >HOUSING PROGRAM UNDERWAY IN EASTERN GUANTANAMO PROVINCE > >Guantanamo, May 15 (RHC)-- Some 150 new homes have already been built so far >this year in eastern Guantanamo province as part of a program to construct >1000 homes in southern municipalities of that Cuban province. > >The program is aimed at improving the living conditions of residents and >will be extended to other rural areas. The government provides construction >materials, while those who will move into the new houses provide labor and >local resources. > >The program also includes repairs to some 10,000 houses and the paving of >dirt roads in urban as well as rural areas. > > >HAVANA'S 10th INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL AND COMPETITION GETS UNDERWAY > >Havana, May 15 (RHC)-- The 10th Havana International Guitar Festival and >Competition got underway over the weekend in the Cuban capital. > >Sixteen national and international participants are taking part in the >event, as well as guests from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Spain, >Finland, Japan, Mexico, France, Greece, Holland, Italy and Uruguay. > >Considered one of the world's most prestigious musical festivals, Havana's >10th International Guitar Festival and Competition is organized by Cuba's >Music Institute in cooperation with the General Society of Authors and >Editors and the Author Foundation. > >For eight days, Havana residents have a unique opportunity to enjoy a packed >program of musical activities that include concerts, recitals, conferences, >lectures, workshops and exhibitions -- all of them related to the world >famous musical instrument: the guitar. > >The event's opening session on Saturday included the inauguration of an art >exhibit entitled "The Guitar" by renowned painter Leonel Lopez-Nussa and a >gala concert by Australian classical guitarist John Williams. > > >CUBAN SPORTS MOVEMENT COMES UNDER ATTACK, >BUT IS DEFENDED BY AN ENTIRE PEOPLE > >Havana, May 15 (RHC)-- The President of the Cuban Sports Institute, Humberto >Rodriguez, has once again reiterated Cuba's position in defense of its >athletes and the island's sports movement in general. > >Published in this morning's edition of Granma newspaper, an open letter >written by Rodriguez is in response to one from Loring Baker, General >Secretary of the International Amateur Boxing Association. Baker's letter >is highly-critical of Cuba, suggesting that other sanctions could possibly >be leveled against the island's sports officials. > >Humberto Rodriguez maintains his criticism for the biased work conducted by >the Association's legal commission and especially its president, Ricardo >Contreras. Contreras, far from leading an investigation into Cuba's claims >and protests following the Houston tournament, actually began to accuse >Cuba. Rodriguez pointed out that the whole issue could have been avoided if >the Association and the Commission would have worked on it following the >principles of the Olympic movement and by implementing the many proposals >suggested by Cuban specialists as a way to improve the work of the >international association. > >About a week ago, the executive committee of the International Amateur >Boxing Association sanctioned three Cuban boxing officials for having >withdrawn from the Houston world tournament last year, after protesting a >series of irregular procedures on the part of a group of referees and >arbiters. Five Cuban boxers were affected by those irregularities. > >At the time, Cuba registered its protest and released a well-documented >report on the negative conduct of some judges and referees that have >affected the world of amateur boxing over the past 12 years. > >Cuba is not the only country that has complained about what is going on >inside the Association throughout these years, but it has been severely >punished for exposing those irregularities. > > >Viewpoint: > >CUBA'S FARMERS PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE ISLAND'S FUTURE > >The 9th Congress of the Association of Small Farmers -- ANAP -- is underway >in Havana. The organization groups private farmers who own the land they >work. The event was preceded by meetings islandwide, gathering over 200,000 >members of the organization who discussed ways to boost agricultural >production. > >ANAP members are responsible for 90 percent of tobacco production, 42.4 >percent of cattle production and grow 60 percent of the island's vegetables. > >Members of ANAP today make up hundreds of cattle raising and agricultural >cooperatives, as well as credits and services cooperatives. According to >ANAP officials, they are fully aware of their responsibility to contributing >to feeding the Cuban people. > >At the center of the ANAP's 9th Congress is how to improve economic >efficiency of the cooperatives and how to implement initiatives that will >help circumvent objective shortages of supplies, with fuel ranking first on >the list. > >Although more than 100 cooperatives and 3000 individual farmers >significantly improved their productive performance last year, with 52 >percent of the island's production of vegetables, the sector is far from >fully reaching its capacity. > >Small private farmers in Cuba, whether as part of cooperatives or as >individual producers, should work hard to achieve efficiency, put an end to >cattle rustling and the misuse of resources, as well as improve the >marketing of their produce, through better ties with state marketing >enterprises. > >Despite the steady economic growth reported on the island over the past six >years, Cuban consumers complain about the high prices of produce at farmer's >markets, where prices are set by supply and demand. Consumers insist that if >cooperative and state production increased, prices would be more reasonable. > >Although basic staples are guaranteed by the state through the ration card >at subsidized prices, they are still insufficient to cover people's needs -- >hence the importance of seeing a drop of prices in farmer's markets. The >Association of Small Farmers is expected to play an important role in making >sure that happens. > >Farmers are very much aware that Cuba's difficult economic situation makes >the island dependant on agriculture in order to satisfy its people's food >needs. This is why debates at the 9th Congress of the Association of Small >Farmers, which runs through Wednesday, will be closely watched -- not only >by its own members but also by Cubans from all walks of life. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba. 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