Radio Havana Cuba, Wednesday, April 14, 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 Wednesday, April 14, 1999.  Today's
stories:


1.- CUBA AND PANAMA SIGN PROTECTION AND PROMOTION ACCORD

2.- FOREST FIRE IN EASTERN CUBA EXTINGUISHED

3.- HUGE FOREST FIRE IN WESTERN PINAR DEL RIO STILL BURNS

4.- THIS YEAR'S SUGAR HARVEST SHOULD REACH NEARLY FOUR
    MILLION TONS

5.- CUBAN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS BUILD SCHOOL IN DOMINICAN
    REPUBLIC


CUBA AND PANAMA SIGN PROTECTION AND PROMOTION ACCORD

Havana, April 14(RHC)-- Cuba and Panama have signed a
protection and promotion accord as a result of the visit
of Panama's Industry and Trade Minister Raul Hernandez
Lopez.

Hernandez, who is heading a delegation from that Central
American country, has carried out a broad work program and
met with Cuban government officials.

The Panamanian official is scheduled to offer a news
conference on the results of his trip to Cuba, which was
aimed at strengthening economic and commercial relations
between the two countries.

FOREST FIRE IN EASTERN CUBA EXTINGUISHED

Guisa, April 14(RHC)-- A forest fire that was burning in
the heart of the Sierra Maestra mountains in eastern
Granma province was put out on Tuesday thanks to help from
area residents.

The First Secretary of the Communist Party of the
municipality, Rafael Diaz, told reporters that people went
into action quickly, preventing the spread of the fire
which could have extended to Santiago de Cuba province.

According to Cuban experts, April's windy conditions and a
severe drought affecting the eastern area have given rise
to forest fires.

HUGE FOREST FIRE IN WESTERN PINAR DEL RIO STILL BURNS

Pinar del Rio, April 14(RHC)-- A huge forest fire in the
municipality of Guane, located in the western province of
Pinar del Rio, continues to burn, despite five days of
intense efforts to extinguish the blaze.

Over 2000 men and women -- among them fire fighters,
forestry workers and area volunteers -- have been fighting
the fire and finally brought it under control.  But the
blaze is still burning and planes are dumping water and
chemicals on parts of the forest to stop the fire from
spreading.

There have been no reported victims, but the area's flora
and fauna have been severely damaged by the forest fire in
western Pinar del Rio province.

THIS YEAR'S SUGAR HARVEST SHOULD REACH NEARLY FOUR MILLION
TONS

Havana, April 14(RHC)-- Cuban Sugar Minister Ulises
Rosales del Toro predicts that this year's harvest --
which ends May 1st -- will reach 3.8 million tons.  He
added that so far this year, 700,000 more tons of sugar
have been produced compared to the last harvest.

Rosales del Toro stated that the current results can be
attributed to increased efficiency and a more mechanized
harvest.

The Cuban sugar minister said that next year's harvest
should be better, stressing that production has been
achieved with a smaller budget and fewer resources.

CUBAN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS BUILD SCHOOL IN DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC

Santo Domingo, April 14(RHC)-- Cuban construction workers
are busy building a school in Bani, the Dominican
Republic.  Bani is the birthplace of Cuban independence
leader Maximo Gomez, who fought against Spanish
colonialism during the past century.

Construction materials and labor are being donated by Cuba
for this educational facility, which will guarantee the
training of young Dominicans in different courses.

The construction of the school was proposed by Cuban
President Fidel Castro, who visited Bani last August after
participating in the CARIFORO Summit of Caribbean nations.




 

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rhc-eng-2845
1999-Apr-14 20:30:38