CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA May 19th, 1997 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Monday, May 19th, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBANS PAY TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL HERO JOSE MARTI ON THE 102ND ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH IN COMBAT 2.- CUBA'S COMMUNIST PARTY WILL SUBMIT TO PUBLIC DISCUSSION MAIN DOCUMENT OF ITS 5TH CONGRESS 3.- 7TH PASTORS FOR PEACE DELEGATION OFFICIALLY WELCOMED IN HAVANA 4.- CUBANS LIVING ABROAD EXPRESS INTEREST IN ATTENDING YOUTH FESTIVAL IN CUBA 5.- CUBA'S NICKEL INDUSTRY: A PROMISING FUTURE 6.- SUGAR HARVEST MOVES TOWARDS AUTOMATION 7.- THE BARRIENTOS TRACK AND FIELD MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT CONCLUDED IN HAVANA 8.- CUBA WINS THE FIRST TWO GAMES AT THE MEN'S WOLRD VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE CUBANS PAY TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL HERO JOSE MARTI ON THE 102ND ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH IN COMBAT Havana, May 19(RHC)-- With ceremonies in work places and schools, Cubans paid tribute to 19th century independece hero, Jose Marti on the 102nd anniversary of his death in combat, Monday. Jose Marti -also known in Cuba as the Apostle of Cuban indepence- was a brilliant poet, journalist and political analyst, and an intellectual who fought and died for his beliefs. Those beliefs are the basis upon which today's Cuban Revolution is being built. Marti's commitment to true equality among Cubans and the island's true independence in the world, are the roots of Cuba's new society. On the ocassion floral wreaths were laid on Marti's tomb in Santiago de Cuba's Santa Ifigenia Cementery. On the day, the newly created National Office on Marti's Legacy, that gathers historians and scholars on the life and work of the island's national hero, was officially inaugurated. CUBA'S COMMUNIST PARTY WILL SUBMIT TO PUBLIC DISCUSSION MAIN DOCUMENT OF ITS 5TH CONGRESS Havana, May 19th(RHC)-- Starting next month, Cubans will publicly discuss the central document to be presented at the 5th Congress of Cuba's Communist Party. Speaking to Havana's Radio Rebelde radio station, Communist Party Political Bureau member, Jose Ramon Machado, said that public debates on the document will make it possible for Cubans, especially young people, to get acquainted with the historical antecedents that gave birth to Cuba's single-party political system. The 5th Congress of the Cuban Communist Party will be held from October 8th to the 10th with the participation of 1.500 delegates representing the island's 720 000 party membership. Candidates for delegates to the Congress are now being elected nationwide. During the three-day congress the Communist Party's Central Committee-made up of 220 members- will be re-elected. 7TH PASTORS FOR PEACE DELEGATION OFFICIALLY WELCOMED IN HAVANA Havana, May 19(RHC)-- Pastors for Peace leader, the Reverend Lucius Walker, stated that the latest aid caravan to Cuba was "a new victory against Washington's blockade against the island." The statement came upon his arrival in Havana at the head of nearly 30 activists, joining the more than one hundred who arrived on Saturday. They include activists from the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe. The 7th Pastors for Peace caravan was officially welcomed this afternoon during a ceremony held at Ciudad Libertad -- the main military base of the Batista dictatorship before the triumph of the Revolution. The base was converted into an educational complex after 1959 -- consisting of seven primary schools, three high schools, two daycare centers, an art center, libraries, a gymnasium and sports training center. Members of the Pastors for Peace delegation were given a guided-tour of the complex by the school children themselves and had an opportunity to talk with Cuban young people about their studies and aspirations. This Friendshipment Caravan is dedicated to Cuban children. Among the items donated by the U.S. religious/solidarity group -- as well as other international organizations working with Pastors for Peace -- are several school busses, a mobile library filled with children's books, an ambulance, medicines, computers, musical instruments and toys. During their week-long stay on the island, the activists will visit hospitals, schools, agricultural cooperatives and other places of social and cultural interest. CUBANS LIVING ABROAD EXPRESS INTEREST IN ATTENDING YOUTH FESTIVAL IN CUBA Havana, May 19(RHC)-- Young people from the Cuban community abroad -including those living in Miami- have expressed interest in participating in the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students which will be held on the island this summer. The announcement was made by the head of the event's organizing committee, Rogelio Polanco in a weekly news briefing with the press in Havana. Polanco