Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit CUBANEWS FROM RADIO HAVANA CUBA E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org http://www.radiohc.org The following items are taken from Radio Havana Cuba's news service for Monday, December 28, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- REMAINS OF TANIA THE GUERRILLA TAKEN TO SANTA CLARA TUESDAY 2.- PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIAN CONGRESS VISITS CUBA 3.- LEBANESE PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS THE ISLAND 4.- LABIOFAM PRODUCES NEW PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS IN 1998 5.- CUBAN TRADE UNION MOVEMENT OUTLINES OBJECTIVES FOR 1999 6.- CUBAN SOLIDARITY REACHES AROUND THE WORLD 7.- NEW CUBAN-FRENCH JOINT VENTURE IN TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND ROAD SIGNS 8.- CUBAN BOOK PUBLICATIONS INCREASE IN 1998 REMAINS OF TANIA THE GUERRILLA TAKEN TO SANTA CLARA TUESDAY Havana, December 28(RHC)-- The remains of Tamara Bunke -- better known as "Tania the Guerrilla" -- will be flown to Santa Clara, in central Cuba on Tuesday. According to a front-page article in Monday morning's edition of Trabajadores, Tania's remains along with those of nine other internationalist fighters recently discovered in Bolivia will lie in state at the Jose Marti Library from 9 a.m. tomorrow until 1 o'clock in the morning on Wednesday. The news daily reports that on Wednesday, a solemn ceremony will take place at the Ernesto Che Guevara Memorial, where the remains will be laid to rest in the mausoleum, next to those of Che and other members of his guerrilla movement. Tania the Guerrilla, an Argentinean-born woman who joined the struggle in Bolivia and fought alongside Ernesto Che Guevara, was killed in August 1967, just six weeks before CIA-trained Bolivian troops captured and killed Che. Following years of searching, her remains were found in September and brought to Cuba at the request of her family. The remains of Ernesto Che Guevara were discovered last year and taken to Santa Clara, where a special memorial and mausoleum were built. Wednesday, December 30th, marks the 40th anniversary of the historic battle led by Comandante Che Guevara at Santa Clara, when Batista's forces were soundly defeated -- paving the way for the Cuban Revolution's victory just two days later. PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIAN CONGRESS VISITS CUBA Havana, December 28(RHC)-- The President of Colombia's Congress, Fabio Valencia Cossio, arrived in Havana over the weekend at the invitation of the Cuban Parliament. During his stay, the Colombian legislator is scheduled to meet with his Cuban counterpart, Ricardo Alarcon, and other high- ranking government officials. Valencia Cossio, who also serves as Senate President, is scheduled to travel to Santiago de Cuba on Friday, where he will attend the main event commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Cuba and Colombia have been enjoying increasingly good relations, which will be further heightened with the visit of Colombian President Andres Pastrana to Cuba next month. LEBANESE PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS THE ISLAND Havana, December 28(RHC)-- A delegation of Lebanese lawmakers, headed by the President of the Parliament, Nabib Berri, met Monday with the Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade Ricardo Cabrisas and member of Cuba's Communist Party Political Bureau Jose Ramon Balaguer. The visiting delegation also met with representatives of the Cuban-Arab community and toured Havana's Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. According to diplomatic sources, the visit to Cuba of the president of Lebanon's Parliament will contribute to bilateral cooperation as well as economic, cultural and trade relations between the two countries. LABIOFAM PRODUCES NEW PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS IN 1998 Havana, December 28(RHC)-- LABIOFAM, Cuba's Biological and Pharmaceutical Laboratories, contributed nearly six million dollars to the State during this past year, with the development of new vaccines and medicinal products. Among the current priorities of LABIOFAM is the distribution of Biorat, a biological agent to destroy or kill rats and mice -- the major carriers of fatal disease. Tons of Biorat have been sent to Central America, where health professionals are fighting against outbreaks of major epidemics following the destruction of Hurricane Mitch. Other products developed at the research laboratories of LABIOFAM include veterinary products for livestock and domestic pets, as well as a successful line of household goods such as soap, shampoo and disinfectants. CUBAN TRADE UNION MOVEMENT OUTLINES OBJECTIVES FOR 1999 Havana, December 28(RHC)-- Cuban workers picked up the paper this morning and read about their trade unions' objectives for the New Year. In Monday's edition of the newspaper Trabajadores, the Federation of Cuban Workers (CTC) outlined its goals for 1999, promising to continue the task of improving working conditions during the upcoming year. Noting that the CTC will celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, the editorial in today's edition of Trabajadores pointed out that 1999 will be a year dedicated to increasing efficiency and strengthening discipline on the job. The Cuban trade union federation vowed to work closely with the rank and file, helping to improve the social and economic situation of the island's workers. CUBAN SOLIDARITY REACHES AROUND THE WORLD Havana, December 28(RHC)-- Cuba has always extended a helping hand of solidarity to the people of the world. Following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Mitch, the recent example of Cuban doctors and medical personnel in Central America is fresh in the minds of most. But Cuban doctors are lending their services in scores of countries around the world -- including Paraguay, Botswana, Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, the Seychelles, Mozambique, South Africa, Brazil, Jamaica, Angola and Guyana. Cuban sports trainers are working with athletes in many parts of the world, primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among the countries where Cuban sports experts are lending their services are: Barbados, Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador, Colombia, Guatemala, Venezuela, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Chile. Cuban teachers in chemistry, mathematics, physics, computer science, psychology and other fields share their knowledge in Colombia, Jamaica, Mozambique and other Third World countries, many in Africa. And Cuban construction workers are building in Venezuela, Vietnam and Colombia. NEW CUBAN-FRENCH JOINT VENTURE IN TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND ROAD SIGNS Havana, December 28(RHC)-- A new joint venture between Cuba and France will soon open for business -- providing new traffic signals and road signs for the island's streets and highways. According to an agreement signed by the Paris- based Grupo Signaux Girod and the Cuban Ministry of Transportation, the joint venture will develop a system of traffic signals and road signs to inform motorists travelling around the island. The French company is one of the world's leaders in the production of traffic signals and promises to provide state- of-the-art systems in its agreement with the Cuban Transportation Ministry. During a news conference here in Havana, it was revealed that the island currently has 11,000 kilometers of roads and highways, the vast majority of which need to improve their traffic control systems. It was also stated that many of the roads are in a deplorable state, needing immediate repair and maintenance. CUBAN BOOK PUBLICATIONS INCREASE IN 1998 Havana, December 28(RHC)-- During 1998, a total of 258 new books were published by the Cuban Book Institute -- an increase of 14 to 15 percent over last year. According to Omar Gonzalez, President of Book Institute, the publication industry in Cuba is making a come-back after suffering from recent paper shortages and the expensive cost of publishing books. Gonzalez told reporters in the Cuban capital that the average price of new books published by the Institute during the past year was six pesos and thirty centavos -- around 35 cents to the U.S. dollar. Forty-four new books this year were in the category of children's literature, demonstrating Cuba's continued emphasis on youth. [c] 1998, Radio Habana Cuba All rights reserved Articles cannot be reproduced, reprinted or published in any system without the consent of RHC. 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