Radio Havana Cuba-4 May 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 4 May 2000 -"WASHINGTON POST" SAYS MIAMI OFFICIALS MAKING CLOWNS OF THEMSELVES -CUBAN AND EUROPEAN UNION BUSINESS EXECUTIVES MEET IN HAVANA -FOREIGN INVESTMENT ON THE INCREASES -THIRD INT'L CONFERENCE ON RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED UNDERWAY IN HAVANA -INFORMATICS 2000 GEARS UP IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL -OSPAAAL NAMES NEW GENERAL SECRETARY -BOOK OF CONDOLENCES OPENED AT THE VIETNAMESE EMBASSY IN HAVANA -AND IT'S A HIGH FLY TO LEFT FIELD... -Viewpoint: THE WILD, WILD WEST RIDES HIGH -- TARGETING UNDOCUMENTED MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS "WASHINGTON POST" SAYS MIAMI OFFICIALS MAKING CLOWNS OF THEMSELVES Washington, May 4 (RHC)-- The U.S. news daily The Washington Post has strongly criticized Miami city officials for their handling of the Elian Gonzalez case. In Thursday morning's edition of the newspaper, Miami Mayor Joe Carollo is particularly targeted for having committed serious strategic errors. The editorial in this morning's Washington Post points out that the Miami mayor made a clown of himself when he fired City Manager Donald Warshaw because he refused to fire Police Chief William O'Brien. According to the U.S. capital's influential daily, Mayor Carollo is "gasoline in a world of fires." The Washington Post calls the current scandal in Miami a "small-scale Watergate" -- a reference to the scandal that eventually led to the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon in the 1970's. CUBAN AND EUROPEAN UNION BUSINESS EXECUTIVES MEET IN HAVANA Havana, May 4 (RHC)-- Cuban and European Union business executives are meeting in Havana with the participation of representatives from 60 companies with offices in 13 European countries. Representatives from some 130 businesses on the island are also taking part in the meeting, discussing agriculture, tourism and the oil industry. The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation and the European Association of Small and Medium-sized Businesses are sponsoring the meeting. During the first day of sessions, participants learned about foreign investment in Cuba, free trade zones and the process of joint ventures on the island. The president of the Latin American region for the European Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses, Ramon Vila, underscored the interest of the European business community with regard to Cuba and added that he is sure that the Cuba-European Union meeting will be a tremendous success. FOREIGN INVESTMENT ON THE INCREASES Havana, May 4 (RHC)-- The Director of the Business Center of the Ministry of Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation, Marta Camacho, affirmed that 58 foreign economic associations were approved last year, eight of them in the tourism sector. The Cuban official pointed out that the investments are oriented toward those sectors where the country most needs foreign capital and, as a result, the development of hotel infrastructure is prioritized along with steel and basic industry production. There are currently over 370 economic associations in 32 sectors of the economy with the participation of capital from 46 countries. The main foreign investors on the island are Spain, Canada, Italy, France, Britain, Mexico and Venezuela. THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED UNDERWAY IN HAVANA Havana, May 4 (RHC)-- Cuba is offering yet another example of its concern for human rights. The 3rd International Conference on the Rights of the Disabled is underway at Havana's Convention Center, running through Saturday, the 6th. Hundreds of delegates from countries such as Mexico, Canada and Cuba are taking part in the event, organized by the Cuban Association for the Physically and Visually Impaired and the National Association for the Deaf. The international conference includes plenary sessions, round tables, workshops and lectures. Among the issues being discussed is how to better integrate the disabled into society. Other topics include general and special education, efforts to eliminate architectural barriers, telecommunications and the disabled, health and rehabilitation programs, social security and employment opportunities. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend conferences on themes such as how the U.S. blockade has affected the disabled in Cuba. INFORMATICS 2000 GEARS UP IN THE CUBAN CAPITAL Havana, May 4 (RHC)-- The 7th Convention and International Fair on Informatics, Industrial Automation and Communications "Informatics 2000" will take place in the Cuban capital from May 22nd through the 27th at Havana's Convention Center and Pabexpo Exhibition Hall. Along with the international fair, Informatics 2000 will include 14 international congresses and scientific events that will be attended by renowned personalities and specialists of the sector and universities from Europe, the United States, Canada, China and Japan, as well as representatives from more than 35 countries and more than 100 companies. Ministers from China, Mexico, Honduras and other countries have also expressed their interest in participating in Informatics 2000. The event is