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 Tuesday, July 21, 1998. Today's stories: 1.- FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF CUBA'S PARLIAMENT OPENS FIRST ORDINARY SESSION IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 2.- CUBAN PARLIAMENT HAS CLOSE TIES WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED LEGISLATIVE INSTITUTIONS 3.- 29th CONTINGENT OF THE VENCEREMOS BRIGADE ARRIVES IN CUBA 4.- CUBA-GHANA JOINT INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION UNDERWAY FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF CUBA'S PARLIAMENT OPENS FIRST ORDINARY SESSION IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, July 21(RHC)-- The Fifth Legislature of the Cuban Parliament is holding its First Ordinary Session after the January general elections that chose 601 deputies to the parliament. The National Assembly of People's Power on Tuesday approved ten permanent commissions that will assist the work of the parliament over the next five years. With 540 deputies in attendance, the session opened with the presence of parliamentary delegations from Mozambique and Nicaragua, the diplomatic corps and national and foreign journalists. After the approval of the permanent commissions, the deputies discussed the proposed legislation on forests. The drafting of the law took two years, seven versions and feedback from diverse State institutions and people from all walks of life. The Law on Forests comes as part of the island's efforts to further strengthen its environmental policies, with the protection and development of Cuba's forest reserves. According to the approved legislation, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of the Interior will be in charge of enforcing the new law, which seeks to protect and expand Cuban forests, currently covering 21 percent of the national territory. Later in the day, lawmakers heard a report by Manuel Millares, Minister of Finance and Prices, who reported on the results of the measures that were adopted by the National Parliament in May 1994. Excess liquidity was reduced by 23 percent from May 1994 until May this year; the budget deficit was reduced from 23 percent of the Gross Domestic Product to two percent in late 1997. Millares also noted that while in December 1993, 71 percent of State enterprises reported losses, last year only 19.6 percent were found in this category. With this reduction, he said, subsidies due to losses were saved by 5.4 billion pesos. Millares added that since the implementation of taxes, the National Treasury has collected 1.2 billion pesos. After the report by the minister of finance and prices, Cuban President Fidel Castro acknowledged the success of the measures which, in his words, "have paved the way for the implementation of others that will further control excess liquidity." He mentioned the increase of tariffs of some services and the expansion of others and he spoke about the possibility of implementing selective taxes to those who earn more. The Cuban leader categorically reaffirmed that no measure will be adopted without a thorough explanation to the people and with the understanding of the Cuban people. A special moment during the session of the parliament was the standing ovation given to the members of the Cuban volleyball team that won the World League title in Italy last week. The First Ordinary Session of the Fifth Legislature of the National Parliament is scheduled to run through Wednesday and will also hear reports from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. CUBAN PARLIAMENT HAS CLOSE TIES WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED LEGISLATIVE INSTITUTIONS Havana, July 21(RHC)-- The Cuban National Assembly of People's Power has close working relations with over one hundred legislative institutions worldwide. The President of the Parliament's International Relations Commission, Jorge Lezcano, presented his commission's report during a meeting with Cuban lawmakers on Monday. The Ministers of Education, Agriculture, Health and Sugar also presented their reports to Cuban legislators before their ordinary session on Tuesday in Havana's Convention Center. A Nicaraguan parliamentary delegation, headed by Sandinista deputy Monica Baltodono, arrived in Havana on Monday to observe the Cuban parliament sessions. The delegation also includes members of the Nicaragua-Cuba Friendship Group. The Nicaraguan visitors, who will stay on the island until the 27th, are scheduled to meet with the President of the Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, and other government officials as well as visit places of historic and cultural interest. 29th CONTINGENT OF THE VENCEREMOS BRIGADE ARRIVES IN CUBA Havana, July 21(RHC)-- The 29th Contingent of the Venceremos Brigade arrived on Monday in Havana and the brigadistas are on their way to the south central city of Cienfuegos. Composed of nearly 60 Americans from the states of California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota and North Carolina -- among them workers, students and professionals -- the Venceremos Brigade is once again showing its solidarity with the Cuban Revolution, condemning Washington's blockade against the island. Annette Goldman and Jessica Rose, leaders of the 29th Contingent of the Venceremos Brigade, said that the group will participate in the First Cuba-U.S. Friendship Conference which will take place in Havana from the 28th to the 30th of this month. During their stay in Cuba, the Venceremos Brigade will do volunteer work, take part in meetings and conferences and visit places of interest. CUBA-GHANA JOINT INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION UNDERWAY Havana, July 21(RHC)-- The Ninth Session of the Cuba-Ghana Joint Intergovernmental Commission opened its doors on Monday in Havana. The commission will meet until Friday. Heading the Cuban delegation is Foreign Trade Minister Ricardo Cabrisas; Ghana's delegation is headed by the Minister of Transportation Edward Salia. During the meeting, both sides will discuss the results of the 1996-1998 Cooperation Program as well as approve the 1998-2000 program. There are currently 81 Cubans working in Ghana, 60 of them in the health sector. One hundred ninety-six students from Ghana are presently studying in Cuban schools. [c] 1998, 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) 791053 Fax: (53) (7) 795007 E-mail: rhc@radiohc.org WWW: http://www.radiohc.org