Radio Havana Cuba-10 May 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 10 May 2000 -U.S. POSTPONES INDEFINITELY GRANTING VISAS TO ELIAN'S GRANDPARENTS -ELIAN'S GRANDPARENTS CALL STATE DEPARTMENT VISA REFUSAL "INHUMANE" -MAJORITY OF AMERICANS FAVOR RETURN OF ELIAN TO CUBA -21st TOURISM CONVENTION CONTINUES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL -CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO WELCOMES THE MAYOR OF OVIEDO, SPAIN -PRESIDENT OF THE CANARY ISLANDS VISITS CUBA -CUBA COMMEMORATES 55th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY OVER FASCISM -INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM EXPLORES IMPACT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON HEALTH -DECISIVE GAME IN BASEBALL PLAYOFFS TONIGHT -Viewpoint: CUBA'S SUGAR INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO RECUPERATE U.S. POSTPONES INDEFINITELY GRANTING VISAS TO ELIAN'S GRANDPARENTS Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The U.S. State Department has indefinitely postponed granting visas to the grandparents of Elian Gonzalez. According to an official statement, released Tuesday evening by the Cuban government, the maternal and paternal grandparents of Elian, along with the grandparents of his seven-month-old baby brother, applied for entry visas at the U.S. Interests Section on Friday, May 5th, and were led to believe that they would receive the documents by Monday or, at the latest, on Tuesday. The official statement affirms that a small, private jet was in the air and on its way to Havana to pick up the grandparents at 10:30 Tuesday morning. But at 11 o'clock, the U.S. State Department surprisingly sent word to the U.S. Interests Section in the Cuban capital -- informing its diplomatic personnel that the visas would not be granted immediately and indefinitely postponing the requests. The Cuban government stated that these types of strange and contradictory actions by the U.S. State Department have characterized recent conduct by Washington -- which includes placing obstacles in the way of Cuban diplomats to visit Elian and his family in Maryland as well as refusing visas to classmates and doctors who could help in the young boy's psychological recuperation. This latest action by the U.S. government is added to aggressive statements by high-ranking government officials and shameful provocations by right wing Cuban-Americans in Miami. The Cuban government statement concludes by asking what U.S. officials fear by allowing Elian's grandparents to visit him before the Atlanta appeals court hearing that begins on Thursday. ELIAN'S GRANDPARENTS CALL STATE DEPARTMENT VISA REFUSAL "INHUMANE" Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The grandparents of Elian Gonzalez have termed as "inhumane" the U.S. State Department's refusal to grant them visas to travel to the United States. During a news conference in Havana, the visibly upset grandparents stated that with the refusal to allow them to see Elian, his father, his step-mother and his half-brother, the Cuban child is no longer the only person being held against his will. A tearful Raquel Rodriguez, who lost her daughter -- Elian's mother -- in the fatal journey across the Florida Straits, said Elian is all she has left. Questioned about their expectations concerning tomorrow's legal proceedings in the case, the paternal grandfather, Juan Gonzalez, said they've received so many blows that they don't which the next one will be. At the end of Wednesday's news conference, Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon told reporters that this case is unprecedented, and that even the absurd and the bizarre have their limits. MAJORITY OF AMERICANS FAVOR RETURN OF ELIAN TO CUBA Washington, May 10 (RHC)-- Only twenty-four hours away from the beginning of the Atlanta court of appeals hearings, the vast majority of Americans surveyed support the return of Elian with his father to Cuba. The ZOGBY America national survey, which surveyed 1021 adults nationwide, determined that 72.5 percent of those questioned believe that Elian should return to Cuba with his father, Juan Miguel. 17.9 percent registered disapproval of the boy's return to the island, while 9.6 percent were unsure. >From an ethnic perspective, the same survey indicated that nearly 70 percent of Hispanics believe the young boy should be returned to Cuba, along with 77 percent of the white population and 80 percent of the African-American populace. 21st TOURISM CONVENTION CONTINUES IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The 21st Tourism Convention continued today at Havana's Pabexpo Exhibition Hall. As part of the Cuba 2000 event on Wednesday morning, Cuba's Deputy Minister of Tourism, Eduardo Rodriguez de la Vega, offered a lecture on the perspectives and development of tourism on the island. In 1999, Cuba obtained almost five times the number of visitors and close to eight times the revenues obtained from international tourism in 1990. He added that 64 percent of the rooms are in the four and five-star categories and practically all existing properties have been refurbished or upgraded. The deputy minister of tourism said that although most of Cuba's tourist development has been financed with domestic resources, foreign investment is expected to play a significant role in coming years. Currently, there are 26 joint venture companies established with a capital of more than 900 million dollars. On Wednesday, the organizing committee of this year's tourism convention also granted awards to the best stands presented at the trade fair. Panama, Spain and Cuba received the top awards. CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO WELCOMES THE MAYOR OF OVIEDO, SPAIN Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has received the Mayor of Oviedo -- a city located in Spain's autonomous region of Asturias. Gabino de Lorenzo has been in Cuba since last week, discussing arrangements to make Oviedo and the Cuban central city of Santa Clara sister cities. According to news reports, Oviedo's delegation signed a cooperation protocol with Santa Clara authorities. The accord provides for the donation of half a million dollars over the next three years for the preservation