>X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Unverified) >Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit >Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 23-24 December 2000 > . > >*NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF TEACHER'S DAY IN VILLA CLARA > >*CONCERT DEDICATED TO THE TRIUMPH OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION > >*CUBAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES $755 MILLION FOOD SUBSIDY FOR 2001 > >*CUBAN-ARAB FRIENSHISHIP ASSOCIATION DEMANDS ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL > >*125th ANNIVERSARY OF THE INGLATERRA HOTEL CELEBRATED IN HAVANA > >*MORE EMPHASIS IN 2001 ON ACCESS TO CULTURE AND THE FLOW OF >INFORMATION > . > >*NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF TEACHER'S DAY IN VILLA CLARA > >Havana, December 23rd (RHC)- Due to its excellent results in the >education sector Villa Clara, in Cuba's central province, will be the >site for the national celebration event for Teacher's Day on >Saturday. > >Luis Ignacio Gomez, Cuba's Education Minister, affirmed that this >province forged the path leading to quality of education and teaching >plus a high level of scholarship with high academic results. > >In Villa Clara school attendance surpasses 98 percent, and many >schools have been restored by the teacher's own efforts. This >resulted in classes starting with a maximum of 20 students per class >in primary schools and 30 in secondary school classes. It has >guaranteed, without doubt, say observers, a better educational >process. > > *CONCERT DEDICATED TO THE TRIUMPH OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION > >Havana, December 23rd (RHC)-- Today's monthly concert performed by >the Elementary School of Music, Manuel Saumell, will be dedicated to >the 42nd anniversary of the Triumph of the Cuban Revolution. > >This traditional musical event will also celebrate the coming of the >New Millennium and with it, the end of the year 2000 and the 20th >Century. > >Piano and saxophone students joined by the chorus from the School of >Music will give the performance. > > *CUBAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES $755 MILLION FOOD SUBSIDY FOR 2001 > >Havana December 23 (RHC)--The Cuban Parliament has approved a 755 >million dollar Food Subsidy for the year 2001. > >In an editorial in today's newspaper Granma, the government's aim is >to maintain stable prices for basic food products, it was affirmed. > >The paper recalls that despite the adverse circumstances and >the ever-tightening U.S. economic war against Cuba, the island's >government has never abandoned its policy of subsidizing in key >sectors, such as the food industry. > >Granma points out that due to the Helms-Burton Law and >other extraterritorial U.S. anti-Cuba legislation preventing U.S. >farmers from selling their products to Cuba, the island has to pay >over 100 million dollars extra annually to buy food products that >could be purchased at significantly lower prices in the United >States. > >Finally, the editorial recalls that 89 percent of calories, as well >as 93 percent of proteins and the 80 percent of the fat that Cubans >consume every year come from the national market and state subsidies. > >Other subsidized sectors in Cuba include energy and transportation, >while others such education and health are totally free-of-charge. > > *CUBAN-ARAB FRIENSHISHIP ASSOCIATION DEMANDS ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL >FROM OCCUPIED TERRITORIES > >Havana, December 23 (RHC)-- The President of the Cuban-Arab >Friendship Association, renowned Cuban orthopedist Dr. Rodrigo >Alvarez Cambras, demanded Israel's compliance with UN resolutions, >calling for the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the occupied >Palestinian territories. > >Speaking to the press in Havana, Alvarez Cambras also condemned the >U.S.-led blockade against Iraq. > >The Cuban-Arab Friendship Association works jointly with Cuba's >Arab Association, assisting numerous students from the Middle East >who are taking courses here in Cuba. > > *125th ANNIVERSARY OF THE INGLATERRA HOTEL CELEBRATED IN HAVANA > >Havana, December 23rd (RHC)--The Inglaterra Hotel, which opened its >doors on December 23rd, 1875, will celebrate its 125th anniversary >this Saturday with several activities, including the launch of their >new winter menu. > >The hotel, designed and built by Cubans, incorporates many artistic >features by top Cuban artists and craftspeople, which reflect the >Island's commitment to combine tourism and culture. > >The four star hotel with 83 rooms is going into its 125th anniversary >having fulfilled its main economic projections and contributing the >equivalent of more than 100 thousand dollars in hard currency to the >Cuban economy. > >This is the Havana's oldest hotel. It has cultural, historical >and architectural value, which won it national monument status in >1982. > > Viewpoint: > >*MORE EMPHASIS IN 2001 ON ACCESS TO CULTURE AND THE FLOW OF >INFORMATION > >Cuba's national educational system has been developed to guarantee >complete training of all of its citizens, while actively expanding >their cultural horizons. The Cuban Revolution began its social >endeavors with this as its principal task. And this work, reinforced >over the last four decades, has more force and emphasis than ever >today. > >This constant improvement of the level of public instruction is, >perhaps, the most successful experiment of any country in the Third >World. The educational program was initiated 42 years ago, at the >beginning of the 60's, with the elimination of illiteracy, actively >supported by existing students and teachers. The goal of literacy was >pursued in a sensitive and dynamic manner and resulted in the >creation of schools nation wide. > >The voluntary teachers who went to work all over Cuba set up the >basis of a national system of education which has given - and >continues to give - the country a technical work force which is >necessary for its socio-economic development. Cuba does not have to >import technical expertise and, in fact, is in the lead in sending >professional volunteers to aid other Third World countries. > >Cuba has, today, the highest ratio of doctors per person in the >world, with 168 for each 1,000 inhabitants. > >All Cuban children and young people are schooled and the >population's overall level of knowledge is one of the highest in the >world. > >Today the Cuban Revolution, in the middle of an intense struggle >against ultra right wing external aggression, has initiated a >nationwide cultural educational program, using the national TV >network. This has been done in an organized and systematic manner >with televised classes at regular hours in the early morning and >repeated late at night. The instruction includes language courses, >artistic and literary appreciation and, later, other topics will be >incorporated and developed. The population has responded with great >enthusiasm. Most of them follow the classes daily using the >course materials and publications which are on sale for a very modest >price all over the country. > >One of the immediate results of this endeavor is to raise the value >of learning, which had lost ground in the last few years. Parallel >with this development is a lively movement of public information and >debate on radio and television where, amongst other topics, the >negative campaigns run by external right wing forces are aired and >discussed. > >These vigorous offensives by the Cuban Revolution, will create a >powerful and influential basis in the universal struggle for >equality, justice and decency. > >(c) 2000 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. 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: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >=================================================== >rhc-eng-15862 2000-Dec-25 03:44:53 " JC > > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for geopolitics. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________