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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. Morales Troncoso says DR has no favorites
Dominican Foreign Affairs Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso says that the Dominican Republic does not have a preferred candidate in the upcoming Haitian elections set for Sunday. He said that his government would work with whoever wins.

Speaking in London during a meeting with British Foreign Ministry officials and representatives of non-governmental agencies working in Haiti, Morales Troncoso said that the Dominican Republic's hope is that the elections are clean so that the Haitian people can express their will. He said that this second round of voting is an important opportunity for Haiti to continue on the road to political stability and democracy. El Nuevo Diario reported that Morales also called for a speedier disbursement of the funds for the recovery of Haiti once the election was over.

2. Deputies approve use of pensions
The Chamber of Deputies declared the legislation urgent and approved the bill to create a Law for the Development of the Mortgage and Trust Market in the Dominican Republic after two readings, with some modifications. The legislative proposal was approved by a two-thirds vote of the deputies present, and it will have to go back to the Senate for a new approval. The legislation submitted by the Executive Branch has the support of the Dominican Republic Commercial Banks Association (ABA), the Dominican Savings and Loan Associations League and the Association of Credit and Loan Banks (Abancord), as well as the administration's economic cabinet.

Diario Libre says that the modification that was made by a special commission chaired by Lupe Nunez centers on articles 59 and 60, which establish a single window (for processing the paperwork) and in the Senate version this would be handled by the Ministry of Public Works. This was disputed by the Federation of Municipalities that said that these fall within the remit of the city governments. The other changes are of form rather than substance.

3. Passage of CNM law stirs debate
The Chamber of Deputies opted for a single reading and passed with a simple majority the observations by the Executive Branch to the Organic Law that creates the National Council of Magistrates (CNM).

Diario Libre reported that immediately, the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) and legal expert Eduardo Jorge Prats expressed their opinion that the approval by a simple majority of the observations made by the President was a violation of Article 102 of the Constitution. The bill was passed with 92 votes in favor and 71 voted against the proposals and there were three abstentions. The approval sparked a debate on the legality of the decision, a point on which there was no agreement in the chamber.

"With this interpretation of the majorities needed to approve the presidential observations to the organic laws, the National Congress committed a real violation of the Constitution", said Servio Tulio Castanos Guzman of FINJUS. He commented that it is not a good thing to abuse the parliamentary processes, or the majorities in the CNM or the presidential power to observe the laws. Jorge Prats suggested that in order to approve the President's observations, the practice has been to get a simple majority, and that to reject them would need a two-thirds vote, assuming that the system is established for ordinary laws.

4. More troops needed for border
During the weekly luncheon meeting at Multimedios El Caribe, the chief of staff of the National Army (EN), Major General Carlos A. Rivera Portes, said that three thousand soldiers are struggling every day along the 390 kilometers of the Haitian border. During his interview with Osvaldo Santana and Manuel Quiroz of El Caribe, General Rivera said that for the fight against illegal trafficking in people and merchandise to be effective, the Army would need three times that number. He said that these troops would not only be used for controlling the frontier, but also to support the National Police and the National Drug Control Department. The National Army now has 20,000 members and Rivera Portes is arguing for the numbers to be increased to 60,000. He staunchly defended the efforts of his personnel along the frontier, stressing the sacrifices that these men and women make in order "to prevent the Dominican-Haitian frontier being the focus of irregularities".

5. Economists call for reduced consumption
Economists Henri Hebrard and Pavel Isa Contreras are saying that if the President announces reductions in fuel prices in his special address to the nation tomorrow, this should not affect food for the poorest sectors. Hebrard said that he expects a reduction in fuel prices and other measures to protect the people affected by the crisis.

One of the main measures that President Leonel Fernandez is expected to announce tomorrow will involve reducing fuel consumption in the country. The other will address the high prices of foodstuffs. In January fuel consumption increased by 5 million gallons in relation to 2010.

Meanwhile, some raw materials like wheat and edible oils are on a par with 2008 prices, when the world crisis occurred on the international markets, and this is being felt in local markets. The economists told Diario Libre that the reasons for the increase in fuel consumption in the country are the traffic jams and a fleet of obsolete and poorly maintained vehicles. According to figures from the Tax Department (DGII), as of 31 December 2010, the vehicular fleet was 2.7 million units and 130,403 new vehicles were registered last year.

Of the 2.7 million vehicles, most are predominately obsolete. Pre-2006 units compose 93.8% of the total number of automobiles and 84.7% of the SUVs or all-terrain vehicles, which increases fuel consumption. Most of these vehicles are in the National District with 50.4%, Santo Domingo has 11.8% and Santiago 5.9% according to the DGII statistics. The study reveals that the fleet grew by 5% in 2010. Of the total number of vehicles registered, 49.5% are motorcycles and 24.2% are cars.

6. Inflation 2.46% since January
The accumulated inflation in the first two months of the year was 2.46%, and February closed at 1.20%. The measurement was based on the new basket that is used by the Central Bank to calculate the Consumer Price Index. The Central Bank also reported that the February 2010-February 2011 inflation rate was 7.29%. The latest report on the Consumer Price Index said that the new figures were strongly influenced by increases in the prices with the greatest impact on the basket of goods and services. According to Listin Diario these are Transport, Foods and non-alcoholic drinks, and Housing, which make up 83.3% of the indicator. All of these items experienced significant increases due to the rise in the price of oil and the main farm commodities, defined by the Central Bank as "Imported inflation".

7. Court orders suspension of city taxes
The Administrative Disputes Court has ordered the National District City Government to suspend Ordinances 3-2010 and 4-2010 under which the city wanted to create property taxes and increased fees on permits and other paperwork. Judge Sarah Henriquez ordered the provisional suspension until the tribunal hears an administrative appeal that was filed by the National Hotels and Restaurants Association (Asonahores) and the Santo Domingo Hotel Association, which also requested the suspension that was ordered yesterday. The lawyer for the city council (ADN), Joaquin Lopez said he was surprised by the court's order since the council had revoked the ordinance on the property tax and the other ordinance had been suspended until it could be revised and a consensus reached.

8. Faux ambassador pleads not guilty
Dominican Francisco Gautreaux Calcano has said he is not guilty of charges of fraud, criminal impersonation and grand theft after allegedly passing himself off as the Dominican ambassador to the United States. Judge Richard Carruthers made him post a half million-dollar bail bond. The charges stem from a period between October 2010 and January 2011 when Gautreaux Calcano, 42, allegedly swindled several people saying he was the Dominican ambassador to the United States, Roberto Saladin or posed as an employee of the embassy, according to prosecutors. Gautreaux was arrested in Maryland on 24 February and extradited to New York where formal charges were drawn up against him. Gautreaux allegedly asked people for money in return for sending articles and emergency vehicles to Dominican cities, including Salcedo where there was a fire in 2010, as well as several non-profit organizations. According to the case file, the accused managed to con as much as US$15,000 from several people as well as US$5000 from employees of a Dominican orphanage with the promise that he would use the money to send vehicles obtained from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The case came to light when Gautreaux contacted New York State Senator Adriano Espaillat saying that he represented Saladin, and talked about needing funds to send some emergency vehicles to Salcedo.

9. Police discharge officers
The National Police asked the Executive Branch to cancel the appointment of a first lieutenant and accepted the discharge of two enlisted men after finding out that they acted "in excess and with a lack of tact" when they beat a man who was driving his car in the Maria Auxiliadora sector of the National District. Diario Libre also reported that First Lieutenant Franklin Casimiro Soto Ramirez, Corporal Victoriano Castro Lazala and Private Raul Antonio Benavides Javier were placed at the disposition of the Justice Department for arraignment in the case of their assault on Romero Omar Pena Baez.

Meanwhile, another five agents who were present during the act are at the disposition of the authorities in case they are needed as witnesses. These police agents are Sergeant Gabriel Feliz Cuevas, Sergeant Joselyn Zabala Diaz and corporals Pedro Sanchez Suero, John Ewdar Arache Rodriguez and private Mariela Rodriguez de Leon. According to the investigators in the case, it was established that the three members of the National Police acted with excessive force when they beat Pena Baez without justification during an incident on 13th Street at the corner of Jose Marti.

10. SFM protests lead to injuries and arrests
Clashes between students and police left several injured and an unknown number of people under arrest in San Francisco de Macoris on Tuesday. Demonstrators took to the streets to protest the increase in the cost of the family food basket as well as increases in the cost of transport and fuel. The disturbances in the barrios of Pueblo Nuevo, Juan Alberto Espinola, Hermanas Mirabal, San Martin de Porres, Los Rieles and San Vicente were met with tear gas and shotgun blasts.

According to El Caribe, the protests were organized by the New Coordination of Popular Organizations and the Broad Front for Popular Struggle (FALPO) who also called for the completion of infrastructure projects and for the government to change its economic policies. Falpo spokesman Raul Monegro said that at least half a dozen people were wounded and 20 detained by the police.

11. Bus strike on Monday
Readers are advised to adjust their travel plans on Monday. The Bus Owners Union has announced that it would withdraw all its buses from the highway for 24 hours next Monday.

Union president Freddy Mendez said that they could no longer sustain the high operational costs. Mendez says he realizes that the solution to the problem cannot be just an increase in bus fares, "because the family budgets are already sufficiently hurt, so we are calling for a meeting with President Leonel Fernandez in order to present him with a series of demands from the sector. He said that these demands included eliminating all taxes on fuels used by companies that transport urban, intercity and tourism passengers, and to give them fair treatment or single tax on the import of buses for the transport service. He said that in the face of the situation that has come up, "we do not have any more solutions except selling our buses to the state. We cannot continue to yield to pressure to mistreat our clients who are by now fed up.

Diario Libre lists some of the companies that will remove their units from service on Monday: Caribe Tours, Transporte Espinal, Metro Servicios Turisticos, Terra Bus, FM Centro Bus, Servicios Turisticos del Atlantico, Expreso del Este, Perla Bus, Star Bus, Transporte Lin and AI Tours.

12. 5.3 tremor shakes DR
An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale was recorded at 9:42am on Wednesday morning, according to the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo's Seismology Department.

The epicenter was registered in the Mona Passage at a depth of 43 kilometers and was felt across the eastern region and in the capital, according to Diario Libre.

Researchers recently warned that the area of Santiago de los Caballeros was at risk of suffering an 8-magnitude earthquake.

13. Rock and Jazz in Santo Domingo tonight
Jazz lovers can enjoy an extraordinary and innovative evening with contemporary tropical music from Ania Paz and the Ania Paz Jazz Ensemble at the Lucia 203 lounge at Calle Hostos No. 203 in Santo Domingo's Colonial City at 9pm this evening. Admission is RD$300. For more information, call 809 689-5546.

Meanwhile, just round the corner, rock bands Toque Profundo & Music is a Weapon will be on stage at the Santo Domingo Hard Rock Cafe from 8pm. Tickets: RD$500.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

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El circuito de la PGA de España acabará en la República Dominicana
El polo turístico de Punta Cana en la República Dominicana, será sede del 5 al 11 dee diciembre de este año de la ronda final del Aymerich PGA Tour de España.

MADRID.- La Asociación de Profesionales de Golf de España (PGA) en colaboración con la Fundación Severiano Ballesteros y la empresa Aymerich presentó una nuevo circuito que constará de ocho pruebas, por toda la geografía nacional, y una final que se jugará, por primera vez, en la República Dominicana.

Carlos Roca, presidente de la PGA de España, calificó el circuito como "una gran noticia para el golf nacional" y explicó que el acuerdo alcanzado es por los próximos cinco años.

Cada prueba tendrá una dotación económica en torno a los 40.000 euros, y el campeonato de España de la PGA, que estará integrado en el circuito, de 70.000 euros.

La gran novedad del circuito es que por primera vez la final se disputará fuera de España y concretamente en Cap Cana, en la República Dominicana.

El circuito está abierto a jugadores profesionales y a aficionados de cierto nivel, que se podrán clasificar en torneos paralelos a través de la escuela paralela a los torneos.

Severiano Ballesteros es el presidente de honor del circuito y su sobrino Iván, vicepresidente de la Fundación que lleva el nombre del campeonísimo español, comentó que "a Seve le hubiera gustado estar en esta presentación, pero está un poco cansado después de su último tratamiento". La Fundación ayudará a tres jugadores sub-25 a costearse los gastos de viajes y alojamientos.

Calendario del Aymerich PGA Tour de España

19-24 abril A. Golf Costa Esuri (Huelva)
24-29 mayo A. Golf Rioja (Sojuela)
21-26 junio Madrid, por determinar
5-10 julio A. Golf del Sur (Tenerife) (Campeonato de España de la PGA)
19-24 julio A. Golf La Coruña (Miño)
9-14 agosto A. Golf Marbella (Cabopino)
6-11 septiembre A. Golf Jaca
8-13 noviembre Andalucía, por determinar
5-11 diciembre Cap Cana (Rep. Dominicana) (Final del circuito)

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. President to address the nation
At 9pm tonight, President Leonel Fernandez will speak to the nation from the Presidential Palace. His address will be broadcast on radio and television. He is expected to announce energy saving measures to tackle the increases in the cost of foods, raw materials and international oil prices as well as others. Diario Libre reports that the Orlando Martinez Room was prepared for the speech yesterday, a podium was set up and the National Flag was hung.

The initiative by the President to address the nation came last Wednesday during a meeting of the Council of Ministers, where two commissions were appointed to search for a consensus with the business sector about the savings measures. The commissions were made up of ministers and directors of public agencies.

Readers may recall that in 2007 the government declared a series of energy saving measures, including the elimination of speed bumps, turning off lights and air conditioning units in public offices, banning the use of official vehicles on weekends and holidays and others, but the plan was not enforced for long.

2. Approval of CNM stirs appeals
The Chamber of Deputies approval of President Fernandez's observations on the Organic Law of the National Council of Magistrates (CNM) has provoked widespread rejection from diverse sectors of society. Some are saying that they intend to go before the Supreme Court and file an appeal of unconstitutionality in response. The National Business Council (CONEP) said the decision was very damaging for the country's institutionalism and a violation of the new Constitution that places judicial security in doubt.

As reported by Diario Libre, the Justice and Transparency Foundation (FJT) called the passage "an institutional coup d'etat", and an affront to Dominican democracy. They added that the deputies followed the procedures of ordinary laws, in frank and open violation of article 112 of the Constitution, which establishes which laws are organic.

Trajano Potentini of FJT warned that this was a law that was illegal, flawed and conceived outside of the constitutional procedures on legislative matters and rendering all decisions emanating from the CNM invalid. The presidential candidate for Alianza Pais, Guillermo Moreno, said that the time is right for reactions and for demanding respect for the Constitution of the Republic.

He said that accepting the decision taken by the Chamber of Deputies means accepting as valid the idea that the legislators can act outside of the Constitution.

At stake is whether the President of the Republic will have the final say on the members of the Supreme Court of Justice, the Constitutional Court and the Higher Electoral Court.

There is speculation that the President could influence and decide on the legality of issues such as whether a loophole could be found so he himself could run for President in 2012, despite this being banned in the 2010 Constitution.

In Congress, only PLD deputy Minou Tavares spoke out against the passing of the bill.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/site/nacionales/271200-minou-presidente-de-diputados-impuso-aprobacion-cnm.html

Also, more than 20 organizations from the civil society will file an appeal of unconstitutionality against the recently approved Organic Law of the Constitutional Tribunal if President Fernandez does not observe the legislation. The organizations signing the lawsuit include Citizen Participation, the Justice Platform of the Citizens Forum and Copadeba.

An editorial in Hoy newspaper also speaks out against the approval by Congress of the observations made by President Fernandez to the National Council of the Magistracy. "The country is watching one of the most censurable dramas of Dominican politics and use of congressional power in the hands of a single party. There is an offense to constitutionality that under no pretext should be ignored," concludes the editorial writer.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/site/nacionales/271183-ley-del-cnm-otorga-mayor-poder-a-leonel-fernandez.html

3. DR delivers anti-speculation proposal to UN
The Vice President of the Dominican Republic spoke to United Nations general secretary Ban Ki-moon in Guatemala yesterday and proposed a world pact against financial speculation on foodstuffs. The proposal is contained in a letter that President Leonel Fernandez sent through Vice President Rafael Alburquerque. According to Hoy newspaper, the proposal is also directed at the presidents of the Central American Republics, including Belize and Panama. Fernandez described the speculation as "An inhuman and cruel practice" and included oil prices in the proposal. Alburquerque asked Ban Ki-moon to intervene actively in this situation and fight for the eradication of financial speculation that is one of the major worries for many smaller countries.

Alburquerque was attending the Ordinary Meet of Heads of State and Government of the members of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

www.presidencia.gob.do/app/article.aspx?id=13517

4. More expansion for Caucedo port
President Leonel Fernandez was at the Puerto Multimodal Caucedo in Andres, Boca Chica yesterday for the formal inaugural of a US$50 million expansion program. The port expansion added 300 meters to the dock to increase cargo-handling capacity by 25%.

Speaking at the event, president of the board of directors of Caucedo port, Samuel Conde highlighted the economic stability that is positive for investors and the futuristic vision of the authorities. He said that further expansion would begin in the coming months, encompassing the Caucedo Logistics Center.

Conde said the port operations grew 11% in 2010, and moved over one million freight containers. In 2010, the port handled 300 ships.

President Fernandez was accompanied by First Lady Margarita Cedeno. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chairman of Dubai Ports World, the port's main shareholder, was also present. Also attending the event were Public Works Minister Victor Diaz Rua, Customs director Rafael Camilo, director of the National Council of Competitiveness Andres Vanderhorst chief of the Navy, Rear Admiral Nicolas Cabrera Arias, and Ramon Rivas, director of the Port Authority.

The Multimodal Caucedo Port is described as the most modern port in the Caribbean. www.caucedo.com/index_en.php

5. CAASD announces cutbacks
The Santo Domingo Water and Sewer Corporation (CAASD) has announced cutbacks in service due to the low levels of water in the Haina-Manoguayabo system, a consequence of the latest dry spell. A press release by the CAASD says that normal water production for the system that supplies water to much of the southeast sector of Santo Domingo province is 3.35 m3 per second and at that the system is currently capable of producing only 1.40m3 per second. The CAASD said that the sectors affected would include Buenos Aires, Libertador, Las Palmas, Reparto Rosa, Villa Aura, Barrio Enriquillo, Manoguayabo, La Venta, Las Caobas, the Herrera Industrial Zone and Las Praderas. CAASD director Freddy Perez said that the corporation would try to ease the situation with a fleet of tanker trucks. At the same time, the CAASD appealed to the public to save water.

6. Only 20% Santo Domingo has sewers
Despite Santo Domingo's expansion since 1966, only a few parts of the city have a proper sewer system. The result is that most areas have turned to the use of septic tanks. During El Caribe's Economic Breakfast Meeting, representatives from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) commented on the environmental implications. The fact that the 20% of the city with sewers is the oldest part of the city and the rest of the area depends on septic tanks represents a serious issue for the experts. In the first place, individual septic tanks are not economic solutions, in the second place they are an environmental threat and finally, the penetration of fecal materials into the subterranean water has produced highly polluted well water around the city. The USAID program for Environmental Protection works to strengthen institutions, promote bio-diversity, bio-diversity directed at the marketplace and support to the private sector.

7. Major strike on Monday
Joining the already-announced action by the bus owners, the major transport unions have announced a total transportation shutdown for Monday. Yesterday morning the presidents of Conatra, Antonio Marte, and Fenatrado, Blas Peralta announced that they would join a work stoppage in the transportation of freight and passengers on Monday. According to Antonio Marte, the strike will last 24 hours and it is expected that the government will comply with the pact that was signed with the drivers some six months ago. Diario Libre reports that the pact includes measures such as a RD$68 reduction in the price of diesel, the total reduction of taxes on propane gas as well as zero tariffs for tires, lubricants and spare parts for buses.

"More than 80,000 units will not hit the streets next Monday. This thing is so big that the National Union of Bus Owners, which never joins in these stoppages, is now going to do it", he said.

He blamed President Leonel Fernandez for the situation that the transporters are going through.

In the meantime, Blas Peralta, from Fenatrado, said that, "the government has not fulfilled its commitments. We are going to stop the movement of freight on all of the country's docks". Peralta said that for each strike by the truckers, the government does not receive some RD$500 million. Joining the work stoppage are Juan Hubieres from Fenatrano and Ramon Perez Figuereo from the CNTU. The strike will begin at six in the morning on Monday and end at the same time on Tuesday.

8. Wind Telecom secures financing
Wind Telecom reported that it has secured a US$33 million credit from the World Bank as part of its process of consolidation. According to the press release, "Wind Telecom intends to close the digital gap and access to telecommunication as well as subscriber television in the Dominican Republic". Wind is the first telecommunications company to implement and operate a 100% broadband IP platform that allows for digital television, Internet, business and telephones in a convergent form.

9. Street vendors create chaos in Metro station
The well-circulated Photoshop picture of a theoretical subway station in the Dominican Republic seems to be coming to life with the chaos surrounding the Metro station named for Mama Tingo. The city government of Santo Domingo North is struggling to deal with dozens of street vendors operating in the area. Fruits, basic foods, shoes and used clothing are on sale just a few feet away from the Metro station in Villa Mella, and just last Friday the Public Service Department of the city sent out notifications that these vendors had to move their operations.

Spokespersons for the city said that in a few months the area would be cleaned up and would look very different. At the moment thin ropes are limiting access for the vendors, and passengers can at least get in and out of the station without bumping into the fruit stands. However, some enterprising vendors carry their merchandise into the walkways for entering and exiting passengers.

Everything from candles to BlackBerry covers is on sale. A spokesman for the street vendors told El Caribe reporter Felivia Mejia that the city had not really shown any interest in moving them out, nor had they offered them any real alternative sites for their businesses.

10. Police recover RD$14 million
Fast work by the National Police yesterday helped recover a sum of RD$14,429,930 that had been stolen from the Marino Dollars Exchange House, located on the San Isidro Highway. Of this amount, US$218,741 and EUR1,125 was found inside two safes and RD$5,986,770 in cash from the previous day's operations.

A former National Army captain, Felix Victor Molina, a former Police corporal, Victor Manuel Polanco and three civilians, Juan Rivas Melendez, Miguel Alexander Diaz and Carlos David Rodriguez are under arrest in connection with the crime. The spokesman for the National Police, Colonel Maximo Baez Aybar, said that several Police officers are pursuing another three suspects who were involved in the robbery that took place early yesterday morning. At the same time, the owner of the exchange house, Jose Alberto Jimenez, said that the security guard at the establishment was tied up, and that they realized that there was a robbery going on after the alarm went off.

Colonel Baez Aybar said that the Police set up several checkpoints to identify and detain the criminals. The group was arrested at the entrance to the Dr. Joaquin Balaguer Airport by a patrol assigned to the municipality of Santo Domingo North.

Diario Libre and other newspapers said that the two safes, still unopened, an SUV, a pickup truck, two pistols, ski masks, crowbars, and seven cell phones were seized, "and at the present time personnel from the Central Directorate of Criminal Investigations are in the process of arresting, if necessary, others who might be implicated in the robbery", according to National Police spokesman Colonel Maximo Baez Aybar. The recovered funds were counted by Jimenez in the presence of police and the prosecutor and returned to the owner of the exchange house.

11. Minor detained in Spain on drug charges
Spanish police have detained a 16-year old minor from the Dominican Republic with 3.8 kilos of pure cocaine in his bags. The girl was detained when drug-sniffing dogs identified his bags as suspicious. The girl's mother was waiting for him at the arrivals area and the police opened the bags in front of both mother and girl. Nearly four kilograms of cocaine was found, wrapped in four "bricks" and hidden in the false-bottomed suitcases. The girl was detained and placed in the custody of the Prosecutor for Minors in the area of Madrid.

El Caribe also reported that in Russia, traffic agents stopped a man for a traffic violation near Sheremetievo Airport in Moscow, and discovered that he had 50 capsules full of cocaine in his stomach. The man, who had arrived from the Dominican Republic shortly earlier, said that he was a resident of St. Petersburg. The Russian authorities announced that the latest arrest was part of an operation to "dismantle" a drug network that was operating between the Dominican Republic and Russia.

12. Quake awakes concerns
The 5.3 tremor that occurred yesterday morning caused a significant amount of public concern because of the lack of information and education that exists about this type of event. According to Listin Diario, the Emergency Operations Center (COE) switchboard was flooded with calls about a possible "tsunami alert". General Juan Manuel Mendez appealed for calm and said that there was no tsunami alert at this time. Mendez also announced they had posted information on their website to help educate the public on how to avoid risks in these events. www.coe.gov.do/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=234:brochure-que-hacer-en-caso...

13. Dominican to head CBS news
Dominican Republic-born Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews has been promoted to vice president of News at CBS News. The announcement was made earlier this month by David Rhodes, president of CBS News, as reported in Diario Libre. Ciprian is responsible for coordinating all day-to-day news coverage, foreign and domestic. She had served as CBS News foreign editor.

Ciprian is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who has coordinated the efforts of overseas bureaus, correspondents and producers. Previously, she held the position of senior broadcast producer for the CBS Evening News (2004-06) and served as the senior producer for CBS News' foreign coverage (2000-04) prior to that. In 1998, she became the deputy bureau chief for CBS News London bureau (1998-2000) and served as senior broadcast producer for CBS News "This Morning" and the CBS Morning News from 1994-98. She came to CBS in October 1993 as senior producer for live segments on "CBS This Morning."

Before joining CBS, Ciprian served as the managing editor of CNN's New York Bureau (1990-93), and as a field producer, assignment manager and assignment editor for CNN (1984-1990). She started her career as a general reporter for the National Public Radio Spanish-language news program, "Enfoque Nacional."

Ciprian was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In 1981, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College, and graduated from New York University in 1984 with a Master of Arts in journalism.

Currently, Ciprian lives in Montclair, N.J., with her husband. They have two daughters; one is teaching in Atlanta, Ga., with Teach for America, and the other is a junior at Columbia University in New York City.

http://www.cbscorporation.com/news-article.php?id=140

http://www.cbscorporation.com/news-article.php?id=759

14. Gano Papa makes Twitter trending topic
Thousands of young people seem to be lining up with former President Hipolito Mejia as he seeks to return to the Presidency in 2012, observes Hiddekel Morrison, telecom editor for Diario Libre. Evidence of the strong following that Mejia's aspiration enjoys among the young is the placement of the words "Gano Papa" - "Dad Won", as a top 10 trending topics with Twitter on 7 March, the day after the primary. The phrase is a follow-up on the campaign slogan, "Dad's Here" that refers to Papa's (Hipolito Mejia) return to the ring. Prior to the passing of the 2010 Constitution that enabled Mejia to run for President again, Mejia had a 4% acceptance. He won the PRD primary with 53.7% of the vote.

The youth movements campaigned aggressively against President Leonel Fernandez's stance in favor of the construction of a cement plant in Los Haitises, adjacent to a National Park, and for an increase in the government budget for education, through the 4% movement.

www.whatthetrend.com/trend/Gano%20Papa

www.diariolibre.com/noticias_det.php?id=283390

15. Luis Miguel back in Santo Domingo
Mexican romantic singer Luis Miguel is booked for a performance at Santo Domingo's Quisqueya Ball Park on 11 May, as reported in Hoy. He is visiting the DR as part of his 2011 tour.

16. Duran Duran at Altos de Chavon
Duran Duran is booked for Altos de Chavon in La Romana on 30 April. Their La Romana stop is part of their 'All you need is now' tour. Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor will be performing. Tickets are for sale at Body Shop (Naco) and Uepa Tickets at MovieMax (Piantini).

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Oscar de la Renta Fashion Designer

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The following biography contains information on Fashion Designer Oscar de la Renta.

BIOGRAPHY
Oscar de la Renta left his native Dominican Republic at 18 years of age to study painting at the Academy of San Fernando in Madrid. While living in Spain, he became interested in the world of design and began sketching for leading Spanish fashion houses, which soon led to an apprenticeship with Spain's most renowned couturier, Cristobal Balenciaga.
Later, Oscar de la Renta left Spain to join Antonio Castillo as a couture assistant at the house of Lanvin in Paris.

In 1963, Oscar de la Renta came to New York to design the couture collection for Elizabeth Arden.
In 1965, Mr. de la Renta began his signature ready-to-wear label.

The Oscar de la Renta label is comprised of the Signature ready-to-wear collection and Pink Label. To complement these designs, the Fall 2001 runway show marked the debut of Oscar de la Renta Accessories; bags, belts, jewelry, scarves and shoes.

The world of Oscar de la Renta also includes a high end sportswear collection (OSCAR by Oscar de la Renta), cosmetic cases, eyewear, furs, jewelry, lingerie, scarves, sleepwear, and swimwear.
For men, Mr. de la Renta licenses products, including hosiery, sportcoats, suits, and trousers. In South and Central America and Mexico there is a Sportswear line for men and boys and OSCAR JEANS, for men and women.

Mr. de la Renta has also ventured into the home with both furniture and home fragrance collections, jewelry, eyewear, lingerie, luggage, swimwear, fragrance, and furs. Other collections made by the company are sold under the OSCAR by Oscar de la Renta and Pink Label brands (the latter licensed to Kellwood).

2002 marks the debut of Intrusion, the latest Oscar de la Renta fragrance for women. Oscar de la Renta launched his first perfume, Oscar, in 1977. Today, Oscar is a bestseller in over 70 countries and winner of the 1991 Fragrance Foundation Perennial Success Award. In 1980, he created a fragrance for men, Pour Lui.

In 1995, Oscar de la Renta was the recipient of the Living Legend Award from the American Society of Perfumes. In the fall of 1999, Oscar de la Renta introduced Oscar for Men.
Oscar de la Renta's talents receive continual international recognition. Among many other honors, Oscar de la Renta received the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Womenswear Designer of the Year Award in 2000. In February 1990, he was honored with the CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award.

From 1973 to 1976, and from 1986 to 1988, Oscar de la Renta served as President of the CFDA. He is also a two-time winner of the Coty American Fashion Critic's Award and was inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame in 1973.
With his spring 1993 collection for the house of Pierre Balmain, Oscar de la Renta became the first American to design for a French couture house and has been awarded the French Legion d'Honneur as a Commandeur.

From 1973 to 1976, and from 1986 to 1988, Oscar de la Renta served as President of the CFDA. He is also a two-time winner of the Coty American Fashion Critic's Award and was inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame in 1973.
With his spring 1993 collection for the house of Pierre Balmain, Oscar de la Renta became the first American to design for a French couture house and has been awarded the French Legion d'Honneur as a Commandeur.

WThe Dominican Republic has also honored its best known native son as one of its most distinguished citizens with the order al Merito de Juan Pablo Duarte and the order of Crist—bal Col—n. In 1996, Mr. de la Renta received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hispanic Heritage Society and in 2000 he marched down Fifth Avenue as Grand Marshall of New York City's Hispanic Day Parade.
Also in 2000, Mr. de la Renta received the Gold Medal of Bellas Artes from the King of Spain.

Oscar de la Renta has also helped build a much needed school and day-care center in the Dominican Republic for 1,200 children.
Oscar de la Renta is a tireless patron of the arts. He serves as a board member of The Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and Channel Thirteen/WNET. He is also on the boards of important cultural institutions such as New Yorkers for Children, the Americas Society, and the Spanish Institute.

Oscar de la Renta sells its products in upscale department stores and specialty stores worldwide. Apparel is produced in the US. Dominican Republic-born designer and owner Oscar de la Renta and partner Ben Shaw (now deceased) founded the company in 1966.

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Dynasty
At 72, with his business on fire and the White House calling, Oscar de la Renta is at the peak of his power. Now if only he can work out the line of succession.

By David Amsden Published May 21, 2005

All in the de la Renta family: from left, Alex Bolen, Eliza Bolen, Oscar de la Renta, and Moises de la Renta.

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(Photo: Michael Edwards)
Oscar de la Renta is trying to eat his hamburger. This is a challenge, what with the burnished ladies and regal gentlemen sauntering by every few minutes to say hello, to say he looks terrific, to ask after his wife, to ask after the First Lady (and the former First Lady), and to congratulate him on his continued success. The 72-year-old fashion designer is seated at a central table inside Michael’s, the midtown restaurant favored by powerful people who like to be observed eating lunch by fellow powerful people, an establishment where the De la Renta presence—impossibly crisp suit, elongated resort-bronzed face, narrow brown eyes—is a familiar one.

“You know, as I get older and I look back, I think that I have been probably working harder now than I’ve worked in my whole life,” he says, having just exchanged hellos with yet another “good friend” before returning to the subject at hand: how, when most of his contemporaries are either happily retired, governed by clunky conglomerates, or no longer living, he is launching new lines, developing young talent, wooing younger women, opening his first boutiques, revamping, reviving, rethinking, cementing a plan of succession for the day when “I will no longer be around.”

De la Renta, who was born in the Dominican Republic and always seems to be slyly grinning at a private joke, speaks in a charismatic, heavily accented purr. “I remember when I was a little boy living in the island that I come from, time went soooo slow,” he continues. “Now . . . well, very seldom do I go out to lunch. When I started working—going back 25, 30 years ago—I went out to lunch every single day, you know? But I don’t drink—well, I like to have a glass of wine at night—but if I drink during the day now, I get very sleepy. Please pardon me. I am famished and need to eat for a moment.”

He relieves the medium-cooked hamburger of its bun. Using a fork and knife, he cuts himself a small piece of meat. Carefully dipping it into some Dijon mustard, he brings the bite to his lips, when suddenly—

“Oscar, hel-lo dear.”

He is forced to go hungry a little longer.

People are saying hello more than usual this afternoon, and this is just fine. (“I hate to be alone,” De la Renta is fond of saying. “More than anything, I hate to be alone.”) It’s the day before President Bush’s second inauguration, 24 hours before Laura Bush will appear—at the podium as her husband is sworn in as leader of the free world, at the balls afterward where she’ll celebrate this swearing-in—wearing head-to-toe De la Renta, a series of outfits that will be widely applauded in the following days. It is all very similar to what Hillary Clinton had experienced during her husband’s second inauguration, way back in a different America.

“Congratu-laaa-tions with the inaugu-raaa-tion,” the woman coos, sounding like she’s praising the winner of a middle-school science fair. De la Renta stands up—he is a man who always stands in the presence of women—kisses the woman’s professionally exfoliated cheek, and thanks her graciously. Then, once she’s vanished, he takes his seat, sighs, sips his Pellegrino, and, at last, devours his hamburger in quick, minuscule bites. After a moment, he leans in to his table companion and whispers, “Do you know who her husband is? He’s Gerry Schoenfeld. He owns all the Shubert theaters.”

It is a perplexing, and revealing, moment. Here is De la Renta—consummate host of the city, the insider’s insider—making an outsider’s comment, a striver’s comment, the sort of utterance being whispered just then by those seated at less-prime tables, living less-prime lives. Do you know who that is? That’s Oscar de la Renta. He designs gowns for First Ladies.

You can be having dinner with Oscar and the Clintons, and he’s a vivacious host who takes care of everything,” says Vogue editor Anna Wintour, summing up the charming bipolarity that makes Oscar, Oscar. “Then, after the meal, he’ll go back into the kitchen and play dominoes with everyone who prepared the meal.”

It’s an approach to life that guides De la Renta’s business as well. He’s always been something of a throwback, a reminder of an opulent, ruffled, conservatively glamorous era that in all likelihood never really existed. But he’s also up-to-the-minute, having recently introduced a new line, O Oscar, in which no single piece retails for more than a hundred dollars. On Monday, under the tents in Bryant Park, the designer will show his fall collection—his 40th year doing so since leaving his post at Elizabeth Arden in 1965 to design his own label. In that time, he’s built a sizable personal fortune (estimated net worth: $100 million, making him, by one list, the 29th richest Latino in America) as well as one of the more eclectic, iconic social networks of anyone in town (close friends: the Clintons, the Kissingers, Sarah Jessica Parker, Gore Vidal, the doorman of the Ritz). As the fashion world has gradually mutated into a blander, more corporate beast, he’s remained a constant: the elegant gent who makes clothes for elegant women, designer of choice for ladies who lunch and First Ladies like Jackie Kennedy and Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton and, most recently, Laura Bush.

These days, he’s gearing up to capitalize on this legacy. In an era in which most major designers have watched their companies flounder after being sold to corporate conglomerates—Donna Karan to LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton; Gucci to Pinault-Printemps-Redoute—De la Renta is the last of the independent old guard, and he’s using it to his advantage. “I have resisted corporate ownership,” he says, sipping a decaf coffee after lunch. “Not that I haven’t been tempted. I have had offers in the past”—he declines to go into specifics—“but I always am very worried about the private investors. From the moment you sell a big percentage of your business, you know that you no longer control your business. I always thought, If I had private investors, I’d be able to expand my business, but we’re doing it now without any outside help. We’re masters of our own destinies.”

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The key word in that last sentence is we. While De la Renta’s company bears one name—his own, punctuated by his famously suave signature—it has become a family affair. We, specifically, constitutes two people in particular: Eliza Bolen, the youngest daughter of De la Renta’s second wife, Annette, and for ten years, vice-president of the $250 million licensing department, and her husband, Alex Bolen, who was named the company’s chief executive when Jeffry Aronsson jumped ship for the corporate gloss of LVMH after nearly a decade with De la Renta. Spend time in De la Renta’s bustling, creamily lit headquarters, one of the last where wrinkled seamstresses hunch over drafting tables stitching the clothes in-house—and you’ll hear a great deal about how we are changing De la Renta. We are involved in exciting new developments (in addition to O Oscar, there’s a fledgling home collection overseen by Miles Redd). We are only starting to tap into our true brand recognition (a Madison Avenue boutique opened in November, followed by Miami, with Las Vegas on the way and Europe in the crosshairs). We are hoping to turn an elite brand into a global empire catering to a larger clientele (much like Ralph Lauren, to name the visionary designer we most admire).

Bolen’s appointment was something of a shock: Was he really the best man for the job? Or was this merely the crass hand of nepotism? A carnivorously ambitious, West Virginia–raised 37-year-old, with close-cropped sandy hair, he has no background in fashion. (Which is becoming more commonplace; Robert Polet, Gucci’s new CEO, comes from the world of frozen foods.) He worked in finance, founding and then selling an asset-management company before joining Bear Stearns, and, as the market stalled, consulted part-time for De la Renta while the designer searched for a new CEO. It didn’t take long for Bolen to win over the fashion set. “A lot of what you’re seeing with Oscar has to do with Alex coming onboard,” says Wintour. “He’s come up with some kind of master plan to expand Oscar’s empire, and I think it’s a correct one. Oscar deserves a bigger platform.”

“When the chief-executive offer first came up with Oscar, I was more than a little hesitant,” Bolen says, sitting in his corner office, adjacent to his wife’s. “Working with my wife, with my father-in-law—it just seemed like a recipe for disaster.” Furthermore, the fashion world is populated by a different personality type—affectedly eccentric, unpredictably sensitive—than he was used to on Wall Street. “On Wall Street, let’s face it, everything is motivated by money,” he says. “In fashion, everyone understands it is a business, but you’re still really dealing with . . . I mean, these people are really artists. I think, for me, one of the biggest challenges has been learning patience, and how to manage personalities.”

The personal dynamic between Bolen and De la Renta is a curious and entertaining one to observe. De la Renta likes to joke, always in the presence of his son-in-law CEO, that Bolen will one day fire him. (“I think you’re safe for a few more days,” Bolen replies.) Bolen, who always seems to be within fifteen feet of De la Renta, barking about various business coups and pitfalls, often can’t help but make design suggestions. (“Alex,” De la Renta replies, “fashion school is on the corner. I believe they have night classes.”) As personalities, the two are polar opposites. Bolen wears a tie because he’s the boss; De la Renta because “it’s one of my very few complexes. I see people in a colorful shirt and I think, My God, I would really love to wear that, but then I am afraid that when I walk into the door, the host will say, ‘I’m sorry, but the Latin band walks through that other door.’ ”

De la Renta likes to joke that his son-in-law Alex Bolen will one day fire him. “I think you’re safe for a few more days,” Alex replies.

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The designer’s capitalistic urges are cloaked by courtesy, indefatigable charm, and an ability to talk for hours about the texture of fabrics. Bolen is brusque, fast-talking, a natural-born intimidator who turns almost any subject of conversation into one about the business’s future. (As it happens, employing his stepdaughter and son-in-law almost never became an option: When De la Renta asked Annette to marry him, in 1989, she didn’t say yes immediately. “She didn’t want to get married,” he says with a laugh. “She thought there was no need to. But I’m a Latino, so I believe in the institution.”)

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The Bolens’ effect on the De la Renta identity is most evident in the designer’s recent—and successful—push to court younger women. Eliza Bolen will often look at his designs and proclaim, “My friends will never wear this,” at which point De la Renta does some rethinking. At the same time, the designer views his current renaissance in sociocultural terms, defining himself as something of a postfeminist designer who made his mark in a prefeminist age. “Certainly, what is exciting about fashion today, especially in my field, is that never in history has there been a time when a woman has as much control over her destiny as she does today,” he says. “I always tell this story: When I started, the woman went to the store to buy a dress. She saw it in pink and red, and then she remembered that the husband, who is probably going to pay for the dress, loves it in pink. So she buys the pink. Today, the same woman goes to the store and remembers the husband likes pink, and she buys the red.

“I think that probably what has made my business so successful today is because the most important consumer now is the professional woman,” he continues. “Back in the seventies and eighties, she was going into the men’s world. She felt she had to dress in very, very boring clothes. And then, you know, a woman knows that she can look great, that being a woman is an asset. And this is what I have always known. And so, perhaps, this is my time.”

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It’s been rumored that the true motive behind the current rush of activity is to ready the company for a sale, and while Alex admits that “the crude fact is that everything is for sale, for a price,” he is adamant in pointing out that “there is no endgame plan,” adding that keeping the business in the family is critical to preserving the De la Renta identity.

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But family can be a complicated affair, a fact De la Renta has learned watching his adopted son, Moises, come of age—and take up interest in fashion. These days, the 20-year-old can be seen milling around the studio—a taciturn, handsome, frenetic kid who has been known to spend his nights crushed into sleek banquettes with Paris Hilton and other members of the empire-spawn diaspora. Last year, Moises dropped out of Marymount Manhattan College, and decided, seemingly on a whim, to become a designer, something his father struggles to process. “Moises has always needed a lot of help, which you can get in school, but once you get to college, you have to seek that help; it doesn’t come to you,” De la Renta says at Michael’s. “His first year in college he did really badly. He came to me and he said he didn’t want to stay. I felt unbelievably bad about it because I kept saying to him, ‘Moises, as a father, all I can give you is an education. I lost my mother when I was very young, and I have been working since I was 21 years old, and I didn’t have the opportunities that you have.’ But, you know, young people don’t understand.”

Moises, who’s studying at F.I.T., started working in the studio last year, asking for the lowest position possible, in the pattern room. But such humility had its limits. His first stab at designing was a hipster-looking T-shirt emblazoned with the logo ROCK AND ROLL, HEART & SOUL that his father featured in his fall runway show, paired with a ball skirt, an unexpected marriage of the old and new school. Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar raved about the edgy elegance, and the T-shirt, which sells for $150 and is prominently featured in the upcoming Mario Sorrenti–photographed ad campaign, ended up being the first item purchased at the Madison Avenue boutique. Moises decided that he was now a professional designer, too. On January 13, he debuted a small, mainly denim collection of his own at NA, Damon Dash’s nightclub, at a shoddily executed group show that was the opposite of everything his father’s name—which Moises uses for his line after deciding against “Moi”—has come to represent. (The event was produced by a company called Stop the Glamour.) Given his surname, Moises had little trouble attracting a certain kind of attention. The Post, for instance, wrote a profile of Moises (headline: THE SON ALSO RISES), describing him as building “his own fashion empire.”

“I was very upset about that article,” De la Renta says one afternoon in his office. “I think he has talent, a certain eye. Of course, parents are always very biased, but I do think he has something. I try to tell him, ‘You only get that kind of attention once.’ ”

“I always tell Hillary not to wear black. The problem is that everything else she has is mine, and with Mrs. Bush also wearing something of mine today . . . ”

Over lunch, he goes into more depth: “Moises did a little line, five or six pieces. But that doesn’t make a fashion designer. I say, ‘Moises, when I started the business, I became well known because I was making clothes that were bought by a store, and women went to that store and bought those clothes, and then people started to talk about me.’ Today, unfortunately, you have a lot of young kids who get a tremendous amount of press who haven’t sold a single dress. It’s fantastic and great to have your clothes photographed in Vogue, but”—he looks down at his $28 hamburger, which he will eventually insist on paying for—“that doesn’t buy you a meal.”

In 1983, the year before Moises was born, De la Renta’s first wife, Françoise, former editor of French Vogue, died of cancer. He and Françoise—whom De la Renta married in 1967—were a beloved institution, their East Side apartment known as the place to find Norman Mailer talking to Alan Greenspan behind the back of Candice Bergen. (De la Renta’s current wife, then Annette Reed, was also a fixture at such gatherings.) In 1980, the metaphysics of the De la Rentas’ dinner parties were deconstructed in The New York Times Magazine, in an article that deemed their home a “latter-day salon” with influence on the “New York–Washington axis.” To many, Françoise, who played no formal role in the company, was the secret weapon to De la Renta’s success—forging many of the relationships that created his deep foundation in society. “She is the éminence grise of Oscar,” Marie-Helene de Rothschild told the Times Magazine. (Similar remarks are made about Annette. “She makes Oscar more extraordinary,” says Wintour. “She is his best friend, his companion, his judge, his critic.”) He and Françoise had no children, and her sudden death left De la Renta without a family.

“That’s the time I adopted my son, between marriages,” De la Renta says, his grin subsiding a bit, his expression growing uncommonly solemn. “I never thought that I would get married again. I thought my son and I would have each other. I am very much involved in an orphanage in the Dominican Republic, and he was the youngest orphan. I’ve known him since he was 24 hours old.” Moises is De la Renta’s emotional core, his connection to his past, and his worries are indicative of an upscale version of the classic immigrant’s dilemma: De la Renta’s son was adopted into the kind of glamorous American world De la Renta (whose own father ran an insurance company) had to work to gain membership in. “He’s the sweetest, nicest human being,” De la Renta says of Moises. “But he is unbelievably naïve. He has a heart of gold. If you give him $10 and tell him ‘Here, pay for a cab,’ he will walk outside and find a homeless person. He has no sense of self-preservation.”

At which point De la Renta sips his coffee silently. It’s time to change the subject.


T-shirt by Moises de la Renta, taffeta skirt by Oscar de la Renta, spring 2005 collection.

“What’s Senator Clinton wearing?” the designer wants to know. It’s Inauguration Day and De la Renta is in his studio, too busy tweaking his new collection to attend the festivities. He is squinting at Chrissy Haldis, a tall, willowy, and by all accounts mannequin-mute brunette who has served as his house model for the past two collections. She stands rotating in slow circles, sheathed in rare, velvety Uzbekistani fabric that, when hemmed and cut, will become a long coat retailing in the neighborhood of $10,000. In De la Renta’s adjoining office, the inauguration is being broadcast over the Internet—there is Laura Bush, pert and stately in a pearly De la Renta cashmere dress, though the designer is currently concerned about the clothes another client, Hillary Clinton, has chosen for the event.

“She’s wearing black,” someone points out.

De la Renta frowns. “What?”

“It’s a black jacket, and a—”

He cuts her off. “Oh, I always tell Senator Clinton . . .” He pauses delicately. “Well, I mean, I’m sure she looks beautiful. Hillary is a beautiful woman. But I always tell her not to wear black. She looks tough in black”—he tenses his fists and jaw to illustrate his point—“and she is more than just a tough lady. The problem is that everything else she has, every other piece of clothing that’s not black, is mine, and with Mrs. Bush also wearing something of mine today . . . ”

After a moment, De la Renta simply laughs. The designer, who grew up under a dictatorship, seems to find politics most compelling, not as an engine of policy and social change, but as a theater of bombastic personalities kept in line by social formality.

“I’m a nonpartisan voter,” he says with a smile. “I vote for the man, not the party. I voted for Clinton, but I voted for Bush. I also voted for Reagan.” He pauses. “Black! I cannot believe she’s wearing black!”

De la Renta’s interest in the marketing of femininity dates back to age 7, when the designer, playing in his large backyard, attempted to manufacture perfume. “I thought if I woke up very early, I could collect the dewdrops off the flowers, I could make perfume,” he recalls. “And then I realized the perfume was not involved in the dewdrops. I couldn’t understand how the liquid comes out of the flower!”

Imagine the designer back then, the only boy among six sisters growing up in a protective Dominican family. (“While other boys were playing in the street, of course I was not.”) At 18, he left the island for Spain to become a painter. His mother, sick with multiple sclerosis, allowed him to go, knowing she wouldn’t see him again. His father was skeptical about art. To prove to his father that he could earn money, De la Renta took fashion-illustrator jobs at newspapers. He was talented, and he had a certain verve that allowed him access into the world of fashion. Soon he was hired by Balenciaga as an illustrator, then as a designer. He moved to Paris. He painted less. In 1963, feeling the future of fashion was in ready-to-wear, De la Renta moved to New York for a job with Elizabeth Arden. He met Alex Liberman, the editorial director at Condé Nast. And John Fairchild, the editor of Women’s Wear Daily. And Diana Vreeland, the editor of Vogue. Within two years, he had his own line. By 1971, he was one of the most established names in the business and had just bought a country estate in Kent, Connecticut, for $110,000.

It was the sort of speedy ascent that instills in someone an innate grasp of the importance of first impressions. Who better to understand what a First Lady goes through?

Ask De La Renta why First Ladies feel so comfortable with him, and first he’ll tell a joke—“I hope it’s not my age”—before explaining that, much like himself, the First Lady is the ultimate outsider turned insider. “When you come from the middle of the country, and you arrive in a certain society, I think it’s very difficult for every First Lady,” he says. “After all, she’s not elected. The men are elected. But people do have expectations—more in this country than any other country. Do you know who Chirac’s wife is? Mitterrand’s? Exactly. Here people do care, people are looking. And we are so influenced by what we see visually, you know?”

Hence the gnawing effect Hillary’s black outfit has on De la Renta. When he started to dress Clinton, the first thing he did was eliminate black from her wardrobe. “The perception of what people had of her was different than what they have now,” he explains. “First of all, she is an extremely intelligent person. And caring person. And loving person. And full of charm. And full of laughter. And people never really saw her that way. So I said, ‘Let’s stop wearing black. Let’s dress you now in pale blue and pale pink.’ ” A switch to pastels isn’t quite the same as passing, say, universal health care, though the public perception of Clinton did change tremendously, which certainly came in handy during her Senate run.

The designer was surprised when Laura Bush approached him. “With Mrs. Bush, Vogue magazine was going to photograph her when she was going into the White House,” he recalls. “Anna Wintour called me and asked if I would send some clothes to Vogue. I told Anna, ‘You know, I have been so closely identified with Mrs. Clinton that I don’t think Mrs. Bush would want to be photographed in my clothes.’ She said, ‘No! No! No! Please send some clothes.’ So I did send some clothes, and apparently Mrs. Bush arrived at the shoot in a red suit of mine that she had bought in Austin, Texas. She asked if there were any other clothes of mine there, so they showed her, and she chose another pantsuit for the shoot.” De la Renta sent the First Lady a thank-you note, and shortly after received a call from the White House: Mrs. Bush was going to be in New York and wanted to stop by his studio. “This was the very first First Lady that had come to Seventh Avenue, which I found extremely nice and kind. The very first time I met her—have you ever seen her in person? No?—well, I have never seen blue eyes like hers. They’re like sapphires! The very first time I met her, I said to her, ‘Mrs. Bush, I’m going to ask you a very indiscreet question, and I hope that you won’t consider it rude. Do you wear contact lenses?’ She laughed and said, ‘No, I don’t.’ Ha!”

Later that morning, reps for Penélope Cruz call the office to let it be known that the actress would like to wear De la Renta to the Oscars—possibly-maybe-definitely —but would need to see some sketches first, before finalizing her decision. While De la Renta speaks highly of many stars—he credits Sarah Jessica Parker with having helped revive his image by fawning over a De la Renta gown in an episode of Sex and the City—he is not particularly well versed in celebrity, and in general doesn’t admire actresses.

“They are more of a hassle to deal with than anything else,” he says. “They tend to be insecure people. Insecure and capricious. These are two bad qualities.”

He turns to his assistant.

“Send her the sketches,” he says.

A week after Inauguration Day, De la Renta flies down to Miami to celebrate the opening of his store, which is located in the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops mall. The boutique—a cozy, brightly lit, high-ceilinged quarters with walls tiled in stone from a Dominican quarry near De la Renta’s home there—is packed with types who, depending on your aesthetic tastes, are either freakishly stunning or stunningly freakish: the face-lifted, the orange-skinned, the heavily bejeweled, all with suspiciously white teeth. They drink passion-fruit Bellinis and make good use of the word fabulous. A 15-year-old model from South Africa who looks 25 weaves her way through the room in a series of De la Renta gowns being stroked by strangers. Alex is on hand, ever the micromanager—picking up a shawl that fell off its hanger, shaking hands, keeping an eye on De la Renta, who’s dapper in a dark pin-striped suit, at all times. When asked how he feels about the store, he says, “The cash registers apparently are working, so that’s a plus.” Then he notices something in the distance and excuses himself. “Oh, Oscar’s talking to the store’s landlord. I need to go make sure he doesn’t say something he’s not supposed to.”

Annette de la Renta spends the majority of the event sandwiched inside a display, half-hidden by two of her husband’s gowns, talking with Miles Redd, the magnetic, high-cheeked, Georgia-born creative director for Oscar de la Renta Home. As Redd explains his role in the store’s look—“These plaster palm trees,” he says, pointing at the ones framing two gigantic mirrors, “that’s me”—a drag queen named Elaine saunters over to Annette, who smiles through her teeth.

“Oh, let me get a picture of the two of you,” says Redd, pulling out his camera phone. Annette shakes her head.

“Come on! I’ll e-mail it to Eliza!”

Annette, shy but witty, throws an arm around the transvestite.

“Okay. Take a picture.”

After the opening, De la Renta holds a dinner at André Balazs’s Raleigh hotel—a gathering of about 40 friends, not clients. Paella is cooked out by the pool. Jane Holzer kisses De la Renta’s cheeks; so does the photographer Bruce Webber. As everyone takes their seats at a long, family-style dinner, whispers can be heard that “Lenny has landed”—Lenny Kravitz has dropped by. In the presence of socialites, Kravitz, in a conservative gray suit and tie, appears oddly boyish, calling everyone “Sir” and “Miss.” The rock star sits next to De la Renta, discussing his own upcoming clothing line. Before the sorbet course, Paul Wilmot, the ubiquitous publicist, decides he is the man to make a toast. “I think tonight is a night that’s all about one thing: first names,” he says, inaccurately. “It’s a night where you’d say, ‘I went to this store owned by a guy named Oscar. Then I had dinner with a guy named Lenny. And a guy named Bruce. And so . . . well, to first names.”

“To first names!”

De la Renta, as always, is at once the central figure and the man off to the side, checking everyone out, making sure they are okay.

“I’m tellin’ ya,” says his bodyguard and driver, a sardonic guy named Lou Perno, who speaks with a heavy Queens accent. “Mr. De la Renta is as comfortable talking to a janitor as he is a president. The man knows everyone. One time, I’m with Oscar, and we’re at some New York hotel to meet the president of the Dominican Republic. We’re in the elevator, and it stops on one floor, and there’s Gerald Ford and his wife! Both of them in tennis clothes! I’m like, ‘I can’t believe it’s Gerald Ford.’ And what’s he do? Immediately he leaps at Mr. De la Renta and gives him this huge hug. When he got off the elevator, I turned to Mr. De la Renta and said, ‘Is there anyone you don’t know?’ ”

At just that moment, De la Renta comes over to say that he’s tired—he has an early flight in the morning so he can work through the weekend on his collection. But before heading off to bed, he puts a tanned hand on Lou’s shoulder, squeezes, and says, “There are so, so many people I don’t know.”

He seems to mean it.

Kd7Nw02NctU&feature

1. Government averts Monday strike
During a Saturday meeting at the Presidential Palace, government officials told passenger and freight transporters that they would introduce fuel subsidies so that fuel price increases are not passed on to consumers. The subsidies will be financed by discounting 10% of the authorized tax exemption to exporters and large industrial manufacturers that receive tax-exempt fuel. The unionized transporters will benefit from RD$30 million gallons of diesel, as reported in Diario Libre. Also meeting with them was the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Abel Martinez. President Fernandez is expected to issue the decree shortly. In response, the transport leaders have called off a 24-hour work stoppage that they had planned for today, Monday.

2. Conchos can't be fitted for natural gas
Transport kingpins Juan Hubieres and Ramon Perez Figuereo say there is no way that conchos, or multi-fare paying taxis, in Santo Domingo and Santiago can be refitted to run on natural gas. He said that 90% of the vehicles on the roads are old and the buses run on diesel that is not compatible with natural gas.

Ramon Perez Figuereo of the CNTU said that 20,000 drivers in Santiago and Santo Domingo are enrolled in the governmental Bonogas program that subsidizes propane gas for public transport.

He said that only 10% could be converted and that vehicles that run on diesel would need a change of engine for this purpose.

Perez Figuereo is skeptical that the conversion of 20,000 vehicles mentioned by Fernandez will take place. He says that each modern natural gas station costs US$1 million, every vehicle conversion costs US$1,400 and cars need to be less than five years old.

Hubieres, who is president of Fenatrano said that there was no chance that natural gas could be used because of the age of the vehicles.

As reported in Hoy, many gas-guzzling vehicles have been converted to natural gas. The conversion kits are estimated to cost RD$60,000-RD$100,000.

But Hoy says the problem so far is availability of the gas. There are only four stations located all in Greater Santo Domingo. Hoy reports that the stations are notorious for being running out of gas, with long lines queueing up for the time-consuming (10-15 minutes) fill up. Natural gas is sold for RD$48.50 a cubic meter.

Savings are said to be 80% compared to gasoline costs. One taxi driver, Carlos Pena told Hoy he used to spend RD$2,000 every two days on gasoline, and now his consumption is RD$600-RD$700. The conversion system cost him RD$59,000. A Ford Explorer owner said he used to consume RD$1,000 per day in gasoline. It cost him RD$81,000 to convert his vehicle but now his fuel costs are RD$300 per day.

The natural gas stations are located in Punta Caucedo, Av. Maximo Gomez (opposite the Cemetery), at Las Americas Highway, and Av. John F. Kennedy (near Distribuidora Corripio). There are plans to install new stations in Santiago, La Romana, San Pedro de Macoris, Puerto Plata and San Francisco de Macoris.

The cost of installing a natural gas station is around US$1 million. Natural gas started being sold in the country in December 2003. It is estimated to be 60% cheaper than gasoline, 50% cheaper than diesel and 30% cheaper than propane gas.

There are an estimated 2.7 million vehicles in the DR, according to the Tax Department (DGII). According to Diario Libre, vehicles from 2006 or older make up 93.8% of the total number of vehicles.

3. Garcia Arevalo in favor of natural gas
New Industry & Commerce Minister Manuel Garcia Arevalo favors the conversion of public transport vehicles to natural gas. He said that a conversion kit costs US$700 for vehicles that run on gasoline. He estimated that the government subsidy would be to invest at least US$14 million to adapt 20,000 units to the new fuel within the next six months.

"The President specified that each of the public vehicles that adopt the system will make savings of around RD$8,000 a month in fuel," he commented.

Garcia Arevalo said that this would reduce the government's fuel bill.

"In a short time we will start to apply strategies so that natural gas can become the fuel of preference for most of the production and transportation units in the country," Garcia Arevalo told journalists while attending a mass in honor of Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez, who is celebrating 50 years in the priesthood.

Diario Libre reports that two years ago, President Leonel Fernandez announced the opening of 40 natural gas stations, but only four have been installed to date. Diario Libre says this is because of government obstacles and business interests. Since 2003, when AES made natural gas available for local consumption, more than 50 large industries and hotels have converted, with savings of 40%.

4. Savings down, exports up
Central Bank governor Hector Valdez Albizu has called on the private sector to increase savings. Speaking at a luncheon meeting organized by the Dominican Exporters Association (Adoexpo), he said that national savings capacity as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product has declined by 11%, from 18.1% in 2000 to 7.3% in 2010.

He said the Fernandez administration has committed to public sector savings of RD$25 billion to reduce the current fiscal deficit. The World Economic Forum awarded the Dominican government top ranking when it comes to wasteful spending.

However, Valdez Albizu said that the private sector also needed to contribute by becoming more efficient and productive and that sacrifices had to be made by all. He mentioned that fuel imports represented more than 30% of all imports. For every US$10 increase in the cost of fuel, the petroleum bill increases by US$400 million.

He focused on analysis and prospects for the Dominican export sector in the international context today.

As reported in Listin Diario, he highlighted that in the past decade, Dominican exports increased 160.6% going from US$966.1 million in 2000 to US$2,518.1 million in 2010. He said that in 2000, exports to US and Puerto Rico made up 87.3% of all exports. Today, this market share has declined to 52.3%, which indicates increased diversification. He said Dominicans are now exporting more to Haiti, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, UK and China.

Exports to Europe have doubled in the past 10 years, going from 5.8% in 2000 to 9.4% in 2010 for a total of US$611.3 million. Diversification has included mango, avocado, banana exports, and ferronickel and gold exports have also resumed.

He congratulated Hector Rizek for successfully positioning Dominican cacao on international markets in Europe and Japan. Cacao exports have increased from US$26.1 million in 2000 to US$187 million in 2010.

He called for more exports taking into account the country's privileged access to the US and European markets with the DR-CAFTA and EPA agreements.

Valdez was critical of the government contracting international experts to come and present analysis and recommendations on national issues. "It is a custom to bring experts from other countries to tell us what we have already analyzed," he commented.

"I am very optimistic given the diversity of Dominican exports. I have no doubt that in the future exporting sector can become the backbone of the Dominican economy," he told the exporters.

Speaking at the event, Adoexpo president Kai Schoenhals acknowledged that Central Bank policies have led the country to maintain high growth levels, despite the financial crisis. Nevertheless, as reported in El Caribe, he complained that today it is easier to get a loan to purchase a vehicle than for a small or medium-sized business to get a loan for expanding a production line or purchasing a machine. He complained that instead of stimulating production to generate wealth and jobs, the policies in place stimulate consumption.

5. Buy a mother
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has announced the discovery of a network that offered bribes to Dominican women in return for registering Haitian children as their own so they could receive Dominican nationality. Work carried out by the JCE Late Registrations Unit detected this method of fraud.

Roberto Rosario also expressed his concern about the networks that traffic in Haitian children, exploiting them as street corner beggars and other illicit purposes.

He spoke at the inaugural of the new JCE offices in Padre Las Casas, Azua province at a cost of RD$30.3 million.

He also announced a RD$5.9 million advertising campaign to bolster the image of the JCE.

6. Why the JCE advertising campaign?
The president of the Dominicans for Change political party, Eduardo Estrella has criticized the Central Electoral Board's use of funds for an advertising campaign at a time when, according to him, austerity should be the norm. The JCE recently announced it was spending RD$5.9 million on an advertising campaign for its institutional image. Estrella believes that the money would be better used in advancing the biometrical program and strengthening the work of the civil registry offices. "The JCE has a good image according to the polls, and what it should do now is work on improving the services it provides and modernizing the electoral system," he said. The contract was granted to the advertising agency Aristides Figueroa y Asociados SRL.

7. Disease decimates citrus fruits
Orange, lemon and grapefruit plantations are being replaced with passion fruit, acerola (Creole) cherry and pineapple, as a bacterial plant disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB), citrus greening or yellow dragon disease has decimated large citrus plantations. Once a tree is infected, its fruit turns sour, small and hard. The disease specifically attacks citrus plants and poses no threat to humans or animals. It has destroyed a large part of the Florida plantations and entered the DR in 2001. There is no known cure, and farmers see their citrus trees die within a few years.

Hoy reports that the DR stands to lose US$39 million a year in exports and local consumption. 30,000 hectares in the DR are planted with citrus, and production is estimated at 493,000 tons with 5,000 people employed in the sector. Plantations in Hato Mayor, El Seibo, San Francisco de Macoris, Zambrana, Cotui and Villa Altagracia have been affected.

Ricardo Barcelo of the Consorcio Citrico del Este, a major producer, said they have planted passion fruit, pineapple and acerola in the plantations, and expect to begin planting citrus at the end of 2011. The new plantations will be in nurseries, to prevent the new trees being infected. Barcelo said the government needed to carry out a campaign to create awareness of action that can be taken by other farmers.

The Central Committee against HLB, coordinated by Julio Borbon has received technical and economic assistance from the Regional Internacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (OIRSA), Brazil's Citriculture Defense Fund, the University of Florida, University of California at Riverside, the European Union and the Centro de Tecnologias Agricolas of the IDIAF, and the Ministry of Agriculture's Plant Health Department.

www.oirsa.org/portal/huanlongbing.aspx

www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/chrp/greening/citrusgreening.html

8. Santiago earthquake alert
Santiago is preparing for a major earthquake. During a workshop, "Improving the Resilience of Municipalities in the DR in the light of Natural Phenomena and Risks" held at the Centro Leon, a study on the micro-zoning of the city was unveiled. Santiago is considered to be the city most vulnerable to earthquakes in the DR. In 2003, Puerto Plata, half an hour away from Santiago, suffered a 6.5 quake with extensive damage, but minimal loss of life, increasing awareness of the phenomenon. Santiago was affected by strong shakes at the time also causing material damage.

Participants at the meeting included specialists Carol Prentice from the US Geological Survey, Eduardo Fierro, Eduardo Miranda, Santiago Munoz, Eusebio Lopera Caballero, Miriam Belvaux, Victor Huerfano, Jose Gonzalez Angulo, Luz Amanda Pulido, Jose Arnaldo Serulle, Orlando Franco, Fernando Rojas, Victor Suarez and Leonardo Reyes Madera and Rafael Corominas Pepin.

Seismologists Leonardo Reyes Madera and Victor Suarez reiterated their warning that a large number of public buildings would suffer considerable damage in a strong earthquake. Suarez said that 61% of the public schools in Santiago are vulnerable to a strong earthquake and Reyes Madera repeated his warning that the Cabral y Baez public hospital would suffer major damage.

Carol Prentice of the US Geological Survey warned that the expected earthquake would affect other cities in the Cibao along the Septentrional Fault.

During the workshop, Santiago Grullon of the National Geological Service showed the most vulnerable areas, notably the communities of Pedro Garcia and Carlos Diaz.

Luis Pena, who heads the recently created Municipal Institute for Risk Management, said that the priority is to plan for an earthquake or hurricane. He said that during hurricanes, flooding is what causes most damage. The plan also involves reinforcing the vulnerable buildings.

Santiago Mayor Gilberto Serulle said that the municipal authorities are planning to prepare risk evaluations and use these as a base for plans and urban development decisions. "This will enable us to intervene in the critical infrastructure, reduce risks in the case of drainage systems so that climate change doesn't take us by surprise," he said, as reported in El Caribe.

http://www.ig.utexas.edu/outreach/dr_earthquake/press_conference/mann.pdf

9. Fernandez 2012?
The president of the Chamber of Deputies says that progress has been made on the project that seeks to open the way for President Leonel Fernandez to be the PLD candidate in the 2012 presidential election. The 2010 Constitution bans consecutive presidential re-election. The PLD has set the date for the party Central Committee to announce its presidential pre-candidates as 10 April.

As reported in El Caribe, when journalists recently asked President Leonel Fernandez about moves by a group of legislators to register him as a pre-candidate, he said he was not aware of those plans and asked to be left to reflect on the subject.

Abel Martinez announced that an event would take place once thousands of Dominicans have signed a petition for President Fernandez to seek the PLD candidacy. Other leaders of the movement for re-election include senator Felix Bautista and former minister of public works Freddy Perez.

10. Politicizing the National Council of the Magistracy
Judges interviewed at the Ciudad Nueva Palace of Justice told Hoy that the changes to the National Council of the Magistracy bill proposed by President Fernandez and fast-tracked through Congress by the PLD legislators are politicizing the council. They criticized the fact that the President included the Prosecutor General (who is a Presidential appointee) and stipulated that the Prosecutor will replace the President if he is absent. In the past, the chief of the Supreme Court of Justice would have represented the President.

As reported in Hoy, the judges claim that the Supreme Court of Justice has been divested of its roles. The judges, who opted to speak anonymously for fear of reprisals, also made the point that the Executive Branch sought to divest the Supreme Court of Justice of its control of constitutionality, of appointing and removing judges and of the administration of justice, duties that were placed under the remit of the new National Council of the Judiciary.

11. Seven youngsters die in Sunday outing
A drunk driver rammed his bus into a lamppost causing the death of seven young people aged 13 to 18. A further nine of 32 people who were returning from a trip to an out of town country club, Club Campestre Hacienda Estrella in La Victoria, in northern Santo Domingo, were injured. Five died at the crash scene, and two were treated in emergency units. Most of the young people were students at the Leoncio Manzueta School in Santa Cruz, Villa Mella. The driver and his assistant escaped the scene after the crash.

12. An honest policeman
Lieutenant Colonel Jose Ruiz Mejia was in command of two patrols that arrested five thieves who had stolen RD$14 million from an exchange house. The assailants offered him to take whatever he wanted in return for letting them go. The assailants included a former policeman and a former army captain. He recalls that they told him: "Commander, there (in the exchange house safe) are more than RD$10 million. You could no longer be poor, tell us what you want."

El Dia reports that Ruiz Mejia lives in a humble dwelling built of blocks, wood and zinc. He does not have his own vehicle and earns just RD$20,000 a month. He has four children and lives with two of them and his wife Albis Concepcion, who helps with household expenses.

He told El Dia that being an honest person was more important to him. He is 54 years old and has been in the Police for 32 years. He is also a lawyer and accountant and says he has refused bribes many times.

As reported in El Dia, he said that from the moment the police was alerted of the robbery at Marino Dolar, on San Isidro Highway, he activated two patrols and located the vehicle that was described and arrested five of the eight thieves.

"I don't regret what I did. I am honest and I will continue to be so till the day I die, he said. "Money isn't everything."

13. Cardinal celebrates 50 years priesthood
Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez is celebrating his 50th anniversary of being ordained as a priest. The head of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic celebrated with a mass at the Cathedral. A message of congratulations was sent by Pope Benedict XVI and read out by Nuncio Josef Wesolowski, along with other congratulatory messages.

14. New history book
Dominican historian Frank Moya Pons coordinated the Dominican participation in a new book on the History of the Dominican Republic with contributions by Bernardo Vega, Adriano Miguel Tejada, Soledad Alvarez, Jeannette Miller, Jacqueline Boin, Jose Serulle Ramia, Orlando Inoa, Roberto Marte, Antonio Gutierrez Escudero and Manuel Vicente Hernandez Gonzalez. Also contributing to the book were two Spanish and one French author. The book is part of the series Historia de las Antillas, History of the Antilles published by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas de Espana, based in Madrid. A first History of Cuba was released in 2009.

The series seeks to contribute to the understanding of what unites the Caribbean in its diversity and the colonial influence in the past and present. It focuses on how factors such as slavery, racial mingling, music and religion can lead to unity in the Caribbean and how they give rise to different realities.

Limited copies are available for sale at the Libreria La Trinitaria and Mateca bookshops in Santo Domingo.

15. Kirkman and Olivares qualify DR
Dominicans William Kirkman and Jose Olivares defeated rivals Rodolfo Diaz and Omar Hernandez from Cuba to win the North/Central American & Caribbean Pre-Qualifying round of the World Junior Tennis Championships.

The World Junior Tennis Competition (WJTC) is being held at the Parque del Este tennis courts, where the 2003 Pan American Games were held. The event gathers players aged 14 and under. The pair qualified to compete in San Luis Potosi, Mexico on 25 April for a seat in the World Junior Tennis Finals.

Team spokesman Julio Tavarez told Listin Diario that the main thing was that this would be a strong boost to their morale as the Cuban team is very strong. In Mexico they will go against the US, Canada and Mexico.

http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/news/newsarticle.asp?articleid=22389

16. Jarabe de Palo to Hard Rock
The Spanish rock group best known for its hits Flaca, Depende and Bonito will be back in Santo Domingo at the Hard Rock Cafe on 16 April. The group's new production includes songs co-written by Joaquin Sabina and Alejandro Sanz. The Jarabe de Palo group members are Pau Dones, Alex Tenas, Carmen Nino, Jordi Busquets and Riki Fouchtman.

Hard Rock says that their forthcoming attractions include Sean Paul from Jamaica and Aleks Syntek from Mexico.

17. The drama of abused women
A play, Naked Women will be performed at the Sala Ravelo of the National Theater starting 1 April. The drama, which explores the plight of abused women, is produced by Amaury Esquea and written and directed by Marilu Acosta. Marilu Acosta has been nominated for a Casandra Award this year for her film Hermafrodita.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/180840_188649367832537_113945105302964_501693_4523656_n.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

New project for the North east in Samana, Dominican Republic

http://www.angsanasamanabay.com/

1. Fernandez receives US senators and head of Peace Corps
President Leonel Fernandez received a congressional delegation and the worldwide director of the Peace Corps, Aaron Williams and the US ambassador Raul Yzaguirre. The congressional delegation and the Peace Corps director were part of the ceremonies celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps, set up by John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Aaron Williams was a volunteer in the Dominican Republic serving in Monte Plata where he met his wife, and he also spent a year teaching at the PUCMM in Santiago.

Others on the congressional delegation received by President Fernandez were senator Patrick Leahy, Kent Conrad along with representatives Peter Welch, Xavier Becerra, as well as Tim Riese, Sara Garland, Roger Pena and Suzie Carroll, Timothy Fitzgibbons and Romeo Massey.

2. Now LF observes bill on Constitutional Court
The Executive Power observed yesterday the Organic Law of the Constitutional Court and of the Constitutional Processes. The legislation will be returned to the Senate for review of the observation.

Diario Libre said that the observation centers on the setting of 75 years as the obligatory retirement age for the judges of the court. The same age is set for judges of the Supreme Court of Justice.

The legislation caused a clash in the Chamber of Deputies between the deputies from the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) that sought that there not be the 75 years age limit and those from the opposition Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD). Since the deputies from the PRD and the PRSC could not produce the two-thirds majority needed to approve this organic law, the PRD forced the approval with the age limit of 75 years for the judges of the tribunal.

Congress set a new precedent with the approval of the Organic Law of the National Council of Magistrates with a simple majority, contradicting constitutional guidelines that call for two-thirds majority. Some observers expect the bill to now follow suit and pass with a simple majority the bill as presented by the Executive Branch.

3. DR and IMF renew talks
New Hacienda Minister Daniel Toribio and the Governor of the Central Bank Hector Valdez Albizu met at the Central Bank with Alejandro Santos, IMF mission chief, and other officers of the international financial institution on Monday to restart the negotiations within the framework of the fifth review of the US$1.7 billion stand-by arrangement signed with the IMF in November 2009. According to Nuevo Diario, also participating in the meeting was the executive vice-president of the State Electricity Corporation (CDEEE), Celso Marranzini because the issue of electricity is central to all the economic discussions today.

At the heart of the conversations is the US$150 million disbursement that is already planned for in the 2011 budget.

According to Bernardo Vega a former governor of the Central Bank, the agreement that the country has with the IMF has gone through a series of incidents in its fifth review that have delayed the approval of the Letter of Intent submitted by the Fernandez government.

4. DR fuel bill to climb a billion dollars
The oil invoice will increase by US$1.003 billion this year if we take into account the price projection issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In 2010, the average price of oil from OPEC, Brent North Sea and West Texas Intermediate, according to the IMF was US$79.05 a barrel, but this year it will close at US$97.32, according to projections, which will be an increase of 23.1% compared to last year.

The oil bills for last year were US$3.427 billion and there is a 23.1% increase, plus the 5% that the economy is expected to grow, this year's bill will be more than US$4.330 billion, according to estimates by economist Henri Hebrard. The stand-by arrangement with the IMF only takes into account an oil bill of "barely" US$3.544 billion, some US$116.7 million more than in 2010, but with the new international situation, this will mean an overdraw of US$902.7 million in imports.

Yesterday the West Texas Intermediate rose 1.24% and ended the day on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) at US$102.33 a barrel, influenced by the beginning of attacks by the international coalition in Libya over the weekend and leaving behind the 0Yesterday the West Texas Intermediate rose 1.24% and ended the day on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) at US$102.33 a barrel, influenced by the beginning of attacks by the international coalition in Libya over the weekend and leaving behind Friday's 0.34% fall in prices.

In January of this year the country consumed 106,137,303 million gallons of fuel, more than 5,025,765 gallons more than the year before. In January, the consumption of propane gas (LPG) was 31.7 million gallons; premium gasoline was 7.7 million gallons, regular consumption in gallons was 16.6 million, and regular diesel was 17.8 million and premium diesel was 2.8 million.

5. Gasoline stations will sell natural gas
The new Industry & Commerce Minister Manuel Garcia Arevalo says that his department will authorize that gasoline and diesel stations in the DR sell natural gas. The stations will have to comply with natural gas rulings, but there will not be obstacles to their outfitting for the sale of other fuel.

6. World Water Day
The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources commemorated World Water Day with an activity held at the Ceuta Springs in Villa Mella. Minister Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal said that a sustainable management of fresh water was needed, and he stressed the importance of fresh water for the life of the planet and this country in particular. One of the main objectives of the Ministry of the Environment is to conserve and restore the nation's sources of potable water.

7. Foundation calls for halt to appointments
The Justice and Transparency Foundation (FJT) issued a call for President Leonel Fernandez to stop making appointments in the administration's ministries, overseas diplomatic posts and government institutions. He called for an austerity plan that is trustworthy and serious. The president of the FJT, Trajano Vidal Potentini called for a reduction of the government's payroll. He rallies for a reduction in the liberal use of cell phones, overseas travel, vehicular purchases and credit card expenses of government officers.

Speaking to the Nuevo Diario, Vidal Potentini called for a National Monitoring Commission to provide tracking for the fulfillment of the government's austerity program announced just last week and that he says has already been violated on numerous occasions.

The FJT spokesperson said that one of the things most necessary is the will of the Executive Power to stem the administrative corruption that siphons billions every year to the detriment of the nation's economy.

8. PRD's Political Commission suspends Esquea
After a meeting yesterday, the Political Commission of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) suspended Enmanuel Esquea from his post as head of the National Organizing Commission for the Nominating Convention (CNO). In reports in the Hoy newspaper, Milagros Ortiz Bosch, also a member of the CNO, called the measure illegal.

The Diario Libre reports that the Political Commission said in the resolution where it says that Esquea Guerrero was insubordinate and disrespected the party's leading organs, "ignoring the authority of the Political Commission, defying their institutional decisions". The Political Commission accuses Esquea Guerrero of refusing to supply documents and information regarding the (nomination) process to the leadership and of "giving it to private individuals".

In his place, the CP named Jesus "Chu" Vasquez, who worked as the coordinator of the Vargas Maldonado campaign in the Cibao.

The meeting, in which Vargas Maldonado took part, was attended by149 of the 232 members of the Political Commission.

Andres Bautista, the interim-president of the PRD and present at the meeting, said that according to the report of the commission that was appointed to investigate the alleged irregularities of the convention that was won by Hipolito Mejia, it was determined that PLD and PRSC members voted in the primary". Nevertheless, Bautista refused to offer numbers and said that the details of the report will be given by Vargas Maldonado in a meeting that he will have with the media directors today at the Hotel Embajador.

9. Amable under fire from Chamber of Accounts
The Chamber of Accounts sent to the National Directorate for Persecution of Administrative Corruption DPCAoformerly Depreco--the results of the audit carried out in the Dominican Municipal League (LMD) on its financial records that show evidence of the existence of criminal responsibility due to legal and accounting inconsistencies observed.

Diario Libre reports that the decision of the Plenary of the Chamber of Accounts is contained in Resolution AUD-2011-002 dated 10 March. This is the audit carried out on the financial statements of 1 January-31 December 2006. In the resolution, the government's accounting agency approved and ratified the Definitive Report on the financial audit carried out on the Dominican Municipal League that established inconsistencies observed in the legal and regulatory prescriptions according to the system of Government Accounting.

Likewise, the audit turned up weaknesses in the internal controls implemented by the LMD and the inconsistencies observed regarding the laws of Public Function and Number 340-06 regarding the Public Goods, Projects, Service and Concession Contracts.

The report also specifies in the document that due to the fact that there is evidence that the principle officials of the entity incurred in legal and regulatory inconsistencies, "there is evidence of serious, precise and relevant indications that could involve criminal responsibility".

Among the irregularities found are assets not found in the physical inventory, payments beneficial to the then-secretary general of the LMD, Amable Aristy Castro, to the tune of RD$116,282,888, and payments to family members of his for RD$494,790. Besides that, there is a lack of evidence of receiving products and services that cost RD$101,735,193, payroll deductions from employees to benefit the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) for RD$745,790, payments for services not received for RD$55,294,862 and others.

When asked about the audit, Aristy Castro refused to comment.

10. Arab press highlights Santo Domingo port
TradeArabia reports that DP World, one of the largest marine terminal operators in the world, has inaugurated the second stage of its Caucedo Multimodal Port in the Dominican Republic. President Leonel Fernandez attended the inaugural last week.

Phase II increases Caucedo's overall handling capacity by 25 per cent to 1,250,000 TEU (twenty foot equivalent container units) annually. The expansion consists of an additional 300 meters of deepwater berth, two new broad yield mobile cranes in addition to the existing five Post-Panamax Gantry Cranes.

In 2009 Caucedo increased its volume by 23 per cent, and according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America, it was the fastest growing port in the region, reports the news service. In 2010, the terminal handled more than 1,300 cargo ships and exceeded 1,000,000 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent container units).

"The completion of the second phase of our development of the port will further strengthen its contribution to the local and regional economy," stated Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chairman, DP World who attended the inaugural.

DP World Caucedo is located 25km from Santo Domingo, and next to the international airport and recently developed free zones and logistics centers.

DP World Caucedo holds a number of security accreditations. It was the first terminal to be certified ISPS. It is a member of the US Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), a voluntary program that increases the security and efficiency of global supply chain operations through active collaboration with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), shipping lines and end-customers. It also participates in the Megaports and US Container Security Initiative (CSI), which sees US Customs officials stationed at the port.

http://www.tradearabia.com/news/STN_195395.html

11. Smart phone fever
BB fever is going strong in the DR, with the iPhone lagging behind, as reported in Diario Libre. HM Consulting estimates that 60-70% of the smart phones in use are BlackBerry devices. Engineer Hiddekel Morrison of HM Consulting estimates there are 200,000 in use, including those without access to the Internet. Aside from the iPhone being a latecomer to the Dominican market, Hector Martinez of BB Work store says that price is what determines why there are more BB users than iPhone users. He said a voice and data plan for the iPhone costs RD$1,800 while one for the BB can be secured with RD$1,300 or less, and an iPhone sells for RD$28,000 while a BB can be secured for RD$22,000 or less. But the main reason for the expansion of the BB here is the BlackBerry Messenger, best known as the BB Chat.

As of December 2010 an estimated 8.8 million cell phones are in use, compared to one million landlines.

12. Caribbean prepares for tsunami threat
The National Weather Service (ONAMET) is coordinating the Dominican participation in the regional exercise Caribe Wave 11. The exercise seeks to rehearse the coordinated tsunami warning system in place for the Caribbean. Gloria Ceballos, director of ONAMET, said the exercise will take place tomorrow and should not cause alarm. The intention is to test the alert response of national emergency services.

Ceballos says everyone who lives in coastal zones should evacuate as soon as an earthquake occurs.

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova says the earthquake and tsunami in Japan showed how essential the alert systems are. "In this context, the development of a coordinated system in the Caribbean is more relevant than ever, enabling coastal countries to prepare in the event of such a disaster and to save human lives," she said, as reported in the Jamaica Observer.

Caribbean countries will receive an alert concerning a fictitious earthquake of magnitude 7.6 off the coast of the American Virgin Islands. The bulletins will be issued by the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (US) for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Ewa Beach (Hawaii, US) for the rest of the area.

The exercise aims to test the effectiveness of alert, monitoring and warning systems among all the emergency management organizations throughout the region.

Over the last 500 years, 75 tsunamis have occurred in the Caribbean, according to the UNESCO, killing more than 3,500 people in the region since the mid-19th century. The most recent was known to happen in 1877 affecting the US Virgin Islands.

The UNESCO stresses that population growth and tourism in coastal areas has further heightened the vulnerability of the Caribbean.

Participating countries include: Aruba, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, France (Martinique, Guadeloupe, St Martin, Guyane), Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Curacao and Sint Marteen), Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos) and the United States.

13. National Hero Imbert
The National Hero and Lifetime General Antonio Imbert Barrera was attended to at the Abel Gonzalez Clinic for cardiac arrhythmia. After undergoing several exams and resting for a night, the only person in the Dominican Republic whose "cedula" identifies his profession as "National Hero" was released from the clinic.

Imbert Barrera is the sole surviving member of the group of men who assassinated Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina on 30 May 1960, bringing to an end the brutal 30-year dictatorship.

14. Tragic accident on Autovia del Este
Yet another deadly accident over the weekend claimed the lives of three persons, including a foreigner. A car crashed into a truck from the Leche Rica company on the Autovia del Este between the road to Consuelo near the entrance to Melysol melons plantation.

The foreigner was identified as Edward Joseph Gleason, 66, a resident of the Ciudad del Almirante in Santo Domingo. Gleason was from New York.

Also killed in the accident was a woman identified as Ivanna Carmona of 22 years and her 7-month old son Dewar Ivan Urena Carmona, residents at Autopista de San Isidro.

They were all in the KIA sedan that hit the milk truck. The truck turned over and destroyed the guardrails of the highway. The car was totally destroyed.

The accident brings to 28 the number of traffic deaths so far this month. In Villa Mella, the family and neighbors were lamenting the deaths of the seven children killed in Sunday's accident caused, apparently due to reckless driving by the drunken driver of the bus.

15. 13-year old wins in Equestrian Festival in Florida
Maria Gabriela Brugal Gasso in jumping competitions on 11-12 March at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center riding Cogano won two first places in the 1.10 meters and 1.15 meter events. She becomes the first Dominican woman to win these events at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). The WEB is regarded as the world's largest and longest running equestrian competition. The event hosts 5,000 horses and 2,800 riders from 49 US states and 30 countries.

The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) runs for 12 weeks from 12 January to 3 April. The FTI WEF awards more than US$6 million in prize money throughout the circuits. FEI level jumpers compete for US$2.7 million in prize money.

16. Casandra Awards tonight
This year's Casandra Awards is on for tonight, Tuesday, 22 March at the National Theater. The event is organized by the Dominican Show Business Writers Association. This year, Cuban composer/singer Silvio Rodriguez will be awarded the International Casandra, as reported in Hoy. Dominican Juan Luis Guerra is rumored to have the closing act.

The artistic director of the event this year is Rene Brea.

Presidente Beer is the lead sponsor of the ceremony, that serves as the Dominican Oscars in all its splendor.

During the ceremony the best of show business in the DR is recognized.

The show will be televised on Telesistema, Channel 11 at 9pm.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Viva Regatta
Viva Wyndham Resorts and the Dominican Sailing Federation are organizing the Viva Regatta for 13-15 May at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach. The regatta is open to sailors of optimist (from six years old) and to those sailing Laser Standard, Laser Radial, Sunfish and Windsurf, announced Erika Sordo, corporate marketing and public relations director for the Dominican hotel chain. The DR has won medals in the Pan Am Games sailing competitions, and competed in the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Sailing is a popular sport in the DR. In 2012, the World Optimist Cup will be held in the DR. For more information and to register for the event, contact Alma Taveras at wtevents01@gmail.com or call 809 435-0590.
Viva Resorts dates back 20 years and operates hotels in the DR, Mexico and the Bahamas.
www.dr1.com/directories/Viva-Wyndham-Dominicus-Beach.html

Dominican stand at ITB wins award
The Dominican stand at the ITB 2011 Trade Show won third place in the Best Exhibitor Award, Rank America/The Caribbean. 180 countries and 10,000 exhibitors participated in the 2011 ITB Berlin exhibition, the world's leading travel trade show. More than 180,000 visitors attended, including 108,000 trade visitors. The trade show is considered the leading business-to-business platform for the tourism industry. It is popular with all levels of the travel value-added chain, including tour operators, booking engines, destinations, airlines, hotels, rental car companies and journalists.
Deputy Minister of Tourism in charge of culture, Altagracia Olmos received the award on behalf of Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia.
During the first two days of the fair, more than 30 students from the Cologne Business School evaluated all the stands with convention organizers Messe Berlin. The criteria were the presentation of the stand, creativity, service and professionalism of the staff, surroundings, activities and quality of information available.
www1.messe-berlin.de/vip8_1/website/Internet/Internet/www.itb-berlin/englisch/Media_Centre/Photos/index.jsp?proj_id=2952〈=en&kat_id=314

New attractions for Juan Dolio
Come this winter, tourists visiting the Juan Dolio and Guayacanes tourist area in the southeast should consider taking a day trip to nearby San Pedro de Macoris. The city located 10 minutes from Juan Dolio is undergoing a major program to restore several of its valuable historic buildings. Architect Jesus Musa has enlisted several entities, including Almacenes Zaglul, Texaco Central gas station, Dr. Antonio Musa Medical Center, his own architectural firm and the city's Chamber of Commerce to contribute to the program that involves restoring the facades of the city's historic 19th Century buildings.

