travel news review


19 May '99
In response to a New York court ruling against Cuba, which in effect denies trademark protection to any product nationalised by Cuba and allows rum giant Bacardi to use Cuba-made Havana Club Rum label, President Fidel Castro has wondered publicly how the world would like the taste of Cuban Coca-Cola. Although quality may be questionable, Cuba may soon profit from home-brewed colas, perfumes and food items that wear familiar labels as more and more tourists visit the island each year.

31 March '99
For the first time since the 1959 Cuban Revolution a US Major League Baseball team travelled to Cuba this weekend. Beneath billboards promoting "Cuban Socialist Sports" and reminding those in attendance to "Support the Revolution", salsa music blared and an invitation-only crowd of Cuban ball fans welcomed the Baltimore Orioles. Cubans and US fans alike filled the 50,000 seat Havana stadium, and surrounding bars and restaurants, to enjoy the game. Fidel Castro himself was on hand as politics took a back seat to baseball. Although the Cuban all-star team lost 3-2 in the 11 innings game, the Cubans in attendance feel that they are the winners: if the US and Cuba can play ball together then anything can happen.

1 March '99
Caught smuggling drugs or corrupting a minor now means the death penalty in Cuba, and justice is swift with an appearance before the local firing squad. Last week the government passed new legislation that details harsher penalties for a range of crimes, including the death penalty for violent armed robberies, life imprisonment for muggings and non-violent robberies, and new penalties for smuggling of emigrants or money and cattle rustling.

The new legislation proves that they are serious about answering Casto's call to control growing crime and violence on the island. Also under consideration is a 'Law for the Protection of the National Sovereignty and the Economy of Cuba.' This new law establishes a 20-year jail sentence for anyone caught collaborating with outside parties (primarily the US government) to subvert the government, and is intended to strengthen the position of the Communist Party. Political dissidents and independent journalists are outraged, claiming that the law is intended to silence them.

12 February '99
Food poisoning claimed the lives of 14 Cubans in the province of Matanzas. By Saturday evening 70 people were who had purchased fried food from a single private vendor reported nausea, shortness of breath and weakness in their legs. 49 of those afflicted in the town of Manguito, including 6 children, are improving but remain in critical condition. Health officials believe the toxin is chemical and have launched a further investigation into what caused Cuba's largest reported case of food poisoning in recent years.

Throughout the decade the Cuban government has opened its communist economy to limited private businesses and consequently hundreds of street vendors and kitchen window cookeries have appeared all over the island. Authorities are now pushing for a campaign to eliminate the vendors who operate without a license and are working to implement health code revisions for the existing services.

27 October '98
The recent deterioration of the economy and the increasing reliance on tourist dollars has lead to an increase in crime and prostitution in Cuba over the past few years. Concerns about lawlessness and an increase in drug abuse have lead local law enforcers to crack down on street crime. During the past week they have closed many discos and clubs and have begun arresting prostitutes and pimps.

14 October '98
With almost 1.5 million visitors expected to spend US$2 billion this year, Cuba is capitalising on the vital contribution tourists make to its economy. The communist nation recently announced a Canadian-Cuban joint venture that will build a series of beach-front luxury condos and time-share units to sell to foreign visitors. Cuba is also courting the winter cruise ship market, inviting four ships to add Havana to their schedule starting in November. British Airways, jumping on the Cuba tourism wave, has announced that it will begin offering direct flights to Cuba in late March 1999.

23 September '98
Hurricane Georges is pounding the Caribbean. He's battered Antigua, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Eustatius, Saba and the Virgin Islands with 130mph (210kph) winds, and killed at least six people on Puerto Rico and three in the Leewards. In the Dominican Republic, he's tossed telephone poles and tin roofs all over the eastern end of the island. Georges' eye passed just north of Santo Domingo and was expected to hit Haiti later in the day.

Travellers should be aware that electricity and phone services on these islands are unreliable at best, medical facilities are overburdened and drinking water is scarce and likely to be contaminated. Landslides and flooding are constant dangers, and transportation may be difficult or impossible to obtain.

The Dominican Republic, Haiti, eastern Cuba, the Turks & Caicos and the southern and central Bahamas are all subject to hurricane warnings. Georges is headed straight for Miami. Tourists have been evacuated from the Florida Keys, and the southeastern coast of Florida is bracing for the worst.

22 July '98
Following the relaxation of the embargo in March, the US government has once again agreed to allow direct flights from Miami International Airport to Cuba. Nine companies (mostly small charter airlines) including American Airway received permission to offer flights. During the two years of the restriction, airlines had to stop off in either Mexico or the Bahamas before heading on to Cuba. This turned the normally 45 minute hop into a three-hour trek.

1 July '98
The US government has granted several airlines and charter companies permission to start direct charter flights to Cuba. Although US citizens are still not allowed to travel to Cuba without special permission, the government did cut back on the embargo in March to allow for humanitarian missions.

15 June '98
Cuba has designated the historic Hotel Nacional in Havana as a national monument. The hotel, opened in 1930, is a architectural landmark in the city and was renovated in 1992. These luxurious surroundings has hosted important luminaries such as cigar-aficionado Winston Churchill, Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra and continues to be Cuba's premier five-star
accommodation.

6 May '98
Cuba's main import is travellers. With over half a million visitors to the island this year, tourism has rapidly become Cuba's economic mainstay. With close to a million and a quarter visitors in 1997, a 15% increase over the previous year, Cuba is now the fourth most popular Caribbean destination and quickly gaining on the top three, the Dominican Republic, Bahamas and Jamaica.

22 April '98
This September, many of those who followed in ColumbusÆ footsteps will gather in Cuba for the fourth congress of the CIM, the world's largest federation of Italians living abroad. In Cuba, according to unofficial figures, there are between 500 and 700 Italian-born residents and 5000 of Italian descent. Altogether 60 million Italians live in over 100 countries, around three million more than in Italy itself.

18 March '98
A proposed ferry service will link Cuba and Mexico starting late this year. The ferry will leave from Puerto Morelos, near Cancun, and carry passengers and cars to Cuba. In recent months, the Central American countries have opened and strengthened their diplomatic and economic ties to Cuba and this is yet another expression of friendship.