Havanareporter YEAR VI
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE © YEAR VI Nº 3 FEB, 7 2017 HAVANA, CUBA avana eporter ISSN 2224-5707 YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS & MORE H R Price: A Bimonthly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency 1.00 CUC, 1.00 USD, 1.20 CAN Wet Foot - Dry Foot Policy Ended P. 3 Cuba and China Cooperate on Renewable Energy Projects P. 4 Cuba Culture Economy Sports New Memorandum Cuba Gets Ready Broader Cuban Gymnasts Enhances Cuba-US for its Biggest Horizons for Aspire Cooperation Literary Fair Cooperatives to Greatness P. 6 P. 10 P. 13 P. 15 2 TOURISM Tourist Numbers Continue to Rise By Roberto F. CAMPOS Garal Vladimir Molina FotosPL PHOTO: PHOTO: PHOTO: PHOTO: PHOTO: PHOTO: According to the latest official statistics, the upward 12 categories approved by their government and not as renowned for its nature, history and beach tourism. trend in the tourism industry in Cuba is likely to continue tourists, the number of U.S. visitors keeps growing. Despite progress made by Holguín however, the and there is now a real possibility that the island will soon The statistics also show a significant increase in the Varadero beach resort in Matanzas province – some 100 become the Caribbean’s primary tourist destination. number of visitors from Germany, the United Kingdom, kilometers from Havana- continues to be Cuba´s leading Deputy Tourism Minister Mayra Álvarez and the France, Italy and Spain. tourist destination. Ministry´s Director of Quality, María del Pilar Macías, told The arrival of new cruise ships such as the MS With 20,000 rooms in 52 hotels, the resort welcomed the press that they were optimistic about prospects for Armonía, Adonia and MS Berlín and new flights operated more than one million visitors in 2016, for the ninth the sector but will continue to strive to improve the by Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, Caraibes and Turkish Airlines consecutive year. quality of both services and products. are also noteworthy in this regard. Cuba presently has 66,547 hotel rooms and plans The Cuban Tourism Ministry revealed that for the first Tourism Ministry spokespersons stated that the May to have another 4,000 available this year and 20,000 time ever, Cuba welcomed 4,035,577 tourists in 2016, 3 to 6, 37th edition of the International Tourism Fair more by 2020, according to the Tourism Ministry´s representing a 14.5 percent increase on 2015. FITCuba 2017, will have Germany as the guest of honor, director for development and investment, José That figure exceeded predictions for the year by nine while the circuit choice will feature as the principal Reinaldo Daniel Alonso. percent, deputy marketing director, Dalila A. González, said. product promoted. The country hopes to accommodate more than Canada remains the number source market of tourists The fair will be hosted by the eastern Cuban province 4,200,000 foreign visitors this year, 164,400 more than to Cuba, and although they can only come under one of of Holguín, which has 5,440 rooms in 21 hotels and is in 2016. CUBA 3 Wet Foot - Dry Foot Policy Abandoned By Charly MORALES Consequently, Cubans who enter underdeveloped and developed the United States illegally will no countries, but insists that they must legal longer get food allowances, medical and controlled, not the case to date. insurance or work and study permits. In order to normalize the situation They will also no longer enjoy the –something that the two governments benefits of the Cuban Adjustment Act. have been addressing since December Once their visa expires –if they have 2014 - Washington must honor its one- they must return to Cuba or face commitment to grant at least 20,000 deportation like any other foreigner. visas a year to Cuban migrants, a quota Ben Rhodes, Obama’s special Cuba negotiated by the Cuban government. advisor, said that the possibility of making Cuban authorities ratified their an exception in the new policy for Cubans commitment to their citizens’ right to en route to the US had been considered, emigrate, a universal phenomenon that but deemed impossible to implement. occurs here in the context of measures Such exceptions could possibly introduced on January 14, 2013, when have unleashed a migratory crisis. the Cuban government decided to The lifting of the “dry foot, wet ease some travel requirements such as foot” policy and of the Cuban medical the letter of invitation and the exit visa. Emilio Herrera professional parole program formed A minority of citizens require special part of Obama’s farewell speech. travel authorization. Cubans can stay PHOTO: PHOTO: Even though Cuba is still justly up to 24 months abroad without losing Courtesy of cubadebate In his last press conference as U.S. demanding the abolishment of the their resident status. President, Barack Obama announced Cuban Adjustment Act, the lifting of According to the Cuban Foreign Ministry, PHOTO: the lifting of the “dry foot, wet foot” the blockade and return of the land 671,000 Cubans have travelled abroad since highest in the world or the region, policy, describing it as a “carry-over occupied by the Guantánamo Naval the migration policy was updated. according