of downtown Santa Clara and the launching of other social projects. The delegation toured the city of Santa Clara and the Ernesto Che Guevara Memorial where they made a statement strongly condemning the U.S. blockade against Cuba. They also demanded the immediate return of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez to his homeland. PRESIDENT OF THE CANARY ISLANDS VISITS CUBA Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The President the Spanish Autonomous region of the Canary Islands, Roman Rodriguez, is in Cuba on an official visit at the invitation of the Cuban government. In statements to the press shortly after his arrival, the president of the Canary Islands pointed out that his country and Cuba are united in history, sentiments and common values. The president of the Canary Islands expressed his interest in broadening cooperation with Cuba, mainly in the area of tourism. CUBA COMMEMORATES 55th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VICTORY OVER FASCISM Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- The victory over fascism by the former Soviet Union was marked in Cuba with a military parade at the Mausoleum of the Soviet Internationalist Soldier, located west of Havana. Speaking at the activity, Cuban Division General Samuel Rodriguez Planas said that "the Cuban people fully appreciate the meaning of the victory of May 9th, 1945." The Cuban general stressed that the Red Army victory over fascism not only saved the lives of millions of people, but it also preserved humanity's cultural legacy, spiritual world and sense of dignity. Meanwhile, Tuesday evening, Cuba's Defense Minister Raul Castro attended a reception at the Russian Embassy on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the victory over fascism and the 40th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between both countries. Also present at the reception were Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida Bosque, Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque and other high-ranking Cuban officials. INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM EXPLORES IMPACT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ON HEALTH Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- An International Symposium entitled "The Impact of Science and Technology on Health" got underway on Tuesday in Havana with the participation of Cuban and foreign researchers. During the event, participants are discussing subjects related to primary health care, medication and rehabilitation, as well as transmittable diseases and environmental health. Experts from the European Union and UN Population Fund are also on hand at the event. Observers note the event is also a good occasion for the negotiation of funding of research in the field of health care and an opportunity to expose foreign guests to the achievements of the Cuban Revolution in the field. DECISIVE GAME IN BASEBALL PLAYOFFS TONIGHT Pinar del Rio, May 10 (RHC)-- Havana's Industriales will take on Pinar del Rio in what will be THE game that will decide who will challenge the defending national champions -- Santiago de Cuba -- in the finals on Saturday. After Pinar del Rio's victory over the Industriales on Monday, the series was tied three games to three. Pitching star Pedro Luis Lazo will be the starting pitcher for Pinar del Rio and Lazado de la Torre will take the mound for the Industriales. Viewpoint: CUBA'S SUGAR INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO RECUPERATE Although Cuba's sugar production during the 1980's reached a top figure which has not been surpassed since, the national sugar industry has seemingly entered a process of restoration that could lead the nation to the recovery of its traditional leadership in the world sugar market. The sugar industry in Cuba is very closely linked to the history of the country. Since the early 1990īs, sugar production fell to some three million, two hundred thousand tons in 1998 -- the lowest figure in fifty years -- when scarce resources and adverse weather conditions struck the island in an unfortunate combination. The situation began to change last year, when the country's production reached nearly three million, eight hundred thousand tons. The improvements are also shown in production during this present harvest, which has so far reported nearly four million tons of sugar. Although it is still considered only a modest improvement, the present harvest surpasses that of 1999 by 6.7 percent and the efficiency indicators also show a significant increase. The economic strategy launched by the Sugar Industry Ministry consists of an annual increase in production to over three hundred thousand tons, aimed at fully stabilizing once it reaches more than seven million tons. The strategy, which is said to be the locomotive of the national economy, is aimed at improving not only the harvests, but also agricultural and industrial efficiency related to decreasing the cost of production and the manufacture of quality products. Although tourism is currently the main source of hard currency in Cuba, the sugar industry continues to be one of the most important economic sectors in the country. More than one million seven hundred thousand people economically depend on the sugar industry, either directly or indirectly. Furthermore, Cuba possesses the world's biggest infrastructure for the production of sugarcane and its derivatives. We should remember that over the last 40 years, sugar exports provided the country with over one hundred billion dollars in gross income. With the collapse of the socialist camp in Eastern Europe in 1989, Cuban exports suffered dramatic changes. For example, the production of sugar and its derivatives represented 73 percent of foreign sales in 1989, while only nine years later, in 1998, sugar only covered 42 percent of Cuban sales abroad. The recovery of the Cuban economy, which began in 1994, is expected to bring about an increase of 4 to 4.5 percent in the GDP this year. The fulfillment of the sugar production plan will undoubtedly have a very favorable impact on the island's economy. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba. 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