CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA
                           May 5th, 1997                 
                       E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org


The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International
Shortwave Service in English for Monday, May 5th, 1997. Today's stories: 

1.- CUBAN OIL WORKERS KEEP GOOD PACE

2.- LOCAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS FOR THE 14TH WORLD FESTIVAL OF 
    YOUTH AND STUDENTS AT MORE THAN 19 MILLION PESOS

3.- HAVANA HOSTS THE 2ND IBEROAMERICAN CONGRESS ON CULTURAL   
    POLICIES

4.- CUBA'S PARLIAMENT CALLS ON PUBLIC HEARING.


CUBAN OIL WORKERS KEEP GOOD PACE

Havana, May 5(RHC)-- Cuba's Basic Industry authorities have described
domestic oil production as satisfactory. Current estimates put extraction
levels for the first 4 months of 1997 at four hundred thousand tons of
crude. An article published Monday by the Cuban weekly "Trabajadores",
says the is year's production plan --of one million five hundred thousand
tons-- will be fulfilled as scheduled. "Trabajadores" says natural
exhaustion of some fields will not hinder the targeted production for
1997. Oil experts quoted by the paper say the exploration of new wells
and introduction of high technology in the old ones will balance the
situation.

"Trabajadores" termed the 22 exploration contracts signed with foreign
companies as key for the completion of the plan. Those contracts include
oil prospecting along more than 15 hundred kilometers of seismic lines
and the drilling of seven wells.

The weekly newspaper noted that, in cooperation with the Canadian
company Sherrit, Cuba will soon begin drilling operations on the southern
coast of eastern Ciego de Avila province. Drilling of a new oil well near
Varadero, in eastern Matanzas province, was recently concluded. Once in
full capacity, this well is expected to surpass the average production for
the Varadero area.

LOCAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS FOR THE 14TH WORLD FESTIVAL OF
YOUTH AND STUDENTS AT MORE THAN 19 MILLION PESOS

Havana, May 5(RHC)-- Cubans have contributed more than 19 million pesos
to help finance the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students slated from
August 28th to July 5th in Cuba.  Sources from the event's Organizing
Committee say contributions in dollars amount to more than one hundred
and thirty thousand. Contributions come from both
individuals and organizations.

In related news, the Cuban Ministry of Interior has presented Youth
leaders with one million pesos for the summer event. And, the president
of the Swiss ASCOR company, Mamadou Ciss, also donated 15 tons of rice
for the youth festival.

In addition, thousands of Cuban families have volunteered to play hosts
to festival delegates. Organizations from 125 nations have expressed their
interest in coming to Cuba next summer.

The 14th World Festival of Youth and Students will be the first fully
self-financed youth event of its kind in the last fifty years.

HAVANA HOSTS THE 2ND IBEROAMERICAN CONGRESS ON CULTURAL
POLICIES

Havana, May 5(RHC)-- Two hundred intellectuals, economists,
educators, and scientists are in attendance at the 2nd Iberoamerican
Congress on Cultural policies underway in Havana. On the agenda are
debates on 80 papers, workshops, special conferences, and seminars. At
issue are problems related to culture in the community, the role of
artists and intellectuals, the economy, and tourism, identity and
crossbreeding.

Mexican Alfredo Cuellar, director of the Tamaulipas Research Center and
Jose Caballero, Mayor of Alcobendas, in Spain, are among the
personalities attending the event.

Exhibitions, launching of books and the workshops "The Economy in
Culture", "Reading Problems" and "Women's Rights in Society" are
considered among the most attractive alternatives of the 2nd
Iberoamerican Congress on Cultural Policies.

CUBA'S PARLIAMENT CALLS ON PUBLIC HEARING

Havana, May 5(RHC)-- The impact of technology in production will be the
subject of a public hearing called by the Cuban National Assembly next
June 14th.  The hearing will bring together more than two
hundred parliamentarians, experts and executives from several Cuban
companies. The focus of the hearing will be devolopment, transference
and assimilation of technologies, and their role within the Cuban economic
scenario.


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