-DATE-
19890926
-YEAR-
1989
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
-AUTHOR-
-HEADLINE-
Castro Discusses Tourism With Reporters
-PLACE-
CARIBBEAN / Cuba
-SOURCE-
Havana Tele-Rebelde Network
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS-LAT-89-186
-REPORT_DATE-
19890927
-HEADER-
BRS Assigned Document Number:    000019165
Report Type:         Daily Report             AFS Number:     FL2609143089
Report Number:       FBIS-LAT-89-186          Report Date:    27 Sep 89
Report Series:       Daily Report             Start Page:     1
Report Division:     CARIBBEAN                End Page:       3
Report Subdivision:  Cuba                     AG File Flag:   
Classification:      UNCLASSIFIED             Language:       Spanish
Document Date:       26 Sep 89
Report Volume:       Wednesday Vol VI No 186

Dissemination:  

City/Source of Document:   Havana Tele-Rebelde Network

Report Name:   Latin America

Headline:   Castro Discusses Tourism With Reporters

Source Line:   FL2609143089 Havana Tele-Rebelde Network in Spanish 1148 GMT 26
Sep 89

-TEXT-
FULL TEXT OF ARTICLE:
1.  [Text] Moments before inaugurating the new Varadero airport, Commander in
Chief Fidel Castro Ruz toured the terminal, which is considered one of the
largest and most modern in our country. The president of the Councils of State
and Ministers was accompanied by Luis Alvarez de la Nuez, alternate member of
the Politburo of the Communist Party of Cuba [PCC] and first secretary of the
Matanzas PCC. Fidel toured several areas in the new airport terminal, including
the cafeteria, bar, stores, and passenger areas.

2.  The modern Varadero airport is capable of handling more than 600 passengers
an hour and receiving 7,000 first-category airplanes a year. The airport is
based on Canadian technology, similar to that of the Jose Marti No 2 terminal
although the Varadero terminal is 40 percent larger.

3.  After touring the new Varadero airport, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro
discussed several topics with the press.

4.  [Begin recording] [Passage indistinct including remarks by Castro and first
unidentified reporter]

5.  [Second unidentified reporter] Commander, could you tell us what you think
in general of the tourism plans?

6.  [Castro] Me?

7.  [Second reporter] Yes.

8.  [Castro] Are you asking me?

9.  [Second reporter] Yes, of course, Commander.

10.  [Castro] I see them as being very slow even though we are constructing 10
times more than we were before. This year workers are going to finish
approximately 700 rooms. Next year they plan on finishing close to 1,700 and
this still seems like a small amount. This is a subjective opinion. If I
analyze this objectively, I think that we are building about 15, 16, 17 times
more than before. It's possible that we are even building 20 times more than
before. Many years passed when not even 100 rooms were constructed. Now, at the
rate we are constructing, we will have more than 1,500 rooms by 1990 but since
growth appears to be slow, then...

11.  [Second reporter] Then the project...

12.  [Castro] Growth is slow.

13.  [Second reporter] Then the project for turning the tourism industry into
the nation's second source of income is progressing?

14.  [Castro] It's moving along. It's moving along. [repeats himself] It can be
seen in all this work. Well, what can I tell you? We're working on it. We're
doing something.  We're preparing the conditions to work on it on 17 fronts, 17
fronts [repeats himself].

15.  Varadero is one front. It is the largest. I could mention the other
fronts: Havana City, Santa Maria del Mar, Cayo Largo, Isle of Youth, Pinar del
Rio. I will name these fronts in a specific order. Cienfuegos is another front.
Some fronts have more potential than others. Villa Clara is another front. It
is a new, very important front that is opening in the direction of Santa Maria.
I was able to visit that area about a week ago. (El Lancon) is another front.
And Cayo Coco is another front. I also visited this area a few days ago.

16.  There are also new potential fronts we are working on, such as Paredon
Grande, Cayo Cruz, Cayo Sabinal, Santa Lucia. Playa Covarrubias, where a road
was constructed last year, is another front we will begin work on.  Areas in
northern Holguin, such as Guarda La Barca [as heard] and other areas in
northern Holguin, are other fronts. Maria del Portillo in Granma is another
front.  Baconao in Santiago de Cuba is another. The coast from Santiago to
Pilon is another front. Guantanamo is another front. I don't know if I
mentioned Cayo Largo.  Did I mention it?

17.  [First reporter] Yes, you mentioned it.

18.  Another possible, potential front is a beach close to the Llanita, north
of Puerto Padre. I understand that another front is Cayo Guillermo in (Lancon)
which is west...

