CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA December 10, 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taking from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Wednesday, December 10, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO PRESIDES OVER FUNERAL CEREMONY FOR CARLOS RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ 2.- DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF BARBADOS RETURNS HOME 3.- MORE SOUTH AFRICANS WILL STUDY MEDICINE IN CUBA 4.- UNESCO DIRECTOR GENERAL WILL SOON VISIT THE ISLAND 5.- MORE CUBAN EMIGRES WILL VISIT HOME THIS MONTH 6.- POPE JOHN PAUL II SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO DURING HIS VISIT NEXT MONTH 7.- RECOVERY EXPECTED IN CUBAN SUGAR INDUSTRY CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO PRESIDES OVER FUNERAL CEREMONY FOR CARLOS RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ Havana, December 10(RHC)-- Following a solemn ceremony presided over by Cuban President Fidel Castro, the body of Carlos Rafael Rodriguez was laid to rest yesterday afternoon at the Colon Cemetery here in the Cuban capital. Carlos Rafael died Monday at the age of 84. He had been a principal figure in the struggle for Cuba's definitive independence, achieved in 1959. Surrounded by family members and friends -- and in the presence of Fidel and Minister of the Army General Raul Castro, along with Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and other leaders of the Cuban government -- the coffin was placed in the pantheon of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces. Ricardo Alarcon, President of the National Assembly of People's Power, delivered the eulogy. Alarcon praised the loyalty of Carlos Rafael Rodriguez, saying that he had lived a long life dedicated to the defense of the Cuban Revolution. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF BARBADOS RETURNS HOME Havana, December 10(RHC)-- The Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados, Billie Miller, wound up a four-day official visit to Cuba on Wednesday. During her stay on the island, the Barbadian diplomat met with Cuban President Fidel Castro and signed an important scientific-technical and economic cooperation accord with Havana. Shortly before leaving Cuba, Miller, who is also Tourism and International Transportation and Foreign Minister of Barbados, said "it was a privilege to meet with President Fidel Castro." She termed their encounter "cordial and friendly." Billie Miller also met with Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina and other high-ranking government officials. The Barbadian deputy prime minister's visit to the island coincided with celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the English-speaking Caribbean islands of Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. MORE SOUTH AFRICANS WILL STUDY MEDICINE IN CUBA Havana, December 10(RHC)-- South African Health Minister Ayanda Tsaluba says another 40 South Africans will study medicine in Cuba beginning next school year. The scholarships are included in agreements signed by the two countries. The South Africans will study in Sancti Spiritus province, where ten South African students are in their first year of medical studies. The South African deputy health minister is in Cuba, heading a team of experts in charge of selecting the fourth group of Cuban doctors who will work in South Africa beginning next January. UNESCO DIRECTOR GENERAL WILL SOON VISIT THE ISLAND Havana, December 10(RHC)-- UNESCO Director General Federico Mayor and the President of UNESCO's General Conference Eduardo Portela will be on hand for the International Colloquium "Ethics and Emancipation in Felix Varela's Thinking," scheduled to take place in the Cuban capital from December 16th through the 18th. During the international gathering, experts will discuss the ideas of Cuban Catholic priest Felix Varela, whose canonization is currently being considered by the Vatican. In its call for the colloquium, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization stressed Felix Varela's profound influence in Cuban society. MORE CUBAN EMIGRES WILL VISIT HOME THIS MONTH Havana, December 10(RHC)-- The Director of the Cuban Foreign Ministry's Office for Cubans Residing Abroad, Jose Cabanas, says that some 15,000 Cuban emigres who live in the United States will travel to the Caribbean island in December. The Foreign Ministry official stressed that the figure is an indication of the good relations between the Cuban nation and its emigres -- in line with current efforts to facilitate relations between Cuban immigrants and their relatives on the island. Cabanas said that before leaving the United States, the Cuban emigres must sign a statement indicating that they have not travelled to Cuba during the past 12 months and pledging that they will travel through a third country, as stipulated by an existing ban on travel to Cuba. The high-ranking Cuban Foreign Ministry official pointed out that money remittances sent by Cuban emigres to their relatives on the island are not great and noted that Cuban authorities do not restrict or tax those remittances as occurs in other countries. Jose Cabanas recalled that December 20th will mark another anniversary of the first meeting between emigres and Cuban Government authorities, organized by the U.S.-based Antonio Maceo Brigade. POPE JOHN PAUL II SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO DURING HIS VISIT NEXT MONTH Havana, December 10(RHC)-- Pope John Paul II will meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro on January 22nd in Havana's Revolution Palace as part of the Pontiff's visit to the Caribbean island. In statements to journalists, Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega revealed details of the Pope's tour of the island, scheduled for January 21st through the 25th. According to the program, the Pontiff will hold morning, public masses in the cities of Santa Clara, Camaguey, Santiago de Cuba and Havana. Cardinal Ortega said the masses will deal with issues such as family, youth and the nation. The Pope is also scheduled to meet with Cuban intellectuals at the University of Havana's Master Lecture Hall, with patients at El Rincon Leprosy Center and with members of other religious denominations on the island. RECOVERY EXPECTED IN CUBAN SUGAR INDUSTRY Havana, December 10(RHC)-- Cuban Sugar Industry Ministry officials say that despite the fact that the recently begun sugar harvest will be lower than the previous one, a recovery is expected in the area following the application of measures such as cost reduction and an increase in yields per hectare. During a national seminar on the current situation of the island's sugar industry, Sugar Ministry officials stressed the need to achieve more efficient harvests and increase mechanization, organization and technological discipline. [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. For the complete RADIO HAVANA CUBA NEWSCAST and other features, please write for our daily broadcast schedule. We welcome your comments and suggestions. For further information, contact us at: Postal Address: Radio Havana Cuba P.O.Box 6240 Havana, Cuba Telephone: (53) (7) 814243 Fax: (53) (7) 812927 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org