Last days for whale watching
Whale watching boats will be taking tourists to watch the whales at sea until the end of March. So these are the last days to catch a glimpse of these giant whales as they come to court and breed in the waters of Samana Bay. Tourists traveling to Samana are best advised to stay in Samana city, Las Galeras or Cano Hondo hotels that are closer to take the early morning observation boats. This year the Ministry of Tourism has located a land observatory at Punta Balandra, easily accessible from Samana city and Las Galeras.
The humpback whale season began on 15 January and was extended through 30 March this year. Hundreds of humpback whales come to Samana Bay every year from the North Atlantic to mate and give birth in the protected area known as the Marine Mammals Sanctuary.

Familia Andres at hard Rock Cafe
Legendary contemporary merengue and Latin music group, Familia Andres and Fernando Echavarria will be at the Hard Rock Cafe in Santo Domingo on 24 March to celebrate their 30 years in show business. The concert is called Fuson a la rocka. They are best known for their classic songs, Donde e que e, Pato robao, Marcela, and others. The Hard Rock Cafe is located on Columbus Park in the Colonial City.

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/55449947954ee6dec5a6b.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. Fernandez orders RD$400 million for foodstuffs
President Leonel Fernandez has ordered RD$400 million to be spent on support for agriculture. The President made the announcement during a meeting of the Food Council, according to El Nuevo Diario. The council is composed of government officials, leading members of the agricultural community and cabinet ministers. The meeting, which took place in the Ministry of Agriculture conference room, lasted for more than two hours, while Minister Salvador (Chio) Jimenez provided a detailed explanation of the situation of agriculture in the country and his suggestions were listened to and approved by the President.

2. Hospitals treat 3,116 in 80 days
The emergency rooms of the Dario Contreras and the Ney Arias Lora Hospitals are quite busy these days with an ever-increasing number of traffic accident victims. During the months of January, February and so far this month of March, the emergency rooms at the Dario Contreras Hospital have treated 2,495 victims of accidents, most of which involve motorcycles. The Ney Arias Lora Trauma Hospital has treated 663 accident victims during the same period. According to Listin Diario, the ages range between 15 and 65 but the most serious injuries affect people aged between 14 and 35. Motorcycle accident victims totaled more than 1,500 during the first quarter while victims of accidents involving other vehicles numbered 880.

Most victims were from the south and east, and there is also apparently a new wave of trauma victims coming directly from Haiti. Furthermore, the highway between Bani and Azua has become "an asphalt coffin".

3. Toribio will collect free zone debts
The government plans to collect, by force if necessary, the sum of more than RD$1.187 billion it is owed by industrial free zones. This will happen unless the free zone business owners do not go to the Ministry of Hacienda before Monday to discuss how they will pay the loan that the commercial banks gave them with the guarantee of the Dominican government in order to overcome the crisis that shook the sector in 2007 and not cut jobs. The total amount of the loan was RD$1.2 billion. This was revealed by Hacienda Minister Daniel Toribio, who met with businesspeople and leaders of the Dominican Association of Free Zones (Adozona) who had committed to a 15-day deadline for proposals on how to pay the debt and the deadline is 28 March.

According to Diario Libre, Toribio said: "On Monday Hacienda will inform will the businessmen and the companies that come in to make concrete proposals to liquidate the debt, and those that do not come in we will notify them that we will carry out a forced collection, through the justice system".

Toribio said that Hacienda's function was to collect the money with the mechanisms that it possesses "whatever they may be, as long as it is legal, from whoever does not heed the request and in a friendly manner from whoever accepts the call to pay".

The official made it clear, moreover, that the free zones business owners were paying interest, but they had never paid off the capital, and at the present time, the total debt is RD$1.187 billion.

4. LF observes bill and unleashes debates
As well as questioning the establishment of 75 as the retirement age for Constitutional Tribunal (TC) judges, the Executive Power also observed several other aspects of the new judicial entity's Organic Bill. The president also questioned one of the "Whereas" clauses in some procedures, Article 12 which talks about who will preside the National Council of Magistrates as well as a paragraph in Article 13 that stipulates the obligatory retirement at the age of 75.

He also questions Article 50, which orders that the TC has the authority to resolve the incidences in the execution of the sentence that decides an appeal of unconstitutionality.

As a result of these observations, Diario Libre reports that the PRD and the National Business Council (Conep) both came out with statements warning of the dangers of passing the observations with a simple majority instead of the two-thirds majority required by Article 112 of the Constitution.

Conep president Manuel Diez Cabral earlier had criticized the approval by Congress of the observations made by President Leonel Fernandez to the Organic Bill on the National Council of Magistracy, describing it as a violation of the Constitution, as reported in Diario Libre. In the past, a two-thirds majority of the vote had been required, but last week the Chamber of Deputies accepted a simple majority, and passed the observations.

Diez Cabral says the intent to also pass the observations carried out by President Leonel Fernandez to the Organic Bill of the Constitutional Court with a simple majority would also be in violation of the Constitution. He said that this kind of bill requires two-thirds of the legislators to vote in favor.

Diez Cabral said that if the senators proceed as the deputies did with the National Council of the Magistracy last week, this would violate Art. 112 of the Constitution that requires the two-thirds vote for approving or modifying organic laws. He says the legislators are jeopardizing the rule of law and judicial security in the country.

5. Business calls for right to choose cargo transporters
The Association of Industries of the DR (AIRD) has criticised the negotiations between the government and the unionized transporters. AIRD president Ligia Bonetti de Valiente,said that this just whets the transport leaders' appetites for more perks and privileges from the government, without any commitment from them that will benefit passenger or cargo transport. For many years now, the business group has been calling for the right to choose who transports company cargo.

"We cannot forget that less than two months ago Fenatrado [the cargo monopoly] increased transport costs by around 30% on all routes nationwide, placing our cargo transportation costs above those of our competitors, and the productive sectors do not have the choice to lower our costs because we are not allowed to contract the service of transport outside the so-called transport unions," said Bonetti.

"We asked for the right for free contracting of transport freight services, and what was done was to create more facilities for the transport unions," AIRD vice president Circe Almanzar, as reported in Diario Libre.

Industry & Commerce Minister Manuel Garcia Arevalo responded by clarifying that unionized transporters would not receive a subsidy. As reported in Hoy, he said that what will be done is to exchange the bono-gas subsidy received by around 20,000 drivers for financial assistance so they can convert their vehicles to run on natural gas. He said that although the conversion costs about US$700-US$800 it will result in RD$7,000-RD$8,000 a month savings for the transporters because natural gas costs less. The bono-gas program would be eliminated.

6. US and DR in joint military exercises
The United States and the Dominican Republic began a series of humanitarian and rebuilding projects in the province of Valverde yesterday. This is part of a series of joint exercises that will continue until 6 June. The programs are part of Operation Beyond the Horizon, sponsored by the US Army Southern Command and the Dominican Armed Forces Ministry. As part of the program, medical and engineering personnel provide services to needy members of the local population throughout Central America and the Caribbean, according to El Nuevo Diario. The program includes reconstruction of rural clinics and schools as well as medical assistance and free dental care.

7. Grim figures on gender violence
The Justice Department revealed today that it received more than 100,000 complaints of gender or domestic violence between 2009 and 2010. Attorney General Radhames Jimenez Pena said that there were 60,000 last year and 40,000 the year before. In a document that was distributed to the media, Jimenez said that ever since the Attorney General's office began the policy of prosecuting aggressors and treating victims of domestic violence, they have gradually succeeded in building the trust of the population. On a daily basis some 850 women receive free assistance through the 14 auxiliary units for victim assistance that are located in different areas.

8. Hertell feared armed groups from Haiti
Wikileaks cables relating to the Dominican Republic have revealed that former US ambassador Hans Hertell sent several messages to the State Department outlining what he believed would occur after the fall and removal of Jean Bertrand Aristide as President of Haiti in 2004. According to Hoy, Hertell reportedly said that there was a fear in the Dominican Republic that armed bands of Haitians would seek refuge within the Haitian community in the DR. Hertell worried about violence not only along the border but also in the urban areas with large populations of Haitian construction workers. The ambassador pointed out the lack of trust between Dominicans and Haitians that might be exacerbated by the Haitian crisis. He also pointed out the long history of human rights violations by the Dominican police and military forces and admitted that he did not know if the Dominican authorities had any contingency plans in place between military and civilian forces.

9. MVM presented his evidence
PRD president Miguel Vargas Maldonado complained yesterday that some 366,528 PLD and Reformist supporters voted in the March primary, because the voter rolls were not properly checked out by the National Organizing Commission (CNO).

In announcing the alleged proof that back up his claims that the process was corrupted, he said that 1,124,000 people voted in the nominating convention, nearly two and a half times the number that voted when they chose the party's top leaders.

He told media directors that the semi-open voter registration rolls contained 5,905,964 names, 756,000 more than during the 2009 convention. He said that the CNO only excluded 337,810 names, despite the fact that commission vice-president Milagros Ortiz Bosch had assured that they had excluded 600,000. He questioned the fact that in the 2009 process, the "refinement" of the voter rolls covered 695,181 names.

During a meeting with media executives, Vargas Maldonado argued that the PLD voting rolls contain 2,110,487 names, from which they (the CNO) only excluded 337,810, and this without counting the 211,751 Reformists who were not removed from the voter rolls. He said that according to the voter registration rolls submitted by the CNO, well-known Reformist and PLD figures such as First Lady Margarita Cedeno, Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal, Felix Ramon Bautista Rosario, Luis Manuel Bonetti Veras, Amable Aristy Castro, Elias Wessin Chavez, and Roberto Rosario Marquez were all eligible to vote.

10. A new way to file complaints
Diario Libre newspaper and its parent company Omnimedia have joined forces to put "Jose Boquete" out onto the streets to highlight the complaints from the city's citizens. Yesterday Jose was "fishing" in the stinking and filthy lagoon located in Los Prados near the intersection of Max Henriquez Urena and Lorenzo Despradel streets. As a result of the publicity, the Santo Domingo Water and Sewage Corporation (CAASD) announced that next month a solution would be found for the blocked sewage pipes. Citizens can file complaints with osantana@diariolibre.com or they can call 809 476-3030.

11. DR security agencies look at Russians
The state security agencies are tracing investments made by the so-called Russian mafia in the country's eastern region and other tourist areas, with the aim of locating them for their later seizure, as reported in Diario Libre. There are direct flights from Moscow to Punta Cana, the main gateway to the east.

Diario Libre has received reports indicating that the presence of Russian mafia leaders in the country is a fact, especially in the eastern region where they have caused much discussed scandals, including one involving two brothers, one of whom was murdered together with his wife inside a house, a deed that is still surrounded by a veil of mystery.

The reports say that the tentacles of the Russian mafia have reached this area, where some drug trafficking related activities as well as murders are pending resolution by the authorities.

www.themoscowtimes.com/columns/article/russian-mafia-abroad-now-300000-strong-journal-says/400786.html

www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/03/98/russian_mafia/70485.stm

www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/03/98/russian_mafia/70095.stm

12. Public bathrooms in colonial city
Store and restaurant owners in the Colonial City are calling for the installation of public bathrooms for visitors to the area. The need for public bathrooms has intensified with the arrival of cruise ships to the area. A spokesman for one restaurant, Cafeteria Andrea, told Diario Libre that in one day up to 20 tourists ask to use the washroom.

Diario Libre reports that public bathrooms are common in cities such as Paris and Madrid where there are pay cabins.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Tourism, Napoleon de la Cruz said that bathrooms are available from Friday to Sunday at the Plaza de Espana when events are held. He said the City Government authorities are responsible for public bathrooms. Reporters are waiting for a comment on the issue from the City Government.

De la Cruz, said nevertheless, that this problem and others will be studied as part of the diagnostic exercise on problems and solutions that is being carried out with a US$300,000 donation from the Inter-American Development Bank.

13. Codetel.net.do is now claro.net.do
Users with e-mail accounts ending in codetel.net.do, the largest in the country given that it was the first and is the largest telecom company, need to switch to claro.net.do

As of 31 March, e-mail messages sent with the codetel.net.do address will be returned to the sender.

14. Fugitive who killed and wounded several arrested
Police Criminal Investigation Department officers have arrested a man who had been sought for a year for the death of a Police agent and for wounding three others, including a little girl, during a wave of attacks and robberies in Santo Domingo West. Yimi Arturo Rodriguez, 20, was arrested in the barrio of La Pina yesterday, on a warrant that stated that he had killed police recruit Wilkin Alcantara outside his house in Los Alcarrizos. According to reports, the man under arrest also wounded Sergeant Major Esnulito Sanchez Jimenez and a child, Jordani Lopez, 5, last year. Together with his accomplice "Tofon", Yimi will be arraigned in court today, as reported in El Nuevo Diario.

15. Casandra awards
TV and radio show producer Rafael Corporan was honored with the Casandra Soberano Award at the National Theater last night, during a gala evening that brought together old timers and newcomers to honor late TV producer and comedian Freddy Beras Goico. The recognition was part of the show sponsored by Presidente Beer to honor the best of show business in the DR during the past year.

The winners included Hector Acosta, Zacarias Ferreira, Juan Luis Guerra, Wason Brazoban, Prince Royce, Rocksario, Tercer Cielo, Iamdra Full, Nuria Piera, Tropico de Sangre, among others. At the time of going to press, the complete list was not available.

http://www.listin.com.do/entretenimiento/2011/3/23/182062/Rafael-Corporan-recibe-el-Soberano-del-Casandra

16. Grupo Bonye at the Jaragua
The Merengue Bar at the Hotel Jaragua Casino presents a concert with Grupo Bonye. Wednesday, 23 March starting at 10pm. No cover.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Charles de Gaulle overpass
President Leonel Fernandez cut the symbolic ribbon marking the inaugural of the overpass at Charles de Gaulle and San Isidro Highway in eastern Santo Domingo yesterday.

The four-lane overpass is 400 meters long, 18.20 meters wide and 5.40 meters high. Brazilian firm Norberto Odebrecht and local firm Ingenieria Estrella were responsible for its construction, operating as part of the Consorcio Corredor Duarte.

The construction is aimed at reducing traffic congestion in Greater Santo Domingo and is part of the Duarte Corridor, built with loans from Brazil.

During the event Public Works Minister Victor Diaz Rua announced that the next Duarte Corridor work to be completed would be the tunnel under Nunez de Caceres and 27 de Febrero avenues, scheduled for April. The works at Ortega y Gasset and 27 de Febrero avenues will be completed in May, he said. The longest tunnel in the country, to the UASD from Ortega y Gasset will be completed in November, said Diaz Rua.

2. Two-thirds is the issue, not the observation
The government is on the offensive in response to accusations of Constitutional violation from civil society organizations and the business sector.

The Executive Branch has published full-page advertisements in the media claiming that the National Business Council (Conep) had disputed the President's right to make observations on a bill. On Tuesday, Conep criticized the passing of the observations made by the President to a bill sent by Congress for signing into law with a simple majority, rather than with the two-thirds majority required for the passing of the organic laws. At no time did Conep object to the President's right to observe a bill.

In the statement to the press, Presidency Minister Cesar Pina Toribio argued the President's right to observe a bill. He did not address the point of the single majority versus two-thirds majority made by Conep.

Conep president Manuel Diez Cabral warned that the plan to also pass the observations by President Leonel Fernandez to the Organic Bill of the Constitutional Court with a simple majority would also be in violation of the Constitution. He said that this kind of bill requires two-thirds of the legislators to vote in favor.

Diez Cabral said that if the senators proceed as the deputies did with the National Council of the Magistracy last week, this would violate Art. 112 of the Constitution that requires a two-thirds majority vote for approving or modifying organic laws. He says that by these actions the legislators are jeopardizing the rule of law and judicial security in the country.

Yesterday, no quorum was reached for the Senate to approve the observations made by the Executive Branch to the Organic Bill on the Constitutional Court. When President Fernandez observed this bill he registered disagreement with the 75 years age limit for judges. He also suggested other changes. The bill will be reviewed again on Wednesday.

Business sectors are concerned that legislators will again resort to a single majority for passing of the bill. The ruling PLD party holds the majority in both houses of Congress.

3. Protecting the Higuamo River
The Ministry of Environment, with funding from Vicini Group has opened the Center for Protection and Surveillance of the Higuamo River Wildlife Reserve in San Pedro de Macoris. The strategic alliance seeks to preserve the important wildlife site. Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez led the opening ceremony for the new center. He highlighted the biodiversity of the region, the mangroves and abundance of native and endemic trees. The Higuamo is the main river in the southeastern province of San Pedro de Macoris.

4. First Lady speaks at Lehman College
First Lady Margarita Cedeno delivered the 42nd annual Lehman Lecture at The School of Law of Lehman College of the City University of New York on Wednesday, 23 March, and also received an Honorary Doctor of Law degree from the College.

The First Lady spoke about the importance of education in this era of transformation and technological advances, and said that education is a powerful tool that is helping to create a more democratic and peaceful society in her own country. "When you believe that your future is shaped by the actions of today," she told students, "when you make the most of the opportunities presented to you each day to make a difference and do it right; when you, as Governor Lehman did, do not compromise your conscience, never cease to inquire, to act, and to reason, you will not only continue to honor his memory, you will be honoring yourselves."

The First Lady was recognized for her efforts to reduce the digital divide for the poor in the DR. The First Lady Office has supervised the creation of more than 70 technology community centers nationwide. "Each CTC is equipped with a radio station to liaise with the community. And more than 520,000 users visited the CTCs last year", she said during the event.

Attending were Dr. Roberto Saladin, Dominican Ambassador to the United States; Ambassador Federico Cuello, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations; The Honorable Rafael Evans, Consul General of the Dominican Republic in New York City; CUNY Trustee Dr. Hugo M. Morales; and the presidents of three CUNY colleges - Lehman, the College of Staten Island, and CUNY's new community college.

Many of the First Lady's initiatives have won awards, including the World Information Society Award from the International Telecommunications Union and the Gold Medal of the Government of Italy. The Latin Pride National Awards also designated her as the "Woman of the Year."

The First Lady received her Doctorate of Law from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and her master's degree in corporate law and economic legislation from the Pontifical Catholic University. She also has studied at Georgetown and Harvard universities, and the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

www1.cuny.edu/mu/forum/2011/03/23/first-lady-of-the-dominican-republic-delivers-42nd-annual-lehman-lecture-receives-honorary-degree/

http://margaritapresidente2012.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=9

5. Agreement for Colonial City barrio
National District Mayor Roberto Salcedo has signed an agreement with the Spanish government for a project that aims to revitalize the Santa Barbara neighborhood that is part of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo.

Ambassador Diego Bermejo and Carlos Cano, coordinator of the Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECID) signed the RD$46 million cooperation agreement. Ambassador Bermejo says the plan is to help local residents to implement ways they can sell their services, contributing to the development of the Colonial City. The funds will also go to improvement of potable water, sewage management, underground electricity cabling, as well as home improvement loans.

Salcedo announced that a US$35 million project for the revitalization of the Colonial City would be implemented this year. A management committee headed by the mayor and the ministries of Culture and Economy & Planning are also involved in the initiative.

6. Bus operators call for transport organization
Representatives of long-distance inter-urban bus owners believe they are the subject discrimination by the government that favors the aggressive transport unions.

Speaking for the Union Nacional de Propietarios de Autobuses, Freddy Mendez and Rafael Tobias Rodriguez said that the transport sector needs an organized system with state supervision. They accused the government of favoring free zones, electricity generators and driver unions by granting them privileges on demand.

El Caribe reports that the private transporters are now making demands, when in the past this sector rarely went public with their concerns, in contrast to other sectors that have made strikes their modus operandi to secure benefits from the government.

The group includes Caribe Tours, Terra Bus, Metro Servicio Turistico, Palma Transporte y Servicios, Transporte Marrero, Transporte Espinal, FM Centro Bus, Transporte de Empresas A y B, Perla Bus, Adotrature and Asociacion de Villa Mella. In total it is made up of 20 large and small companies, with around 2,500 units combined. They criticized the way that the unions have been given import privileges, describing this as an unfair advantage.

"In contrast to what happens with other transport entities, the members of La Union have made multi-million investments where the government has not invested a cent, not even exonerating vehicles, let alone granting a subsidy," said Mendez.

The union says it transports 60,000 to 80,000 passengers a day.

Tobias Rodriguez says that transport here is carried out with the wrong units. He called for bus systems that respond to good designs, good operation and service and business management criteria.

As reported in El Caribe, Mendez and Tobias said that their affiliates transport a large number of tourists arriving at the airports to their destination.

7. The government's silent financier
Writing in today's Diario Libre, financial analyst Alejandro Fernandez Whipple focuses on how the governmental Banco Nacional de Fomento a la Vivienda y la Produccion (BNV) has become the government's silent financier in recent years. He backs the proposal by Ligia Bonetti of the DR Association of Industries to convert the government's commercial bank, Banco de Reservas into a new bank to support production sectors, but takes it a step further. He proposes closing the BNV.

He writes that the BNV in the hands of administrators Matos Berrido, Geronimo and Antun Batlle "has dedicated itself to issue debt and finance among other agents of the so-called productive sectors, the government itself."

He mentions that over the past five years, the BNV has issued RD$10.3 billion in paper issued based on the pension funds, debt that is rated A+.

"Since that paper began being issued in 2008, there are more the funds that the BNV has placed in government bonds than what used to be lent to the real productive sectors," he writes. He adds that 51% (or RD$6.5 billion) of the BNV's financial assets are placed in the Central Bank and the Ministry of Hacienda, and comments that ironically "many jobs and goods are produced there".

"What is most pathetic is that of the loans made by the BNV, RD$200 million are for consumer goods, not real production. He also highlights the poor quality of the loan portfolio of the BNV, mentioning that 14% of the portfolio is already involved in court cases. The Banco de Reservas has 5.8% of its portfolio in judiciary, while private banking has 3%.

Fernandez points out that the BNV has 466 employees in a single office, and annual administrative expenditures of RD$850 million.

www.diariolibre.com/noticias_det.php?id=284257

8. Trade with Brazil
Dominican ambassador Hector Dionisio Perez says trade with Brazil by 2014-2015 is expected to reach US$1 billion, with imports totaling US$900 million and exports US$100 million. In an interview with Listin Diario, he said that trade today is at US$416 million, down from a high in 2007, when exports were US$471 million.

But the DR compensates with the tourism flow. In 2004, 5,251 Brazilian tourists visited the country. In 2010, 38,000 tourists came from Brazil. Efforts are under way to attract low-cost carrier Gol, which would have a significant impact on the number of Brazilian travelers, who are especially attracted by the all-inclusive resorts.

Perez said that the Brazilian export-promotion body Apex is organizing a mission of 50 Brazilian business representatives who will be arriving this coming Monday. The delegation includes representatives of 23 bio-energy companies.

9. Police catches fugitive messenger
The Police reported today that Carlos David Garcia Rojas, the messenger who was sent by his construction company employer to make a large bank deposit, and has been missing since 22 February has finally been caught. He had run off with RD$5,416,498.32 and was arrested on Thursday morning, 24 March in the Guaranas neighborhood in San Francisco de Macoris, where he had rented a house. He was found in possession of two guns, and had planned to open a store selling alcoholic beverages, as reported in Hoy.

Garcia had been sent to cash the multi-million-peso check by Constructora Almonte Tavarez, where he had been employed for several years. The bank security video showed him cashing the check and leaving the building. Garcia is known to have used the money to purchase a car for his girlfriend.

Hoy reports the Police said that RD$1.4 million was found in a safe at the house he had rented in Barrio Las Flores. He had new furniture in the house. Garcia did not resist arrest upon being discovered and handed himself in peacefully. When interviewed by journalists, Garcia said there was RD$2.8 million in the safe and he had spent the rest, but the authorities said that the safe contained only half that amount.

10. Kidnappings
The Police have reports of 39 kidnappings in 2010. As reported in Listin Diario, two kidnappings per month on average have been reported over the past two years and three months. A total of 69 cases were reported between January 2009 and January 2011. In the first three months of 2011 there were five cases. In 2009, there were 25 cases, 15 fewer than in 2010, according to statistics from the Police Criminal Investigations Department (Dicrim). The newspaper makes the point that the statistics only show the cases in which the Police was involved. If the family negotiates directly with the kidnappers, there is no record. Dicrim deputy director Colonel Jose Antonio Ceballos says this mostly applies to cases involving people with ties to drug trafficking. Ransom demands range from US$45,000 to US$95,000 on average, according to the report.

Ceballos said the most difficult cases are those carried out by subversive groups that kidnap a businessman and that can take a lot of time, from 15 days to a month, he said.

The main motives are economic or collecting drug trafficking debts, he added.

Most of the kidnappings occur in Greater Santo Domingo and the northern provinces, and most victims are Dominicans.

Generally the kidnappers have criminal records. In cases involving children, abductions are often planned by one of the parents when they are separated, or as a way of exerting pressure and threats when one of them wants a divorce.

For the Police to intervene in a kidnapping it says relatives should present a formal complaint, so they have a legal basis for action. The Police will check to ensure the person has not been arrested. If there is a ransom demand they proceed immediately and the case will be handled by the corresponding prosecutor office. Intelligence agencies are notified on a nationwide level and the search begins.

Ceballos advised people on how to act in a case of kidnapping to protect the life of the victim and help efforts to solve the case.

First, the relatives need to stay calm and there should not be insults. The family needs to report that it is willing to pay the money requested for the ransom. The kidnap victim also needs to remain calm. Relatives are advised to keep open communication with the kidnappers to give enough time to locate the place where the victim is being held. The priority is to protect the life of the victim.

www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2011/3/24/182180/Secuestros-quitan-paz-a-familias

11. Fashion at the Casandra
Hoy reports that this was not a good year fashion-wise for the Casandra Awards. There were more fashion misses than hits on the red carpet. The newspaper says that the better-dressed celebrities were Milagros German, Nuria Piera, Luz Garcia and Massiel Taveras. The Listin Diario also covered the red carpet fashion show for readers.

www.listin.com.do/entretenimiento/2011/3/24/182210/La-mirada-a-fondo-en-la-alfombra-roja

www.hoy.com.do/vivir/2011/3/23/368028/Las-que--brillaron

12. 2011 Casandra Awards winners
The Dominican entertainment industry celebrated the best of 2010 at the National Theater on Tuesday, 22 March.

The complete list of winners of the 2011 Casandra Awards were:

El Soberano Casandra Award: Rafael Corporan

Classics & Theater:
Best Actor of the Year: Jose Manuel Rodriguez (Mis tres suegras)
Best Actress of the Year: Maria Castillo (Bodas de sangre)
Best Theater Director: Flor de Bethania Abreu (Bodas de sangre)
Best Drama Production: Bodas de sangre

Dance, Music and Shows:
Best Classical Dancer: Stephanie Bauger (Ballet 12)
Best Classical/Modern Choreographer: Carlos Veitia (Ballet TR3S)
Best Classical/Modern Performance: Ballet 12-Ballet Nacional.
Best Classical Vocal: Paola Gonzalez (Verdi's Requiem /Recitals at Sala de la Cultura)
Best Musical: Chicago (Amaury Sanchez)
Best Classical Artist Abroad: Enrique Pina (tenor)

Most Outstanding Dominican Artist Abroad: Juan Luis Guerra
Best Popular Group Abroad: Aventura
Best Merengue Orchestra: Hector Acosta
Best Contemporary Religious Music: Tercer Cielo
Best Orchestration and Musical Arranger: Jose Pena Suazo
Best Songwriter: Juan Luis Guerra
Best Music CD: A son de Guerra (Juan Luis Guerra)
Merengue of the Year: Un hombre nuevo (Fernando Villalona, composer Carlos Brito)
Bachata of the Year: Desperado (Zacarrias Ferreira, composer Alberto Llanos)
Concert of the Year: Rocksario (Hermanos Rosario)
Best Show: The Last (Aventura)
Best Urban Artist/Group: Vakero
Best Male Vocal: Wason Brazoban
Best Bachata Group: Zacarias Ferreira
Best Grassroots Music Group: Banda Real
Best Street Merengue: Juliana
Best Pop or Rock Group: Toque Profundo
Newcomer of the Year: Prince Royce

Television & Radio:
Best Investigative Journalism or Special Program: Nuria
Best Daily Variety TV program: Super Exitos
Best Weekly Variety TV Program: Divertido con Jochy
Best Weekly TV show: De Calle con Dafne
Best Children's TV program: Kankimania
Best Youth TV Program: Iamdra Full
Best TV Comedy: A Reir con Raymond y Miguel
Best Comedian: Raymond Pozo
Best News Broadcaster: Patricia Pimentel
Best TV MC: Michael Miguel
Best TV Host: Pamela Sued
Best TV Special Program: Mil historias: La batalla por crecer, Judith Leclerc.
Best Videoclip: Lo perdi todo (Jochy Fersobe-Eddy Herrera)
Best Film Production: Tropico de sangre (Juan Delancer, director)

International Casandra: Silvio Rodriguez, Rosario Flores, Jeancarlos Canela, Pitbull.
Casandra to Merit: Fernando Casado
Special Casandra: Patricia Pereyra

13. Mega concert pro education
"Yellow Voices for a Dignified Education" is a concert organized by the Coalition for Dignified Education on Sunday, 3 April at the Plaza de Espana as of 4pm. More than 50 artists and musicians have agreed to perform at the event that seeks to motivate the Fernandez administration to allocate more funds for education. The campaign comes from the legal disposition that orders the government to dedicate 4% of GDP to education in the National Budget. At present, the Fernandez administration dedicates 1.98% of GDP to education.

As reported in Hoy, some of the acts on stage include: Toque Profundo, Vicente Garcia, Xiomara Fortuna, Bocatabu, Janio Lora, Cerobit, Pablo Cavalo, Tribu del Sol, Marte o Venus, Giordano Morel, Circuito Negro, Pochy Familia and Los Rosario. MCs for the afternoon and evening include: Tania Baez, Stephanie Fatule, Roberto Cavada, Miralba Ruiz, Yolanda Martinez, Luz Garcia, Bolivar Soto, Mario Peguero, Rene Castillo, Enrique Quely, Pamela Sued, Ico Abreu, Kenny Grullon, Raymond Pozo and Miguel Cespedes.

A videoclip with a song by Marel Alemany and sung by Laura Rivera, Audrey Campos, Maximo Martinez, Mariela Vinas, Victor Victor, Janio Lora, Pablo Cavalo, Ana Felix, Xiomara Fortuna and Tony Almont, produced by Pengbian Sang has been released. Tickets are for sale at Baskin Robbins ice cream shops, the offices of Juan XXIII movement at the Santisima Trinidad Parish, at the Colegio New Horizons, the Centro Bono offices and at Diamond Mall.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. President inaugurates water works
President Leonel Fernandez was in Gaspar Hernandez, on the northeastern coast of the DR for the formal inauguration of a sewage system in Cayetano Germosen and an aqueduct in Batey Ginebra-Veragua yesterday. The projects were built at a cost of RD$208.7 million and will benefit 28,000 in those communities over 20 years, says the government.

2. Respect called for laws and institutions
The National Business Council (Conep) has reaffirmed its position and protest against the Legislative Branch for its failure to observe Art. 112 of the 2010 Constitution that establishes that to approve or modify organic laws a vote in favor is required from two-thirds of the legislators present at the session. They dismissed comments from Presidency Minister Cesar Pina Toribio who said that their opposition to the passing of changes to the rules for the National Council of the Magistracy with a simple majority by the legislature was an attempt by the private sector to intimidate the government, as well as being anti-democratic.

In a published advertisement in the press today, the business community represented by 67 associations calls for the authorities to listen to their demand for the fulfillment of the Constitution. It stresses that the business sector considers the strengthening and preservation of the country's institutions as one of the national priorities due to the impact on the investment climate and the profile of the society that is required for development and successful participation in the global market.

"Respect for the law, judicial security and the guarantee of having independent judicial bodies are the cornerstone for development that all Dominicans should promote," states the document.

The National Council of the Magistracy is the body in charge of selecting the judges for the Supreme Court of Justice, the Constitutional Court and the Higher Electoral Court. The Presidency has sent changes that analysts say give the President control over the members and the deciding vote now that the President amended the bill to add the Prosecutor General as the eighth member of the Constitutional Court.

3. Recourse against simple majority presented
The opposition PRD filed an appeal against the violation of the Constitution to the Supreme Court of Justice yesterday. The appeal was filed by party president Miguel Vargas and the 72 PRD deputies.

The PRD says that the changes to the organic bill that governs the National Council of Magistracy were irregularly approved by Congress. Lawyers Eduardo Jorge Prats, a Constitutional expert, and Orlando Jorge Mera and Salim Ibarra submitted the appeal. The PRD says that when the Chamber of Deputies approved that bill with a simple majority it did so in violation to the Constitution that establishes in Art. 112 that any changes to organic laws require a two-thirds majority of those present at the session.

The PRD says that the present Supreme Court of Justice is the government body that should review allegations of constitutional violation until the new Constitutional Court goes into effect.

The PRD says that while under the previous Constitution a simple majority was enough to approve observed laws, this was changed in the 2010 Constitution.

In an op-ed contribution to Hoy today, lawyer Eduardo Jorge Prats quotes the opinion of constitutional expert Manuel Amiama who says that if the two-thirds majority is not secured for an observed bill sent by the President, then the observations of the President in vetoing the bill should be considered rejected. He says that another constitutional expert, Julio Brea Franco, shares this opinion. Recently in the case of the Organic Bill for the National Council of Magistracy, this did not obtain the majority demanded to keep the first law (Art. 102) nor that requested for the passing of organic bills (article 112).

Jorge Prats says this is a motivation for the right to veto to be exercised cautiously by the President. He said that the presidential observation obliges the bill to be reviewed again by legislators.

4. Public debt up US$52.1 million in two months
According to data from the Ministry of Hacienda, the public debt increased by US$52 million in the past two months. The increase comes at a time when the government has called on the population to tighten its belt. Diario Libre reports that the foreign debt increased US$132.6 million. According to the Ministry of Hacienda, public debt was US$14.869.7 billion as of 28 February. Public debt as of December 2010 had closed at US$14.817.6 billion. Diario Libre reports that of the public debt, central government debt increased US$132.6 million, from US$9.9 billion to US$10 billion in February.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias_det.php?id=284438

5. 6.3 million Dominicans can vote
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) says that 6,361,258 citizens are eligible to vote in the 20 May 2012 presidential election. This figure is 244,861 more voters than the list for the 2010 congressional election. The JCE says that by May 2012, the voting list could reach 6,507,468 total voters.

6. Another perk for transport unions
The Executive Branch has established compensation of three million gallons of fuel for three months for registered transporters of the urban, interurban, cargo and tourism transport. The compensation is a sum equal to the taxes on the fuel established by laws applied to regular diesel. The measure is contained in Decree 183-11 that sets the total to RD$3 million gallons a month for three months.

As reported in Hoy, vehicles registered with the Ground Transport Office (OTTT), the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET), the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Public Works are eligible for the compensation.

The compensation is not transferable in any way.

The compensation came as a result of negotiations with transport sector leaders to prevent them from increasing their rates again, following the increases in fuel prices.

The private sector complained that the government already accepted a 30% increase from the cargo transporters, which maintain a forced monopoly on freight.

7. Natural gas is apt for more vehicles
Engineer Elvin Inoa, who works in Servicios de Gas Natural (SGN) that converts gasoline and propane vehicles to natural gas, says that 80% of all vehicles can be successfully converted. Spokesmen for taxi syndicates had said only 20% of the vehicles could be converted, arguing vehicles were on average 10 years old.

He said that the process should not be used only in cases of cars that are in very poor condition.

As reported in Hoy, company engineer Manuel Guerra said that the natural gas installations are safer. He said the tank that is installed is resistant to any crash. He said another advantage is that there is no risk of explosion due to a spark.

Pedro Manuel Lama, also of SGN said the company is preparing the installation of 15 new natural gas stations, following the announcement by the government that it would help 20,000 public transport taxis convert to run on natural gas. SGN has three shops in operation.

8. Rising cost of avtur affects tourism
The price of aviation fuel in the DR has increased by 25% since January. Frank Rainieri, CEO for the Punta Cana airport, the Caribbean airport that services the most airlines, is concerned that the increases will lead to declines in air passenger arrivals.

In an interview with Listin Diario, he highlighted that taxation on fuel in the DR is higher than in Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto Rico, where many planes that sourced in the DR are now refueling.

The cost of fuel has increased by RD$30.16, equivalent to 25.1%. It increased from RD$119.92 to RD$150.08 the gallon this year.

Rainieri said that fuel sales are down, as airlines choose, whenever possible, to fuel abroad.

Rainieri said the airlines are sourcing abroad, but if the high fuel prices continue, the airlines could find new markets, with a consequential reduction in travelers.

Rainieri said that the government could collect more taxes if it reduced taxation as more airlines would source here. The prospects are that fuel prices will continue on the rise.

The high cost of fuel is an obstacle to the development of tourism. The DR received four million air arrivals in 2010, the most of any single country in the Caribbean.

Rainieri points out that in addition to the higher fuel prices, the tourism sector has been affected by other tax increases with talk of new taxes on the horizon, increases in intermediary fees, and a reduction of advertising in source markets.

He added that the country could attract the 500,000-800,000 more tourists this year, if efforts are made to attract thousands of the 20 million tourists who would have traveled to North Africa and who will now be looking for new sun destinations.

He said that what would be counterproductive is if the country takes masures that further affect tourism in the DR, such as reducing the budget of the Ministry of Tourism at a time the country should be increasing efforts to attract those tourists.

9. Hotels need to switch to natural gas
Arturo Villanueva, executive vice president of the National Hotels & Restaurants Association (Asonahores) has highlighted the tourism industry's need to switch its main source of power. He said that at present, the industry depends on diesel-based generation, but the government could offer companies facilities for transforming their generators to natural gas or other less costly fuel sources. He said the law of renewable energy facilitates the development of projects to replace petrol fuel and exempts them from taxes, such as the case of wind energy. He called for joint efforts between the government and private sector to reduce the hotel sector's energy matrix. Luciano Guido, of the Group of Renewable Energy Companies, stated during a recent conference on renewable energy that 32-35% of the hotel industry's operating costs go on energy, in contrast with the world standard of 8-12% of costs.

10. The other side of luxury construction
The construction of luxury beachfront apartments, villas and golf course residential areas is having side effects on Juan Dolio. Thousands of Haitian workers are attracted to the beach area where construction work is available. As a result, slum areas have multiplied. As reported in Hoy, residents in the area have expressed their concern about the living conditions of the Haitian immigrants.

They said that more than a thousand shacks have gone up, housing between 8 to 10 workers and without sanitation systems, so they use the bushes as toilets or use bags that they later throw into the trash or bushes. The residents complain of the large amount of garbage and sewage the Haitians have produced and dumped in the bushes. They expressed concern about the risk of an outbreak of cholera and other diseases. The slum areas are next to areas where foreigners live, which could cause international repercussions, they say, affecting the tourist area of Guayacanes and Juan Dolio.

11. Wide use of contraception
Women in the DR have one of the highest rates of contraceptive use in Latin America. ProFamilia director Magaly Caram says that 70% of married women or those living with a spouse use some form of contraception. She said the statistic came from surveys that also found that there has been a change of mentality among women and men in recent years and they are now are more open and in favor of family planning. She said that 45 years ago, when ProFamilia was founded, the average Dominican woman had eight children. Today, the average is down to 2.2 children per woman.

12. More details on the messenger-thief
The Prosecutor for San Francisco de Macoris, Regi Victorio Reyes was present when the safe where company messenger Carlos David Garcia Rojas had stashed what was left of the money he stole from construction company Constructora Almonte Tavarez where he worked for years in Santo Domingo. The prosecutor stated there was RD$1.4 million in the safe.

There is confusion about how much money was actually there. Hoy reports that the messenger had said he left RD$2.8 million, the prosecutor said there was RD$1.4 million, but Colonel Manuel Santamaria Fondeur, in charge of the operation told the press there was RD$1.8 million in the safe.

"This was an investigation by the National District prosecutor office. We were simply there as backup, as was the prosecutor of the province, and we found the sum of RD$1.8 million in 2,000 bills, a revolver in the safe, and the house furnishings," he said, as reported in Hoy.

On 22 February, Garcia Rojas went missing after going to the bank to cash a RD$5.5 million check and deposit the money. He was arrested at dawn on Thursday at the house he had rented in Las Guaranas for RD$15,000 a month.

Garcia Rojas was accompanied by two men, Francisco Jose Regalado and Wascar Antonio Solis Garcia, and a 15-year old minor the press says was his girlfriend. The security forces had to wait five hours for the prosecutor to come to search the house, as reported in Listin Diario.

13. Dominican Cooking sites get a facelift
Cocinadominicana.com n winner of the Arroba de Oro prize in 2007 in the Art category - and Dominicancooking.com, two Internet websites that contribute to conserving the art of Dominican cookery at an international level, have revamped their content and visual image.

Both sites contain a full selection of traditional Dominican recipes, illustrated with mouth-watering photos, as well as articles, advice, tips and tricks and forum discussions.

Now in their tenth year, they support Plan International's work with poor children in the south western DR through a donation of a percentage of the proceeds of the sales of their book "Aunt Clara's Dominican Cookbook", first published in 2005, which has sold thousands of copies.

Cocinadominicana.com and dominicancooking.com register 500,000 impressions per month and have over 7000 fans on Facebook, almost 20,000 e-mail subscribers and 16,000 forum members.

Most visitors to the sites are Dominicans or descendants of Dominicans, in the DR and overseas, as well as foreigners with links to the country.

See: www.dominicancooking.com

14. Pedro Martinez at the Smithsonian
The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery is honoring star Dominican ballplayer Pedro Martinez with a painting that will be exhibited in the Recent Acquisitions hall as of 25 March. The Smithsonian says that Martinez, a US citizen since 2006, is remembered for the seven-year period when he established, in the words of baseball commentator Peter Gammons, "the most dominant stretch of any pitcher in baseball history."

Martinez is an eight-time All Star and a three-time Cy Young Award winner (1997, 1999 and 2000). He has pitched for five teams in his career, most recently with the Philadelphia Phillies. In addition, Martinez was a member of the World Series-winning Red Sox in 2004.

"We are thrilled to include this portrait of Pedro Martinez in the National Portrait Gallery's collection," said museum director Martin Sullivan. "Martinez is widely recognized as one of the great Major League Baseball pitchers who also is concerned for the well-being of his larger community."

The portrait was painted by Susan Miller-Havens in 2000 with oil and beeswax on Baltic birch, and measures 57 inches by 21 inches.

The portrait of Martinez is a gift to the museum from Gloria Trowbridge Gammons and Peter Warren Gammons in honor of Martinez, whose baseball career is paralleled by his lifelong work promoting educational opportunities for less fortunate children in the US and his own Dominican Republic.

The portrait will be exhibited in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery that tells the history of America through the individuals who have shaped it. Through the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the Portrait Gallery portrays poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives tell the American story.

http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/national-portrait-gallery-presents-portrait-pedro-martinez

15. Caribbean Air Show
Leading air acrobats are in Santo Domingo for the air show that celebrates 100 years of Dominican aviation. The acrobats includes: Fred Cabanas Aerobatics, Rob Holland Ultimate Airshows, Skip Stewart Airshows, Jack Knutson Aerobatic, Greg Shelton Airshows, Iron Eagles Aerobatics, Team Aerostar, Lima Lima Flight team, Rafael "Dondi" Pesquera, Firebirds Extreme, Matt Younkin Airshows. Spectators at the event that will center on the Santo Domingo Malecon between Maximo Gomez and Abraham Lincoln avenues from 1pm to 7pm on Saturday and Sunday, will be able to see several little known airplanes, including the Pitts Special, MX2, Flagzeubau Extra 300, Yak 52, Super Christen Eagle I, T-34, also the F-15, C-130 Hercules and Super Tucanos, and helicopters Huey, OH-58, Robinson 44 and Robinson 22.

"These will be two unforgettable days," said Aristides Fernandez Zucco, director of the Airport Department that is coordinating the event.

After the air show, there will be live performances by several popular bands, including El Jeffrey, Sergio Vargas, Vakero, Fernando Villalona, El Poeta Callejero, Ramon Orlando, La Materialista and Milka "La Mas Dura."

16. Triathlon in Samana, Marathon in Punta Cana
The First Samana Championship takes place this weekend. Samana deputy Miguel Angel Jazmin is one of the organizers. The triathlon starts at Samana city's Malecon. Tri-athletes from Santo Domingo, La Romana, Bonao, La Vega, Santiago and Samana are expected to compete. The event has the support of the Dominican Triathlon Federation, Samana mayor Miguel Bezi of, Governor Fausto Forchue, among others. The competition includes a 750-meter swim, a 20km cycling race and a 5km run. The competition is open to all ages and races are by age categories. Some 150 competitors are expected.

In the east, the annual Punta Cana Marathon starts off at 6am on Sunday from Boulevard 1 de Noviembre in Punta Cana Village. The event consists of a Half Marathon and 10K Road Race, as well as a Kids' Race. Organizers Tricana say that their first full marathon will take place in 2012.

See: www.puntacanamarathon.com

17. Sailing regatta
Catch the sails as 22 sailboats participate in the III Catalina-Santo Domingo Regatta. The event is scheduled for Sunday, 27 March and is dedicated to Dr. Ena Rosa Henriquez, for her work in support of the sport over the years. It is organized by WT Events Organization with the support of the Dominican Sailing Federation and the Association of Ocean Sailing Competition.

The regatta takes off from waters off the Marina Casa de Campo covering the southeastern coastline through to Andres, Boca Chica, where the Santo Domingo Yacht Club is located. The categories are Class A or Racing, B and C or Cruising and Catamaran.

18. La Romana carnival
Some 40 carnival groups from all around the country will parade in La Romana on Sunday, 27 March. The parade begins at 3pm, from Calle Francisco Richiez Ducoudray (outside Casa de la Cultura) to the Juan Pablo Duarte Park, where Vakero will perform his popular salsa music live. The event is sponsored by Mayor Tony Adames of the La Romana City Government, Central Romana Corporation, Presidente Beer and Plaza Lama.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Thx juancito for the much work here on this threads :)

Con casi cuatro millones de usuarios de internet, RD tiene liderato en el Caribe.
La República Dominicana, que tiene 9,823.821 millones de habitantes, registró casi cuatro millones de usuarios de Internet

SANTO DOMINGO.- La República Dominicana tiene el liderazgo entre 25 países del Caribe porque posee el mayor número de usuarios de internet y ha experimentado un crecimiento de casi 30% en los últimos diez años, informó este domingo la agencia de prensa gubernamental Antena.

Indicó que en este sentido Dominicana supera a Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haití, Trinidad y Tobago, Barbados, Martinica, Jamaica, San Martin y demás naciones caribeñas.

La agencia fundamenta su informe en una publicación hecha por el portal www.exitoexportador.com, según la cual la República Dominicana, que tiene 9,823.821 millones de habitantes, registró casi cuatro millones de usuarios de Internet, de los 10 millones 055 mil 240 que tienen todas las islas del Caribe juntas.

Al respecto, el Instituto Dominicano de las Telecomunicaciones (Indotel) informó que a diciembre del 2010 se registraron 622 mil 931 cuentas de Internet en el país, con una tasa de crecimiento de 45.2% y una penetración de 39.5%, lo que es explícitamente es mayor que la reportada por dicho portal que hace un corte de sus estadísticas a agosto del año pasado.

El Indotel resalta, asimismo, que el total de usuarios se elevó a tres millones 851 mil 278, con un registro de 505 mil cuentas de Internet Residencial y 117 mil 508 de Negocios.

Estableció igualmente que el Internet móvil creció de 100 mil 753 usuarios en el 2009 a 243 mil 645 en el 2010, más de un 100% en un año.

Las estadísticas del portal www.exitoexportador abarcan, además de República Dominicana, a Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haití, Anquilla, Antigua y Barbuda, Antillas Holandesas, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Granada, Guadalupe, Islas Caimán, Islas Turks & Caicos, Islas Vírgenes británicas, Islas Vírgenes norteamericanas, Monserrat, San Cristóbal y Nevis, San Vicente y Santa Lucía.

Las naciones del Caribe totalizan 41,632.722 millones de habitantes y diez millones 055 mil 240 usuarios de Internet al mes de agosto del 2010.

Penetración Internet en RD

En el cuadro estadístico del portal www.exitoexportador.com se destaca que en el 2000 la República Dominicana registró 55 mil usuarios de Internet, pero ya a diciembre del 2010, diez años después, tenía casi cuatro millones de usuarios.

Eso implicó un crecimiento de 5,354.5% durante el período 2000-2010, una penetración de 30.5% en la población y 29.8% de usuarios en la actualidad, el más elevado de todas las naciones del Caribe, detalla el portal.

Señaló que a esta posición de puntera en la región, a la República Dominicana le sigue Cuba que registra 11 millones 477 mil 459 habitantes, 60 mil usuarios en el 2000 y un millón 605 mil usuarios en la actualidad; 14% de penetración de Internet en la población, un crecimiento de 2,575% en el uso del Internet durante el período 2000-2010 y 16% de usuarios.

También Jamaica, que tiene 2.9 millones de habitantes, registró 60 mil usuarios en el año 2000, lo cual se elevó a un millón 581 mil 100 en el 2010; una penetración de 55.5% y un crecimiento de 2,535.2% durante el período y 16.7% en la actualidad.

Igualmente Puerto Rico, con casi cuatro millones de habitantes, tenía 200 mil usuarios en el 2000 y se elevó a un millón 221 840 hasta agosto del 2010; 30.7% de penetración en la población, 510.9% de crecimiento durante el período 2000-2010 para un 12.2% de usuarios el año pasado.

En Haití, en cambio, con 9.7 millones habitantes, había 6,000 usuarios en el 2000, número que se elevó a un millón a agosto del 2010, lo que registró un 10.4% de penetración en la población y 16 mil 567% de crecimiento durante el período 2000-2010, y 9.9% de usuarios en la actualidad.

Las demás naciones del Caribe registran porcentajes de usuarios que oscilan entre 0.1%, 0.7%, 0.8%,0.4%, 1.3%, 1.4% y 5%, este último en el caso de Trinidad y Tobago.

1. National Council of Magistracy bill back to Congress
President Leonel Fernandez has sent back to the Chamber of Deputies the bill with his observations that modify the National Council of the Magistracy bill. The Chamber had irregularly approved the bill with a simple majority, and not the two-thirds majority established in the 2010 Constitution. In the message accompanying the bill, nevertheless, President Fernandez justified the approval, indicating that the legislators had acted according to traditional methods. He justified returning it to Congress on the grounds of the heated debates on the violation of the Constitution.

The bill's passing with a simple majority had been primarily challenged by National Business Council (Conep) president Manuel Diez Cabral, who said the decision by the legislators weakened judicial security, affecting the business climate and Dominican institutions. He called for a system where the rule of law prevails.

2. The re-election show
President Leonel Fernandez garnered public attention with the much publicized mega event organized by the ruling PLD party at the Palacio de los Deportes where he was expected to refer to his intentions or otherwise of running for President in 2012. As he has maintained all along, he was ambiguous in his comments.

The 2010 Constitution eliminated the ban on him running in 2016, but it immediately bans him from running in 2012. Nevertheless, government officials are openly spending hundreds of hours on promoting Fernandez's pre-candidacy to the 2012 presidential election.

During the event, President Fernandez said he was delegating to the party the petition of 2.2 million citizens that he should run for President in 2012. President Leonel Fernandez is also president of the PLD.

The movement in favor of his re-election is called the "Yes, Leonel." He described the support received as "plebiscitary democracy."

Abel Martinez, key organizer of the pro re-election event, had told the press the party was not inviting the Political Committee members who aspire to the presidential candidacy for the PLD. The 2.213 million votes are the same amount that won the PLD presidential elections in 2004 and 2008, as reported in the press. His supporters back the supposition that his candidacy guarantees the party will continue in power. He said that he is the guarantee that the signatures become votes for the party.

"I take this support that you have gathered for me and endorse it to the PLD so that the party may decide on the Dominican Republic's future," said President Fernandez when addressing his supporters at the Palacio de los Deportes.

Fernandez's former campaign manager, Francisco Javier Garcia has said that the party should hold its primary as soon as possible, but the primary, which had been scheduled for April, was postponed till 26 June. The PRD has already announced its candidate, former President Hipolito Mejia. Mejia defeated President Leonel Fernandez in his first bid for re-election in 2000.

Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, who is campaigning for the pre-candidacy, said the event shows that no one can win in the PLD if they do not have the support of the President, as reported in El Caribe.

In an editorial in Diario Libre today, Adriano Miguel Tejada writes that the event sought to restore the balance in the struggle for the presidential candidacy within the party, where one of the candidates leads. He explained that attempts at distraction from the Presidency have not been able to reduce that pre-candidate's support. Tejada comments, "After this event, one has to negotiate the candidacy with Leonel. It is a master play," he writes.

So far, the announced pre-candidates are Rafael Alburquerque, Francisco Dominguez Brito, Franklin Almeyda Rancier, Jose Tomas Perez, Radhames Segura and Danilo Medina. Polls show that Danilo Medina is in the lead, among these.

Hoy newspaper reports that abundant government resources were used for collecting the signatures nationwide, organizing the Sunday event and transporting thousands of people in air-conditioned buses with capacity for 56 and 64 passengers that came from around the country. Several official vehicles were seen onsite. Major security force was also used for the event.

3. Medina: re-election is hypothetical
PLD presidential candidacy hopeful Danilo Medina highlighted on Saturday that the re-election event would serve to demonstrate the strength of the party. He said he would not refer to the re-election of President Fernandez because it is "a hypothetical issue" and that he would comment on it when it is not longer a hypothetical issue, when it becomes a real issue. The 2010 Constitution bans President Leonel Fernandez for running for consecutive re-election.

Medina made it clear that he wished to avoid confrontation with fellow party members who are also seeking the PLD presidential nomination. He said that he wants to be the candidate of all the PLD members.

Participants with a high profile in the Medina campaign event in San Cristobal included legislators Gustavo Sanchez, Nelson Guillen, Radhames Camacho, Jose Cabrera and Elpidio Baez.

Medina said he expects to win the PLD presidential candidacy and called on the PLD to support him to become the next President. He promised to redistribute the wealth that has been created during the Fernandez administrations.

Medina was speaking on Saturday, a day before President Fernandez received signatures from over two million supporters who want him to be the PLD candidate in 2012.

Danilo Medina said that in the present circumstances and global situation with rising fuel and food prices, the DR needs a President with his feet on the ground, who is clear about the criteria of what has to be done in the country. He backs a transformation of the farming sector and said that the country is in a position to be the breadbasket of the Caribbean, as reported in Hoy.

4. Partying...
In an editorial today, Diario Libre refers to the Dominican version of the Roman "bread and circuses" being enjoyed in the country this week.

"With the planes on the Malecon for two straight days, Marc Anthony, Chayanne and Amelia Vega in the Quisqueya Park, the continuing bounds and windings of the PRD and expectations for the signatures in favor of re-election, Dominicans can't complain.

"It's been a week of entertainment, when there is no reason for an official holiday, of people calling for moving a day to the weekend to make the celebration longer.

"Shakira on Wednesday is a bonus, you could say.

"This circus on the water, air and land is not something that one sees every day and in many countries, so we would have to give thanks for so many blessings and not waste them in such a short time like the pagans during Roman times.

"Some may say the bread is missing, but that is because they have not checked well, because that part is covered with the cards and the bonuses, and if something were missing, then there are the basic needs kits.

"Some may criticize the price or the amount of food, but more for diversions than for dissenting, because Dominican democracy is one of those that does not conform and does not keep quiet and always has the protest at the tip of the tongue.

"With a few weeks like this one, we can close the year."

5. IMF statement on 5th review
The IMF Mission to the DR reported that discussions under the fifth review of the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) approved in November 2009 will continue. The mission led by Alejandro Santos noted in a conclusion statement that program implementation has been successful, mitigating the effects of the international crisis on the Dominican economy.

The mission says there was broad agreement with the Dominican government economic team on the main macroeconomic objectives for 2011. Economic growth is expected to be between 5.5 and 6%, the Central Bank will target inflation in the 5-6% range, and the consolidated public sector deficit will reach about 3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as envisaged in the 2011 budget.

"The mission supports the recent increase of 100 basis points in the policy rates by the Central Bank to shift monetary policy to a more neutral stance, and the recent decision of the authorities to cut public spending in areas other than education, health and social protection by 12 percent to safeguard their fiscal position," stated Santos in a press release.

Hinting as to new measures in the future, the IMF stated: "The mission analyzed the authorities' proposal to introduce flexibility in some of the program targets and objectives in reaction to the food and fuel price shocks, and the need to strengthen social spending while allowing a limited relaxation of the current deficit of the public electricity corporation. The mission stressed the need to reverse the worrisome decline in the tax-to-GDP ratio, and to adopt a more flexible pricing mechanism for electricity tariffs to limit the fiscal cost of higher international oil prices.

"Discussions were very fruitful and will continue in the coming weeks to refine the estimates of the impact of some policy proposals."

The mission said it met with new Finance Minister Daniel Toribio to continue policy discussions on fiscal issues and gathered information about the measures announced by President Fernandez last week in response to the food and fuel price shocks. The mission also met with new Industry and Commerce Minister Manuel Garcia to analyze developments in fuel prices.

6. Government's power bill at RD$524 million
The executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) Celso Marranzini says that the government's power consumption stands at RD$524.2 million a month, or RD$6.29 billion a year. He announced the government's plans to reduce the consumption with energy saving programs. Of the total, RD$380 million is for institutions to which the power service cannot be cut off regardless of whether they pay for the service.

Marranzini said that the President Leonel Fernandez has given a firm sign of the need for everyone to pay for the service when he ordered government institutions to pay their bills by Decree 185-11. The Decree instructed the Ministry of Hacienda to discount the payment for energy service of government institutions from the budgeted funds. Service to the government institutions had been covered by the government subsidy.

7. The high cost of power for hotels
The executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) Celso Marranzini says that most hotels in the DR source their power from private generators. He said this is the case in the isolated systems in La Altagracia, La Romana, Samana and Puerto Plata. He said that 85-90% of the hotels pay private companies, which charge them 18-24 cents per kilowatt/hour in the east, and 12 pesos in Samana. Marranzini said that the rate charged by the government-run distributors is 6-9 pesos per kilowatt/hour.

The statement comes in response to the information that 32-35% of hotel operational costs are energy costs, compared to 8-10% for overseas competitors.

He said the CDEEE supports initiatives by hoteliers aimed at lowering their energy costs and says that is the reason they are switching to natural gas, coal, hydro-electric and wind energy.

8. Fuel costs at new highs
President Leonel Fernandez attended the Saturday and Sunday air show to commemorate 100 years of aviation in the DR together with crowds estimated at one million on the second day alone.

The government was responsible for providing the fuel consumed by the acrobatic and military airplanes and helicopters that took part in the show, the most outstanding air show ever presented in the Caribbean, according to the organizers.

The avtur-guzzling event took place at the same time the Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced steep new increases in the price of fuel.

A gallon of premium gasoline now costs RD$204.70 (up RD$4.60), regular gasoline RD$193.60 (up RD$3.80), premium diesel RD$183.30 (up RD$3.70) and regular diesel RD$178 (up RD$3.70). Avtur sells for RDR$153.08 the gallon (up RD$3.00). Propane sells for RD$98.91 (up RD$2.15), according to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Natural gas sells for RD$20.03 per cubic meter. The prices remain in effect until midnight, Friday, 1 April.

9. First Lady honored in Providence
First Lady Margarita Cedeno, a lawyer by profession, was in Providence, Rhode Island last week, where she received the key to the city from Mayor Angel Taveras, born to Dominican parents. Her visit coincided with the celebration of International Women's Day. As reported in the Providence Journal, Cedeno made the trip to Rhode Island as a guest of honor at the annual Extraordinary Women's Award dinner at The Westin Providence. The 11-year old event honors women in the state who have made a difference through their passion for justice and equality and desire to make society a better place.

When asked if she would aspire to the Presidency, she said. "We never plan. We just do things.You work, and if that work causes people to want you in a certain place so be it. That's a politician's dream. But it's not something you can aspire to. The inspiration must come from the people."

The event at the Westin was attended by nearly 300 dinner guests, including three of the four members of Rhode Island's congressional delegation.

In the Dominican Republic, she said, more than half of the heads of households are female. Stating that: "We are the agents of transformation," she said women were the key to progress in a vast array of areas, especially when it comes to health and to money, because "we are much better at investing than men."

And women, she said, are the biggest promoters of education and health.

Yet, she said, 75 percent of women in the world don't have access to capital, and "that's a challenge."

Cedeno de Fernandez, who was designated as an Extraordinary Ambassador to the United National Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for her commitment to fighting malnutrition, is also known for getting behind projects aimed at eliminating discrimination and violence against women.

www.projo.com/news/content/DOMINICAN_FIRST_LADY_03-26-11_TGN78E4_v12.1afa219.html

10. Internet users
The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel) says that as of December 2010 there were 3,851,278 Internet users in the DR. This is 40% of the registered users in the Caribbean, as reported in El Caribe. Indotel also informed that mobile Internet use grew from 100,753 users in 2009 to 243,645 users in 2010, up 100%. Indotel has records of 622,931 Internet accounts, of which 117,508 are business accounts and 505,423 are residential accounts.

11. Drunk driving bill gets push
Following the tragedy of the seven young people who were killed in a bus crash allegedly caused by a drunk driver, the Senate is expected to move on a bill that seeks to penalize drunk drivers, drivers with expired licenses and drivers who run red lights with a prison sentence of one to six months and a fine of RD$5,000 or minimum wage. Repeat offenders will be subject to double the penalty. The bill was submitted by Manuel Paula (PLD-Bahoruco) who said that it also makes seatbelt use obligatory for backseat passengers.

The bill modified Law 241 on Transit that rules the suspension of license for driving under the influence of alcohol will not be less than six months nor more than a year. Drivers who cause damage will have their license suspended for one to five years when the injuries are permanent or permanently in case of death.

According to a report in Hoy, the number of vehicles in 2003 totaled 1,608,000. In 2010, there are now 2,735,000. Of these 661,747 are vehicles, 252,881 jeeps, 73,716 buses, 344,051 cargo vehicles, 18,226 heavy machinery, 1,352,720 motorcycles, and 13,127 other types of vehicles. 66.12% of the vehicles are in the leading cities, including 50.38% in the National District, 11.82% in the Province of Santo Domingo and 5.92% in Santiago. Running a red light is the most common traffic violation.

12. The high cost of blood
An estimated 75,000-87,000 450 cubic centimeter bags of blood are collected every year at 66 blood banks, most private, according to Socrates Sosa, director of the Public health Blood Bank, in a report in El Caribe. Reportedly, the demand is for 250,000 bags a year. The difference is met by the private blood banks. The Pan-American Health Organization says there is a need for 350,000, when considering the average is 3-5 units per every 100,000 individuals of population. The cost per bag ranges from RD$2,500-RD$3,500, but if the patient needs platelets by apheresis, the cost increases to RD$19,000-RD$25,000 per bag. This is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, such as platelets. During the apheresis procedure, all but the needed blood components are returned to the donor.

The Red Cross requires a donor for every bag of blood sold. The Red Cross provides blood to about 150 people a day.

13. Technology spurs individualism
Monsignor Victor Masalles has expressed concern that technological progress, globalization and increased affluence in the world are not leading to a reduction in economic and social inequalities, but instead are increasing individualism and solitude.

Masalles also highlighted the impact of religious pluralism, what he called the distortion in the proliferation of religious sects and their negative effects in creating a lack of unity, lack of information, false beliefs and an increase in poverty, as reported in Hoy. He said the role of the Catholic Church is to fill the void that postmodernism and individualism are generating, and that is to serve man.

He said there is the belief that the flow of information that technology provides brings people closer, but he says the contrary is happening. He said that people's quality of life has not improved, despite the use of cell phones, computers, the Internet and social networks.

In his lecture, "The Catholic Church in Post Modernity" he pointed out that in the 21st Century when the most wealth and goods and services are being produced, some countries still have per capita incomes of less than three dollars a day and serious health, education and nutrition problems. He was speaking during the Preparatory Conference for the XIV International Book Fair that will take place 4-24 May this year and where the Vatican is the guest nation.

15. Dominicans to climb Everest
Federico Jovine, Ivan Gomez and Karim Mella will become the first Dominicans to attempt to scale Mount Everest as part of a project to climb seven of the world's highest mountains since 2004. The mountaineers will spend a month's training at the three camps at Mount Everest to acclimatize their body to the extreme temperatures. They told Listin Diario that the human body could only withstand 15 minutes at that altitude. The hike is programmed for 10 May. The 8,850-meter mountain is the highest in the world. "Whoever starts the hike using their own feet needs to come down the same way," they said. The bodies of climbers who died in the attempt can be seen along the climb.

The group has already climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa's highest mountain at 5,895 meters or 19,341 ft (2005), Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest mountain in the Americas at 6,962m (22,841 ft (2006) and Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in the Russian Caucasus at 5,642 meters (18,510 ft) (2009).

The budget for the 2011 climb is RD$11,340,000. The registration fee alone for each climber is US$25,000.

Previously, climbers from Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Puerto Rico from Latin America and the Caribbean have climbed Mt. Everest.

As reported in Diario Libre, since 1953 a total of 2,708 people have reached the summit of Everest, and a further 216 have died in the attempt.

To follow the extreme adventure, see www.excelsior.com.do

16. Hot temperatures forecast
The cool days of winter and spring are over and the Weather Department is forecasting that the hot days are here to stay. Noontime temperatures of 31-32C are forecast, with cooler morning temperatures of 21-24C. For comments on weather in the DR, see http://www.dr1.com/forums/weather-beyond/

17. Rita Indiana returns to Hard Rock Cafe
Rita Indiana, the eclectic contemporary fusion singer and composer, is booked for the Hard Rock Cafe on 5 May. She will present her successful CD El Juidero. Rita Indiana has spent several weeks in Colombia.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Thx juancito for the much work here on this threads :)

Thank you so much for your comments, Ronald34!

1. President's foundation is 10 years old
President Leonel Fernandez held a birthday party for his Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (Funglode) last night. According to Hoy, the President looked back on the achievements of the think-tank with its new university branch. Funglode has sponsored countless conferences and activities aimed at fostering the Dominican Republic's development. Fernandez hinted that Funglode might evolve into a full-blown educational institution in the future. He said: "I have always thought that ideas are the starting point. If there are no clear ideas, there will be confusion during the execution of the project".

The President said that countries needed strategic thinking centers like Funglode, where issues like democracy and development could be discussed along with the problems that affect society on a daily basis. He reminded the audience that, "governments are always immersed in crisis and they do not have time to think".

2. More commercial ties with Brazil
The Dominican Center for Exports and Investment (CEI-RD) and the Brazilian Agency for Promotion of Exports of Investments (Apex-Brazil) embarked on a series of meetings yesterday aimed at expanding trade relations between the Dominican Republic and Brazil. According to El Caribe, fifty Brazilian companies will be taking part in the meetings. These companies represent a range of manufacturing sectors including machinery, foods, automobiles, appliances, construction and medical products. A total of 210 Dominican companies are scheduled to attend. The DR's trade balance with Brazil is heavily slanted towards Brazil with imports of over US$400 million and exports of just US$14 million.

3. IMF wants more taxation
Dominicans are again asking: more taxes for what? The IMF mission wants the Dominican government to generate more revenues by increasing taxation and electricity tariffs. At the same time, the Ministry of Hacienda reports that the tax pressure in 2010 was 12.9% of GDP, the same level as in 2004.

In its statement following the fifth review of the November 2009 Stand-by Arrangement, the mission "stressed the need to reverse the worrisome decline in the tax-to-GDP ratio, and to adopt a more flexible pricing mechanism for electricity tariffs to limit the fiscal cost of higher international oil prices".

News commentators, nevertheless, made the point that at least for the middle class, public services are not enough to justify higher taxation rates. For instance, in Germany, tax pressure is 36%, but the population receives free education, health and security services, in addition to high quality public infrastructure. In the DR, education, health and security services have had to be privatized due to deficiencies in public services. Tax pressure is defined as contributions as percentage of the gross domestic product.

See: www.oecd.org/dataoecd/48/27/41498733.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_revenue_as_percentage_of_GDP

4. Juan Hernandez back to the DGII
The director of the Department of Taxes (DGII), Juan Hernandez, is expected to return to his post as of May. Hernandez underwent a heart transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in August 2010. Diario Libre reports that a trusted source indicated Hernandez was back in the DR and would return to his job gradually, hoping to be fully up to speed by May. DGII deputy director Germania Montas has been serving as acting director in his absence.

5. Transport facts and figures
While the units handled by the Metropolitan Bus Service Office (OMSA) have a serious shortage of passenger seats, the units handled by private companies have too many. According to a report in today's Listin Diario, OMSA has 200 old buses, 175 in Santo Domingo and 25 in Santiago. Privately owned buses under the transport unions have 90,000 buses, "conchos", taxis and motorcycles on the streets, without much in the way of planning, according to the Technical Ground Transport Office (OTTT) database.

OTTT director Angel Segura says there is a surplus of seats available. Their figures show that some routes can be adequately served on alternate days and that some routes could be operated with half of the buses available.

On the other hand, Transport Reorganization Office (OPRET) deputy director Leonel Carrasco says that they are just about ready to put 100 new buses into operation to further integrate the use of the Santo Domingo Metro. This service is not a part of OMSA. The new units will be similar to the Metro cars and will travel on fixed routes from terminals and have one door for entering and one door for exiting to ease passenger movement. The destination for most of these new units will be the Mama Tingo Station of the Metro where five routes will branch out in an initiative aimed at increasing Metro use.

6. Jurists applaud return of legislation
The return of the Organic Bill of the National Council of Magistrates to the National Congress by the Executive Branch provides an opportunity to correct a constitutional error, after its initial approval by a simple majority, according to several jurists who described the move by President Leonel Fernandez as "positive" and "judicious" in interviews with Diario Libre and other newspapers.

The president the Foundation for Transparency and Justice (Finjus), Trajano Vidal Portentini, and the president of the Dominican Association of Independent Lawyers, Eduardo Tavarez Guerrero agreed with this decision. Vidal believes that the return of the legislation to the Congress has succeeded in allaying fears that the administration would try and do the same thing with the Organic Bill of the Constitutional Tribunal.

Tavarez says that it is important to make amends for the error caused by the failure to approve the legislation with the special, two-thirds majority in the first place. He says that by fulfilling his duty to enforce the Constitution and the laws, the President of the Republic has adopted the decision and has sent the legislation back so that the Chamber of Deputies can approve it in compliance with the 2010 Constitution.

Meanwhile, the PRD announced that it would study the return of the CNM legislation made by the Executive Branch to the Chamber of Deputies, the last body to approve it (although by a simple majority).

7. SIE authorizes direct electric consumers
The Superintendent of Electricity (SIE) authorized five new direct electricity customers yesterday. This will allow the businesses to negotiate directly with the generators for their electricity without going through the distributors (Edes). El Nuevo Diario says that the five are Falconbridge Dominicana, the mining company in Bonao, which, curiously, has its own generation plants for the ovens but purchases energy for other operations. Falconbridge was authorized to purchase as much as 6.1 megawatts. Ochoa Hardware in Las Charcas where it operates a cinderblock factory, Almacenes Frigorificos Dominicanos in Constanza, where they operate 41 refrigerator units for storage, Molinos del Valle, the flourmill and pasta producer and Dominicana Industrial, a branch of Bocel Group that manufactures Princess brand pastas also received the authorization. A total of 79 industries can now source their electricity directly from the generators at the best prices.

8. Hangover from Air Show slows traffic
The Air Show that provided spectacular aerobatics and stunts for thousands of people along the Santo Domingo waterfront also resulted in a hangover in the shape of traffic jams on the day after. Diario Libre says that Monday's traffic chaos was caused by the dismantling of the grandstands and platforms used for the public and for television and movie equipment all along George Washington Avenue (the Malecon). As a result, traffic along the Malecon and Independencia avenues was very slow yesterday as workers from the municipal government picked up refuse along the way. According to the organizers, the airplanes used US$26,000 in fuel for the show!

9. The big question: Who saw the signatures?
A total of 700 volumes said to contain 2,213,128 signatures in support of President Leonel Fernandez's re-election were presented to the President during an event in Santo Domingo's Palacio de los Deportes on Sunday.

However, according to a report in El Nuevo Diario, nobody outside of the PLD groups sponsoring the event was ever shown the actual signatures. According to reports, the 700 volumes containing the signatures were being wheeled in onto the stage, but when reporters got close and tried to open one of the volumes, they were chased away by security personnel who said, "you can't open those books. It is prohibited". Nonetheless several reporters tried to catch a glimpse of the books during a lapse in surveillance, but once again the young people who were taking them onstage stopped them from looking. There have been calls from several quarters to see the signatures.

10. Three stomachs
Writing in Diario Libre's page two editorial today, editor Ines Aizpun comments that one would need three stomachs to digest all the praise served during the event organized by President Leonel Fernandez's unconditional supporters event at the Palacio de los Deportes on Sunday. "Some receive praise with courtesy and thanks. Others feel it is not enough, and others insanely distrust the motives of whoever is doing the praising," she comments. "But to digest the dose of adulation that was concentrated at the Palacio de los Deportes one has to have at least three stomachs."

She mentions that the President of the Republic has placed his party in a position that is more than difficult. She says he is willing to reform the Constitution, steamrolling over the attempts to strengthen institutions, to win any campaign at any price and backtrack the conscience of Dominican citizens to what (we thought) were the long-gone years of the 1930s and 40s.

"But since signatures cannot replace the Constitution, he needs the complicity of his party. 'See how the people acclaim me! Now you decide if you want to stay where you are'. And of course they do!"

With the painful exposure of the frivolity of the PLD higher echelons (the filming of the event shows that as well as losing their sense of humor, they have lost their sense of the ridiculous), we are on the way to an unnecessary and serious political crisis, she writes.

"Leonel is betting on his permanence and he is on the campaign trail. He doesn't care:

1. That the international community (that he pampers so much) can watch with his maneuver incredulity.
2. That it destroys the steps that have been taken to strengthen institutions.
3. Inflict injuries that are difficult and calculated on his own party.

She wonders: "Will there be enough people within the PLD with their senses to put things in place, defend their ideology, their ideas, forms and structures?"

The ruling PLD party has said it will select the pre-candidates on 10 April and the primary is set for 26 June 2011. The presidential election is scheduled for 20 May 2012.

PRD politician Hugo Tolentino Dipp described Sunday's signatures of support event as a "clown act". As reported in Hoy, he said it was incredible that a President might lend his figure to that clown act above all when he is aware that re-election is banned in the Constitution. But, as paraphrased in Hoy, he said that what the statesman wanted to demonstrate was his leadership and to impose a candidate who would respond to his interests.

11. Not much progress in PRD stalemate
Despite the stall in the negotiations in search of a way out of the impasse over the PRD primary result, a Commission was appointed yesterday to work on the proclamation that will convene the Assembly of Delegates for the official declaration of Hipolito Mejia's presidential candidacy. The measure was taken by the National Organizing Commission (CNO) of the last nominating convention. The commission instructed Hugo Tolentino Dipp, Cesar Sanchez and Enmanuel Esquea Guerrero to report for a meeting set for 4pm tomorrow Wednesday.

Esquea said that they would inform the PRD authorities once a date is set. He said that representatives of the municipalities, mass movements, national secretariats and the national leadership would be chosen for the Assembly of Delegates, which will be made up of some 5,000 members.

Meanwhile, Mejia's spokesman Hector Guzman announced that in the next few hours the group that is supporting Mejia would choose the three representatives who will take part in the negotiating commission that was suggested by former Panamanian President Martin Torrijos. "President Mejia will answer the letter from Torrijos and after that we will announce who will take part in the dialogue", said Guzman.

12. Julio Brache named president AmCham
Julio Virgilio Brache Alvarez, corporate vice president of Pasteurizadora Rica, has been voted the new president of the American Chamber of Commerce. He will head the chamber of commerce from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012. He succeeds Alejandro Pena Prieto in this role. Pena Prieto remains on the board as a past president, and the other chamber board members are Gustavo Tavarez, David Fernandez, Maximo Vidal, Emilio Perez, Antonio Garcia, Jeffrey Rannik, Caroline Combemale, Roberto Herrera, Oscar Pena, Campos de Moya, Pedro Esteva, Carlos Valiente, Ramon Ortega, Franklin Leon and Carlos Fondeur.

Brache has an MBA from the University of Miami at Coral Gables, Florida.

13. Santo Domingo declines regional swim games.
The Central American and Caribbean Swimming, Diving and Water Polo Championships were to be held at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center Olympic pool from 25 June to 3 July. But work to restore the facility to international competition level has not been successful, as reported in Listin Diario. The event was moved to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, which recently hosted the Pan Am Games.

Competitors are coming from Antigua, Barbuda, Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Trinidad & Tobago and the Dominican Republic.

The Olympic Pool complex (50 meter pool, 25 meter pool and diving pool) was renovated in 2003 for Santo Domingo's hosting of the Pan Am Games at a cost of RD$125 million, but has suffered from lack of appropriate maintenance ever since, as Listin Diario reports today.

www.listin.com.do/el-deporte/2011/3/28/182754/Complejo-acuatico-se-ahoga-pero-en-sus-propias-aguas

14. A rare medical case indeed
In a story carried by almost all of today's newspapers, a 65-year old Haitian woman was found to have been carrying a dead fetus for 30 years, becoming the first case of this type in the country and only the fourth in the world, according to the specialists who treated her at the Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital. This was an ectopic pregnancy that became petrified in a condition that medical literature calls lithopedion (a fetus that has become calcified outside the uterus). Lusianni Isa lives in a Haitian town near Jimani on the border and except for stomach pains that she took care of with "plants from the earth and pills" she showed no symptoms.

About nine months ago her son Licien Saint Naurant brought her to live with him in a village near La Victoria. Last Saturday, he took her to the emergency room of the Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital suffering from stomach pains. An x-ray revealed the existence of a fetal mass weighing more than three pounds. The membrane containing the fetus was removed by a C-section, performed by a medical team headed by Dr. Albert Basa and Liladys Roman.

15. The power of love?
Carlos David Garcia Rojas, the messenger who ran away after cashing a check for RD$5.4 million, which belonged to the construction company he worked for, confessed that when he had the money in cash in his hands, he was drunk with love for his girlfriend.

He admitted to the judge who ordered preventive custody that this was why he abandoned his motorcycle and took a taxi, in which he went to the municipality of San Luis, where he stayed for five days. His journey took him to San Pedro de Macoris, Higuey and El Seibo. "They gave me the money... I thought of a girlfriend I had... I loved her a lot... she induced me to do this", he said.

According to Diario Libre, Garcia Rojas told how he got together with his girlfriend Mary Carmen Lopez Perez (La Nina) in San Luis, and gave her a backpack "full of currency". "I put it on the bed and she went on filling it up (with the money)". He said that after he took off for San Pedro de Macoris where his girlfriend "went to find me, supposedly to save me, but it was a trap, it was to kill me and take the money, because some people in Higuey were waiting for me, then she told me what was going on". The accused did not identify the person who had alerted him in Higuey. The judge for Permanent Attention for the National District, Jose Alejandro Vargas, sent him to three months preventive custody in Najayo jail.

16. Shakira in Santo Domingo
All attention is on the Shakira concert at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center stadium on Wednesday, 30 March starting at 8:30pm

Dubbed "the concert of the year," Colombian pop star Shakira is set to perform at the Felix Sanchez Stadium at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Stadium on 30 March. "The Sun Comes Out World Tour" concert will also bring other leading performers to the stage sponsored by Presidente beer. Opening the show for the Dominican Republic is Bocatabu pop/latino rock group - Giorgio Siladi, Oscar Patxot, Miguel Abreu, Claudia Ponjuan, Eduardo Fernandez and Francisco Caamano. Tickets are for sale at Uepa Tickets, Movie Max on Calle Victor Garrido Puello, off Av. Abraham Lincoln and Supermercado La Cadena in Piantini, Supermercados Nacional and Jumbo, and TicketExpress.com.do Tickets are RD$600, RD$1,000, RD$2,500, RD$4,000 and RD$10,000.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

@Juancito

Do you have any informations about immigration to Dom Rep? I mean visa informations and such staff?

Thanks

Ronald

1. Francisco Mendez to Refidomsa
President Fernandez continues to reshuffle staff in his administration, taking the outspoken Francisco Mendez, not a favorite of the CDEEE vice-president Celso Marranzini, and placing him in the Dominican Oil Refinery - Refidomsa.

At Refidomsa he replaces businessman Angel Rosario Vinas who was sent to Proindustria. El Nuevo Diario also reports that Juan Gomez Bautista was sent to the Superintendent of Electricity to replace Francisco Mendez.

In the same decree, the President appointed Mario Caceres Rodriguez to the board of directors of the Refinery and Hector Lora was placed on the board of the CDEEE.

2. RD$170 million in Moscoso Puello
President Fernandez led an inauguration ceremony for the remodeled emergency and intensive care units at the Francisco Moscoso Puello Hospital in Santo Domingo yesterday. The President took the opportunity to instruct the Minister of Public Health to proceed with the plans to completely remodel the entire hospital over the next few months.

One of the innovations is the computerized registration of patients. The Francisco Moscoso Puello Hospital is part of a network that has the "paperwork" - the case histories - of over 600,000 people who have been treated at some of the nation's public hospitals. Currently 11 hospitals are using the software.

The remodeling of the Moscoso Puello, a hospital that serves not only the population of Santo Domingo but also the nearby provinces of the south and east, included the ER, urology, general surgery and internal surgery units and a brand new intensive care unit with six new cubicles.

3. Scholarships to Spain
The Ministry of Higher Education published a two-page advertisement in today's Listin Diario with information on scholarships for masters and doctorate programs at universities in Spain. The universities offering full tuition are the Universidad de Alcala, Universidad de Salamanca, Universidad de la Rioja, Politecnica de Cartagena, Universidad de Murcia, Escuela Universitaria de Hoteleria (Barcelona), Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Universidad de las Islas Baleares, Centro de Estudios Financieros, Universidad del Pais Vasco and Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya. A stipend for accommodation and living expenses is included in most of the scholarships. Instituto Empresa requires scholarship winners to cover 30% of the total.

Under the Fernandez administration, thousands of Dominican students have benefitted from scholarships to universities abroad.

For more information, see www.seescyt.gov.do

4. Colombia focuses on Hispaniola
Colombia's Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin arrived to Santo Domingo yesterday, on her first stop of a tour of the Dominican Republic and Haiti aimed at strengthening relations with the Caribbean countries, TeleSUR in Colombia reported on Tuesday. She was scheduled to hold meetings with President Leonel Fernandez and her counterpart, Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso.

Her visit comes as part of the opening of preliminary negotiations for an agreement over services and investments.

Colombia Reports says that the Dominican Republic is currently Colombia's main export destination in the Caribbean and there is apparently mutual interest in creating a regulatory framework for bilateral trade.

Colombia Reports says that the foreign ministers of both Colombia and the Dominican Republic will then move on to Haiti to discuss the ongoing issue of reconstruction within the country following the devastating January 2010 earthquake.

The two ministers will hold meetings in the capital, Port-au-Prince, with President Rene Preval and Prime Minister Jean Max Bellerive, as well as Edmond Mulet, the head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti.

President Juan Manuel Santos recently stated that "we are extremely worried" about the situation in Haiti, urging the international community.

President Juan Manuel Santos recently expressed his deep concern about the situation in Haiti, urging the international community to be more proactive.

Santos will chair a UN Security Council meeting next month aimed at "giving a push" to reconstruction efforts in Haiti, due to be held on 6 April, after Colombia was elected as a non-permanent member of the council in October last year.

5. DR to issue documents to Haitians
The Dominican Republic has told the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that later on this year it will resume issuing documents to all inhabitants whether or not the residents are legal. The announcement was made by the president of the Central Electoral Board, Roberto Rosario during a hearing in which he listed the progress being made by the JCE in the area of registering vital statistics. He said that the nation's Civil Registry would provide all foreigners with an identification card and holders would be given three years to regularize their status as legal residents. The ID will guarantee their social rights in the DR.

6. PLD deputies defend single majority
The president of the Chamber of Deputies Abel Martinez (PLD) says the Chamber will not revoke its decision to pass the observations made by President Leonel Fernandez to the Organic Bill of the National Council of the Magistracy with a simple majority.

Legislators from the PLD said they would launch a process of debate with several sectors of society to explain that the Chamber of Deputies acted in accordance with the Constitution when it approved the observations of the Executive Branch to the Organic Law of the National Council of Magistrates (CNM) by a simple majority.

Art. 112 of the 2010 Constitution calls for two-thirds majority in the case of Organic Bills, that are those created in the Constitution itself.

President Leonel Fernandez met with 31 senators and 95 deputies of the ruling PLD at the Presidential Palace to discuss the controversial issue. As reported, the deputies insist they have acted correctly.

Martinez said that he believes that the Constitution should be defended, but in a sincere manner. He said he felt that many of those who are currently saying that they are defending the Constitution are the same people who carried signs that said "this is not my Constitution".

7. Loophole found in Constitution?
In majority in Congress, ruling PLD party legislators think they have found a convenient loophole in the Constitution, as reported in the press today. The president of the Senate Justice Commission, Julio Cesar Valentin says that if two legislatures pass and the legislators do not review a Presidential observation, then the Constitution establishes that the observation will be tacitly accepted. They point to Art. 103 that states that if two legislatures pass and the observations made by the President are not approved or rejected, then the observations enter into effect.

8. Jesus Moreno honored by UN
The world's largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative on a global level, with 8,000 signatories in 135, the UN Global Compact in the Dominican Republic honored several business figures for their leadership in corporate responsibility at the Hotel Embajador yesterday. Representatives of Brugal, Helados Bon, Cemex Dominicana, Banco Caribe, AES Dominicana, Tabacalera Fuente, Odebrecht and Banco Popular were honored for their strategic vision, as reported in Listin Diario.

"Profits and yield are best secured when humans are committed to transcendental issues, to issues that truly impact the real development of people," said Jesus Moreno, president of Helados Bon upon being named Solidary Businessman for 2010. He was recognized for the contributions Bon has made to the environment. Others honored and speaking at the event were Claudio Castro Macedo of Odebrecht, Carlos Fuente of Tabacalera Fuente and Dennis Simo of Banco Caribe.

Launched in July 2000, the UN Global Compact is a leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible and sustainable corporate policies and practices. Endorsed by chief executives, it seeks to align business operations and strategies everywhere with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.

www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/news_events/8.1/GC_brochure_FINAL.pdf

http://listin.com.do/economia-and-negocios/2011/3/29/182873/Empresas-de-RD-asumen-compromisos-globales

9. Break for business
The Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) has rejected an appeal filed by a group of workers who tried to oblige the Cristobal Colon Sugar Mill to sign labor contracts with their employees as "inappropriate and with no legal basis".

The high court confirmed the decision by the Labor Appeals Court of San Pedro de Macoris, which revoked the sentence of the Second Chamber of the Justice of Peace for the jurisdiction that obliged the sugar mill to sign labor contracts with the appellant workers on the grounds of lack of a legal basis, a distortion of the facts and a violation of the basic principles of the Labor Code.

El Caribe said that the Supreme Court accepted the arguments contained in the decision by the Labor Court that said that "work is not that which is described on paper, but rather that which is carried out in fact".

10. Falconbridge restarts production
Falconbridge Dominicana (Falcondo) resumed its operations at the beginning of this month, reactivating business activities in the central province of Bonao. Diario Libre said that the mining company had halted the production of ferronickel on 4 December 2008, due to high production costs and the reduction in the price of nickel on the international market.

The restart of production is in response to the recovery in market conditions, the optimization of the operation processed of the mine and the processing plant. Moreover, the company recently reached a commercial agreement for supplying electricity with the local AES Dominicana company, which will reduce its operating costs. Falcondo has resumed its operations as expected, at 50% of capacity, with an estimated production of 12,400 tons of nickel for 2011. Company spokesman Luis Rosado told Diario Libre that the implementation of production in the processing plants started under the culture of "Zero Injuries", achieving excellent safety levels.

