Radio Havana Cuba, Monday, April 5, 1999 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, April 5, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- GAMBIAN PRESIDENT BEGINS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA 2.- TRABAJADORES EDITORIAL BLASTS WESTERN MEDIA DISTORTIONS 3.- CUBAN PRESIDENT AWARDS OUTSTANDING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH JULIO ANTONIO MELLA ORDER 4.- CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY TOURS EUROPE 5.- ELDERLY RECEIVE RED CARPET TREATMENT IN CUBA 6.- SANTA CLARA REDUCES ITS INFANT MORTALITY RATE 7.- AND IN SPORTS... SANTIAGO DE CUBA WINS THE SERIES, STOMPING HAVANA'S INDUSTRIALES 9 TO NOTHING GAMBIAN PRESIDENT BEGINS OFFICIAL VISIT TO CUBA Havana, April 5(RHC)-- The President of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, arrived Monday in the Cuban capital to begin an official visit to the island. The Gambian leader is expected to meet with high-ranking officials of the Cuban government and discuss bilateral relations between the two countries. Yahya Jammeh was elected president in September 1996, after having led a military coup in June 1994 against then-president Dawda Jaweara. The economy of this small West African nation of one million 300,000 inhabitants is based on agriculture and fishing. Gambia has an infant mortality rate of 77 per 1000 live births, while 63 percent of the population over the age of 15 are considered illiterate. In other diplomatic news, the Foreign Minister of India, Vasundhara Raje, arrived in Havana on Monday to participate in the Fourth Cuba-India Mixed Commission for Economic and Scientific Cooperation. TRABAJADORES EDITORIAL BLASTS WESTERN MEDIA DISTORTIONS Havana, April 5(RHC)-- Monday's edition of the Cuban news weekly Trabajadores highlighted the distortions by western media with respect to the recent Havana trial of four counterrevolutionaries, convicted of promoting sedition. Columnist Lazaro Barredo Medina referred to the on-going existence of Washington's 1981 so-called "Democracy Project" -- as stipulated in National Security Directive 17 -- whose aim is to foster the image that Cuba's current situation is not the result of the island's historic confrontation with its powerful neighbor to the North, but rather the result of an alleged inability of the Cuban government to choose dialogue as a solution towards a so- called `political opening.' The editorial underscores that the campaign has had some success in confusing a number of leftist and progressive forces that believe that the four counterrevolutionaries are socialists who are misunderstood by the Cuban Revolution. Barredo Medina points out how it is widely believed that the four individuals were convicted for having drawn up a document critical of Fidel Castro's socialism, when in fact the accused acted as agents in favor of the internationalization of the Helms-Burton Law, called on Cubans to sabotage legislative elections, pressured foreign business executives to refrain from investing in Cuba and promoted the idea that family remittances from Cuban-Americans to their family members on the island be conditioned to involvement in civil disobedience. The editorial says that some of Cuba's critical friends have chosen to close their eyes to the truth and believe more in the free flow of disinformation. CUBAN PRESIDENT AWARDS OUTSTANDING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH JULIO ANTONIO MELLA ORDER Havana, April 5(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro awarded outstanding young people with the Julio Antonio Mella Order and presented the Union of Young Communists' Banner of Honor to work groups and students. The presentation took place Sunday during an activity commemorating the 37th anniversary of the creation of the Union of Young Communists (UJC) and the 38th of the Jose Marti Pioneer Children's Organization. Over the weekend, participants to the Second Plenary of the UJC discussed the formation and preservation of moral values. The Cuban leader called on the young generation to reject consumerism and the vices of other societies like drug consumption. CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY TOURS EUROPE Madrid, April 5(RHC)-- Cuba's National Ballet Company, headed by its Director Alicia Alonso, is on a European tour. Alonso told Cuba's weekly Trabajadores newspaper that it is an honor for the Cuban troupe to be invited by the sponsors of ballet festivals in Spain and Portugal. She said the Cuban ballet company will present Coppelia and other well-known classics. Cuba's Prima Ballerina added that after their European tour, the island's National Ballet Company will return home and then travel to Venice, Italy in June, where they will perform the Nutcracker. Alicia Alonso also referred to what she called "the magic of ballet," as well as her long dancing career. She noted that her company's ballet presentations are popular among both young and old alike and that the world's main theaters are always filled to capacity when they perform. ELDERLY RECEIVE RED CARPET TREATMENT IN CUBA Pinar del Rio, April 5(RHC)-- Cuba's senior citizens are encouraged to stay active and productive during their entire lives and the government is doing everything possible to support that effort. In Cuba's western-most province of Pinar del Rio, some 2300 senior citizens who live alone or with families that are unable to care for them, receive assistance from a national program for the elderly. The program is a joint effort directed by Pinar del Rio's Work and Social Security Institute, with the participation of local grassroots organizations and municipal governments. Aimed at keeping the elderly near their home environment as much as possible, the program offers them social services at home, food that they can prepare or meals at nearby locations. House cleaning and laundry services are also offered. According to the head of the Provincial Social Security Department, Mirta de Leon, the object is to insure that everyone who needs assistance is given help and to encourage participation in productive and community activities. Working together in Pinar del Rio province are 471 activists from local block organizations, CDRs, and the Federation of Cuban Women. In addition, 54 people are working as geriatric assistants in the homes of their patients. SANTA CLARA REDUCES ITS INFANT MORTALITY RATE Santa Clara, April 5(RHC)-- The central city of Santa Clara has achieved an infant mortality rate of 2.9 for every 1000 live births during the first three months of this year. During the same period, in 11 of the 13 municipalities of Santa Clara, there was a zero infant mortality and maternal death rate registered. These numbers are the result of the good work of family doctors and nurses, as well as the efficiency of maternal and pediatric hospitals, which registered an infant mortality rate of 5.5 in 1998. AND IN SPORTS... SANTIAGO DE CUBA WINS THE SERIES, STOMPING HAVANA'S INDUSTRIALES 9 TO NOTHING Havana, April 5(RHC)-- Santiago de Cuba has become the National Champion after shutting-out Havana's Industriales team in the seventh and final game of the National Baseball Series. The eternal rivals fought fiercely every step of the way during the series, but the Industriales -- despite playing on their home field -- failed miserably during Sunday's game. Santiago's winning pitcher, Omari Romero, didn't allow Havana's Industriales to score one single run in 9 innings. On the other hand, the starting pitcher for the Industriales, Adrian Hernandez, was replaced in the second inning when Santiago's batters blasted their opponents with seven runs in that same inning. Santiago's third base player, Gabriel Pierre, hit two home-runs and cleanup hitter Orestes Kindelan sent four over the fence during yesterday's game. Santiago de Cuba connected 10 hits with no errors and six home-runs, while the Industriales only got six hits. This is the third time Santiago has won the National Baseball Series: first in 1980 and again in 1989. Santiago de Cuba's players arrived home early Monday morning and scores of fans were on hand at the airport to welcome their heroes.  [c] 1999, 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 rhc-eng-4360 1999-Apr-05 18:30:07