CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA December 8, 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taking from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Monday, December 8, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- FOREIGN MINISTER OF BARBADOS BEGINS FOUR-DAY VISIT 2.- ASSOCIATION OF COMBATANTS OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION ISSUE CALL FOR FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE 3.- CUBA SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN SPAIN 4.- CUBAN FILM FESTIVAL IS A BIG HIT IN HAVANA 5.- CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE PROJECTS ECONOMIC GROWTH AT 2.5 PERCENT 6.- ECONOMIC PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE DISCUSSED DURING CUBAN PARLIAMENT'S UPCOMING SESSION 7.- AND IN SPORTS... DEBORA ANDOLLO SETS NEW WORLD RECORD FOREIGN MINISTER OF BARBADOS BEGINS FOUR-DAY VISIT TO CUBA Havana, December 8(RHC)-- The Foreign Minister of Barbados, Billie A. Miller, arrived in the Cuban capital yesterday, Sunday. She was accompanied by a high-level delegation, composed of business representatives and other dignitaries from Barbados. Miller, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Caribbean island's Tourist Institute, was welcomed at Jose Marti International Airport by Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and Deputy Foreign Minister Jorge Bolanos. The foreign minister of Barbados will visit economic and tourist facilities during her four-day visit to Cuba. She is also here in Cuba to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Barbados and other nations of the Caribbean with Cuba. The visit comes following the Cuba-CARICOM Mixed Commission, held here in Havana last week. The Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, attended that gathering along with representatives of the 14 CARICOM member- nations. ASSOCIATION OF COMBATANTS OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION ISSUE CALL FOR FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE Havana, December 8(RHC)-- Cubans commemorated the 101th anniversary of the death in combat of Cuban independence hero Antonio Maceo with a call to hold the First National Conference of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution on December 5th next year. The call for the First Conference of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution -- founded on December 7th, 1993 -- was made Sunday at the mausoleum of El Cacahual, where the remains of Maceo and his aide-de-camp Panchito Gomez Toro are buried. The Veterans' Association Vice President, Brigade General Gustavo Chui, said that the National Conference will be proceeded by a broad process of analysis and strengthening of its grassroots, as well as a review of the organization's work over the past five years. At the rally, Division General Ruben Martinez Puente praised Antonio Maceo's courage. He said that Maceo "is a model of how revolutionaries are to act under difficult conditions." Patriotism, the sense of duty and unconditional loyalty to the principles of independence -- which guided Maceo's revolutionary life -- were praised by General Martinez Puente. Meanwhile on Sunday, Cubans also commemorated the eighth anniversary of "Operation Tribute." On December 8th, 1989, the remains of Cuban combatants who died in internationalist missions in Africa were laid to rest in Cuban cemeteries. Cubans from all walks of life paid homage to the internationalists on Sunday with pilgrimages to the tombs and monuments erected in their honor islandwide. CUBA SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE UNDERWAY IN SPAIN Madrid, December 8(RHC)-- The Fourth Friendship with Cuba Meeting continued in the Galician city of Oleiros with a rally in support of the Caribbean island. The gathering is being attended by more than 130 delegates from some 100 Cuba Solidarity Organizations in Spain and Portugal. At the rally held over the weekend at Oleiro's Jose Marti Park, participants rejected Washington's economic blockade against Cuba. Speakers at the rally included Oleiro's Mayor Esther Pita and Cuban diplomat in Spain, Alfredo Ruiz. Representatives from Cuba and authorities from Oleiros and Santiago de Compostela, the main venue of the solidarity gathering, were also on hand. During Sunday's sessions, the more than 100 delegates participating at the forum discussed the coordination of actions in solidarity with Cuba as well as ways to finance development projects on the island. CUBAN FILM FESTIVAL IS A BIG HIT IN HAVANA Havana, December 8(RHC)-- As the first week of the 19th International Festival of New Latin American film drew to a close, Argentina appeared to be the country presenting the films most likely to take the festival's Coral