CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA September 2 , 1997 rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from RADIO HAVANA CUBA's International Shortwave Service in English for Tuesday, September 2, 1997. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO INAUGURATES NEW SCHOOL YEAR 2.- WASHINGTON FAILS TO INTIMIDATE FOREIGN INVESTORS IN CUBA 3.- CHILDREN FROM MONTSERRAT ISLAND COMPLETE TREATMENT IN CUBA 4.- TICKETS FOR SUNDAY'S CONCERT HONORING CHE ARE SOLD OUT 5.- REVOLUTION PROVIDES MEDICAL ATTENTION TO REMOTE REGIONS 6.- SURVEY SHOWS FIDEL IS THE FAVORITE IBEROAMERICAN LEADER CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO INAUGURATES NEW SCHOOL YEAR Havana, September 2(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro presided over the official ceremony opening the new school year Monday evening here in Havana. The ceremony took place at Ciudad Libertad -- the largest military garrison during the Batista dictatorship, which was turned into a school and scientific complex after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959. A total of two million 300 thousand students went to their classrooms and more than 197,000 teachers -- one of the most revered professions in Cuba -- welcomed their students across the island this morning. Cuba holds the world's record in teacher to student ratio -- with one teacher for every 45 inhabitants. At last night's inaugural ceremony marking the beginning of the 1997-'98 school year, student leaders and representatives of the Ministry of Education pointed to the fact that Cuba is undergoing the most severe economic crisis in its history. They emphasized that despite the disappearance of the Soviet Union and the eastern European Socialist countries, combined with an ever tightening U.S. blockade against Cuba -- not one school has been closed and there are no teachers without classrooms. Cuban President Fidel Castro stepped to the microphone just as rain clouds were beginning to threaten the skies over Havana. "As you all know very well, we have been left struggling alone in this hemisphere and in a great part of the world, struggling by ourselves against imperialism, resisting an ever more vicious and inhuman blockade in order to save our independence, to save our nation, our Revolution. And you also know that during these times, various factors and circumstances have forced us to make certain reforms... openings... and other activities that didn't exist before in Cuba. These things create injustice... and even inequalities. They do not contribute to a Socialist and Communist consciousness. And that negative influence can have an effect on children, on young people and on the population in general. That is why the teacher's work is becoming that much more important and the value of education is so much more significant in the struggle to instill the values of the Revolution and Socialism in the younger generations." Fidel said that during these difficult circumstances, teachers play a decisive role. Without education and the work of the Revolution throughout these years, Socialism would not have survived in Cuba. "They are hoping that when the generation that began the Revolution disappears, everything will change. They think that one day, these ideas and values will disappear, just as they did unfortunately, sadly, terribly... in other countries. No matter who dies -- and every so often they kill some of us... but we don't even bother to respond! That would create problems... because one day we will die. And when that happens, how will we convince people that it is true? That is what life has taught us, that is what history has taught us... and those who have built this Revolution will defend it until our very last breath. We will defend our ideas until the last minute. We will defend our just cause, our Socialism, our country. And that is why we say, with so much conviction: Homeland or Death! Socialism or Death! Venceremos!" Despite a heavy downpour, people stayed through the entire speech of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, which lasted a little less than one hour Monday evening at the inaugural ceremony of the new school year. WASHINGTON FAILS TO INTIMIDATE FOREIGN INVESTORS IN CUBA Havana, September 2(RHC)-- Not one single foreign investor has withdrawn from Cuba since Helms-Burton became law. Cuba's Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Ibrahim Ferradaz told journalists that despite Washington's threats, 50 countries have established joint ventures with Cuba since March 1996, when U.S. President Bill Clinton signed the legislation. Meeting with a group of Brazilian investors touring the island, Ferradaz pointed out that there are currently 260 joint ventures set-up in Cuba. The Minister of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation stated that Cuba's main trading partners are Spain, Canada and Mexico. He told the visiting business delegation that Cuba gives priority to investments incorporating new technology, bringing in foreign capital and opening international markets for Cuban goods. The Brazilian delegation arrived in Havana on Monday and is exploring business possibilities in Cuba. Brazil and Cuba set up their first joint venture in cigar production in 1993. CHILDREN FROM MONTSERRAT ISLAND COMPLETE TREATMENT IN CUBA Havana, September 2(RHC)-- Children from the Caribbean island of Montserrat are ending their three-week stay here in Cuba, where they received medical care for psychological stress. A total of 42 children stayed at the beach resort of Tarara, located east of Havana. Tarara also has provided specialized treatment to more than 12,000 Ukrainian children, affected by the nuclear accident at Chernobil in 1986. The rehabilitation program for the children of Montserrat -- emotionally distressed by volcanic eruptions on the island -- is a joint effort of the Cuban Red Cross, the Regional Red Cross, the Red Crescent Federation and the British Red Cross in Montserrat. TICKETS FOR SUNDAY'S CONCERT HONORING CHE ARE SOLD OUT Santiago de Chile, September 2(RHC)-- Concert organizers say that more than 18,000 tickets have been sold for next Sunday's tribute to Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara. Santiago's National Stadium will host Cuban singers and songwriters Silvio Rodriguez, Vicente Feliu and Gerardo Alfonso. A Web Site on the Internet has been set up for anyone wanting more information on the concert. To access the World Wide Web: http://www.Geocities.Com/-ernestoguevara/chile. REVOLUTION PROVIDES MEDICAL ATTENTION TO REMOTE REGIONS Havana, September 2(RHC)-- Residents from a nearly inaccessible mountain region in the eastern province of Guantanamo are being provided with first-rate health care. More than 400 doctors and 1000 nurses are serving the mountainous communities which, before the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, had almost no medical services. The 210,000 inhabitants of Guantanamo's remote mountain region have a complete health care network at their disposal -- with 14 hospitals, a number of clinics and maternity centers, dental clinics and 66 pharmacies. Medical and para-medical personnel have been responsible for raising the region's life expectancy to more than 74 years-of- age -- a life expectancy equal to that of many industrialized nations. Before the triumph of the Revolution, infant mortality was at a record high: 60 deaths for every 1000 live births. Hundreds of thousands of children died of curable diseases. By the 1980's, infant mortality had been cut in half, reduced to 30 deaths for every 1000 births. By the end of last year, Guantanamo's infant mortality rate had dropped even further -- to 9.3 -- a new record for the eastern-most province of the island. SURVEY SHOWS FIDEL IS THE FAVORITE IBEROAMERICAN LEADER Caracas, September 2(RHC)-- A recent survey conducted on Venezuela's Margarita Island has revealed that Cuban President Fidel Castro is the overwhelmingly choice as favorite Iberoamerican leader. Some 1000 residents of Margarita Island responded to the questionnaire -- asking which Iberoamerican president they would like to meet. Seventy-nine (79) percent of those taking part in the survey on Margarita Island -- the site of the Seventh Iberoamerican Summit -- voted for Fidel. The Cuban president was SO popular, that next to Fidel's 79 percent, the runner-up -- King Juan Carlos of Spain -- only received nine percent and Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori garnered a mere five percent. [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. 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