19.  [First reporter, interrupting] Coco, it's Cayo Coco.

20.  [Castro] Yes Coco, excuse me. Gayo Guillermo belongs to Cayo Coco. The
most wonderful places that I have seen were recently shown on several programs.
They were Guajaba, Cayo Guajaba, which is a 6- or 7-km beach and Playa Ramon on
Cayo Roman. They are not of the same quality or size as Cayo Cruz--which will
be another Varadero--which is a location of great beauty.

21.  I have not mentioned Cayo Cosa or other future locations, such as (Cayo
Flagoso), north of Villa Clara. Sites are now being selected that have the best
conditions. I can discuss the (Ensenachos) which form part of Santa Maria, La
Salina. There is also Punta de Cobo which will be dedicated to [words
indistinct].

22.  I think that I have more or less mentioned 16 or 17 locations. Work is
being done or will be done on all of these sites. Work is being done or
communications are being set up to begin work on them.

23.  [Second reporter] Commander, I...

24.  [Castro] All this requires a colossal effort. We have to bring electricity
to all these areas, as well as water. I think that we could call that area in
the north the patrimony of humanity. The center of the country is also the
patrimony of humanity at time when people throughout the world are eager to
have fresh air, fresh water, to escape from the poison in the environment, the
toxins that have accumulated. When people see these areas, they understand that
resources are being created for humanity.  Well-being is being created for
humanity. At the same time, it will serve as a very important source of income
for the country.

25.  [Second reporter] Do you think that the construction contingents will play
an important role in this area?

26.  [Castro] I don't think that this plan can be carried out without
contingents. It can only be done with contingents because there are no people
in those areas. This requires that strong, hard working people go to those
areas, people who can fulfill their internationalist mission of building in all
those areas.

27.  [Second reporter] Commander, 30 September will mark the 3d anniversary of
the creation of the minibrigades and 1 October will mark the anniversary of the
Blas Roca Contingent. Could you briefly comment on this?

28.  [Castro] We have advanced a little. [chuckles] You can see some of the
results here. We have about 110 child care centers in the capital. We had 5
planned for the 5-year period and they built 110 in 2 years. Twenty polyclinics
will be constructed this year. There will be 24 special schools. Dozens of
thousands of apartments have been constructed. The rhythm of construction is
growing and it will continue to grow when we have new industries that will
seriously manufacture construction material.  The Salvador Allende hospital has
been constructed. I'm not talking about what the minibrigades are working on.

29.  We have about 2,000 family doctor clinic-homes. Work is being done on the
buildings for the Pan-American games, and EXPOCUBA. These are just a few things
we can mention. The list is long. We are constructing central markets. Eight
bus terminals are now being constructed.  There are 150 or 152 (?houses) under
construction now.  There are dozens of bakeries under construction. It's
something, right? It's something with which to mark the 3d [as heard]
anniversary of the Blas Roca Contingent.  This is a colossal thing.

30.  [Castro] A while ago I spoke with Palmero [not further identified]. I
think he visited Matanzas here today. I asked him to come see how everything
was organized, to see what he thought of the organization of the brigade that
constructs dams.  Matanzas does not have [words indistinct] construction of
dams. This will be a very big dam.

31.  I visited here. The Blas Roca Contingent now has 23 brigades. It is
serious, very serious. It is a notable advancement. The Blas Roca Contingent
emerged after the minibrigades. It was a result of the minibrigades although
the idea was taken from the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center which
is where the idea of dedication emerged. Ideas have also been taken from a
minibrigade contingent, the Julio Diaz Contingent. This is how the contingents
were created. They are very productive.

32.  One man in a contingent does, one man does.... [changes thought] With half
the number of men, a contingent does double the amount of work we used to do
and, in addition, the projects are finished and they are finished with quality.
[Words indistinct] They are disciplined.  They have a sense of discipline.
There is no absenteeism.

33.  [First reporter] Commander, excuse me, what do you think about the quality
of this installation?

34.  [Castro] I think it is wonderful. It is truly wonderful. It is to our
merit. It is the merit of our work. We built it ourselves. Look at the
excellent floor. The structures were bought from a Canadian firm. I am truly
impressed on how far the workers have advanced on the project, on their ability
to plan and to completely obtain the supplies they need, except for those parts
that we are manufacturing at prices that are relatively economical.

35.  When we want to quickly build a project, this is one of the alternatives
and it is economical. We can say that it is truly economical. [end recording]
-END-