Cuba Puts Final Touches to Elections

Havana, Apr 23. -Cuban voters and authorities are shaping final details for a successful holding of elections on Sunday, April 25.

On that day, at least 8.40 million electors are expected to cast their vote to choose 15,093 delegates to the Municipal People's Power Assemblies (local governments).

In those electoral districts where no candidate gets more than 50 per cent of valid votes, a second round will be held on May 2.

According to official figures, 34,766 candidates have been nominated for their capacities and merits in assemblies attended by 86.84 percent of electors.

Maximum age of most candidates is 50 years, 87.3 percent are high school or university graduates, and 9,190 of them are delegates already, a post for which they get no income.

After a dynamic test or rehearsal four days ago, president of the National Electoral Committee Ana Maria Mari asserted that Cuba is ready.

We verified coordination of work with different entities, regarding communication and notification systems and liaisons, she said.

In opinion of President of the Cuban Parliament Ricardo Alarcon, the whole electoral process has to be carried out with rigour, methodically and in a critical spirit, as demanded by head of State Raul Castro.(Prensa Latina)