11. Business is shy on IMF proposals
The business sector is reacting with caution to the concerns expressed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about the reduction of tax income. They believe that at a time when society is vulnerable to external threats, the government should not increase taxes. The presidents of the Industrial Association (AIRD), Ligia Bonetti and the National Organization of Commercial Enterprises (ONEC), Antonio Ramos, together with the economist Henri Hebrard all expressed this opinion in separate interviews with Diario Libre. At the same time, Arturo Martinez Moya, the president of the PRD economic commission said the IMF recommendations were unacceptable, since they implied a greater tax pressure on the companies and the families with these new taxes. He is also against any increase in the electricity rates.

The AIRD president said that the IMF concern about reversing the ratio of tax collections-to-GDP should not generate concern that the government will take the route of increasing taxes. She said that the government would not do this at a time when the Dominican society feels vulnerable to external threats and there is evidence for the need for the productive sector of tradable and exportable goods to be pushed to the maximum with the aim of reducing the current accounts deficit and the trade balance. Ramos said that the right way to increase the ratio of tax collections-to-GDP was through more efficient tax collections, as they have been doing, and therefore he believes that the tax base should be expanded to better distribute the tax burden and increase the tax pressure in sectors where it does not exist. He said that an indiscriminate tax increase could well lead to bankruptcy in sectors of the economy that cannot bear any more fiscal loads. He referred to the fact that the crisis affects citizens as well as the government.

Hebrard said that the tax burden decreased a little more than 3% from 2007 to 2010, going from 17.31% to 14.04%. This is nearly a 19% decrease. But 2007 was the best tax collection year in history and should not be taken as a reference since it included the sale of Codetel and the fiscal amnesty. He said that the apparent fall in the tax pressure from last year is due to items affected by the economic crisis such as the consumption tax (ITBIS in the DR), the taxes on foreign trade, the tax on company earnings and the lower level of personal taxes that was joined by the non-indexation of hydrocarbons (fuels). On the question of the electricity rate increase, Ramos said that what was needed was an improvement in collections, which would focus on the subsidies, while the AIRD expects the productive sector to be consulted.

12. Government seeks freedom to take on loans
In an op-ed contribution to Hoy, former Central Bank Governor Bernardo Vega reads between the lines of the IMF statement released this week on the fifth review of the Stand-by Arrangement.

"The IMF mission came and left without negotiating a new letter of intent, announcing that discussions would continue in coming weeks," he observes. He mentions the DR has been operating outside the agreement for three months. The agreement is necessary to issue the sovereign bonds that have been scheduled for this semester and to receive loans from international bodies consigned in the 2012 budget.

He said the agreement began in October 2009 under the premise that international loans with almost no conditions were desirable, following directives of the G-20 that established and encouraged fiscal deficits in emerging countries to stimulate global demand.

Vega writes that the DR was not able to meet the limits to public deficit with the non-financial public sector, and this situation worsened by the unexpected increases in global oil prices.

Now, he says, the international community is fostering surplus-stimulating policies. Last week, the managing director of the IMF Dominique Strauss-Kahn declared: "Growth in most Latin American economies is now back at potential, or above -- and in many of them there are worrisome signs of overheating." He says that the directors of the IMF do not believe our country should cover its budget deficits with domestic or international loans.

"The Central Bank, by increasing interest rates, has moved to a neutral phase, but the government insists on keeping the deficits that are financed with loans. The government does not want to increase electricity rates again, despite the increase in fuel prices and despite having committed to move towards a flexible rate that reflects the changes in the cost of generation in the December letter of intent.

He writes that the IMF wants to reduce the deficits by increasing the price of electricity and securing greater fiscal revenues.

Vega observes that 2012 is an electoral year in which, as happened in 2008, politicians tend to loosen the economy. "The agreement with the IMF expires in February. If the deficit is not reduced in 2011 it is almost sure that this will not happen in 2012 either.

"At least one analyst from the firms that evaluate our sovereign bonds has made a proposal that the agreement with the IMF should be extended to all of 2012 so that the adjustment, politically costly, can be diluted over the next 21 months, instead of the next 11, but others argue that the unpleasant measures should be taken now so that our voters can have forgotten them by May. The government wants to be allowed to continue to take on debt," he writes.

13. Esquea expelled amid crisis
In the latest development in the ongoing crisis affecting the PRD, the National Control Commission and the National Disciplinary Commission expelled Enmanuel Esquea Guerrero, the president of the National Organizing Commission of the nominating convention from the party yesterday, amidst accusations of violating the statutes and insubordination to the party's organs. The expulsion comes eight days after the Political Commission sent both party entities a report from a special commission that investigated the alleged errors committed during the convention process.

"This is a preventive measure to benefit the party unity", said Julio Marinez, president of the Control Commission, who described Esquea Guerrero as "arrogant and disrespectful". He said that the decision was "summary and definitive" and that from now on the work of the CNO would be organized by Jesus (Chu) Vasquez, who was appointed to the seat occupied by Esquea by the PRD Political Commission two weeks ago, as reported in Diario Libre.

14. Dominican pediatrician honored in Maryland
Pediatrician Ligia Peralta was inducted into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame at the Maryland Senate President's Conference Room in Annapolis yesterday. The annual ceremony is conducted by the Governor's Maryland Commission for Women and is held to honor Maryland women for their contributions to the economic, political, cultural and social life of the state and to provide visible models of achievement for tomorrow's female leaders.

Dominican-born Dr. Peralta, who has successfully combined her roles as pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, professor, researcher, and patient and community advocate, was honored for her pioneer and indefatigable work to fight the HIV epidemic among young people in Maryland and abroad. She is Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, Chief Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, and Director of the Adolescent HIV Program of the Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine.

www.capitalwirepr.com/pr_description.php?id=b2e60cbc-0f29-108e-02ce-4d8a77a60f85

18. Shake, rattle and roll!
Four earthquakes were registered by the Seismological Institute of the United States (USGS) in the Dominican Republic area on Tuesday. These were small quakes registering between 3 and 3.5 on the Richter scale and located in the Mona Passage between here and Puerto Rico. They started at around 9am and the largest, at 3.5 was registered at 11:11 in the morning. In the afternoon, there was a 3.2 event. Most of the events were barely felt in the eastern province of La Altagracia.

19. Over 80 Dominicans open season
More than 80 Dominican baseball players, ranging from the well-known Alex Rodriguez, Big Papi David Ortiz and the almighty Albert Pujols to unknowns will be up for their first cup of big league coffee.

And hold on to your hats. The payroll for these 80-odd ballplayers is US$331 million! The list includes 13 players who earn over US$10 million apiece. Stars like Pujols and Rodriguez are over the US$15 million mark. Other stars such as the Mets' Jose Reyes, the Red Sox's David Ortiz and the Colorado Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez are hoping for great years. One team, the New York Yankees, of course, will pay US$54 million to Dominican players including Alex, Robinson Cano, Damaso Marte and Bartolo Colon. The Chicago Cubs are not far behind with a US$48 million Dominican payroll: Soriano and Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena make up the major part of that sum. Carlos Marmol, Starlin Castro, Marcos Mateo and Esmailin Caridad make a lot less money.

Top earners:

Alex Rodriguez: $31 million Yankees
Alfonso Soriano: $ 18 million Cubs
Alberto Pujols: $16 million Cardinals
Aramis Ramirez: $14.6 million Cubs
Adrian Beltre: $14 million Texas Rangers
David Ortiz: $12.5 million Boston
Francisco Cordero: $12 million Reds
Rafael Furcal: $12 million Dodgers
Hanley Ramirez: 11 million Marlins
Jose Reyes: $11 million Mets

20. Bochinche at Teatro Guloya
Check out Bochinche, an evening of laughs and drama. Directed by Claudio Rivera at the Teatro Guloya. Friday, 1 April, Saturday 2 April at 8:30pm and Sunday 3 April at 6:30pm. The show continues the following weekend, 8-10 April. Arz. Portes 205, Colonial City. Tel 809 685-4856. For updates on future events, see http://www.dr1.com/calendar

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Tourism stays about the same
Travel to the DR in the first two months of the year is almost at the same level as in 2010. So far this year, the Central Bank reports that travel in January was only 1.30% up on 2010, and in February, the number of air passenger arrivals was only 2.99% greater than last year. Total non-resident arrivals for February was 407,615 visitors, or 11,632 more tourists, for a 3.29% increase compared to last year. Total arrivals for the first two months of the year was 817,154 visitors, up 2.14% compared to the same period last year. The variation includes 12,941 more foreign tourists and 4,170 non-resident Dominicans.

Where the tourists are coming from
Tourists from the United States and Canada make up the bulk of travel to the DR with 57.56%. Travel from the US was up by 4,393 travelers during the period while Europeans account for 29.92%. South America has increased its market share with 9.32%. Central America and the Caribbean (primarily Puerto Rico) contributed 2.96%.
The Central Bank highlights the importance of South America as an emerging market. The numbers for Jan-Feb from South America were: Argentina (9,129), Brazil (5,664), Chile (2,714), Colombia (1,834) and Peru (1,010). The South American market was up 41.41% so far this year, with 20,005 more travelers in January-February. This compensates for the 7,407 fewer passengers coming from Europe.
Emerging markets like Russia (5,628 more travelers) and Poland (1,473 travelers) fared better than the European average for the first two months of the year.

PUJ continues to lead
The Punta Cana International Airport continues to be the leading airport for non-resident international arrivals to the DR. Some 452,399 tourists used the terminal, equivalent to 61.70% of total non-resident air arrivals. Las Americas in Santo Domingo followed with 17.40%. Puerto Plata accounted for 11.84%, La Romana 4.09% and Cibao 2.50%. La Isabela in Santo Domingo and El Catey received the remaining 2.47%.
In absolute terms, travel to Punta Cana was up by 38,765 as well as to Las Americas (2,478), but the other airports reported fewer arrivals.
Why tourists come
Recreation is the main reason given by non-resident air arrivals, according to the Central Bank. 94.09% of those polled said they were leisure visitors and 91.35% said they would be staying at hotels.
According to the Central Bank 61.10% of tourists traveling to the DR are 21 to 49 years old and 52.19% are women.

Toronto Sun reviews Punta Cana
Canada is the Dominican Republic's second leading travel market. A review in The Toronto Sun highlights the advantages of the all-inclusive resorts in the area, and singles out the Paradisus Punta Cana for visitors seeking top quality in a resort vacation. "Overall, the Paradisus resorts give you the best of what Punta Cana has to offer: A holiday that can be romantic, family-friendly or focused on well-needed rest and relaxation," writes the author. The article also focuses on tours that visitors can take to places like Macao Beach, Saona Island and Altos de Chavon.
www.torontosun.com/travel/international/2011/03/24/17736336.html

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/5335975600fda3439ec9z.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. Santiago Cancer Center
President Leonel Fernandez was in Santiago yesterday to inaugurate the Santiago Metropolitan Hospital (HOMS) Cancer Center. Built with an investment of RD$350 million, the center is said to have the most advanced medical technology in the Caribbean. The center was inaugurated on the third anniversary of the opening of the medical center. Speaking at the inaugural, president of the board of directors Dr. Rafael Sanchez Espanol said that the hospital has given priority to offering the medical services that are most in demand in Santiago. He highlighted that the hospital was working closely with the Pontifical University Madre y Maestra of Santiago (PUCMM) to convert Homs into a hospital city. Although primarily a private hospital, the center was built with a government subsidy and provides services to poor patients through its social arm, the Homs Human Solidarity Foundation. In 2010, 5,062 people underwent surgery at the Homs. It handled 37,415 emergencies and treated a total of 16,621 patients.

2. President's bill passes
The Senate has approved the Constitutional Court bill with the recent observations made by President Leonel Fernandez. The court was created in the 2010 Constitution. President Fernandez included the Prosecutor General, increasing number of judges to eight. He also eliminated the 75-year age limit, and gave the Presidency the tie-breaking vote. News commentators say that the President, given his upper hand in choosing the members of the new court, and the new tie-breaking vote, will have deciding power in the court created in the new Constitution to review constitutional issues. Recently, several Presidential decisions have been deemed to be in violation of the Constitution.

3. Respect the Law
A total of 110 civil society organizations now make up the National Movement Let's Comply with the Law (Movimento Nacional Cumplamos la Ley). The civic movement says it will seek to encourage citizen support for the defense of rule of the law in the Dominican Republic. The movement will support institutions and the democratic strengthening of the government branches n Executive, Legislative and Judicial and Municipal - following the laws.

The founding members of the new movement include Citizen Participation, the Graphic Industries Association, the Young Entrepreneurs Mobement, Caritas Dominicana, Centro Juan Montalvo, and the Dominican Medical Association.

Speaking for the movement, Manuel Cabrera of the Herrera Industries Association called on the public to protest whenever laws are not respected and said that the authorities should stop manipulating constitutional and judicial rules for their own personal ends that are above the collective good, as reported in Listin Diario.

Cabrera mentioned the case of the World Economic Forum that gave the DR top ranking on a list of countries for government wastefulness and favoritism in decisions by government officials.

The movement is calling on the public to challenge those who lack respect for the laws by blowing a yellow whistle, which is the logo that identifies the movement.

The objective is to create a society that is consolidated, fair and equitable.

The movement has emerged at a time when PLD legislators have been defending their right to pass observations from President Leonel Fernandez on the National Council of the Magistracy and the Constitutional Court with a simple majority. They deny they have violated Art. 112 of the Constitution. The PRD has submitted an appeal for violation of the Constitution to the Supreme Court of Justice.

Members of Congress are outlining their arguments for not adhering to Art. 112. The Chamber of Deputies president, Abel Martinez, and Senate president Reinaldo Pared Perez said they have applied Art. 102 of the Constitution. This article states that if the period for approval and passing by the President expires, then the bill approved by Congress would be converted into law, as reported in Listin Diario. They say that whoever disagrees with the procedure can take the case to the new Constitutional Court. The President was granted the right to choose most of the members of the Constitutional Court and will also hold the decisive vote.

4. Watch the legitimacy of the CNM
The president of the Executive Branch Ethics Commission, Dr. Marino Vinicio Castillo is expressing his concern that the National Council of Magistracy could be stripped of its legitimacy by recent legislative decisions.

Castillo added that the mechanism of the simple majority could be applied to other crucial decisions, including a possible referendum. There has been speculation that the referendum could be a loophole in the Constitution to decide whether President Leonel Fernandez can run as PLD presidential candidate in 2012. "That would be the most serious extreme and I believe that it would justify so many differences and protests (with judicial base and considerable moral base) that would damage our process and what is worse, would place Leonel Fernandez as the author of the successive manipulations so he can stand for election again and position himself in control of the Constitutional Court.

He also comments that the electoral court that would come forth as a result of a National Council of Magistracy seriously affected by illegality and illegitimacy could threaten the country's institutionalism in the future.

http://www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2011/3/31/369141/Diputados-desoyen-al-Presidente

5. President Fernandez decides all
Writing in today's Hoy newspaper, writer Andres L. Mateo, winner of the National Literature Prize in 2004, highlights President Fernandez's predominant positioning in national affairs. "There is nothing that is not under the personal control of President Fernandez in this country. All the wheels of society are in his hands. We had never felt such impotence at living in a kidnapped society," he writes. He comments that Fernandez controls Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Electoral Court, the Chamber of Accounts, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. He observes that the megalomania has led the President to believe that this country will sink without him.

www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2011/3/31/369141/Diputados-desoyen-al-Presidente

6. Transport chaos now, solutions proposed
An investigative report by Listin Diario this week concludes that although billions have been spent on public transport, it continues to be bad, expensive and dangerous. The report says that five government institutions are responsible for transport, but operate without coordination or integration of tasks. In an editorial today, the newspaper says that the chaos has reached such a level that five different fares prevail on one single route, and what's worse - they are unilaterally imposed by the transport unions that admit they operate without official regulation.

Urban planning expert Eric Dorrejo Medina says the transport focus needs to be reverted. "The idea is to invest in the majority, not the minority." He said the attention needed to be focused on serving pedestrians and advocated for public transport lanes and an integrated public transport system. He stressed that the problem is one of management, not of economic resources.

Amparo Chantada, professor of urban architecture at the UASD says: "It is incredible that we are one of the few cities where pedestrians are treated like wild animals that can be run over, that no one takes into consideration, or lets cross the road". She advocated for a new collective discipline. Furthermore, she complained that the overpasses are more a solution for inter-regional transport than for local transport.

Urban planner Marcos Barinas Uribe makes the point that while the government builds a mass transport system, it at the same time is building overpasses and corridors that crisscross the city and cause congestion and the need for more parking.

The report looks into several of the main issues behind the poor quality of public transport. It highlights that with few exceptions, private companies or unions pay scant attention to safety, comfort of their vehicles, regardless of whether these are buses or taxis. "There is an increasing perception that the authorities, despite all the institutions dedicated to the same sector, have been insufficient or incapable of guaranteeing a minimum of order, safety and efficiency of our public transport system. In this area, it has all been about letting it happen, letting it pass."

The reports said that transport is practically controlled by Conatra (Antonio Marte), CNTU (Ramon Perez Figuereo) and Fenatrano (Juan Hubieres). Government institutions that are supposed to regulate public transport are the Technical Ground Transport Office (OTTT), the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET), the National District Municipality, the Metropolitan Bus Service Office (OMSA) and the Metro Office (Opret).

Antonio Marte of Conatra says that the authorities have employed this laissez-faire approach to the sector precisely because they prefer the transporters to bear the burden of responsibility for raising fares.

An estimated 2.8 million passengers use public transport in the DR every day, with many having to pay several fares. "Public transport in this country is controlled by disorder, with deteriorated fleets of vehicles, that are unsafe and uncomfortable for passengers, and with fares that as well as very high, are subject to little regulation," reported Listin Diario.

The Fernandez administration's recent contribution to public transport is the multi-billion Santo Domingo Metro project. The government claims that 25,000 passengers use the Metro, but Antonio Marte says the number is probably closer to 7,000, as reported in Listin Diario. The government is working on the construction of a second line running from Km. 9 on Duarte Avenue to Padre Castellanos (Puente de la 17).

http://www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2011/3/28/182668/print

http://www.listindiario.com.do/la-republica/2011/3/29/182887/Proponen-un-transporte-seguro-eficaz-y-puntual

7. Duarte and 3 Kings days
Duarte Day and Three Kings Day holidays will again be celebrated on their actual day. The Holidays Law 139-97 had rotated them to create long weekends. In 2012, the 6 January holiday and the 26 January holiday will be celebrated on their actual day. In 2012, 3 Kings Day will fall on a Friday, and Duarte Day on a Thursday. For an overview on holidays in 2011, see http://dr1.com/travel/prepare/holidays.shtml

8. Congress passes housing/pension fund bill
The Senate has approved the bill that allows pension funds to be used for housing projects. The bill, the Ley para el Desarrollo del Mercado Hipotecario y el Fideicomiso en la Republica Dominicana was sent to President Leonel Fernandez for signing and publication. The bill calls for a single government office, located at the Ministry of Public Works, to handle all the project paperwork, as reported in Diario Libre. The bill establishes that the funds can be used to build low and middle-income dwellings to reduce the national housing deficit.

9. RD$25.2 billion in government bonds
The Senate has approved a bill authorizing the Ministry of Hacienda to issue government bonds for RD$25.2 billion to partially cancel the administrative debt contracted with the central government through 31 December 2005.

10. Odebrecht could build natural gas facility
Odebrecht Energy, the energy division of the Brazilian company currently involved in major infrastructural works like road building in the DR, is studying the feasibility of building a 500-megawatt natural gas based plant. It would be the largest in the country and would cost over US$1 billion. The project would include a re-gasification terminal in the north of the country. The plant would represent 17% of the estimated deficit for 2016. The deficit is estimated at 2,887 according to a press release. Reportedly, the natural gas terminal would be equipped to sell gas to other generators and other projects. At present, the DR has the AES natural gas re-gasification terminal located in Andres, Boca Chica.

11. Sugar mill gets favorable ruling
CAEI, a division of the Vicini Group, reports that Dominican Republic's Supreme Court of Justice has ruled in their favor.

The Labor Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Dominican Republic ruled in favor of CAEI today following litigation brought against the company's Cristobal Colon sugar mill surrounding labor contracts. The decision, made by the highest court in the Dominican Republic, ratified the ruling of a lower court, the Labor Appeal Court in San Pedro de Macoris, noting that the appeal brought by plaintiffs was rejected because the argument was lacking in legal basis.

"The work is not that which is described in writing, but that which is in fact carried out." In making its ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the arguments contained in the Labor Court ruling that dismissed the case for lack of legal basis, distortion of the facts and violation of the basic principles of the country's Labor Code.

The Labor Code states that "the work is not that which is described in writing, but that which is in fact carried out." The ruling also stated that "any agreement to the contrary entered into by the parties with the object of simulating something other than the facts, constitutes fraud to the labor code, whether through the appearance of non-labor contractual norms, imposition of people or any other means."

CAEI is a division of the Vicini Group, the largest business conglomerate in the DR.

12. United Brands introduces Coors
United Brands is the new distributor of Coors beer in the Dominican Republic. The beer is produced by Molson Coors Brewing Co. that is seeking to increase its market share of what is described as the largest beer market in the Caribbean. In the DR light beer is estimated to make up half of beer sales. As reported in Diario Libre, Jose Jimenez told Diario Libre that beer consumption in boxes of bottles of 12 ounces is around 50 million boxes in the DR. The imports sell around 400,000 boxes.

First to be introduced is Coors Light, as part of the company's ongoing global strategy. The beer is available in about 30 countries.

Retailers across the Dominican Republic will now carry Coors Light bottles and cans. All packages will feature mountains on the Cold Activated label that turns blue when Coors Light has been chilled to the perfect temperature for ice-cold refreshment.

United Brands also distributes Johnny Walker, Old Parr, Buchanan's Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Tequila Don Julio, Vat 69, Zacapa and Bailey's.

13. Franklin Leon called for fiscal equity
In his keynote address, "Competitiveness as the Foundation for Business Success: The Case of the Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana" at the American Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon meeting, the president of the Presidente beer brewery Franklin Leon called for fiscal equity so that companies may compete. He said that the DR is still a country where taxes are paid by a reduced number of companies. He said this affects their price structure and market yield, and has a direct impact on the capacity of companies to offer quality products abroad at competitive prices. He went on to say that the National Development Strategy has shown that the DR's competitive disadvantages are deficiencies in education, health, production and operational costs, and electricity problems. To this, he added lack of citizen safety, corruption and drug trafficking as negatives. He says all these impact the capacity of companies to compete and attract investments. He called for the public and private sectors to take actions to strengthen the country's competitive capacity.

Leon said there was a need for an emphasis on education, the labor force, macroeconomic stability and electricity service. He also called for the government to establish the rule of the law and fight corruption.

14. The real issues
In today's Diario Libre, economist Gustavo Volmar writes that the real economic issue is not the ratio between tax revenues and the GDP mentioned in the IMF statement on the 5th Stand by Arrangement review, but the ratio between public spending and GDP. "Given the composition of that spending, mainly wages, subsidies, promotion and other current expenditures, the real contribution to the increase in productivity and the strengthening of productive sectors is reduced," he explains.

He says that the more the government spends, the greater the gap between exports and imports and the greater the proportion of GDP made up by services. He writes that this makes the country more dependent on loans and foreign investment that have come stimulating sectors that pay low taxes. He says this situation is so pronounced that while the IMF in its review comments calls for more tax revenues, it backs the increase in the interest reference rate. He says this implies that the IMF thinks that the GDP is growing too fast and that the monetary policy needs to be more neutral.

15. 13 Drug Control agents sent to justice
The National Drug Control Department said it is sending 13 people to justice, including a lieutenant colonel and several captains for alleged ties to a drug network that sent cocaine to Canada. The suspects include members of the Specialized Airport Security Corps (CESA). They are accused along with employees of a ramp service company at the Puerto Plata Gregorio Luperon International Airport. The men were said to have helped Richard Francis and Severia Gibney to leave the country. Their luggage was found to be full of cocaine, but the agents let them leave for Toronto. The suitcase, which contained 33 kilograms of cocaine, had been checked in under the name of the couple's underage daughter. The agents were not able to explain to their superiors why they allowed the Canadians to leave on flight 3017 of Thomas Cook Jazz Air Line the evening of 17 March.

The Prosecutor General reported the irregularity to DNCD chief General Rolando Rosado Mateo who ordered an investigation into the case, starting with the arrest of the entire staff at the Puerto Plata Airport. The investigation was led by the director of internal affairs, Colonel Robert Abreu Pena, as reported in El Dia.

16. Tragic death of son of Navy chief
Alam Cabrera, the 17-year old son of chief of the Navy Vice Admiral Nicolas Cabrera is said to have committed suicide yesterday. El Dia says that around 9am he shot himself in the jaw and the bullet exited through his brain. His body was taken to the department of Pathology at 2pm. He was a baseball player. Diario Libre reports he had been receiving medical help for depression and had tried to take his own life on two previous occasions.

17. Where was Shakira?
Her fans began to fill the stadium at 3pm, to take the better places in the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium. But Shakira left her fans waiting and did not get onstage until after 11:10pm to a full house estimated at 50,000 persons. And it was a Wednesday. Shakira had arrived in the DR at 5pm on a private jet that had experienced a 3-hour delay.

The Shakira show opened at 6:10pm with performances by Hector Anibal and La Cuadra. Next came the rock group Bocatabu. El Dia says the crowds warmed up with the performance of Secreto. At 9pm, Pitbull took the stage with his band and the urban rock moved the crowds. Other acts onstage were Vladimir Dotel of Illegales, and Vicente Garcia. That show ended at 9:52pm, as reported in El Dia. It was criticized for vulgarity on stage. Shakira finally took the stage at 11:10pm. One of the highlights of the evening was when Dominican El Cata sang the very popular "Loca con su tiguere" song with Shakira. El Cata recorded three songs with Shakira on her new CD, Sale el Sol.

There were sound problems, giant screen problems, and the general opinion was that the Shakira show was too late, too little.

18. Agroalimentaria 2011
The Dominican Fiesta Hotel presents Agroalimentaria 2011, the leading Dominican farm and agribusiness trade event.

Food, tobacco and beverages and the agriculture industry gather for the leading food industry fair in the Caribbean.

This three-day event (7-9 April 2011), now in its third year, features all ranges of top organic and fresh food produce and many other agriculture related products. 250 leading Dominican and Caribbean manufacturers, distributers and more than 200 international buyers congregate in this exhibition.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. In compliance with IPACRD
The Presidency says the Fernandez administration and the ruling PLD party have fulfilled the government plan to fight corruption. In a government statement, the Fernandez administration says it has met 95% of commitments under the Anti-Corruption Initiative (IPAC).

The Presidency says that only 3 of the 95 activities that were scheduled over the 10 months of work has not been initiated.

www.ipacrd.com

http://www.presidencia.gob.do/app/do_2011/article.aspx?id=13622

2. Central Bank governor defends DR economic model
Central Bank Governor Hector Valdez Albizu defended the current economic model in the DR. In a speech at the commemoration of the 31st anniversary of the Santiago Central Bank office, Valdez disputed recent business sector statements that the model has run its course, that it is exclusionary and needs to be replaced.

Valdez says that what is needed is to execute actions aimed at reorienting, expanding, diversifying and improving the existing model. He said there is evidence that the present model has generated jobs, reduced poverty and inequality.

Valdez spoke of the rapid recovery of the Dominican economy post-crisis, how macro-economic stability has been maintained, inflation has been controlled and there is relative stability in the exchange rate and high economic growth above the Latin American average. He said this has been recognized by international organizations. He said that studies at the Central Bank indicate the exchange rate is adequate. He said the national workforce survey showed that between April 2004 and October 2010 some 589,003 new jobs were generated, despite adverse international conditions. He said unemployment has declined from 19.7% in October 2004 to 14.1% in October 2010.

He said the creation of informal jobs is typical in Latin America and the Caribbean. He said the informal jobs level of the DR at 56% is below Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Honduras and similar to levels in Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela. He estimated 700,000 Dominicans could no longer be categorized as poor over the same period.

3. Interest rate increase to adjust inflation
The Central Bank has announced an increase in the overnight annual interest rate from 6% to 6.25%, effective 1 April 2011. The Lombard Interest Rate remains at 9.5%. The Central Bank said the objective is to close the gap between the interest rates and control inflation.

The Central Bank reports that in February 2011, the monthly inflation rate was 1.20% and the inter-annual rate climbed to 7.29%, above the ceiling of 5-6% inflation established in the monetary program with the International Monetary Fund, under the Stand-by Arrangement.

4. Foreigners need to renew ID
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) is reminding foreign residents in the DR to regularize their status, as reported in Hoy. JCE president Roberto Rosario says that only 7% of the 40,042 with expired IDs (cedulas) have renewed their ID. The JCE has granted an amnesty on penalties and has given foreigners a grace period lasting until 30 April to renew paying only RD$1,000. Rosario said they would not be extending the deadline. Whoever fails to renew before the deadline may have to pay RD$500 for every year the ID has expired.

He said that the list of 40,042 foreigners includes some who have not renewed their ID for as much as 12 years. He said of the 3,165 foreigners who have gone to renew their ID, most are Haitians, Chinese, US, Spaniards and Colombians. He said that of 6,125 US citizens with expired document, only 374 have gone to renew it. Of the 4,388 Haitians, 426 have renewed. Of the Spaniards with expired documents of 3,024, 342 have renewed.

5. Constitutional coup?
Lawyer Jose Marte Piantini alerts to the argument defended by the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, Abel Martinez and Pared Perez that President Leonel Fernandez vetoed the Organic Bill of the National Council of the Magistracy according to Art. 102. Martinez and Pared Perez argued that the article allows the approval by simple majority of an organic bill objected by the President.

"Where is the problem? The President, when he vetoed the bill, modified the intention of the legislator, and then, the approval in the Chamber of Deputies should have been in virtue of what is established in Art. 112 of the Constitution that says that to modify an Organic Bill the favorable vote of two-thirds of those present in both houses is necessary," he writes.

In his opinion, the way the Chamber of Deputies approved the bill, with a simple majority, should be declared in violation of the Constitution.

He says a negative precedent is being set. "This precedent takes us to a constitutional coup that could lead to the disappearance of constitutional laws. The Executive Branch when not in agreement with a law would just have to let Congress approve it, and then the President would observe it. The bill would return to Congress and then Congress would approve the bill as if it were an ordinary bill with a simple majority."

The 2010 Constitution establishes the category of organic bills, those that are created by the Constitution itself, differentiating them from ordinary laws that can be approved with a simple majority in Congress.

www.blogs.elcaribe.com.do/articulistas/articulista-invitado/7956-constitucion-versus-inconstitucionalidad.html

www.hoy.com.do/opiniones/2011/3/31/369291/Leyes-organicas-observaciones-y-manipulacion-constitucional

6. Adocco acts against corruption
The Dominican Alliance Against Corruption (Adocco) and the civic movement "Toy Jarto" (I'm Fed Up") have submitted a request to the Chamber of Deputies calling for senator and former president of the Dominican Municipal League, Amable Aristy Castro to be put on political trial for alleged irregularities. They base their request on an audit by the Chamber of Accounts in 2006. The findings of the audit were again revealed on the Alicia Ortega TV program.

Upon delivering the request, Julio Cesar de la Rosa Tiburcio, director of Adocco, and Elizabeth Mateo, spokesperson for Toy Jarto, expressed hopes that the Chamber of Deputies would appoint a commission next week to study the accusations that could lead to a political case against Aristy Castro in the Senate.

Writing in Hoy today, news commentator Jose Baez Guerrero calls for an end to "so much niceties." He calls for justice to act. The audit revealed a sampling of what could have been occurring throughout Aristy Castro's 12 years at the helm of the Dominican Municipal League that manages funds for city governments nationwide. He said that the figures for one year showed that Aristy Castro had funneled RD$116 million of the LMD funds for personal expenditures. The Chamber of Accounts revealed that the LMD spent RD$317,808.22 a day on average (including Saturdays and Sundays) on Aristy's personal expenses.

http://www.noticiassin.com/2011/03/amable-aristy-castro-gasto-en-liga-municipal-rd84-mm-en-donaciones-a-beneficiarios-inexistentes-reinician-proceso-judicial-por-masacre-en-la-catela-a-favor-de-policias-sentenciados/

7. Every day more luxury vehicles in DR
A report in Listin Diario reveals that the number of luxury brand vehicles on DR roads is on a steady increase. According to statistics from the DGII, as of December 2010 there were 514 Porsches, 663 Jaguars, 10,778 Mercedes Benzes, 6,691 BMWs and more than 252,000 SUVs. The number of SUVs is up 23,259 compared to the total in 2009, about a 10% increase. Of the SUVs, 51.05% are registered in the National District, and 13.58% in the province of Santo Domingo. 10.09% are registered in Santiago.

Other luxury brands circulating in the DR are Lincoln Mercury, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Rover, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Buick, Cadillac, Rolls Royce and Lexus.

There are 2,734,740 vehicles in circulation in the DR, according to the DGII. Of these 49.5% are motorcycles and 24.2% are cars.

Most of the vehicles are located in the National District, the Province of Santo Domingo and Santiago. 62% of the vehicles are registered in the Greater Santo Domingo area, reports the newspaper.

8. Soladek alert
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a consumer warning against a very popular local over-the-counter pharmaceutical product, Soladek. Soladek is manufactured by Indo Pharma, an Indian company.

For years, Dominicans have taken the vitamin solution as an immune-system booster. The FDA now says there is the risk of serious health problems because it contains dangerously high levels of vitamins A and D.

Soladek is marketed with claims that the product treats "hypo and avitaminosis, rickets, growth, dentition, lactation, fractures, infection, convalescence, protection and regeneration of certain epithelium (bronchial, glandular, ocular, cutaneous), corticotherapy, aging and pregnancy."

The FDA says it has received seven reports of serious health problems occurring in consumers using the product. The problems include decreased renal function, elevated levels of calcium in the blood, fatigue, heart arrhythmia, vomiting, and diarrhea. Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity include weakness, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in mental status, increased blood pressure, abnormal heart rate or rhythm, kidney damage and coma.

Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include anemia, anorexia, alopecia, joint pain, bone weakness, bulging eyes, liver abnormalities and birth defects.

Soladek cannot currently be marketed legally in the United States because US law prohibits the sale of products claiming to treat disease conditions without review and approval by the FDA. The FDA issued the warning because it has information that Soladek may be available illegally in the country.

Hoy reports that the National Commission for the Removal and Restriction of Pharmaceuticals would be meeting to determine what action needed to be taken. Meanwhile, J. Gasso Gasso, the distributors of the vitamin, also met with the Ministry.

www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm248588.htm?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d93a81af925308c%2C0

9. Cesar Perales is new NY Secretary of State
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the nomination of Cesar A. Perales for the Secretary of State of New York. The son of a Puerto Rican father and a Dominican mother, Cesar Augusto Perales grew up in New York City, and is known for his outstanding career as a civil rights lawyer. He will also serve as a senior advisor for policy to the Governor.

"Cesar Perales has devoted his life to public service," Governor Cuomo said. "He is one of our most distinguished New Yorkers and will be an exceptional Secretary of State. I look forward to working with Cesar in making New York stronger and restoring dignity and honor to our state government," said Cuomo upon making the announcement.

He will head the Department of State that provides a variety of services to citizens, community organizations, businesses and local governments. With over 17 divisions, the Department is one of the state's most diverse agencies, and the broad nature of the Department's work has an impact on all New Yorkers.

www.governor.ny.gov/press/033111nominationcesar

10. Crackdown on real estate fraud network in Higuey
A network of lawyers, notaries public and former employees of the property registry in the municipality of Higuey, La Altagracia has been dismantled, announced the Prosecutor General of the Republic and the National Property Title Registrar, as reported in El Caribe.

Santiago Brito Guzman, Eulogia Margarita Melo and Remberto Jose Duran Cabrera were named as members of the network. The case says that Guzman Brito posed as Felix Gil Morales (someone who had died in 1994) to sell property in La Altagracia.

The investigations into fraudulent property operations in La Altagracia were headed by adjunct prosecutor general Bolivar Sanchz Beloz and the title registrar of Higuey, Pablo Miguel Pena Caraballo.

11. Electricity fraud at Bella Vista Mall?
Moises Ferrer, assistant prosecutor for the electricity system, has accused Bella Vista Mall of electricity fraud. Edesur is presenting a case against the Sarasota Avenue mall in Santo Domingo for unpaid electricity bills totaling RD$48 million. Ferrer said that electricity fraud is the most common crime committed in the DR.

12. 157 kilos of cocaine found in Samana
The National Drug Control Department, working with the Navy and the Air Force has confiscated 157 packages of cocaine stored in a boat docked in the port of Samana. Rey Urena, Ivan Miguel Tineo Paulino and Luis Alvarez were arrested in connection with the case. The DNCD says that one man, Alfredo Perez Henriquez, was able to get away. The drugs were discovered in the Capricho boat, registration FL-551DP. The confiscation of the drugs took place in the presence of Samana prosecutor Juan Medina. Units of the Navy and the Super Tucanos of the Air Force were used in the operation to uncover the traffickers. The DNCD says the case is under investigation to arrest other accomplices, as reported in El Caribe.

13. Dance Dance
To commemorate the Month of Dance, the Ministry of Culture is sponsoring an evening with the performances by the leading folkloric, contemporary and classical dancers of the Dominican Republic at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Saturday, 2 April at 8pm. Xenia Rodriguez, Isadora Bruno, Alfa Rodriguez, Zenaida Terrero and Chiqui Hadad will be honored during the event.

14. In honor of Thelonious Monk
The New Traditions Quartet (Jacob Alonso, Esar Simo, Gustavo Rodriguez and Isaac Hernandez) will be paying tribute to pianist and composer extraordinaire Thelonious Monk during the Sunset Jazz evening at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel of Av. Anacaona 101, Mirador del Sur. The show begins at 6:30pm and getting there early is essential to find seating room. Free admission.

15. Thimo Pimentel and the 1965 Civil War
The Museum of Dominican Man is inviting the public to attend Identify! Identify! n a photography exhibition by Thimo Pimentel. The exhibition features photographs taken during the 1965 Civil War. The opening takes place on Friday, 1 April at 7:30pm. The exhibition will be open until Monday, 9 May.

16. Mega concert pro education
"Yellow Voices for a Dignified Education" is a free concert being organized by the Coalition for Dignified Education on Sunday, 3 April at the Plaza de Espana as of 4pm. Those attending should wear a yellow shirt or attire or purchase one at site or from the Coalition for Dignified Education (http://educaciondigna.com)

More than 50 artists and musicians have agreed to perform at the event that seeks to motivate the Fernandez administration to allocate more funds for education. The campaign comes from the legal disposition that orders the government to dedicate 4% of GDP to education in the National Budget. At present, the Fernandez administration dedicates 1.98% of GDP to education.

Some of the acts on stage include: El Cata, Techy Fatule, Huellas Invisibles, Vicente Garcia, Xiomara Fortuna, Bocatabu, Janio Lora, Cerobit, Pablo Cavalo, Tribu del Sol, Marte o Venus, Giordano Morel, Circuito Negro, Pochy Familia and Los Hermanos Rosario, Big Trueno, Las Acevedo, Roldan. MCs for the afternoon and evening include: Milagros German, Sergio Carlo, Karina Larrauri, Mauvi Espinosa, Bolivar Valera, Zenny Leyva, Albert Mena, Mariel Guerrero, Brenda Sanchez, Francisco Vasquez, Tania Baez, Yolanda Martinez, Roberto Cavada, Luz Garcia, Enrique Quely, Rene Castillo, Miralba Ruiz, Mario Peguero, Bolivar Soto, Pamela Sued, Ico Abreu, Kenny Grullon, Raymond Pozo, Miguel Cespedes. This is a production by Homero Guerrero, Ernesto Alemany, Tuto Guerrero, Ivette Nouel and Jacobo del Rosario.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Centro Commercial Galeria 360

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

Juan Luis Guerra
http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/107593-juan_luis_guerra_617_409.jpg

http://www.juanluisguerra.com/

Juan Luis Guerra (born June 7, 1957) is a Dominican singer, songwriter, and self-producer who has sold over 30 million records, and won numerous awards including 15 Latin Grammy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Latin Billboard Music Awards. He recently won 3 Latin Grammy Awards in 2010, including Album of the Year.

He is one of the most internationally recognized Dominican artists in decades past. His pop style of merengue and bolero and Afro-pop/Latin fusion have garnered him considerable success outside the Dominican Republic. Juan Luis Guerra is sometimes associated with the popular Dominican music called bachata, and while this association is partially true, he actually uses the basics of Bachata rhythm with a more bolero feel to the melodies in some of his songs.[1] He does not limit himself to one style of music, instead, he incorporates diverse rhythms like merengue, bolero-bachata, balada, salsa, rock and roll, and even gospel as in the song "La Gallera". "Ojalá Que Llueva Café" ("I Wish That It Rains Coffee") is one of his most critically acclaimed self-written and composed pieces. A remix of "La llave de mi corazón" ("The key to my heart") with Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas is also an example of his fusing of different genres.


Born Juan Luis Guerra Seijas in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, he is the son of Olga Seijas and Gilberto Guerra, a basketball player. Before he committed to music, Guerra studied philosophy and literature at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo. He then studied guitar and music theory at El Conservatorio Nacional de Música de Santo Domingo, then decided to go to the United States to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. He graduated from Berklee in 1982 with a diploma in jazz composition.[2] After his return to the Dominican Republic, he released his first album, Soplando (1984) with a group of local musicians that subsequently became known as Juan Luis Guerra y 440. The group members were Maridalia Hernández, Roger Zayas-Bazán, and Mariela Mercado. The band's name in Spanish is officially publicized as Cuatro Cuarenta (Four Forty), a shortening of the normally strict reading of number "four hundred forty". The 440 part of the band's name refers to the standard tuning of A440. Reportedly the name for the band came from a practice session where Juan Luis's brother suggested the name because the name would reflect how "in-tune and precise they were".[citation needed] According to Guerra, this first album was based on jazz tunes and concepts he had learned at Berklee, and it "wasn't intended to be a commercial hit." Subsequently, however, he began to write more merengues.

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/101309_juan_luis_guerra.jpg

Two albums followed, Mudanza y Acarreo and Mientras Más Lo Pienso...Tú. The band garnered some fame in their country, and were nominated to attend the Festival of OTI (Organization of Iberoamerican Television) to represent the Dominican Republic.
Their next album, in 1989, brought them international fame. Ojalá Que Llueva Café, a slow melodic number with superfast background tracks, became a number one hit in many Latin American countries, with the hit song of the same name. Subsequently, a video of the hit song was filmed and Juan Luis Guerra and his 440 band began touring. (The song's fame was revived in 1996 and 2008 with covers by Café Tacuba and Rosario Flores respectively).

In 1990, they released their next album, Bachata Rosa, which became a major hit and earned him his first Grammy award. The album, having sold more than five million copies at that time, allowed Guerra to keep touring Latin America, USA and Europe. This album contains memorable love songs such as "Burbujas de Amor" (Bubbles of Love), "Bachata Rosa", "Rosalia", "Como Abeja al Panal" (Like a Bee to the Beehive), "A Pedir Su Mano" (Asking For Her Hand), "Carta de Amor" (Love Letter), and "Estrellitas y Duendes" (Little stars and elves).

Guerra became a controversial figure in 1992 after he released his next album, Areíto (which is a Taíno word for song and dance). It featured the hit single "El costo de la vida", (The Cost of Living), whose video clearly has an anti-capitalist message. Other songs included in this album protest against the poor conditions in many Latin American countries, the celebration of the 'discovery' of the Americas ("1492"), and the double standards of first-world nations. "El costo de la vida" was his first number-one hit in the Hot Latin Tracks. Guerra became the first performer of tropical music to achieve this feat.

In his next album, Fogaraté (1995), he stayed away from recording any protest songs. This album is particularly centered in the more rural and lesser known types of Dominican music, like the Perico Ripiao.

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/juanluis1.jpg

Guerra's 1998 release Ni Es Lo Mismo Ni Es Igual (Neither The Same Nor Equal) garnered much critical acclaim, winning three Latin Grammys in 2000 for Best Merengue Performance, Best Tropical Song, and Best Engineered Album. Its hits include "Mi PC" (My PC), "Palomita Blanca" (Little White Dove), and "El Niágara en Bicicleta" (The Niagara By Bicycle).


Juan Luis Guerra in concert in Madrid, Spain, during the Para tí tour. July 2005. In 2003, Guerra released his first new album in six years. Entitled "Para Ti" (For you), the album's songs are mostly religious in nature, reflecting Guerra's fervent Christianity. With this album the singer won two awards at the 2005 Billboards, in the categories of Gospel-Pop and Tropical-Merengue, for the hit single Las Avispas (The wasps), the first time ever that one song has won these two categories at the same time. Other hits included "Para Ti" and "Soldado" (Soldier). At the same time, Guerra was honored with the Latino Special Award for the Music Academy of Spain for his contributions to the music of his country and the Caribbean in the last 20 years.

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In January 2006, Juan Luis performed at Berklee's 60th anniversary along with other artists such as Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, Michael Camilo and Chiara Civello. That same year, he recorded with Diego Torres in "Abriendo Caminos" (Opening roads) and with Maná in "Bendita Tu Luz" (Blessed your light).

Notably, Juan Luis Guerra was part of the highest grossing music tour of all time, as he was the opening act for The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour at their San Juan, Puerto Rico show in February, 2006.

He was also invited by Sting to sing with him at a concert at Altos de Chavón, La Romana in the Dominican Republic in 2006. At the Premio Lo Nuestro awards in 2007, he was given the honorary lifetime achievement award. He also performed the lead single of his new album, "La Llave De Mi Corazón", released in March 2007.

"La llave de mi corazón" reached number one on the Billboard charts for four consecutive weeks, and was the #1 selling album in Colombia while climbing the charts in other countries[citation needed]. Guerra won more than 20 awards with this CD, including 5 Latin Grammy Awards, 6 Premios Casandra awards, 4 billboard Awards, 2 lo nuestro, and one Grammy Award.

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On April 6, 2006, Juan Luis Guerra was honored as a BMI Icon at the 13th annual BMI Latin Awards. Named BMI's 1995 Latin Songwriter of the Year, Guerra's songwriting has garnered 14 BMI Latin Awards.

Juan Luis Guerra was honored at the Latin Grammy Awards in 2007 with 5 awards, sweeping each category he was nominated in: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Tropical Song & Best Merengue Album. The engineers of the album, Allan Leschhorn, Luis Mansilla, Ronnie Torres, and Adam Ayan were awarded Best Engineered album. One night prior to the Latin Grammy Awards he received the Academy's Person of the Year Award for his contribution to Latin music and for his philanthropy.

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/JuanLuisGuerraLatinGrammies.jpg

On March 10, 2008, Juan Luis was honored with 6 awards in los Premios Casandra, the most important award event in the Dominican Republic. He won for Orchestrator of the year, Outstanding artist abroad, Music album of the year for "La Llave de mi Corazón" and "El Soberano" (The Sovereign), the most important award of the night.
On March 16, 2008 He and other artists participated in the Paz Sin Fronteras concert raised by Juanes, because of the conflict in recent days between Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador.

On April 11, 2008 Juan Luis Guerra was the Billboard Latin awards big winner, with 7 nominations and 3 awards.

On September 15, 2008 Guerra was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace "in recognition of his efforts for the benefit of children with disabilities and children in need."

On May 9, 2009, Guerra was awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Berklee College of Music at its commencement ceremony.

2010 Juan Luis Guerra was featured in Enrique Iglesias' Spanish single, Cuando Me Enamoro, and appeared with Iglesias in the music video. The single has currently spent 17 non-consecutive weeks at #1, the longest tenure at the peak position for both artists. In addition, the single was a self-replacement at #1 for Guerra as it replaced his own single Bachata En Fukuoka from his album A Son de Guerra.

Guerra has recorded several songs in English, like "July 19th" on his Fogaraté release (1995), and more recently "Medicine for My Soul" and "Something Good" with Italian singer Chiara Chivello. Some of his songs have verses in both English and Spanish such as "Woman del Callao", "Guavaberry", "Señorita" and more recently "La Llave de Mi Corazón". Album Areíto featured two songs, cover-title song "Areíto" and "Naboria daca, mayanimacaná" which are sung in the Arawak language of the extinct Taino natives of Hispaniola. Juan Luis Guerra also recorded the album "Bachata Rosa" in Portuguese. He uses Japanese words in Bachata en Fukuoka (Bachata in Fukuoka).

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/juan-luis-guerra.jpg

Being a native Dominican, his music is heavily influenced by native Caribbean rhythms, such as merengue and bachata. His lyrics are often charged with intentionally simple, heavily metaphorical, erotic, or popular expressions, such as "Burbujas de Amor" (Bubbles Of Love) or "El Niágara en Bicicleta" (Niagara on Bicycle), an idiom for something difficult to do.

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/JuanLuisGuerra54.jpg

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1. Breakfast snacks back at public schools
The Ministry of Education has announced the full resumption of their distribution of 1.5 rations of breakfast snacks at public schools nationwide. Distribution had been interrupted and gradually resumed after a series of food poisoning cases. Education

Minister Josefina Pimentel said that the snacks would be served at 5,052 public schools until the end of the current school year on 17 June. The school breakfast distribution, which costs RD$991.52 million, is conducted by the School Food Program (PAE). The Ministry of Education was supported by the United Nations Development Program that has helped with coordinating the quality and safety of production and delivery of the food products.

2. Exports up
Exports in the first two months of the year were up 7%, reports the Center for Export and Investment (CEI-RD). The US is the leading market for Dominican exports, followed by Haiti. Next source markets are Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Spain, China, Honduras, Germany, South Korea, Jamaica, Italy, Trinidad & Tobago and Mexico. Main exports were blood transfusion apparatus, cotton apparel, hand made cigars, disposable medical products, raw sugar, steel rods, pajamas, sheets, rum, medical sutures, gray cement, footwear, flour, cocoa beans, fresh bananas, iron and steel scraps, avocados, and blood pressure apparatus.

Traditional export products (sugar and by-products, green coffee, tobacco and raw cacao) increased 26%, going from total exports of US$45.89 million in Jan-Feb 2010 to US$55.46 million this year.

3. Association of justices
The Dominican Republic now has an association of judges. The new Association of Dominican Judges for Democracy (JUDEMO) groups judges serving as peace justices, first instance court justices, and court judges. It states its objective is to oversee the strengthening of the Judicial Branch, as well as the fulfillment of the law that regulates the careers of judges and their professional membership.

The first president of the new entity is first instance appeals court justice of the National District, Katia Miguelina Jimenez. She said they will be active in monitoring the transparency of the acts of the National Council of Judicial Power and will work for the interests of the judges.

Other members of the first board are Rosalba Garib Holguin, Daniel Julio Nolasco, Elka Reyes Olivo, Fernando Fernandez, Eduardo Sanchez Ortiz, Daneira Garcia, Vladimir Rosario and Rene del Rosario.

Jimenez said that "curiously" of the 20 Latin American countries, only the DR, Cuba and Haiti did not have associations of judges.

4. Privileged Edesur client, Euclides Gutierrez
On Saturday's edition of her investigative TV program, journalist Nuria Piera told the story of PLD politician Euclides Gutierrez who owes RD$3.6 million in past electricity consumption bills to EdeSur, but the company has not disconnected his service, despite a four-year dispute. Gutierrez, who holds the post of Superintendent of Insurance in the Fernandez administration, is demanding RD$2.5 million compensation for diesel purchases and maintenance expenses for his 20, 30 and 50kw power plants, as he explained in a letter to Nuria Piera.

On her program, Nuria Piera doubts a legal case is in process. She said that the legal appeal was addressed to Edesur and not to Protecom and it has not moved from what would be the first level of claim.

She reported that Protecom has resolved 121,700 cases, but has yet to receive any appeal from Gutierrez.

The Gutierrez claim is based on Art. 93 in the Electricity Law 125-01 that establishes that power distribution companies need to compensate final users for electricity not served. "If all users that receive blackouts made this claim, then Edesur would have to be closed," said Piera. Gutierrez placed his claim on 14 December 2006 complaining about blackouts.

Piera pointed out that Gutierrez Felix is receiving privileged treatment from Edesur. "Any other user who does not pay for the service will be cut off, but not this one," she said. She presented the case of a neighbor of Gutierrez whose service was disconnected the day after he did not pay for the service.

On her show, Piera highlighted: "Gutierrez Felix continues to receive regular service, and his meter No. 4106545 shows a last reading RD$33,852.25 and accumulated debt of RD$3,606,999.99 but they do not cut off his service," said Piera.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj6b7N2n0HI

5. Soladek in the spotlight
The Ministry of Public Health has yet to issue a verdict on a health alert issued by the US Federal Drug Administration involving Soladek, an Indian brand vitamin manufactured by Indo-Pharma.

Juan Gasso Gasso, S.A., the company that imports Soladek announced that the Ministry of Public Health was investigating the FDA claim of reports of health problems related to Soladek, the popular vitamin A and D immune-booster. The vitamin is not authorized to enter into the US but the FDA had reports it was being taken there.

Gasso Gasso said that the Ministry of Public Health investigation would take time. He announced that it would refund clients for any closed boxes of Soladek. "We have taken these actions because we understand that it is the response that a society and a market that have always preferred Soladek, a product that has been marketed for half a century and has all the health certifications in the Dominican Republic."

6. 35 or 400 street monitoring cameras?
Local press carries the story of a dismissed police lieutenant colonel who says he was fired for telling the truth. Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Tulio Victoria Fontana, who was in charge of the Police Control Center was dismissed on the grounds that he had been irregularly admitted into the Air Force in 2001 despite being dismissed from the Army after being sent to court for a shipment of drugs in 1992. He presented a Supreme Court of Justice order for his release after three years in jail for supposed complicity in the trafficking of 399 kilos of cocaine. Victoria says he was fired after challenging the Police claim that it had installed 400 TV monitoring cameras, when only 35 had been installed. He said he himself brought the 35 cameras and has yet to be paid for the transport. The cameras were donated by Spain.

7. Protest for violation of the law
Representatives of the Herrera Industries Association and the Federation of Industrial Associations (FAI) have criticized the way that despite the law establishing that tax exemptions will be granted by the Department of Taxes (DGII) and the Department of Customs (DGA), in Decree 162-11 the government has granted the Ministry of Hacienda the prerogative to decide on these exemptions. That is, the Ministry will have discretionary powers on deciding who gets what, despite the exemptions being established by law.

Wadi Cano Acra of Herrera and Ignacio Mendez of FAI criticized the new discretionality in government that is placed above the law, as reported in El Caribe. The new decree was issued on 15 March 2011 and violates the Competitiveness and Industrial Innovation Law 392-07.

"We fear that this decree, which changes the rules for incentives to industry, including apparel and footwear, affects manufacturing but also tourism, will open doors to favoritism, delays in the processes, unfair competition and loss of confidence in judicial security," the business groups say in a written document.

"One thing is to analyze the cost/benefit for a country from the incentives in place to stimulate industrial innovation, as demanded by the International Monetary Fund, and another is to make the government red tape more cumbersome by creating additional procedures," they complain. They backed statements by Franklin Leon, president of the Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana (CND) who in a talk to the American Chamber of Commerce called for consolidating institutions and juridical security for stimulating competitiveness, as reported in El Caribe.

8. DNCD picks up more drugs at airports
The pace of drug confiscations at leading Dominican airports has picked up since 23 March when a clandestine cargo of 33.3 kilos of cocaine was detected in a suitcase belonging to a passenger headed for Toronto, Canada at the Puerto Plata International airport. As reported in Listin Diario, antidrug forces have uncovered a shipment on average every two days.

The newspaper reports that last Friday, agents at Punta Cana International arrested Mercedes Mendez Cuevas, a 22-year old Dominican who also held Spanish nationality, prior to her boarding a plane carrying 14 kilos of cocaine in a suitcase.

At Las Americas International Airport the authorities confiscated 12 packages of cocaine weighing 14 kilograms that had abandoned inside a handbag that was left on a ramp. Earlier, at Las Americas, the DNCD reported the arrest of Spaniard Leon Bernal with two kilos of cocaine in the soles of four pairs of tennis shoes. Swiss citizen Andreina Maria Berri Salim, 52, was arrested with 330 grams of cocaine in her vagina, and Spaniard Juan Carlos Sanfiel Medina, 44, was arrested with half a kilo of cocaine sewn into his pants. Also, Italian Guiseppa Fiorella Bellavia was arrested when attempting to fly to Brussels from Puerto Plata with 3 kilos of cocaine in a suitcase. Last week a man was arrested at Las Americas with 7.8 kilos of cocaine appended to his body. Other arrests involved two Peruvians, three other Spaniards, a Swedish citizen and three Dominicans who had intended to travel to France and Germany.

As reported, PUJ is the terminal where most Spaniards have been arrested for attempting to travel to Europe with drugs.

Arrests of travelers from the DR at their destination airports are also up, especially in Barajas (Madrid), and at airports in Brussels and Germany. There are also reports of arrests in Boston, Newark, New York and Philadelphia involving passengers arriving with drugs from the DR.

The head of the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) says that arrests are due to improved intelligence and controls by the Airport Security Crops and other intelligence organizations. He said this does not mean that drug smuggling has increased, but that controls have been improved.

El Caribe reports that only last night, agents uncovered a haul of more than 3 kilos of cocaine destined for New York. Gladimir Cabrera Pujols, 26, was arrested when the cocaine was discovered in her luggage prior to traveling to New York from Santiago's Cibao International airport.

9. Successful 4% concert
Demands were made for the government to build 10,000 new classrooms, repair another 12,000 and appoint 58,000 public school teachers. The Coalition for Dignified Education held a successful concert with attendance of thousands at the Plaza de Espana on Sunday. Yellow Voices for Education attracted a mainly young audience that called on the government to fulfill Education Law 66-97, which obliges the government to allocate 4% of GDP for education.

Father Mario Serrano, speaking at the event, said the thousands that attended were sending a clear message that the Dominican people want, need and demand better education. The crowds remained despite the rains that fell.

Writing in today's Hoy newspaper, commentator Hamlet Hermann describes what he reads into the success of the concert, contrasting it with what he describes as "rampant illegalities" in the Fernandez administration. "Both the defenders of extreme illegality and the members of the yellow movement believe that they have the capacity to prevail. And from that collision course, the only thing that can emerge is dangerous historical circumstance," he writes.

He says only a real change in attitude of those who insist on violating the Constitution can resolve the clash. "It is not that the yellow mobilization will be the final battle, but all seems to indicate it could be the start of the end of a style of government that indulges in illegality seeking to eternalize their stay in power."

10. Patrols strengthened in Montecristi
The Navy reports the arrest of five Haitians and the confiscation of 200 lbs of small fish that had been caught using unsustainable fishing methods. Two boats were seized for the illegal fishing operation in coastal waters off Manzanillo. The illegal fishermen were arrested off Cayos 7 Hermanos at Punta Presidente area. The arrested Haitians were turned in to the Department of Migration personnel, and the boats and fishing nets were kept by the Navy Base at Manzanillo.

Navy chief Nicolas Cabrera Arias has ordered increased monitoring and control of coastal waters to reduce illegal and indiscriminate fishing, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment.

The Navy also seeks to reduce illegal boat trips to Puerto Rico and other illegal activities at sea.

11. Whisky Extravaganza
The British Embassy and the British Chamber of Commerce in the DR are sponsoring their annual Whisky Extravaganza, an evening for tasting the best whiskies at Santo Domingo's Hilton Hotel from 6-7 April at 6pm. The cost is RD$2,250 per person. The Whisky Extravaganza will feature brands like Chivas Regal, Dewar's, Johnnie Walker, Aberfeldy, Buchanan's and The Glenlivet. For more information, call 809 616-2335.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Credit card charges in the DR
The Superintendent of Banks, Haivanjoe NG Cortinas, has published online the interest rate, the renewal charges, the interest charged for late payments, the commissions charged for overdrafts and cash advances, and replacement that financial institutions and companies issue for their clients.

The comparative report shows that in the standard category, the most expensive bank cards in regards to annual bank interest rate on credit are those of Banco Leon (104.4%), Promerica (100.8%), Popular (90%), BanReservas (84%), BHD (84%), Progreso (84%) and Scotiabank (82.2%). Lesser known banks charge less. The better rates on credit cards are those issued for company brands.

Ng Cortinas says the publication on the Internet is part of the Superintendent's institutional strengthening program in this Year of Transparency as proclaimed by President Fernandez.

The information is intended to help bank customers to pick and choose their credit cards with more knowledge. The Superintendence says the information will be updated on a weekly basis.

The comparative report, nevertheless, does not include all the credit cards. For instance, in many cases the premium credit cards for several banks are not listed.

The ProConsumer Department had been lobbying for banks to be transparent so that consumers could decide which credit to use. The banks traditionally have referred to the monthly interest rate in their promotions.

www.sb.gob.do/pdf/tasas-y-comisiones-de-tarjetas-de-credito.pdf

2. Nunez de Caceres underpass to open today
A sure traffic tie-up is in store for anyone who uses the 27 de Febrero Avenue this afternoon. The Ministry of Public Works (MOPC) and the Duarte Corridor Consortium will be inaugurating the underpass at the intersection of 27 of February and Nunez de Caceres during a ceremony headed by President Leonel Fernandez.

The project is the first to be completed of three under/over passes being built by Odebrecht, a Brazilian firm, and the Dominican Estrella group. It is the fifth job to be completed along the Duarte Corridor.

After this inauguration, set for 5pm, the companies still have to complete the tunnel at the intersection of Ortega y Gasset and 27 de Febrero, which is scheduled for completion in May, and the overpass at the intersection of Carmen Mendoza and Dr. Defillo.

At the same time, within a few weeks Odebrecht will be handing over the park at the Jardines del Norte that has been has refurbished by the company, which is nearly finished.

The inauguration of the underpass on Nunez de Caceres will free up westbound traffic from the Nunez de Caceres Avenue.

However work around Carmen Mendoza Street continues, and this reduces the traffic flow towards the city center from Nunez de Caceres by about 50%.

The Duarte Corridor is being built at a cost of around US$200 million, financed with Brazilian credit.

Within the group of projects, the tunnel from Ortega y Gasset, which will connect 27 of February and Jose Contreras avenues, is not included. This 1.2 kilometer tunnel will have an average depth of 25 meters (82 feet).

The underpass tunnel at Nunez de Caceres joins the overpass at John F. Kennedy and Nunez de Caceres, which was inaugurated last 13 August, the overpass at 27 de Febrero and Ortega y Gasset, opened last 22 September, the overpass on John F. Kennedy with Dr. Defillo which was opened last 19 November and the overpass on Ave. Charles De Gaulle, which was inaugurated on 24 March.

The Duarte Corridor will be completed when the overpasses of the Duarte Highway at the intersections of Manoguayabo Highway and Monumental Avenue are completed. These two projects were just recently begun and according to MOPC estimates they should be finished for delivery at the beginning of 2012.

For the inauguration of the project MOPC has announced the closure of 27 de Febrero between the streets surrounding Nunez de Caceres beginning at 3pm. Vehicles will be diverted to side streets such as Francisco Prats Ramirez, Luis F. Thomen, National Theater, Camila Henriquez Urena, Jose Tapia Brea, Dr. Fernando Defillo and Miguel Angel Monclus.

3. A follow up on breakfast snacks
The school breakfast arrived early and complete to the schools in Greater Santo Domingo and, according to authorities, in the rest of the country. Bread and orange juice were served to the children early, since school directors were instructed to distribute the snacks early to prevent the juice from heating up and causing spoilage that might affect the students. The ingredients of the snacks were delivered in good shape, according to Segundina Vallejo, principal of the Fidel Ferrer School in the La Fe sector, where they serve 531 rations in the morning and 395 in the afternoon.

At the Republic of Aruba School, in Cristo Rey, the food also arrived on time and complete, according to the principal, Dora Reynoso. During a tour of several schools, Diario Libre reporters were able to see that the school breakfast had arrived on time. The program of school breakfasts was suspended some two months ago after reports of several cases of food poisoning.

4. Another 4% demonstration
Holding up yellow umbrellas and wearing yellow caps, and chanting the slogan "4% for Education", the Coalition for a Decent Education returned to the esplanade of the government office buildings on Av. Mexico, across the street from the Presidential Palace. According to El Nuevo Diario they are calling the place "4% Plaza". The members of the coalition say that they will keep up the fight until the administration complies with the law that obliges 4% of the budget to be dedicated to education. More than 200 civil society groups have joined the coalition.

On Sunday thousands of Dominicans attended the "Yellow Voices for 4% for a Decent Education" concert that was held in the Plaza Espana. Dozens of radio and television commentators also supported the concert.

Hoy reports that Oprah Winfrey sent her support via Twitter for the 4% concert for more funds for education in the DR. Others backing the effort on Twitter were Juanes from Colombia and Alejandro Sanz from Spain. Juan Luis Guerra called fellow artists to join the effort.

Victor Victor, head of Culture during a former Fernandez administration, called for the concert, Yellow Voices, to be taken to several provinces with the same format.

The initiative calls for 4% of GDP for education, as is law, or 16% of the National Budget to be assigned to public education in the DR.

5. New migration law calls for expulsion
A legislative proposal from the Ministry of the Interior and the Police, General Migration Law # 285-05, was recently sent to the National Council on Migration for their opinions and comments. The new law calls for a National Plan of Registration and Normalization of Foreigners. Furthermore, any foreigner who has resided in the country for more than 10 years will have the right to opt for permanent residency and will be given an identity document valid for four years.

On the other hand, any undocumented people arriving in the country after the promulgation of the new Constitution will be expelled from the national territory, with proper respect for their human rights.

Listin Diario obtained a copy of the document that emphasizes the execution of the National Plan for the Normalization and Registration of all Foreigners Settled in the country.

Roberto Rosario, the head of the Central Electoral Board outlined these plans at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, D.C. last week.

The regulations establish that all foreigners will be provided with an identification document that gives their immigration status.

Foreigners with less than five years of residence will be considered non-residents, transients, and they will be given a document to that effect.

6. Blackouts back
With the stifling heat of recent days, citizens in some sectors in Santo Domingo and other parts of the country have begun to report prolonged blackouts, affecting business, industry and public morale.

According to the Superintendent of Electricity, there was an 18% generation deficit, with a supply of just 1535 MW for a demand of 1875. El Caribe reports these numbers mean little to people accustomed to the cry of "the lights are out!"

According to the State Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) the situation is caused by shutdown of five of the major generating facilities, which supply 30% to the National System (SENI). The reasons given were lack of fuel, contractual obligations and unexpected technical issues.

In places like Invivienda in Santo Domingo East, 10 hours of electricity is considered fortunate, and the Los Alcarrizos area is on a 12-12 plan, with 12 hours on and 12 hours off, according to reports.

In many 24-hour sectors in Santo Domingo, though, the service continues to be reliable.

7. Officers use seized properties and assets
According to Laureano Guerrero, director of the Custodial and Administrative Office for Seized and Confiscated Assets, "many assets seized from people who have been arrested were occupied by military and police officers, politicians or friends of politicians".

A total of 191 properties are under the custody of the office and they include, according to Hoy newspaper, farms, apartments, houses and commercial properties. Nearly 20% are occupied by officers from the Police, Army, Navy and Air Force.

According to the newspaper, properties in the exclusive areas of Evaristo Morales, Naco and Bella Vista have been assigned to high-ranking officers. These include one in El Alameda, where a residence is assigned to Colonel Tomas de la Rosa Pastrano, the deputy commander of the Presidential Guard. Properties in Santiago and San Francisco de Macoris are also being used by officers from the state security and police forces.

8. Oscar praises DR tourism
World famous fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, who has dressed stars and First Ladies for generations, says that the Dominican Republic is a first class destination for tourist investments, providing a level of security that other countries in the area cannot.

According to El Caribe, de la Renta, himself Dominican, cited Punta Cana as the second most visited destination in all of the Caribbean. He said that more than two million tourists come through Punta Cana airport, but he warns that they could not rest on their laurels. He is lobbying for government attention to the sector now that fuel prices are on the rise. The increase in avtur prices is a deterrent to airlines flying into the DR.

9. The ball passed to HM and MVM
The commissions that have been meeting since last Wednesday to settle the internal conflict in the PRD have passed the ball to Miguel Vargas and Hipolito Mejia so they may reach a consensus on the issues that the two groups have discussed.

According to Jose (Neney) Cabrera from the Vargas group, the commissions drew up a document in which they reached "a level of approximation" on the conflict that followed the results of the convention that gave the nomination to Mejia.

"We wish to announce to the country that we have reached a level of approximation that allows us to send a document to our candidates, so that in the next few days, they will announce to the country the definitive agreement that will allow us to construct the necessary unity", he said, as spokesman for both groups. According to Diario Libre, he did not want to provide any other details on the points that were discussed and included in the document and about which Vargas and Mejia will have to come to an arrangement that will put an end to the conflict.

As reported in Hoy, Vargas gave the Mejia group three proposals to accept the results of the March primary that declared Hipolito Mejia the winner with 56.3% of the votes to 46.3% of Vargas. According to Janet Camilo, vice president of the PRD, the proposals were:

1) Annulment of the primary.
2) Contracting of an international firm to audit the voting list used in the 6 March convention.
3) For the losing pre-candidate to be named presidential candidate for the party in 2016, to choose the vice presidential candidate for 2012, and to be assigned 50% of the posts in a future PRD government and named president of the party until 2017.

10. Singer Martelly to be new Haitian President
Popular singer Michel Martelly has been elected President of Haiti, according to the preliminary results released by the Haitian electoral board. Martelly, known as Sweet Micky, obtained 67% of the vote in the second round of the presidential and legislative elections that were held on 20 March. He defeated former First Lady Mirlande Manigat who had won the first round of voting. Martelly will take office in May. He will succeed Rene Preval, the only President in Haitian history to have served two complete five-year terms, according to El Nuevo Diario.

Martelly met with President Leonel Fernandez in Santo Domingo prior to the election. According to reports, Dominican political campaign experts participated in his campaign in Haiti.

11. Canadian Ambassador opens game in Toronto
Canadian Ambassador in the Dominican Republic Todd Kuiack gave the symbolic game opening pitch in the Toronto Bluejays vs. Minnesosta Twins game on Sunday, 3 April in Toronto. During the game, a recognition was made for Jose Bautista's 2010 season (54 homeruns, 124 rbis, Hank Aaron and Silver Bat awards).

Ambassador Kuiack, an avid baseball fan who still plays ball at the Old Glories League pitched a strike to Bautista as 35,000 fans watched on. Kuiack wore a Licey Tigers t-shirt from the Dominican Winter Baseball League, the winter team Bautista has played with.

During the game won by the Blue Jays 13-3, Bautista batted a homerun. Bautista signed a five-year US$65 million contract with the Blue Jays during spring training. All eyes are on him to check out whether his 54 homeruns in 2010 were a fluke.

Canada is second only to the US in travel to the Dominican Republic.

12. Gershwin at the National Theater
The National Symphony Orchestra presents a concert with music by 20th Century American composer George Gershwin. A benefit for the Heart Care Foundation, the concert will be conducted by Maestro Jose Antonio Molina at the Carlos Piantini Hall of the National Theater on Wednesday, 6 April at 8:30pm. Tickets start at RD$1,000.

www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/george-gershwin/about-the-composer/65/

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Master of the Ocean in Cabarete
The 9th edition of the Master of the Ocean opens Tuesday, 5 April along several sections of Cabarete beach. The event is known as the Caribbean Water Olympics. A triathlon-type event, it combines four challenging sports - kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing and stand-up paddling. The event has an "Overall" winner "Master Of the Ocean" as well as individual winners in each discipline. The competition lasts through Monday, 11 April.
See http://masteroftheocean.com/master-ocean-2011-video

DATE set for Hard Rock Hotel
Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange is taking place from Wednesday, 27 April to Friday, 29 April 2011 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in northern Punta Cana. The event is being organized by the National Hotel & Tourism Association with the support of the Ministry of Tourism. This is the leading booking reservations event held in the Dominican Republic for Dominican hotels.
DATE was created to provide a professionally-organized business exchange where international wholesalers, tour operators, incentive groups, airlines and charter operators could meet and conduct business with the DR's leading tourism suppliers.
20-minute meetings between buyers and suppliers are scheduled in advanced through computer matching or at the event during scheduling sessions. Buyers can also request on-site visits while in Punta Cana.
www.drdate.net/app/frontpage.aspx

Easter coming up
The official start of the Dominican beach season is coming up. Easter Week, which in practice begins on 15 April when schools are out, lasting through Sunday, 24 April marks the peak vacation week for domestic travelers. Expect local resorts to be packed with Dominicans and activities and food geared to Dominicans. The peak weekend is Friday, 22 April through Sunday. Visitors can also expect to see performances by leading artistic groups and bands at the resort areas for the weekend. For more on upcoming holidays, see http://dr1.com/travel/prepare/holidays.shtml

Caribbean Fashion Week
Now in its third year, Dominican Republic Fashion Week has become the Caribbean Fashion Week RD. It will take place from 31 May to 4 June at the Sans Souci Convention Center in Santo Domingo.
This year will include guest fashion shows by Nicole Miller from the US, and Carlos Campos from Honduras, as well as Spain's Custo Dalmau and Benito Fernandez from Argentina. Stella Nolasco and Eddie Guerrero from Puerto Rico, and Silvia Shazadi from Venezuela will also be taking part this year, announced event organizer Tita Hasbun.
Sissy Bermudez, Arcadio Diaz, Jenny Polanco, Esteban Martinez, Giannina Azar and several other fashion designers from the DR will also be featured.
For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Chamber sends TC to commission
Once again the Organic Bill that covers the Constitutional Court (TC) is undergoing "studies" in a commission of the Chamber of Deputies. The bill, along with the observations made by President Fernandez was sent to commission yesterday, according to Chamber of Deputies president Abel Martinez. Listin Diario reports that PRD spokesman Nelson Arroyo told reporters that his party would not leave the road clear for the approval of the TC, and would only withdraw from the chamber if the PLD insisted on passing the bill and its observations by a simple majority. One of the observations made by the President was to note that by placing an obligatory retirement age of 75 for the Constitutional Court judges, the bill was in violation of the Constitution that stipulated that the judges would be immovable for their nine-year term of office. This observation will have to be negotiated with PRD legislators.

Meanwhile, another organic bill, the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM), is about to reach the 10-day limit for the Presidency to sign it correctly into law. A controversy arose after the Chamber of Deputies passed the bill with a simple majority, violating Art. 112 of the 2010 Constitution that stipulates a two-thirds majority is needed for bills contained in the Constitution itself, as is the case of the CNM and the Constitutional Court.

2. Jesuits approve of Migration Law
The Jesuit Service for Refugees and Migrants issued a statement yesterday expressing their approval for the Migration Bill that will cover the registration and documentation of all foreigners in the Dominican Republic. The document was approved by the National Migration Council in 2006. Francisco Henry from the Jesuit Refugee Service said that the Service and other organizations that deal with migrants have been calling for these regulations for a long time.

He said that the regulations that will support the 2004 Migration Law has several positive aspects, including being able to establish just how many foreigners live in the country, since nobody really knows. Without the regulations it was not possible to carry out a census as required by the Migration Law.

He was, however, against the repatriations that are part of the regulations. The Jesuits tend to reject repatriations due to concerns about human rights violations. Repatriations in the DR are rare and very limited, due to reduced funding in the Department of Migration budget. Likewise, the deportations are considered more trouble than they are worth, because many deportees return to the DR within a short time.

3. Rosa Ng to China
The Dominican Republic does not have formal diplomatic relations with mainland China, as it maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nonetheless President Leonel Fernandez recently appointed Rosa NG Baez, the energetic community activist responsible for the Chinatown revival in Santo Domingo, to the post of director of the DR Commercial Office in Beijing. Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso conducted the swearing in ceremony for Ng Baez. She was appointed in Decree 145-11 and replaces Carlos M. Gutierrez.

4. Falconbridge consumes too much energy
The energy consumed by the Falconbridge industrial complex in Bonao is destabilizing the national electrical system, according to Celso Marranzini, executive vice-president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE).

Marranzini told El Nuevo Diario that the non-regulated status of Falcondo (Falconbridge Dominicana) is causing instability in the nation's electrical circuits when Falcondo lights up its ovens for producing ferronickel.

Marranzini said that "the system cannot function in this way". He added: "Already, on two occasions, when Falconbridge fires up their ovens, the system became unstable". Yesterday, for example, lights all over Santiago were flickering, causing problems for businesses and homeowners.

The newspaper notes that since March, the company has been purchasing energy from AES Dominicana. AES Dominicana is producing energy with natural gas at a lower cost than Falcondo can produce energy with its three generators that run on fuel oil. As a non-regulated customer, the company can purchase power directly from the generators at lower prices.

In the past, Falcondo operated their own generators and sold the excess energy to the CDEEE.

5. Los Haitises in the news once more
The sudden appearance of some 32 "forest fires" in Los Haitises National Park is once more causing concern. According to the Ornithological Society for Hispaniola the parkland is becoming "one great big family plot" (conuco in Spanish) where slash and burn farming methods are destroying the habitat of dozens of species, doing considerable harm to the flora and fauna.

According to Hoy newspaper, the fires are being started by poor Dominican and Haitian farmers trying to eke out a living out of the poor soil. Because of the high rainfall in the area it is a favored area for planting tubers like "yautia" (taro), in demand in the local markets.

Executive director of the bird-watching society Jorge Luis Brocca said that the situation is so out of hand that trucks are going in and out of the park carrying bags full of the tubers.

A major problem is the lack of supervision inside the 825 square kilometer park. The observation posts are not properly equipped, which effectively allows the rogue farmers to do whatever they want. He said that the greatest damage could be observed in Los Limones in the province of Monte Plata and in Los Arroyos in the province of Hato Mayor.

Last year the Ministry of Environment supported the installation of a cement factory outside the park but the plan met with strong local opposition. A United Nations commission that looked into the matter overrode government support for the factory.

Los Haitises, a vulnerable natural area, is considered the most important water reserve for the country.

6. JCE gives more money to the parties
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) will distribute RD$590 million to the country's political parties today, according to JCE president Roberto Rosario. Rosario stressed that the political parties and groups are obliged to account for the funds that they receive from the Electoral Board. The requirements include using checks for issuing all funds, backed with sufficient supporting documentation. Likewise, all contributions received must also be accounted for with supporting documents stating the origin of the money. According to El Nuevo Diario, purchases made by the political parties have to comply with the government's Law 340-06 on Public Contracts of Goods and Services.

7. Foreigners reminded of 30 April cedula renewal deadline
The deadline for all foreigners to renew their personal identification cards, known as "cedulas", is 30 April. The latest grace period for obtaining this document was issued at the beginning of the year when the president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Roberto Rosario, announced that most resident foreigners in the country had out-of-date cedulas. Some 37,000 foreigners have cedulas that need to be renewed.

8. A new economic model?
Writing in today's Hoy newspaper, Bernardo Vega muses about the economic strategy consultations carried out by the Fernandez government, including one contracted to French economist Jacques Attali and another to Ricardo Haussman at the University of Harvard. These propose a change in economic strategy, while he points out that the Central Bank Governor has defended the present economic model.

Vega writes that in his first term of office (1996-2000) President Fernandez semi-privatized deficient and costly government enterprises, reducing payroll and the government deficit. But as of his second term in government, he changed the strategy, giving priority to politics. "Sponsoring large excesses of government employees, many of whom do not work or have very low productivity, to achieve political support for the elections, reduces the availability of resources for public works, and these then have to be financed with foreign or domestic borrowing. The budgets of these public works are not transparent so the excesses can nurture the accounts of the political party," he writes, noting that: "It is no coincidence that the PLD treasurer is now the Minister of Public Works."

Vega explains that the result is that the percent of GDP made up by savings, be it of the public or private sector, has reduced in comparison to previous years and for it to grow more loans are necessary. "That model has its limits," he highlights.

Vega, himself a former governor of the Central Bank, says there are other trends. "Taking advantage of the recent free trade agreement each day we export more goods to Europe, primarily farm products. Due to the high cost of petroleum and the devaluation of the dollar, travel comes mostly from the Americas. The Dominican economy is increasingly more tied to that of Haiti, be it by twin apparel plants, our growing exports to Haiti, or by the increasing presence of an illegal workforce that keeps wages down, worsens distribution of revenues and delays the mechanization of farm activities".

He says the change in model is happening, following or not following the recommendations of the studies and the opinions of our economists. "The invisible, healthy or perverse hand of Adam Smith?"

9. The real problems
An editorial in today's Diario Libre highlights the need for a focus on the real problems, instead of all the attention politicians are giving to internal party politics.

The newspaper mentions the large number of calls that have been made to their fictitious character Jose Boquete and the widespread public support for the 4% GDP for education campaign, and other citizen initiatives that show that the real concerns are health, education, potable water, garbage collection and violence. "To those one has to add the need for jobs, indignation about the many cases of corruption featured in the press and ignored by the authorities and the high cost of food and fuel. And in contrast, the political parties are concentrating on political patronage affairs and control of power. Democracy loses that way," writes the editorialist.

10. A possible solution for HN and MVM?
The proposals for reaching a consensus that would lead to unity and victory for the PRD and which would put an end to the internal crisis unleashed by the results of the nominating convention, involve an extension of the mandate of the party authorities until 2014, after some restructuring, as well as applying a proportion of the jobs between the Hipolito Mejia and Miguel Vargas Maldonado factions.

Diario Libre says that the suggestions that should be ratified by Mejia and Vargas Maldonado in an agreement to be signed in the next few days, establish moreover that in October 2014 the party will hold the Ordinary Convention to choose the new PRD authorities, as well as the appointment of the party finance secretary and the political and technical delegates to the Central Electoral Board will be left to the candidate elect. Also the negotiating commissions of both groups established that Miguel's followers would join Hipolito's campaign efforts, the writing of a public document backing the candidate elect, with a programmatic agreement and a call for unity and integration.

"Delegate to Mejia and Vargas Maldonado the application of the proportionality contemplated in the "Partners' Pact" and what is set forth in the party statutes", the proposal for the agreement argues. Commissions should be appointed from both parts to write up the document. In the meantime, in their proposal for unity the Mejia group suggested that the compromise talks should be based around what was agreed upon in the Unity Pact that was worked out by the National Organizing Commission for the Convention, signed together with Vargas Maldonado last 3 March. It is expected that shortly Vargas Maldonado will announce when he will speak to the country to confirm his stance on the pact, which Mejia has accepted.

11. Minerva Isa awarded National Journalism Prize
Investigative journalist Minerva Isa has won the 2011 National Journalism Prize in recognition for her body of work since the 1970s. Education Minister Josefina Pimentel and the members of the jury held a press conference to announce the award. The prize is awarded by the Dominican College of Journalists (CDP) and the Ministry of Education. It was created by decree 174-94 during late President Balaguer's last term of office.

Isa has worked for several newspapers, including El Sol, El Caribe and since 1981, Hoy, where she has stood out as an incisive investigator and reporter. Her fields include Dominican social, political and economic issues. She was awarded the Duarte, Sanchez and Mella Order in 2002.

12. Police lies about surveillance project
A conflict between the Police and a dismissed lieutenant colonel has prevented the second shipment, this time of 70 surveillance cameras, from being installed in city barrios to fight crime, reports Diario Libre. Former lieutenant colonel Sergio Tulio Victoria said that the cameras had an intelligent chip that can detect facial features of criminals, license plates and other details to identify criminals. He visited Diario Libre yesterday and said that the 70 cameras were due to arrive in May. "But because of my dismissal, the cameras will not be coming," he told the newspaper. Victoria was fired after an interview on Nuria Piera's investigative TV show where he presented the lack of support for the program on the part of the Police in contrast to the program announcements made by the Police itself. He went public to say that only 30 cameras had been installed, not the 400 that were announced by the Police. He also mentioned the cameras had been donated by Spain and he had transported the first to the country and was owed the transportation money.

"I am sorry that the project has not been able to be implemented, even when it was mentioned by the President as an achievement of his government in his 27 February speech," said Victoria.

The chief of the Police had announced a program to install 400 surveillance cameras, as reported in the press on 1 March 2011.

Police Public Relations spokesman Maximo Baez said 115 cameras were the first to be installed at a cost of RD$50 million, as he told Nuria Piera in an interview. Baez said the cameras were purchased with Police funds and a donation from Spain, but the Police chief never mentioned the donation from Spain in his announcement. Piera highlighted the contradictions in the program and the technology compared to the initial announcement, and the funding of the project.

Victoria said that he proposed the project to the new Police chief when the latter was first appointed to the post. He said that Spanish company Enytec 21 had donated 35 cameras as well as other equipment needed for the initial installation. According to Victoria, the Police chief had pledged to reimburse him for his expenditures from the 2011 Police budget.

Nuria pointed out that the new supervisor of the program did not even know the brand of the cameras, and describes his qualification for the post as being "a policeman."

Nuria Piera focused on why the Police had lied about such an important project and why Victoria was dismissed. Victoria said the original handling of the project would have been different. She also demonstrated that the Police had lied about the installation of more than 100 cameras.

Piera asked the Police financial director why the Police had said the investment was RD$50 million in the first phase, and he replied that he was not aware of that. The financial director, Colonel Garcia Alvarez, told Piera that about RD$3 million had been invested.

She described the cameras as "decorations" and said they were just a bluff of citizen security effort by the Police.

www.nuria.com.do/casos.php

13. Solano Exchange House in the news again
Moneychanger Julio Cesar Solano was murdered yesterday afternoon, in a case attributed to a family dispute. According to Diario Libre, Solano was killed by four shots fired by a man who arrived at the Solano Exchange House on a motorcycle around 2pm, accompanied by another person. The money exchange business is located on Juana Saltitopa Street near the corner of Ana Valverde Street. Solano was sitting outside the premises and his killers escaped on a motorcycle. Solano was killed instantly and his body was taken to the morgue at the Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital.

Manuel Antonio Solano, a brother of the victim, accused Carlos Julio Solano - a cousin of the deceased - of sending the hitmen to "give him a fright" because of the legal conflicts that both men were involved in over a dispute of ownership of the business. On 2 November 2009, the District Attorney of the National District seized RD$50 million from the exchange agency. Carlos Julio is said to be a member of the alleged network of Manuel Emilio Mesa Beltre (El Gringo), who is accused of drug trafficking. National Police spokesman Colonel Maximo Baez Aybar reported that Carlos Julio gave himself up to the Police at Headquarters, in response to the accusations against him. As well as Carlos Julio, another six individuals were also picked up for questioning.

15. Roza Gough in Vogue Russia
Dominican-born Roza Gough is featured in Vogue Russia April Brides supplement issue photographed by Patric Shaw and styling by Olga Dunina. Roza, who is 5'11", is the daughter of a Dominican mother and American father.

She is pictured wearing bridal wedding looks from Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren Collection, Hakaan, and Yves Saint Laurent. The 23-year old has modeled in New York, London, Paris and Milan.

www.beautyisdiverse.com/2011/03/roza-gough-vogue-russia-april-2011/

16. Eric Litman Band in Fellini
Jazz a la Carte presents the Eric Litman Band on Wednesday, 6 April 2011. Come and spend an evening of blues and jazz with Eric Litman from New Orleans on the saxophone. He is accompanied by Julito Figueroa on percussion and Gustavo Rodriguez on the piano for an evening of jazz, Latin, Straightahead, Bossa, Blues and more.

He will be playing from 8pm. Fellini is located at Av. Roberto Pastoriza, a short distance off Av. Winston Churchill.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

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Source: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/5560891874_c71eb32ef7_b.jpg

Sources: Photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. Catastrophic diseases coverage debated
In response to a recent statement by Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez who accused him of being "an employee of the ARS", the health insurance companies, the Superintendent of Health and Labor Risks Fernando Caamano defended himself in a full page advertisement in the press today.

In an interview with Hoy published on 6 April, the Minister accused Caamano of defending the interests of the companies and not the general public. In the interview, Rojas complained that the health providers created all sorts of obstacles in order to avoid covering expensive pharmaceuticals, when the social security regime has approved coverage of RD$1 million per patient. "He is an employee of the ARS, but he has the mission of making the ARS meet the commitment they have with the affiliates," said Rojas Gomez. Rojas says he favors a change to Law 87-01 on Social Security.

Rojas Gomez has said the SISALRIL has the obligation of making the ARS cover the treatments of patients with catastrophic diseases, even if the pharmaceuticals and procedures are not listed in the company catalogues.

Rojas Gomez has called for the law to be modified, six years after it first began to be applied in 2005.

