Subject: M-G: Fw: Re: CubaNews... From: companiero-AT-gbso.net Date: 21 Nov 1997 17:31:01 Forwarded by Liam R.Flynn <trinity-AT-hot-shot.com> ---------------- Original message follows ---------------- From: companiero-AT-gbso.net To: Recipients of conference <iww-news-AT-igc.apc.org> Date: 21 Nov 1997 17:31:01 Subject: Re: CubaNews... -- CUBA SAYS INCREASINGLY BROAD SECTORS OF US SOCIETY ARE RECOGNIZING CRUEL AND INHUMANE NATURE OF WASHINGTON'S BLOCKADE OF CUBA Havana, November 21(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Ministry has termed as interesting a proposal by the US Chamber of Commerce to lift Washington's embargo of food and medicine to Cuba. The proposal has resulted in a draft bill presented recently on the floor of the US Congress entitled "Cuban Women and Children Humanitarian Relief Act of 1997", and is expected to be debated early next year. Besides the Chamber of Commerce, the measure is supported by humanitarian organizations like Oxfam International and the Washington Office on Latin America, by Cuban exile groups like the Cuban Committee for Democracy and the Cuban-American Alliance Education Fund Incorporated, has received editorial backing from The Washington Post daily, is being sponsored by 7 Democratic and Republican Senators and co-sponsored by more than 100 members of the House of Representatives. Cuban Foreign Ministry spokesman Alejandro Gonzalez said the initiative demonstrates that increasingly broad sectors of US society are understanding the cruel and inhumane character of Washington's blockade against Cuba. In another part of his press conference, Gonzalez also confirmed that the Cuban government has authorized entry visas to Cuba of 57 Catholic nuns and priests from Colombia, Mexico, Spain and Haiti. The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that this is not the first group to receive authorization to carry out their religious activities in Cuba, and also termed as good relations between Cuba and the Vatican. SLATE-MAKING COMMISSIONS GATHER FOR FINAL PROPOSALS O REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVINCIAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL Havana, November 21(RHC)-- Preparations for general elections continue on the island. People's Power Municipal Assemblies will gather in an extraordinary session on November 28, to nominate candidates for delegates to the provincial assemblies and deputies for the national parliament. Delegates of the municipal assemblies will vote for their area's final ballot for provincial and national polls, based on proposals brought to them by slate-making commissions. Prior to the extraordinary session, municipal delegates will receive biographies of candidates so that they have ample information upon which to make their proposals. Slate-making commissions island-wide are preparing the proposals they will submit to each of the municipal assemblies. Before reaching this stage, provincial slate- making commissions considered thousands of proposals made by grassroots organizations. In the province of Cienfuegos, in central Cuba 2 thousand 109 proposals were raised for the selection of 23 candidates for the national parliament and 73 for delegates for the provincial assembly. Commission members visited some 450 work places to hear workers, trade union and political organizations representatives opinions on the pre-candidates. The Cuban National Parliament currently has 589 members. During the upcoming general elections slated for January 21st, the legislature will be expanded by 12 seats, in accordance with redistricting and population increase in several municipalities. According to the island's electoral law, 50% of the national parliament must originate from among members of the municipal assemblies, and the others, are to be elected from among citizens representing all sectors of the island's society, who are proposed by trade union representatives, students, campesino, and women's organizations that make up the slate-making commission. The Cuban Communist party does not nominate candidates for the elections. CYSTIC FIBROSIS RANKS NUMBER TWO AMONG HEREDITARY DISEASES IN CUBA Havana, November 21(RHC)-- After sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis is the most common hereditary disease in Cuba, say Public Health Ministry officials. Research shows that between 50 and 100 Cuban children are born every year with the disease, which is frequently detected before the child's 5th year. The disease, which destabilizes the functioning of various glands, principally in the respiratory system and in the digestion tract, mostly affects caucasians. Specialists say that so far there is no reliable method for the pre-natal detection of the disease for persons who carry the disease. BIOTECHNOLOGY EXPERTS WILL GATHER IN HAVANA NEXT WEEK Havana, November 21(RHC)-- Cuba will be exchanging information and experience with scientists from all over the world on the development and testing of vaccines against hepatitis b and c, various types of cancer, hemorrhagic dengue and Aids. The opportunity will be provided by Biotechnoly Havana 97, sponsored by the Havana-Based Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology. Manuel Limonta, Director of the Institute, said that advancements in molecular biotechnology and genetic engineering will also be topping the event's agenda. More than 500 foreign experts from Chile, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, the United States and Mexico, among other nations, are expected to travel to Havana for the event which will run from December 1 through the 6. EXCESS LIQUIDITY REDUCED IN CUBA Havana, November 21(RHC)-- Specialists from Cuba's Ministry of Finances and Prices say that as of October, the island's excess liquidity had been shrinking at a faster rate than for the same period last year. Economists describe the tendency as confirming the curbing of the island's financial imbalance. The statements were made at a Havana meeting sponsored by the Cuban Association of Economists and Havana University, entitled "Cuban Socialism, Transformations and Recovery". The specialists said that the increase in spending was higher than the income increase of the Cuban population. Taxation and contributions to the national budget grew 10% over 1996, and the slight increase in availability on the Cuban peso market, were cited as some of the factors that have contributed to the spending increase. CUBA OFFERS MORE SCHOLARSHIPS TO CARIBBEAN STUDENTS Havana, November 21(RHC)-- Cuba's Foreign Ministry announced today that the island will up the number of scholarships for Caribbean students during the 1998 school year. Upon making the announcement, Foreign Ministry official Orlando Lancis Suarez said that though the number of scholarships will increase, unfortunately Cuba is unable to grant all the requests from its neighbor due to the island's economic situation. For the 1997 school year, Cuba granted 35 scholarship university and high school scholarships to Caribbean students, as well as scholarships for courses in diverse fields. In all, 4, 500 foreign students are currently studying here despite the economic crunch. Cuban universities and high schools have graduated a total of more than one thousand Caribbean students, with Jamaica in the lead with 206, followed by Guyana with 191 and Grenada with 141. Petitions from the region for Cuban scholarships stepped up after the 1972 Chaguaramas Accord establishing diplomatic relations between Cuba and Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. [c] 1997. 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