Maravi

(HERALD) Illegal sanctions must be denounced by all

Illegal sanctions must be denounced by all

EDITOR — As you know, the issue of illegal sanctions is relevant for Zimbabweans and Cubans, with the latter having been subjected to an economic embargo for over 47 years. On October 30, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly will once again consider the resolution entitled: "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba."

For the 16th consecutive occasion, this issue will be debated and voted at the UN General Assembly, and as on the previous 15 times, Cuba expects that the overwhelming majority of UN member states will vote against this abhorrent policy imposed on Cuba by different US administrations over the past 47 years.

I am quite sure that the issue of sanctions sounds very familiar to everyone here in Zimbabwe, because after testing this policy against Cuba, now they are trying to implement the same policy against the brotherly people of Zimbabwe.

The present US administration has stolen more commercial brands and additional millions from Cuban funds frozen in the United States. It has adopted sharper reprisals against those who do business with my country or establish relations with Cuba based on cultural or tourist exchanges. It has put stiffer pressure on our allies to subordinate their relations with Cuba to the aims of "regime change," the driving force of its policy of hostility against Cuba.

In that way, Washington is trying to add more governments and countries to its policy against Cuba, in accordance with the Torricelli and Helms-Burton Acts that legalised the extraterritorial nature of the blockade. Under these two Acts, Cuba is not allowed to purchase medicine and food from US subsidiaries in third countries, and any ship that enters Cuban waters is not allowed to enter any port in the US until six months have elapsed. The secretary of state can deny the entry into the US of foreign employees and directors of companies "violating" the blockage.

George W. Bush approved the implementation of the measures included in the report of the so-called "Commission for Assistance to a free Cuba", aimed at intensifying the blockade by discouraging tourism and investments in Cuba, by restricting financial flows and visits to the island, by placing more restrictions on family remittances and visits to the country and, furthermore, by cutting off any educational, cultural, sport, religious and scientific exchanges between the US and the Cuban people.

State terrorism is carried out systematically and inhumanly by the US government against the Cuban people regardless of sex, age, race, religious belief or social position. It is part and parcel of the hostility, blockade and the aggression, which has cost the Cuban nation more than 3 000 lives.

According to conservative estimates, the blockade has resulted in direct economic suffering to Cuba to a total of more than US$89 billion in almost 50 years. The sectors of the economy that have been more affected all these years are food and health care, precisely those that have a direct impact on the quality of life of Cuban people.

Denunciation of these unjust sanctions against our people will be kindly acknowledged by the people of Cuba and the rest of the world. Zimbabwe’s support gives us strength to go on with the struggle.

Cosme Torres Espinosa.

Ambassador of Cuba to Zimbabwe,

Harare.



http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=26253&cat=8

18 mining firms get uninterrupted power supplies
Bulawayo Bureau

AT least 18 mining companies have signed up to pay for power in foreign currency and receive uninterrupted power supplies under a deal between Zesa Holdings and the Chamber of Mines.

Chamber chief executive Mr Douglas Verden yesterday said that more companies were coming aboard.

"When the memorandum of understanding was signed we had about eight companies who entered into the deal but now the number has doubled to more than 18," he said.

Some of the companies were being delayed by problems of connecting to the national grid.

"Most companies do not have a dedicated line that connects them to the national grid. Under the agreement, companies must have a line that will directly connect the mine to the main source of power."

However, some of the companies were failing to meet the extra costs of erecting a dedicated line.

In other cases, for some companies, their power lines pass through other firms that are not interested in the deal.

"Due to the extra costs, some companies that are nearer to each other have teamed up to erect a dedicated line that will feed both of them," he said.

However, Mr Verden said the power deal has significantly improved production in mines.

Meanwhile, Mr Verden called for a review of the gold price, adding that the price announced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Dr Gideon Gono, early this month — of $5 million per gram — had now been eroded by inflation.

Labels: CUBA, SANCTIONS, THE HERALD

posted by MrK @ 3:58 AM