Answering the comment by Rojas Gomez, in the advertisement Caamano calls advances in the social security system to increase the efficiency of the health providers. He called for the start of the implementation of the Public Health Network program, conditions for the operation of the Health Care Model in the private sector to reduce costs for health plan affiliates, the implementation of the therapeutic guides and service protocols and reference rates and that they should be abided by the ARS for the cost-effectiveness in health expenditures, and the implementation of a system of references and counter-references to establish standards for services and levels of care that ensure maximum savings for affiliates.

www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2011/4/6/370042/Ministro-critica-el-modelo-de-la-seguridad-social

2. Voting abroad
Central Electoral Board (JCE) officials are hopeful there will be a significant increase in Dominican expatriate voter registration and the actual voting in the 2012 presidential election. A report in Diario Libre attributes the increased interest to the seven overseas deputies. Furthermore, since the 2012 presidential election will take place on a Sunday, more Dominicans living abroad could vote in the election and are registering.

Diario Libre reports that the expatriate vote first took place in 2004. 101 voting stations were located in 11 cities in 5 countries. Some 52,440 Dominicans registered to vote, and 35,042 registered. In the 2008 presidential election, 154,789 people registered to vote and 76,713 did so.

The JCE reports as of March, 192,186 Dominicans had registered to vote abroad. Of these 15,289 voted in the congressional election in 2010.

The JCE says that as of 20 March 2010, the per country list of registered voters is:

US (132,993), Spain (38,849), Venezuela (3,908), Panama (3,358), Italy (3,203), St. Martin (2,968), Switzerland (2,689), the Netherlands (1,365), Curacao (1,362), Canada (1,137), and Aruba (354).

3. 70% of Dominicans don't have Internet access
Diario Libre technology editor Hiddekel Morrison writes today that 70% of Dominicans do not have access to the Internet. He says the DR is ranked 75th of 135 countries in ITC development in Latin America by the World Economic Forum competitiveness ranking. Nevertheless, he says the DR leads with the most expensive broadband Internet rates in the region. He says this is because of a lack of regulation of public policies, institutional strengthening and incentives to stimulate new investments for encouraging competition. Morrison writes that the digital gap, the separation between people with and without Internet access is the direct result of the economic and poverty gap. He says the recent statement that the DR leads in Internet accounts in the Caribbean is misleading, because these are small islands.

4. Soladek removed from Dominican market
The Ministry of Public Health has announced a temporary ban on the sale of Soladek in the Dominican market. The Ministry says it has not yet received any notification of adverse side effects locally. Nevertheless it ordered the temporary removal of the vitamin supplement from the market. The Ministry gave a 90-day term to carry out research to present the corresponding studies supporting the removal or reinstatement of the sale of the product.

The decision comes after the US Federal Drug and Food Administration (FDA) recently warned of possible adverse effects caused by Soladek.

The Ministry of Public Health also called for the removal of Soladek N, Viadekal Forte, Viadekal, Sudek, Adek, Rahadeksol and Trediat drugs.

5. Credit card use up
The use of credit cards for purchases in the Dominican Republic was up 22% in 2010 compared to the previous year, says a report in Diario Libre today. This despite the fact that interest rates for the leading credit cards are more than 82% a year. Purchases using credit cards went from RD$77.69 billion in 2009 to RD$95.05 billion in 2010.

The Commercial Banks Association (ABA) says there are 1.8 million credit card holders in the DR, up from 1.2 million in 2008.

www.sb.gob.do/pdf/tasas-y-comisiones-de-tarjetas-de-credito.pdf

The high credit card rates compare to the lower bank leading rates for vehicle purchases of 18%, mortgage loans at 15%, and bank lending at 20%, as reported in Diario Libre. Commercial lending averaged 12.3% in 2010.

6. Talking economics
A group of economists recently held a meeting at the Corripio Media group to discuss the country's future prospects, especially after an IMF mission that met in the DR recently announced that the fifth review of the IMF Stand-by arrangement could not be completed. The IMF is calling for more taxation and reduced government spending to shrink the government deficit. The economists said until that happens, a disbursement of US$800 million will not be received, as reported in Hoy.

Former Central Bank governor Carlos Despradel said that exports needed to increase, but if this is to happen, the country's products and services need to be competitive. He said for the local labor force needed to be competitive and the quality of education needs to improve. Last year the economy grew by 7.8%, largely due to the fact that the government took on RD$120 billion in debt that was used for spending that activated the economy, said Despradel. But he said that could not be repeated because it is unsustainable, and in the short term there is a need to think of increasing the pace of exports.

He called for the country to source multilateral loans given the increasing current account deficit, that last year peaked at US$4.4 billion. He said the deficit was due to an increase in imports, the 30% increase in the price of fuel, an increase of 60% in vehicle imports and of 33% in appliance imports.

He discounted the option of devaluing the peso as a solution. He said that Dominican manufacturing depends on imports and called for a change in the economic model for a focus on production.

Economist Rolando Guzman said a reduction in the rate of growth of GDP would not be bad. He commented that growth has become an objective in itself. He called for more jobs and social policies directed in a way that ensures that the poorer sectors do not shoulder the cost of growth. "A higher tax burden is needed, but together with better quality of public spending," he said.

Economist Apolinar Veloz said the government reacted to the IMF constraints by increasing the interest rates to curtail spending, but he said inflation is external and difficult to confront. He said the increase in the interest rates would bring less investment, less job creation and an increase in poverty.

"Economic growth is only sustainable if the country can guarantee the maintenance of a permanent flow of indebtedness in the coming years to maintain the level of investment that the economy needs and the level of consumption," he said.

Veloz pinpoints the deficit in the trade balance. He said the economic model is anti-exporter and promotes imports. "If there is a change of the model then it should be to one based on stimulating exports and reducing imports as a way for domestic production can survive and be competitive," he said.

He advocated for improvements in quality of government spending, given that a large part of this is related to corruption. Spending takes place on projects where money is tied to corruption, he said. He said that as of June 2010 works under construction had depleted their budget. "What that means is that the larger works are tied to corruption and that has to be fixed with public policies that guarantee sustained growth," he said.

7. Banesco opens in Santo Domingo
Venezuela's largest private sector bank with about 14% market share, Banesco has opened a second branch in Santo Domingo. The bank's first branch is in the Blue Mall.

President Leonel Fernandez headed the inaugural ceremony of the flagship branch at the Abraham Lincoln 1021, Piantini location yesterday.

The bank will offer personal and corporate banking services. Company president Juan Carlos Escotet, who came for the opening, said the bank has invested US$25 million in its Dominican operation.

8. New rules for the PLD primary?
A proposal for a new rule to govern the ruling party PLD primary is doing the rounds. According to a report in El Caribe, a run-off election would be called 15 days after the first election if none of the candidates receive 50+1% of the vote. In the past, a simple majority was needed. Candidate alliances may be necessary.

El Caribe explains that polls show that Fernandez dissident Danilo Medina leads. Medina is the only candidate that has not subordinated opting for the candidacy to President Leonel Fernandez's decision on whether to seek the candidacy or not. The 2010 Constitution bans Fernandez from running for President in 2012.

The new ruling could unite followers of the candidates that favor President Fernandez rather than Medina. President Leonel Fernandez is banned from running for re-election by the 2010 Constitution.

There is now strong speculation that First Lady Margarita Cedeno may seek the PLD presidential candidacy. In the local press, full- page advertisements have begun to appear pushing the First Lady as representing values, education, social justice and equity. For months, her office has invested millions in a value-creating campaign.

Others who have announced their intent to participate in the presidential primary are Francisco Dominguez Brito, Franklin Almeyda, Jose Tomas Perez and Radhames Segura.

A February 2011 Gallup poll showed that Danilo Medina had 62.1%, the First Lady Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez, 10.7%, the Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, 6.6%, Francisco Dominguez, 5.8% and Jose Tomas Perez, 5.6%.

Nevertheless, a March 2010 Asisa Research Group poll had showed that with former President Mejia as the PRD candidate, and if Danilo Medina wins the PLD's primaries, then the likely scenario for the 2012 Presidential elections in the Dominican Republic would be exactly the way it was back in the year 2000, when Mejia (PRD) beat Medina (PLD) with 49.8% of the vote. The PRD figures, nevertheless, take for granted that Mejia would have the full support of all the PRD voters. At present, party president Miguel Vargas Maldonado has not accepted his loss in the PRD primary, causing a split in the party.

9. Najayo jail incommunicado
The theft of the telephone cables that provide telephone services to the Najayo Jail in San Cristobal has left the prison disconnected. The thieves stole several kilometers of telephone cable, as reported in Diario Libre. About 3,000 inmates are being held at Najayo Jail. Claro said that service had not been restored because of the magnitude of the theft. The wires are usually stolen for resale as scrap metal for export.

10. German mom gets her son back
German mother Sabine Eagl was reunited with her seven-year old son following a decision by National District assistant prosecutor Rita Duran. The boy had been abducted from Germany by his father, also a German national, a year ago. Eagl thanked the department for their efforts on her behalf. The father of the minor, Matthias Ralph Eagl was deported to German where he will stand trial. The father brought the child from Germany a year ago and had been living with him in the Punta Cana area. Intelligence work by the prosecutor office together with Interpol led to the child and his father being located at the National Aquarium.

11. Jazz Conference in Santiago
The Centro Leon has announced the highlights of the program of the 4th International Music, Identity and Culture in the Caribbean Congress that will take place at the Centro Leon in Santiago on 15, 16 and 17 April. The focus this year is on Jazz from a Caribbean perspective.

The highlights include talks by Cristobal Diaz Ayala, Bobby Concasses and Jose Loyola Fernandez (Cuba), Luc Delannoy (Belgium), Bobby Sanabria, Poncho Sanchez, John Santos, Jim Byers and Natalio Chediak, Paul Austerlitz, Sydney Hutchinson (US), Justo Almario (Colombia), Giovanni Hidalgo (Puerto Rico/US), Humberto Ramirez and Luis Marin (Puerto Rico), Andy Duran (Venezuela) and Thurgot Theodat (Haiti).

There is a full program of conferences and activities on Latin and Caribbean jazz scheduled for 15-17 April at the Centro Leon at Av. 27 de Febrero in Santiago. Debates are also scheduled to contribute to an understanding of jazz as a musical, historical and socio-cultural phenomenon in the region.

An outstanding show, Caribbean Philosophy is booked for Friday, 15 April with a performance by The John Santos Sextet. This will be transmitted live from the National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian Latino Center in Washington D.C.

Performances will continue on Saturday, 16 April with a concert, Caribbean is Jazz at the Gran Teatro del Cibao, featuring leading national and international Latin Jazz performers.

For more on upcoming and ongoing events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. President Fernandez's next speech
President Leonel Fernandez, for years reticent to speak to the general public, announced his fourth major speech in less than two months. The speech is scheduled for 9pm.

Earlier speeches were the 27 February state of the nation address, a speech on 17 March to explain new difficulties created by the increasing petrol prices, and a speech to his followers on 27 March at the Palacio de los Deportes. Fernandez presided over the mega event where the reportedly 2.2 million signatures of those who bid for his reelection secured by re-election campaign advocates were presented to him.

So far, the President has been ambiguous regarding whether he will run for President in 2012. The 2010 Constitution specifies that the President cannot be reelected for the next constitutional period. But his predecessor Hipolito Mejia changed the Constitution so he could run for re-election in 2004. Fernandez himself backed constitutional reform that lead to the 2010 Constitution that now allows him to run in 2016, while not in 2012. The 2004 Constitution had limited re-election to two periods and thus banned Fernandez from running for office again.

Coinciding with the announcement of the speech, full-page advertisements have appeared in the press highlighting the virtues of First Lady Margarita Cedeno. Earlier, President Leonel Fernandez had supported the candidacy of Vice President Rafael Alburquerque. The advertisements fuel speculation the President would announce he would not consider being the PLD candidate in 2012.

The talk will be two days before the PLD is scheduled to meet to choose the party's pre-candidates for the 2012 presidential election primary. The PLD primary is scheduled for 26 June. The contenders for the primary are: Danilo Medina, Rafael Alburquerque, Margarita Cedeno, Jose Tomas Perez, Franklin Almeyda Rancier, Radhames Segura and Francisco Dominguez Brito. Medina leads the pre-candidates by far, but for years has been a Fernandez dissident after he competed against Fernandez for the PLD presidential candidacy. Medina was the PLD candidate in 2000, losing to PRD's Hipolito Mejia.

2. Ousting the worms
The Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education and the local office of the Panamerican Health Organization announced the start of a program to rid students at public schools of parasites. The program will last 10 days and will be implemented at 5,052 public schools nationwide. It expects to reach out to 1.6 million elementary students, ages 6 to 13. Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez, Education Minister Josefina Pimentel and Liliam Reneau-Vernon, local representative of the Panamerican Health Organization kicked off the program providing doses of Albendazole to two students at the Liceo Union Panamericana in Santo Domingo. Albendazole is a drug used to treat infections caused by worms. Albendazole works by keeping the worm from absorbing sugar (glucose), so that the worm loses energy and dies.

During the program announcement, the ministers called the attention to the health-damaging generalized practice of people self-medicating antibiotics. The Ministry of Public Health yesterday celebrated the World Health Day. For World Health Day 2011, the World Health Organization launched a worldwide campaign to safeguard antibiotics for future generations. Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread threaten the continued effectiveness of many medicines used today to treat the sick, while at the same time it risks jeopardizing important advances being made against major infectious killers, says the WHO while advocating careful use of the pharmaceuticals.

http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2011/en/index.html

3. Remittances, just remittances
Research carried out by the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW) and the United Nations Development Program shows that remittances sent home by migrant Dominicans improve the living conditions of the families that receive these. But the research alerts that the money does not contribute to the development of communities nor to advances of women in these communities.

The research, "Migration, Remittances and Local Development, the Gender Dimension, case of Dominican Republic was carried out in 2008 among residents in Las Placetas, a rural community in San Jose de las Matas, Santiago province. Many of the community have migrated to New York. The report concludes that the women who stayed behind remain in a state of dependency to their spouses while the funds do not stimulate their entrepreneurship.

Anthropologist Tahira Vargas, who was responsible for the study, says that traditional sexist and dependency patterns are maintained, as reported in Diario Libre. She explains those who receive the cash flows are subject to strict social control while the husbands remain in control.

She said that on the other hand, the women who do not receive the remittances are more enterprising and enjoy higher levels of self-empowerment and take advantage of more opportunities.

The average remittances received by residents in Las Placetas ranges from subsistence levels of US$100 to US$300 a month. Vargas suggests projects be undertaken to group the cash flows received by the women. She highlighted the need to break gender subordination cultural patterns among rural families to create rural social capital so the women can undertake sustainable economic projects.

UN Development Program director Valerie Julliand said the study was carried out to understand how remittances could contribute to local development and training of women so these can build a better future. The research sought to make recommendations for social public policies that are gender-differentiated. She said a second part of the study will be undertaken to make recommendations for optimizing the cash flows.

Vargas in the report suggests strengthening programs for Mother Clubs that she sees as an opportunity for community development. She calls for more investment by the government in access roads and legal guarantees to encourage migrants to invest. Moreso, she suggests stronger ties relations with the migrating communities and keeping the youths who remain in the DR while one or both of their parents are abroad active with recreational public spaces.

4. Guillermo Moreno protests CNM bill
On the deadline for the President to act on his observations to the National Council of the Magistracy Law amendments that were approved by the Chamber of Deputies with single majority, presidential hopeful Guillermo Moreno has requested an opinion by the Supreme Court of Justice citing the bill's violation of the Constitution. Legal experts say the bill, as sent by the Chamber of Deputies to the President, violated Art. 112 of the 2010 Constitution.

Presidential candidate Guillermo Moreno of the minority party Partido Alianza Pais in his recourse to the Supreme Court of Justice demands the revoking of the approval. A former district prosecutor, Moreno also notified President Leonel Fernandez and the Chamber of Deputies to abstain from signing and publishing the bill in the knowledge that the Supreme Court of Justice has been empowered of the recourse, as reported in Hoy.

Moreno said that the National Council of the Magistracy cannot be convened because all the actions it could take would be affected by the fundamental anomaly and thus these would be non-existent legal acts.

Moreno said the Prosecutor General should issue an opinion on the recourse in a short span of time because the naming of the members of the Higher Electoral Court (that will replace the Chamber of Disputes of the Central Electoral Board) and the Constitutional Court, the new court to hear constitution violation allegations, depends on this. The two bodies were created in the 2010 Constitution.

5. Vargas Maldonado to talk on Monday
The president of the PRD, Miguel Vargas Maldonado, postponed for Monday an address to his followers regarding his position following his dispute of the PRD party primary outcome. The electoral commission has announced that his contender, former President Hipolito Mejia won the 6 March primary. Vargas had announced a press conference for today, Friday, but postponed this for Monday after President Fernandez announced he would speak to the nation tonight. Vargas is expected to give an overview of the situation of the PRD, after two weeks of talks between commissions appointed by himself and representatives of Mejia. Vargas has said the election was rigged because members of the PLD and its close ally the PRSC voted in the election. The primary was an open primary.

Listin reports that after two weeks of talks, Mejia accepted to extend until 2014 the presidency of Vargas in the PRD. Vargas had asked to maintain the presidency through 2017.

6. Euclides Gutierrez commits to pay his power bill
The Fernandez administration's Insurance Siuperintendent Euclides Gutierrez has now reached an agreement with Edesur power distribution company to make payments on the RD$2.3 million debt he maintains and RD$432,000 in late penalty fees, reports Noticias SIN in a follow-up to a report by investigative reporter Nuria Piera. Piera reported that Gutierrez had a dispute with Edesur and had accumulated an electricity bill of RD$3.6 million and his power had not been shut down. In the DR, an hour after the month period customers are given to pay their power bill, power is shut down by brigades that are paid by the number of shutdown they carry out.

In the follow-up, Noticias Sin says a brigade of Edesur cut his power service after investigative reporter Nuria Piera reported the irregularity. But service was promptly restored after the PLD politician committed to a payment plan.

Noticias SIN of Antena Latina, Channel 7 reported that Gutierrez had defaulted on a previous plan and used his government-paid security force to impede Edesur cutting the service. Gutierrez demanded the government pay for the maintenance of his alternate power plants.

Reporters for Noticias SIN explained Gutierrez had received around 30 notifications from Edesur and ignored these. As reported, until 7 April he had not allowed his service to be cut. As reported, his consumption at his home averages from 3,000 to 18,000 kWh a month, as reported in acento.com.do

7. Partial shutdown at US Embassy
The United States Embassy in Santo Domingo reports services at the embassy in Santo Domingo would be affected by the expected partial shutdown of the US Government. The embassy says the partial shutdown could begin tonight, Friday, at midnight and continue for an indefinite period. The shutdown is attributed to a lack of agreement in Congress on current budgetary appropriations.

The embassy says it will continue to provide emergency services, including emergency consular services to US citizens in need. Routine visa issuances are not considered to be an emergency service and therefore would be rescheduled. Passport services to US citizens would also need to be rescheduled. The Puerto Plata Consular Agency would be closed during a partial shutdown. The routine distribution of Social Security Administration (SSA) checks would not be affected. Per the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner, Douglas H. Shulman, nevertheless, says federal taxes would still be due on 18 April.

http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov/pr-110408.html

8. Televising the underwater wrecks recovery
Deep Blue Marine Inc. announces that the company has received permission from the government of the Dominican Republic for the development of a serial-type television project based on the work Deep Blue Marine performs in the company's contracted area located on the north shore of the Dominican Republic. The company also maintains a museum with underwater artifacts in Samana city.

A Utah-based underwater diving discovery and recovery company, Deep Blue Marine Inc. located last summer the wreckage of a ship overloaded with treasure that sank along the rocky shores off Samana some 475 years ago.

"We have found a shipwreck that we can definitively date back to 1535," Deep Blue Marine CEO Wilf Blum as reported in deseretnews.com

"We have also found artifacts that are still in the Dominican Republic that date back to the pre-Columbian era. When you think about that, this is significant. This shipwreck is just a few years after Columbus, and it is the single oldest shipwreck ever found in the Caribbean.

Deep Blue Marine Inc. has a contract with the sub-aquatic ministry of the Ministry of Environment for works at the ship now named Rawson's Wreck, for the captain of the ship that discovered the wreckage, Capt. William Rawson. The company is currently exploring other sites.

"We have a contract which includes, I think, about 42 miles of coastline," Rawson said. "Our contract allows us to keep 50 percent of all artifacts recovered and, right now, we have 13 wrecks that we are currently working."

The company found Rawson's Wreck by obtaining an ancient coin from a local fisherman.

"We found it was one of the oldest coins ever minted in the New World. We did some more research on where the (local fisherman) found the coin and little by little we found pieces of the shipwreck, which led us to where we are now," Rawson said.

Deep Blue Marine, Inc. believes their discovery to be the oldest colonial shipwreck in the Caribbean. "We have artifacts here that we can date to 1535," Blum said. "The only other fleet we know of that is older than this is the 1502, and it's never been discovered."

Among the discovery were some of the first coins ever minted in the new world, ancient mirrors, musket balls and Mayan artifacts and jewelry.

9. Baby girl for Jose Bautista
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista has been given family leave. He will miss the three-game home series against the Oakland Athletics to be with his girlfriend in the Dominican Republic, according to a report in The Toronto Star. They just had a baby girl, Estela Marie on Tuesday. Bautista is expected to rejoin the team early in the club's west coast trip that begins Friday in Anaheim.

Bautista, the majors' leading home-run hitter in 2010, has two homers so far this season.

10. AgroAlimentaria 2011
The Dominican farming and agribusiness sector is gathered at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel convention center for Agroalimentaria 2011. More than 100 buyers from 12 countries in Europe, North America and Africa are participating in the international exhibition of fresh and processed food products. More than 150 companies are exhibiting. The exhibition is open to the general public.

As reported, last year farm product exports were US$261.97 million and agribusiness exports were US$719.81 million.

11. The Vatican at the Santo Domingo Book Fair
2011 marks the 500th anniversary of the establishment of the first Catholic diocese in the Americas in Santo Domingo. To commemorate the year, the Ministry of Culture named the Vatican guest of honor at the annual Santo Domingo book fair, the most attended cultural event in the year.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council of Culture, to head the Vatican delegation participating in the 14th International Santo Domingo Book Fair. The Book Fair will take place 4 to 22 May at the grounds of Plaza de la Cultura.

Coming from the Vatican are around 20 experts that will participate in conferences, artistic performances and other events, coordinated by the Vatican. The Vatican Pavilion is coordinated by the Pontifical Council of Culture, the Vatican Book Editorial, the Vatican Museums, the Vatican Library and the Vatican Secret Archive.

12. Prince Royce in Santo Domingo
Dominican-American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer, Casandra award winner Prince Royce takes the stage tonight at the Sans Souci Convention Center.

On Saturday evening he will be at the Gran Arena in Santiago, too.

Born in New York to Dominican parents, he is known for his creative fusion of styles, including urban bachata, apparent in his best selling Stand by Me and Corazon sin Cara tracks. He has made the top of the Billboard Tropical Albums chart and has been nominated to the Grammy Awards.

For more on upcoming and ongoing events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/207959_201742933189847_113945105302964_581573_4755871_n.jpg

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/215523_201920029838804_113945105302964_582506_6371945_n.jpg

1. President Fernandez desists from re-election
On Friday, President Leonel Fernandez announced he would not be seeking another Presidential term. In his declaration he said there was no unsurmountable legal impediment, citing that Arts. 210 and 270 in the 2010 Constitution that deal with a national referendum could be used to get around the Art. 124 that states that the President "cannot be elected for the next constitutional period."

In a speech on Friday, he said: "Thirteen years after, with considerable support of national sectors, and of most of the members of the party, with real perspectives of a new electoral victory, without an unsurpassable legal impediment, only to do what we consider is correct, to avoid possible tensions among Dominicans, consolidate our democratic process and to establish even more the new Constitution, I, for the second occasion, do what has not been done in Dominican history, decline, in a voluntary and spontaneous manner, with high-mindedness, being the PLD candidate again."

Fernandez said he would assume a neutral role in the internal party competition to choose the PLD candidate in the 20 May 2012 presidential election. "I will not exercise any influence to slant the electoral balance in favor of any candidate," he told the nation and his followers.

Commenting on the announcement, Javier Cabreja, director of Citizen Participation, one of the most vocal groups against the President seeking re-election said: "The President should have sent a clear sign that he would not seek a new mandate some time ago. It is good that he has finally cleared any doubts about his re-election. I differ, nevertheless, from the reasons and arguments he has given in the sense that there was no impediment because it is clear that there was a legal and constitutional obstacle. What is important now is that government employees who dedicated so much time to re-election should now concentrate on the functions for which they were elected, and that the President should concentrate on the economic crisis."

Political analyst Pedro Catrain said: "Fernandez proved to be a cornered politician who tried to manipulate the Constitution of the Republic that does not allow re-election in any way. He also tried to manipulate politics, oblivious to the fact that a large section of society is taking a firm stand against the idea of continuity. I believe the President chose not to run, given the tutelage transition whereby he will control Congress, the Judicial Branch, the electoral branch and the Chamber of Accounts. He will initiate a period in which he will be the decisive figure in government. Regardless of who is the candidate, Fernandez will be the fundamental player."

The president of the National Council of Business (Conep) Manuel Diez said the decision by Fernandez strengthens Dominican institutions and democracy. He called for the nation's attention to now focus on resolving the nation's problems.

2. First Lady seeks to be PLD candidate
A day after President Fernandez declined seeking reelection, the PLD Central Committee announced that First Lady Margarita Cedeno would complete the list of seven pre-candidates who will compete in the 26 June primary of the ruling party. In addition to First Lady Margarita Cedeno, Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, former Minister of Interior & Police Franklin Almeyda, former Santo Domingo senator Jose Tomas Perez, former Santiago senator Francisco Dominguez Brito, former director of the CDEEE Radhames Segura and former Secretary of the Presidency Danilo Medina are on the list of hopefuls. Medina was the PLD candidate in 2000 (he defeated Jaime David Fernandez in the primary), and competed against Fernandez in the 2007 primary.

The race for the PLD candidacy is now expected to concentrate on the First Lady and Fernandez dissident Danilo Medina.

The candidates were elected during a PLD Central Committee meeting at the Melia Santo Domingo Hotel attended by 371 of 403 members of the committee. 230 members of the Central Committee voted in favor of Cedeno, who was proposed as a prospective PLD presidential candidate by Higher Education minister Ligia Amada Melo. The Central Committee meeting was chaired by President Leonel Fernandez, who is also president of the PLD.

The PLD also approved a new rule for the primary, establishing that more than 50% is needed for a pre-candidate to win the PLD nomination. If this is not achieved, a run-off election will be held. In the past, all that was required was a simple majority. The party announced that there would not be individual vote counts for the pre-candidates.

The coordinating commission that will organize the primary is made up of Cesar Pina Toribio, Felix Bautista, Danilo Diaz, Alejandrina German, Temistocles Montas, Guaroa Guzman and Miriam Cabral.

The 2012 presidential election is scheduled for 20 May.

3. Bio of First Lady Margarita Cedeno
First Lady Margarita Cedeno, a graduate in law from the state UASD University with a master's magna cum laude in Corporate Law and Economic Legislation from the Pontifical Catholic University in 1995, has maintained a high profile in the Fernandez administration for the work being done by the First Lady's Office. The First Lady's Office has handled millions for information technology community centers (CTCs) nationwide, social programs to educate against teen pregnancy, and assistance for catastrophic diseases. She is also an extraordinary ambassador for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Prior to her role as First Lady she worked in the private sector at the law firm of Abel Rodriguez del Orbe and President Fernandez's own law firm, Fernandez y Asociados, of which she is a partner and founding member. From 1996?2000, she acted as legal advisor to the President of the Republic with the position of Under Secretary of State, as well as being an ad honorem consultant and director of the Legal Management and Investment Climate Board of the Dominican Republic Foreign Investment Promotion Office.

www.primeradama.gob.do

www.unctad.org/sections/dite_edb/docs/dite_edb_0028_en.pdf

4. Opinions on the First Lady running
Political analyst Rosario Espinal said that the decision for Margarita Cedeno to run for the PLD makes it unlikely that President Fernandez, who is also president of the PLD, can be neutral in the primary. "What he did with his hands on Friday when he announced he would not seek to be re-elected given what that meant for the institutions of the country, he messed up with his feet," said Espinal, a professor of sociology at Temple University in Philadelphia. "It will not be a fair contest. If Margarita wins the primary, she will force Medina to take the decision of retiring from politics or using his power to split the PLD," she observed in an interview in Hoy.

The president of the Fuerza Nacional Progresista, Marino Vinicio Castillo, who is also president of the Presidency Ethics Commission, told Listin Diario that it was an error to register the candidacy of the First Lady. He attributed the registration of the candidacy to groups within the PLD that oppose Danilo Medina. "You cannot do any coordination in politics if you do not think of what is best for the country," he commented.

As reported in Listin Diario, PLD presidential pre-candidate Franklin Almeyda, a former minister of Interior & Police, said that the competition in the primary would be between Danilo Medina and Margarita Cedeno. Almeyda said that if Cedeno is running it is because she is the wife of President Fernandez.

Political analyst Daniel Pou describes the Margarita Cedeno candidacy as "a political mistake". "She does not have her own merits and the political background to hold a presidential candidacy and to compete with a candidate such as Hipolito Mejia," he said.

Sociologist Ramon Tejada Holguin also believes that Margarita Cedeno's candidacy is not healthy for internal democracy within the PLD. "She does not have a relationship with the party members, as do Minou Tavarez in the PLD or Milagros Ortiz Bosch in the PRD who have been politically active in their parties. He says that her case is not comparable to that of Cristina Fernandez in Argentina who had her own political career and had been a senator, before being the President's wife.

5. Danilo Medina's first speech as pre-candidate
In his first engagement as a pre-candidate for the PLD, former president of the Chamber of Deputies and deputy for Santo Domingo and Secretary of the Presidency, Danilo Medina said that, "when a people decides to be the architect of its own destiny, no force can stop this." He was speaking at the Club San Lazaro, accompanied by his wife Candy Montilla. Medina highlighted that the recent Gallup poll that forecast Hipolito Mejia's win in the PRD primary also pointed out that he had 60% support if President Leonel Fernandez did not choose to run for the candidacy.

Medina is considered the main rival for First Lady Margarita Cedeno's aspirations to the PLD nomination.

6. 1,500 megawatts needed in power generation
The executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation, Celso Marranzini says the country needs to invest US$3 billion in power generation over the next five years. He said that 1,500 megawatts must be installed to meet the country's needs. He said that the CDEEE is studying several offers, including the construction of a 500-megawatt natural gas generator. For this plant, a natural gas terminal would need to be built at a cost of US$800 million. He said this would take around four years, from the design phase to operation.

7. Record gasoline prices
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced new record fuel prices on Friday. The prices in effect for the week of 9 to 15 April are: RD$214.20 for premium gasoline, up RD$5.50. Regular gasoline is selling for RD$201.90, up RD$4.80. Premium diesel is selling for RD$189.80, up RD$4.50, and regular diesel is going for RD$184.90, up RD$3.90. Avtur costs RD$157.12, up RD$3.20. Propane gas is kept at RD$99.50 per gallon, up RDR$0.59. Natural gas sells for RD$20.05 per cubic meter.

8. 55% of 2nd metro line complete
The Transport Reorganization Office (OPRET), better known as the Metro office has announced that work on the second line of the Santo Domingo Metro has advanced 55%. The work is budgeted at US$760 million and covers 13 kilometers. Opret deputy director Leonel Carrasco said on Friday that the construction involves 600 contractors and more than 3,000 workers.

9. Who works in the Senate?
For many senators, their work is secondary to other interests. This is revealed by the hours they have spent on the job in the Senate. As reported in Hoy, for instance, Felix Bautista, the former Public Works Supervisor of the Presidency, now senator for San Juan de la Maguana, has not attended any of the Senate sessions since he was sworn in on 16 August to 27 February 2011. Bautista is a main activist of the campaign for President Leonel Fernandez's re-election. Others who have clocked up very few hours are Amable Aristy Castro (PRSC-La Altagracia) with 3.58 hours and Ivonne Chahin Sasso (PLD-El Seibo) with 4.58 hours.

The senator who has spent most time at work is Charlie Mariotti (PLD-Monte Plata) with 169.32 hours. He is followed by Jose Rafael Vargas (PLD-Espaillat) with 129.30 hours, Julio Cesar Valentin (PLD-Santiago) with 122.13 hours, Rafael Calderon (PLD-Azua) with 106 hours, Felix Vasquez (PRSC-Sanchez Ramirez) with 102.27 hours and Tommy Galan (PLD-San Cristobal) with 89.90 hours.

Others with less than the 65-hour average are Prim Pujals (PLD-Samana) with 28 hours, Rosa Sonia Mateo (PLD-Dajabon) with 29.67 hours, Juan Orlando Mercedes (PLD-Independencia) with 37.98 hours and Antonio Jesus Cruz Torres (PLD-Santiago Rodriguez) with 43.33 hours.

Art. 63 of the ruling of the Senate establishes that if there is no legitimate excuse, the senators are obliged to attended the sessions on time and join the work commissions.

Senators are among the highest-paid public officials in the Dominican Republic.

10. Margarita Tavares passes away
86-year old Margarita Tavares, the Supreme Court justice, died over the weekend. "The consultant par excellence of the Supreme Court has died," said Supreme Court of Justice president, Jorge Subero Isa. He said that regardless of the issue, everyone consulted Margo, as she was known by her colleagues. Subero Isa credited to Tavares Law 24-97, the family law that enforced new penalties for violence against women and Law 14-94 that created the Children's Code. He highlighted her participation as an expert in civil law, her work ethic and honesty.

11. Half of the Supreme Court will be replaced
The National Council of the Magistracy needs to elect 7 of the 16 judges who make up the Supreme Court of Justice, as several have reached the 75-year age limit. The judges who need to be replaced are Jose E. Hernandez, 80, Hugo Alvarez, 87, Julio Ibarra Rios, 76, Juan L. Vasquez, 78, Pedro Romero, 80, and Luciano Pichardo, 75. Margarita Tavares, 86, recently passed away.

El Dia speculates that judge Dario Fernandez, who will be 75 in February 2012, could also be replaced.

12. Business as usual at US Embassy
The US Embassy reports that operations in Santo Domingo, including their consular services and all visa processing will continue as normal due to a late Friday night agreement within the US Congress on a short-term funding measure to keep the federal government operating for one week until the budget can be formally approved. American Citizen Services as well as Non-Immigrant Visa and Immigrant Visa units will honor all previously scheduled appointments. The Puerto Plata Consular Agency remains open.

For updates, see http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov

13. Petrol tanker risk to Pedernales
A vessel full of petrol ran aground several years ago off the coast of the Isla Beata in Pedernales. Now scientists say that the ship's cargo needs to be removed because it threatens the beaches and marine life in the area.

The ship, Konstatinos, flies the Honduran flag and belongs to a Greek shipping company. It ran aground on the reefs in 2007 and since then its structure has deteriorated. Marvin Flaquer of Flaquer Shipping Service with experience in salvage recently inspected the ship after being alerted by fishermen in the Cabo Rojo area. He recommended emptying the tanks as soon as possible. The tanks contain some 250 tons of bunker C fuel oil but water has penetrated the tanks. Flaquer said that special equipment was needed to remove the ship's environmentally dangerous cargo and estimated the cost of the salvage operation at US$500,000. He said international agreements oblige environmental damage to be paid for and the government needs to sue the owners of the ship and the government of Honduras, where the ship is registered. Hoy reports a source as saying that Honduras had pledged to deal with the problem, but this never happened. The ship belonged to the Apirotan Shipping Company from Greece. As reported, the Ministry of Foreign Relations' efforts to resolve the problem were unsuccessful.

14. Martha Heredia switches manager, again
The Dominican Republic 2010 Latin American Idol has a new manager. She will now be working with Cholo Brenes. After winning the Latin American Idol contest, she has also had Cesar Suarez Jr. and Eduardo Rodriguez as her managers. Eduardo Rodriguez said he resigned, saying that Heredia would not follow his advice. He said he had not seen anything like it in the 25 years he has worked with local and foreign artists. "Obstacles impeded me from carrying out good work with the artist, especially coming from people around her," he said, as reported in Listin Diario. "I confirm that I give up because of the artist's rebelliousness and lack of humility..."

Martha Heredia's career has yet to take off locally.

15. Hermann Miller office chair sale
BII Dominicana, which sells Hermann Miller chairs in Santo Domingo, is advertising a sale of its chairs. The Aeron is down from US$1,279 to US$750, the Celle from US$779 to US$550, the Sayl from US$810 to US$600, the Embody from US$1,635 to US$1,100 and the Setu from US$773 to US$445. ITBIS and transport needs to be added to these prices. The store is located at Plaza Hache on Av. John F. Kennedy.

16. Manny Ramirez retires
After a great career, Manny Ramirez, who was Tampa Bay's designated hitter, retired on a sad note. He called it quits last week, to avoid going through an impending Major League Baseball drug treatment program. He was facing a 100-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. In May 2009, he was suspended for 50 games.

The suspension put a large negative on his career, mainly known for Manny just simply being Manny - that is, the fun-loving goofball who had great power at the plate. Ramirez was MVP for the Boston Red Sox (that also included Dominicans Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz) when they won their so many times sought World Series in 2004.

Ramirez ended his career with a .312 AVG, .411 OPB as well as .585 SLG.

17. The incredible Albert Pujols
Sunday's 60 minutes on CBS focused on Dominican-born Albert Pujols, the St. Cardinals' slugger, one of the top 10 players in baseball history. Bob Simon reported on Pujol's unpublicized humanitarian side and his work to help the less fortunate.

www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7362328n

18. London Olympics Volleyball Pre-Qualifier
The best of North American, Central American and Caribbean beach volleyball will meet in Boca Chica for two tournaments from 17-25 April. The teams are seeking to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics and the Pan-American Games in 2011, which will be held in the Mexican city of Guadalajara.

These are the best women and men doubles of the North, Central America and Caribbean (Norceca) Confederation. The pre-Olympic qualifier is set for 18-20 April. 18 pairs of men and women, including athletes from the US, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean countries will compete for US$10,000 in prizes and one of the regional berths to the Olympics.

Another Norceca championship is scheduled for 22-24 April and will feature 16 male and 16 female couples competing for the right to compete in the volleyball events of the 2011 Pan American Games. The 22-24 April event will coincide with Easter weekend celebrations.

Telecentro, Channel 11 will televise the games. The events are organized by the Dominican Volleyball Federation (Codovoli).

The DR's women's team is ranked seventh in the Norceca Volleyball Confederation. As of 2011, the top 10 ranked teams were United States, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Trinidad & Tobago.

The DR's men team is ranked fifth. The ranking is Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, United States, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Nicaragua and Honduras.

www.norceca.org/2011%20Events/Norceca%20Beach%20Circuit/Stages%20Ranking/Ranking_Beach%202011.pdf

19. Former Miss Universe at Casa de Teatro
Denise Quinones, the former Puerto Rican Miss Universe (2001) moved to the DR following her boyfriend, actor Frank Perozo. Listin Diario reports she has found many new career opportunities. Reportedly, every Tuesday in April, she will appear onstage at Casa de Teatro, singing free of charge in a production by Pavel Nunez. She is also rehearsing for a role in the Woody Allen play, Adulteries, that will be staged at the Palacio Bellas Artes in September.

For more on upcoming, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Environment looks at Pedernales wreck
The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, headed by Jaime David Fernandez, has ordered a new look at the wreck of the good ship Konstantin. According to a report in today's newspapers and headlined by Hoy, the ship that ran aground near Pedernales might have as much as 1,000 tons of petrol on board. Fernandez Mirabal told reporters from Hoy newspaper that a 2003 report established that the ship did not have any fuel on board, and did not pose any threat to the area.

A recent complaint about the possible danger posed by the wreck was filed by Marvin Flaquer, the owner of a company that cleans up environmental disasters. He estimated that the total amount of fuel on board could be as high as 1,300 tons, since seawater has entered the ship's fuel tanks where the bunker C, fuel oil, bitumen and lubricants are reportedly stored. Flaquer said that it would cost about US$500,000 to clean up the mess.

The Minister of Environment said that it was curious that a price had already been put on the operation. He added that while a new inspection takes place, the ministry is open to all offers from companies that want to break up the wreck.

2. Daycare centers get money
The president of the National Council for Social Security (CNSS) reports that the agency has ordered an allocation of RD$114,830,079 for remodeling and equipping seven daycare centers. Max Puig said that the money is part of RD$396 million that the Social Security System has accumulated for this item and which has not all been spent because part has to be held back for maintenance.

Diario Libre reports that as well as remodeling the daycare centers, the authorities ordered the preparation of three more and the construction of five more nurseries, with the objective of providing a better service in existing ones and increasing the number of beneficiaries paying into the Family Health Insurance program.

The system currently has 85 nurseries or daycare centers which take care of 6,900 children of payroll contributors and with the remodeling and the new constructions that are planned, the authorities expect to cover a population of 10,000 children under the age of five, including private services.

3. Civil Defense closes 169 sites for Easter Week
The Civil Defense has released a list of 169 beaches and swimming spots all over the country that will be closed to the public during the Easter Week recess. The closures form part of the "Operation Holy Destination: Easter Week 2011".

The executive director of the Civil Defense corps, Luis Antonio Luna Paulino, told reporters from El Nuevo Diario that they are setting up 1,407 aid stations along the main travel routes and on streets and avenues in cities and towns. He said that more than 14,000 volunteers would take part in the operation to reduce accidents during the peak domestic holiday. In the DR, the Easter Week holiday is equivalent to the Thanksgiving holiday in the US in terms of domestic travel.

In the province of Santo Domingo and in the National District 24 beaches and swimming spots were closed. In La Romana, 4; Nagua, Monte Plata, Bayaguana, Sabana Grande de Boya, Yamasa, and La Vega 3 each; Samana and in Barahona, 8; Monsignor Nouel, 11, Sanchez Ramirez, 6; and 14 in Peravia (Bani).

School is off in the Dominican Republic from Monday, 18 April through Friday, 22 April. The peak travel period is from Thursday, 21 April with the return on Sunday, 24 April.

4. Ministry and ADP on work stoppages
The president of the Dominican Public Schoolteachers Association (ADP) Radhames Camacho said yesterday that the time during which teachers are not teaching because of a work stoppage or any other situation, it not wasted, because it is not like a clock, and the content is covered at a later stage.

According to Diario Libre, Camacho neither justifies nor condemns the work stoppages. He said it is a way for the teachers to express their feelings of impotence, in this case, over the difficulties they are experiencing with the health services provided by the health service provider "Semma".

Meanwhile, Education Minister Josefina Pimentel called on teachers to comply with the school year calendar, in order to make the most of the 47 remaining days of the school year.

Pimentel and Camacho's statements were made in response to the concerns expressed by the president of pro-education campaigning organization Educa, Geroge Santoni Recio, who questioned the suspension of classes in some areas of the country.

5. IMF forecasts 5.5% growth in GDP
The Dominican Republic will post positive growth rates of 5.5% of GDP in 2011 and 2012 as it continues to reduce inflationary pressures, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). El Caribe says that the IMF foresees solid growth in the Dominican economy throughout 2011. The international financial agency also highlighted the fact that the country seemed to control high prices with lower inflation rates. In 2010 inflation closed at 6.2% and in their "Global Economic Prospects", the IMF is calling for an inflation rate of 6% in 2011 and 5% in 2012. While stressing the "strong performance" of the Dominican economy, the IMF did take note of the high level of public indebtedness that could lead to tensions due to the rising cost of imported petrol and food products.

6. Infotep trains for Natural Gas (GN)
The National Professional Technical Training Institute (Infotep) has resumed its training programs for technicians in the handling of natural gas installations in cars and other vehicles. The objective of the program is to train personnel in the safe handling of natural gas in vehicles.

The program is headed by Maira Morla, the regional director of Infotep and the interim head of INFOTEP, Idonis Perez, and Ramon Perez Figuereo of the National Central of Unified Transport (CNTU), one of the larger transportation owner associations. In the first class, over 80% of trainees were CNTU members.

According to El Nuevo Diario, Perez Figuereo said that the installation of natural gas tanks in public transport vehicles would immediately be reflected in lower fares.

7. Builders worried over interest rates
The president of the Dominican Association of Housing Constructors and Promoters (Acoprovi), Fermin Acosta, said yesterday that the increase in interest rates is reducing the levels of property sales in the country. This year, the interest rates for mortgage loans have increased by more than one percentage point, leading many prospective homebuyers to postpone their purchases. Acosta told Diario Libre that association representatives have lobbied the Central Bank to request some control of the interest rates "because we are worried".

As well as the interest rates, the sector is affected by the increases in the cost of building materials and other factors such as transportation and fuel costs. Acosta nevertheless says that a downturn in construction has not yet occurred.

The businessman backed a proposal made by the Dominican College of Engineers and Architects (Codia) that the government should build 20,000 housing units a year to help reduce the million unit deficit in housing.

Acosta did acknowledge the speeding up of the process for securing the necessary permits from the Ministry of the Environment, as Minister Jaime David Fernandez and Acoprovi renewed the agreement between the two institutions. "Before the signing of the previous agreement, we used to celebrate the birthdays of projects here in the Ministry of the Environment", he told reporters. Processing environmental permits for construction projects now takes less than 60 days.

8. An 11.58% wage increase offer breaks talks
The vice-president of the CNUS union federation, Rafael (Pepe) Abreu has announced that minimum wage increase talks with management representatives have broken down. The talks stalled on Monday after management offered a wage increase of 11.58%. The labor representatives say this is not even close to covering the increased cost of living since the last time wages were raised.

The union spokesman told reporters from El Nuevo Diario that the management representatives did not present anything in writing and that it was only "verbally" that the president of the Dominican Management Confederation (Copardon), Jaime Gonzalez, said that the business representatives were offering an 11.58% increase in minimum wages. At the highest levels of the minimum wage, this means a monthly increase of less than RD$1,000, and at the lowest levels, an increase of some RD$500 a month.

Abreu said that the offer amounted to a mockery and he announced that the unions would begin a series of marches and other demonstrations in favor of their call for a 30% wage increase for employees earning up to RD$30,000 and a 25% wage increase for those earning up to RD$50,000.

9. Gazcue demonstrates against prostitution
The District Attorney for the National District said yesterday that the office would be taking action against prostitution in the Gazcue sector of the city where residents have been complaining of immoral activities.

Alejandro Moscoso Segarra told Diario Libre that although it was not possible to eliminate prostitution altogether, they would take action to reduce it, especially in response to complaints involving 20 hotels that are in fact brothels.

The Santo Domingo Hotel Association has also complained about this issue. Association president Roberto Henriquez said that they are being besieged by prostitution and that each night they have to turn away between five and eight clients in order to prevent this practice in their properties.

Gazcue residents protested at the District Attorney's office, after a similar event held outside the National District City Hall, where they presented another series of problems that affect the community. Their concerns included dark streets, sidewalks full of garbage, the presence of brothels, public offices and rowdy corner markets that degrade the neighborhood.

The protest was led by Huberto Henriquez and supported by city council members from the PRD, represented by Cesar Cabrera, Waldy Taveras and Consuelo Despradel. The residents of Gazcue accused the city government of not complying with the laws. The group traveled in a bus called "Tours de Protesta de la Comunidad de Gazcue".

10. Fernandez re-election team behind Margarita
The team that promoted President Leonel Fernandez's re-election is now behind First Lady Margarita Cedeno, reports El Dia. Senator for Dajabon, Sonia Mateo said that her colleague Felix Bautista, who is senator for San Juan de la Maguana (but has never attended a session), the director of the Santo Domingo Water Corporation Freddy Perez, Agriculture Minister Salvador (Chio) Jimenez and Public Works Minister Victor Diaz Rua will be the workhorses to get the party to select Margarita Cedeno as the PLD candidate for the 2012 presidential election.

El Dia reports that Cedeno has yet to formally announce her candidacy, but after being registered by the party she sent out a message via Twitter thanking the members of the PLD Central Committee for their support and said she is committed to continue working for the country's development. Mateo said that Margarita Cedeno would seek the Presidency and not the Vice Presidency, as rumors had circulated that there could be a duo n Danilo Medina for President, and Margarita Cedeno for Vice President. "We are President Fernandez's people and we are going to do the job, because Dona Margarita deserves our support," said Sonia Mateo, as reported in El Dia.

11. PLD asks JCE to help with primaries
During its first meeting last night the PLD National Electoral Commission (CNE) approved a proposal to request logistical and supervisory assistance in the party's primary elections from the Central Electoral Board (JCE). The PLD primary is scheduled for 26 June.

The decision was announced by Commission coordinator Cesar Pina Toribio at the meeting, which was held at the PLD headquarters. Alejandrina German, Guaroa Guzman, Miriam Camilo, Temistocles Montas and Danilo Diaz, members of the commission were also present. Felix Bautista was not present because he was reported to be overseas.

In addition, the CNE agreed to meet with the potential nominees to exchange ideas about the process and to ask them for the names of their representatives to the CNE and their campaign coordinators.

The PLD authorized seven candidates to contest the 26 June convention: First Lady Margarita Cedeno, Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, former Minister of Interior & Police Franklin Almeyda, former Santo Domingo senator Jose Tomas Perez, former Santiago senator Francisco Dominguez Brito, former director of the CDEEE Radhames Segura and former Secretary of the Presidency Danilo Medina.

12. Vargas "sour grapes" and acceptance
A month and four days since Hipolito Mejia was declared the winner of the PRD's presidential nomination primary, his opponent, Miguel Vargas conceded victory to Mejia and called on his followers to support the campaign.

"Although I know that the results that were announced were not the real results, I am not going to be an obstacle for the party to find itself and successfully take part in the elections of 2012", he told dozens of his followers at an event held yesterday afternoon at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel.

In the midst of expressions of support, he called on his followers "to support without any grudges and with generosity" so that the PRD and Mejia may win the next elections.

He pointed out that his decision "to decline his legitimate aspiration" was taken because "party unity and the nation's stability are above any personal ambitions". Nonetheless, he said that there was a "conspiracy" to devalue his claims and "since they have denied me the path of truth and transparency, I embrace the path of self-sacrifice".

He defended his work as PRD president, which he says is responsible for the recovery of the party after the 2004 elections. He added that as a result of the agreement signed with President Leonel Fernandez in May 2009, the President decided not to run for re-election.

13. Whisky for pear juice
The National Drug Control Department (DNCD) reports that it caught a contraband consignment of whisky that was being smuggled into Najayo jail on Sunday. Reportedly, Julio Cesar Silfa Garcia, a former drug convict, and Candido Martinez, tried to smuggle whisky in bottles of pear juice. The contraband was intended for inmates Manuel Mesa Beltre (El Gringo) and Pascual Cordero (El Chino) who are in jail for drug trafficking, homicide and money laundering.

14. Protests turn violent in Santiago
Street demonstrations calling for paving and sewer systems turned violent in two barrios of Santiago yesterday. Protestors wearing ski masks burned tires and scattered refuse on the streets in La Otra Banda and Villa Liberacion. They demanded the paving of two kilometers of roadway as promised by the mayor of Santiago. One passerby opened fire on the group of demonstrators, wounding three in the face and legs.

In the meantime, over in the community of Limonal Abajo in Licey al Medio, residents were protesting the sorry state of their streets. The protest was organized by the Broad Front for Popular Struggle (FALPO). Residents told reporters from El Caribe that the work on the streets had been abandoned since 2010. Finally, in the barrio of Santa Lucia in Cienfuegos in Santiago, residents held a vigil outside the offices of the Santiago Water and Sewer Corporation (Coraasan) demanding that the area be connected to the sewer system.

15. Tuesday events in Santo Domingo
Check out the exhibition, The Magic of Paper, at the Museum of Modern Art.

Listen to a talk on musicals in the Dominican Republic by Amaury Sanchez.

Listen to Miss Universe 2001, former Miss Puerto Rico sing at Casa de Teatro.

For more on ongoing and upcoming, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Julio César Sabala Jesús

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http://www.juliosabala.net/ingles/

Julio César Sabala Jesús was born in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, and, from its infancy but shows signs of his extraordinary artistic skills. We point out how funny anecdote that so perfectly imitated his father that if he ever had to scold him, in July began to imitate his father, who disarmed by the graces of Julito, he laughed and scolded nothing.

Julio was a very good student and had a great artistic interest. Already at age 13 won the Festival of the Voice and his father, Don Cesar Sabala, as a reward for good grades in studies and in support of the artistic qualities of the boy buys a guitar and sign up to receive lessons as well.

Keep good notes and artistic skirmishes. He composes and plays music in the young representing an experimental theater group ... and had not yet reached age 14. This age is chosen from among 600 candidates to join the artistic cast of Cirque de los Muchachos.

Just fourteen years and left the island. His parents, Donna and Don Cesar Amparo, you are fired with tears and joy in their hearts. They know that their small Julito want to fly, who is an artist from birth, who needs to move the world, grow and develop its spectacular qualities. July toured the world with the Circus of losMuchachos. It is comfortable in that environment. Lets you do everything because everything is right. It entertainer showman of the show, acrobats, musical illustrator, creator of gags and imitator of famous voices!, The great discovery. their capacity to assimilate and recreation is such that it presents the show in different languages, English, French, German, Italian, Hebrew even without a master, learning the words and perfect diction.

This stage lasts eight years, during which, in July grew immensely as an artist, he stands out among all his extraordinary qualities to mimic and recreate the great figures of the show are developed tremendously during these years, to the point that Julio Sabala is seriously considering solo projects, leaving El Circo de los Muchachos and mount their own show. A hard time making this decision. It's been eight years of intense experiences, to make the home arena, and this house its test bench, where he has been inventing and building all that, shortly thereafter, will be the basis of their performance. Few years have been fundamental in human and artistic training, but now ...

Julio Sabala debut in Madrid at a prestigious music hall. The success is total. Audiences and critics are unanimous: Julio Sabala is an exceptional artist with a great sense of humor, with a facility to recreate amazing voice, image and demeanor of the most famous artists and a beautiful voice. Remains a year in filling lineup daily. funny little boy who left his beautiful island to "conquer the world" is now relishing his first big triumphs.

First triumphal tour through Spain and América.El leap to success and the admiration of the public and the critics are your fellow travelers. Walk the neighboring countries, acting in television and they all clap and cheer. Get an Award EMI, with Special Univision, proposed to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the number of characters that recreates the scene without interrupting the pace of his show, and as the re-creator of stars that walk More countries by leading the largest billboards. At the time, Julio Sabala is adding new characters, which are celebrated everywhere with his "classic" and adds, as a detail worthy of thanks, in each country to recreate the site's most popular artists.

The miracle continues and the wonder is always increasing, as Julio Sabala does not consider his great gifts reenactors as the end of his show, but as a means to make the impossible possible for increasingly astounding. The "chance" he continues, makes his TV show, crammed the big stadiums, constantly enriching his show and, increasingly, will bustle with more and better ideas to continue to grow as artist ...

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Miami to Casa de Campo daily on American
American Eagle, the American Airlines affiliate, began daily flights from La Romana International Casa de Campo Airport to Miami, Florida on 5 April. The airline flies a 50-seat Embraer 145. The La Romana flight is the first for the airline with this new airplane model outside of the US.
"La Romana, the official airport for Casa de Campo, has always been a popular destination among our passengers from Miami," said Peter J. Dolara, first vice president of American Airlines, based in Miami. "We're happy to offer our customers more options to visit this Caribbean paradise."
Casa de Campo, one of Dominican Republic's top tourist resorts, is among the world's most famous destinations, recognized for its luxury villas and award-winning golf courses.
"We are thrilled that American Eagle has decided to offer this new service to La Romana," said Claudio Silvestri, president and executive senior officer of Premier Resorts & Hotels, the company that runs Casa de Campo.
Airport director Luis Emilio Rodriguez highlighted that the new daily flight contributes to strengthening trade and leisure travel to the La Romana region.

Punta Cana makes TripAdvisor top 10 beach list
The Dominican Republic's Punta Cana beach has made the top beach spot list of TripAdvisor, known as the world's largest travel site. On 5 April TripAdvisor announced the winners of its 2011 Travelers' Choice® Beaches awards. Five beaches in the Caribbean made the top list. Top beach spots were named in the US, Europe, Asia, Canada, the South Pacific, the Caribbean and Mexico, and Central and South America.
Award winners were determined based on the most highly rated beach destinations by travelers in TripAdvisor reviews. TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice winners are based on millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions from travelers around the world.
According to a recent TripAdvisor survey of more than 2,100 US respondents, 68 percent are planning a beach vacation in 2011. 26% are planning a beach trip to the Caribbean or Mexico in 2011. 54% are planning a trip to a US beach destination. 17% intend to visit the US southeast coast, 13% expect to explore the northeast coast, 12% plan to go to the gulf coast and 10% plan to visit the west coast.
"It's that time of year when travelers are dreaming of getaways to warm beach destinations. To provide inspiration on where to go, we've named some amazing hot spots around the world, based on millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travelers," said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. "In addition to the outstanding beaches, these destinations also feature top-rated options for hotels, vacation rentals, attractions, and restaurants."
Travelers' Choice Beaches Award-winning World Beach Destinations:
1. Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
2. Boracay, Philippines
3. Palm/Eagle Beach, Aruba
4. Negril, Jamaica
5. Tulum, Mexico
6. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
7. Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
8. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
9. Cape May, New Jersey
10. Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Chocolate Tasting Tour of the Dominican Republic
The Group of Dominican Professionals in Washington, DC (GDP-WASH) is inviting chocolate and wine lovers to an evening of exquisite pairings: chocolate with cava.
This is a unique event featuring high quality, premium Dominican cacao made by leading world manufacturers from France, Switzerland and the United States.
Biagio Abbatiello, a chocolate expert, will be on hand to guide the palates of those attending through this tasting adventure to the Dominican Republic. It is also seen as a great networking opportunity!
Get to know your colleagues living in the Washington, D.C. area interested in contributing to the economic, social, and cultural development of the Dominican Republic and its people.
The event takes place on April 14, tickets are US$20 and they need to be purchased in advance at:
www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VY7ZNMD2T676E

Arthur Frommer top ranks Dominican Republic
Budget travel expert Arthur Frommer reports that rates for departures in the Caribbean's low season month of May remain reasonable "especially in Cuba and the Dominican Republic." Package deals at the Casa Marina Beach Hotel, Bahia Principe San Juan Hotel on the north coast, Gran Bahia Principe Club Premier in Punta Cana, at the Grand Paradise hotel in Samana are ranked first in a listing published in The Toronto Star.
www.thestar.com/travel/article/969376--arthur-frommer-dominican-tops-15-best-bargain-vacations
For contact details for the most complete listing of big and small hotels in the Dominican Republic, go to www.dr1.com/directories/Hotels-Resorts.html

What's happening in the Dominican Republic
The DR1 Calendar of Events page has been redesigned. It's a work in progress and more features will appear in the coming months. The DR1 Calendar is where you can first read about what's happening or coming for the Dominican Republic. Full event details are provided, but also now it is possible to search by month or day. Share events on Facebook, Buzz or Twitter. Photos and images of the events are being added and there is Google maps integration. You can also now save to YOUR calendar, be it iCal, Yahoo, Google or many others.
Check out http://dr1.com/calendar

1. President and Minustah discuss Haiti
President Leonel Fernandez and the head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Edmond Mulet, held an hour-long meeting yesterday and discussed the situation in the neighboring country. After his meeting with Fernandez, Mulet told the press that he took the opportunity to express his appreciation for the Dominican government and President Fernandez's support for Haiti after the January 2010 earthquake.

According to Mulet they discussed jobs creation and investments, tourism, agriculture, education, assembly processes, exports and the creation Haiti's capacity to attract resources, all of which are United Nations priorities.

Mulet revealed that 650,000 refugees and displaced people from the earthquake were still living in tents and in very poor conditions. He said that this was a situation that needed to be resolved at once.

2. IDB conditions budget support
The Inter-American Development Bank has made its budget support programs conditional on the achievement of significant improvements in the electricity sector. According to the IDB representative for the Dominican Republic Manuel Labrado, some US$364 million is available for financing projects in the country, but this is linked to improvements in the electricity sector. He added that there was money available for the private sector. El Nuevo Diario said that the IDB representative shared the opinion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the Dominican economy is pretty healthy and showing an acceptable growth rate in comparison to other nations in the area. IMF maps are showing the DR in blue and countries like Spain and France in pink and Portugal in red, which means that the DR is on a good footing. The IDB representative was interviewed at the Presidential Palace after his meeting with Economy, Planning and Development Minister Temistocles Montas, where they discussed non-refundable technical cooperation projects.

3. Chamber approves US$35 million for water
The Chamber of Deputies has approved a loan for US$35 million to be used in investments for water and for cleanups by the National Institute for Drinking Water (INAPA). The deputies accepted a report from the Hacienda Commission that approved the loan between the government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as reported in Hoy.

4. And now COE announces their plan
Yesterday the Civil Defense jumped the gun and announced their Holy Week Plan. With the participation of 35,000 people, the Emergency Operations Center (COE) will launch their "Holy Destination, Holy Week 2011" operation on Thursday 21 April. The operation seeks to prevent accidents and save lives during the Easter break, when thousands of vacationers take to the roads.

The accident prevention program will begin at noon on Thursday, 21 April, in the Ministry of Public Health and will end on at 8pm Sunday 24 April with the traditional escort of returning vacationers along the highways depending on the number of vehicles on the roads. The escorted travel into Santo Domingo begins around 3pm.

Volunteers will be posted at 2,400 aid stations located at critical points including beaches, swimming holes, highways, thoroughfares and avenues across the country. COE director General Juan Manuel Mendez announced the operation at a press conference in the Orlando Martinez Room of the Presidential Palace, accompanied by representatives of the COE member institutions.

Mendez said that the 35,000 volunteers include members of Civil Defense brigades, doctors, paramedics, military, police, search and rescue specialists and other aid workers. Some 220 ambulances will be spread out across the country, three helicopters will be on call, and three mobile hospitals and nine regional command centers will be installed.

At the same time, as part of the COE Holy Week operation the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET), announced a ban on motorcyclists without helmets and carrying minors or more than one adult as passengers.

The COE has ordered the closure of 168 beaches and bathing spots because they represent a danger for vacationers or because they are polluted. The banned beaches include Sans Souci-El Dique, La Playita de Andres, in Boca Chica, in the city of Santo Domingo East, province of Santo Domingo as well as Guibia in the National District and Manresa Beach in West Santo Domingo. Beaches popular with tourists are not included on the list.

5. Labor talks at stalemate
Discussions about an increase in the minimum wage for workers "are now at a standstill" and the National Committee on Salaries will call for a third meeting after Easter Week. Rafael "Pepe" Abreu, the president of the CNUS union confederation and spokesman for the other unions, said that the negotiations are on hold, but the Employers' Confederation of the Dominican Republic (Copardom) have denied this.

Abreu said that they will be staging a demonstration in San Pedro de Macoris today, another in Barahona and the day after tomorrow there will be another in Puerto Plata, Azua and San Francisco de Macoris. They are also planning a mass demonstration on 1 May (Labor Day). They are setting up an alliance with community and professional groups with the aim of reversing the business sector's stance on an increase in the minimum wage, and it is expected that the Congress will hurry up with the legislative proposal that is currently in the Senate.

Abreu told Diario Libre that Copardom's proposed 11.58% increase to the highest of the minimum wages, which is nearly RD$8,000 a month, represents an additional RD$1,300, but the other minimum wages would receive RD$500 and RD$600 more a month. Therefore the offer does not move any of salary scales in the country and just one item, transport, would eat up all the wage increase.

Copardom president Jaime Gonzalez said that the excessive increase the unions are demanding could lead to "labor anarchy" in the country, taking into account that 56% of all labor here is in the informal sector. He said that with the proposal for the minimum wage, the management sector was seeking to protect the 78% of employers that are micro- and small-businesses and he insisted that to go beyond the minimum is outside of the law. At the same time he denied that negotiations were at an impasse. He said that the third call for a meeting of the National Salary Committee would be issued after Holy Week.

6. Behind the Santo Domingo blackouts
The 24-hour blackout-free zones are suffering from blackouts these days. Edesur Dominicana reports that the outages are because four power generation plants are out of the system. CDEEE says arrears in payments are not the cause of the blackouts. Celso Marranzini said that the arrears are at 45 days as established in the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said it is responsibility of the power generation companies to source their fuel. He said he would meet today on the issue with the Dominican Association of Electricity Industries (ADIE). The power plants out of operation for fueling problems were Palamara, Haina IV, CEPP and Haina Gas, as reported in Hoy.

7. An attempt to rescue the Colonial Zone
With the aim of restoring and revitalizing the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo in an integrated manner, stimulating the private economy, increasing job opportunities and maximizing the resources of this World Heritage site, representatives of businesses, government institutions and community groups have agreed on a joint Strategic Plan.

The agreement was released yesterday during a press conference by the representatives of the Association of the City of Ovando, the Union of Residents Associations of the Colonial City, the Ministry of the Interior and Police and the Dominican Tourism Police.

Louis Brocker and Lisandro Macarrulla, president and vice-president of the Ovando City Association, said that the actions to be implemented included underground cabling of electricity and telephone lines, installation of a natural gas system, opening museums at night and extending the opening hours of entertainment centers until 3am. In addition to these measures, security cameras controlled by the Tourism Police (Politur) will be installed. Although they could not specify total costs, they did mention that one of the projects would cost US$50 million, and that the cost of the security cameras is about US$3 million.

8. Venezuelans will vacation here under PetroCaribe
The Dominican Republic is redefining the agreement with Venezuela to include Puerto Plata as a tourist destination for government employees from Venezuela who wish to vacation in the Dominica Republic. According to El Caribe, the Dominican Minister of Tourism, Francisco Javier Garcia, speaking at the re-inauguration of the old Sun Village complex under the new name of Be Live Carey, part of the Spanish group Globalia, said that this agreement would "definitely change the province as a tourist destination". The official said that 3.5 million public employees in Venezuela were potential tourists for Puerto Plata, the first tourism area developed in the Dominican Republic. Garcia said that Puerto Plata offers tourists attractions that other destinations could only wish for: a theme park, a cable car, a cathedral, an historic city center, a beachfront walk, and three completely different areas like Sosua, Cabarete and Puerto Plata, in addition to the area of Cofresi.

9. Political Committee rejected Margarita
The PLD Political Committee initially agreed to present just six possible candidates for the party's nomination for the presidency in 2012 to the Central Committee because a proposal to add the name of First Lady Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez had been rejected. According to El Caribe, the decision to register the First Lady's presidential bid came about as a sort of imposition by the majority of the Central Committee, sponsored principally by PLD members from overseas. The Central Committee met last Sunday but a day earlier, Saturday 8 April, the Political Committee met to go over some of the details and in this meeting the proposal to present the First Lady came up after the decision by President Fernandez against running was announced. However, the proposal was rejected and it was decided that just six candidates would be sent to the Central Committee. During the meeting of the Central Committee, the representatives from New Jersey, New York and Boston that suggested that Ligia Amada Melo propose the name of Margarita Cedeno.

10. Participacion Ciudadana supports US report
A human rights report issued by the United States State Department which complains of the persistent use of deadly force by the police is supported by the Citizen Participation group which say that this is a positive contribution to the debate that calls for a reform in this agency for public safety. PC spokesman Samir Chami Isa suggested that as a result of the report the National Police and other agencies should examine the causes behind the large number of deaths at the hands of police officers. The PC spokesperson said that the institution was working with the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation to push for a process of reform within the National Police because it is a demand of modern society.

11. AMET's Sanz Jiminian in trouble
Described as excessive in the exercise of their functions, the Chamber of Deputies might question the director of the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET), for illegally entering the vehicle of Deputy Ramon Sanchez de la Rosa to remove dark tinted film from his windshield. Chamber of Deputies president Abel Martinez gave the Justice Department Commission, which is headed by Carlos Guzman, the task of preparing an urgent report on the case and defining the action to be taken against the head of the AMET, Jose Anibal Sanz Jiminian.

Sanchez, PRSC for La Altagracia, told Diario Libre reporters that the incident occurred last Sunday, when he was travelling to Higuey with his family. He said that he identified himself and explained that he was going to remove the film as soon as he got back to his house, because he was travelling with his family, but that the director of the AMET got into his vehicle and proceeded to remove the dark film.

The deputy spokesman for the PRSC bloc of deputies, Pedro Botello, condemned the action taken against the deputy, describing it as "outrageous, illegal and degrading". In the meantime, the president of the Chamber asked the commission to collect videos, newspaper clippings and photographs that can be used as evidence for taking any kind of action.

12. Supreme Court judge mugged on Mirador Sur
As incredible as it sounds, three armed men robbed a Supreme Court judge as he and some family members were exercising along Mirador Sur Park in Santo Domingo at around 5:30am yesterday. The thieves stole some earrings from his sister and a cell phone as reported in the press, but nobody was injured. Justice Julio Anibal Suarez was exercising without a bodyguard, according to a report in Listin Diario. Suarez is a member of the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice. The National Police chief has ordered an investigation as to why the detachment assigned to the Mirador Sur area was so slow in reporting the incident. Agents from the Robbery Division are investigating the crime.

The Mirador Sur Park has long been the scene of robberies as well as a favored place for exercising. Since late 2010 an increased police presence reduced crime reports from the area, but now seven months later the criminals are at it again, as appears from the latest high-profile mugging.

13. District Attorney requests remand for killer
The National Police have arrested the killer of Julio Cesar Solano, a partner in the Solano Money Exchange who was shot and killed outside his premises last week. The killer has been identified as Jorge Rafael Madera Jackson, and the Police say that they have recovered the murder weapon and that ballistics tests showed it had been used in the murder. They have also recovered the motorcycle used in the crime. The District Attorney for the National District has asked the judge to issue a sentence requiring preventive custody for the accused killer. The Police are still looking for the killer's accomplices as well as the mastermind behind the crime, as reported in El Nuevo Diario.

14. ONAMET: Showers today
The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) is forecasting showers over a large portion of the national territory today, starting in the east. This is being caused by two troughs of low pressure over the Caribbean that will be moving over the country today and bringing rains to the southeast, northeast, Central Mountains, and the central part of the country.

15. Oscar de la Renta opens in Bridal Fashion Week
Dominican fashion designer Oscar de la Renta has led the Bridal Fashion Week showing off his recommendations for the seasonal bridal gown buyers. As reported in the Philadelphia Examiner, the Dominican designer marked the difference in the spring Oscar de la Renta's spring 2012 bridal runway by not having a central theme. Rather, among the looks he showed ethereal ones, embroidered skirts, ruffles, fitted bodices, and Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn-inspired pieces. And there were also dresses for the Southern bride, the Italian bride, and inspiration from movies such as Funny Girl, My Fair Lady and even Gone with the Wind. The newspaper reported that surprisingly, de la Renta pushed the bridal envelope by showing an all-white downtown look with a beautiful blouse, silk tuxedo pants and fur vest. As would be expected, De la Renta's highly stylized brides were all extremely elegant, chic and dresses packed with tiny details. For more on the show and photos, see www.examiner.com/designer-fashion-in-national/oscar-de-la-renta-kicks-off-bridal-fashion-week-with-new-bridal-collection

16. Memorable event on Saturday, 16 April
The Ministry of Culture is promoting an urban art event, "All About Hats" this coming Saturday, 16 April at 10 am at Calle El Conde in Santo Domingo's Colonial City. For the event, performances, body painting, installations, happenings, experimental music, ballet, story telling, dramas, living statues, folklore, live painting, poetry and singing are planned. Actors will recreate The Raft of the Medusa by Pablo Picasso, an extract from Moby Dick and there will be a giant game of chess with human chess pieces.

The plan is to show, in a single artistic manifestation, how painting, music, acting, installation, poetry and dance can merge.

The event will take place on the pedestrianized Calle El Conde from Arzobispo Merino to Jose Reyes streets from 10am to 10pm.

Also present will be the giant ironwork statues by Jose Ignacio Morales, El Artistico, from La Romana.

Participating artists include project coordinator Yi-yoh Robles, Manuel Frias, Jimmy Verdecia from Cuba, painter Alejandro Cabral, actor Jose Guillermo, actress Mirian Lozano and poet Elsa Baez. Also Glaem Parls, Ramon Valverde, Patricia Martinez, Alex Guerrero, Jose Duluc, Faustino Perez, Tony Gutierrez, Alsina, Guillermo Liriano, Manuel Cubilete and Luis Melendez.

There are two performances planned in solidarity with the victims of the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan.

17. Ania Paz at Lucia 203
Ania Paz Jazz Series presents Rafelito Mirabal (pianist and composer), and Henri Hebrard this coming Wednesday, 13 April at 9pm at Lucia 203, located at Calle Hostos 203 in the Colonial City. Mirabal is recognized for his original compositions Periblues, Sextentidos and Gagayas and is musical director of the Festival Arte Vivo. Hebrard is a French singer, who will integrate French music to jazz and Latin American music.

Also participating are the Ania Paz Jazz Ensamble with Ania Paz (piano and direction), Virgilio Feliz Junior (bass), Felix Cabral (drums), Juamy Fernandez, percussion. Tickets: RD$300 for sale at the door.

For more on ongoing and upcoming, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Need to resolve competitiveness problems
During their interviews for yesterday's Corripio News Group luncheon meeting, industry sector representatives agreed that for the economy of the Dominican Republic to continue growing, there is a need to strengthen the productive sector and solve problems that affect competitiveness.

Ligia Bonetti, president of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) mentioned obstacles include quality and cost of electricity, the high cost of ground transport, limited access to credit and deficiencies in the public education system. Overcoming these obstacles, she said, is necessary if the country is to make the most of its free trade agreements. "As we are engaged in this process of globalization and opening up, we have to find the ways to make the country more competitive," she said. She said the trade agreements have brought an increase in imports but not in exports, reflected in the current account deficit in the balance of payments. She said this is a consequence of the lack of competitiveness.

She highlighted that the DR needs an economic model that stimulates exports so that the generation of hard currency does not have to depend on foreign investment or international borrowing.

"Instead of taking on debt or sitting waiting for foreign investment to come in, let's build a model that stimulates exports and industrial development," she said.

Industrialists Association (AIRD) vice president Celso Juan Marranzini said that the DR has not benefited from the free trade agreements, but that it had a deficit of US$300 million with Central America and US$3 billion with the United States.

2. Explaining the blackouts
The president of the Dominican Association of Electricity Industries (ADIE) Tito Sanjurjo says that problems sourcing fuel for power generation plants were behind the recent blackouts in 24-hour circuits. Earlier this week the executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) Celso Marranzini disputed that the blackouts were the result of financial arrears by the CDEEE.

"No generator has been shutting down plants at their own will," said Sanjurjo. "When prices are climbing, the fuel market's supplies and deliveries become complicated". He said the fuel sourcing problems were an international fuel market issue. He said the situation had improved yesterday, with supplies arriving at several plants. Sanjurjo confirmed that the government had improved payments to the generators, but he said the best scenario would be for the government to honor the contracts. Sanjurjo was speaking after a luncheon meeting with Marranzini.

Yesterday, EdeSur news reports suggested that the blackouts were occurring because four power plants were out of service.

Marranzini said that all the power systems, with the exception of Seaboard TCC, were back on the grid by yesterday.

3. Dominicans are US cardiology fellows
Three physicians who work in the public health system were admitted to the American College of Cardiology and received the credential Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (F.A.C.C.). The ACC has 37,000 members, including physicians, registered nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, doctors of pharmacology and practice administrators, specializing in cardiovascular care.

The doctors are Ernesto Diaz Alvarez, director of the Dominican Cardiology Institute (IDC); Frank Valdez, chief of the arrhythmia and heart pacemaker section of the IDC and Pedro Diaz Ruiz, who works at the Cardiology at the Salvador B. Gautier Hospital of the Social Security Institute.

www.cardiosource.org/acc

4. Bank employees get the best credit card rates
Credit cards have made credit readily available for anyone who is issued a credit card. But in today's Diario Libre, Alejandro Fernandez Whipple again makes the point consumers are being abused by the banks. Interestingly, he makes the point the banks take care of their own.

Writing in today's Diario Libre, Alejandro Fernandez Whipple reveals that the estimated 25,000 commercial banks employees in the DR enjoy the best average credit cards rates. These rates are not available to the general public.

Fernandez says that the rates drop to a low of 15% for bank sector employees, who represent 1.5% of all credit card holders. Fernandez recently reported that with few exceptions of other companies that offer their employees credit cards, the annual credit card bank rates hover over an average of more than 80% a year.

The worst off are those that have the lowest limits on their cards that are the majority.

He writes today that as of February 2011, 435,000 credit cards were in use with monthly credit limits of RD$5,000 a month. Another 288,000, or 20% of the total, had limits of RD$5,000 to RD$10,000. He says that the average annual rate for those cardholders is 77.2%, according to the Superintendence of Banks, and 88.4% for the Central Bank.

Rates are also lower for platinum credit card holders.

For example, the Banco Leon charges an annual interest rate of 104% for its standard (Classic) card, while offering a 78% interest rate to its premium Platinum cardholders, who can request a 38% annual rate for deferred credit. Banco Leon charges its employee credit card holders a high annual interest rate of 52%, Fernandez reports today.

Fernandez observes that the interest rate on commercial personal loans rates is at around 21%, but nevertheless, the average Dominican was more likely to use a credit card than take out a banking loan.

Fernandez writes: "I think that with credit cards, the banking industry should not follow the example of some politicians. They are the same in that they rely on manipulating reality with headlines. Abusing the ignorance of the people, who have kept silent. Or granting privileges to the few (they themselves) at the expense of the majority.

5. Former consul in Italy sentenced
The Supreme Court of Justice has jailed the minister counselor of the Dominican Embassy in Haiti, Fernando Arturo Perez Matos. He was sentenced for fraud and use of forged documents during a previous post as consul in Italy.

Perez Matos was ordered to pay RD$1.9 million in compensation to Nolia Moya Mustafa, who was minister counselor at the Dominican Embassy in Italy, in charge of consular affairs with, for the value of the Mercedes Benz that he has kept, as well as a payment of RD$1.5 million for other damages caused.

The case against Perez Matos was presented by Moya Mustafa, who served as minister counselor at the Dominican Embassy in Italy. She claimed the government official forged a power of attorney that he himself had legalized that authorized him to retrieve a vehicle belonging to her from Customs.

He was tried at the Supreme Court of Justice because of his diplomatic status.

6. President advisor caught stealing power?
Officers of the Electricity Fraud Prosecution Office (PGASE) suspects that President Leonel Fernandez's transport advisor, Mochotran transport magnate Alfredo Pulinario (Cambita) had a fraudulent electricity connection at his vehicle dealership in eastern Santo Domingo. As reported in the Listin Dario, EdeEste power distribution company anti-fraud technicians discovered a 37.5 kilowatt transformer with a direct connection to the business. EdeEste estimated the business consumed around 1,530 kWh monthly that was bypassing the electricity meter, or around RD$15,000 in unpaid monthly consumption.

The Listin reported that when anti-fraud technicians showed up at the business, men at the service of Pulinario, impeded the confiscation of the transformer and the arrests. Members of EdeEste security and the Police had to be called in.

In March of this year, President Fernandez had also appointed Pulinario executive director of the Pension Plan for Transporters (Caja de Pensiones y Jubilaciones para Choferes).

7. Corrupt run lose, but messenger in jail
There is a saying in the DR that the rope breaks at its finest point, and that is the case of the messenger in jail without bail after stealing RD$5.4 million in the name of love for his girlfriend from his employer and the corrupt in government who are enjoying the fruits of their labors, points out Raul Perez Pena (Bacho) in today's Listin Diario. He was referring to the case of messenger Carlos David Garcia Rojas, who was on a run for a month until finally being found by the Police and arrested.

"That explains the emporium of impunity that the governments of the imperfect democracy as we make our way to celebrate 50 years after Trujillo.

He says that the messenger's arrest is also evidence of the unfairness of a system where justice is not applied to the government big shots who benefit from impunity.

He mentions that while the messenger is in jail, we read of the cases of Euclides Gutierrez who refused to pay his power bill, the PEME government program, all the extra payrolls in government, the Sun Land case, the officials who have enjoyed assets repossessed from drug traffickers, and those who drive luxury vehicles and boast mansions and penthouses with heliports.

He highlights that the messenger is in jail, but those responsible for the government's electronic portal, the INDRHI and the Promipyme scandal are on the loose.

"The messenger is in jail while the mockery with a capital M known as the Department for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (DPCA) is still open. The messenger is in jail but we have lost count of the thousands of millions of dollars that corruption has taken in the past governments," he observes.

8. Rosado: Cracking the Cibao Drug Cartel
The National Drug Control Department (DNCD), working with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, has cracked the Cibao Drug Cartel that operated in the central region of the country and has links with criminal organizations in Colombia and Mexico. DNCD spokesman Colonel Ramon Alcides Rodriguez identified Silvio Pena and Nadim Bezi, the latter the nephew of the mayor of Samana, Miguel Bezi, as the heads of the criminal organizations, as reported in Listin Diario. Three arrests have been made in connection with the case. Last week, 187 packages of cocaine were confiscated from a warehouse in the Port of Samana in a joint operation with the Navy and the Air Force.

9. Hogar Crea chief says authorities are complicit
The president of Hogar Crea Dominicano, Leopoldo Diaz says that everyone in the DR knows that drugs are sold almost openly with the complicity of some authorities, as reported in El Caribe. He said that one only has to visit any barrio in Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata, La Romana and La Vega where people know where the drug sale points are located. Interviewed on the Matinal talk show, he criticized the use of minors for delivering the drugs. He said that the lack of an authoritative father figure in many homes contributes to children and teens becoming drug addicts.

"Children and teens, minors, are innately curious," he said. When they are asked how they became addicts, it is not unusual to hear that they were drug vendors who became curious after seeing people were paying so much for the drugs, leading them to wonder what was so good about it, and then they got hooked, said Diaz.

He said in the country there are no statistics on the number of addicts and that those managed by the center only refer to people that seek help in Villa Francisco, Villa Juana, Villa Consuelo and other neighborhoods. He said there are private centers that care for people who can afford rehabilitation treatment that can range to up to RD$100,000 a month.

10. Update on the Figueroa Agosto case
Jose Miguel Marrero Martell (Pito Nariz), second in command of the Jose Figueroa Agosto drug network, has pleaded guilty of conspiring to smuggle drugs into the US and money laundering in a court hearing in Puerto Rico. He said that the drug trafficking cartel led by Figueroa Agosto and Angel Ayala Vasquez (Angelo Millones), also under arrest in Puerto Rico, handled yachts laden with dollars through several of the DR's ports and used the money to pay for cocaine in transactions in Boca Chica, La Romana and Bayahibe, as reported in Diario Libre, quoting a report in El Nuevo Dia of Puerto Rico. The yachts later returned to Puerto Rico.

www.elnuevodia.com/sedeclaraculpablemanoderechadejuniorcapsula-939465.html

www.elnuevodia.com/compinchesangelomillonesyjuniorcapsula-939940.html

11. Security in Mirador Park
Police patrols in Mirador Park begin at 6am, with scant security at other hours. As of 6am, the motorized police are on duty, as well as horseback patrols and agents who are posted on the steps that connect the park to Cayetano Germosen Avenue.

As reported in Diario Libre, the Police say that crimes are usually committed before dawn and after sunset at the park. A police source said that based on experience, the crimes occur between the steps of points 4 and 7 because those lead to the 8 and 8-1/2 slum neighborhoods, home to most of the criminals who have been arrested. The Mirador del Sur Park was in the news again earlier this week after a Supreme Court judge who was exercising with his brother and sister was mugged at 5:30am.

12. Hail and winds in Santiago
A freak hailstorm and tornado-like winds caused damage in Santiago yesterday. Strong winds were reported in Punal, Guayabal, Laguna Prieta, Sabana Iglesia, Baitoa, Janico and other areas. The hail was accompanied by wind gusts that blew away zinc roofs, signs and caused widespread crop damage.

The heavy winds toppled a road sign at Km. 5 of the Duarte highway causing an hour-long traffic jam, as reported in Diario Libre.

13. Dominican wins Belly Dancing Championship
A belly dancer known simply as "Paula" from the Dominican Republic has won the Champion of Champions, Drum Solo Champion and was the Egyptian First Runner Up Belly Dancing of the Universe Championship organized by Tonya chains and Atlantis Long in Long Beach, California (BDUC 2011). She reports in her biography that she holds a BFA in Fine Arts and a BA in Advertising.

www.bellydanceroftheuniverse.com/bduc2011.htm

www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=199978616709033&set=o.125124027526615&type=1&theater

4LWCHEIgn2s&feature

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In 2010 she won the Los Angeles Competition and People's Choice Winner. See her dancing at www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LWCHEIgn2s&feature=player_embedded

www.paulaorientaldancer.com/PaulaBellydanceArtist/BioE.html

14. Bizet art exhibit at Bellas Artes
As of Thursday 14 April, the National Gallery at the Palacio de Bellas Artes will be exhibiting the works of French artist Michel Bizet. This exhibition, titled 'Suites' will be open through 22 May. The collection contains a series of works linking Bizet to American abstract expressionism. Bizet first visited the DR in 1995 and went on to set up shop in Las Terrenas, Samana where he built several commercial plazas, including Casa Linda and Plaza Taina.

For more on ongoing and upcoming, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Fernandez in Samana
President Leonel Fernandez was in Samana yesterday for the symbolic inaugural event for the Balcones del Atlantico vacation villas resort, built by the Bisono construction company. The project has been in operation for more than a year. Developers Rafael Bisono and Maximo Bisono announced the start of the second phase of the development during the event. Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer and Mark Jeffrey, Area Vice President for the Southeast and Caribbean Region for Rock Resorts, the operator, were present.

Balcones del Atlantico is a beachfront resort in Las Terrenas with 86 multi-room villas. The apartments are individually owned but are available for occupancy by tourists.

Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia said that the government is investing RD$892 million in infrastructure works that will benefit the Las Terrenas, Samana beach area.

2. IMF accepts electricity subsidy increase
The executive vice president of the Dominican Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE), Celso Marranzini says that Dominican authorities have managed to convince the International Monetary Fund to increase the authorized government electricity subsidy to US$600 million up from US$350 million as budgeted for 2011. Rising oil prices have led to the upward revision.

Marranzini said that while in the 2008 petrol crisis the price of a barrel of oil hovered around US$74, the cost is now US$102.

He also announced increased investment in improving transmission lines with approved loans for US$142 million from the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank.

He said that while fewer than 400,000 customers were receiving 24-hour power supplies in 2009, he expects to serve one million with a blackout-free service by the end of this year.

He also said that electricity fraud prosecution would continue. 60 cases were tried in 2010, but he expects 3,000 cases to be processed by the Electricity System Prosecution Department (PGASE) this year.

Marranzini also announced a new initiative, the www.circuitos.gob.do website to keep consumers posted on blackout scheduling. The website also features information about the percentage of consumers who do not pay for the service in localities nationwide.

3. March inflation at 1.16%
The Central Bank has released the Consumer Price Index report for March. It estimates that inflation was 1.16%. This brings the first-quarter accumulated inflation rate to 3.64%. On an annual basis, from March 2010 to March 2011, inflation works out at 7.61%.

The Central Bank says that inflation is up as a result of rising petrol prices.

4. Taiwan university scholarships
The Ministry of Higher Education announced the deadline is coming up for applying for scholarships to 15 universities in Taiwan. The deadline for application is 30 April 2011. A grade average of a minimum 80% or 3 points is required, as well as Dominican citizenship, permanent residence in the DR, and a commitment to return to live in the DR.

The scholarships are for masters and doctorate programs and cover tuition and living stipend, but not the airline ticket.

The Fernandez administration has granted merit-worthy Dominican students thousands of scholarships to leading universities around the world.

www.seescyt.gov.do/becasint/default.aspx

5. Government funds now unseizable
President Leonel Fernandez signed Law 86-11 yesterday on the Availability of Public Funds. The law regulates the use of funds allocated under the National Budget. It establishes the unseizability of government funds, at the municipal, central or autonomous levels. Creditors can no longer claim these funds to satisfy a debt.

6. Water shortage
An acute drought is causing water shortages in Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo Water Corporation (CAASD) spokesman Valentin Sanchez said that water reserves are down 80 million gallons, or 17.75% of the regular production level.

The drought has also caused fires in mountain areas, reports the Ministry of Environment. Hoy says that the Ministry of Environment is extinguishing three to four fires in every day, mostly caused by people who throw out lit cigarette ends while driving past and by farmers who use slash and burn farming methods.

7. More one-parent households
An International Labor Organization-funded study coordinated by the ministries of Labor and Women was released yesterday. It focuses on the complex situation faced by women who have to combine work and family.

