Radio Havana Cuba, October 15, 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 Friday, October 15, 1999. Today's stories: 1.- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SAYS NO ONE WILL BE LEFT BY THE WAYSIDE FOLLOWING THE DESTRUCTION OF HURRICANE IRENE 2.- CUBA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY RESPONDS TO COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCMENT THAT HE WILL NOT ATTEND HAVANA'S IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT 3.- EXHIBITION OF CUBAN AND SPANISH PAINTINGS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONTH 4.- 7TH HAVANA BIENNIAL RESUMES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL 5.- UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FINANCES AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION PROJECT CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO SAYS NO ONE WILL BE LEFT BY THE WAYSIDE FOLLOWING THE DESTRUCTION OF HURRICANE IRENE Havana, October 15(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has vowed that no one will be left by the wayside following the destruction of Hurricane Irene. The Cuban leader said that everyone affected by the storm which hit the island Thursday will receive reconstruction aid from the government. Cuba's Civil Defense authorities have reported that two people were killed when they touched downed power lines and two others are listed as missing. In just 24 hours, 130,000 people were evacuated, 38,000 students were taken to safe refuge and 45,000 heads of cattle were taken to higher ground. Nearly 1600 homes were affected - 783 in Havana, of which 35 were totally destroyed by the hurricane-force winds and torrential rains. Strong winds felled numerous trees and telephone lines, and electricity is gradually being restored in areas affected by the storm. President Fidel Castro said that the situation will return to normal in the country's western provinces within a period of 72 hours. Cubana Airlines announced the resumption of national flights this morning as well as flights to Central America. As Hurricane Irene headed for Florida, rains began to die down Friday morning, although there was still some flooding in northern coastal areas due to intense waves. Cuba's media outlets and the population in general are praising the quick and competent action of Civil Defense authorities. CUBA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY RESPONDS TO COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCMENT THAT HE WILL NOT ATTEND HAVANA'S IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT Havana, October 15(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Ministry has stated that President Fidel Castro does not respond to personal letters sent to him whose contents have been prematurely disclosed by the media. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alejandro Gonzalez responded to international press correspondents who asked about Costa Rican President Miguel Angel Rodriguez's announcement that he will not attend the upcoming Ibero-American Summit in Havana. The Costa Rican president announced Thursday that he would not participate in the gathering because the Cuban leader had not responded to his personal letter sent last month. In the letter, the Costa Rican president demanded guarantees that he would be able to meet with counterrevolutionary groups on the island and receive broad press coverage of those meeting The Cuban Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterated Cuba's desire that all Ibero-American presidents and heads of state participate, adding that Havana is satisfied that the vast majority will be here for the gathering despite the pressures that Washington has exerted on leaders to boycott the Summit. Gonzalez also stated that the presidents of Argentina and Chile have announced they will not attend the Ibero-American Summit -- but that their decisions have nothing to do with the fact that it's being held in Cuba. EXHIBITION OF CUBAN AND SPANISH PAINTINGS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONTH Havana, October 15(RHC)-- An exhibit of paintings by renowned Cuban and Spanish artists Wifredo Lam and Joan Miro will open in Havana on November 12th. According to the President of the Cuban Fine Arts Council, Rafael Acosta, the exhibit will take place on the occasion of the 9th Ibero-American Summit, scheduled for November 15th and 16th in the Cuban capita Graphic works by the well-known Spanish painter Joan Miro are from the 1970's and 80's and are part of the collection of the Queen Sofia Museum in Madrid The 40 pieces by Cuban artist Wifredo Lam are from the 1940's, 50's and 60's and are part of the collection of the Castillo Vazquez family, relatives of the famous painter, who have kept the works for many years. The exhibit will display many paintings in small and medium-sized format which have never seen before. According to Acosta, Lam's pieces are more intimate and personal than the ones seen in the museums of Cuba and the world. 7TH HAVANA BIENNIAL RESUMES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, October 15(RHC)-- The 7th Havana Biennial will be back in the Cuban capital's art galleries and on Havana's sidewalks after an absence of three year At a Havana news conference, the Director of the Wifredo Lam Center, Nelson Herrera Isla, said that this biennial -- scheduled for November of the year 2000 -- will deal with interpersonal relation in a world where technological development has led to the lack of human contact. He said that the Havana Biennial will provide an excellent opportunity for the gathering of Third World and Cuban artists. Herrera added that there will also be an important exhibit of Cuban painters from the second half of this century who are not so well-known, such as Servando Cabrera, Raul Martinez and Sandu Darie. The biennial will display works of Cuban painters from the 1960's through the 90's and exhibit a display of Cuban film posters from the 1960's -- the decade when the island's visual arts exploded o the scene. Other subjects of the biennial will be architecture, exhibits of European and North American artists and several encounters and workshops. UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FINANCES AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION PROJECT Havana, October 15(RHC)-- The United Nations Development Program will finance an agricultural cooperation project for the eastern provinces of Cuba, affected by Hurricane Georges last year. The financing, valued at 1 133,000 dollars, includes aid from the governments of Sweden and Cyprus. The cooperation program was signed by Cuba's Deputy Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Raul Taladrid and a representative for the UNDP, Luis Echeverri. Cuban authorities hope the program will allow for an increase in agricultural production over the next three years. [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-7998 1999-Oct-21 11:49:12