Havana - President of Cuba, Raul Castro, headed the ceremony in which 67 workers and five working groups were awarded for their contribution to the national socio-economic development as part of the celebrations for May 1st.

At the president´s proposal, last night, the first Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Lazaro Exposito Canto was given the honorary title of Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba, was officially informed here today.

Exposito was recognized "for being a stalwart soldier in every task, always searching the efficiency by demanding things to be done in the right way, for mobilizing the masses and require everyone to do their task, for being a worker when the example and the know-how demonstration are necessary ", it was explained.

Also Alberto Cremata Malberti, director of the Children's Theatre Company La Colmenita was awarded, due to the labor of love he carries out with children; a tireless work that searches for the essence of life in each of his works.

President Raul Castro gave the highest appreciation also to Inorbis Roman Caraballo, a teacher from the eastern province of Guantanamo who has devoted nearly 50 years of her life to educate children, and to mason Juan Ricardo Santiesteban, in the province of Granma, with over 40 years in the work of construction.

Also as a proposal by the Workers' Central Union of Cuba, nine other men and women received the title from the hands of Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, second secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), and first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez.

At that ceremony, several other workers and working groups were granted the Order Lazaro Pena, first, second and third grade, and the Jesus Menendez Medal, all complimented by Raul Castro on behalf of the Political Bureau of the PCC.

That act ended the festivities for the ephemeris, celebrated throughout the country with massive parades.