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 Friday October 9, 1998. Today's stories: 1. NUMEROUS UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES ISSUE REPORTS ON THE EFFECTS OF WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA 2. IN HAVANA, CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO RECEIVES "GOLDEN MICROPHONE" DISTINCTION FROM CATALONIA'S PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRESS, RADIO AND TELEVISION REPORTERS 3. BOLIVIANS ANNOUNCE WORLD ENCOUNTER HONORING CHE IN THE YEAR 2000 IN COMMEMORATIONS ON THE 31ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE LEGENDARY HERO'S DEATH IN COMBAT 4. CUBA AND CANADIAN INVESTORS ANNOUNCE JOINT TOURISM PROJECT 5. INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON CHILD CARDIOLOGY WINDS UP IN HAVANA 6. THE CRUISE SHIP THE BLACK WATCH VISITS EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA NUMEROUS UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES ISSUE REPORTS ON THE EFFECTS OF WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA Havana, October 9,(RHC)-- Numerous United Nations agencies have issued reports on the effects of Washington's blockade against Cuba. The reports have been sent to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and incorporated into the document on compliance with the General Assembly's 1997 resolution against the blockade. The World Health Organization pointed to the difficulty -- if not impossibility -- for Cuba to purchase modern medicines either produced only in the United States, or produced in third countries but with a significant US component. As examples, the WHO mentioned cancer and AIDS treatment, infections that are resistant to traditional treatment, and Cuban patients with heart, kidney and other chronic ailments who are unable to obtain the equipment nor the medicines for optimum treatment due to the blockade. The World Health Organization told the UN Secretary General that despite these limitations, the general public health scenario in Cuba is still among the best in Latin America. This, said the WHO, is the result of the priority that the Cuban government has assigned to health and investment in public health services. The United Nations Population Fund reported that as a result of Cuba's lack of access to the US market, the island is forced to buy products in more distant latitudes, which increases their cost and reduces the country's buying power. This UN agency said that Cuba is nevertheless one of the countries that least needs assistance from this UN agency due to its relatively good health and education standards. Similar reports were also sent to the UN Secretary General by the United Nations Childrens Fund, the UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United Nations Development Program. As well, close to 60 UN member nations and the Vatican have written letters to the UN Secretary General expressing their rejection of the blockade. Among them were Great Britain, representing the presidency of the European Union's Council of Ministers. Cuba's 7th consecutive resolution against Washington's blockade will be debated and voted on next October 14th. IN HAVANA, CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO RECEIVES "GOLDEN MICROPHONE" DISTINCTION FROM CATALONIA'S PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRESS, RADIO AND TELEVISION REPORTERS Havana, October 9,(RHC)-- In Havana, Cuban President Fidel Castro received late Thursday the "Golden Microphone" distinction granted by Catalonia's Professional Association of Press, Radio and Television Reporters. The organization of Spanish journalists said the award was given to the Cuban leader due his intelligent use of the means of communication over the past 40 years. This is the first time that the organization holds its annual gathering outside of Spain, and the first time it is received by a non-Spaniard. Upon accepting the distinction, President Castro said it was an honor, calling the microphone a weapon of ideas and truth. He recalled the effectiveness of the radio during many moments of his political life, particularly when the clandestine Radio Rebelde began operating in Cuba's Sierra Maestra mountains during the popular war against the Batista dictatorship. And the microphone, said Fidel Castro, has been his fundamental means of communicating with the Cuban people. BOLIVIANS ANNOUNCE WORLD ENCOUNTER HONORING CHE IN THE YEAR 2000 IN COMMEMORATIONS ON THE 31ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE LEGENDARY HERO'S DEATH IN COMBAT Havana, October 9 (RHC)-- Hundreds of Bolivians commemorated the 31st anniversary on Thursday October 8, of the death in combat of Ernesto Che Guevara in that South American nation. In the activity, which was organized by the Ernesto Che Guevara Foundation, an announcement was made that a World Encounter in Honor of Che will take place in the Bolivian region of Vallegrande in the year 2000. Commemorations on the 31st anniversary of the death of Ernesto Che Guevara were held around the world. INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON CHILD CARDIOLOGY WINDS UP IN HAVANA Havana, October 9 (RHC)-- A two day International workshop entitled "Child Surgery in the Caribbean on the threshold of the 21st Century", wound up on Thursday in y Havana's William Soler Pediatric Hospital. Child cardiologists from Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba as well as Mexico and Paraguay, reaffirmed their intentions to improve the sector. Dr. David Brati of Trinidad and Tobago stressed the advances of Cuban medicine and added that Cuban cardiocenters have the capability to treat many Caribbean patients with heart problems. During the event, Paraguayan Dr. Norma Astigarraga, proposed creating a Latin American cardiology network. CUBA AND CANADIAN INVESTORS ANNOUNCE JOINT TOURISM PROJECT Havana, October 9 (RHC)-- Cuban officials and Canadian investors have announced a joint tourism project on the island valued at 250 million dollars. The project was announced in a press conference in Toronto by Cuban deputy Tourism Minister, Eduardo de la Vega and the representative for the Cuban-Canadian Resort International company, David McMillan. McMillan said that during the next 10 years some two thousand luxury condominiums will be sold to foreigners at between 5 thousand and 200 thousand dollars each. The Cuban official pointed out that the Cuba-Canada joint investment project is just one of the 30 that currently exist on the island. THE LATIN AMERICAN EPISCOPAL COUNCIL CONDEMNS WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE AGAINST CUBA Havana, October 9 (RHC)-- The President of the Latin American Episcopal Council, Monseigneur Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga, has reiterated the institution's condemnation of Washington's blockade against Cuba. In statements to Prensa Latina news service, the religious official characterized the 38 year blockade as unjust and immoral. He added that it is Latin America's desire that Cuba be ever more integrated into the region . Monseigneur Andres Rodriguez stressed that he wanted to reiterate what Pope John Paul the second said so beautifully when at stated that Cuba should open to the world and that the world should open up to Cuba. The President of the Latin American Episcopal Council, Monseigneur Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga, underscored the presence of Cuban delegates at the II Latin American Youth Congress that will take place this week in Punta de Tralca, Chile. At the same time a Catholic Continental Encounter will be held aimed at formulating a new action plan for the next millennium. UNDP WILL DONATE MONEY TO GENERATE RENEWABLE ENERGY IN CUBA Havana, October 9 (RHC)-- The United Nations Development Program, UNDP, will donate half a million dollars to Cuba, over a three year period, to support the development of renewable sources of energy on the island. A protocol to assist Cuba's Energy Program has been signed between the UNDP representative in Cuba, Ariel Francais and Cuba's Deputy Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister, Raul Taladrid. The document provides for the UNDP to assist two energy programs, which will primarily benefit the Cuban Ministries of Steel and Electronics and Planning and the Economy. The protocol also provides for the donation of additional resources by other donors from the UN system . Other UNDP initiatives include energy generation using sugar derivatives and the promotion of small hydroelectric power plants to supply energy to the island's most distant regions. THE CRUISE SHIP THE BLACK WATCH VISITS EASTERN SANTIAGO DE CUBA Havana, October 9 (RHC)-- After nearly two years without cruise ships visiting the island, the eastern port of Santiago de Cuba welcomed the Black Watch cruise ship on Thursday with some 700 British tourists aboard. Owned by a Swedish company, the vessel made a temporary stop in Santiago Bay, to allow tour operators interested in promoting the island's tourism possibilities to explore the Cuban market. The visitors enjoyed a tour of Santiago de Cuba, including the city's historic center, Baconao park, the Prehistoric Valley and the Gran Piedra. [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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