From: "Walter Lippmann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2002 22:35:38 +0800 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [CubaNews] Cuba's goals for 2001 (Granma) GRANMA December 31, 2001 LOOKING TOWARD 2002 Preserving what we've achieved and reducing damages to the population . Despite inevitable restrictions imposed by the world economic crisis, the price drop for some exports and the decrease in tourism, plus the effects of Hurricane Michelle, the country attempts to maintain levels of food, health care and electricity achieved in recent years BY LILLIAM RIERA (Granma International staff writer) PRESERVING the achievements of the last few years in aspects such as food, health care and electricity, and guaranteeing recovery after Hurricane Michelle - which damaged 45% of national territory, containing 53% of the population - are priorities in Cuba for 2002. At a meeting with provincial government leaders in December, Vice President Carlos Lage highlighted the main ideas to be kept in mind when planning for the new year, given that Cuba 's sustained economic recovery has been affected by the international crisis, the consequences of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and the U.S. war in Afghanistan. He referred to the efforts being made to keep damage to the population to a minimum, taking into account the hard blow to the island occasioned by the fall in the prices of many important exports such as sugar and nickel, as well as the drop in the number of tourists, resulting in a decrease in Cuba's dollar income. Lage pointed out that food aid was given to areas affected by the hurricane. Lage stressed that it was essential to take special measures such as centralizing some decisions to guarantee more control, efficiency and organization in production and services. He emphasized the need to avoid any rise in unemployment and layoffs, as the difficulties we face are only temporary. Other ideas he outlined included preventing an excess of money in circulation, thus guaranteeing that there will be no return to those times when there was an unfavorable balance in domestic finances and the Cuban peso lost value. He stressed that it is also important to boost quality, low-cost production, while making the best decisions about good that are more costly to produce than to import. In a November 2 television appearance, President Fidel Castro stated that well-thought-out measures were being applied to protect the economy, and that these would not hurt the population. The Cuban leader pointed out that shops selling merchandise in dollars would not be closed, agricultural markets would be maintained, not one centavo would be added to the official prices of the country's goods and services - for both rationed and non-rationed products - and that the value of the Cuban peso would be defended resolutely. If Cuba is able to overcome those difficult challenges, it is because "the country is more organized and economically and politically stronger," Lage indicated during the inauguration of this year's 19th Havana Trade Fair. Held October 28-November 4, the 19th Fair was attended by 1,660 companies from 60 nations, including the United States, demonstrating confidence in the island's economy. At the close of the first nine months of the current year, Cuba had been experiencing a stable economic recovery: trade with other countries was up 12% more than the same period in 1999 and 5% more than in 2000; exports had grown by 9% and imports by 3%. The political will of the government has made new educational, social and cultural programs a reality. Many primary schools now teach computer skills and have VCRs and TV sets in each classroom. Schools located in remote mountain zones have the same opportunities to access national audiovisual programs, thanks to the installation of more than 2,000 solar panels. Similarly, continuing to improve social justice and as an example of the humanism a society can offer, four social workers training colleges have been inaugurated. Fidel compared those colleges' graduates to "an army" aimed at understanding people's problems and needs firsthand. All those efforts are being carried out in the midst of a colossal battle of ideas. Cubans have not ceased demanding an end to Washington's economic war against the island and the unjust and criminal legislation that has stepped up that war, such as the Torricelli, Helms-Burton and Cuban Adjustment Acts. The latter encourages illegal immigration and person smuggling across the Florida Strait. This year the United Nations General Assembly approved, for the 10th consecutive time, Resolution 56/9, entitled "The need to end the economic, trade and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba." An overwhelming majority of 167 countries gave their approval, representing 88.35% out of a total of the 189 UN member countries and 93.4% of the 179 countries authorized to vote in the General Assembly, taking into account that 10 nations were unable to vote due to arrears in their dues. With the conviction that justice will prevail, Cubans have added to their demands the release of their five fellow countrymen unjustly sentenced in the United States, after a rigged Miami trial. The five Cubans were found guilty of spying, when in fact they were only seeking information from within terrorist groups in the United States that plan actions against Cuba, with Washington's complicity. Cuba has led the fight against the application of the annexationist plans of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The May Day rally in Havana was the first great Latin American demonstration against the FTAA, in front of Washington's Interest Office in the capital. More than 600,000 people participated, shouting the slogan launched by Fidel of "Annexation NO! Plebiscite YES!". Another event that took place on November 13-16 in Havana was the Hemispheric Encounter against the FTAA, attended by 800 delegates from 39 countries. As an example of the valuable support Cuba received from other countries this year, the 4th World Encounter of Solidarity with Cuba was attended by 200 trade union organizations from 58 nations. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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