Radio Havana Cuba, Thursday, May 20, 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 Thursday, May 20, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- U.S. BUSINESS EXECUTIVE SAYS VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICAN FIRMS WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH CUBA 2.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SENDS FLORAL WREATH TO JOSE MARTI MAUSOLEUM IN SANTIAGO DE CUBA 3.- CUBA'S LARGEST CORPORATION BRINGS IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFITS 4.- CIMEX REAL ESTATE COMPANY SETS UP EIGHT JOINT VENTURES TO CONSTRUCT APARTMENTS IN HAVANA 5.- DOMINICAN SOLIDARITY ACTIVISTS EXPRESS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN REVOLUTION 6.- SCIENCE FICTION HAVANA '99 GETS UNDERWAY NEXT WEEK U.S. BUSINESS EXECUTIVE SAYS VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICAN FIRMS WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH CUBA Cancun, May 20(RHC)-- U.S. business leader Kerby Jones has asserted that 95 percent of American firms want to invest in and trade with Cuba. The statement came late Wednesday in Cancun, Mexico, at the Third U.S.-Cuba Business Summit. Some 60 U.S. firms -- along with business executives from Great Britain, Canada and Israel -- are meeting until Saturday to listen to Cuban authorities concerning investment opportunities on the island following a series of legal reforms in Cuba aimed at a greater economic opening. Kerby Jones, president of the firm Alamar Associates -- a co-sponsor of the Summit -- said U.S. business executives want the same opportunities in Cuba enjoyed by other investors and that American business leaders are not interested in promoting a change in Cuba's political system. He said Washington allows business operations with countries like China and Vietnam, which, he added, have political systems not to the U.S. government's liking. Jones insisted that behind the maintenance of Washington's blockade of Cuba is a small, but economically-powerful and extremely conservative group of Cuban-Americans who have exerted a strong influence on U.S. foreign policy over the past 40 years. In related news, Cuban-American Congressman Robert Menendez has admitted that the pressure of U.S. agro firms against the blockade of Cuba could spark further congressional debates on the issue. With the backing of agro conglomerates, labor leaders and members of the religious community, as well as Democratic and Republican members of Congress presented last month another draft bill to allow for the sale of food, medicine and medical equipment to Cuba. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SENDS FLORAL WREATH TO JOSE MARTI MAUSOLEUM IN SANTIAGO DE CUBA Santiago de Cuba, May 20(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro sent a floral wreath to Jose Marti's Mausoleum in Santa Efigenia Cemetery in eastern Santiago de Cuba on the occasion of the 104th anniversary of the death in combat of Cuba's National Hero. Floral wreaths were also placed in the name of the Cuban people and the Council of State and Ministers. Beginning during the early morning hours of Wednesday, school children, workers, political leaders and Santiago residents paid tribute to Jose Marti at the mausoleum in eastern Santiago de Cuba. CUBA'S LARGEST CORPORATION BRINGS IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFITS Havana, May 20(RHC)-- Cuba's largest corporation -- CIMEX -- hopes to generate 800 million dollars in 1999, 70 percent of which will come from the company's retail and wholesale business, according to its President Eduardo Bencomo. Speaking at a news conference, Bencomo said that CIMEX will bring in 224 million dollars in profits by the end of this year. CIMEX is a corporation dedicated to several economic activities, including the retail and wholesale business, exports, shipping, customs, free trade zones and real estate. The president of CIMEX said that the corporation will invest some 29 million dollars this year to renovate its retail network -- made up of shops located in 165 municipalities -- and other infrastructure works. CIMEX plans to generate some 1.1 billion dollars by the year 2000 -- 300 million of which should come from the real estate business, which is beginning to gain momentum. CIMEX REAL ESTATE COMPANY SETS UP EIGHT JOINT VENTURES TO CONSTRUCT APARTMENTS IN HAVANA Havana, May 20(RHC)-- The General Manager of the CIMEX Corporation Real Estate Company, Elberto Ibarra, says that his firm recently set up eight joint ventures to construct apartments in Havana. CIMEX became involved in the real state business two years ago. The eight ventures already approved should generate some 64 million dollars -- 65 percent of which will go to the national economy. According to Ibarra, 64 million dollars will be brought in during the first stage of work, since the real estate business does not stop with the construction of apartments, but continues with services provided to the clients like water, gas and electricity. The joint ventures have been set up with foreign partners from Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Britain and Canada. Elberto Ibarra said the real estate business is a kind of tourism, since middle-class people in developed countries occasionally buy apartments to spend the winter in warmer climates. He added that when agreed upon between the owners and administration, the apartments can be rented-out during the time they are not staying in the facilities. Another 19 joint ventures are pending approval, in addition to eight others in several Cuban provinces. Part of the money generated by the real estate business will also be used for urbanization and housing projects for the island's population. DOMINICAN SOLIDARITY ACTIVISTS EXPRESS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN REVOLUTION Havana, May 20(RHC)-- More than 20 representatives from the National Coordinating Committee of the Dominican Campaign in Solidarity with Cuba have expressed their unconditional support for the Cuban Revolution. The group, which is visiting Cuba until Friday, was invited by the Cuban government in response to the warm welcome given to President Fidel Castro when he took part in the recent Association of Caribbean States Summit in the Dominican Republic. The national solidarity committee was organized over ten years ago with more than 60 Dominican organizations. SCIENCE FICTION HAVANA '99 GETS UNDERWAY NEXT WEEK Havana, May 20(RHC)-- Science Fiction Havana '99 will get underway next week at Havana's Gran Theater. The event, which opens next Thursday, May 27th, is sponsored by the Cuban Book Institute and Havana's Gran Theater. Science Fiction Havana '99 will include conferences and round tables where the public will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with science fiction experts. [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-22908 1999-May-20 21:36:02