to official sources. from an old way of thinking.” Base, the elimination of a policy that led 78 percent were first time travelers In the United States, the main The now former president made his to the deaths of thousands of Cubans at and 45 percent have returned. destination for Cuban emigrants, they decision in consultation with the sea or along violent Central American Contrary to the image that some barely represent four percent of the Department of Homeland Security and overland routes, is worth highlighting. media try to promote, emigration is Hispanic community. notified Donald Trump’s transition team, Cuba accepts that migratory flows not a phenomenon exclusive to Cuba, Mexicans account for 64 percent of whose position on it remains unknown. are a natural phenomenon between where indicators are far from the the Latino population. Germans Keen on Cuban Business Opportunities By AngelaCRUZATA An entourage from the federal State of Baden- The head of Cuba’s Chamber of Commerce, alliances with his nation’s small and medium sized Wuttemberg signaled that the German business Orlando Hernández, stated that the Baden- companies (pymes), which he described as the community is keen to diversify its interests and joint Wuttemberg group had covered a broad range “backbone” of the economy. ventures in Cuba through investment projects. of sectors of strategic significance, as the He said in Havana that these technologically Exchanges held in Havana included meetings Cuban economy moves towards 2030, including innovative companies make the German economy with government authorities and a visit to the Mariel construction, transport, health services, alternative competitive and have a presence everywhere in Special Development Zone, an incentivized foreign energy and industry in general. the world. investment enclave, located some 50km west of the The inter-company talks were held at the hotel In his view, this type of enterprise would prove to Cuba’s capital city. Melia Cohiba, where the fact that almost 40,000 be most suitable to Cuba’s needs during this stage of a The German delegation comprised 12 companies Cubans speak German, most of whom studied or modernization of its economic model requiring some from sectors such as automated motor, industrial trained there, was considered advantageous. 2.5 billion (thousand million) dollars a year in inward machinery and medical product manufacturing. The fact that Germany is Europe’s prime emissary foreign investment. The visiting team also included representatives of tourists to Cuba, famed for its natural beauty and He added that German pymes do not seek from infrastructural project consultants, on-site hospitable people, was also recognized. “express benefits, but rather long term and robust renewable energy solutions and communications During an official visit early in 2016 and profitable investments”. engineering and information technology systems. accompanied by 60 members of the business There are presently some 50 German firms operating Johannes Hauser, Germany’s official industry community, Sigmar Gabriel, the German Economy in Cuba, including Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Bosch and trade delegate for Mexico, Central America and and Energy Minister expressed his willingness to and Siemens. the Caribbean, told The Havana Reporter that their promote economic, trade, cultural, scientific and Both governments last year signed a presence in Cuba was an expression of a strong desire education ties. memorandum of understanding to negotiate the to increase contacts and to get first hand information Gabriel, who is also Germany’s deputy Foreign opening here of a German office to stimulate trade about commercial and joint business opportunities. Minister, encouraged Cuban entities to form and bilateral investment. A Weekly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency SOCIETY.HEALTH & SCIENCE.POLITICS.CULTURE THE YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS & MORE ENTERTAINMENT.PHOTO FEATURE.ECONOMY HavanaReporter SPORTS.AND MORE President: Luis Enrique González. Graphic Designers: Laura Reyes. Publisher: Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana, Information Vice President: Hector Miranda. Chief Graphic Editor: Alfredo G. Pierrat Prensa Latina, S.A. Editorial Vice President: Maitté Marrero Canda. Advertising: Irina Hernández Calle E, esq. 19 No. 454, Vedado, La Habana-4, Cuba. Chief Editor: Ilsa Rodríguez. Circulation: Commercial Department. Telephone: (53)7838-3496 / 7832-3578 Fax: (53)7833-3068 Translation: Dayamí Interián/ Sean J. Clancy/Yanely Interián Printing: Agencia de Comunicación Publicitur S.A. E-mail: [email protected] 4 CUBA Cuba and China Cooperate on Renewable Energy Projects By AdrianaORTIZ Cuba and China recently committed to According to official figures, clean strengthening their cooperation in the energy sources presently contribute strategically important developmental just 4.65% to the national generation of areas of renewable energy and industry. energy, but experts consider that massive Ten documents were signed during potential exists for the exploitation of a three day bilateral forum presided over biomass, wind and solar energy.