Labor Minister Max Puig and Women's Minister Alejandrina German presented the study, "Together: Providing and Caring, the Challenges of a Society in Evolution", which makes recommendations based on the new realities of the DR's labor market.

The research, which was conducted by Carmen Julia Gomez of the Women's Action Research Center (CIPAF) and Maria Jose Chamorro of the ILO, was presented at the Melia Santo Domingo Hotel yesterday.

The report makes recommendations aimed at improving company productivity, the quality of life of workers and their families and contributing to reducing the gender gap.

The researchers examined the changes in the Dominican family. Most women work in the service sector, domestic service, free zones, commerce and tourism, jobs that are characterized by long working hours and rotating shifts.

The research found that the number of children under 15 living with a single mother had increased from 24.9% in 2002 to 30% in 2007. The number of one-parent households reached 35% in 2007, including homes led only by a father.

The study also found that the number of children living with both their parents declined from 55.6% in 2002 to 50.2% in 2007.

The increase in single parent households is attributed to the mass domestic and international migration in recent decades, the high levels of couple separation, and the tradition of children working in the homes of third parties. Economic difficulties also oblige many workers to work two shifts to make ends meet, affecting the quality of home care.

The researchers said that major deficiencies in public services affected the operation of households. They mentioned problems with electricity, potable water, transport, and garbage disposal in cities. This creates difficulties for housekeeping, increases costs and requires mostly women to dedicate more time to household chores.

They advise the government to increase the nationwide availability of daycare centers for children of parents who work in the informal sector. They also recommend more assistance programs for seniors and people with special needs, the extension of school hours to make them compatible with working hours, promotion of the legalization of paternal obligations and rights on the care of children, and programs that conciliate work and family through the National Competitiveness Council. The study encourages civil society to take the lead in encouraging cultural changes to traditional male roles.

The report is geared to contributing to policy-making with social cohesion and to combat poverty.

8. Spotlight on Felix Gutierrez
Superintendent of Insurance Felix Gutierrez protests that investigative journalists Nuria Piera and Alicia Ortega are picking on him instead of on individuals he called "thieves in government."

Yesterday, commenting on recent reports by Alicia Ortega and Nuria Piera he described the investigative journalists as "ignorant" and "illiterate". As reported in acento.com.do he said on the Cinevision Chanel 19 2pm program Version Transparente "in this government there are officials who are thieves" he said, excluding himself from the category.

He complained that the journalists do not investigate the officials who are stealing from their government posts and instead accuse him of irregularities in his post as head of the Superintendence of Insurance.

Recently, Nuria Piera revealed that the Superintendent of Insurance was engaged in a dispute with EdeSur and as a result had accumulated RD$3+ million in debt that he refused to pay and that his power service had not been cut off. After the TV report aired, the executive vice president of the CDEEE announced that Gutierrez had agreed to a payment plan with the company.

But her colleague Alicia Ortega focused on what she saw as irregularities in the purchase of a 4,058 meter-lot for the construction of the new Superintendence of Insurance headquarters. She said that an original RD$53 million sales price for the lot had increased to an actual sale of RD$111 million in a period of around a year and a half.

Ortega presented evidence showing that the property purchase had been grossly overvalued.

The TV investigative report indicated that the Superintendence did not comply with Procurement Law 340-06 in the purchase of the lot.

Ortega also focused on high restaurant consumption by Gutierrez using government-paid credit cards in 2009 n RD$42,841 (February), RD$122,365 (March), RD$43,900 (April), RD$56,089 (May), RD$26,624 (June), RD$94,945 (July), RD$12,800 (August), RD$21,500 (September), RD$45,701 (October), RD$67,970 (November), RD$71,020 (December), for a total for the year of RD$692,955 in restaurant consumptions. She observes a Police office makes RD$63,000 a year.

She also pointed out that he has 11 vehicles assigned to people at his service in his office, or himself, including three Land Cruiser SUVs and a Fortuner SUV.

Alicia Ortega also commented on the construction of a modern parking system for 80 vehicles at the Superintendence of Insurance at a cost of RD$30 million or RD$375,000 per each parking space. She observes that sources at the Santo Domingo Yacht Club that used the same system for parking yachts and that they were quoted RD$15 million for 170 yachts.

www.noticiassin.com/2010/11/superintendencia-de-seguros-compra-y-construye-sin-aplicar-ley-340-06/

www.acento.com.do/index.php/news/2069/56/Euclides-Gutierrez-Felix-en-este-gobierno-hay-funcionarios-que-roban.html

9. Fake RD$500 bills
Forged RD$500 bills are circulating. Listin Diario reports that the fake bills are a slightly lighter shade of blue than the real ones, are 3mm smaller and the paper is slightly thinner, meaning the forged bills wrinkle easily. While strikingly similar, the blurred blue is the easiest way to detect the forged bills at eye glance. The newspaper prints a photo of the forged bill compared to the genuine bill.

www.listin.com.do/economia-and-negocios/2011/4/14/184782/Cuidado-circulan-RD500-falsos

10. Motoconchos switch to propane
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles have been converted to run on propane gas, which was a blessing for the environment and for personal budgets. Now, as the price of gasoline increases, gradually more motoconchistas, or motorbike-taxis are installing the system, as reported in El Caribe.

With prices of gasoline at RD$201.90, moto-taxis were hurting. Now one who made the conversion, Puro Martinez of Villa Mella, said that he spends only RD$500 pesos in fuel a week, and is back in business, as reported in El Caribe.

One of the few mechanics he says has mastered the system for installing propane is Repuesto El Chino, on Calle Principal in the Los Guaricanos slum. Wilden Dario Melo told El Caribe that those making the conversion can save 60% on their costs. Nelson Gutierrez, owner of Nelson Auto Gas at Avenida Nicolas de Ovando also installs the system that costs RD$7,200, but it can only be installed in four-stroke motorcycles that do not use water.

Reportedly, the conversion is also popular with colmado (neighborhood grocery shop) delivery motorcycles.

11. Cedeno candidacy criticized
PLD Political Committee member Felix Jimenez has come out in protest at First Lady Margarita Cedeno's presidential pre-candidacy. The controversial former Minister of Tourism announced he was working on the Danilo Medina campaign. A February Gallup poll showed Medina as the favorite of the six pre-candidates who had publicly announced their intention to seek the PLD presidential nomination.

Cedeno was included in the list of PLD pre-candidates for the party's 26 June primary by the Central Committee. She was the only of the candidates not present when the nomination was made, and she is the only of the seven candidates to not have formally announced her wish to be the PLD candidate in the 2012 presidential election.

For months, though, her office has aired a major values-promoting campaign in the media and more recently major promotional advertisements have been appearing in the media. Many supporters of President Fernandez's re-election aspirations have said they would support the First Lady instead.

In an interview in Hoy, Jimenez objected to the candidacy on the grounds that Cedeno was a simple member of a base committee in the party and had not had a political career within the PLD. He said she has never directed an intermediary, municipal or provincial committee and was not a Central Committee member.

It is not unusual for a newcomer to rise to the ranks in politics. In the past, however, presidential candidates have always been nominated by the Political Committee, not the Central Committee.

Jimenez said it was as if a corporal in the army were allowed to rise to being Minister of the Armed Forces.

On Sunday, 10 April, the Central Committee authorized the addition of the First Lady's name to the list proposed by the Political Committee. The First Lady has yet to publicly accept the candidacy. The others are Danilo Medina, Franklin Almeyda, Rafael Alburquerque, Jose Tomas Perez, Radhames Segura and Francisco Dominguez Brito.

On Friday President Leonel Fernandez announced he would not be going down the road of modifying the Constitution to seek re-election and announced he would be neutral in the choice of the PLD candidate for the 20 May 2012 presidential election.

12. Explosion causes major blackout
An explosion caused a long blackout in Bonao, Cenovi, Jarabacoa, Constanza and San Francisco de Macoris yesterday. The area has also been suffering from blackouts after a tornado swept through the central part of the country on Wednesday and Thursday. Two Dominican Electrical Transmission Company (ETED) technicians suffered second-degree burns after an explosion at the 69 KV sub-station at La Vega during repairs. They were sent to the Luis E. Aybar Burn Unit in Santo Domingo.

13. Deadly fire
Six year old Gabriel, three-year old Jonathan and their three-month old sister Marlenys were burned to death after fire consumed the shack where they lived with their parents at Gioconda street in El Torito in Santo Domingo North. The mother was said to be in shock. As reported, the mother had gone to the grocery store to buy dinner and returned to find the tragic scene. Three other dwellings in the area, also built of cardboard and plywood, were scorched by the fire.

14. DNCD intercepts cocaine en route to Germany
National Drug Control Department (DNCD) agents have discovered 21 packages of cocaine in a freight container with a wood shipment in transit to Germany. The DNCD did not give any details on the intended recipient of the shipment at the Caucedo Multimodal Port. The drug haul was found after a detailed inspection by agents working for the Information and Joint Coordination Center (CICC). As reported in El Dia, the DNCD has inspects freighters whether or not they have already passed the X-Ray test. El Dia says these inspections have revealed several shipments of cocaine arriving from South America. As reported, the agents suspected the freighter "had a prize" and carried out a detailed search. The container had arrived from Ecuador.

15. AmCham 2011 Golf Tournament
The traditional American Ambassador's Cup Golf Tournament kicks off on 14th May at the newly renovated Teeth of the Dog golf course in Casa de Campo. Now in its 12th year, the tournament is a fund-raiser for community development and education initiatives coordinated by the Chamber of Commerce Corporate Social Responsibility section. AmCham initiatives this year involve RD$26 million.

US Ambassador Raul Yzaguirre, AmCham president Julio Brache and AmCham Vice President William Malamud made the announcement.

16. Jazz Conference in Santiago
The Centro Leon has announced the highlights of the program of the 4th International Music, Identity and Culture in the Caribbean Congress that will take place at the Centro Leon at Av. 27 de Febrero in Santiago on 15, 16 and 17 April. The focus this year is on Jazz from a Caribbean perspective. The highlights include talks by Cristobal Diaz Ayala, Bobby Concasses and Jose Loyola Fernandez (Cuba), Luc Delannoy (Belgium), Bobby Sanabria, Poncho Sanchez, John Santos, Jim Byers and Natalio Chediak, Paul Austerlitz and Sydney Hutchinson (US), Justo Almario (Colombia), Giovanni Hidalgo (Puerto Rico/US), Humberto Ramirez and Luis Marin (Puerto Rico), Andy Duran (Venezuela) and Thurgot Theodat (Haiti). As well as a full program of talks and activities, debates are also scheduled aimed at contributing to an understanding of jazz as a musical, historical and socio-cultural phenomenon in the region.

An outstanding show, Caribbean Philosophy is booked for Friday, 15 April with a performance by The John Santos Sextet. This will be transmitted live from the National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian Latino Center in Washington D.C.

Performances will continue on Saturday, 16 April with a concert, Caribbean is Jazz at the Gran Teatro del Cibao, featuring leading national and international Latin Jazz performers.

For more on ongoing and upcoming, see www.dr1.com/calendar

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/P1000076.jpg

Sources: Photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/DSC_0040.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/74526_128675077185760_126124237440844_152174_461357_n.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/652az.jpg

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/edicion-anteriorN65I01.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/4056150151_f43b278089_b.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. President kicks off combos program
President Leonel Fernandez has launched the sale of food packages that are sold for less than market prices, which are being promoted as "popular combos". Speaking in San Cristobal on Saturday, the President announced that the combos would be available at 32 sales points across the country.

The combos consist of five pounds of rice, two pounds of beans, one pound of soya oil, one pound of spaghetti, 9.6oz seasoning, a can of tomato paste, a can of sardines, a pound of salami, a pound of cornmeal and a 125-gram packet of powdered milk. They are being sold for RD$200. Chickens are also being sold for RD$100 regardless of weight.

During the event, backers of the First Lady's Presidential bid spoke out in her support.

2. First Lady: Global Ambassador Special Olympics
First Lady Margarita Cedeno has been appointed as a Special Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics. She received the title from Dennis Brueggeman, regional president and managing director for Special Olympics Latin America.

Global Ambassadors from the worlds of sports, entertainment and music help to raise funds and awareness by bringing attention to the good work Special Olympics is doing every day, 365 days a year, in more than 180 countries.

The ceremony took place at the Office of the First Lady in Santo Domingo. Also present were the president of Special Olympics in the DR, Dr. Federico Garcia Godoy, local coordinator John Paul Garrido and Dr. Juan Batlle.

http://noticias.primeradama.gob.do/node/2141

3. Free birth certificate changes
Citizens in the Dominican Republic used to have to pay RD$15,000-RD$30,000 in legal fees and endure long waits for the legal system to correct changes in their digital birth certificates. All these errors were clearly not the citizens' fault, but were obviously caused when the Central Electoral Board (JCE) digitalized the handwritten registrations. Nonetheless, citizens were made to pay for the costly process to correct the errors. It was good business for judges and lawyers, but very expensive for citizens.

The JCE has finally announced it would make the changes free of charge upon announcing the ruling now in place to handle the corrections.

On Friday JCE president Roberto Rosario admitted that thousands of typing errors had been made when the manual registration system was converted to digital. The JCE will install systems to rapidly correct all the errors. Rosario said that in April and May the systems will be installed and staff trained to be ready for massive correction program as of June, as reported in Listin Diario. Meanwhile, corrections are already being made at no charge.

4. Transparency in government
The Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) reports that it is ranked fourth on the Participacion Ciudadana listing for the application of Transparency in Government Law 200-04. It was awarded an A classification. Of 82 government departments assessed, only 34% achieved categories A & B for the highest levels of transparency.

The first three places are held by the Ministry of Public Health, the Department of Taxes and the ARS-Senasa. The Superintendent of Banks is in fifth place.

The evaluation takes into consideration the availability of information, responses to requests for information, structure and resources of the Office of Free Access to Information (OAI) and responsible access to information, as reported in Hoy.

5. Fuel prices reach new record highs
The price of a barrel of petroleum has been on the decline recently, but last Friday the Ministry of Industry & Commerce once again announced an increase in local fuel prices. New prices are premium gasoline at RD$217.90, regular gasoline at RD$205.40, regular diesel at RD$187.90, premium diesel RD$192.80, Avtur RD$156.76, and propane RD$99.50. These are new records for the Dominican Republic.

6. Warning against propane-fueled motorbikes
Deputy chief of the Santo Domingo Fire Service Colonel Jose Frometa has expressed doubts about the safety of propane gas installations being made for motorbikes. The gas installations are carried out by a handful of shops and cost around RD$7,500. Motorbike users are enticed by the promise of 60% savings in fuel costs.

Frometa says the installations are improvised and warned that the consequences could be serious, as reported in El Caribe. "We have always said gas is dangerous, especially in the way vehicles are handled, so imagine what this means for motorbikes", he said.

A Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) spokesman told the newspaper they had learned about the propane gas installations for motorbikes in a previous report published recently in El Caribe.

7. Congress and President Fernandez
So far Congress has followed President Leonel Fernandez's guidelines, but now Diario Libre reports that the balance of power in the Chamber of Deputies has shifted. As reported, the PLD and their allies hold the majority with 99 deputies, while the PRD has 75 and the PRSC has 9. Of the PLD, 40 are said to be loyal to President Leonel Fernandez, while another 50 are tied to presidential pre-candidate Danilo Medina.

Three are allies of the Bloque Institutional Social Democrata, the Alianza por la Democracia and the Fuerza Nacional Progresista. Five deputies are said not to have ties with the PLD.

In the PRD, before the primary Miguel Vargas was said to hold the majority of the party deputies, or 30. But since former President Hipolito Mejia secured the PRD nomination, there has been a shift. Now Mejia is said to have 28, Vargas 15, and Luis Abinader the same 10 he had before. In the case of the Reformists, two deputies are said to support PRSC senator Amable Aristy Castro.

"In these circumstances, any initiative that requires an absolute majority for approval will require some negotiation within the PLD, where Medina now holds the majority. Likewise, for a two-thirds majority, they will have to negotiate within the PLD.

8. Danilo Medina campaign update
Danilo Medina opened his campaign for the PLD candidacy and the presidency in 2012 election with a full-house event at the Gran Arena del Cibao on Saturday, 16 April. His campaign slogans focused on continuing what was right and correcting what was wrong. He spoke of his government's guidelines and said he would give priority to combating poverty, creating jobs and promoting education, health and security.

Around 400 members of the PLD will decide on the party's presidential candidate in the primary scheduled for 26 June. Medina is competing for the PLD candidacy against six other candidates approved by the party.

To read his first speech as an official PLD pre-candidate, see http://eljacaguero.com/miles-de-personas-acompanan-a-danilo-en-lanzamiento-candidatura

9. In favor of Margarita Cedeno for President
A group of young people has inaugurated a campaign headquarters in Santo Domingo to promote the pre-candidacy of First Lady Margarita Cedeno, as reported in Listin Diario. The effort is supported by the "Movement Youth with Margarita."

The First Lady was accepted as a PLD party presidential pre-candidate along with six others who have publicly announced their aspirations, but she has yet to announce her acceptance of the nomination, despite a major promotional campaign underway.

The new offices for the group are located at Calle Santiago corner Wenceslao Alvarez in Gazcue.

10. Solidarity with Japan
Dozens of Dominicans gathered for a 'kizuna' ceremony over the weekend to bond with the people of Japan. Donations and an altar of flowers in solidarity with the victims of the 11 March earthquake were set up. The Japanese flag was displayed on a giant screen and more than 800 people signed their names in a book of condolences at the Salon Manuel del Cabral of the UASD state university library. The ceremony was headed by Japanese Ambassador Souichi Sato.

Participants purchased RD$500 T-shirts to contribute to earthquake relief. The event was organized by the Association of Former Japan Scholarship Holders, JICA and the Japanese Embassy, as reported in Hoy.

See: www.do.emb-japan.go.jp

11. Crime declines
The Police say that violent crime is on the decline. It points to first quarter homicide rates, indicating that they have declined significantly this year. The Police Statistics Department reports that there were 218 homicides in December 2010. In January 2011: 204 deaths, February 2011: 187, March 2011: 164 deaths. The Police observe that the death toll for March is 27% lower than in December 2010.

The Police attribute the decline to prevention measures taken by the Police.

The Police says most of the deaths occurred in entertainment centers, personal disputes, jealousy and traffic accidents.

12. Judge park assailants arrested
A Santo Domingo court has ordered three months preventive custody at La Victoria to three men who are accused of mugging Supreme Court Judge Julio Anibal Suarez and his brother and sister in the Mirador del Sur Park last week. The men were named as Luis Jimenez (Leo), Willy Feliz and Daniel Garcia Sanchez (Baby). The judge was walking in the park with his siblings at 5:30am.

The trio is also accused of robbing Juan Ramon Moreno. The thieves stole his wallet and cell phone. Moreno also said that Garcia Sanchez shot him in the left leg.

13. Figueroa Agosto's wife returns
On Monday, 18 April, Judge Claribel Nivar ordered Nin to three months preventive custody at Najayo and set the date for the start of the preliminary trial against her as 9 May.

Leavy Nin Batista, 33, wife of Puerto Rican drug capo Jose Figueroa Agosto, had arrived in Santo Domingo from Spain on Saturday, as reported in Listin Diario.

She is facing charges including money laundering, forgery and criminal association in the DR. She left the DR shortly after her husband Figueroa Agosto evaded arrest in September 2009.

Figueroa Agosto was subsequently arrested in Puerto Rico where he is due to stand trial on drug trafficking charges. He had already been tried for murder, but escaped from a Puerto Rican jail and fled to the DR where he lived for around 10 years.

Nin Batista arrived on an Air Europa flight from Madrid in the custody of five Spanish police agents. She was met at Las Americas Airport by National District prosecutor Alejandro Moscoso Segarra and taken to the Ciudad Nueva Justice Palace, where she spent the evening.

Moscoso Segarra said that if Nin Batista had not turned herself in voluntarily, she would have been arrested by the Spanish authorities. He said the talks that led to her return to the DR lasted three months.

The Dominican media focused on Leavy Nin's new look, which was very different from the photo shown upon her departure. She arrived with the daughter she had with Figueroa Agosto. As reported in El Caribe, she has negotiated an agreement whereby her daughter would be sent to stay with Figueroa Agosto's relatives in Puerto Rico.

14. Olympics Beach Volleyball Pre-Qualifier
The best of North American, Central American and Caribbean beach volleyball is in Boca Chica for the pre-Olympic beach volleyball qualifier, 18-20 April. 18 pairs of men and women, including athletes from the US, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean countries vie for US$10,000 in prizes and one of the regional berths to the Olympics.

This event will be followed by the Pan American Games Pre-Qualifier, also in Boca Chica. The North, Central America and Caribbean (Norceca) Confederation qualifier tournament is scheduled for 22-24 April and will feature 16 male and 16 female couples, all competing for the right to take part in the volleyball events of the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. The 22-24 April event coincides with peak Easter weekend celebrations. Telecentro, Channel 11 will televise the games. The events are organized by the Dominican Volleyball Federation (Codovoli).

15. Easter Week holiday begins
The media is announcing full house in Punta Cana and 50% occupancies in Puerto Plata hotels at the start of the Easter Week. Easter Week is the peak domestic travel holiday for Dominicans, with major shows scheduled for all beach, mountain and river destinations.

16. Cathedral Easter Choral Concert
On Good Friday, 22 April, the Chorus of the Santo Domingo Cathedral presents its traditional Easter Concert. The choir is directed by Professor Jose Delmonte Peguero. Highlights of the program will be renditions by tenor Nelson Vargas, soprano Ondina Matos and mezzo-soprano Belkys Hernandez. The recital is set for 8pm and is open to the general public. To get a seat, attendance by 7pm is recommended.

For more on upcoming events, and to to follow the Catholic Church religious events in Santo Domingo, see www.dr1.com/calendar

If you have any feedback or comments regarding the DR1 Daily News, please email us.

April 19, 2011

Easter vacation time

Colonial City choo choo train popular

Miss Universe Puerto Rico sings at Casa de Teatro

Check your flight times re the DR

Easter vacation time
Foreign tourists staying at resorts nationwide during the week of 18 April through 24 April will share house with an estimated 20% occupancy usually granted to domestic travel during the Easter Week. Grade school in the DR is out since Monday, and universities close from Wednesday, making this the par excellence spring break vacation time in the Dominican Republic.
Special shows are scheduled for domestic tourists at the beach destinations in Punta Cana, Jarabacoa, Playa Dorada, Altos de Chavon, Cabarete, and many others. And Presidente and Bohemia Beer are sponsoring leading bands that will be playing where the crowds are.
See http://www.dr1.com/calendar for details on the shows.

Colonial City choo choo train popular
The Chu Chu Tren Colonial is proving its worth in the Colonial City since it began operation in February. The train departs from Calle El Conde No. 60 corner Isabel la Catolica Street, in front of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo daily from 9am until its stop at 5pm. 64 passengers fit on the modern tour train that does a 45-minute non-stop tour around the 500-years old Colonial City. 16 departures per day, 7 days a week. Audio in Spanish, English, French, Russian and Italian educates Dominican and foreign tourists on 49 points of interests on the train's route through the Colonial City. Tourists pay US$12 for the ride and tourists under 12 years pay US$7, and Dominicans RD$250 adults and RD$150 children under 12 years.

Miss Universe Puerto Rico sings at Casa de Teatro
Denise Quinones, the former Puerto Rican Miss Universe (2001) came to the DR following her boyfriend, actor Frank Perozo and is exploring new career opportunities in the DR. Every Tuesday in April, she appears at the stage of Casa de Teatro. There is no admission fee. Her show is a production by Pavel Nunez. Quinones is also rehearsing participated in the Woody Allen play, Adulteries, that will be staged in September at the Palacio Bellas Artes.

Check your flight times re the DR
You can easily check live arrival and departure information regarding flights to and from Dominican Republic airports on dr1.com. The information is listed for Las Americas International Airport (SDQ), Puerto Plata International Airport (POP), Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), Santiago International Airport (STI), Samana International Airport (AZB) and La Romana International Airport (LRM).
The link is found through the Airline Forum of DR1 where readers consistently post information on airline fare sales and tips for air travel to and from the DR.
See http://www.dr1.com/forums/airline-info/102682-live-departure-arrival-info-all-dominican-airports.html

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/4708966991_161fc45ce1_b.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. DR1 breaks for the Easter holiday
DR1 news digest will not be updated on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. DR1 adjourns for the Easter Week holiday, the traditional Dominican spring break.

News over the holiday period will be compiled for the Monday, 25 April issue.

Important headline news stories that may occur during the period can be posted and followed by readers on the DR1 Forums that are open 24/7 at http://www.dr1.com/forums

2. Politicians call for Easter break
PLD, PRD and PRSC politicians announced they would take a break for Easter Week. The PRD has said it will announce its presidential candidate, former President Hipolito Mejia on 8 May, but will take the Easter Week off from campaign activities. The PLD and the PRSC are immersed in the pre-convention campaigns, but pre-candidates agreed to also take a break.

Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez had urged the political parties to abstain from political activism during the religious holiday.

"Easter Week should be a time for reflecting, pardoning, for family union and personal growth, a time to rid ourselves of negative feelings," said Victor Bisono, pre-candidate for the PRSC, as reported in Listin Diario.

El Dia reported that Congress shut down for work on Tuesday. Work would be resumed on Monday.

3. 41 new public schools
The Ministry of Education will begin a national program to restart the construction of 41 public schools. The Ministry says that it will spend RD$720 million to have the schools ready for the beginning of the next school year. In addition, the Ministry says that it is ready to equip and furnish 38 schools in 17 provinces that were built at a cost of RD$761 million.

Overall, 417 classrooms would be added for the 2011-2012 school year.

Nuevo Diario says that the new schools will open in Azua, Barahona, Duarte, Espaillat, El Seybo, and Hermanas Mirabal provinces. There are new schools also in Elias Pina, Hato Mayor, La Altagracia, San Juan de la Maguana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Valverde and San Cristobal provinces.

4. Pre-paid power service
A pilot program with the installation of pre-paid meters in the community of Sagrario Diaz, in Bella Vista, National District is working. Celso Marranzini, executive vice president of the CDEEE, was on site yesterday to oversee how the program that benefits 500 users is operating. The users did not pay for power service before, but now are hooked to the pre-paid meters. The sector benefitted from the installation of new transformers, light posts, and anti-theft meters. The program began two months ago. Consumers can monitor their power consumption.

5. OTTT will check out drivers' emotional state
The Technical Office for Ground Transportation (OTTT) has indicated that they will carry out their traditional check on vehicular conditionotires and so forth. Now under the same aegis of their "Zero Accidents for Passenger Transport," they will also check the emotional state of the drivers and the attitude of the men and women that transport passengers to and from the beaches and recreation areas for Easter Week.

The program, set to begin today 19 April and continue until Thursday 21 April, calls for inspecting 56 public transport routes that the OTTT supervises in and out of Santo Domingo, and that use 2,000 vehicles.

What makes this inspection different is that this year the OTTT will monitor all of the inter-provincial routes as well, making this a truly national effort.

70 inspectors have been assigned to the major passenger stations, such as Duarte and 27 of February in the National District, Enriquillo Park and the surrounding area, Kilometer 9 on the Duarte Highway and the Caribe Tours and Metro bus stations.

The inspectors will check tire pressure and condition, the condition of the vehicle, passenger service levels and the emotional state of the drivers, and watch out for vehicle overbooking, as reported in Diario Libre.

6. Indotel and telephone blackouts
In the first months of the year there have been 10 breakdowns of Claro and Orange that have affected hundreds of thousands of customers. Reports are that Claro has had 7 breakdowns and Orange three, with different services and areas affected.

According to numbers from the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel), since January 2002 until March 2011, the customers have received RD$29 million in credits, and through arbitration, RD$48.6 million, for a total of RD$87.7 million returned to clients.

In 2009, the service providers compensated their billed customers. The companies have not compensated users of pre-paid cards for the service problems. These users are the majority. Now Indotel has initiated a process seeking compensation of 5 minutes for the pre-paid customers that make up 85% of all cell phone users.

Indotel authorities wants to make it clear that they are not indifferent regarding the breakdowns in service that affect customers. Indotel calls on telecom service consumers to call 311 to notify the problems.

Indotel president David Perez, together with Virginia Martinez Corominas, the manager of consumer protection, Domingo Tavarez, from the board of directors and Santo Domingo Henriquez, from the Department of Inspection explained to Diario Libre reporters that the telephone blackouts are breakdowns caused by failures, in some cases, even of the cutting of the fiber optic cables. But the service provider is the entity responsible for maintaining and fulfilling the continuity of service.

Perez said that when the telephone blackouts occur, the service providers are in the obligation of compensating the customers. He admitted contractual regulations establish that the suspension for breakdowns or of any sort has to be for 24 hours in order for it to be compensated.

Now, Indotel is trying to modify the current regulations and reduce from 24 to 4 hours of service suspension the time requirement for consumers to claim compensation and other benefits.

In addition, Indotel is trying to get pre-paid card users compensated, and not just those that are billed regularly on grounds that the customer has a right to receive the service.

7. 632,000 children left out of school
The coordinator for the United Nations Human Development Program, economist Miguel Ceara Hatton says that research shows that for the school year 2008-2009 some 632,000 children did not attend school, and things have not changed much. He says the Dominican Constitution guarantees children the right to education. Of the total, an estimated 363,000 are children 5 to 17 years old, the remainder are 5 years or younger. "What kind of citizens will those 363,000 be after the state has failed them?" he asked in an interview with Listin Diario. "Who or whom are responsible for the complying with Dominican laws?" he asks.

8. Power restored to Mirador del Sur Park
Edesur power distribution company announced it has restored lighting to the Las Canquinas children's park area at the eastern end of Mirador del Sur Park. Some 100 park light posts were restored. To celebrate, Edesur hosted 300 children from El Manguito slum for a late afternoon of play on the park swings and snacks.

9. Groups condition wage hikes
The labor and management sectors have said that they are ready to renew discussions regarding minimum wage raises. However, both sides are said to be defending their position "to the hilt".

The president of the National Confederation of Syndicate Unity (CNUS), Rafael (Pepe) Abreu conditioned the future talks to management improving on their proposal for a 11.58% raise of the minimum wage.

The president of the Council of Employers of the Dominican Republic (Copardom), Jaime Gonzalez rejected the imposing of pre-conditions. He rejected the threat of a strike hanging over their heads.

10. Court orders AES to provide energy to EDE-Este
The Civil and Commercial Chamber of the Court of the First Instance in the province of Santo Domingo ordered AES Andres to supply Ede-Este 300 megawatts of electricity in compliance with the contract that both parties signed on 6 March 2002. As a precaution and provisional measure, the court also said that AES Andres can not market this electricity to any other company than Ede-Este until the arbitration case is finished.

AES Andres has contracts with 50 non-regulated companies that are authored to purchase electricity directly from the generators. One of the most recent contracts was with Falconbridge Dominicana. As reported, Falconbridge has three 68 MW, oil-fired, generators, but it is cheaper for the company to purchase electricity from AES Andres. AES Andres produces energy by burning natural gas.

11. Authorities don't intimidate delinquents
Crimes have not let up in the country. Just on one night, last Sunday night, three persons, including a lieutenant in the Army and a sergeant major of the National Police and a civilian were killed in different incidents on Mirador Sur, Charles De Gaulle Avenue and in Villa Mella.

It will be remembered that just a few hours after the announcement of the reinforcement of patrols and vigilance, a police officer was killed as he repelled an assault on some Chinese merchants that he was providing security for, after the minibus they were riding in was intercepted at the intersection of Independencia and Luperon in the National District. One of the assailants was killed and one was wounded. Later, a police patrol killed one of the assailants who had managed to flee the scene, only to discover that he was nothing less than a corporal of the Police!

Nuevo Diario says that President Fernandez met with the Council for Democratic Security after a judge of the Supreme Court was assaulted at Mirador Sur Park. In the discussions, the council said that it was necessary to provide up to date communication equipment and weaponry to the National Police as well as complete the recruitment of 2,000 new agents.

12. Plane makes emergency stop in Bermuda
Tourists returning from Thomson vacation time in La Romana on their way to London, England, got an extra vacation night on Sunday, 17 April but this time they stayed in Bermuda. The pilot made the stopover after the Boeing 767-300 suffered mechanical malfunction as reported in Bermuda News. The crew reported a possible hydraulic leak and decided to divert to Bermuda.

As reported, on approach to Bermuda the crew advised they'd be landing overweight and would stop at the end of the runway and requested emergency service to check their brakes and for hydraulic fluid dripping onto the brakes.

Airport emergency response vehicles were on standby for the plane's arrival as a safety precaution, and the 256 passengers disembarked from the airplane and spent the night in Bermuda.

An airport spokesperson said, "At 9:26 pm, a Thomson Fly Airlines Boeing 767 en route from the Dominican Republic to London Gatwick, landed in Bermuda after the pilot informed Air Traffic Control of a mechanical malfunction. No emergency was declared, though airport emergency response vehicles were on standby as per normal procedure."

The airplane landed safely on Bermuda's runway 12 about 130 minutes later and stopped on the runway. Emergency services reported some smoke from the brakes on the outer main gear wheels however no leaks of hydraulic fluid were visible, later adding they could smell the hydraulic fluid. The aircraft taxied to the apron about 20 minutes after stopping.

http://avherald.com/h?article=43b29ec1

13. Posthumous bonus for Yewry Guillen
Yewry Guillen, the 6 footer 18 year old, baseball prospect was scheduled to travel to Viera, Florida to join the GCL Nationals, branch of Washington Nationals, as reported in Diario Libre. Instead that day he was buried in his native San Cristobal, after dying on Thursday of bacterial meningitis.

He was the pride of his family and a hot prospect for the Washington Nationals. But the Nationals had delayed on the payment of his US$35,000 bonus on grounds of clearing his documentation and visa.

Diario Libre highlights that the prospect had so much potential, he was authorized to skip playing with the local summer league and report directly to the Major League minor league team in Florida.

There are reports in the local press that the team has agreed to pay the US$35,000 posthumously to the family.

When he fell sick, Guillen was lodged at the Nationals Baseball Academy. After two days of suffering from high fever, he was sent home. He died at the Centro Medico Cubano on Thursday.

The Ministry of Public Health ordered that in the environs of the 30 baseball academies preventive measures be taken to avoid sicknesses and improve sanitary conditions at the sports facilities. The Ministry said that epidemiological check protocols be followed at the Nationals academy and in the Guillen family environs. Meningitis vaccinations were made available in Nigua, where Guillen lived with his family.

Meningitis vaccinations are routine in the prevention protocol used by pediatricians in the Dominican Republic.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/16/yewry-guillen-dead-nationals-prospect_n_850078.html

14. 35 arraigned on charges of setting fires
The National Environmental Protection Service reported that it had arrested and arraigned 35 persons on charges of setting fires in protected areas. According to the Listin Diario, another 43 Haitians were delivered to Migration authorities for deportation. The NEPS is a division of the Ministry of the Environment and is headed by Colonel Francisco Santo Tolentino. He said that they were looking for a person known as "El Chamo" who is said to be responsible for the felling of different types of trees in order to impede access to the areas where the fires are set as part of the slash and burn farming practice. He said that Dominicans are paying Haitians to cut down the trees in order to grow crops in the Los Haitises National Park, and he added that contrary to some comments made in the media, these farmers are not doing this to feed their families but rather to supply the local demand for the crops of name (yams) and yautias.

15. Three to jail on electricity fraud charges
The Deputy Attorney General for the Electric System, Moises Ferrer said that three sub-contractors for Ede-Este were sent to preventive custody under accusations that they solicited money for covering up illegal connections or for providing direct connections for customers. The magistrate said that the investigation by the prosecutors show that Llunior Jeronimo, Odolfi Florian Rodriguez and Juan Carlos Rodriguez de la Rosa had asked for money in exchange for the illegal connections. Judge Alba Luisa Marco accepted the request from the prosecutor and sent the accused to preventive custody, as reported in Listin Diario.

16. US ambassador praises prison reforms in DR
Ambassador Raul Yzaguirre had high praise for the efforts of prison officials to change the lives of the female inmates at the Najayo prison facility. He said that "what I have seen here is a renaissance for women that, as human beings, are trying to get a second chance in their lives". He was escorted by the Attorney General of the Republic Radhames Jimenez Pena and the coordinator of the New Model Prison, Roberto Santana, as reported in the Listin.

17. UASD student on rampage close university
The authorities at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) suspended classes at the main campus of the university as a result of the disturbances caused by students yesterday over the announcement of a new studies plan for the students of Medicine.

The Diario Libre says that the suspension does not include administrative personnel.

The protests on the university campus began shortly after midday, led by a group of persons, among them persons with ski-masks, who besides throwing garbage cans inside the campus, stoned and threw tear gas grenades at the Rector's offices and around the university.

The protest continued past 4pm, while representatives of the student groups Vanguardia Estudiantil Dominicana (VED), Movimiento Independiente Estudiantil de Liberacion (MIEL) and the Frente Estudiantil Social Democrata (IFESD) distanced themselves from the demonstrations and vandalism that for moments blocked traffic on Correa y Cidron, Maximo Gomez and Tiradentes avenues.

Nonetheless, Omar Perdomo, a representative of VED, warned that if the authorities do not resolve the problem of Plan 14 they will continue with a peaceful protest.

Reportedly, IT technicians of the UASD had already resolved the problem that caused the confusion of the students registered in the Medical School, assigning them the catalogue number of 000013. This was announced by the Academic Vice-Rector, Jorge Asjana David, who made it clear that the new Study Plan (Plan 14) will only be applied to new students that will begin in the 2011-2012 semester.

Asjana said that no student belonging to Plan 13 will be changed to Plan 14 and he added that these changes are in response to demands made by the Ministry of Higher Educations, Science and Technology.

Classes would resume on Monday.

18. Bloody toll begins Easter Week
A total of 13 persons perished and nine were injured in traffic accidents over the Palm Sunday weekend in Higuey, San Cristobal, the National District, Esperanza and the province of Santo Domingo according to a report from the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET). Of the 13 persons, six died of blows to the head during accidents involving motorcycles. The persons were identified as Jerry Manuel Rivas Perez, Williams Tejeda, Ramon Perez Castro, Felix Antonio Figuereo, Santina Mabel Santana, Ronald Cedeno, Angel Maria de Leon, and the minors Kelvin Jimenez and Elvin Guillermo Cespedes Figuereo, 12 years old.

Also dead were a man still unidentified of some 40 years of age, Reinaldo Perez Castillo and Domingo Antonio Brito Tavarez. Rivas Perez and Tejada perished in the Doctor Vinicio Calventi Hospital in Los Alcarrizos from blows to different parts of the body suffered when the Honda Civic, license A-000918 in which they were riding crashed into a commercial establishment on Duarte Street. Perez Castro, Cedeno and Perez Castillo died in Higuey in separate accidents. Rivera died in Gaspar Hernandez when the motorcycle that he was riding crashed into a truck. Grullon died in San Cristobal as the result of a motorcycle accident, the same as Angel Maria de Leon, in Cotui. Agramonte died in Haina and Brito Taveras in Esperanza.

The Diario Libre said that the minor Elvin Guillermo Cespedes Figuereo died when he was hit by an SUV at kilometer 9 of the Las Americas expressway.

19. Don Yuyo D'Alessandro passes away
Successful diplomat and entrepreneur, Guido (Yuyo) D'Alessandro died yesterday at the Cedimat medical center at Plaza de la Salud.

The wake was at Funeraria Blandino, and the burial on Wednesday at noon at the Puerta del Cielo cemetery.

He was also known for his years as a follower of the Social Christian political doctrine, and for combating the Trujillo regime. He was born in Montecristi on 13 July 1932. He was deputy minister at the Ministry of Foreign Relations from 1996-1998, deputy in Congress, Dominican ambassador to Italy, and vice president of the Pepsi Cola bottling company in the DR.

The Listin Diario re-published today an interview carried out on 26 July 2010 as part of a series on the Trujillo dictatorship and its effects on Dominican society.

http://www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2010/7/25/152071/La-hora-de-la-ruptura

http://www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2010/7/25/152069/Ramfis-la-sucesion-que-se-fue-a-pique

http://www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2011/4/18/185254/Muere-Guido-DAlessandro

20. Folklore music focus of next MIC Conference
The 2013 International Music Identity and Culture conference will focus on Music and Folklore Dance, announced MIC Conference organizers at the Centro Leon yesterday on occasion of the conclusion of the 6th conference dedicated to jazz.

The conference that brings together Caribbean and Latin American music experts this year focused on Jazz from a Latin American and Caribbean perspective. Dario Tejeda, director of the Institute of Caribbean Studies summarized findings at the end of the event: "Different talks and discussions concluded that jazz is a musical product resulting from the dialogue and interacting of Afro-American and Afro-Caribbean cultures, both marked by the cultural legacy of Europe and Africa in the New World."

The experts pointed to the influence in the region of Maurio Bauza, Francisco (Grillo) Machito, Antonio Machin, Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo and Stan Kenton, among others.

The conference urged the Grammy Awards to restore the Latin Jazz category in the Grammy Awards.

The event took place at the Centro Leon in Santiago. Previous conferences have focused on merengue, salsa, son and bolero since the event began in 2005.

Participants came from Austria, Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, the US, Finland, Gambia, Haiti, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the host Dominican Republic.

21. World class beach volleyball
The tournament that will grant two tickets each to the London 2012 Olympic Games for teams representing Cuba, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US and the DR is underway in Boca Chica, 20 minutes from Santo Domingo. The tournament is being played using a country-vs-country format that includes five matches and a 15-point tiebreak set if necessary. Canada defeated the US (men) and Mexico (women) in the opening games.

The top-four teams in both men's and women's competition advance to next year's Continental Cup Final. The winners from the final qualify for the Olympics.

As of Friday, 22 April and running through 24 April, Boca Chica will also host the Tour Norceca, a beach volleyball tournament with the participation of 16 men and women teams. The tournament will grant tickets to the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

22. Religious calendar for Easter
The Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic has published its schedule of events for Easter Week in the Colonial City.

Sunday, 17 April as of 5pm. Procession from the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes Church, with blessing at the Santo Domingo Cathedral. Mass at the Santo Domingo Cathedral.
Monday, 18 April masses from 7am to 6m at the Iglesia Regina Angelorum.
Tuesday, 19 April. At the Iglesia Santa Barbara, 6pm mass and 7pm procession dedicated to Jesus The Patient One.
Wednesday, 20 April. Masses at Nuestra Senora del Carmen church from 6am to 12 noon, masses in honor of Jesus the Nazarene and a 4pm concert in honor of Jesus the Nazarene. 5pm solemn via crucis, followed by the Sermon of the Nazarene and at 6pm the solemn procession of Jesus the Nazarene.
Thursday, 21 April. 9am Mass of Chrism at the Cathedral, the largest annual gathering of clergy, at the Santo Domingo Cathedral. At 8pm, the commemorative Last Supper mass at the Santo Domingo Cathedral.
Friday, 22 April. 3:30pm the Solemn Liturgy of the Passion and Death of Our Lord at the Santo Domingo Cathedral. Followed by 6pm, the procession of the holy burial at the Las Mercedes Church.
Saturday, 23 April. 11am Solemn Easter Vigil at the Santo Domingo Cathedral.
Sunday, 24 April. Noon. Easter Mass at the Santo Domingo Cathedral.

For more details on these events, and others coming up, see www.dr1.com/calendar

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. Fernandez to Guatemala & Brazil
President Leonel Fernandez travels to Guatemala and Brazil tomorrow.

The President will meet with his counterpart Alvaro Colom on this first official visit by a Dominican President to Guatemala.

In Rio de Janeiro, he will attend the Latin American section meeting of the World Economic Forum. The meeting is called "Laying the Foundation for a Latin American Decade." The focus is on Latin America that organizers describe as a thriving region of more than 600 million people with a promising decade ahead. The organizers say the region is a leading global trader of agro-products with major reserves of raw materials and immense rainforests, which are vital for the global climate and hold potential for renewable energies. Major global environment and sports events are to take place in the region in the coming years, and most countries are on the front line in attracting private investment. They offer remarkable opportunities for a growing number of modern industries to develop, while innovative reforms are being promoted to foster economic growth and improve the quality of life for the majority.

The Forum is set for 27-30 April. The Presidency announced that President Fernandez would be in Brazil 29-30 April.

President Fernandez participated in the World Economic Forum worldwide event in Davos, Switzerland in January 2011.

President Fernandez is scheduled to return on Sunday.

www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-latin-america-2011

2. President Fernandez vetoes mortgage bill
President Leonel Fernandez has not signed the Bill for the Development of the Mortgage Market and Trust Funds into law. The President says that in its review, Congress eliminated some paragraphs that he believes affect the bill. He says the two paragraphs that were eliminated from Art. 69 of the bill are the ones that guarantee control and prudence in the use of the pension funds.

He returned the bill to the Senate.

The bill designates part of the pension plan funds for the construction of housing.

President Fernandez drew parallels in the bill as approved by Congress with legislation in the US that caused the financial crisis there.

3. Tax collections up, but not enough
The Department of Taxes (DGII) reports that during the first quarter of the year tax collections came to RD$2.37 billion more than for the same period in 2010, or 5.3% million, for a total of RD$47.49 billion. The DGII attributes the rise primarily to increases in the hydrocarbons tax and income tax, tax on alcohol and tobacco and property tax. But when compared to the budgeted amount, the DGII was down RD$4.29 billion.

DGII collections in March were RD$15.88 billion, which is 0.4% compared to last year. The decline is due primarily to a reduction in the category of other taxes on income (-18.1%) and the ITBIS sales tax (-8.4%).

4. Pharmaceuticals on the rise
The Pharmacy Owners Association has told Hoy that the prices of pharmaceuticals have increased by up to 40% in recent months. As reported, association president Luz Divina Crisostomo said there had been continuous price increases. She complained that prices are even higher than in 2004, when the dollar was at RD$48 to US$1. The dollar now is about RD$38 to US$1.

She said that pharmaceuticals that were selling for RD$150 in 2004 when the dollar cost RD$4 are now selling for more than RD$500.

The association says that the Ministry of Public Health authorizes the prices that pharmaceutical companies are unilaterally setting.

They say that due to the rising costs, many patients are no longer taking their medications, and others are buying the more costly pharmaceuticals in units, not by the box. They said they are also affected by contraband of pharmaceuticals sold in Moca as many patients travel to Moca to purchase the drugs there.

Furthermore, they are also affected by what they deem as unfair competition from the government itself. She criticized the existence of Promese, the network of low cost pharmacies run by the government, which they say costs the state millions on the bureaucratic structure that needs to be maintained. They suggested that the government make generic pharmaceuticals available through the private pharmacies network instead. Crisostomo said that in the Balaguer years, a program to supply low-cost pharmaceuticals through private pharmacies was successful. This was later abandoned when the Fernandez administration established the Promese network. Crisostomo said that the same could be achieved by selling low-cost pharmaceuticals at private pharmacies across the country. She said that the Promese program "involves many interests" as reported in Hoy. She criticized the program for being in unfair competition with pharmacies. She suggested that it could be managed in the same way as Medicare is managed in the US.

5. Legal irregularities in the east
Hoteliers in the eastern region are urging the judicial authorities to take note of the irregular embargos that have affected the area in the past 15 weeks. The Hotels and Tourism Projects Association of the East said that in the past three months, seven of their members have been victims of irregular asset seizures. The hoteliers warn that this is a major threat to investment. They called on the Prosecutor General, the Supreme Court of Justice and the Police to investigate and warned that there may be consequences for those causing what they call an epidemic of assault-embargos affecting hotel investors. The association says this is a plague that is corroding the image of the authorities and Dominican justice, the continued execution of embargos against hotels, in violation of legal principles, and especially with false notifications. Hotels affected in 2011 have been Bahia Principe, IFA, Palladium, Occidental, NH, Moon Palace (Hard Rock Cafe) and Nouvelle Frontiere.

The association calls on the authorities to investigate a lawyer identified as Luis Emilio Frias Tiburcio whose name appears in most of the cases. "These are fake performances, that is, notifications of judicial decisions made by sheriffs who do not deliver the notification of the judicial sentence and that invent names of people to whom they deliver the notification to prevent those who will be affected from finding out about the process."

6. Motorcyclists: the plague
The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reports that traffic accidents remain the main cause of deaths during the Easter break over the past five years.

Of the 30 people who were reported dead from Thursday to Sunday, 23 were killed in the 368 accidents the COE registered nationwide from Thursday to Saturday. 510 people were injured. Of the dead, 11 were killed in 220 motorcycle crashes, or 66.26% of all traffic accidents. Last year there were 22 deaths, and in 2009, 56, of which 36 were in traffic accidents.

The COE reports that 668 people were attended by Civil Defense crews during the break. 570 persons were affected by traffic accidents. There were 73 cases of alcohol poisoning, leading to two deaths. There were 50 food poisoning cases without fatalities. Five people drowned.

The toll was six dead on Sunday, 12 dead on Saturday, 10 dead on Friday, and two dead on Thursday.

Minister of Public Health Bautista Rojas Gomez expressed his concern that Dominicans have not yet understood the need to use a helmet when driving a motorcycle. Speaking at the Dr. Dario Contreras Trauma Hospital, the minister referred to several tragic cases that had occurred over the weekend involving people who were killed because they did not use a helmet. He said he believed that the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) should not permit anyone who is drinking alcohol to drive a motorcycle, let alone without a helmet.

This year was notable for the large number of people who returned to the major cities on Saturday, rather than on Sunday, the last day of the long weekend. Also this year, the number of businesses closing on Thursday was noted, as were the few businesses that opened on Saturday, making this truly the longest long weekend holiday in the country.

Listin Diario reported that 900 patients were attended at the Dario Contreras Trauma Hospital, and 15 minors (ages 5 to 17 years) suffered from alcohol intoxication.

7. Dominicans: 4.4% US migrant legal workers
An analysis of the latest 2009 census statistics in the United States reveals that in 2009, 4.4% of all legal immigrants in the US had come from the Dominican Republic. The most migrant legal workers in 2009 came from Mexico (164,067 people or 14.6%), China (6%), Philippines (5.3%), India (5.1%), the DR (4.4%), Cuba (3.4%) and Vietnam (2.6%). The Census also found that 62% of legal immigrants live in California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois and New Jersey. And 57% of legal immigrants live in 10 cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington D.C., Chicago and San Francisco.

www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL32701.pdf

8. Tragedy at work
Raul Santana, who worked at the Santo Domingo Aqueducts and Sewage Corporation (CAASD) for 16 years, was killed on Wednesday when he was buried by collapsed ground while repairing a sewage pipeline at the intersection of Gustavo Mejia Ricart and Dr. Defillo avenues in Santo Domingo. The excavation caved in and buried him and it took rescuers four hours to remove his body. He was buried alive in the accident that occurred around 3:30pm. The workers had dug a five-meter ditch. Santana, who was 43 years old, lived in Mendoza, Santo Domingo East.

9. Pilot arrested with cocaine
Retired Air Force colonel Jose Guillermo Gonzalez Vanderhorst, 45, was arrested on Saturday with 21 packages of cocaine when about to carry out a transaction with a man named as Luis Manuel Jimenez in front of a gasoline station on the San Isidro Highway. The DNCD stopped the men from escaping when they fled after noting they had been caught. El Dia said that Gonzalez is known for several irregularities while in the force. The newspaper mentions one case of a check of US$65,000 that he allegedly self-appropriated, and for his ties to the irregular sales of several turbines of Air Force planes to a Colombian company. It mentions that he also is suspected of ties to people smuggling, but never was legally prosecuted for these charges.

El Dia says their sources at the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) said he was monitored on suspicion of being a key member of an international drug trafficking operation. Gonzalez was a well-known Dominican private and military pilot. Intelligence data says he had high-level contacts in Haiti.

He was retired from the Air Force on 30 April 2007, following irregularities while he was in charge of the procurement office.

El Dia reports that Gonzalez was a flight instructor and commercial pilot. He had a commercial pilot license and one as a flight instructor issued by the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC). Local press published a photograph where Gonzalez appears with former US President Bill Clinton.

http://www.diariohorizonte.com/noticia/10919/0/0/detienen-coronel-retirado-dominicano-armado-y-traficando-21

10. Police manipulates statistics
Lawyer Leila Mejia observes that the Police recently used crime statistics to lie about the rising crime situation. She says that to make the point that crime was on the decline, the Police compared statistics in January and February to those of December, instead of to January and February in the previous year. She says that traditionally, crime rises in December.

"What would have been correct is to compare the statistics with the same months of the year to determine if there was any effective reduction, but this was not what the Police did, because the results would not have been favorable".

In an op-ed contribution to El Caribe, Mejia says that according to information from the Police, there were 204 violent deaths in January 2011, while in January 2010 there were 197. This means crime was up 3.5%. Something similar happened in February. While in 2011 there were 187 deaths, in February 2010 the violent death toll was 173, for an increase of almost 12%. Homicides were up 7.8% in the first two months of the year, compared to the same period in 2010.

"The great paradox is that the information on violent deaths in 2010, prepared and published by the Prosecutor General uses the data provided by the National Police as its source, so they are very aware of this information," she writes.

She concludes: "Please, we Dominicans are not so dumb. If it is to tell us such blatant lies, they would be better off not saying anything."

11. Canadian accused pedophile deported
A Canadian who sought refuge in the Dominican Republic, Gerald Genest was arrested at the Puerto Plata International Airport on Wednesday, as reported in Diario Libre. He was being sought by the Canadian authorities and Interpol on charges of pedophilia dating back to 1993.

Interpol reports say he is accused of assaulting children in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. In April 2010 he pleaded guilty of violating a court order that barred him from going to parks, pools and other public places where children might gather.

www.aaafta.com/forum/current-events/37146-canadian-pedo-wanted-interpol-arrested-d-r.html

12. Service beyond medical duty
Today's Listin Diario reports the case of Miguel Alfredo Polanco, a medical intern on call at the emergency room of the Francisco Moscoso Puello public hospital in Santo Domingo, who prevented a tragedy on Friday.

As reported, a gang violently entered the hospital operating room, wielding knives and bottles of alcoholic drinks, injuring a patient and threatening the lives of the medical staff. The incident occurred after patient Isa Mary Alcantara arrived in the emergency hall. Her alleged aggressor Yafreysi Morillo arrived shortly after, armed with a knife, and stabbed the patient again. Intern Polanco, who is a medical student at UTESA, a major at the Firefighters Academy and a student of martial arts, intervened swiftly and overpowered the aggressor. "I saw that at that moment we were all in danger, so I had to immobilize the person to prevent another attack," the student shyly told the Listin journalist. The Police arrested at least 10 people in connection with the incident, which occurred at around 10pm on Friday, causing a great deal of tension at the hospital.

As of Sunday morning, the Moscoso Puello Hospital had treated 85 stab victims during the Easter break.

13. Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball teams from Canada, Cuba, Mexico and Puerto Rico qualified during the London Olympics event in Boca Chica to participate in a final round where the victor will earn a spot among 24 teams shooting for Olympic gold in August 2012.

Next, Americans Whitney Pavlik and Jenny Kropp took home the women's gold medal at Boca Chica Beach Volleyball Tournament of NORCECA Circuit defeating compatriots Ashley Ivy and Lisa Rutledge of USA-1 couldn't continue playing after Ivy suffered a knee injury. The official score was 21-5, 21-0.

Mexicans Martha Revuelta and Diana Estrada clinched the bronze after a long three-set battle (28-30, 24-22, 15-10) against Costa Rica's Natalia Alfaro and Ingrid Morales.

www.norceca.org

14. Comedy at the Jaragua
Top Dominican comedians Miguel Cespedes and Raymond Pozo will be together for an evening of laughs dedicated to Dominican mothers. The show is set for 29 May at the La Fiesta Nightclub of the Hotel Jaragua. The show, "Kings of Humor" starts at 9pm.

15. Treasures of the Vatican
120 photographs are on display at the Parque Independencia Open Air Art Gallery commemorating the Vatican's invited country status at the Santo Domingo Book Fair. The large-format photographs show many of the treasures of the Holy See. The exhibition will be open through 30 May.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Treasures of the Vatican
120 photographs are on display at the Parque Independencia Outdoor Art Gallery commemorating the participation of the Vatican in the Santo Domingo Book Fair, which opens next month in Santo Domingo. The large-format photographs portray many of the treasures of the Holy See. The exhibition will be open through 30 May. The Parque Independencia is one of the better public spaces in the Dominican Republic. The exhibit can be viewed from early in the morning to the evening, either by car or by walking around the large four blocks on the west side of the Colonial City.

DATE at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE) is taking place from Wednesday, 27 April to Friday, 29 April 2011 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in northern Punta Cana. The event is organized by the National Hotel & Tourism Association with the support of the Ministry of Tourism. This is the leading booking reservations event for Dominican hotels held in the Dominican Republic.
DATE was created to provide a professionally-organized business exchange where international wholesalers, tour operators, incentive groups, airlines and charter operators could meet and conduct business with the DR's leading tourism suppliers.
20-minute meetings between buyers and suppliers are scheduled in advanced through computer matching or at the event during scheduling sessions. Buyers can also request on-site visits while in Punta Cana.
www.drdate.net/app/frontpage.aspx

Bellas Artes presents art & dance
The Dominican National Ballet presents its anniversary gala, "The Colors of Dance" on Friday, 29 April and Saturday, 30 April at 8:30pm. An additional show is scheduled for Sunday, 1 May at 6:30pm.
Go early and view the art exhibit by French artist Michel Bizet at the National Gallery also at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. The sampling contains a series of works linking Bizet to American abstract expressionism. Bizet first visited the DR in 1995, and then set up shop in Las Terrenas where he built several commercial plazas, including Casa Linda and Plaza Taina.
Then go for dinner in one of the nearby Gazcue restaurants and return for the evening National Ballet performance at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, at Maximo Gomez and Independencia.
For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

500 Hotels in DR1 Directory
Around 500 hotels are listed in the revamped DR1 online Hotel Directory at www.dr1.com/directories/Hotels-Resorts.html
The DR1 Hotel & Resorts Directory makes it easy to find that small hotel, hotel or large all-inclusive hotel you are looking for.
In a country where hotels change companies and names, having the right information on a hotel can be difficult. DR1 has updated this information and made it available online.
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Wind power is stirring in the Dominican Republic


Se dijo que se inauguraría en Agosto próximo:

Proyectos energía alternativa se quedaron “en anuncios”
Sólo 33 megavatios en energía eólica se encuentran en ejecución, de 113 previstos para inaugurarse este año.
Escrito por: Senabri Silvestre
Compartir:

Santo Domingo.-La mayoría de los proyectos de energía alternativa que anunció el Gobierno para disminuir la dependencia de los derivados del petróleo se han quedado “en anuncios”, ya que al día de hoy ninguno de ellos está en funcionamiento.

La crisis del petróleo, que en 2008 elevó los precios del barril a US$147 dólares, supuso el “boom” de la fiebre del desarrollo de energías renovables a nivel nacional, donde se entregaron 1,700 megavatios en concesiones para construir parques eólicos con inversiones superiores a los US$3,400 millones.

De esos permisos, otorgados entre 2008 y 2009, sólo 33 megavatios se están construyendo y otros 80 megas tienen vocación para ser ejecutados a finales de este año y durante 2012.

Mientras que otros 190 megas permanecen autorizados a la espera de que sus promotores obtengan el financiamiento.

En total, el Gobierno mantiene aprobados 300 megas eólicos, de los cuales espera inaugurar este año 113 megas, según comunicó el presidente de la Comisión Nacional de Energía (CNE), Enrique Ramírez.

Indicó que unos 33 megas serían aportados por el Parque Eólico Los Cocos, de la Empresa Generadora de Electricidad de Haina (EGE Haina) en Pedernales, 50 megas por el Parque Eólico El Guanillo, de la empresa Parques Eólicos del Caribe, S. A. (Pecasa), en Montecristi; y otros 30 megas en Baní, del Parque Eólico Matafongo, responsabilidad del Grupo Eólico Dominicano Inveravante.

Proyectos en ejecución

Sin embargo, actualmente sólo el Parque Eólico Los Cocos, de 33 megas, está en construcción y previsto para ser inaugurado en agosto próximo.

Los demás ni siquiera tienen financiamiento para comprar las torres eólicas, cuyo costo es de aproximadamente US$2.1 millones por cada mega, y su instalación requiere como mínimo seis meses.

Enrique Ramírez declaró a EL DÍA que el grupo Inveravante erogó una gran parte de los recursos para comprar los equipos, y el resto está a la espera de aprobación de crédito por parte de bancos extranjeros de inversiones.

Aunque aún no tienen nada, asegura que el calendario de ejecución se mantiene para diciembre de este año.

En cuanto al proyecto de Pecasa, sostuvo que mantienen la intención de ternerlo listo en febrero de 2012, pero esa empresa apenas ha mostrado la documentación de la compra de un transformador, valorado en 500 mil dólares.

Las otras concesiones corresponden a 100 megavatios aprobados en Montecristi a la empresa Poseidom, y otros 115 megas en Puerto Plata a la compañía Jasper Caribbean Windpower. Pero ninguno tiene financiamiento.

Sobre el resto

La Comisión Nacional de Energía (CNE) canceló 500 megavatios en concesiones eólicas y mandó a revocar otros 900 megas porque no cumplían con los requisitos establecidos en la Ley de Desarrollo de las Energías Renovables.

Se trata de proyectos que fueron aprobados con expedientes irregulares en la pasada gestión de la CNE y ni siquiera pertenecían a zonas con vocación eólica, según reveló el gerente de Fuentes Alternas y Uso de Energía de esa entidad, Manuel Peña.

“Con eso estamos abriendo el espacio a los inversionistas que quieran hacer sus inversiones de manera seria”, indicó el funcionario. El gerente eléctrico de esa misma entidad, Rodolfo Fermín, aclaró que esas cancelaciones obedecen a un proceso de saneamiento de la institución.

Energía solar y biodiesel

La energía solar se ha quedado a nivel residencial, industrial y de pequeños negocios porque el Gobierno no tiene dinero para impulsar su desarrollo.

El Estado negocia la compra de 30 megas de energía fotovoltáica con el Grupo de Empresas Dominicanas de Energías Renovables (GEDER), pero aún no llegan a un acuerdo de precio.

En cuanto a biodiesel, sólo hay dos proyectos privados en experimento, pero sin nada concreto. Pertenecen a Globasol y JR Group.
__________________

1. Another long weekend
The Ministry of Labor has moved the celebration of May Day, the International Workers' Day, from 1 May, a Sunday, to 2 May, a Monday. According to a bulletin from the General Directorate of Labor, they are allowed to move the holidays in accordance with Law 139-97. Usually holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday are not changed. But this year the change in the holiday will allow workers to enjoy a long weekend and at the same time permit the labor unions to organize marches and demonstrations on 2 May, which will be a holiday. Every year the Ministry of Labor publishes a calendar of public holidays in national newspapers like El Nuevo Diario. You can also see the list of official and not-official holidays on DR1 at http://dr1.com/travel/prepare/holidays.shtml

2. RD$144 million to transport unions
The government will transfer RD$144 million in tax exemptions to the transport unions in order to prevent increases in public car (multi-fare paying taxis) and bus fares due to the increase in the price of petrol on the international markets. A meeting took place at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) yesterday to discuss how to provide tax exemptions to the sectors that had not yet received these benefits.

According to El Caribe, the government agreed to exonerate the transport unions from taxes on three million gallons of diesel fuel for a period of three months, after they threatened to increase passenger fares as well as freight charges across the board unless they received some compensation from the government.

The ministry has also started the paperwork needed to install 40 licenses for the sale of natural gas as part of the government measures for tackling the crisis arising from increasing fuel costs as well as the rising costs of basic food products. The exoneration of taxes on diesel fuel would mean a reduction of between 30% and 40% of the taxes on the fuel. Currently there are nearly RD$40.00 of taxes on each gallon of diesel fuel, so a 40% reduction would mean a RD$48 million monthly subsidy for the transporters. El Caribe says it received this information from a source close to the transport sector.

3. EDE-Norte does maintenance work
The government-owned electricity distributor Ede-Norte has set out its program of blackouts due to maintenance of its network of power lines between 25 and 29 April. This work will focus on the "A" circuits operated by the company. Edenorte has published a long list of the areas that will be subject to blackouts throughout this four-day period. The affected neighborhoods are listed in today's Hoy newspaper. Bonao, San Francisco de Macoris and La Vega are the principal cities affected by this process. The Public Electricity Corporation has a new portal where information on programmed blackouts is listed.

See http://www.circuitos.gob.do/Default.aspx

4. Margarita declines PLD nomination
Last night, First Lady Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez declined running for the PLD presidential nomination, stating that her only interest was for the ruling party to remain united in order to win the next elections and continue to guide the destiny of the Dominican people. At the last minute, the candidacy of the First Lady to the ruling party presidential nomination had been included by the Central Committee of the PLD. Actually, Cedeno never came forth to openly announce she accepted the nomination, leading to much speculation until the moment she declined to participate in the PLD primary set for 26 June 2011.

According to Diario Libre, Cedeno de Fernandez revealed her decision yesterday in a letter addressed to President Fernandez, Reinaldo Pared Perez, the PLD secretary general and Cesar Pina Toribio, the coordinator of the PLD's National Electoral Commission. The letter was delivered by Ana Valdez, the First Lady's assistant, to the members of the National Executive Committee during a meeting at the Presidential Palace last night. Pina Toribio made the announcement at the end of the meeting.

The First Lady made it clear that she would continue with her work supporting families, women, young people and the poorest citizens of the Dominican Republic. "I will continue to work with responsibility, transparency, fairness and passion for the nation. The day will come sooner or later when any Dominican woman, regardless of status, state or class, if the people want her, can take on this nation's destiny", she said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtCmR9KC1xI

5. Labor unions withdraw from wage talks
The three main labor unions - CASC, CNTD and CNUS n have decided not to attend the meeting of the National Salary Committee next Friday, because they argue the employers' representatives insist on an increase of the minimum wage by 11.58%.

CNUS president Rafael Abreu told Diario Libre that management has not shown any interest in a real dialogue.

He said that the employers have not expressed a clear and precise opinion about the labor sector's proposal to go for a pact that goes beyond the minimum wages and that would increase the percentages that help workers improve their living conditions.

He added that the workers seek a 30% increase, an average of RD$2,000 for each of the minimum wages and between RD$3,000 and RD$2,500 for the salaries that are beyond the minimum.

He said management's offer an increase of RD$1,000 to the highest minimum wage, and the lower minimums just between RD$400 and RD$600 are not acceptable. He dismissed the employers' claim that 48% of the businesses have already increased salaries.

6. Some good news from long holiday
Rescue agencies saved 26 lives in water-related incidents over the Easter break. Also, during Holy Week, they carried out 420 medical actions at aid stations. The Emergency Operations Center (COE) director said that citizens had done more to follow their advice this year, and this was why there were fewer negative results during the holiday.

The director of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET), Jose Anibal Sanz Jiminian, reported that the agency seized 1,453 vehicles, of which 1,237 were motorcycles whose drivers were not wearing helmets. The officer said that the return of the vehicles depends on the owners paying the fines. Finally, the Ministry of Public Works reported helping 126 people on the highways and roads, and the Ministry of the Interior and Police helped 558 drivers.

7. AG to prosecute parents
The Deputy Attorney General, Ramon Aristides Madera, announced yesterday that he would authorize several prosecutors to investigate and open files on the parents or guardians of 15 minors who suffered poisoning after drinking alcoholic beverages during the Holy Week holiday. Diario Libre reported that during the holiday, 73 people suffered alcohol poisoning -16 more than last year - and of these, 15 were minors between two and 17 years of age, mostly girls. Moreover, 30 people died, two from alcohol poisoning, and 668 were injured.

According to the latest bulletin from the Emergency Operations Center (COE) on the operation called "Holy Destination, Holy Week 2011", which ran from noon on Holy Thursday until 8pm on Easter Sunday, three minors including a two-year old suffered alcohol poisoning in Bayaguana. In Esperanza another child, just five years old, suffered alcohol poisoning. Four minors were affected in La Caleta, two in the National District, one in Villa Altagracia, one in Neyba, and one in Montecristi.

Madera stated that if necessary they would request coercive measures against "these irresponsible persons" implicated in the cases, and they will be sent to court for violation of Article 412, of Law 136-03, the Code of Protection of the Rights of Boys, Girls and Adolescents. He said that the process would start as soon as he received the official report from the COE with the list of the children affected.

8. A gang led by an inmate
The Southeast Regional Police Commander announced yesterday that the authorities have dismantled a gang that specialized in fraud using telephone calls involving inmates in the San Pedro de Macoris jail and the rest of the country.

General Miguel Raul de la Cruz Reyna issued a call to citizens who have been subject to this type of fraud to come forward to the Southeast Regional Command and present their formal complaints.

Members of the Investigations Department for the region arrested gang members Luis Reyes, Doris Maria Torres (Magaly), Luisa Sabino Lugo and Carlos Rincon Rojas, who had been working in collusion with convicts held in several jails in the region. Sabino Lugo and Rincon Rojas identified an inmate, Felix Manuel Guerrero Guzman (Cabillo), who is serving a 10-year sentence in Azua jail as the mastermind behind the thefts, according to Diario Libre.

9. Killers on John F. Kennedy Ave.
Four men gunned down a National Police corporal at 6:10am this morning on John F. Kennedy Avenue. The killers were riding two RX115 motorcycles and they took the victim's sidearm. This crime took place just a few yards away from the Quinto Centenario overpass. Vitalino Perez Rivera, a National Police corporal, worked for the Santo Domingo Metro and was just 26 years old. Medical examiner Pedro Mejia told Listin Diario reporters that the corporal had been shot several times, and his weapon had been taken, although his motorcycle was left at the scene. Seven shell casings were picked up at the murder scene.

10. Royal wedding on Telesistema
Local viewers will be able to watch the royal wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton on local television on Friday morning, from 5 to 9am local time. Telesistema, part of the Corripio Communications Group, said that there would be a repeat transmission from 4 to 7 in the afternoon.

Some two billion people are expected to watch the wedding of the future king of England and his commoner wife. The event is expected to attract more viewers than the 1981 royal wedding between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

11. Winds from the east bring rain
The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) says that the weather pattern will continue with a combination of humidity caused by the east winds and the incidence of the local effects such as the daily warming of the earth. Both atmospheric conditions will lead to localized rainfall in the northeast, southeast and in the Central Mountains. At the same time high wave activity in the ocean has led Onamet to advise sailors of small craft to stay close to shore. Santo Domingo and the surrounding area can expect to be partly cloudy and with showers this afternoon.

12. Celebration of dance
The Dominican National Ballet presents its anniversary gala, "The Colors of Dance" at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Maximo Aviles Blonda Hall this coming weekend. There will be shows on Friday, 29 and Saturday, 30 at 8:30pm and an additional show on Sunday, 1 May at 6:30pm.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Another long weekend
The Ministry of Labor has moved the celebration of May Day, the International Workers' Day, from 1 May, a Sunday, to 2 May, a Monday. According to a bulletin from the General Directorate of Labor, they are allowed to move the holidays in accordance with Law 139-97. Usually holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday are not changed. But this year the change in the holiday will allow workers to enjoy a long weekend and at the same time permit the labor unions to organize marches and demonstrations on 2 May, which will be a holiday. Every year the Ministry of Labor publishes a calendar of public holidays in national newspapers like El Nuevo Diario. You can also see the list of official and not-official holidays on DR1 at http://dr1.com/travel/prepare/holidays.shtml

2. RD$144 million to transport unions
The government will transfer RD$144 million in tax exemptions to the transport unions in order to prevent increases in public car (multi-fare paying taxis) and bus fares due to the increase in the price of petrol on the international markets. A meeting took place at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) yesterday to discuss how to provide tax exemptions to the sectors that had not yet received these benefits.

According to El Caribe, the government agreed to exonerate the transport unions from taxes on three million gallons of diesel fuel for a period of three months, after they threatened to increase passenger fares as well as freight charges across the board unless they received some compensation from the government.

The ministry has also started the paperwork needed to install 40 licenses for the sale of natural gas as part of the government measures for tackling the crisis arising from increasing fuel costs as well as the rising costs of basic food products. The exoneration of taxes on diesel fuel would mean a reduction of between 30% and 40% of the taxes on the fuel. Currently there are nearly RD$40.00 of taxes on each gallon of diesel fuel, so a 40% reduction would mean a RD$48 million monthly subsidy for the transporters. El Caribe says it received this information from a source close to the transport sector.

3. EDE-Norte does maintenance work
The government-owned electricity distributor Ede-Norte has set out its program of blackouts due to maintenance of its network of power lines between 25 and 29 April. This work will focus on the "A" circuits operated by the company. Edenorte has published a long list of the areas that will be subject to blackouts throughout this four-day period. The affected neighborhoods are listed in today's Hoy newspaper. Bonao, San Francisco de Macoris and La Vega are the principal cities affected by this process. The Public Electricity Corporation has a new portal where information on programmed blackouts is listed.

See http://www.circuitos.gob.do/Default.aspx

4. Margarita declines PLD nomination
Last night, First Lady Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez declined running for the PLD presidential nomination, stating that her only interest was for the ruling party to remain united in order to win the next elections and continue to guide the destiny of the Dominican people. At the last minute, the candidacy of the First Lady to the ruling party presidential nomination had been included by the Central Committee of the PLD. Actually, Cedeno never came forth to openly announce she accepted the nomination, leading to much speculation until the moment she declined to participate in the PLD primary set for 26 June 2011.

According to Diario Libre, Cedeno de Fernandez revealed her decision yesterday in a letter addressed to President Fernandez, Reinaldo Pared Perez, the PLD secretary general and Cesar Pina Toribio, the coordinator of the PLD's National Electoral Commission. The letter was delivered by Ana Valdez, the First Lady's assistant, to the members of the National Executive Committee during a meeting at the Presidential Palace last night. Pina Toribio made the announcement at the end of the meeting.

The First Lady made it clear that she would continue with her work supporting families, women, young people and the poorest citizens of the Dominican Republic. "I will continue to work with responsibility, transparency, fairness and passion for the nation. The day will come sooner or later when any Dominican woman, regardless of status, state or class, if the people want her, can take on this nation's destiny", she said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtCmR9KC1xI

5. Labor unions withdraw from wage talks
The three main labor unions - CASC, CNTD and CNUS n have decided not to attend the meeting of the National Salary Committee next Friday, because they argue the employers' representatives insist on an increase of the minimum wage by 11.58%.

CNUS president Rafael Abreu told Diario Libre that management has not shown any interest in a real dialogue.

He said that the employers have not expressed a clear and precise opinion about the labor sector's proposal to go for a pact that goes beyond the minimum wages and that would increase the percentages that help workers improve their living conditions.

He added that the workers seek a 30% increase, an average of RD$2,000 for each of the minimum wages and between RD$3,000 and RD$2,500 for the salaries that are beyond the minimum.

He said management's offer an increase of RD$1,000 to the highest minimum wage, and the lower minimums just between RD$400 and RD$600 are not acceptable. He dismissed the employers' claim that 48% of the businesses have already increased salaries.

6. Some good news from long holiday
Rescue agencies saved 26 lives in water-related incidents over the Easter break. Also, during Holy Week, they carried out 420 medical actions at aid stations. The Emergency Operations Center (COE) director said that citizens had done more to follow their advice this year, and this was why there were fewer negative results during the holiday.

The director of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET), Jose Anibal Sanz Jiminian, reported that the agency seized 1,453 vehicles, of which 1,237 were motorcycles whose drivers were not wearing helmets. The officer said that the return of the vehicles depends on the owners paying the fines. Finally, the Ministry of Public Works reported helping 126 people on the highways and roads, and the Ministry of the Interior and Police helped 558 drivers.

7. AG to prosecute parents
The Deputy Attorney General, Ramon Aristides Madera, announced yesterday that he would authorize several prosecutors to investigate and open files on the parents or guardians of 15 minors who suffered poisoning after drinking alcoholic beverages during the Holy Week holiday. Diario Libre reported that during the holiday, 73 people suffered alcohol poisoning -16 more than last year - and of these, 15 were minors between two and 17 years of age, mostly girls. Moreover, 30 people died, two from alcohol poisoning, and 668 were injured.

According to the latest bulletin from the Emergency Operations Center (COE) on the operation called "Holy Destination, Holy Week 2011", which ran from noon on Holy Thursday until 8pm on Easter Sunday, three minors including a two-year old suffered alcohol poisoning in Bayaguana. In Esperanza another child, just five years old, suffered alcohol poisoning. Four minors were affected in La Caleta, two in the National District, one in Villa Altagracia, one in Neyba, and one in Montecristi.

Madera stated that if necessary they would request coercive measures against "these irresponsible persons" implicated in the cases, and they will be sent to court for violation of Article 412, of Law 136-03, the Code of Protection of the Rights of Boys, Girls and Adolescents. He said that the process would start as soon as he received the official report from the COE with the list of the children affected.

8. A gang led by an inmate
The Southeast Regional Police Commander announced yesterday that the authorities have dismantled a gang that specialized in fraud using telephone calls involving inmates in the San Pedro de Macoris jail and the rest of the country.

General Miguel Raul de la Cruz Reyna issued a call to citizens who have been subject to this type of fraud to come forward to the Southeast Regional Command and present their formal complaints.

Members of the Investigations Department for the region arrested gang members Luis Reyes, Doris Maria Torres (Magaly), Luisa Sabino Lugo and Carlos Rincon Rojas, who had been working in collusion with convicts held in several jails in the region. Sabino Lugo and Rincon Rojas identified an inmate, Felix Manuel Guerrero Guzman (Cabillo), who is serving a 10-year sentence in Azua jail as the mastermind behind the thefts, according to Diario Libre.

9. Killers on John F. Kennedy Ave.
Four men gunned down a National Police corporal at 6:10am this morning on John F. Kennedy Avenue. The killers were riding two RX115 motorcycles and they took the victim's sidearm. This crime took place just a few yards away from the Quinto Centenario overpass. Vitalino Perez Rivera, a National Police corporal, worked for the Santo Domingo Metro and was just 26 years old. Medical examiner Pedro Mejia told Listin Diario reporters that the corporal had been shot several times, and his weapon had been taken, although his motorcycle was left at the scene. Seven shell casings were picked up at the murder scene.

10. Royal wedding on Telesistema
Local viewers will be able to watch the royal wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton on local television on Friday morning, from 5 to 9am local time. Telesistema, part of the Corripio Communications Group, said that there would be a repeat transmission from 4 to 7 in the afternoon.

Some two billion people are expected to watch the wedding of the future king of England and his commoner wife. The event is expected to attract more viewers than the 1981 royal wedding between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

11. Winds from the east bring rain
The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) says that the weather pattern will continue with a combination of humidity caused by the east winds and the incidence of the local effects such as the daily warming of the earth. Both atmospheric conditions will lead to localized rainfall in the northeast, southeast and in the Central Mountains. At the same time high wave activity in the ocean has led Onamet to advise sailors of small craft to stay close to shore. Santo Domingo and the surrounding area can expect to be partly cloudy and with showers this afternoon.

12. Celebration of dance
The Dominican National Ballet presents its anniversary gala, "The Colors of Dance" at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Maximo Aviles Blonda Hall this coming weekend. There will be shows on Friday, 29 and Saturday, 30 at 8:30pm and an additional show on Sunday, 1 May at 6:30pm.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. President Fernandez in Guatemala
President Leonel Fernandez arrived in Guatemala yesterday evening for a first state visit by a Dominican President. He is scheduled to meet with his counterpart President Alvaro Colom at the Presidential Palace. He will also meet Vice President Jose Rafael Espada, and Foreign Relations Minister Haroldo Rodas Melgar today. His schedule also includes meetings with the president of Guatemala's Supreme Court of Justice, Luis Arturo Archila.

Economy & Planning Minister Temistocles Montas and Presidency Minister Cesar Pina Toribio are traveling with Fernandez, as reported in Diario Libre.

Guatemala is the Central American country with the highest level of foreign investment in the DR, estimated at US$500 million, said Morales Troncoso. Fernandez has scheduled meetings with Guatemalan business leaders who are interested in investing in the DR.

Morales said more work is needed to increase Dominican exports. The DR has a trade deficit with Guatemala.

On this trip abroad, Fernandez is also scheduled to travel to Rio de Janeiro, where he will participate in the World Economic Forum Latin American talks.

President Fernandez flew to Guatemala on a private Boeing 737 with capacity for 149 passengers.

2. Guibia Beach remodeling
The city government of the National District (Santo Domingo) has pledged that the remodeling works under way at the Guibia Beach on the Malecon will be complete by summertime. After the Santo Domingo Hotels Association held a series of protests to highlight the neglect of the emblematic city boulevard, the Malecon and its facilities, the city government resumed some of the renovation works, Guibia Beach included.

As reported in Diario Libre, the complex, which is being built with a RD$50 million investment, features an area for open air shows. It will also include three beach volleyball courts, three gazebos, a solarium with chaise-longues, an exercise machine area and an 800-meter bicycle route.

3. Reasons for blackouts
Private generators have switched selling power to the new mining companies (Barrick Gold and Falconbridge) instead of to the national grid. This is expected to increase blackouts, reports Listin Diario. Many of these blackouts are not listed on the Public Electricity Corporation's circuitos.gob.do web page.

The Listin story adds that more blackouts will be caused by improvement work to transmission lines being carried out by the three power distribution companies, and in some instances for gaps in supply of fuel to the power plants.

The Monte Rio plant, with capacity for 100 megawatts, is now supplying Barrick Gold mining company. Seaboard Estrella del Mar and Estrella del Norte plants, with around 100 megawatts more, have also been diverted to supply Barrick, as reported in Listin Diario.

The CDEEE is disputing the legal right for AES Dominicana to sell power to Falconbridge, and not to the EdeEste distribution company. Celso Marranzini, executive vice president of the CDEEE, says AES has a contract to deliver 300 megawatts to EdeEste.

4. The untouchable banker?
The lawyer for the Central Bank, Carlos Salcedo complained on the Huchi Lora y el Equipo radio talk show on CDN LaRadio yesterday about the continuing suspensions that have impeded the case of the Central Bank against Eduardo de Castro, former president of the Banco Mercantil, from being heard in court. The case has been adjourned 56 times. The next hearing has been set for 9 May. The court has rejected authorizing the seizure of assets from De Castro who is accused of RD$16 billion fraud against the bank. The suspensions have kept the case in limbo.

5. Drug contraband spoiled for fuel supplier
The National Drug Control Department has announced the arrest of a driver of a company that supplies jet fuel at Las Americas International Airport. The driver, Moises Medina Reyes of the Operacion Conjunta de Aviacion company was arrested in possession of 20 kilos of cocaine that the accused is suspected of planning to deliver to a third person for export. The cocaine was in a suitcase that was ticketed to a person who is suspected of having traveled on a JetBlue flight. He was arrested by DNCD agents working in coordination with airport security force (CESA) agents.

Diario Libre reported that 85 kilos have been confiscated at Las Americas so far this year.

6. Two policemen arrested in theft
The Police Cibao Central Department has announced the arrests of two police highway patrol agents for theft. The accused are corporals Victor Jose Paulino Herrera and Mario Nel Romero Lopez, said Santiago police spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Calvo Perez. The patrol was on duty on Wednesday evening when it ordered a foreign tourist, Rogers Radja Nhora, and an unnamed passenger to stop and ordered them to hand over all their possessions, according to the press report. The pair was driving in a white Mercedes Benz and had RD$13,000 in their possession. The policemen then took them to an ATM where they removed US$6,000 from a bank account. Radja Nhora then made a complaint to the Police.

A Police leak to the press about the case motivated the Police to act, leading to the arrests.

http://elsoldesantiago.com/tag/policia-nacional/

7. Watch for tsunamis
Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, manager of the US Government National Oceanic & Atmospheric (NOAA) National Weather Service Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program, is urging for progress to be made in the creation of a regional warning system. Participating in the 6th Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Coordination Re Tsunamis and other Coastal Threats for the Caribbean Region under way at the Hotel Santo Domingo through Friday, 29 April. The event is organized by the Meteorological Department (ONAMET) and experts from 15 countries are taking part. She said the region could very well be hit by a tsunami. Dominican coasts are vulnerable to tsunamis due to several faults and von Hillebrandt-Andrade recalled the tsunami that caused large-scale loss of life in Matancitas in 1946.

She highlighted the importance of educating the public, which needs to receive rapid information to prepare. "People need to know how to respond, which are the areas most vulnerable to flooding, where to evacuate to and how evacuations should be carried out, she said.

Von Hillebrandt-Andrade directs the NOAA Caribbean Tsunami Center at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez. She is also president of the Seismological Society of America (SSA). From that post she is expected to use her leadership to strengthen the 105-year old society's interaction and involvement with Latin American seismologists.

8. Manny Ramirez in the NYTimes
On Monday, 25 April the New York Times featured a long story on how Manny Ramirez got his start in baseball playing at the George Washington High School in Washington Heights, New York City. The story provides insights into what journalist Sara Rimer calls "the real Manny."

www.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/sports/baseball/26manny.html

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/04/26/comment-of-the-day-manny-ramirez-was-la-tabla/

9. Pope John Paul II in the DR
On the occasion of the celebration of the Santo Domingo International Book Fair, which opens on 4 May at the grounds of the Plaza de la Cultura, the Museum of Modern Art will present an exhibition of 21 photographs with explanatory notes on the three visits of Pope John Paul II to the Dominican Republic in 1979, 1984 and 1992. The exhibition includes a two-hour long soundtrack of Gregorian music written and sung by Pope John Paul II, who was Pope from 1978 until his death in 2005. The DR is 14th on the list of most visited countries by the traveling Pope. There will be guided tours.

10. Catholic films
To mark the celebration of the Santo Domingo Book Fair from 4 May to 20 May, the Cinemateca at Plaza de la Cultura will be screening a Catholic Film Festival with 16 religious films. The films covering religion-related subjects will be shown from 26 April through 15 May.

11. Comedy at Palacio de Bellas Artes
Palacio de Bellas Artes on Av. Maximo Gomez and Independencia, presents as the weekend of 20 May the comedy, "Prefiero un marido infiel" (I Prefer an Unfaithful Husband). This is a repeat production of a comedy written by Santo Domingo Mayor Roberto Salcedo and first performed in 2000 and 2001. The production, which stars Cuquin Victoria, Hony Estrella, Carmen Elena Manrique, Jose Lora (Checho), Maria del Carmen Hernandez, Jose Manuel Rodriguez, Ana Rivas and others, is directed by Graciela Olivero. Tickets are RD$1,000 and RD$800.

12. Picasso at Bellas Artes
A traveling exhibition featuring original works by Pablo Picasso will be shown at the National Art Gallery of the Palacio de Bellas Artes from 29 April to 10 June 2011. The gallery is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 5pm, on Wednesday from 10am to 9pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6pm. It is closed on Monday. Free admission.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

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1. Fernandez in Guatemala
President Leonel Fernandez has been honored with the Order of the Quetzal in the Great Collar rank by his counterpart President Alvaro Colom in Guatemala City. As reported on the Fernandez Presidency website, Colom said that Fernandez had left a footprint, was leaving footprints and would continue leaving footprints. He praised Fernandez for his work towards integrating the Central American region and the Caribbean and for his skills as public speaker. He said that in private conversations between Ibero-American statesmen Fernandez is regarded as the "professor of presidents with a great capacity for harmonizing. He praised Fernandez's efforts for increased development in the region.

During the same ceremony, Fernandez decorated President Colom with the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sanchez and Mella in the highest rank of Great Golden Cross. He praised Colom for his humanitarian qualities, and for his work in support of the poorest people and the indigenous culture in Guatemala. He said Colom would always be recognized for his contributions to democracy.

Fernandez also called for uniting voices to put a stop to speculation with international petrol prices that he says affected the poorer countries of the region. "Alone the Dominican Republic and Guatemala are not going to be able to confront this problem, we need to unite our voices," he said. He highlighted that this type of speculation benefits a few but affects all. The proposal will be presented at the next General Assembly of the United Nations.

Fernandez traveled to Guatemala for an official visit. He also is meeting with business leaders who are interested in replicating the success of Guatemalan investors in the flour and sugar industry in the Dominican Republic. Guatemalans have invested about US$500 million in the DR after the signing of the Central American free trade agreement.

www.guatemala.gob.gt

www.presidencia.gob.do

2. Wage talks stalled
The wage talks between workers and employers' representatives are pretty much at a standstill with each side issuing statements blaming the other side, according to Diario Libre. The labor unions will not go to the meeting of the National Committee on Salaries (CNS) tomorrow. They will concentrate on the First of May march and they say that the basic family basket is RD$29,000 and not the RD$10,400 as stated by the Central Bank, according to Rafael "Pepe" Abreu, the president of the CNUS union confederation, and other union spokesmen. Abreu said that lunch for a worker and his family that consisted of rice, beans, poultry, seasonings, salad and water, costs RD$237.50 a day or RD$7,125 a month.

