Cuba rejects U.S. accusations

Cuban
Radar                                                                            Read Spanish Version

Cuba
rejects U.S. accusations

A
service by the Radio Progreso Alternativa Havana Bureau

Island
media reports of June 9 reported that Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign
Relations (MINREX) strongly denied a U.S. government report released
June 4 accusing Cuba of not making significant efforts against the
internal traffic of women and children aimed at "sexual
tourism."

The
Cuban declaration stressed that the inclusion of the Island on that
list serves the purpose of increasing pressure on Cuba, degrade its
social advances and its government’s ethics, and harm Cuba’s
reputation as a tourist destination.

The
U.S. report makes recommendations to Cuba’s government rejected by
the latter because "the Bush administration, whose policies
permanently attack the Cuban people’s human rights, has no moral
authority or credibility to accuse Cuba, much less give cynical
recommendations of what our country should be doing, regarding that
issue."

The
Cuban declaration adds that the United States government should look
within its own borders and face the rampant phenomena of
prostitution, sexual exploitation, forced labor and its own human
trade.

Cuban
Communist Party official sacked

During
a recently held meeting of the Cuban Communist Party of Cuba in the
province of Havana, Iván Ordaz Curbelo, First Secretary of the
Party in that province, was removed from his post. 

In
its Monday, June 9, edition, the daily Granma
reported
that Ordaz was "definitely removed from his post for committing
mistakes and indiscipline that were incompatible with his
responsibilities." No specifics were given.

Delegates
to the meeting elected the new Provincial Committee, which later
appointed the Executive Bureau, led by Ulises Guilarte.

During
the important party meeting, chaired by José Ramón
Machado Ventura, member of the Party’s Politburo and First Vice
President of Cuba, issues related to the economic and social reality
of the province were discussed. He said that Havana is key to Cuban
agricultural production, for according to Granma,
the
province produces "33 percent of the country’s crops." In
2007, it reached 773,000 tons of grain, tubers and vegetables.

Several
delegates praised the productivity of the Enterprise of Varied Crops
at the Güira de Melena Municipality. Regarding this, Machado
Ventura warned that they should not to be afraid of high salaries for
field workers and encouraged all to apply the same experience
whenever possible, as long as it has concrete results and money is
not given away, a fact that demands more control on the part of
managers.

COPEXTEL
expands

COPEXTEL,
Cuba’s telecommunications corporation, is developing about 50
projects in several countries. The information was released at the
15th ExpoCaribe International Fair held last week in Santiago de
Cuba.

COPEXTEL,
with 36 percent of its staff with engineering degrees, is working in
countries such as Venezuela, Canada, China, Panama, Bolivia and
Angola.

In
Cuba, the corporation plays an important role in the assembly of
computers, air conditioners, communication and audiovisual equipments
for educational, social and tourist centers.

Housing
construction behind schedule

This
year’s housing construction plan, slated for 50,000 new homes, is
way behind schedule. As of this date only 18,521 homes have been
built, or 37 percent of the plan. The figures were given by president
of the National Housing Institute Víctor Ramírez at the
annual meeting of the presidents of the 169 municipalities of the
country.

During
the meeting, chaired by Vice President Carlos Lage, it was agreed
that the plan for 2009 will be made by the municipalities, so that it
is consistent with each region’s needs and in order to optimize
resources for the satisfaction of citizens.

Substitution
of imports

The
Cuban National Information Agency reported that from June 14 to 20 a
fair will be held at EXPOCUBA, sponsored by the government of the
City of Havana with the objective of substituting imports. Producers,
distributors and consumers have been invited to attend the fair.

According
to Jorge Vila, head of Economy and Planning at the provincial
government, more than 300 products which can represent significant
savings to the national economy will be exhibited.

Havana’s
municipal government is bent on getting the most out of its own
resources in order to substitute imports.