(Washington's campaign about the alleged
limitations on internet access in Cuba
omits to mention that 15% of the world's
nations control 55% of the phone lines
and 74% of the internet users. Also left
out is Washington's refusal to permit
Cuba to purchase high-speed access to
the internet via fiber optic lines to
Florida. Cuba buys food from the US,
and would buy internet access, but the
US won't let Cuba buy access. Then the
US media complains about lack of access
to the internet in Cuba. Lowpocrisy.)
=======================================

Cuba Presents Large-Scale Use of New Technology

Havana, Apr 12 (Prensa Latina) Cuba´s experience in the use
of modern Information Technology and Communication is the
main issue of the 8th International Conference on
Information (INFO), opening in Havana on Monday.

The organizing committee announced that Cuban experts
meeting at the Havana Conference Center will deliver
lectures and participate in a roundtable discussion on
information technology. Its use expanded in 1999 when Cuba
started using audiovisual aids in all schools as part of a
revolutionary teaching/learning program.

One of the debates will focus on the existing differences
among nations regarding communications: 15 percent of the
richest nations control 55 percent of fixed phone lines,
65 percent of cell phone users and 74 percent of Internet
users live in those countries.

At least 680 million out of 6.35 billion people in the
world have access to Internet and the English language
prevails over the rest with 75 percent of web content.

The INFO conferences have been held in Cuba since 1988 and
this year´s event includes the Second Symposium on
Information Management on organizing intelligence and
knowledge, technologies and cutting-edge software workshop
and the science and technology production seminar.

The event will close on Friday with a ceremony to confer,
for the first time, the IDICT Award to journalism in favor
of the Information Society in Cuba.

mh/ima