cuba

Monday April 15: Wife of Cuban 5 & Cuban Ambassador to Canada Visit Vancouver!

VCSC — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 07:39:49 +0000

Mon Apr 15

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Toronto Star Makes Up Facts in Exposé of Sex Tourism in Cuba

Gwalgen Dent — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:28:48 +0000

"There is truly no prostitution healthier than Cuba's," said Fidel Castro in 1992. Or so claims the Toronto Star. But did he really?

Shirley Langer Author of Acclaimed Novel: "Anita's Revolution" visits Vancouver

max.tennant2 — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 06:45:49 +0000

Fri Jan 25

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~ La versión en español sigue la versión en inglés ~

* Please Forward Widely *

“ANITA'S REVOLUTION”

Friday January 25
7pm
Joe’s Café ~ large north hall
1150 Commercial Dr. (at William St.)
Vancouver, Canada

One of the greatest achievements of the Cuban Revolution was to

Help send off the Caravan to Cuba!

max.tennant2 — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 06:06:09 +0000

Sat Jun 30 - Sun Jul 1

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~ La versión en español sigue la versión en inglés ~
*Please forward widely*

Join us for 2 Lower Mainland events to send off the Pastors for Peace
Caravan to Cuba!

Part of the 6-stop B.C. tour to End the U.S. Blockade on Cuba!

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Canadian Contingent of Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba Stopped at Peace Arch

Thomas Davies — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 09:19:01 +0000

Canadian Aid Convoy to Cuba Refused Entry at Blaine, Washington Border Crossing

Cuba at 50 - Interview with Andro Williams

Gwalgen Dent — Thu, 14 May 2009 05:26:13 +0000

Civil engineer discusses Cuban life after 50 years of revolution

For the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution, contribuing member, Gwalgen Geordie Dent went to Havana to talk to folks about life in Cuba. He spoke with Andro Williams, a civil engineer and director of projects in Old Havana, on January 4th, 2009, 3 days after the anniversary.

Gwalgen Dent: What do you do on a day to day basis?

Andro Williams: Normally I do projects of restoration in all the buildings in Havana including the buildings that are destroyed in the hurricane. 30 people work in my department, which only oversees the direction of restoration projects. Construction is another department. My first job was in construction, but now I've changed the work to engineering.

G: What kind of challenges are in your job, what makes it difficult?

A: We have many limitations here in Cuba. For example, the computers are not the best, no paper or supplies. In my department we have a lot of skilled people, but when we implement a project the construction is not the best. We don't have good qualifications and skill in construction. This is the problem.

We do not produce a lot of construction materials here in Cuba and we need to import some of this material from Canada and other countries in Europe. But, for example, the conditions in Canada are not the same as the conditions in Cuba. Humidity in Cuba is very high and for that reason a lot of buildings have humidity problems with the walls. We have a laboratory to analyze materials, but we do not have the best equipment.

In my work specifically we sometimes have poblems with bureaucracy. Things are slow. We can make a very good project but, the directors will say it is too expensive. They are correct, but cheaper projects do not last as long.

G: Tell me about the economic blockade. Does it impact your work?

Cuba at 50 - Raul Castro

Gwalgen Dent — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:14:49 +0000

Raul Castro Ruz speaks in Cuba on Dec. 27th, 2008

By Raul Castro Ruz

We are just a few days away from the end of year in which the country has faced difficult challenges. The ups and downs of a world economy in sustained decline have been compounded by increasingly unpredictable and devastating natural phenomenon.

Recovery from the damage caused by the three most recent hurricanes is generally proceeding satisfactorily. Nevertheless, we should be aware of the magnitude of this task, particularly the recovery of homes. More than 500,000 homes in 35 municipalities have been affected by the hurricanes this year, plus 70,000 in another 12 damaged by other events in previous years. Of those figures combined, 77% remains to be repaired or completely rebuilt.

The adverse economic reality present during virtually all of 2008 forced us to give secondary priority to studying and adopting decisions on other important matters.

For example in terms of foodstuffs, this year the country had to pay $907 million more than in 2007; $840 million of that figure is related to higher prices. They have gone down in recent weeks, but prices for our main export lines have sunk even lower.

The average price for nickel in 2008 has been 41% lower than in 2008. Prices for sugar and sea foods have likewise dropped, along with other Cuban exports.

The financial crises that exploded in the United States has evolved rapidly into the global economic crisis that comrade Fidel predicted at least a decade ago, the most profound crisis in almost 80 years.

Despite all these difficulties, the economy grew, although by less than what was planned, which was decisively influenced, as I mentioned previously, by the damage from the hurricanes, amounting to a total of close to $10 billion; in other words, about 20% of the gross domestic product for this year.