For a dinner of plantains, salami, oil and water the cost will be RD$160 a day and RD$4,800 a month. Adding up the total food bill and non-alcoholic beverages, the total comes to RD$14,955. He said the average family rent is RD$3,500, and in electricity and water they have to budget some RD$600. LPG for cooking costs RD$1,100. The subtotal was RD$5,200. Transportation for four people costs RD$1,600 a month. For snacks for the children at school they have to spend RD$20 a day, equal to RD$1,320 a month, and the school uniform costs RD$500. These calculations do not include expenses for medicines, clothes and entertainment, said Abreu, after saying that the Central Bank does not have a family basket, but rather an approximate idea of what the people say that they consume and then they average that out.

3. DR police among the best
The secretary general of Interpol, Ronald Noble, has congratulated the Dominican Republic Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) in Santo Domingo, which he described as "among the world police organization's best performing" after operations that allowed the arrest of major criminals who had been sought internationally, including several mafia bosses.

Noble personally congratulated the Dominican police chief, Jose Antonio Polanco Gomez, at the Interpol offices in Santo Domingo. The Dominican Interpol division captures include Camorra boss Ciro Mazzarella, on Italy's top 100 wanted list, and Mafia lieutenant Mariano Martone, in addition to seven other high profile Italian fugitives wanted via Interpol, and most recently on 17 April, the arrest at the Puerto Plata airport of a Canadian man wanted on pedophile charges, as reported by the Interpol.

Noble said that these successes were testimony to what can be achieved when countries work together via Interpol, praising NCB Rome for their actions in requesting the Interpol Red Notices that made the arrests in the Dominican Republic possible.

"The arrests of these international fugitives in the Dominican Republic clearly show that our country is no safe haven for criminals who are attempting to flee justice," said Major General Gomez during a visit to the Interpol headquarers in Lyon, France.

"From my discussions today with the Interpol Secretary General, with increased access to Interpol's tools for our frontline officers and support from other member countries, I am certain that we will see even more successes in the future," concluded the head of Police.

As reported by Interpol, the discussions with the Dominican chief of the National Police included identifying ways to expand access to Interpol's MIND/FIND technology which allows law enforcement officials at airports and seaports to instantly check passports against Interpol's global database of stolen and lost travel documents containing information on over 27 million such documents from nearly 160 countries.

During his visit to the General Secretariat, Major General Gomez, accompanied by Head of NCB Santo Domingo Colonel Rafael A. Cabrera Sarita and Colonel Ney Aldrin de Jesus Bautista Almonte, was also briefed on a range of Interpol's databases and activities, including its financial and high tech crime unit, drugs and anti-counterfeiting operations.

4. Mejia and prosecuting the corrupt
PRD presidential candidate Hipolito Mejia says that there are corrupt people in the current administration, and he announced that were he to win the presidency in 2012, he would prosecute them, a warning that he also directed towards the ranks of the military.

He told Diario Libre: "I am not talking about any specific case, if there is a corruption problem in the country, we have to face up to it, and I am willing to face it, no matter who it is", said the politician when he was interviewed at the Ministry of Foreign Relations, before taking part in the Third Forum on Greenhouses.

In the particular case of Senator Felix Bautista, Mejia said that he would like him to be the PLD candidate so that "he (Mejia) could win with a greater plurality", on the understanding that the legislator has the facility" of appropriating what is not his", but he did not go into details. Nevertheless, upon being asked about the questioning of Euclides Gutierrez Felix, the Superintendent of Insurance on grounds for corruption charges, the former President was categorical in saying that he would not be prosecuted in his administration since he considered Gutierrez to be his "buddy".

5. Pou Castro has died
Retired general Joaquin Pou Castro, who was serving a 30-year sentence at the prison for officers of the Armed Forces died yesterday. He had been convicted for his part in the assassination of journalist Orlando Martinez Howley on 17 March 1975. Pou Castro, who was in his seventies, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Court of the First Instance together with Mariano Cabrera Duran and Rafael Alfredo Lluberes Ricart. The murdered journalist's family took their appeal to the Supreme Court, and on 8 December 2007 the penalty was increased to the maximum 30-year sentence permitted by law. The original sentence was issued on the basis of Pou Castro being an accomplice. However, the Supreme Court found sufficient evidence to prove that the former general had been the killer, and therefore liable for the maximum sentence. The Dominican Communist Party had claimed from the outset that Pou Castro had committed the crime.

6. Two dozen women killed in first quarter
In the first quarter of this year around 25 women have been murdered, according to the District Attorney of the National District, Alejandro Moscoso Segarra. The statistics released by the Minister for Women, Alejandra German, show that an average of 200 women have been murdered by their partners or former partners every year, over the past seven or eight years.

The official says that these events bring about consequences that are very painful for victims' families and for a large part of society, and might seem unstoppable, because they go on in spite of efforts by the state and civil society agencies. "This situation has worsened in that over the past months many of the aggressors, after killing their partners or former partners also kill the children and then commit suicide", she said. German and Moscoso Segarra agreed that more work was needed on prevention in families and at the level of society.

In response to the situation, yesterday the Ministry of Women presented a "Strategic Plan for Prevention, Detention, Response and Penalties for Violence against Women and within the Family 2011-2016" which sets out a series of educational activities and strategies to be carried out throughout all five years with the aim of providing women with a more secure and promising future. German told reporters that the "machista" culture still prevails and influences people from childhood, and that this needed to change, as reported in Diario Libre.

7. 41 cases of underage alcohol poisoning!
The startling news that makes the headlines in several of today's newspapers, most notably in the Diario Libre and Hoy, that as many as 25 children were affected by drinking alcohol over the Easter Week holiday was made even greater today with the release of 41 cases of this nature. According to Hoy, the most dramatic cases involved children as young as 2, 4, 5 and 9 years of age in Monte Plata, Mao, La Caleta and Moca. This information was made public by the Deputy Attorney General Ramon Aristides Madera Arias who pointed out that most of the cases had occurred in Monte Plata, Santo Domingo, Santiago, Valverde, San Cristobal, Elias Pina and the National District. Curiously, most of the cases involved girls, with 26 reported cases, including the one involving the 2-year old. The magistrate, who was appointed to liaise between the Justice Department and Emergency Operations Center (COE), said that the parents or guardians involved in these cases would be prosecuted according to law.

8. Lawyers defend themselves
Criminal lawyers have called on the District Attorney for the National District, Alejandro Moscoso Segarra, to identify the jurists he says are creating companies that only serve to launder money from drug trafficking. Reactions from several lawyers in Santo Domingo called Moscoso Segarra "irresponsible, unfortunate, disrespectful and unethical" in interviews with El Caribe reporters. Four lawyers, Marino Elsevif, Jose Rafael Ariza, Manuel Ramirez and Ingrid Hidalgo, said that the District Attorney is not there to complain but to act, and his comments are damaging to the profession. They all agreed that the DA has the power to act and should do so without making such generalizations.

9. ONAMET warns of rains and waves
The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) reported that for today, Thursday, thunderstorms would continue over large areas of the country. They are forecasting afternoon and evening thunderstorms, and temperatures will remain high. The rains are due to the dominant easterly winds caused by a high-pressure system over the Atlantic. Onamet is also warning small craft along the Atlantic Coast and around Samana Bay to stay close to shore. Small craft warnings are also in effect for the Caribbean coastline and medium-sized craft are urged to stay close to shore due to unusually high wave activity.

The lead story in today's Listin Diario says that Onamet is forecasting plenty of rain over the next five days, pointing out that this will ease the severe drought that is affecting some areas, such as Santiago Rodriguez and the northwest border region. Illustrated with photographs of dry cattle carcasses and cracked earth, the report says that cattle ranchers and farmers alike are suffering from the lack of water. Farmers interviewed said that they are just waiting for the rains to begin planting short-cycle crops. Right now the land and fields are barren.

10. John Calipari to coach DR Basketball?
University of Kentucky coach John Calipari is considering coaching the Dominican Republic men's basketball team for the Tournament of the Americas. This is the last chance for the Dominican Republic men's basketball team (ranked 30th by FIBA) to win a berth to the London Olympics. P, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Panama and Puerto Rico.

The Tournament of the Americas is officially known as the FIBA Americas 2011 Championship and will take place 30 August through 11 September in Argentina.

The top two finishers earn Olympic bids. Team USA will not play because it qualified for the Olympics by winning the 2010 world championships. In the 10-team field, Argentina and Brazil are favorites, but Canada, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are working on sending competitive teams. Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela and Paraguay are also competing.

On his website, Calipari said that the Dominican Basketball Federation had approached him asking him to help train coaches in the Dominican Republic and coach their national team. Calipari has been involved abroad with China, where he has coached their coaches and promoted grassroots basketball.

Calipari says that the commitment would mainly be from the start of August through mid-September. The Dominican Republic national team will train in the Kentucky University's state-of-the-art facilities at the Joe Craft Center in Lexington prior to the start of the Tournament of the Americas, which will begin towards the end of August.

"If I move forward on this, I‚will be asking you to adopt the Dominican Republic national team as your third team behind your Kentucky Wildcats and Team USA. I also want to let all our friends in China know that we will continue our relationship with the CBA and their coaches," he said. Three NBA players are expected to be on the Dominican team: Francisco Garcia (Sacramento Kings), Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks) and Charlie Villanueva (Detroit Pistons).

www.coachcal.com/2011/04/26/coach-calipari-on-coaching-the-dominican-republic-national-team

11. Duran Duran @ Altos de Chavon
Eighties sensations Duran Duran are booked for Altos de Chavon in La Romana on 30 April. Their La Romana stop is part of their All you Need is Now tour. Four members of the original lineup, Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor, will be performing.

Tickets are for sale at Body Shop (Naco) and Uepa Tickets at MovieMax (Piantini).

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. DR1 breaks for Labor Day holiday
Monday, 2 May is a holiday in the Dominican Republic, creating a long weekend. The day is taken off in celebration of Labor Day or International Workers Day, May 1st, which falls on a Sunday this year. The DR1 news digest will not be updated on Monday. News will be compiled for the Tuesday issue.

For a calendar of official and not-so-official holidays in the DR, check out http://dr1.com/travel/prepare/holidays.shtml

2. Branding the DR
The DR Center for Export and Investment (CEI-RD) continues its country branding drive for the Dominican Republic. At an event that began yesterday at the CEI-RD, Industry & Commerce Minister Manuel Garcia Arevalo stressed the importance of the government and private sector choosing a country branding for the DR. He stated that this would promote the DR's potential for business and the tourism and cultural attractions in international markets. He called for the adoption of a differentiation strategy to position the country in the preference of consumers, investors and tourists on a global level.

"We are aware that to achieve this goal effective coordination between government departments is needed, combined with the private sector initiatives, with the objective of creating a coherent message that is capable of raising the image of our goods and services, promoting cultural and sports talents, as well as the attractions of our urban and natural landscape," he said in his opening words at the workshop.

The Dominican Republic engaged in another major branding initiative several years ago, contracting London-based Fiona Gilmore (Acanchi), one of the world's leading branding experts. However, the initiative met with opposition from then Minister of Tourism Felix Jimenez and was not used by the government.

http://nation-branding.info

3. RD$1.26 billion for competitiveness
The National Authorizing Officer for European Union development funds, Domingo Jimenez announced the signing of an agreement yesterday with the National Competitiveness Council for a donation of EUR22.9 million (approximately RD$1.26 billion) to contribute to the implementation of a systemic national plan for promoting competitiveness and innovation. The funds seek to stimulate the creation of quality jobs and strengthen the competitiveness of the country's productive sector in global markets. The agreement was signed by Jimenez, the head of the European Union delegation in the DR Irene Horejs and Andres Van der Horst, executive director of the CNC. The funds will be disbursed in three chapters throughout a two-year period from 2011-2013.

4. Remodeling the Sports Palace
The Public Works Supervisory Office of the Presidency has started remodeling the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center Sports Palace. Despite millions spent on repeated remodeling projects in the past, the facility is notable for its deteriorated condition.

Engineer Luis Fires says that the renovation works include repairs to seating, bathrooms, air conditioning and a paint job. Sifres promised the facility would end up looking "like a 15-year old girl."

As reported in Hoy, Sports Minister Felipe Payano says that all facilities at the JPD Center will be repaired.

5. Drug planes spoils
Around 25 small planes confiscated after allegedly being used in drug trafficking have been damaged and abandoned at a field at the San Isidro Air Force Base. Only nine planes were recovered and put to use. An officer says the planes deteriorated because of lack of use and that they were abandoned outdoors. The officer told El Dia that the Dominican Republic does not have legislation that would enable the use of the planes. He did say that the Air Force requested permission from the Prosecutor General and the Supreme Court of Justice to use nine of these planes. In an interview with El Dia, the officer said that two of the confiscated planes had been put in the service of the Joint Tax Force and stationed at the Barahona and Punta Cana airports.

www.eldia.com.do/nacionales/2011/4/28/51395/Aviones-ocupados-a-narcos-se-danaron-en-instalaciones-FAD

6. Perez fights for candidacy
Aspiring PLD presidential candidate Jose Tomas Perez has criticized what he described as "excessive triumphalism" from rival Danilo Medina. The PLD has authorized the primary between six candidates. Perez called for prudence in the lead-up to the 26 June primary in which party leaders decide. He maintains that Medina's victory is not guaranteed. The PLD's other pre-candidates are Francisco Dominguez Brito, Rafael Segura, Rafael Alburquerque and Franklin Almeyda.

7. Selective corruption prosecution
Francisco Jimenez, the secretary general of the Conference of Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic, has told journalists that sending corrupt government officials to justice on a selective basis would set the wrong precedent. Former President Hipolito Mejia was recently quoted as saying that he would prosecute corrupt government officials, specifically mentioning President Leonel Fernandez's long-time close aide, Felix Bautista. At the same time, Mejia said he would not support prosecution of others, namely Superintendent of Insurance Euclides Gutierrez, because the latter is "his buddy."

8. The royal wedding
Dominicans followed the royal wedding on Channel 11 and on cable TV. The wedding was the front-page story in Diario Libre, Hoy, and the Listin today.

9. Climbing Mount Everest
Ivan Gomez, Karim Mella and Federico Jovine are making their way up Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain at 8,848 meters above sea level. This is the first time that any Dominicans have attempted to climb the legendary Himalayan peak. Jovine suffered an attack of bronchitis during the ascent, but according to reports he will rejoin the team. The hikers have reached the camp at the 6,500-meter point and continue to acclimatize to deal with the extreme altitude, weather and wind conditions.

10. Polo Coffee Festival
Barahona is once again preparing to host the grassroots Polo Organic Coffee Festival. The event, now in its eighth year, will take place from 3 to 5 June in the mountainous coffee-producing area of Polo. Musicians from all around the country are scheduled to perform in celebration of coffee production. There are exhibitions, conferences, coffee and food tastings, and cultural displays. Festicafe runs from 9am to 12-midnight and later. This year it will coincide with 5 June, World Environment Day. This year's event will also feature creative workshops, sports events, a regional cycling route and paragliding. International organizations that support social and environmental programs in the region will also be present. The festival is organized by the Polo Permanent Committee for Culture (CPCP), the coffee-growing cooperatives and women's groups, with the support of Ideac, the Fundacion Cultural Cofradia, and the Red Dominicana de Culturales Locales plus over 30 regional and national organizations.

For information on hotels in the Barahona region, see www.dr1.com/directories/Southwest.html

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

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Los 19 molinos de viento ya están instalados, 14 de los cuales son de última generación y sólo hay 20 de ellos en todo el mundo.

Nueve años después de intentar desarrollar un proyecto de energía renovable , la Empresa Generadora de Electricidad de Haina (EGE-Haina) realiza los trabajos finales para inaugurar el primer parque eólico del país y de inmediato iniciar su proceso de expansión.

Se trata de los parques eólicos “Los Cocos” y “Quilvio Cabrera”, dos proyectos promovidos como uno solo por EGE Haina y el Consorcio Energético Punta Cana-Macao (CEPM) en la comunidad de Juancho, provincia de Pedernales.

Se construyen a un costo de US$100 millones, de los que ya han invertido unos US$90 millones. US$12.5 millones de esos fueron entregados al Gobierno para construir una línea de transmisión de 56 kilómetros, a través de la cual inyectarán 33 megavatios al sistema eléctrico nacional. Los parques están compuestos por 19 molinos de viento de 120 metros de altura y dos subestaciones, suficientes para dar energía a unas 30 mil casas, y ahorrar la importación anual de 200 mil barriles de petróleo.

“El proyecto es toda una realidad y nos preparamos para inaugurarlo a finales de julio o principios de agosto”, dijo Tito Sanjurjo, gerente general de Basic Energy (consorcio al que pertenecen EGE Haina y CEPM).

Avances actuales

La obra física está avanzada en más de un 75%. Los 19 aeronavegadores ya están montados, ahora se trabaja en las labores de conexión y pendientes a que esté lista la línea de transmisión.

Así lo explicó el gerente de Desarrollo del proyecto, Marino Incháustegui, en una visita realizada por reporteros de este diario al parque eólico.
Informó que más de 200 personas han estado trabajando en la obra, construida por la empresa ACS-Cobra Energía con la asistencia de Vestas, compañía que fabricó los molinos. Pero una vez puesto en funcionamiento sólo requerirá entre 10 y 12 técnicos, además de la seguridad.

Aunque el proyecto tendrá una potencia instalada de 33 megavatios, el país podrá contar con un promedio de 15 megas, si se calcula la disponibilidad del factor viento.

“Calculamos que este sistema aportará el 36% de las horas de luz del año, es decir, unas 3,000 horas anuales”, indicó el gerente del parque, César Santos.

Aún así es una energía rentable para el país, porque no depende de los precios del petróleo y puede durar más de 30 años.

Expansión

Sanjurjo explicó que están enfocados en la ampliación del proyecto hasta 100 megavatios, con una inversión adicional de US$150 millones, para un total de US$250 millones. Esto incluye la colocación de 37 molinos adicionales, que estarían operando a mitad de 2012.
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Agreement signed with Sheraton

Group Puntacana to open 122-room Four Points by Sheraton hotel

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/FFA2A2FE-2C80-4C46-BAAF-23FFFBE3E579jpg__209__400__CROPz0x209y400.jpg

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.- Grupo Puntacana and the Starwood Hotels and Resorts hotel chain have signed a franchise agreement for the opening of their first Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village hotel.

The first Four Points by Sheraton brand hotel in the Dominican Republic will be located in the Puntacana Village residential complex, opposite the Punta Cana International Airport.

The Grupo Puntacana made the announcement at a press conference held at the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE), the Dominican Republic Hotel and Tourism Association’s annual fair, which is also sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism.

The construction of this four-story project will cover an area of 9,000m2. It is scheduled to open in winter 2012.

Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village will be a 122-room international standard hotel on four floors, with spacious meeting and events facilities, a lobby bar, gymnasium, swimming pool and other amenities, with direct access to the broad range of shopping and restaurant options in Galerías Puntacana.

In 2011 the Four Points by Sheraton brand was chosen as the #1 brand for business travelers. Its arrival in Puntacana fills a gap for business travelers, whose numbers are constantly increasing in the area, and supports the developing financial center in Puntacana Village.

Grupo Puntacana president Frank Rainieri spoke of the resort’s 40-year track record as pioneers in the national tourist industry with a well-earned reputation at international level, and with a solid vision based on the promotion of the country as a tourist destination, environmental protection and the development and promotion of Dominican culture.

“Thanks to the tremendous improvement in the brand, Four Points enjoys a high level of loyalty which makes it a more attractive prospect for our development partners in the Dominican Republic and all around the world,” said Paul Sacco, Senior Vice President of Development for Starwood’s Hotels and Resorts North America. “Four Points offers an irresistible mix of comfort, style and accessibility, and is backed by the strength of Starwood via the award winning Starwood Preferred Guest program.”

FUENTE
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Exmin Carvajal, director comercial y de marketing de IHG Hoteles en República Dominicana
28.04.2011
ImprimirImprimirE-mailE-mail
Por: José Carlos de Santiago

Intercontinental Hotels Group maneja dos importantes instalaciones en el territorio de República Dominicana: el Holiday Inn Santo Domingo y el InterContinental V Centenario Santo Domingo. A propósito de los resultados de la participación de esa entidad en la más reciente convención de ASTA, celebrada en Puerto Rico, Caribbean News Digital conversó con el señor Carvajal, quien se encarga de la política comercial de la cadena en aquella nación donde, según adelantó a esta publicación, se prevé la próxima apertura de dos nuevos hoteles.

¿Cómo ha resultado la gestión de ASTA para sus hoteles este año?

-Muy bien. ASTA agrupa a todos los agentes de viajes de Norteamérica y ese es el mercado que nos aporta a nosotros el 60% del negocio, por lo que esta conferencia es muy importante para nosotros, ya que nos permite establecer contactos con estos profesionales para renovar relaciones y explicar las novedades que tenemos en nuestras instalaciones.

¿Qué nivel de ocupación están teniendo en el Holiday Inn, que abrieron hace ya dos años?

-Este hotel ha sido la gran sensación en la ciudad y en el mercado corporativo y de placer en Santo Domingo. Ha estado prácticamente lleno desde su apertura. En realidad, es la instalación con mayor ocupación en la capital y estamos muy contentos con la demanda de público que ha tenido.

El Intercontinental va a entrar en remodelación. ¿Cuándo será?

-Hemos estado siempre renovando. Hace dos años hicimos una renovación del hotel y ahora vamos a hacer otra remodelación para adaptarnos a los nuevos tiempos. Como Intercontinental ha estado cambiando como cadena, ahora vamos a adaptar las habitaciones y todos los salones a la nueva filosofía del grupo. El proceso durará todo el año 2011 hasta principios de 2012. Estamos cambiando las habitaciones y los pasillos del hotel.

Dentro de las nuevas operaciones que está haciendo República Dominicana para la ampliación de la presencia de su imagen en el mercado norteamericano, fundamentalmente como destino de calidad, ¿IHG tiene previsto, o en este caso los propietarios de los hoteles que son franquicia de IHG, abrir algún nuevo establecimiento?

-Buena pregunta. Tienes la primicia. Hay dos propiedades nuevas en el mercado que vamos a anunciar próximamente. Una será en la playa y otra en la ciudad de Santo Domingo. Las vamos a tener con la marca Holiday Inn.

http://www.caribbeannewsdigital.com/...ica-dominicana
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1. President Fernandez at WEF in Brazil
President Leonel Fernandez has attended the World Economic Forum on Latin America held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He participated in a debate on 29 April. He returned Saturday, 30 April after visiting Guatemala and Brazil.

Latin American leaders were meeting under the slogan "Laying the Foundation for a Latin American Decade."

Over 700 regional and global leaders from 46 countries attended the meeting. They concluded that the future looks bright for economies across Latin America, while challenges remain. They envision that regional cooperation is essential for continued economic growth.

"Even in the midst of difficult circumstances [and] financial turbulence in the world, Latin America has continued to grow and has remained stable," said President Fernandez, pointing to the region's "abundant natural resources" and the growing demand for commodities from India and China.

http://www.weforum.org/news/nrrio2011decadeahead-en?fo=1

2. Opret gets first rails for Metro 2
The Transport Reorganization Office (Opret) has received the first rails that will be installed on the second line of the Santo Domingo Metro system. This line will have a total of 14 kilometers of rails. Opret deputy director Leonel Carrasco reported that the rails would soon start being installed at the station at Lope de Vega Avenue with John F. Kennedy.

According to Carrasco, the Line 2 tunnel is being dug from San Martin Avenue to Nunez de Caceres at the intersection with John F. Kennedy. "We have not begun to dig below the Euromotors building", said the deputy director, while stressing that the type of soil there is similar to that at the intersection of John F. Kennedy with Dr. Defillo Street, a good indication that the tunneling will progress at a similar pace. Carrasco said that the excavation work under the V Centennial Expressway would start this month, and they expect the soil to be easier to dig. "There is some coral rock and compacted clay that will ease the work for the type of equipment that we have, so we think that the work there will progress with relative speed", he said.

The Opret deputy director said he anticipated that the second line would be delivered in February 2012 as announced. Parallel to the excavations, the Opret is working on the construction of the 14 stations of Line 2.

Last Friday, the Executive Branch sent six loan agreements to the Senate for EUR250 million or RD$13.5 billion, for the first part of the second Metro line. The global construction contract involves EUR735.3 million, equal to RD$41.823 billion. These agreements will be sent to commissions in the next session for study and consideration.

3. Foreign debt up by 21%
At the close of fiscal year 2010 on 31 December, the balance of the Public Sector Non-Financial Foreign Debt was set at US$9.946 billion, an amount some US$1.731 billion more than that registered at the close of 2009, and an increase of 21.1%. This information comes from a report on the Budget Execution and Overall Accountability of the State for the 2010 Budget, and delivered by the Chamber of Accounts to the National Congress last week. In 2010 the government placed sovereign bonds for US$750 million and received disbursements from the IMF Stand-by Arrangement.

The report also cites a negative variation in the exchange rate of US$37.9 million, the result of the appreciation of the US dollar compared to other foreign currencies. The 2010 National Budget set aside RD$45.769 billion, equal to US$1.207 billion for payment of the Foreign Debt of the non-Financial Public Sector. The money was distributed: RD$28.166 billion (US$743 million were set aside for repayments, and RD$17.602 billion (US$464.4 million) was set aside to pay interest and commissions. The sum total was reduced to RD$40.976 billion (US$1.115 billion) by Law 158-10 that modified the amounts set aside for these items, as reported in Diario Libre.

4. More women training in non-traditional areas
The number of women who enroll in non-conventional courses at the governmental National Institute for Professional Technical Training (Infotep) is increasing with each passing semester. Women used to make up just 20% of students, but this has now increased to over 55%.

Electrical maintenance is the program most in demand by women, according to a report from Infotep published by Listin Diario. Hundreds of women have enrolled in programs in electrical installations and maintenance, automobile mechanics and general mechanics, and over 3,200 women have graduated in non-traditional trades.

The training prepares women for starting their own businesses. However, Infotep stresses that thousands of women are also enrolled in the more traditional courses of hairdressing, dressmaking, nursing, baking and confectionery cooking, pharmacy, physical therapy and secretarial studies programs.

5. Only 6,000 of 40,000 renew ID
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) reports that only 6,000 of almost 41,000 foreigners with expired IDs renewed their IDs (cedulas) during the grace period granted by the government. Eddy Olivares, in charge of the program, said that during the last two days, 500 foreigners turned up to update their IDs. Now foreigners will have to pay fines of RD$1,000 and RD$500 for every month since document expired. "It looks like not only we Dominicans suffer from leaving things to the last minute," he said when interviewed on the Visa Semanal, Channel 37 talk show, as reported in Listin Diario.

6. Unions lower demands?
This morning workers union representatives were scheduled to meet with Labor Minister Max Puig, who will present a study of the family basic needs basket for RD$10,819 that includes an inflation rate of 14.5% over the past two years.

According to Diario Libre, Puig met and presented the study to the management sector last Friday. Management Confederation president Jaime Gonzalez said that the document as a proposal is very correct. Gonzalez insisted that that they are open to dialogue and hope that this week or next some agreement on the minimum wage is reached.

Meanwhile, union leader Rafael Abreu said that they would go to the meeting. He made the point that since there are more than 16 minimum wage levels, dialogue with management is required, because this issue needs some readjustment. He said that these talks should take place every year instead of every two because of the continuous increases in fuel and food prices.

The union leader presented a new proposal, subject to consultation within the unions, which consists of a 25% increase in the minimum wage and a 20% increase for inflation on salaries up to RD$30,000 that is the limit on salaries exonerated from paying income taxes. He says that this bargaining should be done outside of the scope of the National Committee on Salaries.

The study that Puig will present to the unions states that 1.6 million workers were affiliated to the social security system in 2010, of whom 17.3%, or 288,652 employees, earn less than RD$4,900. Workers who earn more than RD$5,158 and less than RD$8,465 represent 21.1%, of the workforce, i.e. 351,154 workers. In total, 902,135 workers, or 54.1% earn between less than RD$4,900 and RD$8,465, which is the highest minimum wage, while 46%, or 735,680 workers, earn more than RD$8,465 and less that RD$51,580.

7. Anadegas complains of 29 "patio" stations
The National Association of Gasoline Retailers (Anadegas) says there are 29 gasoline stations, called "black points" that operate businesses that sell fuels illegally. Anadegas sent the list of the gas stations to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce last 6 October, according to El Caribe. In a subsequent communication they also complained of the lack of action on the part of the authorities. Anadegas is complaining about places that are selling untaxed diesel fuel in unfair competition with the normal gas stations. An agreement signed last February between Anadegas and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce contains a government pledge to close down these irregular sales points.

8. Fuel hikes generate increased in basic items
The constant fuel price increases have led to higher prices for mass consumption products. There have been "substantial" increases in the prices of rice, beans, garlic, sugar, eggs, potatoes and pasta. With respect to the price of rice, reporters from El Nuevo Diario said that a quintal of rice that sold for RD$1,680 was not selling for RD$1,880, forcing the retail price up even further. Beans at RD$40 and garlic at RD$130 were other prices that had been subject to increases over the past week or so. Of course, all of this is tied into the ongoing salary discussions where the unions are asking for a 25% increase in the minimum wage.

9. Consortium wants to import materials for aqueduct
Dominican-Spanish consortium Acciona Agua-Abi-Karram is standing firm on its decision to import materials and equipment for the construction of the Peravia (Bani) aqueduct system. Local manufacturers and suppliers argue they can produce the same materials at comparable prices and quality. Local industries say the consortium is violating the Government Procurement and Contracting Law. They say sourcing abroad would increase the cost of the project, prejudice local tax collections, and the country would lose the opportunity to create new jobs or lose some of the current jobs.

Sources told the newspaper that some government officials were "facilitating" the import of over-priced materials and equipment for their own profit. The source said that it was surprising that such a decision would be taken when there are industries in this country that are certified to international standards with savings in time, and jobs.

The new aqueduct in Peravia is budgeted to cost RD$4.4 billion.

10. Motorcycles still out of control
Most traffic accidents in the country involve motorcycles. The hospitals list dramatic accounts of deaths and injuries caused by reckless driving and the failure to use helmets. However, the question remains: "Who will bell the cat?" A total of 1,352,720 motorcycles are "registered", and compose the majority of the so-called "vehicular fleet" of the Dominican Republic. Their role in the ever-increasing number of traffic accidents is unquestionable.

Motorcycles make up 49.5% of all vehicles on the road and provide a means of transportation and livelihood for tens of thousands of people. As well as representing nearly half of all vehicles on the roads, the Hoy newspaper says that 60% of them are ten or more years old and this fact only adds to the accident totals. Four out of every ten motorcycles is in the National District.

11. Long weekend fills ERs
Emergency Rooms (ERs) at the major public hospitals were full of patients over the three-day weekend, mainly involving cases of alcohol poisoning. Respiratory problems, heart attacks and cardio-vascular cases and stroke victims were also reported. During the three-day weekend patients filled the ERs as well as the Out Patients areas. According to a doctor from the Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital, patients "come here for just a headache".

Most of the injuries recorded over the weekend were caused by knife and gunshot wounds, and motorcycle accidents. In an interesting aside, Doctor Reyci Carrasco from the Francisco Moscoso Puello Hospital, told Hoy reporter Altagracia Ortiz that patients between the ages of 25 to 30 are appearing with cerebral-vascular accidents (strokes), and this is something that should be investigated. The Dario Contreras Hospital treated 113 accident victims on Saturday night 36 of whom required hospitalization.

12. Nobody is safe as respected officer is shot
A gang of assailants has shot and wounded Second Lieutenant Jou Rafael Vasquez, who was awarded the title as the Best Policeman in the Americas two years ago. The officer went to the aid of a man who asked for his help while being robbed by a gang of men is the area of the Maximo Gomez Cemetery. Vasquez and the victim were hit by gunshots, and Vasquez was wounded in the right leg. A police patrol took him to the Police General Hospital where he is making a good recovery.

13. Major drug bust at AILA
On Sunday officers from the Specialized Airport Security Corps (CESA), in coordination with agents from the National Drug Control Department (DNCD), seized 54.7 kilograms of cocaine concealed in boxes of vegetables that were to be shipped to New York City. During the last four months, the DNCD and the CESA have seized 283 kilos of cocaine, including this Sunday's haul in the cargo area of the airport. The authorities found 55 packets of drugs in 27 cardboard boxes of peppers wrapped in paper.

According to the authorities at the AILA terminal, the drugs were going to be shipped to New York on American Airlines flight # 582. During the operation, agents from the DNCD arrested Domingo Piniera, the manager of the export company. The shipment of the stash of 54.7 kilos of cocaine was being made by the Gomez Cruz CxA Company, and was consigned to a company called Bread Fruit LLC.

There have been arrests in some of the recent cases, but others have escaped the authorities, getting past more than seven checkpoints between the ramp to the entrance to the airport. In one case a suspect was allowed to leave to fetch the key to a bag that had been found to have 15 kilos of cocaine inside, and he took advantage of the situation and fled, while another, upon being discovered when he left the drugs near a plane, took off in such a hurry that he left his Airport ID card on the scene, as reported in Diario Libre.

The newspaper reports that drug traffickers have developed new ways of sending drugs overseas this year, and they now use employees of fuel companies, cleaning crews, freight handlers, and lately drugs have been found in garbage cans, in fueling trucks, abandoned packages and in warehouses.

The Airport Department has asked the DNCD chief to carry out a thorough investigation into the 54.7 kilograms of cocaine found on Sunday, since this is a million dollar consignment that drug traffickers are not going to risk unless they have contacts at the airport.

Carlos Cota Lama, the Airport Department delegate at the nation's airports, stated that by express order of Airport Department director Aristides Fernandez Zucco, the investigations into this case should reach the proper conclusions since this was no random act. He said that this amount of drugs could not enter the warehouses or leave the country without help from someone. Therefore, he reiterated, they have to take the investigation to the bitter end in this case.

DNCD president Major General Rolando Rosado Mateo told Diario Libre that his intelligence section had been tracking these drugs for some time. The shipment in question was detected inside the merchandise of a company whose owner collaborated with the DNCD authorities in order to arrest the members of the network and allow the seizure of the cocaine shipment. Rosado Mateo said that several people are under arrest in connection with the case and they are investigating further to establish any other connections. He later reported that two company employees were under detention and are being investigated.

14. Rains ease drought situation in Cibao
The persistent and intense rains that have been felt lately over large areas of the Cibao Valley have begun to reduce the effects of the long drought on farming and agriculture. The drought had caused millions worth of damage. According to Diario Libre, farmer Jose Martinez Perez, who has a plantain farm in Moca, says that the rains will save his harvest, which was on the verge of being lost due to the lack of water.

Meanwhile, regional Agriculture director Ramon Cruz says that the rains will be beneficial for the region, because they will allow a range of crops to be planted and prevent the bankruptcy of hundreds of producers.

The rain showers also flooded the streets of Santiago, causing traffic problems, mainly along the Circumvalacion (The Beltway) Sur and 27 de Febrero avenue.

Since Sunday night it has been raining in Monsignor Nouel, Puerto Plata, Hermanas Mirabal, Duarte, Dajabon, Espaillat, Samana, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Montecristi, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde, Sanchez Ramirez and Santiago. The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) is forecasting more rains for the coming days.

15. Low-pressure troughs cause COE to act
The Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported yesterday that due to two low-pressure troughs over the Mona Passage and central Cuba, regional and municipal directors of Civil Defense and other emergency and rescue agencies have been instructed to be prepared and to take the necessary precautionary measures. Residents in low-lying areas or near rivers, creeks or streams are at risk of flooding and landslides. On Monday some 50 to 80mm of rain fell over much of the country. The COE says that the interaction between the two troughs will cause scattered thunderstorms and heavy rains along the frontier, the Central Mountains, the northeast and the southeast.

16. Gloria Arroyo at Funglode
Former President of the Philippines (2001-2008), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will speak at the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (Funglode) at 7pm today. She will focus on what the region can do to strengthen ties with Asia.

She is currently a legislator for the state of Pampanga in the Philippines. She will talk about relations between East Asia and Latin America and the lecture, which will be in Spanish, is open to the general public. The DR has diplomatic relations with the Philippines since the 1960s.

"This is the most important visit by a government official or public figure from the Philippines," explained Hans Dannenberg, Dominican ambassador to the Philippines. "It is definitely a landmark event for the strengthening and consolidation of our bilateral relations and creating closer ties for the country with the emerging economies in the Asian continent," said Dannenberg who is also Asia director for Funglode's Dominican Council of International Relations. The Funglode auditorium is located at Capitan Eugenio Maria de Marchena 26, La Esperilla. Santo Domingo. Tel 809 685-9966.

Forbes listed her as the world's fourth most powerful woman in 2005 when she was President of the Philippines. She was also the second longest sitting president after Ferdinand Marcos, with 9 years in office.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Copa has VIP room at Las Americas
Copa Airlines inaugurated its second President's Club in Latin America at the Las Americas International Airport last week. The club is open to VIP passengers flying Copa Airlines and Continental Airlines, who are members of the club, or Copa business class travelers, and first class travelers on Continental or with Gold status in the Star Alliance. CEO Pedro Heilbron, who attended the official opening, said the club seeks to offer a new level of service to the airline's frequent flyer passengers and business class flyers. The VIP room is located in Terminal B of the Las Americas Airport. The Star Alliance has more than 970 similar clubs worldwide.
American Airlines operates the Admiral's Club VIP service, also at Las Americas International.

Four Points by Sheraton in Punta Cana
Speaking at the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE), Frank Rainieri, CEO of the Puntacana Group, owner of the Puntacana Resort & Club and the Punta Cana Village and the PUJ International Airport, announced an agreement with Starwood Hotels and Resorts for the operation of a Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Punta Cana. The 122-room business hotel will be located in Puntacana Village, the residential and commercial area of the development. The hotel will have rooms for meetings and events, and direct access to Galerias Puntacana restaurant and shopping area. This is Starwood's third largest brand, after Westin and Sheraton. The hotel will be located opposite the Punta Cana International Airport and is named the Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village. The hotel will cover 9,000 square meters and will have four floors. It is expected to open by Winter 2012.
Paul Sacco, first vice president development for the Starwood brand was present for the announcement.

Secrets Royal Beach and Now Larimar in Punta Cana
AMResorts announced the official renaming of the Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana (formerly NH Royal Beach) and Now Larimar Punta Cana (formerly NH Real Arena) in the Bavaro beach area on 1 May 1, 2011. Now Larimar is a new AmResorts brand.
Alex Zozaya, president and CEO of AMResorts, announced that through the recent strategic partnership with the Spanish hotel company NH Hoteles, AMResorts would now oversee the sales and marketing initiatives for both resorts, while NH Hoteles continues operational control.
The company announced that as a result, guests of both properties would enjoy the benefits of AMResorts‚ "Unlimited-Luxury" vacation concept. Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana is an adults-only resort with 373 rooms, three restaurants, and five bars. Additionally, guests have reciprocal dining privileges at Now Larimar Punta Cana. Guests have access to activities including land and water sports, daily special events such as movies on the beach, dance classes, and nightly shows and entertainment. Now Larimar Punta Cana has 642 rooms and suites, seven restaurants, and nine bars. It also has a bowling center and an open-air nightclub and lounge with swimming pool.
"We have a strong, vested interest in expanding within the Dominican Republic as we keep to our promise to provide our guests with the ultimate luxurious vacation experience in attractive destinations," said Zozaya in an official note.
Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana and Now Larimar Punta Cana are joining AMResorts' five additional resorts in the destination: Dreams Punta Cana, Dreams Palm Beach, Dreams La Romana, Zoetry Agua Punta Cana and Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana. The company is also preparing for the 2013 debut of the Gems at Cap Cana complex. The US$400 million development is comprised of Zoetry Gems at Cap Cana, Secrets Gems at Cap Cana, Now Emerald Cap Cana and Now Pearl Cap Cana. Also set to open in 2013 is Now Punta Cana.

KLM to fly to Punta Cana
Dutch airline KLM has announced the start of flights to the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) from Amsterdam as of October. The airline says the flight is an alternative for travelers who don't want to fly KLM to the DR via the USA. The new flight will be especially attractive for passengers connecting through the Schiphol International Airport, already a major international hub for connections. The flight will leave Amsterdam at 10am with a stopover in Havana, in time to arrive in Punta Cana at 7:30pm. Return flights will be non-stop to Amsterdam, leaving at 8:30pm and arriving at 10am the following morning.
KLM president and chief executive officer Peter Hartman said "The Dominican Republic is a wonderful holiday destination and is in great demand in the Dutch market. We are looking forward to working with our partners in the travel world to make this destination a success."

La Opret recibe primeros rieles para la segunda línea del Metro de Sto. Dgo.
Se trabaja en la construcción de 14 estaciones para el nuevo servicio de transporte

SANTO DOMINGO. La Oficina para el Reordenamiento del Transporte (Opret) recibió la primera etapa de los rieles que se instalarán en la Línea 2 del Metro de Santo Domingo, que tendrá una extensión total de 14 kilómetros lineales.

El subdirector de la Opret, Leonel Carrasco, informó que estos rieles se comenzarán a instalar en la estación ubicada en la avenida Lope de Vega con John F. Kennedy. "Pronto comenzaremos esa fase de los trabajos", expresó Carrasco, sin ofrecer más detalles sobre la extensión que cubrirá esta primera etapa.

De acuerdo con Carrasco, el túnel de la Línea 2 está excavado desde la avenida San Martín, hasta la avenida Núñez de Cáceres con John F. Kennedy. "No hemos empezado a excavar debajo del edificio de Euromotors que se encuentra allí", señaló el subdirector al momento de destacar, que el tipo de suelo que se encuentra allí es similiar al de la intersección John F. Kennedy con la calle Dr. Defilló, por lo que augura una serie de trabajos invasivos similares.

En tanto que en la avenida Expreso V Centenario donde, según Carrasco, los trabajos de excavación se iniciarán en los próximos días, esperan un tipo de suelo más amigable para la excavación. "Allí existe una roca coralina y un caliche compactado que facilitan los trabajos para el tipo de equipos que tenemos, por lo que pensamos que allí se realizarán con relativa rapidez", expuso.

El subdirector de la Opret anticipó que los trabajos se realizan con la meta de entregar la Línea 2 del Metro de Santo Domingo en febrero de 2012, como se ha anunciado.

Estaciones del Metro

Paralelo a la excavación, la Opret trabaja en la construcción de las catorce estaciones de la Línea 2, de las cuales solo la que se encuentra en la avenida Padre Castellanos, esquina calle Julio de Peña Valdez, no ha sido iniciada a nivel de excavación.

"Ya pueden ver que las tres estaciones del Centro Olímpico están muy avanzadas, igual la de las avenidas Lope de Vega, Winston Churchill, y Gregorio Luperón, todas hacen intersección con la John F. Kennedy", dijo.

El pasado viernes, el Poder Ejecutivo sometió al Senado seis acuerdos de préstamos por 251 millones 536 mil euros, unos RD$13 mil 500 millones para el primer tramo de la segunda línea del Metro, cuyo contrato de construcción global envuelve un monto global de 735.3 millones de euros, equivalentes a RD$41,823.2 millones. Esos acuerdo serán enviados a comisión en la próxima sesión para su estudio y ponderación.

Fuente: http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias_det.php?id=288851

La Romana/Casa De Campo

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1. Haiti's president visiting the DR
President Fernandez will host the President-elect of Haiti, Michel Martelly, today. However, according to Hoy newspaper, the Presidential Press Office has not confirmed the visit, and the President postponed a trip to Higuey where he was due to inaugurate a new prison.

Martelly was last in the DR on 28 February, and this is his second visit. During the first visit, both men held an hour-and-a-half-long discussion on issues ranging from the world food crisis to the Dominican-Haitian relations.

2. Vaccinations begin today
The National Vaccinations Program of the Americas begins today. The plan is to immunize 1.7 million people against eight diseases. Diario Libre says that the campaign includes the administration of five million doses and consists of three phases that will be carried out in successive steps.

Some 665,270 students between the ages of 6 and 9 years of age in both public and private schools will be vaccinated in the first phase. The second phase includes children as young as three years old and this will be done on a house-to-house basis, while the third phase will seek to vaccinate 475,000 adults who work in the farming areas and in construction.

Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez will head a ceremony at the Marillat School, in the Ensanche Kennedy at 10am. The campaign consists of vaccinations against polio, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, hepatitis, Influenza A H1N1, chicken pox, measles and mumps.

3. Vice President calls for action
Rafael Alburquerque, Vice President and PLD presidential hopeful, spoke to the nation last night and warned his fellow PLD party members that there is a definite threat that the PRD will return to power.

"In view of the threat that the return of ineptness and disorder to power, I appeal to the conscience of each man and woman of the PLD to actively assume the defense of the nation. This is not a time to sit back and relax. The few who do so will have this weight on their conscience. It is time for action and participation," he concluded. His message was transmitted on several TV channels last night.

El Caribe speculates that the message was aimed at President Fernandez's followers who have said they would remain neutral in the run up to the primary and that they would only join the electoral campaign once the candidate is chosen. Alburquerque said that there was a need to defend the achievements of the PLD governments headed by Fernandez at all cost. "Only that way will we preserve Leonel's leadership in the PLD," he said.

"To sit back and relax would lead to defeat for the PLD in 2012. That is unacceptable." The presidential election is set for 20 May 2012.

Alburquerque said that if elected President he will expand health coverage to all citizens, strengthen social protection programs and stimulate job creation in the private sector.

He pledged to maintain macroeconomic stability, tackle crime and drug trafficking. He also said he would work to transform and modernize education in the country, a process he said the Fernandez government has started.

The primary is set for 26 June. The other PLD pre-candidates are Danilo Medina, Francisco Dominguez Brito, Radhames Segura, Franklin Almeyda and Jose Tomas Perez.

4. Agrarian Reform lands go to builders
Lands that were initially given to the Dominican Agrarian Reform program for rice farming in Juma, Bonao (Monsignor Nouel province) have ended up being used for other economic activities. Warehouses for aggregates, sand and gravel pits, parking lots for heavy equipment, mechanics workshops and artisan stores are now located on the lands along the Duarte Highway near the city of Bonao.

About ten years ago the Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD) began providing land titles so that rice farmers could take out bank loans for their crops. However, the lands are now being used for other purposes.

Opposite the entrance to the Falconbridge mine (Falcondo Xstrata Nickel) in Juma, there is a large storage dump for building materials in the middle of the rice paddies. This is one of the more obvious businesses because of its size. The land was filled in with rocks, making it irrecoverable for rice growing.

According to official sources, rice production in the area has fallen off. Because these businesses use land that was intended for rice cultivation, the first estimates of 12,000 tareas of rice in this area have been reduced to just 10,000 tareas.

5. Bars in SDE to be quieter
The owners of bars and nightclubs along Venezuela Avenue in Santo Domingo East (SDE) that were closed down because of the noise levels, will have to enclose their establishments with glass or other noise-dampening materials in order to re-open. According to El Caribe, deputy prosecutor Raquel Cruz has made noise reduction one of her primary causes, because of all the complaints from local residents.

Cruz said that if they continue to operate in the open, the bars would have to keep the noise level below 75 decibels. The sidewalks have been renovated and paved with ceramics and a ban has been imposed on placing chairs, tables or speakers out on the sidewalks. The Assistant DA said that these measures were non-negotiable and if they were not obeyed the businesses would remain closed. Many of the businesses were conceived as "liquor stores" but their customers just hang out in the area and have blocked foot and vehicular traffic.

6. Economist warns of harm by turnkey projects
Economist Apolinar Veloz warns that it is impossible to control the costs of government investments if purchases of intermediate goods and raw materials are not submitted to efficiency and budgetary effectiveness criteria. His comment comes after local producers complained about procurement practices for the new aqueduct in Bani, Peravia province.

As reported in Hoy newspaper, Veloz said that if the loan agreements do not require that the public investments be the lowest possible in the market given the nature of the project, then the country would lose a lot of public money to the company doing the work.

Veloz continued: "If these public investments are also financed by the same companies that are building the project, there is a risk that the public investment will not be cost-efficient or efficient, since in this context when there is no strict state supervision the companies tend to allow the costs of the project to be overvalued for their own benefit and the government ends up spending it more of its resources whose effects are removed from the local economy, marking the project as inefficient".

The aqueduct project for the province of Peravia that is being handled by the Dominican-Spanish firm of Acciona Agua-Abu-Karram has refused to purchase equipment and materials from local suppliers.

7. Unions reject Ministry of Labor study
The union sector received a study by the Ministry of Labor yesterday that suggests that the inflation rate over the past two years has been 14.5%, so that the basic basket of products for families in the first quintile for the poorest workers (some 20% of the workforce and the worst affected by inflation) would go from RD$10,407 to RD$10,819. Nevertheless, union leader Rafael "Pepe" Abreu, dismissed this study because it barely justifies a salary increase of 16% for the minimum wage, which he considers insignificant. He said that this amount does not change anything for the workers. The Ministry already presented this same study to management representatives who said it was an optimum proposal.

Abreu said that the unions had opted to negotiate outside the National Salary Committee (CNS) because they believed that its director, Gloria Henriquez, disqualified herself by expressing opinions about the absence of the workers at the last committee meeting, instead of reading the letter that they had sent her to justify their absence and acting as an unbiased party. He suggested the need to reduce the 16 minimum wages to at least three, for the salary discussions take place each year instead of every two years because of the continual increase in the cost of food and fuels, and for a reduction of the demand from 30% to 25% in exchange for employers recognizing the right of the workers who earn more than the minimum to a salary adjustment of 20% up to RD$50,000, as reported in Diario Libre.

8. IMF indicates demand in DR is above GDP
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Western Hemisphere director Nicolas Eyzaguirre has warned that in the Dominican Republic the demand is increasing above the GDP potential that means that "they are creating inflationary pressures or pressures for a deficit in the current accounts". The IMF experts have found similar issues in other Latin American countries and describe the situation as "dangerous".

In general the IMF is witnessing what it describes as an "overheating" in some Latin American economies, which is caused by a growth rate above the potential and the strong push of internal demand. Eyzaguirre said that the x-ray of the economic situation of the region, using an analogy of temperature, showed "Mexico to be the most balanced, with Central America a little colder, South America very hot and the Caribbean, quite frankly, half frozen".

9. A historic crop still alive
The historic tobacco crop called 'andullo' is alive and well in the south of the Dominican Republic. Andullo is a long, sausage-like roll of tobacco leaves that is tightly wrapped in palm seedpods (called "yagua") and aged for years. Each 25-pound andullo sells for between RD$1800 and RD$2000. This is a product for internal consumption, still used in Dominican rural areas for smoking in pipes and for chewing.

Because of their watertight packaging, andullos have a history dating back four and a half centuries in the Dominican Republic. Shipping records show tobacco being sent to Spain in the mid 1500s, and andullos were the only way to survive the wet storage spaces of the old wooden ships.

According to El Caribe, this year's crop will produce RD$275 million for the province of Azua, with over 10,000 tareas being planted with the tobacco used for this product. Some 14,500 andullos are expected to be produced.

10. Quirino's stuff under the hammer
For the first time the Dominican state will hold a public national and international auction for assets seized from laundering money from drug trafficking. These assets include nine properties that were seized from convicted drug trafficker Quirino Ernesto Paulino Castillo, and are said to be worth RD$105 million.

Diario Libre reports that yesterday's announcement was made by the administrator general of National Assets, Elias Wessin Chavez, and the president of the National Drug Council (CND) Mabel Feliz, as well as representatives from several drug fighting agencies. Wessin Chavez said that anyone interested in attending the auction should send their proposals and letters of intent to the administration of National Assets before 23 May.

He said that public employees and people who have been convicted of drug trafficking were banned from taking part. They will open the envelopes on 24 May in the presence of a commission of notaries, and they will announce the list of people selected on 26 May. Wessin said that the assets seized from Quirino included 21 properties worth an estimated RD$300 million, of which 12 still remain to be auctioned off. They are in the process of being appraised and of receiving the final sentence of seizure.

11. AG takes over embargoes in east
The Attorney General of the Republic, Radhames Jimenez Pena has pledged to take control of the embargoes that have affected hotels in La Altagracia province. The hotel sector has protested they have been carried out illegally and arbitrarily. In a statement yesterday, Jimenez Pena said that he would take steps to ensure that a representative of the Justice Department would be present at all these actions.

The measures include the appointment of a commission to look into the latest embargoes and establish whether or not there were any irregularities.

Diario Libre reports that this commission is made up of the Deputy Attorney General Bolivar Sanchez, Francisco Polanco and the District Attorney for Hato Mayor, who will meet with hoteliers today. Jimenez Pena said he expects the hotel representatives to present a report with the names of the bailiffs and lawyers who took part in these embargoes. At the same time he made it clear that no member of the Justice Department took part in these acts, which were carried out without his authorization.

12. A 3.9 quake shakes Santiago
A 3.9 magnitude earthquake was felt in the Santiago area at 5:44 yesterday afternoon. The epicenter was said to be just 15 kilometers from the city. The earthquake came at a time when most people were still at work. A local Civil Defense spokesman said that the quake did not cause any material damage or victims. He confirmed however that some people panicked and ran out onto the streets. Both national and international experts have warned that the northern region of the Dominican Republic, especially Santiago are at risk of a major earthquake of up to 8 degrees on the Richter scale because of a fault line in the northern mountain range, as reported in Listin Diario.

13. Rains help but alerts issued
The rains that fell over the past few days have significantly improved water supplies to homes in Greater Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo Water and Sewer Corporation (CAASD) director Freddy Perez says that his agency currently has the capacity to supply 300 million gallons of water a day, but he noted that consumption is 400 million gallons a day. Perez said that the rains have come as a "blessing", since they began at a time when the CAASD was only able to supply a little over 100 million gallons of water daily. He used the opportunity to urge the public to pay for this service since only 13% do so.

Diario Libre writes that the Emergency Operations Center (COE) has issued a green alert for eight provinces as a preventive measure in response to the recent heavy rains. The rainfall is caused by a system that "continues to influence the country, supplying abundant humidity and instability to produce showers, thunder and lightning with heavy wind gusts over practically the whole country", said the agency. The provinces under alert are Santo Domingo, Monte Plata, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Sanchez Ramirez, Duarte, Samana, Santiago and the National District.

14. Cardinal Ravasi comes for Book Fair
The Santo Domingo International Book Fair opens today with a gala affair at the National Theater at 7pm. This is the main annual cultural event organized by the Ministry of Culture. This year the event is dedicated to the Vatican.

Yesterday, President Leonel Fernandez welcomed Gianfranco Cardinal Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, who is on a visit to the DR for the opening of the fair. The Vatican delegation announced that special selection of books from the Vatican would be on sale to visitors to the fair at half their cost in the Holy See. The Vatican has imported eight tons of books to sell at the fair.

The Santo Domingo International Book Fair has 226 stands. Some 47 bookstores and seven publishing houses are taking part in the event. In addition, 25 government departments and 12 universities have stands at the fair that will take place from 4 to 22 May at the grounds of the Plaza de la Cultura.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

If you have any feedback or comments regarding the DR1 Daily News, please email us.

1. President inaugurates book fair
President Leonel Fernandez cut the symbolic ribbon in a ceremony at the National Theater last night, formally opening the 14th Santo Domingo International Book Fair. The fair is dedicated to the Holy See, and to Monsigor Francisco Jose Arnaiz and Father Jose Luis Saez.

At the opening ceremony Fernandez was joined by Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, First Lady Margarita Cedeno, Papal envoy Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez and Culture Minister Rafael Lantigua. Also attending was Dominican ambassador to the Holy See Victor Grimaldi and Alejandro Arvelo, director of the Fair.

A message from Pope Benedict XVI was shown during the ceremony thanking the DR and those responsible for the organization of the fair for the invitation to be the guest exhibitor. "This prestigious event will, without doubt, be an opportunity for the crowds to appreciate the significant literary production of the Catholic Church and its great contribution to Dominican culture that is appreciated in the figures of Monsignor Francisco Jose Arnaiz and Father Jose Luis Saez to whom the fair has given a special place," said the Pope in his statement in a video. Pope Benedict asked the Lord for blessings so the book fair give abundant fruit and for the children of this country.

Some 33 countries with 440 exhibitors, including 215 from abroad, are participating in the 29 pavilions. A total of 1,579 events have been scheduled. The fair continues through 22 May and the program of events can be downloaded from www.cultura.gob.do/Portals/0/docs/programa2011.pdf

2. 4% campaigners not welcome at book fair
Talk show host Huchi Lora reported yesterday afternoon that campaigners for the allocation of 4% of the GDP towards education were not welcome at the opening event of the 14th Santo Domingo International Book Fair taking place at Plaza de la Cultura, 4-22 May. Security guards herded away a group of protestors wearing the yellow campaign t-shirts and holding 4% umbrellas. Patricia Gomez told the CDN afternoon talk show audience that articles identifying the group were removed from them. Lora, a strong campaigner for the government to give more priority to education, called to boycott the event.

3. Martelly invites Fernandez to inaugural
President Leonel Fernandez met with Haiti President-elect Michel Martelly at the Presidential Palace for an hour and a quarter yesterday. President Fernandez accepted an invitation to attend Martelly's inaugural on 14 May. They discussed migration related issues, which will be followed up by a bilateral commission meeting.

The Presidency reported that Martelly described President Fernandez as "a very intelligent man and a person who wants the best for the relationship between both countries."

Martelly said he would attend the Dominican Haitian Forum that meets in the DR every two months. "We have decided to take part to become more actively aware of what it is about, what is being discussed and how to improve it," he said, as reported by the Presidency.

He said President Fernandez made recommendations about the good relations Haiti should maintain with countries such as Brazil and Guatemala to promote education, among other important issues.

Martelly said that once he takes over the Presidency his priority will be to deal with the people who are still living in tent camps. He also announced the creation of a small military force to defend the country's borders, fight drug trafficking and assist in catastrophes.

Also attending the meeting were Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso, Dominican ambassador in Haiti Ruben Silie, Haitian ambassador in the DR Jean Fritz Cisneas and senator for the province of San Jose de Ocoa, Carlos Castillo.

4. Martelly partial to Dominicanizing Haitians
While expressing his appreciation for Dominican support following the 2010 earthquake, and the education that many Haitian students receive in the DR, Haitian President-elect Michel Martelly told CDN and El Caribe journalists when interviewed in Haiti that there was room for improvement in the relationship between the two countries.

In the interview published today in El Caribe journalists in Haiti, Martelly acknowledged the social problems that mass Haitian migration has caused in the DR. But in the same interview, he also expressed his concern about the situation where children born to Haitian parents in the DR were not automatically granted Dominican nationality. "I have to say that there are small problems we have to resolve. For example, we can address the problem of undocumented Haitians. People who were born there (in the DR) do not have identity papers."

In the interview, Martelly recognized the support his country had received from the Dominican Republic: "We recall that within hours of the earthquake the DR had arrived with help. Never, never will that be forgotten," he said.

He also highlighted his awareness of Haitians who travel to the DR to study. "That is another reason for us to thank the Dominican Republic for the training and education that our students receive," he said. He said his plan was to attract these students back to Haiti to help with the country's development.

In the interview, he also commented on trade. "We need the products from the DR and we also have products we could sell," he said. "It is a market of 20 million people and our brothers can share the island to strengthen the economy for both countries."

Martelly is due to take office on 14 May.

Recently, Haitians citizens at the Haitian embassy in the Dominican Republic complained of delays in granting Haitian identity papers to thousands of migrants without legal documentation. The lack of Haitian documentation causes major problems for Haitians and their offspring who seek to enter the formal economy.

The problem is exacerbated because most Haitians who have migrated to the Dominican Republic do not have legal documentation papers from their native Haiti, meaning that the first step for parents is to apply for legal documentation from the Haitian authorities.

For the JCE to grant a birth certificate, the parents need to themselves have a birth document.

The Haitian Constitution establishes that any child born to a Haitian parent anywhere in the world is born a Haitian national. Article 11 on nationality in Haiti's 1987 Constitution reads: "Any person born of a Haitian father or Haitian mother who are themselves native-born Haitians and have never renounced their nationality possesses Haitian nationality at the time of birth".

The same 1987 Haitian Constitution does not recognize dual citizenship. The Haitian diaspora in the US supports a move to change the Constitution to allow this.

On the other hand, the Dominican Constitution does not grant Dominican nationality to children born to foreigners who reside illegally in Dominican territory.

In practice, hundreds of thousands of Haitians have obtained Dominican nationality, in large part through irregular procedures, but this has been in violation of national laws.

On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum for Latin America held in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, on 29 April President Fernandez declared: "No country can cope with mass migration," commenting on the country's right to manage the presence of foreigners in Dominican territory. Fernandez told journalists that despite the generosity of the DR, the country could not handle the situation of poverty in Haiti "without the risk of falling into the same situation."

Nevertheless, the reality is that the Fernandez government has maintained the traditional relaxed international migration policy of successive Dominican governments with only very sporadic repatriations. The department of Migration recently highlighted the virtual non-existence of a budget for repatriating illegal immigrants.

www.elcaribe.com.do/site/nacionales/275240-martelly-restablecera-el-ejercito-de-haiti.html

5. Former Philippines President in DR
President Leonel Fernandez decorated former President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Wednesday. She was honored with the Order of Merit Duarte, Sanchez and Mella. The decree notes her contribution to strengthening friendship ties between the Philippines and Latin America and for her efforts in creating the Forum for East Asia and Latin American Cooperation (FOCALAE) that was established in 2001 to strengthen relations between the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

During her visit she also visited the Chamber of Deputies. After being head of government in Philippines from 2001 to 2010, Macapagal Arroyo is now a legislator.

She said she hoped her visit would "serve to strengthen the relations between both countries in trade and cultural aspects."

Macapagal Arroyo announced that around 300 Philippine mining workers would come to train workers at the Barrick Gold mine. She visited the DR as the guest of the Foundation for Global Democracy and Development, as reported in El Dia.

6. Natural gas gets a push
President Leonel Fernandez launched the Program for the Implementation of Mass Use of Vehicular Natural Gas (GNV) yesterday. The program includes issuing new licenses for importing equipment, conversion workshops and installation of 42 new gas stations. The program also involves the creation of four large corridors with natural gas stations from Santo Domingo to the east, north, south and northeast to ensure supplies of natural gas.

President Fernandez also announced the start of a program to convert public transport vehicles to natural gas in order to gradually eliminate the Bonogas subsidy.

Industry and Commerce Minister Manuel Garcia Arevalo outlined the details of the program to the press. He said that natural gas prices have been more stable and guaranteed a reliable supply and better prices for the DR. The Minister stated that the first phase of the program to convert public transport vehicles to natural gas would start in June with 35 workshops that will convert the first 5,000 vehicles increasing to 20,000 by the end of the Fernandez term in August 2012. It was announced that so far 1,614 vehicles have been converted to natural gas.

During an event at the Presidential Palace, President Fernandez handed over licenses to Itulcach Dominicana, V-GT VA Gas Technologia, AES Andres Dominicana, Pimax Investment, Alba Gas, Sunix, and several other companies.

When in Brazil, President Leonel Fernandez had announced the possibility that Odebrecht build a 500 megawatt natural gas plant.

7. AES vs. EdeEste dispute continues
The Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) and the government owned EdeEste power distributor company are demanding that AES sell the full 300 megawatts contracted upon the installation of the 300 megawatt natural gas facility to the Dominican electricity network.

Celso Marranzini, executive vice president of the CDEEE, says that the AES Dominicana management is holding to an administrative letter dating back to 2003 to substantiate a temporal change in the power supplied and justify their supplying only 50 megawatts. The letter states that the power plant would supply the national grid with only 50 megawatts of the 300-megawatt capacity. AES sells the difference to non-regulated users, reportedly including now the operations of Falconbridge and Barrick Gold.

Marranzini says that an administrative letter cannot amend a 70-page contract that was never approved by the power distribution company's board of directors.

"If the local administration of AES thinks that that letter, signed by EdeEste when the latter was one of their branches, modifies the contract, then we believe they used the vertical integration (generation-distribution) and imposed their dominant position to secure benefits, which would be questionable for a company that is on the stock market," said Marranzini.

In today's press, EdeEste publishes their stance with a chronological report of the events leading to the impasse today.

The CDEEE has sought for the case to be heard at the Chamber of Commerce of Santo Domingo's Alternative Resolution of Disputes Center. AES Andres presented the case for deliberation at the International Chamber of Commerce on the grounds that the arbitration should be heard at that international forum, says EdeEste.

Bottom line is that with rising natural gas prices, sourcing from the AES Andres natural gas plant is attractive. In 2002, AES Corporation signed a contract stipulating it would supply 300mw of capacity at approximately US$0.6 per kWh for 15 years. EdeEste said that this contract enabled the AES Corporation to obtain international financing to build the natural gas plant located at Caucedo.

"Unilaterally, without the approval of its partner, the Dominican government, only four months after the power plant entered into operation, the AES Group temporarily reduced the capacity to 50MW until EdeEste, in accordance with the contract, required the total contracted capacity for 300MW", says EdeEste.

EdeEste says that AES Andres has sold the difference between the 50MW and the 300MW not delivered to EdeEste at much higher prices than had been contracted with EdeEste. EdeEste has had to purchase power from other sources at around US$0.23 kWh with losses in the millions.

The company reports that in 2009, when EdeEste was bought back by the Dominican government, the new administration demanded a return to the initial contractual terms. EdeEste also says that it is not in arrears with AES Andres. The company says over the past three years it has paid approximately US$70 million for the 50MW of capacity delivered.

www.edeeste.com.do/noticia.asp?id=381

8. IMF urges caution re wages
Fernando Delgado, regional resident representative for Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic for the International Monetary Fund, and Luis Cubeddu, deputy division chief of the Regional Studies Division of the IMF's Western Hemisphere Department told El Dia that the DR should exercise caution and should avoid significant increases in wages to compensate for increases in food and fuel prices to prevent an inflationary spiral as occurred in the 1970s. They advised the government to protect workers' purchasing power without affecting inflation, recommending instead a gradual wage increase, as reported in El Dia.

Labor union and business representatives are holding their biennial talks for minimum wage increases. The labor unions favor an across-the-board wage increase.

9. Sobeida: guilty of asset laundering
Sobeida Felix Morel, known lover of Puerto Rican drug capo Jose Figueroa Agosto, has declared herself guilty of the asset laundering charges presented by the state prosecutors. She said the others accused in the case were also responsible. Figueroa Agosto is standing trial for terrorism, homicide and other serious crimes in Puerto Rico. The US Marshal Service described him as "the Pablo Escobar of the Caribbean".

The accused in the case together with Felix Morel are Eddy Brito, Mary Pelaez Frappier, Sammy Dauhajre, Juan Jose Fernandez Ibarra, Ivanovich Smester Ginebra, Adolfina Pelaez Frappier and Madeline Bernard Pena.

Morel was testifying before judges Gissel Mendez, Yuli Tamariz and Tania Yunes of the First Civil Court. As reported in El Dia, she said the accused acted as fronts to purchase assets for Figueroa Agosto, also known as Christian Almonte. She said that the group met frequently in the Arroyo Hondo house that Mary Pelaez had purchased for Figueroa Agosto. She said in court that Figueroa Agosto had also purchased apartment 1132 of the Ocean One complex in Cabarete using Mary Pelaez as a front.

In the court hearing she also revealed that several hours after the raid on apartments 14B and 15B of the Alco Paradisus luxury high-rise apartment building on 3 September, Figueroa Agosto was in frequent communication with three of the accused, Sammy Dauhajre, Ivanovich Smester and Juan Jose Ibarra.

She said that after Figueroa's spectacular escape, they all met on Avenida Anacaona together with the late colonel Jose Amado Gonzalez (who was subsequently murdered, on 24 December 2009) and Figueroa Agosto asked her to get the Mercedes Benz SUV where money was stashed. The former officer was to have given her the key, but this did not happen, and then she returned to the building where enforcement agents were waiting under the command of Colonel Familia. The authorities found US$4.6 million in the vehicle.

She said that once Figueroa Agosto was in Puerto Rico and she was in jail, the Puerto Rican sent US$50,000 to Sammy Dauhajre, Ivanovich Smester and Ibarra to guarantee her comforts in the Najayo jail in San Cristobal. She said the capo also sent US$300,000 and US$250,000 in cash for the payment of bail and supposedly "to pay some money to the National District prosecutor." She said they did not carry out these actions.

Felix Morel argued that the accused did not know that Christian Almonte was Figueroa Agosto. She said, however, that the person who had given her a National Department of Investigations (DNI) ID card knew about the drug trafficker's dual identity.

"There are also military figures and other people who knew the identity of Figueroa Agosto, but I will reveal this in due course," she said in court yesterday.

As reported in El Dia she said that most of the assets were purchased through Mary Pelaez and transactions were carried out through the exchange house of Hermanos Solano and Electroamerica.

Felix Morel also declared in court that Figueroa Agosto held meeting with people from Puerto Rico in one of the houses confiscated by the National District prosecutors in Arroyo Hondo. She said that they included Angel Ayala Vasquez (Angelo Millones), Marrero Martell, Elvin Torres Estrada (Munecon), her husband Eddy Brito and others.

The defense lawyer for Pelaez and Dauhajre, Jose Rafael Ariza said that the statements made by Felix Morel followed a script prepared by the Prosecutor General. He confirmed that Eddy Brito, Sammy Dauhaujre and Juan Alejandro Ibarra had sold vehicles to Figueroa Agosto and said he had been present at some of the sales.

Sobeida went on to mention that Elvin Torres, on trial in Puerto Rico for drug trafficking, had purchased a Ferrari from Gamal Hache, owner of the Sofia Restaurant, where Figueroa Agosto used to meet with several accused in the network, as reported in Diario Libre. She said in court that Angelo Millones purchased an apartment at the Avenida Bolivar tower and later sold it to another Puerto Rican who is on trial for drug trafficking in Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, National District prosecutor, Alejandro Moscoso Segarra confirmed the negotiations between the Prosecutor General and Sobeida Felix Morel and Leavy Nin Batista, Jose David Figueroa Agosto's lover and wife respectively. Both are accused of asset laundering. Moscoso said they would both remain in jail because they are both important figures for identifying others implicated in the Puerto Rican's drug network. He said that there is an extradition order for Eddy Brito.

El Nacional reported last Friday that Felix Morel may have negotiated a five-year prison sentence with conditional release after two-and-a-half years and the same for Leavy Nin Batista. Lawyer Jose Rafael Ariza, representing Mary Pelaez, Sammy Dauhajre and Adolfina Pelaez said that as a result charges would be reduced for all accused of asset laundering.

District prosecutor Alejandro Moscoso confirmed there had been an agreement with Felix Morel. "We are in an important process that will benefit the entire penal justice system. The two women and the remaining accused will be convicted, and also other people who have not been included in the case". He said that a number of individuals, who have not yet been arrested, including military officials, could be requested in extradition by the United States. Sobeida Felix, as reported in Listin Diario, said she would give details on these new individuals if they were included in the formal case.

www.listin.com.do/dr/videos.aspx?v=3661

10. Birth certificate irregularities
The Central Electoral Board said the birth certificates of the daughter of accused drug trafficker Jose David Figueroa Agosto and his wife Leavy Nin Batista would be annulled, as reported in El Dia. The JCE says it was issued based on forged information and the child was declared twice. The child was declared in both Monte Plata and the National District on the same date, 28 December 2001. In Monte Plata, she was declared as daughter of Flor Jansen Rodriguez, Nin Batista's other identity. In the National District she was registered as daughter of Leavy Nin Batista and Jorge Luis Figueroa Agosto (her uncle). The JCE instructed the Civil Registration Office to receive a correct birth statement from Nin Batista in which she requests recognition of her daughter establishing that she is the daughter of Jose Figueroa Agosto. As reported in El Dia, Leavy Nin Batista appeared before the civil registry requesting the correction.

11. Liriano's no hitter
Minnesota Twins' Francisco Liriano pitched the 2011 season's first no-hitter of the season on Tuesday night (3 May) in a 2 hour nine minutes game against the Chicago White Sox. He had been having a tough year, pitching for 1-4 and 9.13 ERA. He is only the 5th Dominican in all MLB history to achieve this feat, the others being Juan Marichal, Ramon Martinez, Jose Jimenez and Ubaldo Jimenez. Liriano has been with the Minnesota Twins since 2005. In 2010 he played for the Leones del Escogido that won the league championship that season. In the game against the Chicago White Sox he walked 6 batters and threw 123 pitches. It was his first complete game in 95 Major League starts. The game ended 1-0.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=14430697
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDeHignl4gs
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=olney_buster&id=6476844&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2fblog%3fname%3dolney_buster%26id%3d6476844

12. Bronze in World Taekwondo Championship
Dominican Yuli Gabriel Mercedes, tae kwon do silver medal winner at the Beijing Olympics, came third in the 58kg weight division at the 2011 WTF World Taekwondo Championships taking place 1-6 May in Gyeongju, South Korea. Spain's Joel Gonzalez, the gold medalist at the 2009 Copenhagen World Taekwondo Championships, won the gold.

Mercedes and Taiwanese Wei Chen Yang, the gold medalist at the 2010 Asian Games and the silver medal winner at the 2010 Asian Championships, shared the bronze medal in the men's category. Mercedes advanced to the final as he came from behind to beat his semifinal match opponent, Taiwan's Wei, 3-1.

A total of 149 countries, 1,040 athletes and 715 officials submitted their entry forms to the WTF.

www.wtf.org/wtf_eng/main/main_eng.html

13. Richard Dresser's Below the Belt
US playwright Richard Dresser's Below the Belt will be staged at the Palacio de Bellas Artes starting Thursday, 5 May. The comedy continues on 6, 7, 8 May, and then the next weekend, starting Thursday, 12 May through the 13, 14 and 15. Performances start at 8:30pm, except on Sundays when the curtain is raised at 6:30pm. The play, which is produced by Felix German, stars Frank Perozo, Kenny Grullon, Anthony Alvarez and Fernando Villalona.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Ortega & Gasset tunnel opens
President Leonel Fernandez attended the formal opening of an 89-meter tunnel, overpass and pedestrian crossing aimed at easing the flow of traffic at the Jose Ortega y Gasset intersection with Av. 27 de Febrero. The Ministry of Public Works said the roadworks, which cost US$27 million or approximately RD$1 billion, were constructed by Brazilian company Odebrecht with Brazilian export financing.

In the keynote address at yesterday's opening event, Public Works Minister Victor Diaz Rua said that the main work on this stretch of the Duarte Corridor is the tunnel that connects to the state university.

Mayor Roberto Salcedo also spoke at the event, focusing on the way that public spaces had been recovered with the construction works.

2. A fair to showcase government?
The Ministry of Culture has published a map with the locations of pavilions of participants in the Santo Domingo International Book Fair. The largest area seems to be occupied by major stands for government departments. Eleven local bookstores and four international publishing houses are taking part, while 26 government departments and ministries occupy most of the area at the Plaza de la Cultura complex.

Highlights of the fair this year include the exhibits set up by the Vatican. These include a pavilion dedicated to showcasing the presence of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic (1511-2011) and an exhibition in honor of Monsignor Francisco J. Arnaiz and Father Jose Luis Saez, both at the Museum of History and Geography. An exhibition about Pope John Paul II and his three trips to the Dominican Republic is open at the Museum of Dominican Man.

Another highlight of this year's book fair is the exhibition of the 1965 Civil War (Identify Identify by Thimo Pimentel) at the Museum of Dominican Man.

3. Anibal de Castro new ambassador in US
The Dominican government has announced the appointment of former journalist Anibal de Castro as the new Dominican ambassador in Washington, D.C. De Castro has served as the Dominican Republic's ambassador in the United Kingdom, as reported in Diario Libre.

4. Imports triple exports
Dominican exports were up 12.6% last year, but imports increased by 37%. The trade deficit closed at US$9.86 billion, as reported by the National Statistics Office (ONE).

Imports of petrol products were up 18.88% in 2010 compared to 2009. The DR petrol bill was US$3.15 billion, while the bill in 2009 was US$2.65 billion.

59.39% of exports were to DR-CAFTA signatory countries n the US and Central America. The European Union countries imported 11.27% of Dominican products, Caricom (English-speaking Caribbean) 18.54%, and ALADI (South America) 3.47%. ASEAN (Asia) countries imported 0.64%.

Most Dominican Republic trade was with the United States, China and Venezuela, with 56.8% of imports.

Most exports were to the US and Haiti with 73.3%, as reported in El Caribe.

The statistical report will be available to the general public from ONE as of 18 May.

5. AES keeps to their position
In a paid advertisement published in the press today, AES Dominicana on behalf of the AES Andres natural gas plant, stands by what it deems their right to only sell 50MW to EdeEste and not the claimed 300MW, and says that "EdeEste has no right whatsoever to claim the supposed 300MW." EdeEste demands the supply of this power at the contracted rate of US$0.06 cents. AES Andres has preferred to sell this power to other purchasers outside of the national electricity grid. AES Andres maintains that the contracted 50MW "was validly fixed at 50MW by the parts." Moreover, AES Dominicana says that it is not true that the EdeEste pays their bills to AES Andres on time.

AES Dominicana also disputes the use of the arbitration facility (the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce's Alternative Dispute Resolution Center) to deal with the disputes. It affirms that there is no arbitration clause in the contract that attributes the disputes conciliation to the Chamber of Commerce entity.

Yesterday, Presidency Minister Cesar Pina Toribio met separately with Celso Marranzini, executive vice president of CDEEE (EdeEste) (CDEEE) and Marcos de la Rosa, president of AES Dominicana (AES Andres), as reported in Diario Libre. Pina Toribio expressed optimism on prospects for a friendly agreement achieved between both.

6. DPCA to act on corruption cases?
Hotoniel Bonilla, director of the governmental Anti-Corruption Department (DPCA) has announced he would move on the cases of corruption against officials in the public school teachers health provider (ARS Semma) and others.

The DPCA said it would open the case against the medical insurance's former medical director Fernando A. Conde Modesto, administrative and financial director Marcelino Rijo Guzman, Eddy Leonardo Terrero, in charge of auditing; Luis Sanchez Paredes, in charge of the treasury, and Belgica Diaz Moreno in charge of the education department for irregularities in the management of RD$540 million, according to an audit from the governmental Chamber of Accounts.

The former director of ARS-Semma company, Taina Gautreau, who was the first to denounce the irregularities when assuming the department, said other officials are also involved. She said the Chamber of Accounts audit only covered the insurance company through 2009. "More people have continued to milk government funds," she said. Interviewed on the Huchi Lora y el Equipo radio talk show on CDN, she said that the case should not be seen in parts.

Bonilla also said that six other cases would be heard, involving a total of 15 government officials and two former mayors. In addition to the case of the SEMMA health provider, the others involve alleged corruption at the National Office of Intellectual Property (ONAPI), the PROMESE government pharmaceuticals network, and former mayors of Los Alcarrizos and La Victoria, among others. He said the cases against government officials for misappropriation of funds when at the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI), the Dominican Municipal League (LMD), the National Lottery and the Fenatrano bus union are being processed, he said, as reported in Listin Diario.

The Fernandez government has characterized itself for being complacent about corruption. Even cases where evidence has been presented on TV investigative reporting shows, such as Nuria Piera and Alicia Ortega, the usual penalty has just been the removal or change of post of the government official.

7. 49.4kg of cocaine in kidnapper bust
While on the trail of kidnappers, the Dominican police uncovered 49.4 kilograms of cocaine during an operation on Thursday. The Police was acting on a lead that businessman Guido Salazar, who had been kidnapped on 30 April, was to be found in the Cristal del Mar apartment building in the Ensanche Isabelita in Santo Domingo East. When they raided the apartment they "discovered by coincidence" 49.4 kilos of what is presumed to be cocaine hidden in three suitcases. The Police announced the arrest of Colombian Cesar Armando Reyes Jimenez.

This was the second large seizure of drug since Sunday, when the Specialized Airport Security Corps (CESA) and the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) seized 54.17 kg of cocaine at Las Americas International Airport.

8. No names, please
Prosecutors yesterday hushed a witness who would have revealed names of military personnel involved in the case for asset laundering and criminal association with drug trafficking being heard against Sobeida Felix Morel, Mary Pelaez, Adolfina Pelaez, Eddy Brito, Sammy Daujhajre, Ivanovich Smester, Juan Jose Fernandez Ibarra and Madeline Bernard. The group members are accused of acting as fronts for Puerto Rican drug capo Jose David Figueroa Agosto.

Mary Pelaez, Sammy Dauhajre and Ivanovich Smester's defense lawyer, Rafael Ariza was questioning the head of the Unit of Financial Crimes of the National Drug Control Department, Colonel Julio Cesar Suffront Velasquez in court yesterday. In his statement he said that some military and police personnel had ties to the Figueroa Agosto. When the defense lawyer asked for the names, an assistant prosecutor warned the witness and the judges that the names could not be made public.

As reported in Hoy, assistant prosecutor Ibo Rene Sanchez argued that the information would be "privileged information" and could not be made public. He prevented Suffront Velasquez from revealing the names of police and military figures with ties to the drug trafficking network. Suffront has been in charge of investigating the Figueroa Agosto case since 3 September 2009 when Figueroa Agosto fled the country after being followed using evidence collected in an investigation he directed.

In his testimony, Suffront questioned the conclusiveness of the investigation carried out by the prosecutors. He said that the authorities did not interrogate the people who provided Jose David Figueroa Agosto with the ID that identified him as a member of the National Investigations Department (DNI), the local FBI unit. He said the investigators did not interrogate the people who issued Figueroa Agosto with forged IDs. Figueroa Agosto used forged identities in the DR.

Meanwhile, in El Caribe, journalist Miguel Guerrero says that journalist Llenis Jimenez, writing in Hoy, has perceptively observed the case seems to be centered on advancing the charges for asset laundering against the accused (with whom it is said the prosecutors have negotiated a deal), and not leaving room open for other revelations that could lead to incriminating the individuals who made it possible for the Caribbean drug capo Jose David Figueroa Agosto to operate freely in the DR for almost 10 years.

In her statements, Sobeida Felix Morel mentioned in court that the person who gave Figueroa Agosto his National Department of Investigations ID card knew his real identity. Figueroa Agosto lived in the DR under the forged identity of Christian Almonte.

Guerrero comments: "That detail should be a key element in the process because without that official ID Figueroa Agosto would probably not have been able to move as freely as he did in the most select altars of vernacular political echelons," he comments.

Guerrero criticizes what he describes as the interest of investigators and prosecutors in the expenses spent on decorating houses to the expensive taste of Figueroa Agosto, who is standing trial in Puerto Rico after his spectacular escape from the DR, at the expense of more relevant details, gives an idea of how things are going in this long detailed process. He comments that an analysis of this case helps put into perspective this "very sad case of unprecedented criminality and corruption and place into the open the shadows around it and the magnitude of drug trafficking in the country."

Tania Molina, covering the story in Diario Libre, also observes today about the inconsistencies in the preparation of the case by prosecutors. Rafael Ariza, the lawyer for two of the accused, pointed out yesterday that more than 20 people known to have dealt directly or indirectly with Figueroa Agosto, including military and government officials, have not been included in the case.

As was highlighted yesterday in court, others that have been left out of the case are Miguel Martinez of Auto Luxury, who sold several vehicles to Figueroa Agosto. The people who sold Figueroa Agosto a farm in Km. 25 of the Duarte Highway were not interrogated, nor were the legal advisors who sold a pre-made company to Figueroa Agosto that he used to purchase a property, as reported in Diario Libre.

9. John Calipari to coach DR team
Kentucky University's John Calipari, ranked third in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, has accepted to coach the Dominican Republic national team for its attempt to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. The initiative is being coordinated by Southgate Sports, a Dominican sports management company that has taken on the responsibility for preparing the team for FIBA's upcoming Tournament of the Americas (30 August - 11 September 2011. The top two teams to advance to the 2012 Olympics in London, Funding Southgate are the Bonetti, Vicini and Najri families.

Dominican Basketball Federation general manager Eduardo Najri made the announcement in Santo Domingo on Thursday and Calipari posted his comments on his website.

There is a lot of work ahead. The 2009 team that competed in the FIBA Americas championships included Atlanta forward Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks) and Sacramento swingman Francisco Garcia. The team finished fifth in the tournament with a 4-4 record. A key player who will join the Dominican team would be Charlie Villanueva (Detroit Pistons). On his Twitter page, Villanueva welcomed Coach Calipari saying it would be a real honor to play for him and naming the initiative Project Gold.

Calipari announced that the plan was to hold a mini-camp in Lexington, Kentucky at the beginning of August with some of the Dominican Republic's emerging young stars, most of whom are already playing American college basketball, including Kentucky's Eloy Vargas. The mini-camp will precede the team's official training camp that will include the veterans.

Kentucky fans are invited to a planned exhibition game at Rupp Arena vs. former Cats and former Kentucky players.

The team will play another exhibition in the Dominican Republic before heading to Foz do Iguazu, Brazil for the Jenaro "Tuto" Marchand Continental Cup (24-26 August) and will practice at the University of Kentucky state-of-the-art Joe Craft Center before the tournament.

The next stop is Mar del Plata, Argentina for the FIBA Americas Championship for Men/Olympic Qualifying Tournament (30 August - 11 September) for a chance at playing in the 2012 Olympics.

Nevertheless, Calipari said that the involvement goes beyond the bid for the team to make the Olympics. His decision to work through Southgate comes because of the entity's commitment to re-energizing Dominican Republic basketball by building a solid grassroots program and training Dominican coaches, much like through the entity he has been helping with basketball in China. "Beyond that, this will be a great learning experience for me to be able to coach against some of the best minds in international basketball," he said.

Southgate owns the Leones del Escogido baseball team in the Dominican Republic Professional League (LIDOM), the Leones de Santo Domingo Basketball team in the Dominican professional basketball league (LNB), and the San Juan Senators in the Puerto Rican professional baseball league (PRBBL).

"Southgate and the Dominican Republic welcome Coach Calipari to the team," Eduardo Najri said. "Not only are we excited about Coach's experience on the court, but we also look forward to having him help us develop our grass roots efforts in the Dominican Republic.

"Coach Cal's commitment to our team, and our country marks a definite "before and after" for Dominican Basketball. I can guarantee that the University of Kentucky has just increased its fan base by about 10 million basketball-loving fans."

www.coachcal.com/2011/05/05/coach-cal-officially-accepts-offer-to-coach-dominican-national-team

10. Boxers qualify for Pan Am Games
Eight Dominican boxers have punched their way into the Pan Am Games, including Yenebier Guillen, the first Dominican woman ever to make the team, Bienvenido Solano of the Dominican Boxing Federation announced.

Others that qualified are Juan Medina (49kgs), Dagoberto Aguero (52kgs), Luis Salazar 56kgs, Raul Sanchez (69kgs), Ricardo Garcia (75kgs), Felix Valera (81kgs) and Cristian Yoel Cabrera (91kgs). The group qualified during the trials held in Quito, Ecuador against competitors from 26 regional countries. The Pan Am Games are set for October in Guadalajara, Mexico.

11. Dario Estrella at Fiesta Sunset Jazz
This Friday, 6 May, Fiesta Sunset Jazz presents Dario Estrella and his Hybrid Quintet. MerengueJazz and more. Delight in the music of this legend of Dominican jazz. Free admission, but be there by 6:30pm to watch the sunset while listening to superb music or call the hotel to make reservations.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Agora Mall: Update

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Presidente Fernández inaugura paso a desnivel y complejo de obras en las avenidas Ortega y Gasset y 27 de Febrero


Santo Domingo.- Con la presencia del Presidente Leonel Fernández, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Comunicaciones inauguró este jueves el túnel a cielo abierto y el complejo de obras construidas en la intersección de la avenida 27 de febrero con José Ortega y Gasset.

Este complejo de obras consta de tres soluciones viales; la primera un túnel o giro a la izquierda sin interrupción de transito desde la José Ortega y Gasset hacia la avenida 27 de Febrero en dirección Norte-Este, un Paso Peatonal, y un elevado desde la 27 de Febrero hacia la Ortega y Gasset. El proyecto consta además de una plaza pública o parque con área verde.

La inversión total en el proyecto es de US$204,461,307.50 (Doscientos Cuatro Millones Cuatrocientos Sesenta y Un Mil Trescientos Siete Dólares con 50 centavos). Mientras que el costo total del viaducto y las demás obras de la intersección asciende a 27 millones 067 mil 755 dólares con 09/100).

Junto al mandatario estuvieron presentes el ministro de Obras Públicas, Víctor Díaz; los Alcaldes del Distrito Nacional, Roberto Salcedo y de Santo Domingo Este, Juan de los Santos; la ministra de la Mujer, Alejandrina Germán; la directora del Instituto Nacional de la Vivienda, Alma Fernández; el ministro de las Fuerzas Armadas, Joaquín Virgilio Pérez Félix; el empresario José Luis Corripio; Manuel Estrella del Consorcio Estrella y Luis Sergio Ferra de Odebrecht.