Awards. During the 19th Festival's first week, five directors have stood out. First on the list is Argentina's Marcelo Pinyera and his "Ashes from Paradise." Pinyera won Radio Havana Cuba's Film Festival Award two years ago with his film "Tango Feroz." Another Argentinean offering: "Martin H" by Adolfo Aristarain, the director of "Time of Revenge" and "Bajo Bandera" by Argentinean Juan Jose Jussid, the same filmaker who gave us "Made In Argentina." And finally, Argentinean Eliseo Subiela is on the list with his "Small Miracles." Added to this group of well-known directors is a film director making his debut: Alejandro Maci, who worked with the late director Maria Luisa Bember as her assistant on the movie "One Doesn't Speak of Such Things." Maci took on the task of finishing the great director's last project, which she was working on when she died. It is entitled "The Imposter." Argentinean films have come of age after having vented its political rage during the 1980's -- after years of a bloody dictatorship imposed upon the nation. Today's cinema is more measured and balanced, though every bit as powerful. Although Argentina has produced many excellent films, they are made with a fraction of the money spent on Hollywood movies and many are co-productions such as Aristarain's "Martin H," which was made with Spanish financing. CUBAN VICE PRESIDENT CARLOS LAGE PROJECTS ECONOMIC GROWTH AT 2.5 PERCENT Havana, December 8(RHC)-- Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage stated that the Cuban economy will increase by 2.5 percent this year, despite objective and climatic difficulties faced by the island's sugar harvest and Washington's blockade. In statements to Prensa Latina News Agency, Lage said that tourism, national industry and foreign investments have experienced good growth levels, contributing to the recovery tendency. The Cuban vice president stressed that in the field of tobacco, the island will have produced 100 million cigars by year's end. ECONOMIC PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE DISCUSSED DURING CUBAN PARLIAMENT'S UPCOMING SESSION Havana, December 8(RHC)-- The Cuban economy's plan for 1998 will be high on the agenda of the upcoming ordinary session of the National Assembly of People's Power, scheduled for December 13th in the Cuban capital. Observers say that the text of next year's economic plan should be demanding, in line with a difficult year caused by financial restrictions. According to the Cuban weekly "Trabajadores," the economic plan will not be enforced as law but will instead be "an important instrument of control and management," since it would include the country's short-term macroeconomic objectives. AND IN SPORTS... DEBORA ANDOLLO SETS NEW WORLD RECORD Isla de la Juventud, December 8(RHC)-- Cuban deep sea diver Debora Andollo set a new world record Friday -- reaching a depth of 65 meters in constant ballast and without using any breathing apparatus. The quest, which took a little longer than expected -- one minute and five seconds to submerge and one minute and 27 seconds to reach the surface -- was verified by judges from the World Confederation of Underwater Activities. The new record was established just off the coast of Cuba's Isle of Youth, located south of Havana. Debora Andollo has extended her reign now to 12 world marks and has beaten her own previous record by three meters. Five years ago, 65 meters was the record for men in the sport. In addition, the new record has now been achieved by a woman. Interviewed by Granma newspaper, Andollo said that the record is the result of very rigorous training, something which is almost impossible to bear. She said that her physical preparation allowed her to come to the surface using a new swimming technique -- similar to that of Umberto Pellisari, the Italian diver and holder of several world records for men. Andollo explained that she ascended with her arms extended forward which is more advantageous but requires more muscular and physical capacity. The 30-year-old diver left Cuba's national synchronized swimming team six years ago to devote herself to deep sea diving. Only 13 months ago she was in a severe car accident. However, in July of this year, the waters of the Italian island of Sadinia were the scenario for her first record after the accident. Now, 65 meters in constant ballast is her first record established in Cuban waters after the November 1996 accident. With two world records in just one year, she is definitely "The Queen of the Deep Seas." [c] 1997. Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. This prohibition includes the distribution of this material via Usenet News, "bulletin board" services, e-mail lists, print media, radio and television. 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