Radio Havana Cuba, Tuesday, June 8, 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 Tuesday, June 8, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT IN HAVANA 2.- TRAVELERS TO CUBA HIGHER THAN PROJECTED DURING MONTH OF MAY 3.- ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA HEALTH MINISTER TOURS HAVANA'S LATIN AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE 4.- CUBAN LAWYER'S UNION JOINS ORGANIZATIONS DEMANDING COMPENSATION FOR WASHINGTON'S ATTACKS AGAINST THE ISLAND 5.- THE PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF KOREA CHARACTERIZES CUBA'S CHARGES AGAINST WASHINGTON AS JUST FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT IN HAVANA Havana, June 8(RHC)-- The President of Casa de las Americas, poet Roberto Fernandez Retamar, headed a conference for over 600 foreign delegates participating in the First International Congress on Culture and Development on Monday. During an inaugural speech at Havana's International Convention Center, Cuba's Deputy Culture Minister Rafael Bernal said that participants of the congress will discuss the role of culture, spirituality and humanism in the strategies of development. Renowned Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano is attending the First International Congress on Culture and Development and presented a lecture Tuesday at Casa de las Americas. TRAVELERS TO CUBA HIGHER THAN PROJECTED DURING MONTH OF MAY Havana, June 8(RHC)-- The number of foreign visitors travelling to Cuba through the month of May grew by 24 percent, higher than the predicted 22 percent. The preliminary figures were released by Cuban tourism authorities on Monday in Havana. According to the island's Deputy Tourism Minister, Eduardo Rodriguez de la Vega, the German and Canadian tourist markets continue to grow, with little doubt that Germany is likely to become the country that will send the most visitors to the island by year's end. In the first three months of the year, the top four nations sending visitors to Cuba were Canada, Germany, Italy and France. While revenues increased by 22 percent, profits were 24 percent higher than during the first quarter of 1998. This translates into 30 million dollars more from tourism, with the island registering a 75 percent hotel occupancy. Cuba plans to welcome 1,700,000 visitors this year and two million during the year 2000, with 34,400 rooms located across the island. Tourism has become Cuba's largest hard-currency earner. ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA HEALTH MINISTER TOURS HAVANA'S LATIN AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Havana, June 8(RHC)-- Cuban Health Minister Carlos Dotres and his counterpart from Antigua and Barbuda, Bernard Percival, toured Havana's Latin American School of Medicine, where nearly 1500 students from 13 countries are studying medicine. During the tour, Bernard Percival expressed interest in learning about Cuba's health care system, which makes it possible for over 1000 Cuban doctors to offer their services free-of-charge in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, Belize and other parts of the world. The Cuban health minister explained that the Cuban medical personnel in Central America are located in the most remote regions. He used the example of Guatemala, where seven hospitals that were not in use due to a lack of medical personnel are currently operating with Cuban specialists. He stated that in the areas where Cuban medical personnel are present, the population has noted a major improvement in the maternal-infant mortality rate, as well as the control of diseases like malaria and cholera. CUBAN LAWYER'S UNION JOINS ORGANIZATIONS DEMANDING COMPENSATION FOR WASHINGTON'S ATTACKS AGAINST THE ISLAND San Jose de las Lajas, June 8(RHC)-- The Lawyer's Union in Havana province has requested to be included on the list of organizations that are demanding more than 181 billion dollars in compensation for Washington's 40 years of attacks against the island. Over 400 members of Havana province's Lawyer's Union expressed their support of the legal suit, demanding an end to Washington's anti-Cuba policy -- calling it unjust, illegal and a violation of the human rights of the Cuban people. THE PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF KOREA CHARACTERIZES CUBA'S CHARGES AGAINST WASHINGTON AS JUST Pyongyang, June 8(RHC)-- The daily newspaper of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea, Rodong Sinmun, characterizes Cuba's charges against Washington for over 40 years of aggressions as just. The North Korean daily added that it is fair and accurate to accuse the United States of violating the autonomy of other nations and trampling on international law. In a lengthy article that comments on the charges made by Cuban grassroots organizations against the U.S. government -- demanding compensation for 40 years of attacks against the island, Rodong Sinmun emphasized that Cuba should not have to be subjected to U.S. pressures just because it selected a different social system. The Cuban people, adds the North Korean daily, will never renounce the socialist path they have chosen. [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-29684 1999-Jun-08 22:39:51