sponsored by UNESCO and the Cuban National Commission of Informatics as well as by international organizations, universities and research centers of different regions. ORGANIZATION IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA, ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA (OSPAAAL) NAMES NEW GENERAL SECRETARY Havana, May 4 (RHC)-- The organization in Solidarity with the People of Africa, Asia and Latin America (OSPAAAL) has named its new general secretary, Juan Carretero Ibanez -- replacing Ramon Pez Ferro. The new general secretary of OSPAAAL formerly worked in the International Relations Department of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party. Ramon Pez Ferro, who served as the head of OSPAAAL for many years, will now lead the International Relations Commission of the Cuban Parliament. BOOK OF CONDOLENCES OPENED AT THE VIETNAMESE EMBASSY IN HAVANA Havana, May 4 (RHC)-- A book of condolences will be opened at the Vietnamese Embassy in Havana on Friday for the Cuban people to pay tribute to the late Vietnamese leader Pham Van Dong. The former prime minister of Vietnam died Saturday in Hanoi at the age of 94. The book of condolences will be open in Havana through the weekend for people to express their solidarity with the heroic Vietnamese people and the late Pham Van Dong. AND IT'S A HIGH FLY TO LEFT FIELD... Bayamo, May 4 (RHC)-- Defending national champ Santiago de Cuba has qualified for the finals after defeating Granma 12 to seven during Wednesday's exciting game in the eastern city of Bayamo. The outstanding pitcher of the playoffs so far is from Santiago de Cuba -- Jorge Luis Vera -- who won his third playoff game last night. For the first seven innings, neither side would not give in. Finally, Granma tied the defending champs in the 8th inning, but the Santiago offensive came back and beat its rival by five runs in the 9th inning. Now, Santiago will face the winner between Pinar del Rio and Havana's Industriales. In that series, Pinar del Rio is leading two games to one. Viewpoint: THE WILD, WILD WEST RIDES HIGH -- TARGETING UNDOCUMENTED MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS The time when cowboys imposed their law at gun-point has not yet faded into history -- at least not in the border region between the United States and Mexico. In fact, the only difference between the once Wild West and today is that the victims are no longer Native Americans, but rather undocumented workers trying to migrate to the north in search of better opportunities. Regardless of how unreal this may sound, ranchers in Arizona are systematically hunting undocumented immigrants with total impunity. They have justified this medieval hunt of human beings by arguing that the immigrants often trespass on their lands, allegedly posing a threat to the safety of their families. A spokesperson of the Immigration and Naturalization Service expressed concern about the actions of the ranchers. He said that the INS will request an investigation by Arizona state authorities to determine whether the detention of undocumented immigrants by civilians is legal. However, an attorney for the Arizona Human Rights Coalition, Jesus Romo, questioned the willingness of Washington and Arizona authorities to punish the ranchers who, he says, are in violation of State and Federal law. Romo acknowledged that since the detention of undocumented immigrants by civilians in Arizona began over a year ago, U.S. authorities have been reluctant to take any action to stop the practice. As was to be expected, the Mexican government issued a strong protest against what they have termed a discriminatory and racist action that violates international law. Mexican Foreign Minister Rosario Green clearly stated that her government will not sit by and watch armed U.S. ranchers go after Mexican citizens attempting to reach U.S. territory. Mexican authorities also strongly criticized civilians for shooting at anyone who tries to cross into U.S. territory without being detected. The U.S. border patrol is made up of over 9000 agents, most of them assigned to the task of preventing undocumented immigrants from crossing the border into the United States from Mexico. The truth is that the border region between the United States and Mexico is increasingly becoming a heavily militarized zone, with an ever-growing number of agents, equipped with state-of-the-art weapons as well as tracking and surveillance systems. In fact, the border patrol has every means at their disposal to prevent immigrants from crossing into the United States, including satellites, armored vehicles and helicopters, as well as logistic and military support. They have even formed alliances with local police corporations -- a whole system designed and orchestrated for the hunting down of human beings. However, everything indicates that this colossal force is totally incapable of stopping the flow of people who daily risk their lives to cross the border --searching for the so-called "American Dream" -- which for many becomes an American Nightmare. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba. All rights reserved. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= rhc-esp-2658 2000-May-05 06:23:28