Las palabras centrales estuvieron a cargo de Díaz Rua, quien dijo que con este tipo de obras se afianza la visión de modernidad del presidente Leonel Fernández, “que siempre ha tenido la convicción de una mejor nación, por eso ha impulsado un desarrollo de infraestructura que no acaba aquí”.

Las palabras de bienvenida estuvieron a cargo de Roberto Salcedo y la bendición de la obra a cargo del Párroco Alejandro Cabrera, de la Parroquia Santa Ana.

Túnel o de Giro a la izquierda

El giro a la izquierda hacia la avenida 27 de Febrero desde la Ortega y Gasset tiene una longitud total de 89.00 metros con dos carriles de circulación inferiores de 3.50 metros de ancho.

Consta además, de un techo cubierto con vigas pre-moldadas, con losas vaciadas y una longitud aproximada de 6.80 metros. El ancho del giro es variable de 11.00 a 15.00 metros, y un techo abierto con vigas transversales o pérgolas

La carpeta de rodadura o pavimento utilizado en los carriles del túnel a cielo abierto consiste en un material asfáltico flexible de 3 pulgadas de espesor colocado en caliente.

Los muros laterales del túnel son de hormigón con un espesor de 0.40 metros, mientras los paneles en hormigón anclados a los muros posteriores están compuestos de mallas electro-soldadas.

Elevado Ortega y Gasset con 27 de Febrero

Esta estructura fue puesta en funcionamiento en Septiembre del 2010.

Es una obra con un diseño curvo, construida en la intersección 27 de Febrero con José Ortega y Gasset. Tiene dos carriles en un solo sentido de circulación de 3.5 metros de ancho y una longitud total de 400 metros, con rampas de acceso de 95 metros en ambos lados, además de un viaducto central de 210 metros.

Los tramos rectos del elevado están compuestos por vigas de hormigón pretensadas apoyadas sobre vigas transversales, pilares y estribos de hormigón.

Al elevado curvo le fue colocada una carpeta asfáltica en caliente de 3 pulgadas.

La curva en el tramo central tiene una longitud de 40 metros, compuesta de vigas metálicas, las rampas de acceso son de tierra reforzada con una altura de 5.20 metros y 5.60 metros. La fundación fue directa sobre roca caliza.

Paso Peatonal

Es otra obra construida en la intersección de la avenida 27 de Febrero con José Ortega y Gasset. Es un paso peatonal para cruzar desde y hacia la 27 de febrero con Gassett.

Se trata de una estructura curva con pilares en hormigón armado y acero. Dispone de rampa de acceso en tierra armada. Tiene iluminación de tipo lead un sistema moderno para garantizar que los peatones se desplacen con seguridad.

Mientras para el transito expreso en la avenida 27 de Febrero se reconstruyeron los seis carriles centrales en ambos sentidos y cuatro laterales para el transito local.

La Señalización

La señalización del elevado Curvo y el paso a desnivel es grado diamante, mientras que para la horizontal en el pavimento se utilizo pintura termoplástico en polvo, aplicada en caliente y con micro-esfera reflexiva para facilitar el transito nocturno.

La Plaza Pública. Esta área fue ambientada con palmeras de tipo corozo. Se ubicaron bancos para el uso de los ciudadanos. Dentro de la plaza se reubicó la estatua del Inmigrante, la cual fue remozada completamente y se le colocó una placa en alusión a los primeros hombres y mujeres que han ayudado con su trabajo hacer de este país una nación prospera y pujante.

Esta área fue ambientada y remozada por completo. Tiene luminarias empotradas en hormigón. Estos postes de acero tienen un diseño con inclinación de diez grados.

Compromiso Ambiental

Dentro de los compromisos contractuales, y sobretodo la mística del Consorcio Norberto Odebrecht están contribuir a mejorar el medio ambiente y los entornos de las obras que intervienen, no solamente los parques y áreas verdes sino también dejando obras que perduren en el tiempo como es la reforestación del área en el Parque Olímpico, donde fueron remozadas 12 canchas de Tenis, una de Basketball, de Voleybol y de fútbol, mientras que el play de Béisbol fue remozado por completo con iluminación césped y gradas.

En este entorno el Consorcio Odebrecht deja como legado un vivero para que sea usado para la reforestación del parque olímpico, además del remozamiento del busto del patricio Juan Pablo Duarte.

Tanto en el proceso de construcción, como en la terminación de las obras se tomó en cuenta el impacto ambiental, implementando como meta reducir las expropiaciones y la relocalización de servicios (energéticos, agua potable, telecomunicaciones), con atención especial al tema urbanísticos y estético de las obras.

Ventajas de las obras

Con la construcción de los elevados y túneles se reducirá el congestionamiento vehicular facilitando el flujo de vehículos y mejorando la condición del transito, esto incidirá en la reducción de gases tóxicos, así como también en el nivel de ruidos provocados por el congestionamiento del transito.

Túnel hacia la UASD también nuevo acceso peatonal al Centro Olímpico Juan Pablo Duarte y la construcción del Túnel UASD, con dos carriles de circulación en sentido Norte-Sur, que servirá de conexión vial desde las intersecciones de las avenidas 27 de Febrero con José Ortega y Gasset hacia las avenidas José Contreras y la Santo Thomas de Aquino

Empresas responsables

La empresa contratista para la ejecución del proyecto Corredor Duarte es el Consorcio Corredor Duarte, compuesto por las compañías ODEBRECHT, Ingeniería y Construcciones, S.A., e Ingeniería Estrella, S.A. y la Supervisión de TECNOAMERICA, S.A.

El proyecto es financiado parcialmente por el Banco Nacional de Desarrollo Económico y Social (BNDES) de Brasil y Fondos locales. La vida útil del Proyecto Corredor Duarte es de 20 años.
Ramón Polanco Antigua, Prensa CIG

http://www.cig.gob.do/app2/article.aspx?id=23028

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

El Cata

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Background information

Birth name Edward Bello Pou
Also known as El Cata, El King De La Melaza, El Necio, El Malo, El Patrón
Origin Barahona, Dominican Republic
Genres Merengue, mambo, latin rap
Occupations Rapper, singer-songwriter
Years active 1999–present
Labels Rincón Musical (1999)
Live Music, Los Dueños del Negocio, Planet Records (Sony)
Associated acts Pitbull, Lil Jon, Shakira
Edward Bello Pou, better known by his stage name El Cata, is a Dominican rapper, songwriter, record producer, who emerged in the music scene in 1999, born and raised in Barahona, Dominican Republic.

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Early life

Bello is the second son of Maria Luisa Pou. He has four sisters. At five, he emigrated to USA, where he stayed 20 years and then returned to the country. In New York, he worked at a furniture store in the department of Medicare and a bank. He studied music at the Bronx Community College. He attended Miami Beach Senior High School from 1993 to 1995. While at Miami Beach Senior High, Bello spent most of his time in class writing and composing songs. He would walk down the hallways of his high school singing the songs he would write during class. His sister, Elizabeth, also attended high school during those years.

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Career

He has recorded several promotional albums, since 1999 when start his career but are not considered official albums from El Cata's discography and are no longer available. In 2009 he release his official debut studio album El Malo through Allegro/Planet Records, which includes the singles "Loca Con Su Tiguere", "Pa' la Esquinita" and "El Que Brilla Brilla". This year he also recorded a remix of "Loca Con Su Tiguere", featuring Voltio and Ñejo & Dalmata, also the remix of "Ella Quiere Coro Conmigo" featuring Yenz and shared credits on Pitbull's smash single "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" as co-writer of the song. As of 2010, he collaborated again on Pitbull's track "Watagatapitusberry" from Pitbull's album Armando. The song also featured Rapper record-producer Lil Jon, Sensato and Black Point.

In 2010 he collaborated with Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira on the Spanish version of her single "Loca", in which he also raps. He is also featured on the Spanish version of the track "Rabiosa" from Shakira's album Sale el Sol.

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Discography

Studio albums
List of albums, with selected details
Title Album details
El Malo
Released: October 20, 2009
Label: Allegro/Planet Records
Format: Digital download

Singles
List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US US
LATIN
2008 "Loca Con Su Tiguere" El Malo
2009 "Pa' la Esquinita"
"El Que Brilla Brilla"

Featured singles
List of featured singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US US
LATIN SPA SWI
2009 "Ella Quiere Coro Conmigo" (Remix)

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http://diariolibre.com.do/noticias_det.php?id=289066
El viento que traerá luz



Obreros trabajan en una de las subestaciones del parque eólico.
En agosto arrancarán estas palas para aportar al sistema eléctrico nacional 33,45 megavatios. Son los primeros de un total de 100, que llegarán después en diferentes etapas. Ha sido la tozudez de EgeHaina o mejor, su convicción de que los vientos soplan en esa dirección, que lo de las energías limpias no es un cuento para ecologistas impenitentes y que no hay dirección más adecuada.

En el camino quedan decenas de otras propuestas desechadas, de concesiones vencidas, de fondos que nunca aparecieron, préstamos que no se obtuvieron, de años de trámites eternos en las no siempre ágiles cámaras legislativas... y de inversionistas extranjeros desilusionados que se fueron resoplando, con sus millones y molinos, a otra parte. Encontraron, comentaban éstos con la prensa (y siempre ´off the record´) en aquellos días, todo tipo de zancadillas institucionales, dilaciones inesperadas, lagunas legales.

Resuelto este último aspecto, primero con la Ley 57-07 de Fomento de Energías Renovables y luego su reglamento de aplicación, la empresa local EgeHaina decidió apostar a las energías limpias con una inversión de 100 millones de dólares. Han sido los necesarios para instalar los dos parques eólicos de Juancho, los 56 kilómetros de red para verter la energía producida a la línea central de transmisión eléctrica, construir caminos, dos subestaciones y la adaptación y refuerzo del muelle de Cementos Andinos para recibir los equipos.

El Parque Eólico Los Cocos recoge las fuerzas de los alisios que peinan el Atlántico y entran a tierra justo por esa esquinita del mapa. No es una ubicación caprichosa, la medición de los vientos se toma hora por hora durante más de un año para determinar la mejor ubicación. Ni siquiera Juancho era el primer intento: cinco molinos llegaron a suelo dominicano con la intención de erguirse en Cabo Engaño en 2008. ¿No era ese el momento o no era aquella la ubicación perfecta? Ya da igual, el hecho es que nunca se llegó a aprobar la instalación de aquellos primeros molinos que habían llegado a la isla. Desde el sector oficial se consideró que un polo turístico no era compatible con un parque energético.

Los molinos, almacenados por años, se estropearon a tal punto que debieron hacer el viaje de vuelta a casa, en España, para después de una reconstrucción casi total... regresar a República Dominicana, esta vez camino del Sur.

Quilvio Cabrera

Mientras tanto, un funcionario ajeno al sector eléctrico se convertiría en parte importante del proyecto. Quilvio Cabrera, entonces director del Instituto Agrario Dominicano (IAD) y al tanto de la desilusionante experiencia del proyecto de Cabo Engaño, valoró la posibilidad de crear un parque energético en Pedernales, donde los parceleros del IAD en Juancho -entendía él- se avendrían a negociar la instalación de las torres en sus parcelas.

En sus planes subyacía la visión de abordar una segunda fase dedicando esas mismas tierras a producir cultivos energéticos de biomasa. Combinando ambas energías se lograría, pensaba él, un mejor rendimiento del espacio y estabilidad de la red cuando no hubiera viento.

El proyecto seguía creciendo en la visión de los emprendedores: un parque de energía limpia en el pleno sentido, que ayudaría a despertar a esta región sureña, en la que más de un 60% de los hogares viven en estado de pobreza.

Quilvio Cabrera murió el 13 de abril de 2008 en un accidente de tráfico. EgeHaina culminó las negociaciones con los parceleros, comenzó a instalar los aerogeneradores y decidió bautizar el segundo parque eólico de Juancho en su honor.

¿Qué hay en Juancho?

En una extensión de 343 hectáreas se levantan el Parque Eólico Los Cocos y el Parque Eólico Quilvio Cabrera que producirán 33,45 megavatios. 25 megavatios en el primero y 8 megavatios en el segundo. Es el principio.

El Parque Los Cocos presume ya de sus 19 aerogeneradores (14 Vesta V90 y 5 Vesta V82) distribuidos en tres alineaciones en dirección noroeste, con sus rotores siempre husmeando la dirección del viento. El Quilvio Cabrera, por su parte, consta de cinco aerogeneradores. El potencial eólico de la zona es enorme y podría, en un futuro y con progresivas ampliaciones, cubrir las necesidades de una población de 88,000 habitantes y evitar la emisión de 68,000 toneladas de CO2 a la atmósfera.

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La producción energética anual de República Dominicana es de 11,000 Gigavatios hora, para un consumo eléctrico de 10,900 Gigavatios hora aproximadamente, explican los técnicos de EgeHaina. La generación de electricidad está dominada por plantas térmicas que mayoritariamente funcionan con combustibles derivados del petróleo importado. La capacidad instalada de los servicios públicos es de unos 3,000 megavatios de los cuales el 82% proviene de origen térmico y el 18% de hidroeléctrico.

Sí, ¿pero es más cara?

"La tecnología eólica es cara", confirman los ingenieros de Cobra, empresa española encargada del montaje, cuestionados a pie de aerogenerador. "Pero a la larga, es una apuesta rentable ya que no depende de la compra de combustibles fósiles, y con el precio del petróleo subiendo cada semana...". La conversación tenía lugar apenas días después del desastre nuclear provocado por el terremoto sufrido por Japón. "Esa tragedia, es duro decirlo, movilizará fondos hacia la investigación en energía eólica."

Ese es un detalle importante. La investigación en el campo de las energías renovables es tan intensa que la tecnología puede quedarse obsoleta bien pronto. De hecho, los aerogeneradores del Parque Los Cocos ya son de una generación posterior a los del Quilvio Cabrera, aquellos cinco que llegaron para Cabo Engaño.

Si el viento es gratis... ¿por qué es cara?

Aquí habla ya el hombre de los números. Para Tito Sanjurjo, gerente general de EgeHaina, "la gente asume que el viento es gratis, pero es que la inversión es más cara. Una planta diesel tiene un costo de menos de 1,000 dólares el kilovatio instalado. La planta eólica alcanza los 3,300 dólares el kilovatio instalado. Una planta térmica diesel genera el 92% del tiempo, es decir, requiere menor inversión y se logra más producción porque un sistema de generación eólica produce el 33% del tiempo."

Resumiendo: cuesta 3 veces más y genera 3 veces menos. Así que el viento es gratis pero... Y resume Sanjurjo: "al final el costo es competitivo contra el fuel oil, porque se libra de las continuas alzas del petróleo. Y libera al país de tener que gastar divisas."

Y el viento, ese "combustible" gratuito, tiene sus secretos. El mapa eólico de la República Dominicana puede verse en www.ambiente.gob.do El primero se elaboró hacia 1998 y en 2001 los técnicos de EgeHaina empezaron a medir tanto en el Este como en el Sur.

Hoy se puede medir el viento a nivel global a través de satélites, superando la etapa tradicional de la brújula y la veleta. Pero lo importante, explica César Santos, Gerente de Proyectos de EgeHaina, es determinar en qué zona el potencial de viento en la punta de la nariz del aerogenerador (no era broma lo de "husmear los vientos") es más fuerte y constante.

El país tiene un alto potencial, pero el problema del desarrollo de los parques eólicos es que "como Dios pone el viento donde quiere..." los puntos más apetecibles están en las zonas más rurales, generalmente alejadas de las líneas de transmisión. "Pero este es un país pequeño -interviene Sanjurjo- ese es un problema solucionable de manera relativamente fácil. Aquí, más que la distancia hasta la línea de transmisión, el problema es que los mejores vientos están en los parques nacionales de esta zona. Allí no se pueden instalar molinos y el recurso del viento es incluso más valioso que en Juancho."

Pero... ¿los ecologistas no aman la energía eólica?

Tienen sus reticencias. Es energía limpia, sí, pero en otros países grupos ecologistas han mostrado su rechazo a la proliferación de aerogeneradores por considerar que interfieren con las migraciones de las aves. Y en segundo lugar hay quien los rechaza porque interfieren con la percepción de la visual, del paisaje.

Por el contrario (y esta sí es una opinión muy personal de quien escribe) al llegar al Parque de Los Cocos, la impresión de los molinos, todavía sin energía que ofrecer, es estimulante. El paisaje del Sur, de una belleza dura, de intensos azules y verdes en contraste con tierras resecas y poblaciones muy pobres, se transforma en el parque en un oasis de posibilidades. Parecería que los molinos auguran otro Sur.

Volvamos al viento. Antes de salir con el proyecto debajo del brazo camino de un banco (este no es el caso del Parque Los Cocos, que se ha levantado sin financiación) para pedir fondos prestados, es preciso medir y certificar el viento, hora a hora, por más de un año. En Juancho, la media es de 7 metros por segundo, pero hay picos de 25 metros por segundo. Pero si este primer paso se tomó sólo un año, el proceso burocrático se tomó más. De las primeras mediciones del viento en la zona hasta este reportaje... "sólo" han pasado nueve años.

Quizá usted no pueda, así de improviso, ubicar Juancho. Pero esta comunidad de Pedernales es la que ha puesto a República Dominicana

Beneficios colaterales

Apostar por la eólica, a juicio de Tito Sanjurjo, gerente general de EgeHaina, no sólo alivia la dependencia de los combustibles fósiles, sino que es una apuesta por el medio ambiente. Y eso, para un país con decidida vocación turística no debe ser secundario.

María Teresa Costa Campi, la presidenta del CNE -Comisión Nacional de Energía de España, visitó recientemente el país. De sus palabras se pudieron extraer algunas ideas clave:

1. Falta de madurez y estandarización tecnológica. La oferta en energías limpias es variada (eólica, solar, gas natural, biomasa) lo cual hace que los procesos sean complicados y se encarezca una instalación estandarizada.

2. Falta de concienciación. Todavía necesitan subsidio, las investigaciones y la tecnología son muy caras, lo que encarece el precio. El público todavía cree que el subsidio "lo paga el Estado", no el consumidor con sus impuestos.

3. Complejidad regulatoria. Son demasiadas agencias y sectores de generación distintos para regular, sin una dirección clara desde la Administración.

4. Temor de quedar obsoletos en muy corto tiempo. Cada día aparecen nuevas tecnologías para aprovechar las energías renovables, que podrían "envejecer" antes de tiempo la inversión hecha.

5. Largo plazo de recuperación de la inversión. Sólo a largo plazo es rentable invertir en energías no tradicionales, y siempre existe la duda de que después de la inversión elegida no aparecerán nuevas regulaciones e impuestos de gobiernos voraces.

1. Former Presidents visit
Former Latin American Presidents Rodrigo Borja (Ecuador), Martin Torrijos (Panama), Ernesto Samper (Colombia) and Vinicio Cerezo (Guatemala) will attend the II International Santo Domingo Forum Dialogue on Democracy, Development, Social Cohesion and Security in Latin America. The Forum is being organized by the Presidency of the Republic and will take place today and tomorrow at the Fundacion Global, Democracia y Desarrollo (Funglode), as reported in Hoy.

2. New diplomats
Decree 250-11 appoints Clara Martinez de Safa as ambassador to the gulf state of Bahrain. In Decree 280-11, President Fernandez had appointed journalist Anibal de Castro ambassador to the United States. He previously served as ambassador to the UK. In decree 281-11, Octavio Alfredo Leon Lister was appointed ambassador to Panama. A former director of the anti-corruption department of the government he previously served as ambassador in Guatemala. In another appointment, former president of the Chamber of Deputies, the PRSC's Rafaela Alburquerque de Gonzalez was appointed ambassador to the government of Taiwan by decree 286-11. She served as consul in Hamburg, Germany under a Balaguer administration.

3. Top 10 tax-paying companies
The Department of Taxes (DGII) reports that the top 10 tax-paying companies in the Dominican Republic are in petrol, alcoholic beverages and telecom industries. The leading Dominican company is the Dominican Petroleum Refinery (a Venezuelan-owned entity). Companies that follow are the Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana (Presidente and Bohemia beer), Codetel (telecom), Brugal (rum), Leon Jimenes (tobacco), Coastal Petroleum Dominicana (petrol), Orange Dominicana (telecom), Banco Popular (bank), Esso Standard Oil (petrol) and Compania Cervecera Ambev Dominicana (Brahma beer).

4. What government officials make
The Superintendent of Banks in the Dominican Republic makes a gross wage of RD$825,152, reports Hoy today. His wage increased from RD$717,523 in December 2010. His net wage is RD$561,000. The Superintendent also receives many benefits.

Hoy reports that the wages at the Superintendence of Banks increased from RD$38.5 million in December 2010 to RD$43.7 million in February. Employees received a 15% wage increase.

Other wages are the general manager who received RD$456,736 and now makes RD$524,518. Department directors make RD$267,261 a month, up from RD$234,439,439.

See www.sb.gob.do

5. Who to blame for the fiscal deficit
Government autonomous departments and the decentralized sector of government generated 88.3% of the public deficit in 2010, according to an economic analysis in Hoy. Journalist Nelson Suarez says that an analysis of the budget execution prepared by the Chamber of Accounts indicates that the deficit of the Non-Financial Consolidated Public Sector was RD$60.4 billion, equal to 3.2% of the Gross Domestic Product. The reporter says this was produced by the deficit in the government companies and the entities under the so-called Decentralized and Autonomous Sector.

As reported in Hoy, during 2010, government departments, primarily the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) operated with a deficit estimated at RD$32.9 billion, or 1.7% of the GDP, which was covered by transfers from the Central Government for RD$24.7 billion and debt of more than RD$8 billion.

The entities under the Decentralized and Autonomous Public Sector registered an estimated deficit of RD$20.4 billion, or 11.5% of GDP, which was also covered by transfers from the central government for RD$16.05 and debt of more than RD$4.3 billion.

According to the Hoy report, the central government had savings of 3.5% of the GDP or RD$67.03 billion and closed its operations with a surplus of RD$6.9 billion (0.4% of the GDP), when the transfers to other governmental entities are excluded.

The Non-Financial Public Sector (NFPS) is made up of the central government, the decentralized public sector, social security institutions, municipalities and non-financial public entities.

The consolidated expenditure of that sector in 2010 was RD$361.4 billion. Of the total, 69.7% is attributed to the central government, and 15.2% by public corporations, 8.2% to decentralized entities, and 3.7% to municipalities and social security institutions responsible for the remaining 3.1%.

"Generally we blame the central government for the fiscal deficit, not noting that the bulk of responsibility can be attributed to the hypertrophied bureaucracy that lives and prospers under the umbrella of multiple public entities that operate with little control as if they were private businesses," observes the journalist.

www.hoy.com.do/negocios/2011/5/7/374489/Del-deficit-fiscalQuienes-son-culpables

6. PRSC politicians named ambassadors
In the same round of diplomatic nominations of the first week of May, in Decree 260-11 President Fernandez named nine members of the Political Commission of the PRSC, a political ally of the ruling PLD, as ambassadors based at the Ministry of Foreign Relations. The Foreign Relations Minister is one of the PRSC pre-presidential candidates for the 2012 presidential election, as highlighted in Hoy. The beneficiaries of the appointments are Euclides Batista, Natividad Concepcion Disla, Bienvenida Mercado, Christian Gaspar Pujols, Ramsay Rafael Hidalgo Abrey, Loyda Isabel Diaz, Jose Cruz, Obispo Confesor Marte and Jose Roman Garcia Montas.

7. PRSC favors delegate assembly
The PRSC has set 1 July as the date for selecting the party's presidential candidate for the 2012 presidential election. The party's National Political Commission voted in favor of the 2012 election presidential candidate being chosen in an assembly of delegates on 1 July. PRSC secretary general Ramon Rogelio Genao said the National Executive Commission still needs to meet to approve this procedure. On 1 July, more than 1,000 delegates, members of the central executive director and former presidents of the party will have the right to vote, among others. The aspiring candidates include La Altagracia senator Amable Aristy Castro, Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso and Santo Domingo province deputy Ito Bisono.

8. PRD proclaims Hipolito Mejia as candidate
Former President Hipolito Mejia took the oath as presidential candidate for the PRD at the Palacio de los Deportes yesterday. Mejia was sworn in by his rival for the presidential candidacy, former Minister of Public Works in his 2000-2004 government, Miguel Vargas Maldonado. Vargas Maldonado is the president of the PRD.

In his acceptance speech, Mejia said: "Now that God and the people have given us this new opportunity to govern, we have to recognize our errors and mishaps to not repeat them. We are convinced that this extraordinary opportunity is a mandate to instate a government of honest and work-loving people," he said. He said his government would be open to participation by all sectors. Mejia also promised to grant 4% of the GDP to education as established in the law. "All sectors committed to the welfare of the country demand the alocation of 4% of the GDP to education. Contrary to this government that has been indolent and represses those who make that claim, we will make reality the fulfillment of this demand for 4% for education as set by the law," said Mejia on campaign.

Mejia said he would be relentless in the struggle against corruption in government that has become such a serious ill that it affects the living conditions of the Dominican family. He accused the PLD government of wasteful spending of government money. "Society watches with impotence as the PLD governments waste the people's money. While the government squeezes and impoverishes the people, we see how government officials become rich and misspend public funds, living between luxury and excess," he said in his candidacy acceptance speech, as reported in El Caribe.

Mejia also pledged to support policies to guarantee citizen safety, fight against drug trafficking and organized crime.

Former President Mejia confirmed that Luis Abinader would be his candidate for Vice President in the 2012 election.

9. Danilo Medina leads in candidate poll
A Gallup-Hoy poll published today shows aspiring PLD presidential candidate in the lead in the perception of who voters think should be the PLD candidate in the 20 May 2012 presidential election. 60% of those polled feel he should be the candidate. Others are Jose Tomas Perez, 3.5%, Francisco Dominguez Brito, 2%; Vice President Rafael Alburquerque 1.3%, Franklyn Almeyda 1.1% and Radhames Segura 0.1%.

In July 2010, Medina was tied with First Lady Margarita Cedeno for 28% of the preferences. In December 2010, he had 36%, compared to 12% of the First Lady. The party's Central Committee proposed Margarita Cedeno as a candidate but she later withdrew from the 26 June primary.

10. Mercado de Pulgas too big now
The tax-free flea market, where mostly used clothing imported from Haiti and other items are sold, needs to be relocated again. What began as an antique market in the Colonial City grew when vendors selling used clothes joined, and it was relocated to the Centro de los Heroes government center. It went on expanding and had to be relocated a second time to under the Luperon overpass at Independencia crossing. But now it has again grown too much and is affecting traffic and taxpaying businesses in the area, where several major stores are located. The Santo Domingo city government no longer collects the garbage, which has been left to the vendors association. Meanwhile, the vendors have taken over the Luperon, 30 de Mayo and Independencia avenues for over 300 meters. The Santo Domingo city government plans to relocate them to an area at Km. 22 of the Duarte Highway, but the vendors say the move would be "suicide." Meanwhile, chaos prevails, as reported in El Caribe.

11. Best athletes of the year
The names of the best athletes for 2010 have been released. In an event held at the Mauricio Baez Sports Club, the Sports Writers Association of Santo Domingo (ACD) announced that the amateur baseball team is athlete of the year and team coach Denio Gonzalez is coach of the year. The team won gold at the World Baseball Championship held in Puerto Rico, defeating the powerful teams of Cuba and the United States.

Other winners are:
Chess: Darwin Vidal and Lisandro Munoz
Archery: Lya Solano and Paris Goico
Track & Field: Francia Manzanillo and Luguelin Santos
Badminton: Orosameli Cabrera and William Cabrera
Basketball: Carmen Guzman and Charlie Villanueva
Handball: Suleidi Suarez and Leoni de Leon
Baseball: Willy Lebron and Juan Francisco
Bowling: Aumi Guerra and Jose Miguel Estrada
Boxing: Argenis Mendez and Roberto Navarro
Car Racing: Gustavo (Kiko) Cabrera
Cycling: Elaine Dominguez and Augusto Sanchez
Equestrian: Yvonne Losos
Fencing: Rossy Milagros Feliz Lara and Hector Castro
Western Soccer: Amada Rodriguez and Domingo Peralta
Golf: Karina Sanchez and George Riley
Gymnastics: Masiel Lebron?
Horse Racing: Joel Rosario
Judo: Isandrina Sanchez and Willy Santana
Karate: Maria Dimitrova and Dionisio Gustavo
Motorcross: Raynear Mejia
Motorcycle Racing: Waldys Veras
Pentathlon: Julio Benjamin
Racquetball: Claudine Garcia and Simon Perdomo
Rowing: Wendy Francisco Nunez
Precision Shooting: Jennifer Reyes and Hofman Duran
Softball: Giovanna Nunez and Sergio La Hoz
Table Tennis: Nieve Sue and Luis Lin Ju
Tennis: Francesca Segarelli and Victor Estrella
Weight-Lifting: Yuderkis Contreras and Jose Alberto Peguero
Wrestling: Esa Sanchez and Angelo Mota
Sailing: Raul Aguayo
Swimming: Katherine Martinez and Jean Luis Gomez
Tae Kwon Do: Daysi Montes de Oca and Gabriel Mercedes
Triathlon: Stephany Contreras and Javier Cuevas
Volleyball: Gina Mambru and Jose Caceres
Wushu: Gabriela Lalondriz and Manuel Peralta

12. Stress management course
Art of Living center in the Dominican Republic is holding an Art of Living Course for Business Executives with senior teacher Azah Mulchand. The course provides executives with techniques and tools to help manage stress and achieve better quality of life. Mulchand is a senior instructor of the Art of Living Foundation and a former investment banker. The course will take place at the Torre Empresarial from 13 to 15 May. On Friday, from 6 to 10pm, on Saturday from 9am to 4pm and on Sunday from 9am to 1pm. For more information, call Carmen Julia Gomez on cel (829) 513-4187 and (809) 982-5705, email carmenjulia_2001@yahoo.com

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Summer golf update for the Dominican Republic
This summer, 2011, 28 golf courses will be in operation in the Dominican Republic. This total includes five 9-hole golf courses, two courses operating with nine holes but expanding to 18 holes within the next few months, and three 27-hole golf courses and eighteen 18-hole golf courses. The golf courses are located in the eastern half of the country.
The Punta Cana coastline has the largest number of golf courses in the Dominican Republic, with 10 courses in operation, including one 27-hole course, the Cocotal (by Jose "Pepe" Gancedo), and one 9-hole golf course, the Catalonia Cabeza de Toro. Others with 18 holes are the Cana Bay Palace (Jack Nicklaus and Mark Meijer), the Punta Blanca (Nick Price), Iberostate Bavaro (PB Dye), Barcelo Golf de Bavaro (by Juan Manuel Gordillo and renovated by PB Dye), Catalonia Caribe, Corales (Tom Fazio), La Cana (PB Dye) and Punta Espada (Jack Nicklaus).
Golfing took off in La Romana at Casa de Campo in 1971, and now the resort has recently completed the renovation of the legendary 18-hole Teeth of the Dog course. Others at Casa de Campo are The Links with 18 holes, and the 27-hole Dye Fore at Altos de Chavon and the for-members La Romana Country Club with 27 holes. La Estancia, with 18-holes, is another golf course in the La Romana-Bayahibe area.
In the southeastern beach resort of Juan Dolio, there are three golf courses: Guavaberry by Gary Player with 18 holes, Los Marlins by Charles Ankrom, and Costablanca by Greg Norman that is starting off with 9 holes of its 18 holes.
Nearby is the new Naco Golf (Carlos Grullon and Ricardo Orellana-designed) members' country club, which will be especially attractive for tourists staying in the Boca Chica beach area.
The city of Santo Domingo has three golf courses, the membership Santo Domingo Country Club (H. N. Hansard), Las Lagunas (Pete Dye and Jack Corrie) and Isabel Villas (Ricardo Orellana-designed) golf courses, where play can be contracted by non-members.
On the northeastern coast, the only course is the 18-hole Playa Grande Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones. To the west, in north-central Puerto Plata, there are two golf courses in operation - 18-hole Playa Dorada (also designed by Robert Trent Jones) at the hotel complex of the same name, and the 9-hole Los Mangos in Costambar, that primarily caters for hotel guests in nearby Cofresi.
In the central mountain area of Santiago, there is 18-hole Las Aromas, designed by Pete Dye as he began his career as a golf designer. There is the 9-hole Jarabacoa Golf Club, and the 9-hole Bonao Golf Club open to play by visitors.

1,680 villas at Casa de Campo
The largest residential community in the Dominican Republic, Costasur's vice president Alfonso Paniagua announced recently that there were 1,680 villas in the Casa de Campo residential community in La Romana at the end of 2010. The development has maintained an annual growth rate of 6% over the last decade.
As reported in Costasur/Casa de Campo News, the development broke the 1,000-villa mark in 2001, ending that year with 1,049 built properties. "Throughout the years it has been our policy to maintain a sustainable growth rate," said Paniagua.
The first villas were built in 1974, the Golf Villas. At the time they sold for US$40,000. Some of those same villas have gone for US$700,000 on the market today.
Paniagua said that that same year some of the first homes were built on Punta Aguila, followed by Tennis Villas and Golf Villa Phase II in 1976.
There were years when more than 90 villas were built, such as 2002 and 2006, reflecting an economic boom.
Construction pace has slowed to 28 villas completed at the end of 2010, but the rate of construction is expected to pick up again this year, as 36 villas are currently under construction.

Art exhibits not to be missed
Now is the time to visit the Palace of Bellas Artes on Av. Maximo Gomez in Santo Domingo to see two outstanding art exhibitions. The National Gallery of the Palacio de Bellas Artes is showing the works of French artist Michel Bizet. This exhibition, titled Suites, will be open through 22 May. The collection contains a series of works linking Bizet to American abstract expressionism. Bizet first visited the DR in 1995, and then set up shop in Las Terrenas, Samana where he built several commercial plazas, including Casa Linda and Plaza Taina.
Visitors may also see the traveling exhibition featuring original works by Pablo Picasso open at Bellas Artes through 10 June 2011. The gallery is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 5pm, on Wednesdays from 10am to 9pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6pm. It is closed on Mondays.
For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Fernandez proposes "third way"
President Leonel Fernandez says it is regrettable that a formula to resolve the world economic crisis has still not been found two years since it started. He suggested that Latin America should adopt a regional position aimed at overcoming the situation and proposed fusing the economic policies of neo-liberalism and neo-populism to create a third option that offers a more viable solution to the crisis.

In his keynote speech yesterday at the II International Forum of Santo Domingo, called "Dialogue on Democracy, Development, Social Cohesion and Security in Latin America", which continues at the Global Democracy and Development Foundation (Funglode) today, the President stressed that the market has to exist wherever there are exchanges between human beings. He stated that the problem for Latin America is that "we have states that are fiscally weak".

While he congratulated Brazil, Mexico and Argentina's incorporation into the G-20, he questioned its legitimacy, since he considered it to be exclusive. "After the G-20 we have the G-172 which is excluded (from the G-20), we would have to suggest the adhesion of the G-172 with relation to the G-20 The problem is that they are inside and of those are outside", the President said.

Former Presidents Manuel Zelaya (Honduras), Martin Torrijos (Panama), Rodrigo Borja (Ecuador) and Vinicio Cerezo (Guatemala), are attending together with Enrique Iglesias from the Ibero-American General Secretariat and representatives from ECLAC and the World Bank, as reported in Listin Diario and Diario Libre.

2. Thousands without classes
Education Minister Josefina Pimentel has drafted a plan to improve the nation's educational system through teacher training, 15,000 new classrooms, compliance with school hours, more economic resources, and science labs and libraries.

In a report in Listin Diario, she revealed that the state spends RD$19,000 on each student in the system. However, she also noted that an estimated 400,000 children do not attend school, and that the desertion rate is just 3.4% or some 44,000 students in the primary grades (1st to 8th), while in middle school it goes to 6.6% and in high school it climbs to 9.3% for freshmen, 6.8% for sophomores and 5.7% for juniors.

"There are plenty of material and sanitary inadequacies and the failure to comply with the required school hours is a well-known fact", she said. The minister also admitted that there were tremendous "challenges" but that she has been trying to solve some of the long-standing issues since her recent appointment.

http://www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2011/5/10/187581/Poca-clase-y-muchas-precariedades

3. Social Security has a lot of money
Yesterday marked the beginning of the law on Social Security (Law 87-01) that reached its tenth year, and has, as a number, the fact that since February 2001 its members have contributed RD$171.2 billion. Of this money, according to the general manager of the National Council for Social Security (CNSS), Rafael Perez Modesto, the government has contributed RD$12.8 billion while the rest is the result of payroll deductions. The official also estimated that the total deposited in pension funds is around RD$125 billion.

According to a report in Diario Libre, there has been real progress in terms of raising funds and also in terms of investment. "We propose now to increase this because social security is a benefit for all, not exclusive, and that is the motto", said the official. He estimated that 46% of the Dominican population is affiliated to Social Security, of which some two million are in the payroll deduction system and 2.8 million are in the subsidized system. Perez Modesto was speaking in the Cariatides Room of the Presidential Palace during an event commemorating the tenth anniversary of the launch of the Social Security system. The event also marked the start of Social Security Week.

4. Judicial limbo for 34 appointees
The lack of definition of the complementary legislation required by the 2010 Constitution has kept 34 judicial appointments to the bench in virtual limbo, according to El Nuevo Diario reporters Osvaldo Santana and Nicanor Leyba. This has created an incomplete judiciary in some instances and an institutional vacuum in others. The National Council of Magistrates (CNM), itself in judicial limbo due to the procedure with which its organic bill was run through Congress, still has to replace or ratify 34 judges in different courts and going all the way to the Supreme Court of Justice. There have been two deaths among the 16 member Supreme Court in recent months, leaving two vacant seats, and six judges have or will very soon reach the obligatory retirement age of 75.

But because the CNM is itself yet to be fully vested, all this is up in the air, and there are differing judicial opinions as to whether the organic bill is a dead letter or just waiting for sufficient time to pass to become law. Added to all of this is the fact that the Constitutional Court is yet to be fully accredited, with some Presidential comments to be considered by the Chamber of Deputies. The scenarios are confusing.

5. Radical positions stall wage talks
Management and labor representatives have stuck to their positions, keeping the current wage talks in stalemate. Interviewed separately by Listin Diario reporters, management representative Circe Almanzar and workers representatives Gabriel del Rio Done and Agustin Vargas Saillant stood firm in their demands.

Management is offering a 12.90% increase for the minimum wage earners while union representatives are pushing a 25% wage increase for minimum wage earners and a 20% increase for employees earning up to RD$50,000 a month. Labor says that the management offer does not even cover the cost of living increases over the past two years. They also say that there are precedents for discussing wage increases for earners over the minimum wage level because this was done in 1987 and 2004.

6. Milk production way down
Several months of drought have taken their toll on milk production, which has fallen by more than 40% in the northwest, according to cattle farmers in the area. The Federation of Cattle Farmers of the Northwest Region (Fedegano) said that production has fallen from 210 million liters of milk in the first five months of 2010 to 130 million in the same period of this year.

Fedegano president Daniel Valerio said that cattle is dying and losing weight due to the arid condition of the lands in the farms. "In the next ten days the danger of death increases due to the lack of water and feed", said Valerio. Cows that produced 10 liters of milk a day are only producing 5 liters. In response to the situation, many cattle farmers have decided to sell their remaining cattle before they lose even more weight or die.

In what should come as welcome news for the dairy farmers, the Meteorology Department (Onamet) is forecasting relief in the shape of rains for the southeast, southwest, border and central mountain range areas over the next two days.

7. Revision of DR-CAFTA and Law 27-01?
Agreeing that "without production there can be no country", farmers from Sabaneta in Santiago Rodriguez province are calling for a revision of the Central American Free Trade Agreements (DR-CAFTA) and the reintroduction of Law 27-01 that deals with government purchases of local farm goods for social plans, which was revoked some years ago. According to El Caribe, the head of the Association of Milk Producers (Aproleche), Eric Rivero, said: "What is ours is ours and we have to preserve it". He added that just as the law for 4% of GDP for education is everyone's problem, so is producing food for the nation. Ricardo Barcelo of the Dominican Association of Cattle Ranchers and Farmers added that 80% of the foods that we consume are produced in the country and that with some help from the state we could compete overseas.

As stated by Deputy Pelegrin Castillo, the Dominican Republic was the only signatory nation of DR-CAFTA that did not exclude a single farm item from the treaty. The Central American nations excluded between two and five items in order to protect their producers.

The calls for the reintroduction of Law 27-01 say that it would strengthen the farming sector and protect the jobs generated by the sector. With the devastation experienced in the northwest because of the drought, there is a push for food security among representatives from the milk, pork, poultry, cattle and rice farming sectors as well as legislators who were meeting at the Hotel Marien in Santiago Rodriguez.

8. Chickenpox outbreak
An outbreak of chickenpox is affecting Santiago, and dozens if not hundreds of children and some elderly people are reported to have come down with the illness, according to the director of the Dr. Arturo Grullon Children's Hospital.

Dr. Olga Morel told Hoy reporters that there is no specific treatment for chickenpox but that lotions to soothe the effects of the typical rash could be applied. She said that when one member of the family gets the illness, nearly all of the other members might also become ill. Residents of Villa Olimpica, Barrio Obrero, San Jose de las Matas, La Mina, Gurabo and Cienfuegos have reported the disease, as well as in Villa Gonzalez and Navarrete where some people have experienced what is considered to be a fairly mild but highly contagious childhood disease.

9. Some spoof at Mejia's threats
PRD presidential candidate Hipolito Mejia's warning that he would confront corruption if he wins the presidency in 2012 was answered yesterday by administration officials who said that he was not morally qualified to do this. The official reaction came from Presidency Minister Cesar Pina Toribio and Vice President, Rafael Alburquerque. In addition, the presidential candidate for the Alianza Pais Party, Guillermo Moreno, does not believe in his promises.

Pina Toribio told Diario Libre that the former President does not have the moral fiber to address corruption. "But this is a debate that we are going to leave for when the real campaign begins; there will be a lot of things with which to answer Mejia and others that will remind the country of his administration. Just the case of Quirino Ernesto Paulino Castillo should be sufficient to shut him up". Using irony, the official said that he was surprised with the "transformation" that Hipolito Mejia had undergone over the last eight years.

Alburquerque, who is also a pre-presidential candidate for the PLD, disqualified the former President from attacking corruption, saying that he (Mejia) should first submit the officials of his administration who committed alleged acts of corruption to justice.

Guillermo Moreno said that it would need more than words to make his promises believable, such as is the case of pursuing the corrupt and investing 4% of the GDP in education.

10. Gallup poll shows Mejia leads
The latest Gallup-Hoy poll shows that if the elections were held today, former President Hipolito Mejia would defeat PLD presidential pre-candidate Danilo Medina. Medina lost to Mejia in 2000, when President Leonel Fernandez remained neutral in his support. Fernandez and his close allies are again taking that stance in the run-up to the party primaries, set for 26 June. The Gallup poll indicates that if the election were held today, Mejia would receive 48.7% of the vote, and Medina 40.4%. Neither of the two would have the necessary 50%+1 votes to win in a first round. As reported in Hoy, 78% of citizens polled do not think there are other candidates with a chance of winning the election in 2012. Mejia is the presidential candidate for the PRD.

The poll carried out nationwide among 1,200 possible voters from 26 to 30 April also revealed that 46% would prefer Hipolito Mejia to be President.

Young voters are expected by their numbers to decide this election. In recent months, two issues have caused disenchantment with the PLD among younger voters n the government insistence on building a cement plant in Los Haitises, and the 4% for education movement.

11. Medina has it harder
In today's page two editorial, Diario Libre editor Ines Aizpun predicts that Danilo Medina, aspiring presidential candidate for the PLD, has a tougher task ahead for his candidacy than Mejia.

"In this campaign, which is going to be long and difficult, Medina still has to win in the purpose universe before reaching out to conquer voters," she writes. She writes that while Medina is the clear favorite, he is not the favorite of the president of his party or of the government. "If he wants funding, go ahead or party cooperation, a project without obstacles that will keep the PLD in power... he will need the complicity of Fernandez," she writes. She reminds her readers: "Has anyone forgotten how Balaguer treated Peynado?" She makes the point that sometimes the opponent is not the one to throw the stone.

Aizpun observes that Hipolito has an advantage from that respect because he does not have two fronts to deal with, and being in opposition, it is easier for him to be emphatic with the needs of the people.

Finally, she comments that Danilo needs to re-conquer the votes n and not few n of those that Leonel has lost, if he wants to challenge Mejia.

In a reference to the signature collection campaign for Leonel Fernandez's re-election, she concludes: "It is probably not his 'destiny' to win with the famous two million signatures but with the others..."

12. Diario Libre's 10th Anniversary
Diario Libre, the first free newspaper in the Dominican Republic has received dozens of messages of congratulations for its tenth anniversary from businesspeople, diplomats, officials, politicians and different sectors of society.

Presidential Minister Luis Manuel Bonetti stressed that the appearance of Diario Libre not only revolutionized the print media sector by introducing the innovation of a free daily publication, but it also contributed to enriching the media itself with the impact of its agile style and its superior professional reporting standards.

Banco Leon, represented by Carlos Guillermo Leon, said that Diario Libre has become the reference point for all sectors of Dominican society who find guidance and information in its pages presented with a heightened ethical and professional sense.

According to the Attorney General, Radhames Jimenez Pena, the anniversary recognized a decade of work that has been carried out by men and women committed to a journalistic exercise characterized by contributions based on the freedom of expression, democracy and governability. The Centro Cuesta Nacional states that in these ten years of distribution the newspaper has delivered clear and objective journalism, while Banco de Reservas administrator Vicente Bengoa said that the exercise of dynamic and responsible journalism as carried out by Diario Libre is essential for the democratic life and peaceful co-existence between governors and the governed.

13. Vincho and extraditions: A good thing
Marino Vinicio Castillo (Vincho), the head of the National Commission of Ethics and the Fight against Corruption says it is positive that the Puerto Rican authorities were making extradition requests for people with links to the Figueroa Agosto drug trafficking and money laundering network. He said that such extraditions would allow the authorities and the Justice Department to establish discipline in the public institutions and reduce any association with drug trafficking or other illegal situations. He added that the deal made by Sobeida (Felix Morel) had led to important revelations for the Puerto Rican authorities and this should be reflected in her sentencing, which is permitted under the normal penal process, as reported in Listin Diario.

14. Leavy Nin Batista in court
In the continuing of the case for asset laundering, criminal association, forgery and use of fake documents related to Puerto Rican capo Jose David Figueroa Agosto, his Dominican wife Leavy Nin Batista has declared herself guilty of the charges against her. Diario Libre reports she made the statements as part of a deal with the National District prosecutors for which she will receive a sentence of five years in jail, with conditional release in 2.5 years.

Diario Libre reported that she transferred assets in her name to the Prosecutor General, including a Land Rover 2008, an apartment in the Brisas Marina condominium in Juan Dolio, another at Villas Palmeras of Avenida Enriquillo and another at Torre G31.

As reported in Diario Libre, Judge Claribel Nivar accepted the agreement and the call for a shortened trial. Nin Batista said that others involved in the case, namely Sammy Dauhajre, Ivanovich Smester, Juan Jose Ibarra, Mary and Adolfina Pelaez and Madeline Bernard were also guilty of these charges.

Ingrid Rodriguez was named as the person at the Central Electoral Board (JCE) who helped Figueroa Agosto obtain the forged Dominican identity of Christian Almonte.

Nin Batista said that Madeline Bernard and her husband, the late colonel Jose Amado Gonzalez were aware of his real identity. She claimed that Madeline interceded with her stepfather, the owner of La Francesa bakery Ruben Soto Hayet for the purchase of a property. She admitted that she was aware her husband had met in the DR with Jose Miguel Marrero Martell (Pito Nariz), accused in Puerto Rico of being one of the close aides in the Jose Figueroa Agosto drug trafficking network.

http://newsroom-magazine.com/tag/jose-miguel-marrero-martell/

15. Chantilly Woodwind Quintet
The Embassy of Germany and the Goethe Institute in Mexico City present the award-winning Chantilly Woodwind Quintet on Tuesday, 10 May at 7:30pm at the main hall of the National Theater in Santo Domingo. Master classes with Darwin Aquino and the National Youth Symphony Orchestra will also take place on Monday, 9 May and Wednesday, 11 May. Tel. (829) 567-4448.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Fernandez corrects reporting yesterday
President Leonel Fernandez says that he never called for a merge between neo-liberalism and neo-populism, as reported in the press yesterday when covering the II International Forum of Santo Domingo (Dialogue on Democracy, Development, Social Cohesion and Security in Latin America). He said he was misinterpreted when he spoke of integration between policies of the two models.

He explained at the forum that in Latin America in recent years there has been a debate between a neo-populist model, where the government plays a central role in development, and a neoliberal role where the market is the principal force. Fernandez called for a vision that would go beyond market fundamentalism and neo-populism. "That moves us to be creative, imaginative, innovate in the creation of a Latin American model for sustainable development," he said.

How to get beyond neo-liberalism and neo-populism, and perhaps the answer is in the integration of the two," he said during his talk. He observed, "how we can create ties of the state with the market is another great controversy, the other debate we have before us." Fernandez said he never called for the fusing or merger of policies of neo-liberalism and neo-populism, but for their integration.

President Leonel Fernandez said it was regrettable that a formula to resolve the world economic crisis has still not been found two years on. In his keynote speech earlier this week at the II International Forum of Santo Domingo, called "Dialogue on Democracy, Development, Social Cohesion and Security in Latin America" at the Global Democracy and Development Foundation (Funglode), the President stressed that the market has to exist wherever there are exchanges between human beings. He stated that the problem for Latin America is that "we have states that are fiscally weak".

www.presidencia.gob.do/app/do_2011/article.aspx?id=13752

2. New ambassadors
The new ambassadors to the Dominican Republic from South Korea, Poland, Cyprus and Denmark presented their letters of appointment to President Leonel Fernandez at the Presidential Palace yesterday. Also attending were Vice President Rafael Alburquerque and Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso. The Presidency released details of their backgrounds.

Park Dong-Sil is the new ambassador for South Korea. He is a public administration graduate from Seoul University with graduate studies at universities in Illinois and Michigan in the United States. He served as a minister at the South Korean embassy in Italy through 2008, and assistant general director of the Supreme Court of his country, counselor at the embassy of South Korea in Canada, and director of the Bilateral Treaties Department at the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Relations.

Jack Perlin, the new ambassador for Poland, is a doctor in Philosophy. He previously served as deputy director of the department of the Americas for the Polish Ministry of Foreign Relations. He has also been general consul for Poland in Brazil and ambassador in Venezuela.

Stavros Loizides of Cyprus studied at the University of Athens in Greece and the University of Australia. He has served as first secretary at the Cypriot embassy in Russia, and as ambassador in Iran and Cuba.

The Presidency reports that Susanne Rumohr H?kkerup of Denmark has served as director of the departments for Cooperation and Global Economy and Internal Affairs and Planning, and deputy director of the Aid to Emerging Democracies department at the Danish Foreign Relations Ministry. She also served as assistant head of the Danish mission in Beijing. Prior to her appointment in the Dominican Republic, she was the Danish ambassador in Mexico.

www.presidencia.gob.do/app/do_2011/article.aspx?id=13760

3. One in four goes to private school
As part of a series of investigative reports on the state of primary education in the Dominican Republic, Listin Diario's Doris Pantaleon reports today that 25% of Dominican children go to private schools. The choice is attributed to the declining quality of education in public schools. The Ministry of Education shows a registration of 671,304 students in 4,403 private schools, with around 30,000 classrooms and 40,000 teachers. Listin Diario reports that the average attendance rate at private schools in the Caribbean region is 10%. The reporter says the real number is not known, as in reality anyone can offer instruction to children and not register the service for which pay is received.

"Around 80% of the private schools have the same weaknesses in infrastructure, quality of education, training of teachers and educational tools in use as the public schools, while a minority offers education levels above the international averages, but these are off limits to a population where the average income is RD$11,000-RD$15,000 a month," writes the reporter. The reasons for choosing private schools include better security, fulfilling the school calendar, no strikes and no forced school closures or demands from the teachers, as is routine at public schools. Average fees are RD$25,000 for a year of education at a private school, but the low for a barrio private school is RD$15,000 a year, compared to RD$520,000 at an elite private school. Private education is therefore worth around RD$17 billion a year, or 0.84% of the Gross Domestic Product.

4. Gallup poll: the biggest concerns
Dominicans have issued their verdict to Gallup pollsters on what they consider the top 12 concerns. The poll is published today in Hoy and is based on the perceptions of 1,200 citizens of voting age polled between 29-30 April. The list is as follows:

Inflation, rising cost of living: 65.7%
Blackouts or lack of power: 46.4%
Robberies, assaults, contract killings, crime in general: 46.2%
Lack of jobs, unemployment: 42.8%
Trafficking and consumption of drugs: 19.8%
Lack of potable water: 16.1%
Education in general: 13.4%
Administrative corruption: 11.9%
Waning moral values, inversion of moral values: 7%
Foreign and domestic debt: 4.8%
Deteriorating public services: 2.8%

5. Alcoholic beverage imports up
Alcoholic beverage imports totaled US$74 million in 2010, up from US$69 million the previous year, but down from US$79 million in 2008, a peak year. As reported in Hoy, in terms of the number of bottles, imports were 2010 n 21,362,535; 2009 - 18,648,026 in 2009; and 2008 n 20,934,563. Whisky imports made up 44.8% of total in 2010, followed by wine with 29.4%, vodka with 7% and beer with 6% of total imports in money. The Dominican government is a major purchaser of liquor, especially during the Christmas holiday season.

6. Martelly favors free zone jobs
President-elect of Haiti Michel Martelly visited the installations of the Codevi Free Trade Zone in Ouanaminthe near the border in the Dominican Republic at Dajabon. As reported in Listin Diario, he said he would back the creation of more jobs using the Codevi model. Codevi has provided 6,500 jobs, mostly to Haitians in the apparel industry. He toured the installations in the Haitian border town, known by Dominicans as Juana Mendez, with the CEO of the parent company Grupo M, Fernando Capellan. Grupo M, the largest apparel manufacturer in the Dominican Republic, has free zone operations in Ouanaminthe and Jacmel on the Haitian side of the border.

7. Cannons to be sold as scrap metal?
The Department of Customs (DGA) has confiscated six colonial era cannons and a wrecked ship anchor that they suspected were intended for sale to a scrap metal exporting company in Santiago. The DGA says that Customs intelligence officers tracked the objects that were being transported on Daihatsu truck L112107. Those transporting the items fled, but driver Juan Jimenez Diaz was arrested in El Ingenio in Santiago, as reported in 7dias.com.do

8. Cholera in La Cienaga slum
An outbreak of cholera in the Ozama River slum neighborhood of La Cienaga, one of the poorest areas in the city of Santo Domingo, has the population and Ministry of Public Health authorities on alert to control the disease.

The Ministry of Public Health confirmed that three people n two adults and a child - had died of the sickness in the slum.

9. Murder in Santo Domingo East
Two hired hit men are suspected of murdering the vice president of the Presidential Commission for Barrio Development in Santo Domingo East, Domingo Antonio Montero Ogando. The 51-year old had been deported for trafficking and possession of drugs after spending time in jail in the United States prior to his appointment to the governmental post.

As reported in Diario Libre, the killers escaped on a black motorcycle after committing the murder. Montero Ogando died while being treated for his wounds at the Dario Contreras Trauma Hospital.

The attack, in which several other people were also reported injured, occurred when Montero was playing dominos with friends at the Colmado La Javilla in Bello Campo, Santo Domingo East.

10. Plea bargain negotiated by Figueroa Agosto
Puerto Rican drug capo Jose David Figueroa Agosto is suspected of having negotiated deals for his former lover, Sobeida Felix Morel and wife Leavy Nin Batista who are standing trial primarily on charges of asset laundering related to drug trafficking. A deal of this nature would have been struck in exchange for releasing information that would serve as evidence for the capture of others during his trial in Puerto Rico, as reported in Diario Libre. The women are in jail at the Najayo jail in San Cristobal.

National District Prosecutor Alejandro Moscoso Segarra has confirmed the deal that reportedly involves a reduced sentence of five years, with conditional release at 2.5 years. Both have declared themselves guilty of the charge.

11. Stem cell therapy behind Colon revival
Experimental medicine practiced in Santiago is the explanation for 37-year old Yankees pitcher Bartolo Colon's return to sports headlines, reports Diario Libre. Reporters for the newspaper say Colon underwent stem cell therapy with physicians Sergio Guzman and Leonel Liriano of the Union Medica in Santiago. The therapy has restored strength to his arm as was evidenced by the eight innings he pitched to defeat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on 27 April.

Colon was due to pitch in the Minor Leagues but had such a strong camp that he made the Yankees team as a long reliever, filling in for All-Star Phil Hughes.

Bartolo Colon is best known for winning the American League Cy Young Award with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2005. That year he went 21-8 with a 3.48 ERA and became the first Angels pitcher to win the Cy Young Award since 1964. In his career, Colon was a two-time All Star, winning 153 games over a 13-year career that saw him pitch for five teams, including the Chicago White Sox last year until he was plagued by injuries and lowered to the Minor Leagues in 2009.

Diario Libre reports that the doctors extracted bone marrow and adipose tissue from the pelvis that was then processed in a centrifuge and placed in his shoulder tissues.

To read about the now famous 27 April game in which he pitched eight innings for the New York Yankees to defeat the White Sox 3-1.

The physicians told Diario Libre if pitcher Pedro Martinez submits to the therapy, he too could return to be effective in Major League Baseball.

Read more: www.greenwichtime.com/sports/article/Guillen-tossed-White-Sox-stymied-by-Bartolo-Colon-1355929.php#ixzz1M2we2gLF

www.greenwichtime.com/sports/article/Guillen-tossed-White-Sox-stymied-by-Bartolo-Colon-1355929.php

12. Dominican Baseball starts early this year
The 2011-2012 Professional Winter Baseball Championship begins early this year with first games on 14 October in Santo Domingo, Santiago and La Romana. The opening games will be between Leones del Escogido and Tigres del Licey (Santo Domingo), Aguilas vs. Gigantes at the Santiago Cibao Ball Park, and the 2011 Champion Toros del Este will go against the Estrellas Orientales at the La Romana Francisco Micheli Ball Park.

13. David Barger at CTN Travel Fair
David Barger, CEO of JetBlue Airways, is one of the attractions at the CTN traveling network television station's annual travel promotion fair. Vacaciones CTN Expo Feria 2011 opens at the Anacaona Room of the Hotel Jaragua this coming Friday, 20 May through Sunday, 22 May from 10am to 10pm. Free admission. Barger will address JetBlue and the Dominican Republic on Friday, 20 May at 3pm at the Salon La Fiesta of the Hotel. There will be a question and answer session after the talk that is open to the general public. The airline has gradually replaced American Airlines as the leading carrier providing service between the DR and the United States. The airline has been continually adding new destinations with regular and seasonal flights.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Las estrellas estrenan hogar en el Caribe

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Los estudios Pinewood Shepperton, mundialmente conocidos por las películas del súper agente 007 y las más recientes y ganadoras del Oscar "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008) y "The King Speech" (2010), han decidido instalarse en la República Dominicana

La británica Pinewood Shepperton se ha decidido a aprovechar las facilidades que una reciente ley en República Dominicana ofrece a la industria del cine, y ha iniciado en el este del país caribeño los trabajos de una gigantesca instalación con la que pretende, no solo acceder a mercados del Caribe, sino también a Centro y Suramérica.

UNA GRAN INVERSIÓN CON MUCHAS EXPECTATIVAS.

Una inversión de 50 millones de dólares y la asociación con uno de los más importantes grupos económicos dominicanos crea una nueva firma -Pinewood Indomina Group- y da a los renombrados estudios ingleses el pivote con el que esperan 'morder' una parte de los 3.100 millones de dólares que se estima gastarán en entretenimiento cinematográfico los casi 600 millones de latinoamericanos para 2014.

Esa nada despreciable suma representa un crecimiento del 5,2 por ciento con relación a los 2.400 millones de dólares que gastó la región en ese renglón en 2009.

La ubicación de los estudios se ha escogido estratégicamente, además de que serán las instalaciones más grandes, completas y modernas en diseño y funcionalidades de toda la región.

UN NEGOCIO DE LARGO ALCANCE.

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Foto: EFE

Las instalaciones cinematográficas estarán ubicadas en el balneario de Juan Dolio, a unos 45 minutos de Santo Domingo y de sus escenarios de la Zona Colonial de la capital, donde se encuentran la mayoría de las empresas técnicas de cine dominicanas.

"Pinewood Shepperton no hace más que agregar en su punto de mira a los latinoamericanos, tal y como lo ha hecho recientemente en Toronto (Canadá), Berlín (Alemania) e Iskandar (Malasia), o lo que es lo mismo: un mayor acceso a mercados estratégicamente importantes de América del Norte, Europa y el Sudeste asiático", destaca el presidente ejecutivo de la firma británica, Ivan Dunleavy.

El directivo reveló esta estrategia durante la apertura de los trabajos de construcción de Pinewood en territorio dominicano, cuya primera fase consiste en cuatro escenarios de sonido que cubrirán 7.344 metros cuadrados e instalaciones auxiliares de apoyo, por un total de 20.027 metros cuadrados en una superficie de once hectáreas.

La firma británica se asoció para el proyecto con Indomina Group, filial del Grupo Vicini, el segundo mayor productor de azúcar y derivados de la caña del país, con inversiones también en los sectores turismo, energía y alimentos.

"Ahora tenemos el placer de unirnos a Indomina Group para establecer una presencia aquí en la República Dominicana, que actuará como un centro para acceder al Caribe, Centro y Suramérica. Se trata de mercados cada vez más influyentes y crecientes", revela Dunleavy.

Los estudios esperan, asimismo, que los gastos en concepto de ventas de entradas a los cines en Latinoamérica aumenten de 1.400 millones de dólares en 2009 a 1.900 millones de dólares en 2014, lo que representa un crecimiento anual del 5,3 por ciento.

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Foto: EFE | Presidencia de República Dominicana

El más atractivo "anzuelo" de la nueva Ley de Cine dominicana ofrece un crédito fiscal de hasta el 25% para quienes inviertan en la producción de obras cinematográficas y audiovisuales filmadas en esta nación.

UNA LEGISLACIÓN FAVORABLE.

Además, la legislación dispone que los estudios de filmación o grabación que se establezcan en el país disfrutarán de una exención del ciento por ciento del pago del impuesto sobre la renta obtenido en su explotación durante los próximos quince años.

Asimismo, establece que por un período de cinco años podrán importarse libres de impuestos los bienes de capital requeridos para la instalación de los estudios.

El aterrizaje de la filmadora en suelo caribeño ha sido bien acogido por productores y directores dominicanos, quienes consideran que esto reduciría considerablemente los costos de producción de los filmes y crearía decenas de puestos de trabajo en un país cuyo desempleo supera el 25 por ciento.

"Nosotros estamos extremadamente orgullosos de que Pinewood haya escogido este país para hacer estos estudios", apunta Alfonso Rodríguez, uno de los más activos realizadores locales.

El cineasta asegura que los estudios ingleses contribuirán a la expansión del cine dominicano, que se beneficiará de menores costos y de tecnología de la más alta calidad.

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Foto: EFE

De acuerdo a la visión del realizador, el incentivo del 25 por ciento de crédito fiscal para las empresas que respalden el cine dominicano, hará que el renglón disponga de alrededor de 6.000 millones de pesos (unos 157 millones de dólares / 108 millones de euros) al año para sus producciones.

El presidente dominicano, Leonel Fernández, destacó las ventajas de esta iniciativa durante el acto de apertura de los trabajos y consideró que si se logra asociar el turismo -uno de los motores económicos del país- con el desarrollo de la cinematografía y la producción televisiva, se conseguirá "atraer celebridades a la República Dominicana".

Estos famosos, en opinión del gobernante caribeño, "invertirán en la adquisición de un segundo hogar" en el país y "se convertirán en difusores internacionales de las bondades de la República Dominicana".

El embajador británico en República Dominicana, Steven Fisher, ve la iniciativa como un nuevo paso en la estrategia inglesa de recuperar el terreno perdido en lo que a inversiones se refiere en América Latina.

"Las relaciones comerciales transitan por el camino correcto. Sin embargo, todavía estamos lejos de lograr el nivel de inversión y comercio que deberíamos ver entre la sexta economía mundial y la economía más importante y estable de la región del Caribe", razona el diplomático.

FUENTE (http://entretenimiento.latam.msn.com/co/colombia/articulo_efe.aspx?cp-documentid=28618554)

1. Lime to compete for broadband market
LIME, operators of the newly installed submarine fiber optic East-West Cable System, and the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel), have signed a contract under which LIME will serve as the newest telecommunications carrier services operator in the Dominican Republic.

The investment, which is valued at approximately US$4.6million, is considered an important step in creating a road map for the future expansion of the telecommunications services that will add a vital stimulus to the broadband market in that country, according to a company press release.

The contract was signed by LIME's Chief Operating Officer, David Crawford and Indotel's Executive Director, Joelle Exarhakos.

"LIME is developing a range of new fixed broadband services for customers which will require high quality capacity support," Crawford said. "Installation of the East-West cable in the Dominican Republic is in response to the growing demand for bandwidth for high speed operators and commercial customers in the region."

Exarhakos lauded LIME for demonstrating its confidence in the Dominican Republic by making this substantial investment and said that Indotel, the country's telecommunications regulatory body, was wholeheartedly extending a formal welcome to the company.

LIME's East-West cable was designed to provide leading-edge broadband capacity to meet the growing demand for faster Internet speeds that are currently required to satisfy customer needs and facilitate the expansion of Internet penetration in the Caribbean Region, particularly in the Dominican Republic. The undersea Cable System, which became operational in February, has tripled the available bandwidth in the Dominican Republic.

2. Economist fears electricity rates will go up
Economist Bernardo Fuentes believes that the government will have to increase electricity rates in order to pay for the US$700 million subsidy to the electricity sector. This is twice what was budgeted in the 2011 National Budget. Fuentes spoke after the Minister of Economy, Development and Planning, Temistocles Montas, announced that the government would double the US$350 million subsidy to the electricity sector because of the increase in the price of oil.

Fuentes said that the main reason for the increase in the subsidy was that the government estimated petrol prices would be at US$80 the barrel. He criticized the fact that while many plans and strategies to deal with the rising petrol prices have been announced, they are not implemented. "Until there are firm decisions in the sector about the fulfillment of the law, there will always be a problem," he said, as reported in Hoy.

He speculated that the government would once again raise the power tariffs to contain the subsidy.

3. The very profitable AES
Writing in today's Diario Libre, financial analyst Alejandro Fernandez comments on the very profitable AES power company and its operations in the Dominican Republic. He makes the point if the Central Bank wanted a case that would justify the success of their economic model they should choose AES in Andres, Boca Chica and the affiliate DPP at Ozama River. He describes these as companies that are the envy of any capitalist.

"Imagine being part of a sector that generates losses to taxpayers for RD$25 billion a year, but operating a company (a leading supplier) that had net yield of RD$2.15 billion," he writes.

"Imagine if you are a shareholder of a company that during 2010 increased net profits 1.571% when these went from RD$125 million to RD$2.15 billion. Just imagine," he comments.

He makes the point that the Presidente beer brewery with 3,584 employees was RD$80 million short of the utilities obtained by AES and its 110 employees.

He adds that the net earnings of Andres-DPP, some RD$1.4 billion in interest paid to the matrix company on a debt of US$413 millions (that for them is equal to their capital) and the consolidated return of AES Andres and DPP were RD$3.5 billion.

To put things in perspective, he mentions that only the Banco Popular, with its 5,759 employees and RD$3.70 billion in earnings, did better. He comments that Banreservas and its 6,925 employees only had earnings of RD$3.05 billion, RD$453 million less than AES Andres and DPP.

He observes that despite allegations on arrears with government power distributors (the Edes), the AES companies were able to collect 105% of what they billed in 2010. The collections have improved with the IMF's support for the company.

In summary, he concludes that AES Andres and DPP increased their income by 62% or US$144 million last year, and their operational cash flow was up 317%.

AES is the largest private power generator in the Dominican Republic. In 2003, it introduced natural gas to the country, and began operation of the AES Andres, a combined 319 MW gas-fired plant and LNG regasification terminal.

Located 35 kilometers east of Santo Domingo, AES Andres also supplies AES Los Mina, a 236 MW generation plant that AES converted to gas-fired operations in 2003 (DPP). These two plants represent approximately 30% of the country's total generation capacity.

AES owns shares in a generation company in the Dominican Republic, Itabo, which includes five thermoelectric generation facilities totaling 433 MW.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias_det.php?id=290141

http://www.aes.com/aes/index?page=country&cat=DR

4. Senate passes law with changes
Yesterday the Senate passed the observations made by President Fernandez to the Law for the Development of the Mortgage and Trust Market, which permits the use of part of the pension fund money for housing construction. The full Senate body voted to accept the report presented by the Permanent Commission on Social Security, Labor and Pensions, chaired by Jose Maria Sosa and which had received the President's suggestions for review.

Two paragraphs that were eliminated will now be added to Article 69. Diario Libre says that these paragraphs establish the requirements with regard to the application process that should be carried out at the Risk Assessment and Investment Limits Commission by the agencies interested in having their stock considered as investment material by the Pension Fund Administrators. It was decided that the law, without the inclusion of these paragraphs, would present a high risk and an imminent danger for the country and for the pension system, taking into account the fact that they are precisely the ones that guarantee the control and the prudence in the use of these pension funds that belong to the Dominican workers.

5. Yenny Berenice walks for women
The downtown streets of Santiago were graced with the presence of many members of the District Attorney's office in informal attire as they distributed leaflets on gender and domestic violence. According to El Nuevo Diario, Santiago District Attorney Yenny Berenice Reynoso led the event, casually dressed in jeans and polo shirt. The DA talked to passers-by about the need to be aware of the gender violence crisis.

Ironically, on the same day several women were killed by their partners or former partners. The event was organized as part of an ongoing program by the Justice Department for the prevention of domestic and gender violence called "United Against Violence."

6. SFM back to normal, for now
A coalition of community groups led by FALPO have decided to lift the strike in the northeastern province of San Francisco de Macoris, which has left a toll of at least two fatalities and more than 20 injured according to reports given to El Caribe. FALPO spokesman Raul Monegro and Felabel's Jose Martinez said that after a long meeting they decided to lift the protests on the condition that a commission from Santo Domingo arrives in the city next Wednesday. They hope that the commission will include ministers Victor Diaz Rua (Public Works), Josefina Pimentel (Education) and Cesar Pina Toribio (Presidency). The spokesmen said that they were suspending their protest to give the government a chance to provide concrete answers to their demands by the end of the month. The groups also asked the National Police commander for the agents who fired the shots that killed two people and wounded several others to be taken into custody and sent to trial.

7. Medical Association accuses ministry of hiding truth
In response to the fear that has gripped the residents of La Cienaga over a possible outbreak of cholera, the president of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD) and other members inspected the houses of the affected families yesterday. Senen Caba, Clemente Terrero, an expert on infectious diseases, and epidemiologist Carlos Feliz went down Respaldo Street #9 where sick people of all ages were waiting for the results of laboratory tests from the Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital where they received medical treatment.

Faced with the clinical situation and the Ministry of Public Health's claim that the possible outbreak of cholera is normal, their denial of fatalities and their refusal to allow private clinics to carry out the analysis, Caba told Diario Libre reporters that he would arrange for these private establishments to provide free testing for those affected. He told reporters that the authorities were hiding the cases, which he blamed on a lack of safe drinking water and to the sanitary conditions that affect the sector.

Meanwhile Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas maintains his position of notifying the number of cases and the deaths on a weekly basis, and says that these outbreaks are normal. He said that a similar case occurred in Banica, Elias Pina and other communities in the southwestern region.

In La Cienaga, Diario Libre reporters witnessed a little boy walking through puddles of stagnant water, a little girl giving a bottle to a baby, a poultry butcher slaughtering a chicken next to a channel, a family sleeping a step away from sewage waters and a housewife throwing out her garbage into the channel. These are features of daily life in the sectors of El Arrozal and Los Cocos, in La Cienaga, where the first cases of the outbreak of a disease with clinical symptoms similar to cholera were reported, although the Public Health Ministry says that it is waiting for the official results in order to confirm the presence of the disease. People in the area eat fish caught from the Ozama River, the same river where a little girl disappeared a week ago after falling through a grating and her body was not found for two days due to the amount of refuse in the waters.

"Whoever comes to La Cienaga and does not get their pants muddy did not come to La Cienaga," says Domingo Paulino jokingly. He is the secretary general of the Foundation of Garbage Collection and City Cleaning, Fucosaguscigua 27. He showed the reporters what he meant as he jumped along the muddy streets that crossed the sector.

8. Dominicans disapprove of Fernandez government
President Leonel Fernandez's government has a 28.3% approval rate among Dominicans, the lowest ever, according to the latest Gallup-Hoy poll. When voters were asked if they approved or disapproved of the way Leonel Fernandez is handling the nation, citizens responded on average 59.3% disapprove, 10.5% neutral and 28.3% approve.

When asked for their party inclination, the PLD voters still disapproved; 35% said they did not approve of the Fernandez government performance.

On average 33% said the government was a bad one, 14% considered it very bad, 20% neutral, 28% good and 2.8% very good.

To the question: If you were to evaluate the stewardship of Dr. Leonel Fernandez as President of the present government, would you say it is good, neutral or bad, 32.3% said it was good, 13.6% said neutral and 33.3% said it was bad in the National District, the country's main voting area. Overall, the averages are 27.9% good, 20.4% neutral and 33.3% bad.

The same poll revealed that 63% of citizens perceive that there is more corruption in this government than before. 26% say corruption is the same.

9. Danilo gathers momentum
Sixteen PLD deputies will support Danilo Medina's nomination bid. The group that supported President Leonel Fernandez will now transfer their support to Medina because they say, "he is the one who guarantees victory in the next elections."

Teodoro Ursino Reyes, speaking for the legislators, said that after taking some time to reflect on the issues, "the legislators who had supported the continuation in office of President Leonel Fernandez have decided to back Medina's nomination bid." He added that "after analyzing the extraordinary qualifications that all of the PLD nomination hopefuls possess they decided that it was Medina who guaranteed victory in the next elections... Danilo is the one with the greatest experience in the handling of state affairs and he is the one who has the greatest knowledge of national problems and the way these should be solved", said Reyes, as reported in Diario Libre.

10. US Federal and local agents at work
The federal prosecutor for Puerto Rico who investigated the case in which drug capo Jose David Figueroa Agosto is accused of drug trafficking, two members of the DEA, two from the FBI and two from the United States Customs Agency (ICE), as well as the District Attorney for the National District, Alejandro Moscoso Segarra, interrogated four of the eight defendants on trial for allegedly laundering money from the criminal activities of "Junior Capsula" yesterday. The Puerto Rican prosecutor Timothy Henwood and the other federal investigators arrived at Alejandro Moscoso Segarra's offices a little before 4:50pm. Ten minutes later, Eddy Brito was led in and at 5:20pm his interrogation begun. His lawyer from Puerto Rico was present. Later on, at around 6:20pm Juan Jose Fernandez Ibarra, Sammy Dauhajre and Ivanovich Smester were taken to the District Attorney's offices.

The summoning of the defendants in the money laundering case is related to an investigative process that is open in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico into the activities of Jose David Figueroa Agosto and his alleged network. Questioned by Diario Libre reporters on the presence of United States investigators in the country, Moscoso Segarra said that this was a working meeting and did not give further details. The question arose after the end of the day's hearings in the process that is ongoing against the defendants, at the First Collegiate Court of the Penal Chamber of the Court of the First Instance.

11. At trial, Sobeida keeps talking
Sobeida Felix Morel expanded her repertoire during her courtroom testimony in the case where she is being tried along with seven other defendants in the case of alleged money laundering of the money from the criminal activities attributed to her lover Jose David Figueroa Agosto. She said that all of the assets that the District Attorney of the National District has seized come from drugs, including the two apartments where she lived with Figueroa Agosto in the Alco Paradisso Tower.

Sobeida claimed that during her time hiding out in Puerto Rico she realized that all the assets were the result of drugs dealing, so that nobody can claim them as legitimate or the result of an inheritance. "It wasn't like Figueroa Agosto won the lottery. After nine months in Puerto Rico with this person, I know that all these assets are the result of drugs," she stressed.

She said there are documents that the Dominican authorities do not have, but the Puerto Rican authorities do have, including copies of checks. After justifying her decision to escape and hide for eight months, she said that the assets acquired by Figueroa Agosto and the other accused are the result of drugs.

The defendant reproached Mary Pelaez Frappier for having issued a check for US$100,000 to Jose Luis Figueroa Agosto, a brother of "Junior Capsula," and other checks for four unnamed Puerto Ricans. She said that she thought that Pelaez was going to admit her participation in Figueroa Agosto's activities. She recalled that when she fled to Puerto Rico after obtaining her release on a bail bond, she did it for reasons that only she understands.

12. Dominican entrepreneur honored in US
The US Small Business Administration has chosen a Dominican entrepreneur as one of five Hispanic-owned small businesses to be honored during the National Small Business Week, an annual event organized and hosted by the US government to recognize the contribution of small businesses to job creation and the recovery of the nation's economy.

Florida Small Business Person of the Year, Dominican Jose A. Lopez, president of Marketing Arm International Inc., in Port Charlotte, Florida was chosen. Born to a very humble family in the Cibao region, Lopez obtained an agronomy degree in the Dominican Republic in 1966, and a bachelor's degree in entomology from Texas A&M University in 1970. In 1993, Lopez founded Marketing Arm International, Inc. as a green company that develops and markets safe, eco-friendly agricultural products.

The event under the theme Empowering Entrepreneurs will be held 18-20 May at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C.

"Small businesses drive job creation and economic growth across the nation, and the growing contribution of Hispanic-owned businesses is well documented," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills.

According to the Census Bureau, there are more than 1.6 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States; they employ more than 1.5 million people and generate more than $220 billion in gross receipts.

13. Onamet forecasts showers
The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) is forecasting increased rain showers with some thunder and lightning over the east, northeast, Cibao Valley and the coastal plains on the Caribbean side of the island. The rains are caused by the presence of a low-pressure trough over the islands, mostly to the east. Santo Domingo and the National District should see rains this afternoon. The Onamet forecast also predicts rains along the frontier and in the northwestern region, which has been severely affected by drought in recent weeks.

14. Descendants of Spaniards
Thousands of descendants of Spaniards who live in the Dominican Republic have taken on the Spanish citizenship. This includes hundreds who have already received Spanish citizenship in recent months as they applied under the new Spanish law that grants full citizenship to descendants of Spanish Civil War exiles. The Law of Historic Memory has allowed the children and grandchildren of Spaniards who fled the country, or renounced their citizenship between the years 1936 to 1955, to claim the full benefits of Spanish nationality. Some exceptions expand the number of possible beneficiaries. The law confers full benefits of citizenship, including a passport and the eligibility to live and work in the country.

All Spaniards and Spaniards-to-be are now being invited to attend a talk by Manuel Luis Rodriguez, Labor Counselor of the Spanish government, on the rights and obligations of expatriate Spaniards.

The event is set for this Friday, 13 May at 4pm at the Club Sirio-Libanes-Palestino at Autopista 30 de Mayo in Santo Domingo. It is free admission.

15. The Producers at Hard Rock Cafe
The Producers return to Santo Domingo. Their next concert will take place at the Hard Rock Cafe on Friday, 13 May at 8pm. Pre-show with Cynthia Salazar, 1980s Radio DJ.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

LAS MEJORÍAS EN EL ABASTECIMIENTO SE EMPEZARÁN A NOTAR EN LOS PRÓXIMOS MESES

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Desde principios del año pasado, se comercializa gas natural en el país, un combustible que se vislumbra como la alternativa más factible para que República Dominicana pueda aliviar el peso que el precio del petróleo ejerce sobre ella. Pero, ¿se podrán superar los obstáculos que han confinado el expendio de este combustible a sólo tres estaciones en todo el país?

La expectativa en torno al tema es generalizada, luego de que el gobierno otorgó 65 nuevas licencias para que más estaciones de venta de este gas abran sus puertas. Esos permisos también incluyen a talleres de instalación e importación de los equipos necesarios para que los vehículos se muevan con el nuevo combustible.

Se espera que 40 nuevas envasadoras inicien sus operaciones en las principales vías de comunicación de todo el país, mientras que otros 15 talleres entrarían en funcionamiento.

Sin embargo, hay quienes todavía no abandonan su escepticismo, pues consideran que existen intereses que frenan el avance de la situación desde el gobierno. “Mucha gente en el gobierno ha puesto trabas al proyecto: Medio Ambiente e Industria y Comercio”, asegura Ramón Pérez Figuereo, presidente de la CNTU.

Pérez Figuereo considera que los procedimientos para otorgar los permisos son los principales impedimentos que detienen el uso expandido de este gas. Y es que, para realizar las actividades relacionadas al gas natural, se requiere de la aprobación de los Ministerios de Industria y Comercio (MIC) y Medio Ambiente, además del consentimiento del gobierno municipal y del Ministerio de Obras Públicas para los asuntos de suelo y construcción.

De su lado, el MIC defiende los requisitos para permitir la venta de gas natural e instalación de equipos de conversión, ya que el manejo de este combustible requiere de cuidados especiales, con el fin de evitar accidentes.

A diferencia del Gas Licuado de Petróleo (GLP), el gas natural se almacena a una compresión cercana a 230 atmósferas, provocando que su manejo exija equipos que soporten altas presiones, explica Salvador Rivas, director de la Dirección de Energías No Convencionales del MIC. No obstante, reconoce que el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente se toma un tiempo prolongado para expedir los permisos.

Miguel Pereira, dueño de Talleres Pereira, expone que los equipos para gas natural deben ser hechos de acero. El cilindro de almacenamiento es de una pieza y tienen º de pulgada de grosor. Se usan reguladores y manguera que también están hechos de acero para soportar 3,000 libras de presión, según Pereira.

Salvador Rivas agrega que el gobierno se encuentra interesado en que se extienda el uso de este combustible y no tarda en afirmar que “este el gran año del gas Natural”.

Situación
Las estaciones de venta de gas natural se encuentran saturadas por la demanda de los usuarios. Las filas no cesan. El combustible se agota en un promedio de dos horas y los consumidores tienen que trasladarse desde puntos distantes de la ciudad para abastecerse.

Sin embargo, estos obstáculo no son suficientes para que Miguel González haya instale el sistema de gas natural a su vehículo. Su principal motivación para hacerlo fue las alzas de los deivados del petróleo.

González comenta que se animó a hacer el cambio, a pesar de los altos costos instalación de la tecnología necesaria. Dice que gastaba RD$600 diariamente para completar la ruta que generalmente transita, mientras que ahora sólo gasta RD$200.

González también considera que existen intereses particulares que frenan el éxito del gas natural.

Avances
Todavía las estaciones de expendio y los talleres de conversión no han iniciado sus operaciones, aunque se espera que comiencen dentro dos meses, aproximadamente.

Industria y Comercio realiza un censo de los vehículos capaces de utilizar gas natural. Con esto se pretende saber si las instalaciones de conversión se están realizando en los talleres que habían sido aprobados provisionalmente por las autoridades, además de contar el número de vehículos que consumen este tipo de combustible.

Las importaciones ascienden a cerca de 1 millón de metros cúbicos cada año, realizadas únicamente por la empresa generadora de electricidad AES Dominicana, desde Trinidad y Tobago, esencialmente.

Durante su discurso del 17 de marzo, el gobierno dispuso la conversión de los carros dedicados al transporte de pasajeros, con el fin de que el subsidio Bonogas se aplique a la compra de gas natural. Con esta medida, se espera un ahorro de RD$7,000 millones anuales.

Sin embargo, Pérez Figuereo explica que esto no es posible, debido a que los carros de transporte público no soportan la instalación de esos equipos, pues mayormente son vehículos viejos y en mal estado.

Miguel Pereira explica que los vehículos usados deben pasar por una serie de pruebas para determinar si su motor admite el uso de este gas y sus altas presiones.

1. Fernandez to Haiti for inaugural
President Leonel Fernandez travels to Haiti on Saturday for President-elect Michel Martelly inaugural ceremony. He will be accompanied by Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso, San Jose de Ocoa senator Carlos Castillo and Presidency press director Rafael Nunez. He is scheduled to arrive in Port-au-Prince by air from Barahona on Friday afternoon. After a visit to the Dominican Embassy in Petionville, Fernandez and the Dominican delegation will attend the inaugural at 10am and a Te Deum mass to be held afterwards. As of 2pm he will attend a lunch for the visiting foreign delegations at the Hotel Karibe Convention Center, hosted by the Haitian government. He will then return to the Dominican embassy prior to flying back to the DR.

2. Arturo Valenzuela visits
President Leonel Fernandez met with United States Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela at the Presidential Palace yesterday. The The topics they discussed included national security and drug trafficking. After an hour-long meeting with the President, Valenzuela admitted that his country shares responsibility on matters of security, especially in drug trafficking, because the high drug consumption rate in the US affects the rest of Latin America, as reported in El Dia. Valenzuela said security was a priority issue for the United States, both the Central American, Mexican situation, and the scourge of drug trafficking and organized crime.

The Presidency said that Valenzuela reaffirmed his government's willingness to continue working with the Dominican government and other Latin American countries in the fight against drugs. He described citizen security as the "greatest challenge" and assured that the United States, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are committed to continue working on these issues in a decisive manner, as well as to bilateral and regional cooperation with the Caribbean and Central American countries, as reported in El Dia.

The Presidency reported that Valenzuela was accompanied by the US Ambassador in the DR, Raul Izaguirre, Deputy Chief of Mission Christopher Lambert and Economic Counselor Jonathan Weyer.

3. US Embassy donates equipment
The Embassy of the United States has donated 24 photo cameras (Nikon Coolpix S5100), 24 video cameras (Sony Camcorder H DR-SR12) to the Police Antidrug Department (DICAN). Arnold Sierra, director of anti-drug affairs at the US Embassy made the delivery. Recently the US Embassy donated four Ford SUVs, two laptops and 12 pairs of binoculars. Brigade General Nelson Rosario received the donations on behalf of DICAN.

4. Bonds for public debt
The Chamber of Deputies has approved a bill authorizing the Ministry of Hacienda to issue public debt bonds for RD$25.2 billion for the partial payment of the government debt through 31 December 2005. The bill was sent to the Presidency for signing. The bonds will be auctioned by the Public Credit Office and the interest rate will be 15%.

5. Sol Group enters Dominican market
The Sol Group affiliate, Sol Petroleum Dominicana Limited, an affiliate of Sol Group and Grupo Vicini, announced the conclusion of the acquisition of the shares of Shell Company Dominicana S.A., Administracion de Estaciones de Servicios, S.A. (Adeser) and Propiedades Industriales, S. A. (PISA). A statement sent to Diario Libre establishes that Sol Aviacion Services Limtied (SASL) purchased the assets of the aviation division of Shell Company (W.I. Limited and will continue operations at the Las Americas and Puerto Plata airports. The company will continue using the Shell brand at its gas stations and will continue marketing Shell oil at the gas stations and to industrial and commercial clients.

Based in Barbados, Sol Group was formed through the acquisition of Shell's petroleum distribution and marketing businesses in the Eastern Caribbean, Guyana, Suriname and Belize in February 2005. Sol acquired The Shell Company (Puerto Rico) Limited in August 2006, which was subsequently renamed Sol Puerto Rico Limited. Sol made a further purchase of Esso's assets in Suriname and Guyana in November 2007 and in Haiti on February 29, 2008.

Sol supplies fuels, lubricants, bitumen and LPG through an extensive service station network, marine and commercial operations, as well as acting as an agent for Shell Aviation and Shell Marine products. Sol uses the Shell brand under license across its service station network, and acts as the sole distributor of Shell's fuels and lubricants. This is fully backed by Shell's world-class technical expertise.

6. Bank solvency high
The country's banks' ability to meet long-term obligations by March 2011 is 47% above the level established in the Monetary & Finance Law and 84% above the international standard. The Association of Commercial Banks of the Dominican Republic (ABA) reported that at the close of the first quarter the indicator closed at 14.7%. The Monetary & Finance Law sets a required 10.3% and international standards set 8%. Banks president Jose Manuel Lopez Valdez said the result is due to an increase in paid in capital by the banks of approximately 4 billion pesos and an increase in reserve capital of RD$1.2 billion. "This solvency index shows the confidence of banks in the economic future of the country and their commitment to the economic development of our nation," said Lopez.