said Cuban young people living abroad who have maintained an attitude of respect toward their country, will be welcome at the youth event. Polanco noted that the participation of young Cuban living outside the island is very importance because they will share opinions and experiences with youth living here in Cuba. >From July 28th to August 5th, 1997 the island will be open to young people,students, organizations, associations, NGOs and local, regional, national and international institutions interested in attending the festival without regard to race, sex, religious or ideological orientation. Debates will focus on security, a nuclear free world and international cooperation, the anti-imperialist struggle, solidarity, national liberation, sovereignty and self-determination, human rights and people's rights, democracy and participation, health, education, science and technology, employment, young women, childhood, culture and social communication, discrimination, racism and neo-fascism, the environment and development, and the international youth and student movement. CUBA'S NICKEL INDUSTRY: A PROMISING FUTURE Havana, May 19(RHC)-- Cuba's nickel industry aspires to become one of the most efficient the world over. A report in today's edition of the "Trabajadores" Weekly asserts that nickel production could place Cuba in the world's elite of that area of mining before the end of the 20th century. The weekly adds that to achieve that goal, just one of Cuba's three nickel plants, -the "Rene Ramos Latour"-, must increase productivity. The "Che Guevara" and "Pedro Sotto Alba" plants are already working at full capacity. According to "Trabajadores", the "Pedro Sotto Alba" in the Moa municipality in eastern Cuba, is currently the world's most efficient open-air nickel and cobalt mine, with the capacity of producing one ton of nickel with just five tons of oil. In 1996, Cuba produced 55 thousand tons of nickel. SUGAR HARVEST MOVES TOWARDS AUTOMATION Havana, May 19(RHC)-- Automation is finding its way into Cuba's sugar industry. Monday's Trabajadores weekly newspaper reported that 28 of the island's 156 sugar mills will be automated by the next harvest with the introduction of two new technologies. Two Cuban-made high-tech equipment: the "Opacimetro" and the "Automata" will make it possible to automate principal production procedures. An e article in Trabajadores newspaper explains that with the "Automata", sugar workers will be able to automatically perform scheduled sequences in specific areas such as starting engines and measuring time and temperature, among other activities. Meanwhile, "Opacimetro", is a sensor that measures the opacity of smoke in boilers. It will allow the improvement of the quality of combustion, during the sugar-manufacturing process. These two new Cuban equipment are two to three times cheaper than similar equipment imported. Their production cost is expected to be recovered very rapidly. THE BARRIENTOS TRACK AND FIELD MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT CONCLUDED IN HAVANA Havana, May 19th(RHC)-- Cuban star runner Ana Fidelia Quirot was the greatest attraction at the recently wound up 47th edition of the Barientos track and field Memorial tournament held ulnder bad weather in Havana over the weekend. Last seen in action during the Atlanta OLympic games, Ana Fidelia Quirot set a ew record in women's 800 meter race at the tournament. He time: one minute, 58 seconds and 77 hundredths, thus improving her mark of one mine 58 seconds and 80 hundredths, established in June 1986, in Havana. In an interview with Radio Havana Cuba Ana Fidelia commented: "This was my first tournament this year and it's the first time I set such a record in the first competition I open the year with. I think that at an event with stronger competitors and without bad weather, I could improve my results. I've been preparing myself psychologically to run under adverse weather conditions as they affect me during my performance. I'm hopeful I'll have a good performance at the world championship in Athens, Greece and I hope I'll get a medal." CUBA WINS THE FIRST TWO GAMES AT THE MEN'S WOLRD VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE Havana, May 19th(RHC)-- In volleyball, the Cuban men's team convincingly defeated the Russians in two appearances at the opening of the world league in Havana over the weekend. On Friday and Saturday the story was the same, Cuba upped Russia three sets to nothing and has started very well. Now they just need to maintain their game stability. Two young figures inside the team, Pavel Pimienta and Angel Deni captured the attention of spectators and experts. They were ready all the time and were key to the team's success. The team's headcoach, Juan Diaz pointed out these two figures were given a vote of confidence. [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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