-DATE-
19730903
-YEAR-
1973
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO SPEAKS TO GUYANESE MINEWORKERS
-PLACE-
BAUXITE MINES
-SOURCE-
HAVANA PRELA
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19730906
-TEXT-
FIDEL CASTRO SPEAKS TO GUYANESE MINEWORKERS

Havana PRELA in Spanish 2322 GMT 3 Sep 73 C--FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

[Text] Linden, Guyana, 3 Sep--I bring you a greeting from the Cuban people
and especially from the Cuban miners, said Fidel Castro this afternoon when
he spoke twice to an enthusiastic crowd of workers at the bauxite mines,
the most important in South America.

The leader of the Cuban Revolution began today at noon a visit to this
city, the main site of the bauxite processing installations operated by the
state controlled Guyana Bauxite Company.

After lunch at "Watooka House," formerly an exclusive club for foreign
technicians and today a social and labor club open to all the people
without discrimination of any kind, Maj Fidel Castro began a tour of the
installations.

Fidel gave two speeches 30 minutes apart, one in English and the other in
Spanish, always surrounded by thousands of workers who waived their white
and orange helmets and cheered Cuba and its revolution.

"We do not have bauxite, but we do have nickel mines and processing plants,
where the industrial chemical processes are in some ways similar," said the
visitor, who held an animated dialog with the workers.

"I am very glad to talk to you workers who no longer produce for capitalism
and imperialism but for the good of the Guyanese people," he added.
Interrupted by frequent applause the Cuban leader added: "I am sure that
now you work harder than before and I congratulate you on your successes,
since with your efficiency you are teaching imperialism that the working
class is able to handle industries with efficiency and quality."

"The revolutionary workers in Cuba and Guyana should be united," said the
speaker, and "Guyana and Cuba should support and cooperate with each
other."

In reply to a statement by Fidel Castro that "the Cuban revolutionary
workers feel fraternally towards the Guyanese workers, a worker shouted
from the crowd: "Fidel we too are your brothers and the brothers of the
revolutionary Cuba." The crowd cheered the miner's words.

At the head of the crowd, the leader of the Cuban revolution continued the
tour of the many installations of the mine, under a torrential downpour
which did not prevent the development of the program now quency the ardor
of the people of Linden.

Again at the request of the crowd, Major Castro climbed on the hood of a
jeep and spoke in English: "Our peoples, Guyana and Cuba," said he, "were
very exploited in the past but now they are threading their way towards
full development and independence."

"Here as in Cuba," continued the speaker, "the capitalists and imperialists
tried to make the workers believe that they could not run the concerns, but
they failed and the workers are winning. Here is an intelligent working
class, hard working and enthusiastic and to you in the name of the Cuban
workers, I say that you can always count on Cuban support, friendship and
solidarity."

After the visit to the industrial plants, the caravan of jeeps went to the
eastern mines, always under a torrential downpour. At 1530, at the request
of Major Castro, the caravan of jeeps halted beside a gigantic crane, whose
operators protected by the roof of the machine or covered by raincoats
smilingly greeted the visitor. He descended from the car and walking
through the mud and sand went to the workers whom he embraced and shook
hands with.

At 1600 the Cuban party accompanied by the cabinet ministers was seen off
by the union and administrative workers of the mine and the people of
Linden who went into the streets to see the visitor.

They returned to Georgetown by way of an 118-kilometer-long highway amidst
the luxurious Guyanese vegetation.
-END-