World prices will affect Cuban economy
Cuban
Radar Read Spanish Version
World
prices will affect Cuban economy
A
service by the Radio Progreso Alternativa Havana Bureau
Cuba’s
2009 economic plan will be affected by the increase in the price of
fuels and food in world markets. These two factors will restrain the
country’s plans and programs and will force adjustments.
According
to the July 8 daily Granma,
this information was reported by Jose Luis Rodriguez, a member of
parliament and Minister of Economy and Planning. During the meeting
of the parliament’s Economic Affairs Commission Rodriguez spoke of
the development of the economy and the measures implemented,
including a comprehensive study on social consumption and other
factors related to retail market circulation for avoiding a domestic
financial imbalance.
Some
of the indicators mentioned by Minister Rodríguez in reference
to the first semester were a 7.5% growth in agriculture, 6.2% in
industry, 14% to 15% in tourism, as well as in investments,
construction and improvement in the generation of power generation,
all compared to the same period in 2007. Yet, the correlation between
the average salary and productivity was not favorable, for while the
former grew by 4.6%, the latter increased only by 3.5%.
Oil
production grows
Minister
of Basic Industry Yadira García told the parliament’s Energy
and Environmental Commission that oil production grew beyond
expectations.
Up
to the moment, oil workers have extracted crude oil and gas that is
equivalent to a little over 2.1 million tons of oil, which represents
a 6.1% increase over the planned quota.
Minister
García estimated that at this rate, the country’s production
in 2008 will exceed 4 million tons.
Cuba
will import less rice
Parliament’s
Agribusiness Commission clearly stated Cuba plans to decrease rice
imports by 56%.
Cuba
consumes 600,000 tons of rice annually, but national production,
which has never satisfied the demand, is being revitalized through a
scientific and technical policy based on seed selection, more
supplies to the best producers and better prices for farmers.
On
the latter, President of the National Association of Small Farmers
(ANAP) Orlando Lugo Fonte emphasized the need to unify prices paid to
farmers, for they are not the same in several provinces. Contracts
should also make clear the responsibilities of growers and who should
supply the resources.
A
July 8 daily Granma
article on the debates and reports rendered to the Commission
reported that "results, which still are low in milk production
and pork –the latter with 20,000 tons more than on the same period
in 2007– just to cite two examples, reflect how much could be
achieved if all the range of agribusiness combines local traditions,
intelligence and experience."
New
TV channel airs
As
of Monday, July 7, Multivisión Channel is broadcasting 24
hours a day. The new channel includes news, cultural and
entertainment programs from Spain, China, Brazil and the
multinational TeleSur. It will also run programs from the Discovery
Channel.
To
broadcast its signal to the entire country, Multivisión will
use the local provincial stations. At the capital, it will broadcast
on channel 27, although presently the signal can not be seen in some
Havana sectors.
Multivisión
is the island’s fifth TV channel.
Venezuela
and Cuba collaborate in new steel foundry
The
governments of Cuba and Venezuela have signed some 200 projects of
collaboration in myriad sectors. Now they have agreed to build a
steel foundry at the Venezuelan state of Monagas. The $1.5 billion
investment will turn out 500,000 tons of stainless steel a year.
Venezuela
will have 51% of the shares and Cuban company ACINOX the remaining
49%.
Cuba
will not request Posada’s extradition
Speaker
of Parliament Ricardo Alarcón said, in Panama City, that
Havana will not request the extradition of terrorist Luis Posada
Carriles.
"I
don’t know why certain U.S. media keep repeating the same thing. They
do it to hide the fact that Posada is still a fugitive from
Venezuelan justice," Alarcón said.
The
Cuban official attended a meeting in Panama of members of parliament
from Latin American and the Caribbean. His visit coincided with a
finding by Panama’s Supreme Court that the 2004 pardons signed by
former President Mireya Moscoso, a few days before leaving office,
were unconstitutional.
Included
in the presidential pardon were Luis Posada Carriles, Pedro Remón,
Guillermo Novo and Gaspar Escobedo, sentenced to 8 years of prison
for illegal possession of explosives, use of forged documents and
crimes against public security.
During
the 10th
Iberian American Summit held in the Panamanian capital in November
2000, Posada and his associates planned to assassinate then President
Fidel Castro by planting explosives at the auditorium of the
University of Panama, where Castro was to give a speech to students.
While
awaiting trial for the bombing of a Cubana Airlines plane in 1976
where 73 people died, Posada Carriles escaped from a Venezuelan
prison. His extradition from the U.S. has been requested by
Venezuela. Panamanian authorities will also apply for his
extradition.
Posada
and his three accomplices are currently free in the United States.
"You
would expect that this U.S. administration, if it truly wants us to
believe that it is opposed to terrorism, would take this gentleman
(Posada) and his accomplices and send them to Panama," Alarcón
said.
Cuban
Catholic Church protests
The
Cuban Catholic Church reacted strongly to what it believes is a media
campaign that goes beyond the legitimate promotion of tolerance
towards the diversity of sexual options. That perception is obvious
for the Church. Witness to the fact is issue 175 of Palabra
Nueva magazine,
published by the Archdioceses of Havana.
Editor
Orlando Márquez focuses on the subject from an impeccably
doctrinal perspective. Under the title "Falling Short or
Overshooting?" Márquez cites opinions not only from
Catholics "and other Christians", but also from "many
surprised Cubans" due to the presentation on TV of the film
Brokeback
Mountain
as part of the National Journey against Homophobia, held in several
cities from around the country on May 17, 2008.
Márquez
wrote: "Respect for homosexuals, yes; promotion of
homosexuality, no. We walk on the razor’s edge when the very
government institutions promote programs that could undermine the
foundations of society."
The
magazine also dedicates its regular section "Segmentos" to
reproducing the official position of the Church on the issue, which
is none other than what was drafted in 2003 by the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith. Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino, Archbishop
of Havana, wrote for Palabra
Nueva an
introductory note to said document. (Cardinal Ortega’s introduction
may be read in Spanish on Progreso
Semanal,
June 7, 2008.)
Camaguey:
Cultural Heritage of Humankind
The
32nd meeting of UNESCO’s Committee for the Heritage of Humankind in
Quebec, Canada, voted to award to the city of Camagûey’s
historical core the title of Cultural Heritage of Humankind.
The
city, originally named Saint Mary of the Port of the Prince is
located in eastern Cuba and stands out from the rest of the country’s
cities because of its many squares and the irregular design of its
narrow streets, so much so that strollers oft times return to their
starting point when on a leisurely walk.
