Radio Havana Cuba-02 November 2000 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 02 November 2000 . *WORLD SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE: US, PUERTO RICO HAVE LARGEST DELEGATIONS *SCOTTISH MINISTER PRAISES HAVANA INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR *CUBA, POPULAR REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO SIGN PACTS *CONFERENCE ON BOTANICAL GARDENS AND 21st CENTURY CHALLENGES UNDERWAY *CUBAN, CYPRIOT YOUTH COUNCIL ANNOUNCE COOPERATION AGREEMENT *CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY PLANS SPANISH TOUR *Viewpoint: PLUS CA CHANGE... . *WORLD SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE: US, PUERTO RICO HAVE LARGEST DELEGATIONS Havana, November 2 (RHC)-- The United States and Puerto Rico will have the largest delegations at the 2nd World Solidarity with Cuba Meeting, slated for Havana from November 10th to the 14th. The Puerto Rican delegation will be made up of 100 people, while the United States will be represented by more than 500 solidarity activists. Among the U.S. delegation will be 50 members of the solidarity/religious organization Pastors for Peace, headed by the Reverend Lucius Walker. More than 3000 delegates from Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa will participate in the international solidarity meeting. *SCOTTISH MINISTER PRAISES HAVANA INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR Havana, November 2 (RHC)--The Scottish Minister without Portfolio, Brian Wilson, had words of praise for the Havana International Trade Fair. Wilson, speaking with reporters in the Cuban capital, described the event as "excellent." In statements to the Prensa Latina News Agency, Wilson said the trade fair is an ideal place to establish business contacts. And the Scottish official went on to say that his visit to Cuba was very productive. He met with Cuban government officials and visited a number of places of interest. *CUBA, POPULAR REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO SIGN PACT Havana, November 2 (RHC)-- Cuba and the Popular Republic of the Congo have signed an agreement for the creation of joint ventures and increased cooperation in the fields of pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, food and construction materials. The agreement was signed in the context of the Havana International Trade Fair, currently underway at the PABEXPO Exhibition Hall. In related news, the Cuban CIMATEL Company and the Brazilian CSL firm signed an accord that will facilitate information via Internet to Brazilian business executives. And Venezuela's Pirelli Company and Cuba's ENSUNA signed an accord to increase the supply of tires to the island. *CONFERENCE ON BOTANICAL GARDENS AND 21st CENTURY CHALLENGES UNDERWAY Cienfuegos, November 2 (RHC)-- An international event entitled "Botanical Gardens and Challenges in the 21st Century" got underway on Thursday in the central city of Cienfuegos. Over 20 Cuban and foreign institutions will be on hand to analyze 60 workshops related to environmental education, ecology and biodiversity conservation. The Botanical Gardens in Cienfuegos, which was declared a national monument over ten years ago, will work to contribute to environmental education as part of its activities for the 100th anniversary of the gardens. *CUBAN, CYPRIOT YOUTH COUNCIL ANNOUNCE COOPERATION AGREEMENT Havana, November 2 (RHC)-- The Cuban Young Communist League and Cypriot Youth Council will sign a cooperation accord on Friday in Havana. The accord is aimed at strengthening relations between both organizations. The Cypriot youth organization will present a coordination project to the UJC that would permit both groups to maintain direct communications with other parts of the world, according to the head of the Cypriot group, George Louklioles, who is currently visit Havana. The Cypriot youth group's visit was in response to last year's visit of Otto Rivero, First Secretary of Cuba's Young Communist League. *CUBA'S NATIONAL BALLET COMPANY PLANS SPANISH TOUR Havana, November 2 (RHC)-- Cuba's National Ballet Company will leave for Spain on Saturday, having participated in the recently concluded 17th International Ballet Festival in Havana. The tour will include visits to Zaragoza, Santurce, Salamanca, Toledo and Valencia with the performance of "Swan Lake," directed by the General Director of the Cuban National Ballet Company, Alicia Alonso. After the tour, the Cuban ballet group will return to Cuba and perform at Havana's Garcia Lorca's Gran Theatre. Viewpoint: *PLUS CA CHANGE... Less than a week away from the U.S. presidential elections and neither of the two principal candidates have said anything or really done anything that makes them different from each other. No one wants to rock the boat of corporate prosperity. In fact, Ralph Nader, the consumer advocate who is an independent candidate in the presidential race, commented recently that "the only distinction between George W. Bush and Al Gore is the velocity with which their knees hit the floor when big corporations come knocking at the door." In spite of extra last minute efforts to court the Hispanic vote, with both candidates firing off ready-learnt Berlitz school phrases in Spanish at the slightest photo-op, there is no indication that the expected high absenteeism will be affected. The Hispanic vote is important, but the Hispanic population is not fooled anymore than any other voter. Quite frankly, the people of the United States are bored. Both candidates have the charisma of a Merv Griffin re-run and neither offer any hope whatsoever to the nation's tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free. No alternatives to soaring rents, lack of affordable health care, inequitable taxation, dropping educational standards and massive layoffs are forthcoming from either Bush or Gore. They both seek to maintain the economic bonanza that has made them and their corporate friends immensely rich at the expense of the nation's workers. Ten of the original 13 candidates for the presidency are millionaires. A full one-third of the Senate rolls in immense wealth. Everyone knows that to make money you have to spend money, so the total amount spent on this particular election by both candidates has exceeded $3 billion -- a record that outstrips the last election by almost double. The total mediocre and mundane nature of all this would be a joke if it didn't affect so many people in such a negative way. The alienation that some 40 percent of the people in the U.S. now feel, will be reflected in their disinclination to vote, their increased turn to drugs and the rise of racial tension and violence in a dangerously polarized society. As Cuba's president said a few weeks ago, it would probably be best for voters to simply plan a day at the beach next Tuesday. (c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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