The solvency ratio measures the size of a company's after-tax income, excluding non-cash depreciation expenses, as compared to the firm's total debt obligations.

7. More pedestrian walks for old city?
With a RD$30 million initial investment provided by the Inter-American Development Bank, Santo Domingo city government specialists and officials met yesterday to discuss the project that seeks to improve the old city, with initiatives for preserving monuments and dwellings and creating more pedestrian walks in addition to Calle El Conde.

During the meeting, city government specialist Jorge Marte said that traffic needed to be reduced in the old city, especially on streets such as Las Damas. The plan is to pedestrianize the historic street, with access only to service providers, residents and people who work in the area. The stretch of Padre Billini Street between Las Damas and Arzobispo Merino is also proposed for pedestrianization, as well as a section of Merino Street between Arzobispo Nouel and Luperon, and Calle Isabel la Catolica between Padre Billini and Las Mercedes. Public transport routes would have to be diverted.

However, Roberto Henriquez of the Santo Domingo Hotels Association expressed concerns that the restrictions could affect the visits by tourists to the area.

8. Big blast off Luperon
The Agroplast plastics factory went up in a giant blaze yesterday. The factory is located at Calle Guarocuya near the intersection with Avenida Luperon in Herrera. It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the fire. The company manufactured water bottles, glasses, plates and other plastic objects. The fire started at around 11am when around 100 employees were at work, but no one was reported injured. Resin materials used to manufacture the plastic bags ignited but despite the onsite fire extinguishers it spread so fast they could not stop it in time. The fire was so all-consuming it destroyed the roof of the factory and several lateral walls, according to Edwin Olivares, deputy director of the Emergency Operations Center who visited the site to coordinate rescue crews.

Greater Santo Domingo and Haina fire crews had to assist the Santo Domingo West firefighters who were the first to arrive on the scene. Company vice president Sergio Grullon complained the firefighters took an hour to arrive.

9. Youth drinking on the increase
A survey of 19,473 young people in 160 public high schools nationwide has found that excessive alcohol consumption is up 15%. The study, Risk Behavior in Adolescents in the Dominican Republic, carried out by the Ministry of Education established that there has been a steady increase among young people between the ages of 14 and 18 who drink between one and five glasses of alcohol straight. Frequent and considerable alcohol consumption increased from 26.54% in 2009 to 41.47% of all young people in 2010. There is not much variation according to gender. The percentage of boys admitting to excessive drinking was 43.4% compared to girls with 40.35%. The average in the US and Puerto Rico is no more than 24%.

Inhaled drugs, steroids and marijuana are the most commonly consumed drugs, according to the poll. Inhaled drugs are preferred by 7.8%, steroids 3% and marijuana 2.5%. In the three cases, the Dominican average is below the US and Puerto Rican levels.

10. Encounters of a croc kind
National Border Council (CNF) president Radhames Batista is warning that crocodiles are walking around on dry land after the overflowing of the waters of the Enriquillo Lake. He said this has caused alarm and fear among residents of the community of Las Clavellinas in the province of Independencia. He said the water level rise is leading the reptiles to move to dry land with increasing frequency. Batista urged the Ministry of Environment to take measures to prevent any contact between the crocodiles and humans in order to avert a tragedy. He suggested that the Ministry's Hunting and Fishing Department could carry out the studies in order to protect the species and human life as reported in Hoy.

INTEC university specialists and foreign experts are currently engaged in a study to determine the reasons for the rising level of the waters of the lake.

Batista recommended introducing new fish species and crabs to make the most of the water level rise.

The Enriquillo Lake has the largest American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) population in the Caribbean islands.

11. Fight against crime
The 29-30 April Gallup-Hoy poll reveals that 75% of the general public believes that the Fernandez administration's efforts to combat crime have been deficient. Only 19% feel the government has been effective.

After drug dealers began to pay their local associates with drugs, crime has escalated to unprecedented highs locally. Making matters worse, evidence points to the infiltration of high-ranking military and political and government officials by traffickers, yet very few senior figures who have facilitated the trafficking have been uncovered.

To the question of how much success would you say the government of Leonel Fernandez has had in the struggle against drug trafficking, much, little or none?

In the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo, where drug trafficking levels are higher, 31.6% said no success, 45.2% said very little success, and only 19.2% said much success, or a 76.8% rejection rate of government efforts.

12. Government ties with drug trafficking
In the continuing court case for asset laundering linked to drug trafficking in the Dominican Republic, several witnesses have highlighted the strong ties between the traffickers and senior Dominican government officials.

In the First Collegiate Court hearing, presided by judges Gisselle Mendez, July Tamariz and Tania Yunes, witness Roberto Leonel Gonzalez Pimentel said that he had been contracted to polish floors and install marble flooring in several houses and apartments that belonged to Jose David Figueroa Agosto. Figueroa Agosto is standing trial for drug-related charges in his native Puerto Rico. He told the court that he thought Figueroa Agosto was a government official who responsible for real estate operations because he was "always driving luxury vehicles with government license plates". He said that a National Drug Control Department colonel, whose identity he did not reveal, tried to assign a bodyguard to Figueroa, but Figueroa had said this would not be necessary. He said he knew him as Christian Almonte, one of Figueroa's fake identities used in the Dominican Republic.

13. Mary Pelaez and Felix Bautista
The speculation as to the relationship between Mary Pelaez, Felix Bautista and Jose David Figueroa Agosto is again in the press. The San Juan de la Maguana PLD Senator Felix Bautista is known to be a close aide of President Fernandez. Prior to seeking his Senate seat, Bautista headed the Public Works Supervisory Office of the Presidency. Today acento.com.do publishes that without having formed a company, businesswoman Mary Pelaez received a contract worth RD$16 million from Bautista in May 2008. The Oficina Supervisora de Obras del Estado, under Bautista, granted Empresa Enadiz S.A. belonging to Mary and Dolfi Pelaez a contract to furnish the Centro Regional Universitario del Cibao Central (CURCE-UASD) and the Piedra Blanca church, in Monsignor Nouel province. Interestingly, an online report carries statements by the parish priest, Father Daldin Felix, saying it was never furnished. Nevertheless, in June 2010, addressing information on the contract, Bautista is reported in El Nacional as saying that the contracts were fully complied with much efficiency and quality furnishings.

www.elnacional.com.do/nacional/2010/6/11/51119/aaaa
www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2009/12/26/307450/Felix-confirma-Mary-Pelaez-es-contratistaEstado

Lawyer Mario Guerrero Heredia said that Mary Pelaez requested his services for setting up a company after she had won the tender and did not have formal business status. Guerrero Heredia said that Pelaez said she needed a company that appeared to have been operating for some time. He said that his company specializes in the formation of companies for real estate purchases. At the time, Pelaez was not authorized in the governmental procurement registration either.

In the asset laundering trial against Pelaez, it was notified that the company was purchased by suspected drug trafficker Jose Figueroa Agosto and her sister Mary Elvira Pelaez Frappier on 23 May 2008. The company had a paid capital of RD$25,000.

Guerrera Heredia said that the late colonel Jose Amado Gonzalez was the person who introduced Figueroa Agosto to Eddy Brito, Madeline Bernard and others who went on to purchase 10 companies from his firm, paying from US$1,000 to US$1,500 for each.

The information was shared at yesterday's court hearing of the First Collegiate Court of the National District. At the hearing Sobeida Felix Morel, Mary Pelaez, Adolfina Pelaez, Sammy Dauhajre, Ivanovich Smester, Juan Jose Fernandez Ibarra, Eddy Brito and Madeline Bernard face charges of asset laundering and criminal association with the Jose Figueroa Agosto drug network. Figueroa Agosto is standing trial in Puerto Rico for multiple charges.

Early last year journalist Alicia Ortega reported that Felix Bautista lived in the same Torre Serena building where the late colonel Jose Amado Gonzalez Gonzalez, described in the court hearing as one of Jose David Figueroa Agosto's men, was killed on 24 December 2009.

www.rumbony.com/article.cfm?id=3352

14. Cabrera Ruiz turns himself in
Dominican Jesus Pascual Cabrera Ruiz, suspected of acting as a key liaison figure between Puerto Rican drug capo Jose David Figueroa Agosto and Ramon Antonio del Rosario Puente (Tono Lena) in the Dominican Republic, has turned himself in to federal authorities in Puerto Rico to answer to charges of drug trafficking.

Del Rosario Puente is under arrest in Santo Domingo awaiting extradition to San Juan, Puerto Rico for standing trial. El Dia reports there is an expectation that others will also turn themselves in voluntarily. Cabrera Ruiz, who was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 30 years in the DR but later secured a release for supposed lack of evidence, was in charge of picking up drugs sent from Colombia to Figueroa Agosto by air and sea. These shipments were later sent to Puerto Rico.

As reported in El Dia, the US Drug Enforcement Administration has been on the trail of Cabrera Ruiz for a long time. As reported, Santo Domingo prosecutor Alejandro Moscoso Segarra contributed evidence to be used in the trial against him.

Cabrera's arrest coincided with this week's visit by San Juan prosecutor Timothy Henwood who interrogated Eddy Brito, on trial for asset laundering in the Dominican Republic related to the case against Jose David Figueroa Agosto.

El Dia reports that when Cabrera Ruiz was arrested in 1998 it was reported as one of the country's most significant achievements in the annual report on drugs in the DR prepared by the Department of State in 2000. Jesus Pascual Cabrera Ruiz is described by the US Department of State as the head of a Dominican organization responsible for transporting multi-ton quantities of cocaine to Puerto Rico and New York. As a result of this investigation, Cabrera Ruiz was arrested and approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine and 1.4 million dollars were seized. Nevertheless, the Second Criminal Court of Santo Domingo discharged him on 31 October 2001, after being sentenced to 30 years in jail by the Third Criminal Court. El Dia reports that at the time he was sent to justice with Martin Cordero (Andres) and Camilo Perez Dilone (Bimbin), members of the so-called La Romana Cartel.

www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2011/5/12/375305/Juicio-evidencia-Agosto-tenia-proteccion-oficial

15. Comedy at Teatro Regional de Santiago
Franklin Dominguez's play "La cena de las solteronas" (The Spinsters' Dinner) opens at the Teatro Regional de Santiago at 8:30pm this evening. Dominguez is directing the play produced by the Compania Nacional de Teatro. The comedy is about two spinster sisters who deal with four marriage proposals. Two of the suitors are opportunists interested in the fortune the sisters inherited from a late brother. The other two, a baker and a shop owner, are genuinely in love with the sisters. "Who will win their hearts?" The play stars Orestes Amador, Amaurys Perez, Yamile Scheker, Ernesto Baez, Gilberto Hernandez, Nilenny Diptton and Wilson Urena.

16. Richard Dresser's Below the Belt
US playwright Richard Dresser's Below the Belt is on stage at Palacio de Bellas Artes this weekend. The comedy, which is being performed on 13th and 14th at 8:30pm and on Sunday 15th at 6:30pm is a Felix German production, starring Frank Perozo, Kenny Grullon, Anthony Alvarez and Fernando Villalona.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

CRECIMIENTO
Turismo crece 14% en 4 meses

Francisco Javier García dijo que hay una vuelta al crecimiento.


Santo Domingo
El turismo continúa consolidándose en la economía dominicana, al registrar en este primer cuatrimestre su mayor crecimiento de los últimos tres anos al alcanzar la suma de 1,634,776 de visitantes por vía la aérea.

Al dar a conocer las estadísticas del Banco Central, el ministro de Turismo, Francisco Javier García, informó que sólo en abril el flujo de visitantes no residentes fue de 330,697, lo que representa un crecimiento de un 14.02%, con relación al mismo mes de 2010, al registrar 46,488 visitantes adicionales, mientras que los dominicanos no residentes alcanzaron un crecimiento de 14.34%, al adicionar 5,014 visitantes más.

Dijo que el crecimiento acumulado en los primeros cuatro meses de este año alcanzó 5.24%, al llegar al país 81,363 turistas más que en el mismo período del 2010, en su mayoría norteamericanos.

Afirmó que la exitosa política de promoción implementada por el ministerio de Turismo y el sector privado permitió que en enero-abril se registrara el mayor crecimiento del sector en los últimos tres anos.

Recordó que en 2009 y 2010 llegaron al país, vía aérea, 1,643,384 y 1692,186 visitantes, frente al 1,780,234 que arribó en el primer cuatrimestre de este año por los diferentes aeropuertos.

Mercados
Javier García dijo que los mercados emisores más importantes que contribuyeron a ese crecimiento en abril fueron EEUU con 16,381 visitantes, Francia con 4,565, Rusia 3,618, Brasil con 3,465 y Alemania con 2,925. Otros países emisores que contribuyeron con el crecimiento del 14.02% en abril son Argentina con 2,793 visitantes, Italia con 2,724, Venezuela con 2,366, Chile con 1,295 y Colombia que aportó 1,224 visitantes, agregó.

El aeropuerto de Punta Cana continuó recibiendo la mayoría de los turistas que visitaron el país en los primero cuatro meses de este ano, al alcanzar los 906,928 visitantes no residentes, para un 62.17%, lo que representa un incremento de un 12.62% con relación al mismo período de 2010.

Por el aeropuerto internacional de Las Américas llegó el 17.54%, para un total de 255,865 turistas, seguido por Puerto Plata con 11.19%.

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LA ENSENADA

La Ensenada Beach Residences Golf & Marina es un proyecto residencial que se construye dentro Playa Nueva Romana, un lujoso complejo residencial y turístico que desarrolla el consorcio español Grupo Piñero.

La Ensenada Beach Residences Golf & Marina, es ideal para residir o vacacionar. Su cercanía a la ciudad de Santo Domingo, capital de a República Dominicana, brinda la posibilidad de disfrutar lo mejor de dos estilos de vida: el apacible y el cosmopolita.

El complejo está compuesto por tres modelos de edificios -Arena, Palmeras y Corales- con apartamentos de 1, 2, 3 y 4 habitaciones, construidos con los más altos estándares de lujo y calidad.

VISITA LA PAGINA DEL PROYECTO : WWW.ENSENADA.COM.DO

1. Highlights of President Fernandez in Haiti
President Leonel Fernandez traveled to Haiti on Saturday for the inaugural of President Michel Martelly. He was the first Dominican President to attend a Haiti presidential inaugural. "When things get better in Haiti, in Haiti they get better for the Dominican Republic," said Fernandez at the inaugural. He said there are many items on the bilateral agenda, but trusts they will be dealt through satisfactorily by the Bilateral Mixed Commission that need to be reactivated.

Listin Diario reported that when President Fernandez arrived to the Presidential Palace he was saluted by Haitians who were listening to the inaugural speech by Martell.y.

President Fernandez attended a reception offered by Martelly for visiting delegations.

Others attending the inaugural was President Porfirio Lobo of Honduras, former President Bill Clinton of the United States who is co president of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC).

http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2960-haiti-dominican-republic-the-need-to-reactivate-the-joint-commission-bilateral.html

2. President Martelly's new Haiti
President Michel Martelly took office yesterday in Haiti, urging fellow citizens to work to rebuild the country. "We can no longer continue to humiliate us while begging, with this policy of begging. We are workers, we work well when opportunities are given to us," he stressed, boding new times ahead for Haiti.

"... Haitians, this country is ours, let us gather to remake our country."

Martelly spoke of changes "so that investors gain confidence, come to invest, build, so that we can find the development that I seek, I seek development for you, so that you get out of poverty, so you can live another way," he said.

He called for an end to use of the poverty of the country to settle our business, too many people use the misery of our country..."This must stop," he said. "It is time to start selling our cultural riches, Haiti is a rich country, we have the most beautiful beaches in the world, the most beautiful sun of the Caribbean and the deepest culture, diverse and authentic, a glorious past, the Citadelle Henry and the ruins of the Palais of Milot testify it. Yes, Haitian people, this's not just poverty we have in our country [...] let us take this opportunity to ask the whole world to put the misery of Haiti in a drawer, to bury the misery of Haiti..."

He called for the decentralization of Haiti. "For those who think that Haiti is only Port-au-Prince, the centralization will come, this is not only in Port-au-Prince which must be rebuilt, it's all the country that needs to be built, rebuilt, which needs to be reforested, to be developed.".

He called on the international community to trust the new beginning. "I ask the international community, to have confidence in me, you'll find another leadership, a good partnership, within the respect of each other, with good governance, transparency and honesty. This is a new Haiti, a new Haiti open for business now".

http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2957-haiti-inauguration-important-moments-of-the-speech-of-michel-martelly.html

http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2960-haiti-dominican-republic-the-need-to-reactivate-the-joint-commission-bilateral.html

3. Open border migration policy with Haiti
Historian Frank Moya Pons explained in an article on Saturday in Diario Libre the magnitude of Haitian migration to the Dominican Republic following a relaxation of government migration controls in response to international pressures. He comments that in 1983 there was an estimated 27,000 Haitians living legally in the country. Still by 1998, the Haitian population was estimated at 100,000. By 2004, two British researchers estimated the immigrant population at 380,000 persons. Today, observers say Haitian population in the DR is more than one million.

The key settlements from where Haitians make the cross over are Ouanaminthe, Tiroli, Hincha, Mirabalais, Malpasse, Anse-a-Pitre. Most may start out in farm jobs, but he says most find ways to continue to the east of the island and end up settleming in leading cities where they find work in construction, ambulatory vendors , domestic housekeepers and watchmen in houses. There are others that are employed in coffee plantations, and others in hotels.

"Most of the Haitian residents in the country have entered illegally and remain that way because the Dominican authorities have been incapable of controlling the border when they have chosen to do so, or have abandoned the struggle to control the flow of illegal immigrants," writes Moya Pons.

He explains that on the border there is a network of people smugglers that involves civil authorities and military and local politicians and that profits from smuggling people. He comments that many Catholic priests, for humanitarian reasons and others, contribute to stimulate migration providing protection to Haitians that cross the border.

He writes that Haitians are also assisted by farmers who facilitate migration in exchange for cheap labor that helps them burn forests, clear farmland and harvest crops. "Zones such as Rio Limpio, Los Bolos, Los Pinos, Tierra Nueva, Polo, Maniel Viejo, Loma de Cabrera and others in Bahoruco are in a continuous process of deforestationt converting these lands in desert lands, as has already happened on Haitian side of the island," writes Moya Pons.

He comments that Haitian illegal migration has accelerating from 1998. He explains that in his first government Fernandez deported illegal immigrants, but desisted from doing so given the protests of human rights organizations, both national and international and some members of the Catholic clergy that operate at the border.

"Soon it was clear that the Dominican government would not deport illegal Haitians and the flow picked up pace," he writes.

In 2000, in the Hipolito Mejia government, a program of mass investments in the border, with the opening of roads, construction of rural clinics, aqueducts and schools, installation of electricity grids served to attract even more Haitian impoverished peasants to the border region. And the migration controls were relaxed further because the authorities wanted to avoid being accused of violating the human rights of the Haitians.

"The networks of people smuggling continued to develop."

Moya writes that the government of Mejia opened schools and hospitals to all Haitians that needed these services and granted them an ID document that the Haitians considered as proof their status had been legalized."

He explains that the new government of Fernandez (2004-2010) has maintained the same tolerance policy and as a result there the wave of migration has increased.

He mentions families of middle class and high class have also migrated to the DR to take advantage of social services, education and hospital not available in their country, such as Dominicans have migrated to the United States.

"On numerous occasions public health spokesmen have alerted that in many hospitals most of those giving birth are Haitians. Schools and universities have a growing population of Haitian students that live in community with Dominicans. In Constanza, half of the farmers are Haitians, same as in Barahona at the coffee plantations, in the yucca and tobacco fields of Cibao, in the rice paddies of Bajo Yuna and in the cattle ranches of the east.

He comments some farmers and economists say they depend on Haitian labor. But others, he explains, say it depresses wages and affects Dominican workers. "Others say in the medium term the Dominican Republic will lose the fight against poverty because it is importing every day more poor while the productive base and social services are not increasing at the same pace as the immigrant population.

He comments the 2010 earthquake stimulated even more migration. "That catastrophe opened a new chapter in Dominican-Haitian relationships and the government contributed massive aid. "The earthquake stimulated even more migration and the process is more intense than before. What will be the consequences of this process is still to be seen."

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias_det.php?id=290423

4. Exports up
The Center for Export & Investments (CEI-RD) says that Dominican exports increased 13.14% in the first quarter of the year. Exports were up US$156.87 million increasing from US$1.193 billion in the first quarter 2010 to US$1.350 billion for the January to March 2011 period.

Traditional exports were up 12.57%, while non-traditional exports showed a stronger 14.59% increase.

The US continues to be the main importer of Dominican product, importing US$653.59 million during the period, up 12.99%. Haiti was second with US$241.28 million in exports, up 16.95%. Puerto Rico was third with US$241.2 million.

5. Cholera outbreak confirmed Cienaga slum
The Ministry of Public Health confirmed the cholera outbreak in the slum area of La Cienaga adjacent to Ozama River and characterized by poor sanitation. 17 residents in the area were hospitalized at the cholera unit of the Luis Eduardo Aybar public hospital, all with symptoms of the sickness, as reported in El Dia. The Ministry attributed the cases to residents who have not adhered to prevention measures such as the ban on bathing in the contaminated Ozama River. The Ministry says that those affected have consumed water and/or food that was contaminated with fecal matter from a diseased person.

6. PRD moves ahead of PLD in Gallup poll
In the most recent Gallup poll, the PRD inched its way ahead of the ruling PLD party for the first time in nine years. In the 23 and 26 August 2002 poll, published in El Caribe on 17 September, the PLD displaced the PRD for the first time since 1990, with 33to 28%. It would maintain this lead until now. In the April 2011 poll, the PRD moves ahead 37.7% to 31.1% when voters were asked if the election were today what party would they would vote for. The PLD maintains the preference of party, with 41.9% to 39.8% of the PRD, as political analyst Juan Bolivar Diaz comments in Hoy. He says there is a polarization in Dominican politics between two parties n the PRD and the PLD, with the PRSC a distant 4.7% of party voter preference, but only 2.3% of the intended vote. Diaz observes there is a 28% of the eligible voters that are undecided.

Diaz explains the numbers reflect that 57.8% are pessimistic that at the end of the present government their economic situation will be worse, 19.6% think they will be the same, and only 12% think they will be better off. 63% of those polled think corruption is worse than before, 26.8% say it is the same, while only 8.9% of those polled think corruiption in this government is less. Only 21% sfeel the stewardship of the government is the correct one.

He observes that there is a disapproval rate of 59.3% of the voters, with only 28.3% approving the government. In valuing the work of President Fernandez, only 34.8% rate it as good for very good.

Diaz says that the projectsions for the year with serious fiscal deficit, increasing inflation will make things more difficult for the Danilo Medina campaign or any other PLD candidate.

http://www.hoy.com.do/tema-de-hoy/2011/5/14/375497/Hipolito-sale-con-buen-pie

7. Honorary degree for Minister Melo
Superior Education Minister Ligia Amada Melo received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Western Michigan University during the 30 April commencement ceremonies. The university recognized her for being the driving force behind the Dominican Republic's Dominican National Scholars Program that provides funding for students to learn English and travel to approved universities in the US for studies. This year, some 140 Dominican students are studying at the Michigan university, since the start of the program in 2008.

Unlike many such international programs, the Dominican National Scholars Program does not limit the disciplines in which students study and does not tilt participation in favor of children from affluent families. Melo has reached out to students from poor and rural families to find students with the potential to become part of the next generation of leadership in their nation, recognized the WMU.

8. Where did Amnesty get their stats?
Highly reputed adjunct prosecutor for women's affairs, Roxana Reyes said that statistics included in the recent Amnesty International Report are misleading. She said that the report establishes there was an increase in violence against women in the Dominican Republic in 2010. She says the contrary has happened. There have been less cases. As reported in Diario Libre, Reyes observed that the report makes a comparison 2011-2009 and not 2011-2010, which would have been correct.

Reyes said that the Prosecutor General Office has not yet released its consolidated January-May 2011 report. She said that statistics for that period show that in 2010 during that period there were 23 domestic marital violence against women and this year for the same period there have been 19.

Reyes said that the Dominican Republic has the lowest rate of marital femicide in Latin America.

"Now the problem of violence against women in our country is one that demands much attention and from the prosecutor's office, we are carrying out efforts," she said. He ensured that comparative studies show that the Dominican Republic has 2.12% femicides per every 100,000 inhabitants, which is the lowest rate for Latin America. She said she was not aware of the source of the data Amnesty International used to prepare their report.

9. Inflation was 0.87% in April
The Central Bank reports that the Consumer Price Index increased 0.87% in April. Increases in the transport sector impacted by rising petrol prices caused the increase. Annualized inflation is at 8.16%, and inflation for the firsrt quarter of the year is recorded as 4.55%.

10. Civic protest
Don't buy gasoline today, is the push for a ban on petrol purchases to send a message to local authorities re the consistent rises in petrol prices. Toy Jarto and Asociacion Dominicana contra la Corrupcion (Adocco) have been circulating on social networks the petition to boycott fuel sales on Monday, 16 May. The movements are also asking those driving their cars to post a black ribbon in protest.

Fuel prices are now at RD$221.60 the gallon of premium gasoline, RD$209 regular gasoline, RD$194.90 premium diesel and RD$189.30 regular diesel. Propane costs RD$100 per gallon.

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry & Commerce Manuel Garcia Arevalo said that the present prices of fuel do not reflect the real price it should have. He said the government has absorbed 60% of the increases that should have been applied to the price of fuel. In a release from the Ministry, Garcia Arevalo said that the Hydrocarbon Law 112-00 establishes that the price of fuel set every week is based on the import price, not on the barrel of petroleum price. He says to this the internal management and warehouses costs have to be added, plus taxes and profit margins of the intermediaries. He said the perception when international petrol barrel prices decline, local prices should decline. He says these are two different markets with different cost components.

11. Tomas Perez Ducy: new CEO Viva
Tomas Perez Ducy returns to the Dominican Republic after years abroad working with international telecom companies. A Verizon executive, Perez left to work as a vice president at Cable & Wireless in Jamaica, the Puerto Rico Telephone Company/Verizon Puerto Rico and Americatel.

He is back in Santo Domingo appointed CEO of Trilogy Dominicana (Viva).

During his presentation, he reviewed the track record of Viva as a leading telecom competitor in the DR. "Viva is a complete provider of telecom services, with a wide range of mobile products and services with best value in the market," he said.

"Viva is in the Dominican Republic with the firm commitment to continue expanding in a sustained manner its access to services nationwide," said Perez-Ducy.

12. AES and the most profitable local companies
According to a ranking of the Department of Taxes (DGII), the most profitable Dominican companies are Codetel, Orange, Banco Popular, Banco de Reservas, AES, Brugal, Refineria Dominicana de Petroleo, Banco BHD, Leon Jimenes and Grupo Ramos (La Sirena-Pola). The ranking is featured in an article published in El Dia on the high profitability of AES operations in the DR. The company reportedly had profits of RD$3.5 billion in 2010. As reported in El Dia, expressed in dollars the power generation company reaped US$96.7 million, of which it repatriated US$38.2 million to its matrix in payment of interest.

AES faces a legal dispute with the Public Electricity Corporation that demands fulfillment of the contract that establishes it must sell 300 megawatts of power to the national grid at US$0.06. The company is only selling 50MW, and the rest it is placing on the spot market where prices go for US$0.23.

13. Bautista's great weekend
Jose Bautista is having another good year as weekend games have demonstrated. His fans are enjoying it. First on Friday evening, 13 May, he slammed his 12th homerun of the season in the eighth to decide the game against the Minnesota Twins 2-0.

And then on Sunday, he hit a barrage of three home runs against the same Minnesota Twins, with the BlueJays winning 11-3. This was the first time in his career he had hit 3 homers in one game. This brings his total so far in the season to 16 homers.

The Toronto slugger who had what many say was a freak 54-homer season that earned him a $65 million contract is proving his worth so far.

http://blogs.thescore.com/mlb/2011/05/13/anatomy-of-a-jose-bautista-home

http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/mlb/bluejays/article/989996--jays-bautista-keeping-up-last-year-s-form-so-far

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/1243665.html

14. Hector Florentino wins
Dominican Republic's own Hector Florentino won the winning title during the US$30,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the important Kentucky Spring Horse Show Kentucky on Thursday, 12 May. Thirty-seven horse and rider combinations gathered at the Rolex Stadium in the Kentucky Horse Park to compete for the event. Eight horses advanced to the jump-off, and it was then that Florentino riding Ultimo took home the top prize after completing the fastest double clear effort. Quentin Judge followed in second aboard HH Radco, while Ragan Roberts and Quipit L.F. placed third. Also competing in the event, was multiple Canadian Olympic medal winner, Ian Miller.

The United States Equestrian Federation reported:

"When Hector Florentino stepped in to the ring with Ultimo, owned the Stransky's Mission Farms, the pair was prepared for a victory. They picked up a quick pace and never held back, make a sharp turn after each obstacle. Florentino and Ultimo galloped to the last oxer and easily made their way through the timers, breezing through in 39.68 seconds to win the first leg of the Hagyard Challenge Series."

"In the first round I was a little concerned about the triple combination, explained Florentino. "I had seen many riders go before me and I had seen there was a trouble spot, but I think I rode really well the combination and he was really balanced and he just overpowered everything."

Florentino continued, "In the jump-off, I saw Ian Miller go first, I saw the turns he did so I planned to do a little bit faster from 1 to 2 and I did also the roll back after the combination a little faster than him; I think that did the trick."

Ultimo is a mount that just began jumping at this level, but Florentino is very excited about his future. "Ultimo already has the confidence to jump at this level and he's developed into a grand prix horse," he said. "This is maybe the best horse I have ever ridden. I try to be really soft with him, let him balance. I try to keep him balanced all the time and just let him do his job. I put him at the right spot with the right speed, and let him jump."

http://www.usef.org

Travelocity Names top 10 family destinations for summer 2011
The Dominican Republic was included in Travelocity's list of Top Ten Summer Family Destinations released on 13 May to coincide with Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer travel in the US. The website says the preference is for families to travel to beach destinations in the US and the Caribbean. The DR is listed in 10th place.
Travelocity says on the Dominican Republic: "Rounding out the top 10 most popular summer destinations for families is the Dominican Republic and it's no wonder. There are many direct flights to Dominican Republic every day, so towing the kiddies and all their stuff is no problem. Plus, Dominican Republic resorts come in every shape, size and price range," reports the website. The DR is listed as with an average daily rate: US$161.
Other destinations are Orlando theme parks, Florida; Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Kona in Hawaii; Cancun and Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Bahamas, Turks & Caicos.
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=75787&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=602521&highlight=

JetBlue's new Boston flights
JetBlue has announced plans to take off from Boston Logan to Santo Domingo as of 19 June. The airline will run three weekly flights to Boston on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Depending on how the flight goes, the airline could continue it year round. JetBlue feels the route will be especially attractive to Boston airport travelers in the cold winter months, and hopes the flight can be carried out daily in the winter.
JetBlue has also announced Boston to Santiago flights starting 17 June.

Caribbean Fashion Week
Nicole Miller from the United States is the guest designer at this year's Caribbean Fashion Week (CFW-RD) to be held at the Convention Center of the Port of Sanssouci this coming 31 May to 4 June.
In an interview with Listin Diario event organizer Tita Hasbun said that in the Caribbean the seasons are not marked because the weather is similar all year round. She says local designers focus on resort wear. "We are islands, we are resorts, then we have to create space where fashion can project itself first to the Dominican market," she said. Nevertheless, some international guest designers will present their pre-fall creations that they have already prepared for their own markets. She says participating in the local fashion events is an opportunity to test the market and look into opening boutiques here.
New this year is an agreement with the organizers of the Puerto Rico High Fashion Week so that emerging designers from each country can take part in each other's runway shows.
Again this year, novice designers will compete for a scholarship at the Istituto Europeo di Design and the second-place winner will get a scholarship for the summer program at Altos de Chavon in La Romana. There will be a third place winner apprenticeship at the atelier of a leading Dominican designer.
Participants this year are Nicole Miller (US), Custo Barcelona (Spain) and Carlos Campos (Peru). Also Benito Fernandez (Argentina), Jolibe (brand name of Joel Diaz, a Dominican working in NY), Giovanni Scutaro (Venezuela), Giovanni Lopez (Colombia), Eddie Guerrero, Stella Nolasco and Miriam Budet (Puerto Rico.
Others are Marcelo Serna, Veronica del Canal and Gabriela Lage who make up Argentina Showcase, a group that got together to participate in the Caribbean Fashion Week.
Local participants include Sissy Bermudez, Arcadio Diaz, Giannina Azar, Esteban Martinez, Damaris Rubio, Modesta Castillo, Diany Mota, Mauricio Alberino and Martin Polanco.
New talents are Carlos Frank Then, Miguel Genao, Alexis Gutierrez and Luisina Victoria.
There will be 45 runways in five days.
Miss Universe Ximena Navarrete will model clothes by Peruvian Carlos Campos, who also designs for men. Miss Universe 2009, Stefania Fernandez will model for Giovanni Scutaro (Venezuela).

Cigar tasting at Quality Hotel Real Santo Domingo
Hendrik Kelner, president of the Dominican Association of Cigar Manufacturers (ProCigar), and manufacturer of Davidoff cigars in the DR, was at the Quality Hotel Real Santo Domingo on Thursday, 5 May for an educational cigar-tasting activity. Participants were able to savor different tobaccos that are blended to make a Davidoff cigar and the difference the capa makes. A Choice International hotel, Quality Hotel Real Santo Domingo is located at Km. 22 of the Las Americas Expressway, five minutes from Las Americas International Airport. The 124-room hotel is 25 minutes from Santo Domingo city center, next door to Las Americas Free Zone, near the CyberPark and the San Isidro Free Zone. It has meeting rooms and a business center, gym, broadband Internet and 24-hour room service. The hotel is operated in the Dominican Republic by Real Hotels & Resorts, the hotel division of Grupo Poma from El Salvador.

First quarter travel numbers up
Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia says that according to Central Bank statistics, travel is up 5.24% in the first four months of the year. The stats show that 81,363 more tourists visited for the period, compared to 2010. The boost in travel comes primarily from the United States.
So far, 1,780,234 visitors arrived at the nation's eight international airports in the first four months of the year.
Travel is up from the United States (16,381 more travelers), France (4,565 more), Russia (3,618 more), Brazil 3,465+), and Germany (2,925). Others showing increased travel are Argentina (2,793+), Italy (2,724+), Venezuela (2,3766+), Chile (1,295) and Colombia (1,224+).
Punta Cana International Airport continues to be the main port of entry for tourists visiting the country, with 906,928 non-resident travelers, for 62.17% of total tourist arrivals. This is a 12.62% increase on the same period last year.
Travel through Santo Domingo's Las Americas was up 17.54%, for a total of 255,865 tourists.

Consorcio dominicano construirá carretera unirá océanos Pacífico y Atlántico

La construcción busca impulsar al comercio internacional desde y hacia Centroamérica


SANTO DOMINGO.- El Consorcio Remix que participó en la construcción de la Carretera Santo Domingo-Samaná construirá una gigantesca carretera en Honduras que enlazará los márgenes de los océanos Atlántico y Pacífico, para impulsar al comercio internacional desde y hacia Centroamérica.

Esta participación fue posible luego de que el gobierno de Honduras pusiera a disposición de empresas dominicanas y extranjeras un amplio esquema de incentivos y eliminación de impuestos y aranceles para impulsar un amplio programa de ingestiones en áreas de empresas, industrias y obras de infraestructuras.

Como parte de esa estrategia, varias empresas dominicanas asistieron a la que consideran la jornada de negocios más importante que ha tenido el país en toda su historia, en la que Honduras se presentó al mundo como un buen destino para hacer negocios, que promueve la inversión nacional y extranjera, tal como lo informó el presidente Porfirio Lobo en la inauguración del evento.

La embajadora de Honduras en Republica Dominicana, María Eugenia Barrios de Pena, destacó que al encuentro asistieron unos 1,400 inversionistas, 900 de ellos representantes de empresas de unos 75 países, incluidas trasnacionales como Siemens, Microsoft, Samsung, Fiat, Hyundai, BMW, Meliá, Barceló, Brugal, Grupo Vicini, Grupo Estrella, Cementos Cibao, Aeroméxico y Lufthansa, entre otras.

"Los empresarios completaron las jornadas de trabajo con ruedas de negocios simultaneas celebradas entre 8:00 de la mañana a 6:00de la tarde, los días 5 y 6 de mayo, en las instalaciones de expo-centro, del encuentro mundial", agrego la diplomática.

En el segundo día los asistentes pudieron interactuar con el expresidente de Colombia, Álvaro Uribe, el economista Paúl Romer y el ministro de Economía de Taiwan Sheng-Chung Lin. Todas las presentaciones fueron moderadas por el destacado periodista mejicano, expresentador de CNN, Alberto Padilla.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias_det.php?id=290646

1. CDEEE signs for RD$1.7 billion with South Koreans
A new investment of more than RD$1.7 billion for the refurbishing of power lines all over the country was formalized on Monday with the signing of a contract - after an international tender - between the Public Electricity Company (CDEEE) and the Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco). These funds, provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), will be added to other disbursements from the World Bank that will total more than RD$4.6 billion (and a total investment of over six billion pesos) which will be used to restructure the power line networks in the areas of the three electricity distributors. Speaking to the press after the signing, CDEEE vice-president Celso Marranzini said that these investments would put an end to the enormous deterioration of the power lines throughout the country, as reported in El Nuevo Diario.

2. Business did not like Mejia's comments
Instead of thinking about eliminating the free trade agreement that the Dominican Republic has with Central America and isolating itself, the country should prepare itself better to compete. The president of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD), Ligia Bonetti de Valiente made this statement in response to an announcement by PRD presidential candidate, the former President Hipolito Mejia. Mejia said that if he returns to power he would review several commercial treaties, especially with Central America, which he would suspend in the face of the competition represented by Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Meanwhile, a government source linked to the commercial sector told Diario Libre that just mentioning that the country might resign from an agreement already signed is prejudicial, and that this should be analyzed with the commercial partners in order to see about such feasibility. Bonetti said that the country should prepare itself to compete, not shut its doors. She told reporters that the fundamental problem is that the Dominican Republic has not made the most of the free trade agreements because it lacks the working conditions and a strong exporting culture within the private sector.

During his participation in the Dialogo Libre session organized by the Omnimedia Group, Mejia said that the review of the free trade agreements that the Dominican Republic has signed would be one of the central axes of the economic policy of a possible new administration, since he feels that the economic crisis requires the suspension of some of them. Mejia also said that he would review the energy contracts and that he would study a readjustment of the price of electricity to the reality of the country as he did in his previous administration (2000-2004).

In response to this last point, the Dominican Electricity Industry Association (ADIE) says that "any investment in any economic sector is quite related to transparency and institutionalism that exists in the sector and the country, and the electricity contracts are one of those aspects that should be respected if one does not want to affect the flow of investments." Milton Morrison, the executive vice-president of the ADIE, cited the investments that the sector had made that are reflected in next August's inauguration of the Los Cocos Wind Power Park, by Ege-Haina, as well as that made by Seaboard, which is in the process of installing a 108 MW natural gas generator at a cost of US$135 million.

3. Subero warns of laundering
Chief Justice Jorge Subero Isa has told a meeting of international experts on land registrations that money laundering was a major influence in the counterfeiting and falsification of property titles. He said that with "drug trafficking permeating national and international structures at all levels, there is a real danger, every day" that real estate will be used to launder or "whiten" money from illegal activities. He added that as real estate becomes more attractive, there is a greater impulse to turn to counterfeiting and forgery of land titles and registrations. According to Diario Libre, another issue he touched upon was the ability to reconstruct land titles and registrations after national disasters, as occurred in Haiti, which he called a "tsunami" that destroyed every symbol of power in Haiti along with identities, and property registrations. He encouraged the Dominican Republic to take steps to prevent a disaster of this type from occurring in the future.

4. Public Health on high alert for cholera in slums
The Ministry of Health has declared a state of high alert aimed at preventing and controlling cholera cases in the National District. The flow of patients suspected of having contracted the disease are overwhelming the number of beds in a ward that was specially set up at the Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital. 19 patients have been hospitalized with cholera symptoms there and nine are being treated at the Francisco Moscoso Puello hospital. Of these, 15 are from the barrio of La Cienaga, where people live in insanitary conditions. Three are from La Puya of Arroyo Hondo and three are from Gualey. Family members told Diario Libre reporters that there was only one bathroom in the specialized ward, that they (the patients) were dirty, and that neither the nurses nor the doctors changed the disposable diapers, nor did they allow them (the relatives) to perform that duty. The area prepared for cholera patients is under construction and the floor is rough, it is not air-conditioned and is therefore very hot. The families assembled at the entrance also complained of the requirement to pay as much as RD$1200 for a lab test that was prescribed and they had to take the sample outside the hospital. This was resolved with the inspection visit made by the Deputy Minister of Health, Nelson Rodriguez Monegro, of Health Services, and Jose Rodriguez Aybar, of Collective Health, to the medical center, since they told the staff that the Ministry of Health would take on the costs and the transfer of the samples.

5. A campaign for "real" gas prices
Civil society organizations are organizing a peaceful campaign under the slogan "Bajame la Gasolina" - Reduce (the price of) Gasoline. El Caribe reports that as of this Friday 20 May every Friday they will dedicate their energy to "informing the Dominican public about the real prices that should be charged for fuels". Through the use of print publications and press conferences the campaigners will publish their own calculations of the real price quotes from petroleum and its derivatives, "making the calculations transparent" with the aim of letting people know. The youth protest group "Toy Jarto" (a play on the Spanish phrase "Estoy harto" - I'm fed up!) posted this information on their website.

Several groups have been calling on citizens to boycott fuel purchases on Mondays and to display black ribbons on clothes, car antennas, and houses as symbols of protest against the high fuel prices and as a call for more meaningful price reductions when oil prices fall. However, there was only a mild reaction to the boycott, but members of the participating organizations held a protest outside the Ministry of Industry and Commerce with symbols of mourning and other signs.

6. Jamaica demands release of cement
The government of Jamaica has given the Dominican Republic 48 hours to resolve the issues surrounding the retention of 2,500 tons of cement in the Dominican Customs area. Apparently the National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (ProConsumidor) instituted the case that caused the cement to be held up in Customs. The cargo was assigned to the Distribuidora de Cemento (Docemca).

According to Diario Libre and other newspapers, Karl Samuda, the Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce in Jamaica, announced that he would investigate the hold on the cement, which he defined as "a classic case of the application on non-tariff commercial barriers", and warned that Jamaica will not stand by idly and will use every means at their disposal to protect their country's industry of, according to several Jamaican media outlets.

Although no details were given, Samuda warned that they would be "drastic".

Jamaica and the DR are part of a free trade agreement among the Caricom countries, with Jamaica occupying the twelfth spot among the Dominican Republic's trading partners. This issue involves 2,500 tons of cement that has been held at the Boca Chica Customs depot. The cement in question comes from the Caribbean Cement Company Limited (CCCL).

The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Manuel Garcia Arevalo declined to comment on the issue when approached by reporters.

Neither did Julio Santana, the director general of Weights and Measures (Digenor) that issued a certificate authorizing the import of the cement but not its sale.

Pro-Consumidor director Altagracia Paulino said that she was defending Resolution 004-2011 that she says requires the cement to fulfill quality control tests. Docemca says that the Association of Dominican Cement Producers is behind the seizure.

7. Colonel who gave the ID card id ID'ed
The District Attorney for the National District, Alejandro Moscoso Segarra, has confirmed the identity of the Army colonel who gave Jose David Figueroa Agosto a DNI (National Department of Investigations) identification card. The colonel's name is Jose Francisco Rodriguez Fernandez who was retired from the Army last February, according to un-confirmed sources.

At the trial witnesses have said that Figueroa Agosto was known to travel in luxury vehicles with government license plates, evidence of his close links with high-ranking officials in the Fernandez government.

8. Judge gives Leavy five years
The Second Court of Instruction of the National District has sentenced Leavy Nin Batista, the wife of accused drug trafficker Jose David Figueroa Agosto, to five years in prison on charges of criminal association, money laundering and the use of false documents. The sentence will be conditionally suspended to two and a half years, according to a plea bargain between Nin Batista and the Justice Department. Nin Batista was sent to remain in prison at Najayo. For the suspended sentence to be applied, she must fulfill the following conditions: She must learn a trade; she must submit to supervision by the judge for the Execution of Sentences in the jurisdiction, which in this case is San Cristobal. Moreover, she must perform community service in a state institution or non-profit institution. The judge also ordered the seizure of her assets acquired through money laundering.

All the newspapers in the country were holding their editions for this verdict to be handed down. Diario Libre reports that the reading of the sentence began at 11:50pm with the arrival of Judge Claribel Nivar, ending at 12:05am. At first, the verdict was supposed to be released at 4pm, but it was postponed until 8pm, by which time the defendant had been transferred to the holding cell at the Palace of Justice until the time in which the decision was to be read. In her first appearance after being transferred to the country from Spain, Nin Batista pleaded guilty to the charges against her. She said she was a member of her husband's network that laundered assets from drug trafficking and which dealt in falsified documents. The unique, sui generis, nature of the shortened penal process is the only case in which the Judge of Instruction is allowed to issue convictions during a penal process, having as the sine qua non requisite that the defendant admit the facts and plead guilty.

9. Onamet forecasts more rains
The National Meteorological Office n Onamet - is forecasting continuing showers until Wednesday. The rains that began on Monday, bringing welcome relief to some areas, but also bringing thunder and lightning, were the result of two low-pressure troughs that are affecting a large part of the national territory. One is to the northwest of Puerto Rico and the other is over the Dominican Republic. Rains are expected to increase over the next 48 hours and people living near rivers, creeks or on steep hillsides are warned to be on the lookout for flooding and landslide.

Today's Diario Libre features a front-page photo of a flooded barrio after yesterday's rains and a report in El Nuevo Diario says that we can expect more of the same. Today's forecast has partly cloudy skies over Santo Domingo and the National District with occasional showers. For the provinces of Duarte, Samana, Espaillat, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, La Vega, Monsignor Nouel and Espaillat there will be showers with lightning and wind gusts, especially in Duarte province. The same forecast is in place for Hermanas Mirabal, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monte Plata, Hato Mayor, El Seibo, La Altagracia, San Pedro de Macoris, La Romana, Barahona, Azua and San Juan de la Maguana.

10. Tribu del Sol in Santiago
Leading Dominican rock group Tribu del Sol is performing at the Tribeca Lounge in Santiago this Wednesday, 18 May. Doors open at 9pm and the opening act is Jose Luis Freitas.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

RD-Argentina firman acuerdo
Argentina
El embajador de la República Dominicana en Argentina, Guillermo Piña Contreras, suscribió en nombre del Estado dominicano el convenio de reconocimiento de títulos y certifi cados de estudios de educación primaria, educación general básica y secundaria, o sus denominaciones equivalentes, entre la República Dominicana y la República Argentina.

El convenio fue fi rmado por el ministro de Educación, Alberto Sileoni, por la parte argentina, en un acto que tuvo lugar en el salón San Martín del hotel Panamericano, ante representantes del Ministerio de Educación argentino, el señor Adalberto Martínez, viceministro de Educación de nuestro país y miembros de nuestra representación diplomática en Argentina.

Con la fi rma de este importante convenio se reconocen los títulos de estudios primarios y secundarios expedidos en República Dominicana, lo cual evitará a los estudiantes provenientes del país llevar a cabo cursos y exámenes de revalidación como hasta ahora se venía exigiendo en los centros académicos argentinos.

El convenio, impulsado por el embajador Piña Contreras desde su llegada a Argentina, tiene como marco general el Convenio Cultural entre el Gobierno de la República Dominicana y el Gobierno de la República Argentina, suscrito en la ciudad de Santo Domingo el 12 de septiembre de 1967.

Cleveland inaugura academia
Los Indios de Cleveland inauguraron su nueva academia de desarrollo de talento en América Latina, con la presencia del propietario del equipo Paul Dolan y el presidente de la República Dominicana, Leonel Fernández.

“Los Indios han tenido una relación con la República Dominicana por mucho tiempo y el día de hoy marca una fecha en la que podemos mejorar esta relación”, dijo Dolan en una conferencia de prensa.

La nueva edificación tiene capacidad para alojar a 72 jugadores e incluye dos estadios de béisbol, un gimnasio, salones de estudios y de esparcimiento y se construyó con una inversión de unos 100 millones de pesos (2.6 millones de dólares), según informó Ramón Peña, director de operaciones para América Latina de los Indios.

“Esta inversión aportará grandes oportunidades para la comunidad en la que se encuentra construida y además nos ayudará a desarrollar muchos peloteros más para que en un futuro lleguen a las Grandes Ligas”, agregó Peña.

En la actualidad, los Indios tienen en su nómina de Grandes Ligas a los dominicanos Carlos Santana (receptor), Fausto Carmona (pitcher abridor) y Rafael Pérez (pitcher relevista).

“Nos sentimos orgullosos por la tradición y el lazo que nos une con la República Dominicana. En nuestra historia, hemos producido más de 20 jugadores de Grandes Ligas y nuestro dirigente (Manny Acta) también es dominicano”, dijo el gerente general Chris Antonetti.

El presidente Fernández agradeció y felicitó a los propietarios de Cleveland por la confianza demostrada en la República Dominicana con la inauguración de esta nueva academia para promover el talento dominicano hacia las Grandes Ligas.

Punta Cana Delivers Summer Family Vacations of a Lifetime Five Reasons to Vacation with your Family in Punta Cana this Summer

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, May 11, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Dominican Republic's (DR) magnificent Punta Cana on the East Coast features top-rated accommodations, world-class golf courses, gorgeous beaches and exciting ecotourism adventures that will exceed the choosiest families' expectations this summer. A recent TripAdvisor.com study found the biggest challenge for family vacations is finding a destination that offers activities for everyone.(1) Today, families seek a destination that has it all, and Punta Cana delivers.

"Punta Cana has something for every family member to explore, from luxurious spas, to a swim with dolphins, to challenging golf or relaxing beach-time," said Magaly Toribio, the DR Ministry of Tourism's Vice Minister of International Promotion. "The captivating destination boasts sumptuous all-inclusive resorts with family-friendly activities, warm hospitality and delicious cuisine that will suit every taste and budget." Travel is hassle-free with many direct flights from major U.S. cities to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), the region's most modern and popular airport.

Here are five reasons why you should whisk your family off to Punta Cana this summer to explore the breathtaking island and create memories that will last a lifetime: Gorgeous Beaches: Grab your beach towels and flip-flops and see why Punta Cana was ranked as the 8th best beach destination in the world by TripAdvisor Travelers.(1) The area features numerous public and private beaches, including "Blue Flag" European certified beach Cabeza de Toro; surfing beach Uvero Alto; parasailing-friendly beach Bavaro; and less populated beaches in the area's smaller villages like Boca de Yuma and El Cortecito-Los Corales.

Unique culture: The DR amazes with sizzling culture and rich history culminating from Spanish, African and Taino Indian influence over six centuries. Learn about history while you enjoy warm Dominican people and rhythmic music. Visit caves where drawings by ancient Taino Indians can be seen or learn to dance merengue and bachata at your resort or local nightclubs. Families of all ages can spend quality time together and experience the authentic Dominican way of life.

Enchanting ecotourism: In addition to relaxing , today families look for memorable vacation adventures they can do together. Punta Cana's eco adventures will satisfy any traveler. Kids can get up-close-and-personal with non-poisonous snakes or swim with the graceful dolphins at Dolphin Island Park; take a walk in the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park and see an exotic fruit-tree garden; watch an animal entertainment show at Manati Park; or ride a 4-wheel beach buggy to one of many secluded beaches.

Top-notch golf: As the unchallenged "It" destination for golf in the Caribbean, Punta Cana boasts nearly a dozen magnificent designer golf courses designed by some of golf's most acclaimed course architects, including Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye and Nick Faldo. Courses are set on dramatic coastlines and graced with year-round warm weather. These elite, full-service clubs provide golfers with exquisite scenery and challenging plays, and with abundant golf professionals and kid's clinics available, everyone will be sure to enjoy hitting the links.

Pocket Friendly: TripAdvisor says 26 percent of parents with children plan to take their family vacation during the school year in order to save money and 39 percent expect to spend more on family travel in 2011.(1) No need to do either if you jet off to Punta Cana, one of the most budget friendly destinations in 2011 according to ShermansTravel.com.(2) With a vast amount of all-inclusive resorts and numerous daily nonstop flights, Punta Cana is more pocket-friendly and accessible than ever. And just a two-hour flight from Miami, it is one of the closest international destinations for Americans.

(1) Source: TripAdvisor.com(2) Source: ShermansTravel.com The Dominican Republic's first tourist was Christopher Columbus in 1492. Rich in history, the DR has developed into a diverse destination offering both Dominican and European flavors to more than one million U.S. visitors each year. Named #1 Golf Destination in Caribbean & Latin America by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, the DR boasts 28 designer golf courses, upscale resorts, pristine nature, and sophisticated cities and quaint villages filled with warm Dominican people. The DR features the best beaches, fascinating history and culture, and is a chosen escape for celebrities, couples and families alike.


Source: CNBC

GRUPO CHINO HNA ADQUIERE EL 20 % DE NH HOTELES

Bávaro, R. Dominicana.- NH Hoteles ha firmado un acuerdo estratégico con el grupo empresarial chino HNA, que ha comprado el 20% de la hotelera española. La transacción, por un importe total de 431,6 millones de euros, será realizada vía ampliación de capital con exclusión del derecho de suscripción preferente. La suscripción se llevará a cabo a un precio de 7euros por acción.



Según indican desde la compañía esta alianza facilitará a NH fortalecer su solvencia financiera y consolidar su proceso de internacionalización. Asimismo, les permitirá continuar con su estrategia actual de crecer bajo fórmulas poco intensivas de inversión en activos fijos, como es la gestión de hoteles propiedad de terceros.



Tras esta operación, que tiene que ser aprobada por las autoridades regulatorias chinas, HNA se convierte en el segundo accionista de referencia de NH Hoteles y contará con dos miembros en el Consejo de Administración.



Además, ambas compañías estudian la creación de una sociedad conjunta para el desarrollo del negocio hotelero en China en el segmento de 4 estrellas, permitiendo así a la española, que tendría el 51% de dicha sociedad, entrar en uno de los mercados de mayor crecimiento del mundo con un socio local de referencia. También prevén desarrollar su negocio en Macao, Taiwán y Hong Kong.



El acuerdo contempla la posible aportación a la nueva sociedad la gestión de algunos de los actuales hoteles de HNA que se adecúen a la imagen de marca y segmento característicos de NH Hoteles. La sociedad conjunta se beneficiará por tanto de los sistemas de gestión, fidelización y reservas de NH Hoteles, utilizará su marca en China y al mismo tiempo se apoyará en el conocimiento y capacidad de acceso local del Grupo HNA para identificar las mejores ubicaciones hoteleras, equipos de dirección locales y logística general del grupo en el mercado chino.



Además, en el marco de la operación, se contempla la negociación de un acuerdo comercial entre ambas compañías con el objetivo de aprovechar las potenciales sinergias dada la complementariedad de las mismas. Desde NH han explicado que el acuerdo supondría oportunidades de venta cruzada entre ambas mediante el establecimiento de una relación comercial entre NH y otras áreas de negocio del Grupo HNA, tales como aerolíneas y turoperadores.

Cae participación de Estados Unidos total importaciones RD

Importaciones de China han ido creciendo; el tercer lugar lo ocupa Venezuela, por el petróleo
Escrito por: UBALDO GUZMAN MOLINA (u.guzman@hoy.com.do)

La participación porcentual del comercio de Estados Unidos con República Dominicana descendió de 42.20% en 2009 a 38.99% en 2010, aunque registró un ligero aumento en el monto total, según los anuarios de comercio exterior de esos años dados a conocer ayer por la Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE).

En 2009, la República Dominicana importó bienes de los Estados Unidos por US$5,090,598,000 mientras en 2010 sus importaciones sumaron US$5,907,253,000.

Las importaciones China se incrementó porcentualmente de 10.09% a 10.66%. Las importaciones de China sumaron US$1,216,927,000 en 2009 y crecieron a US$1,615,672,000 en 2010.

En tercer lugar figura Venezuela, de donde el país importó bienes por valor de US$655,754,000 en el 2009 y aumentó a US$1,083 millones, 932,000 en 2010.

República Dominicana importa mayormente petróleo de Venezuela a través del acuerdo Petrocaribe.

El cuarto lugar en importaciones figura México, con US$538,770,000 en el 2009 y US$908,646,000 en el 2010.

Según la ONE, Colombia ocupa en quinto lugar en las participación de las importaciones dominicanas, con US$526,932,000 en 2009 y US$578,849,000 en 2010.

Los datos fueron ofrecidos ayer por el director de la ONE, Pablo Tactuk, en una rueda de prensa en la que pusieron en circulación cinco documentos.

Los países que siguen en importaciones del país son en orden descendente, Trinidad y Tobago, Brasil, Japón, España y Alemania.

Trinidad y Tobago exportó al país en 2010 bienes por US$468,420,000.

Las importaciones desde Brasil representaron para el mismo año US$355 millones, 434,000; las de Japón sumaron US$321,977,000, mientras que desde España se importaron US$274,000 y Alemania US$270,624.

La República Dominicana realiza importaciones desde países tan lejanos como Laos, Nueva Guinea, Camboya, Etiopía, Corea del Sur, Vietnam, Pakistán y Afganistán.

De acuerdo con los datos de la ONE, las importaciones de Costa Rica alcanzaron US$221,728,000 en el 2010. Desde Italia el país importó el año pasado mercancías por US$195 millones 547,000.

Las importaciones desde Canadá totalizaron el año pasado US$192,878,000, mientras que desde Argentina se importaron bienes por US$161,645,000.

Del Reino Unido, el país importó durante el 2010 bienes por un valor de US$156,437,000.

Las importaciones desde Francia sumaron el año pasado US$115,769,000; las de Haití sumaron US$16 millones 221,000.

Según “El Anuario Comercio Exterior 2010”, la República Dominicana importó desde Cuba US$23 millones 959 mil.

Por otro lado, el déficit en el saldo comercial de 2009 fue de US$7,410.7 millones y se incrementó a US$9,864.8 millones en el 2010, debido al crecimiento experimentado en las exportaciones (12.60%) fue triplicado por el de las importaciones (37.17%).

Mientras las exportaciones hacia Estados Unidos y Haití representaron el año pasado el 73.31%.

Zoom

Importaciones combustibles

1. Las importaciones de combustibles se incrementaron un 18.88% en el 2010 en relación con el 2009.

2. Las importaciones de combustibles en el 2009 fueron de US$2,654,536,820.10 y pasaron a US$3,155,707,286.40 en 2010.

Las importaciones per cápita aumentaron debido a que crecieron a un ritmo mayor que el número de habitantes.



fuente:: http://hoy.com.do/economia/2011/5/17...portaciones-RD

Empresas rusas podrían invertir unos 800 millones de dólares en proyectos turísticos en este país
05.04.2011
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Vladimir F. Zaemsky, embajador de Rusia en Venezuela, con concurrencia en República Dominicana
Vladimir F. Zaemsky, embajador de Rusia en Venezuela, con concurrencia en República Dominicana

República Dominicana. El embajador de Rusia en Venezuela, Vladimir F. Zaemsky, aseguró durante una conferencia impartida en esta nación, como parte de un viaje oficial, que el empresariado de su país podría materializar en el futuro proyectos valorados en 800 millones de dólares y focalizados en el sector turístico y de bienes raíces de esta isla, que según dijo se mantiene como el destino de Caribe más atractivo para los turistas rusos.

Para confirmar esta aseveración, el diplomático hizo referencia a un estudio del Centro Ruso de Investigación de Opinión Pública, denominado “Verano 2010: Planes de descanso de los ciudadanos rusos”, cuyo levantamiento indicaba que la mayoría de los viajeros de esa nación tenía intención de visitar la zona del Caribe, y que de esa mayoría cerca de un 30% se interesaba en los atractivos dominicanos.

Sin embargo, y según acotó Zaemsky, “las dos naciones tienen que superar algunos escollos protocolares para que este aspecto del intercambio se mantenga en aumento”. Mencionó en este punto el tema de las visas, ratificando que es algo que preocupa al gobierno de su país, “pues algunos ciudadanos pueden entrar al territorio dominicano sin la visa, mientras otros son molestados por la falta de este documento”.

De acuerdo con un reporte de Resumen Turismo, al ser cuestionado sobre las otras áreas de inversión que interesan a los capitales rusos en República Dominicana, el embajador mencionó las zonas francas, el transporte y la cooperación energética.

Zaemsky dijo que también ambos países analizan un proyecto de modernización de puertos, y las posibilidades de incursionar juntos en el área de explotación de yacimientos de metales preciosos y minerales no metálicos. “La realización de las posibilidades existentes depende en gran medida de la creación de la base legislativa de cooperación. En primer lugar, se trata de un acuerdo comercial y un acuerdo sobre fomento mutuo y protección de inversiones”.

Vladimir F. Zaemsky tiene el rango de ministro extraordinario y plenipotenciario de segunda clase, además de ser el embajador en Venezuela, con concurrencia en República Dominicana.

fuente::: http://www.caribbeannewsdigital.com/...res-en-proyect

República Dominicana busca una mayor inversión china en su territorio
24.04.2011
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República Dominicana aspira a que la inversión de China en su territorio se extienda a otros sectores más allá del turismo, y con ese propósito fortalecerá sus relaciones con Beijing. Así lo ha declarado en entrevista exclusiva con la agencia Xinhua, la representante de la Oficina de Desarrollo Comercial de la isla caribeña en el país asiático, Rosa Ng Báez, quien destacó que entre las áreas que se quieren potenciar se encuentran la energía, la minería y las comunicaciones.

"Nuestro objetivo principal es fortalecer las relaciones y vínculos que históricamente unen al pueblo dominicano y al pueblo chino, dando formal cumplimiento al acuerdo establecido mediante el Memorándum de 1997 firmado por las cancillerías de ambos países para el intercambio comercial, cultural, turístico, tecnológico y científico", dijo.

La representante comercial dominicana afirmó que el presidente de su país, Leonel Fernández, así como el canciller Carlos Morales Troncoso le han encomendado mostrar al gobierno y al pueblo chinos el respeto, aprecio y deseos de República Dominicana de fortalecer "nuestras relaciones de amistad y cooperación".

Ng Báez agregó que dar a conocer a República Dominicana y sus bellezas naturales y su gran potencial turístico será una sus principales metas, lo mismo que continuar promoviendo el intercambio turístico dominicano hacia China.

Según un reporte de almomento.net que reproduce esta entrevista, la funcionaria también recordó lo manifestado por el comisario general de la Expo Universal Shanghai 2010, Wang Jingzhen, al ministro de Turismo dominicano Francisco Javier García, en el sentido de que el gobierno dominicano y sus sectores turísticos pueden aprovechar el gran potencial de turismo externo que desarrolla un gran porcentaje de la población china.

"Mientras, el gobierno dominicano desea mostrar sus buenos deseos y voluntad de avanzar en los órdenes del fortalecimiento de las relaciones comerciales y culturales y estrechar los lazos históricos de amistad", afirmó la funcionaria, en cuanto a las relaciones entre ambos países.

Ng Báez destacó que el intercambio comercial entre ambos países ha alcanzado por lo menos 700 millones de dólares anuales en los últimos años, y señaló que durante 2009 y 2010 este intercambio permitió que República Dominicana obtuviera mayores beneficios.

La funcionaria dijo que su gobierno considera importante que los productores dominicanos puedan explorar el mercado de China para poder vender sus productos a ese país y de esta manera lograr un mayor equilibrio en dicho intercambio comercial, "que por lo visto es el segundo en importancia en el Caribe luego de Cuba".

"Dado que estamos hablando de que China cuenta con una población de mas de 1.300 millones de habitantes y que un alto porcentaje de dicha población cuenta con un elevado nivel de vida y consumo, para República Dominicana, al igual que para los países de la región tanto del Caribe como de América Latina, es importante lograr introducir nuestros productos en el mercado chino", dijo Ng Báez.

La representante comercial resaltó el hecho de que China se ha convertido en líder de las tecnologías y que es mucho lo que se puede aprender y lograr en intercambio tecnológico para el beneficio y avance de nuestros pueblos en la región.

Según Ng Báez, el hecho de que China sea ya la segunda economía del mundo, significa que necesariamente hay que dirigirse hacia ese país y al Oriente, y que los países caribeños deben aprovechar las coyunturas que ofrece la globalización de los mercados para propiciar y aprovechar el intercambio comercial, cultural y de otros órdenes con el gigante asiático.

"Los beneficios estarán siempre con relación del adecuado equilibrio de estos intercambios comerciales", agregó.

Ng Báez señaló que República Dominicana cuenta con grandes potenciales que pueden ser de interés para China, como su posición geográfica privilegiada para conexiones con el resto del continente, la existencia de materias primas de minerales diversos, una basta y avanzada red de comunicaciones y las playas más hermosas del Caribe.

fuente::: http://www.caribbeannewsdigital.com/...-su-territorio

1. President Fernandez meets John Calipari
President Leonel Fernandez has met with University of Kentucky Basketball Coach John Calipari who recently accepted the challenge to get the Dominican Basketball Men's Team into the 2012 London Olympics. The team needs to qualify at the Tournament of the Americas in Argentina this August.

President Fernandez received Calipari at the Presidential Palace yesterday.

During his visit marking the official acceptance of the challenge, Calipari announced at a news conference that former Lakers' coach Del Harris and former St. John's standout Felipe Lopez would be on his staff, along with Orlando Antigua and Rod Strickland who work with him at UK. Antigua and Felipe Lopez were both teammates on the national basketball team that in 1998 came the closest to representing the country in the Olympics and World championships for the first time in the history of its program.

Orlando Antigua is the only Dominican to have played for the Harlem Globetrotters.

During his visit, Calipari was given a tour of local basketball sports facilities. He also visited the Cathedral of Santo Domingo and the tomb of Columbus at the Columbus Lighthouse. Tomorrow he travels to Haiti.

In addition to coaching the national men's basketball team, Calipari will also work on a nationwide program to train coaches to improve basketball standards in the country.

2. Cleveland Indians baseball academy
President Leonel Fernandez was present at Monday's ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Cleveland Indians Academy in El Cajuilito, Guerra, in the province of Santo Domingo. Fernandez received a baseball shirt with his name and No. 1 from Cleveland Indians president Paul Dolan at the ceremony. The RD$100 million training center will be used to train Dominican and Latin American talents. It has capacity for housing 72 players, two baseball fields, and modern training areas.

3. Hopefuls file in to Presidential Palace
President Leonel Fernandez continued his series of meetings with the PLD presidential hopefuls at the Presidential Palace yesterday, meeting separately with Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, Radhames Segura, Franklin Almeyda and Francisco Dominguez Brito to discuss the internal election process. It is expected that the President will meet with the possible candidate Jose Tomas Perez today. Last Sunday, Fernandez also met with Danilo Medina, who, according to the polls, heads the PLD list of nomination hopefuls.

Each meeting went on for about half an hour and the aim, according to Segura, is for the PLD to come together massively in the election process so that in the end the process is "a festival of democracy". "President Fernandez wants to hear about their own situation from the lips of each one of the candidates and to try to ensure that the work done inside the party is carried out in as democratic an environment as possible", he said.

Recent polls show that the PLD would lose to former President Hipolito Mejia if the election were held now.

4. Labor and management to meet today
After a month of stalled talks on the minimum salaries, management returns today to sit down at the table with workers' representatives. The private sector is willing to up the offer but only in reference to the minimum wage. The president of the Dominican Management Confederations (Copardom), Jaime Gonzalez, reiterated this stance yesterday and seemed confident that a favorable agreement might be reached as a result of the meeting.

Copardom met yesterday afternoon to establish the percentage that management could offer, but Gonzalez said that it would be higher than the 11.58% that they offered at the previous meeting. The workers, represented by the CNUS, have kept to their position of a 25% increase to the minimum wage and an across-the-board 20% increase on all other salaries up to RD$50,000.

Diario Libre reports that Gonzalez said, nevertheless, that the express mandate of management is that the minimum wage should be increased, which, he said, has a spiraling effect on all the other salaries. "Each one has positions and each one will be discussed, in order to see how feasible they are and this is part of the negotiations and once we sit down at the table we can analyze which ones are the possible proposals", he said. He told reporters that before today's meeting, both management as well as the unions have been in constant communication with the Minister of Labor, Max Puig, who served as a mediator after the CNUS decided to leave the discussions, upset over the low management offer. The last wage review was in June 2009. Gonzalez seemed hopeful that with today's meeting it might be possible to achieve, besides finishing the issue of the wage increase, a renewal of the dialogue that for years has been stalemated with very different positions between management and the CNUS.

He implied that they might return to talk about the issue of social security, discuss the different types of salaries in the future, the salary levels, and also touch on the possibility of reviewing the salaries each year, as the CNUS has suggested. He said that there were also some points in the labor laws that, in his judgment make things difficult for labor and management. Today's meeting between labor and management, which together with the government make up the National Salaries Committee (CNS), is set for 10 this morning at the Ministry of Labor offices.

5. FINJUS calls attention to Olivares
The Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) has welcomed a proposal by Central Electoral Board (JCE) judge Eddy Olivares who asked the President to call a meeting of the nation's political leadership to reach a consensus on several important laws currently stuck in Congress. FINJUS president Servio Tulio Castanos Guzman described the proposal as "timely" and urged the President to follow through on it. Olivares, a member of the re-structured JCE, which itself needs to be reorganized to conform to the new Constitution, asked the President to push for the passage of the Law on Political Parties and the reformed Electoral Law (275-97) as well as the laws dealing with the National Council of Magistrates and the Constitutional Court, as reported in Hoy.

6. Jamaica slaps sanction on DR
Jamaica has reacted quickly to the languid process going on in Santo Domingo involving 2,500 tons of Jamaican cement currently being held in Customs pending some paperwork. Jamaica put an immediate hold on all cement imports from the Dominican Republic. The Jamaican Minister of Industry and Commerce, Karl Samuda, told the Kingston Daily Gleaner that he was obliged to take this action after the Dominican Republic did not react to the demand made by Jamaica last Friday. ProConsumidor, the National Institute of Consumer Rights Protection, has halted the marketing and sale of 58,000 bags of Jamaican cement imported by the Caribbean Cement Company Limited (Carib Cement) because it does not have a quality permit issued by the Dominican Ministry of Public Works.

Carib Cement does have a permit to import the cement, but the permit states that they need the quality certification from Public Works before it can be sold. Carib Cement has requested such a permit from the Ministry. El Caribe says that the Dominican Cement Producers Association expects a satisfactory solution to the incident. The local quality control department, Digenor, issued a no-objection permit for the entry, based on quality certification in the country of origin.

7. Electricity bills up RD$16 billion in 4 years
Bills from the electricity distributors have gone up by more than RD$16.2 billion, rising from RD$29.8 billion in 2005 to RD$46.2 billion in 2009. The National Office of Statistics (ONE) released these figures at a press conference yesterday. The information is contained in a new report called "Dominican Republic in Numbers". The report also says that generation increased from 9,823 Gigawatts in 2005 to 11,529 Gigawatts in 2009. ONE says that the 2010 edition of the report includes information from 2005-2009 on demographic, economic, social, cultural, political, administrative, and judicial aspects of the country as well as on the progress made towards the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in the Dominican Republic, as reported in El Nuevo Diario.

8. Judge released and prosecutor appeals
In the case where two men were picked up at sea in an open boat with a suitcase stuffed with US$1,269,000 in cash, the three judges of the Second Collegiate Tribunal of the northeastern province of Maria Trinidad Sanchez ordered the release of the two men and the return of their property, because of irregularities in the case. The Justice Department representative in Samana, Juan Medina de los Santos, described the decision as "serious", and labeled it a judicial mistake. The judges said that because the money had not been seized by the Drug Control Department (DNCD) or the National Police but by the Customs Department, which lacks the authority to search and seize, they ordered the release and the return of the money.

The DNCD is now on board and is investigating the two prisoners to see whether the money comes from illegal sources. The chief justice of the Supreme Court said that if anyone was in disagreement with the decision they should file an appeal, as reported in El Nuevo Diario.

9. Figueroa Agosto rode motorcycles in 2000
During her plea-bargaining testimony in court, Leavy Nin Batista revealed that she discovered the true identity of Jose David Figueroa Agosto four years after they met and had been together, in 2000, when the alleged capo used to travel around on a motorcycle and spoke with a Puerto Rican accent. According to the files, Madeline Bernard and her murdered husband, the Lt. Colonel of the National Police, Jose Amado Gonzalez Gonzalez, as well as Eddy Brito Martinez, the former husband of Sobeida Feliz Morel, all knew that Cristian Almonte and/or Ramon Sanchez was really Figueroa Agosto. She went so far as to say that Brito had attended Figueroa Agosto's mother's funeral in Puerto Rico some two or three years ago. She said that the defendant knew the alleged capo through his brother, Jorge Luis (Figueroa Agosto).

She said that three months after meeting Figueroa Agosto, they began a relationship, and she knew him only as Cristian Almonte Peguero, born in the Dominican Republic but raised in Puerto Rico, where he had unspecified businesses. Nin Batista continued by saying that when he was picked up by the National Drug Control Department (DNCD), together with herself, in 2001, she said that the answer that they gave was that this was some "confusion" because they were looking for Felipe Rodriguez for some drug problems. "At this time I met Eddy Brito and Sobeida", she said.

Given the alleged confusion that caused Nin Batista to spend nine days in detention and Figueroa Agosto 21, they planned to change both their identities. The defendant said that the alleged capo told her that because of what had happened, he was not going to be relaxed, and therefore he decided to change his identity. She was asked how Figueroa Agosto, at that time known as Felipe Rodriguez, was able to get another identity and her response was: "I understand that the one of Cristian Almonte Peguero was provided by a girlfriend, that is the mother's cedula (ID card and voter registration), which was used for the process. The rest I don't know about".

She said that Ingrid Rodriguez had facilitated the procedure, which was also done by Figueroa Agosto's wife in order to obtain another identity by taking her birth certificate. While she said that Madeline Bernard was the person who got her stepfather, Ruben Soto Hayat to sign the papers, when the villa in Casa de Campo was acquired, and she knew that Cristian Almonte and/or Ramon Sanchez was Figueroa Agosto. In the end the sale was transferred to Fior Jensen, her own new identity. She said that when she went to Spain, Dolfy Pelaez took charge of her luxurious Range Rover. "As a result of this, when I was in Spain, I called to tell them to take it out and sell it if they needed money, but they told me that the Range, I don't know what happened, that they had parked it someplace and somebody did not want to return it, but in the press I learned that it was hidden I don't know where, that somebody returned it," she said.

10. Court seizes assets in Santiago and SFM
After finding a suitcase stuffed with millions of dollars, agents from the Money Laundering Unit of the Attorney General's office seized a farm and other assets in Santiago and San Francisco de Macoris. The Attorney General of the Republic's Asset Laundering Unit director, German Miranda Villalona, reported yesterday that together with the District Attorney of Santiago, a farm and other properties in the cities of Santiago and San Francisco de Macoris were seized. The action was taken after the discovery by the Customs Department of a suitcase filled with millions of dollars coming from New York. Miranda Villalona said that a Dominican by the name of Jose Marte is involved in the case.

He said that international cooperation was requested from the United States authorities via the Attorney General of the Republic, in order to follow the clues in this case. He said that the case came up after some contraband was detected by Customs, where a suitcase full of money was confiscated from someone who was living in the San Francisco de Macoris area. Miranda Villalona said that afterwards, in coordination with the Customs and Migration departments, they decided to extend the investigation, which, in his judgment is giving positive results in the fight against money laundering.

The authorities have also carried out several search warrants including one in a law office, and they have confiscated several properties, including a cattle farm with more than 54 head of cattle and several pigs. The authorities also carried out operations and searches in San Francisco de Macoris where apartment buildings under construction were seized. Miranda Villalona reported that the operations would continue in coordination with the District Attorney of Santiago.

11. Coffee anyone?
The Dominican Republic produces some of the world's best coffee. Now, a major scientific study just published in the United States says that men who drink a lot of coffee are at lower risk of getting prostate cancer. Men who drank six or more cups of coffee had a 60% less chance of developing the most deadly type of prostate cancer and a 20% less chance of contracting any other type of prostate cancer. The study comes from the School of Public Health at Harvard University. Furthermore, drinking from one to three cups of coffee a day appears to reduce by a third the danger of getting the most deadly type of prostate cancer. Lorelei Mucci, the Harvard professor who led the study said that "few studies have researched in detail the relationship between coffee consumption and the risk of deadly prostate cancer". Her team studied 47,911 men from the United States. Of these subjects, 5,035 developed cancer of which 642 were fatal. Since the effects on cancer risks were the same for coffee with caffeine and for de-caffeinated coffee, the study suggests that the benefits come from the anti-oxidants and the anti-inflammatory elements in coffee.

12. JetBlue announces La Romana flight
JetBlue has announced plans to add La Romana as its fifth destination in the Dominican Republic. This is the 67th city served by the airline. The flight is subject to government approval. The airline has plans to begin flying to La Romana from 16 November 2011, in time for seasonal traffic. The flight will initially be on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flights are on sale now for as low as US$99 each way plus taxes and charges through Wednesday, 1 June.

The proposed schedule of the JFK to LRM flights are departing JFK at 8:36am, arriving at 1:31pm. The return flight from LRM to JFK would depart at 2:26pm and arrive at 5:26pm.

13. Rains ease drought in northwest
After six months of intense drought conditions, it has rained in Santiago Rodriguez. This week's rains are beginning to revive the cattle farms where hundreds of animals were lost along with millions of pesos, because of a lack of feed. According to a report in today's Listin Diario, while rains fell in Santiago Rodriguez, other areas of the northwest region are still waiting for relief. A representative of cattle ranchers in the region said that at last the rains bring the hope that things will improve. The National Milk Industry Council (Conaleche) has announced plans to develop over 1000 hectares of grasslands to provide feed for cattle in the area. The Ministry of Agriculture, Conaleche and private farmers will covered the cost in a joint initiative. Conaleche spokesman Guarionex Gell said that local farmers would have to deal with seasonal droughts much like farmers in temperate regions have to deal with long winters. Government agencies and cattle ranchers associations have distributed 350 tons of citrus pulp, 19,100 bales of hay, and 150 quintals of molasses to feed the farm animals.

14. Construexpo
The engineering community in the Dominican Republic comes together for the 19-22 Construexpo trade show at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel. The fair is in its 12 year. Some 114 stands set up and 63 companies will be attending this year. The opening is on Thursday, 19 May at 6:30pm, and from 20 May it will be open to the general public from 10am to 10pm. New to market products and leading Dominican construction companies are participating.

15. India and the Dominican Republic
Indian ambassador Deepak Bhojwani is inviting the public to learn more about business and cultural opportunities for exchanges between the Dominican Republic and India. In his ongoing campaign to educate Dominicans about India, he will give the address "India, a Partner in the South" at the auditorium of the Funglode at Capitan Eugenio de Marchena 236 in La Esperilla. The event takes place on Wednesday, 25 May at 7pm.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

Good job juancito!!. Nice Thread. :)

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1. President Fernandez in New York
President Leonel Fernandez will give the keynote speech at the 2011 commencement ceremonies for New York University's Law School Master of Laws (LL.M.) graduates on Friday at 4:30pm. This degree is obtained by some lawyers after getting their regular law degree. On Friday, President Fernandez will also attend a luncheon in his honor hosted by the dean of the Law School of New York University, Richard Revesz.

Meetings at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and other business meetings are also on agenda for his weekend trip to New York City, from Thursday to Sunday.

The Presidency reports that Fernandez will meet with members of the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Pro-Investment and Commerce Committee at 8:30pm this evening. He will also meet with the president of RLJ Companies, Robert L. Johnson.

On Saturday, he will speak at an event organized by the Dominican-American National Round Table (DANR) on Dominican-American Elected and Appointed Officials and the Dominican Republic. In the evening he will attend a cocktail reception organized by DANR.

www.rljcompanies.com/companies/
http://danr.org/
www.ushcc.com

2. Recognizing grassroots music legends
President Leonel Fernandez honored three grassroots musicians yesterday. By decree 318-11, President Fernandez granted the decoration in the order of merit of Duarte, Sanchez and Mella in the rank of caballero (knight) to accordion players Rafael Francisco Ulloa, Gonzalez Alvarado Ferreira (El Cieguito de Nagua) and Rafael Ramos Roman (Rafelito Roman). The honor is awarded on the grounds of the major merits of the three who have taken traditional Dominican music around the world, aside from rescuing Dominican typical merengue.

3. IT meeting at Funglode
At a session on IT trends and the business community in the DR, technology experts Harry Bims and Steve Cochran said that data generation is growing by 40% every year and in the next three years 90% of the traffic on the Internet will be in video format. The experts, speaking at a work session at Funglode attended by President Leonel Fernandez, said that the DR could be competitive in the IT sector. They mentioned its geographic advantages as an interconnecting global point and platforms such as NAP of the Caribbean.

The experts highlighted that it was important for the country to keep people who are trained in IT engineering, increased training and attracting skilled workers back from the Diaspora.

http://www.funglode.org/SalaPrensa/Detalledelart%C3%ADculo/tabid/82/smid/370/ArticleID/1239/reftab/37/Default.aspx?&dnnprintmode=true&SkinSrc=%5BG%5DSkins%2F_default%2FNo+Skin&ContainerSrc=%5BG%5DContainers%2F_default%2FNo+Container

4. 17% increase in minimum wage
Labor Minister Max Puig has announced that business and labor representatives agreed to a 17% increase in the minimum wage at a meeting of the National Wage Committee held yesterday. The increase will be applied to wages as of the second half of the month. This means that workers making the RD$8,465 minimum wage will now receive RD$9,905. Workers making the medium level of the minimum wage at RD$5,820 will receive RD$6,810 and those at the lower rank of the minimum wage at RD$5,158 will receive RD$6,035 a month.

The sectors also agreed to increase the wages of farm laborers from RD$175 to RD$205 per day, and the wages of private security guards from RD$7,142 to RD$8,356.

Labor sectors had sought a 25% wage increase of the minimum wage and 20% for workers making up to RD$50,000 a month.

5. Jamaican cement would be cheaper
Carib Cement representatives in the DR, Distribuidora de Cemento S.R.L. say that the comparatively low price of the Jamaican cement being held in customs is what is behind the current customs holdup. The product would go to market at a price of RD$240-RD$260 per 100-lb bag, compared to the local price of RD$310 for the locally produced cement. They say Dominican producers fear the competition.

The import is being banned on grounds that it does not have no-objection certificate issued by the Ministry of Public Works. Reportedly the certificate request was made on 20 April, but the Ministry has 28 days to issue the certificate.

But on the other hand, the local quality control department, Digenor, has said that there are no laboratories in the country that can certify the quality of the cement.

The 2.5 million kilo shipment of cement, which is packed in 58,800 42.5-kilogram bags, has been retained at the Boca Chica port for almost three weeks now.

Jamaican Industry and Commerce Minister Karl Samuda has reciprocated with measures that will make it more difficult for Dominican exporters of cement to sell in the Jamaican market.

Defending the local measures, Industry and Commerce Minister Manuel Garcia Arevalo said that local producers are demanding the same quality parameters requested of Jamaican cement. Docemca importers say they had imported the cement before, and did not have to present a no-objetion certificate from the Ministry of Public Works. The certification obtained from Digenor was sufficient. Digenor issued the certificate based on a certificate of quality from the Jamaican quality control department.

6. In-depth look into Dominican provinces
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) gave a preliminary report on human development levels in nine provinces of the southwest and northwest yesterday. The insights are intended to help planners and the authorities to focus investments in the areas of health, education and to reduce levels of political patronage in the use of government funds.

UNDP representative Valerie Julliand said the reports sought to launch discussions on the living conditions of Dominicans in the interior of the country. The first reports analyze life in the provinces of Elias Pina, San Juan, Dajabon, Azua, San Jose de Ocoa, Peravia, Montecristi and Valverde. It makes clear that the further people live from Greater Santo Domingo, the fewer opportunities they have.

The report showed major deficiencies in health, quality of education, physical and verbal violence in schools, deficit of classrooms, discrimination against women and lack of knowledge and fulfillment of laws, among other issues.

Yesterday, more than 400 people, mainly legislators, government officials, and representatives from civil society organizations, political parties, universities and media took part in the start of the information review process of the reports at the Hotel V Centenario Santo Domingo.

www.pnud.org.do

7. Political dilemma
The six pre-candidates for the PLD presidential nomination in the 20 May 2012 presidential election are faced with the dilemma of the waning popularity of the Fernandez government. The dilemma for the candidates is to keep their distance from the government or present themselves as a continuation of the Fernandez government.

El Caribe analyzes the way each of the aspiring candidates seeks to capitalize on the government's achievements and distance themselves from the problems that are known to provoke most disapproval.

Medina has based his campaign on slogans n with "continue what is right, correct what is wrong and do what has never been done" as his battle cry. As reported in El Caribe, the plan is to establish a difference but not break from the influential Fernandez leadership.

Francisco Dominguez Brito points to his own time as prosecutor general, which went by without scandal. He attacks corruption in government, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the decision on who will represent the party will be made mostly by government officials in the primary.

Vice President Rafael Alburquerque focuses on his own work in government, where he has managed RD$11 billion in social programs. He promises to continue the work of the President, which differentiates him from Medina.

Jose Tomas Perez focuses on two sectors where the PLD government has been criticized n farming and education. He calls for them to be re-engineered and for more technology.

Radhames Segura talks about strengthening education and dedicating 4% of the budget to education. He proposes to conclude the infrastructure works begun by the government and increase the social services budget allocation.

Franklin Almeyda promises to reduce poverty and pledged to build 600,000 new homes in four years. He points to his record building houses when at the Ministry of Interior & Police, as part of the Barrio Seguro neighborhood safety enhancement programs.

In an interview in today's Listin Diario, Danilo Medina, who is considered the most popular of the PLD aspiring candidates, says he counts on the votes of President Leonel Fernandez. Fernandez has said he would be neutral into the primary. Fernandez supporters owned up to 2 million votes. Listin Diario concludes that whoever is the PLD candidate into the 20 May election should be able to count on the support of President Fernandez. "That is the combination of all our efforts. Of the party, of the President, of the candidate. They all add up," he said. He feels he is on the way. "Without being the candidate I have 40% of the population, that is a lot," he said.

If he wins the primary, it will be Medina's second run for President. In 2000 he ran against Hipolito Mejia who returns as the PRD candidate in 2012.

8. Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance
2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. A new museum, the Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance, opens on 29 May at Arzobispo Nouel 210 in the Colonial City to commemorate the date. The museum has 168,000 documents on the Trujillo regime that because of their importance have been declared UNESCO documental historical heritage.

The 30 de Mayo Foundation, which honors the memory of the victims of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo during his 30 years in power, said yesterday in a press conference that more than 50,000 people had been killed during the dictatorship. Included in this number are the estimated 17,000 Haitians who were massacred when Trujillo ordered mass killings to discourage more migrants from crossing the border. In addition to this, thousands of people were tortured at several jails nationwide during the regime. The data appears in the National Center for Registration of Victims, Tortured and Disappeared of the Museum of Resistance. The department is headed by historian Franklyn Franco.

Museum Director Luisa de Pena Diaz told Hoy newpaper that Trujillo had the support of an association of dictators to commit crimes abroad against those who left as exiles. Trujillo's collaborators included Anastacio Somoza of Nicaragua, Francisco Franco of Spain, Marcos Perez Jimenez of Venezuela, Carlos Castillo Armas of Guatemala, Fulgencio Batista of Cuba and Gustavo Rojas Pinilla of Colombia. The museum research shows at least 100 Dominicans were killed abroad for crimes linked to the regime

Most of the crimes were committed in the first and last decade of the regime, the 1930s and 1950s. In the 1940s, she said that the regime promoted the creation of political parties (like the Partido Democratico Revolucionario Dominicano) to give the impression of freedom in the country.

Former president of the foundation, Luis Manuel Pellerano Amiama said that in addition to crime and torture, the regime was characterized by a lack of freedom of expression, freedom to travel, religion and property ownership. "That is the other side of the regime that went beyond crime. That is why the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the murder of Trujillo is a landmark in the republican history of the country, because then democracy began with its advances and backward steps," said director De Pena.

De Pena said that the criminal history of Trujillo did not start in 1930, when he became President, but when he entered the Police, and before the decade of the 1920s he engaged in stealing cattle. She said that the crimes he committed in those years are not registered, because when he assumed the Presidency he burned the archives where there were two cases documenting association with criminals and bribery among other charges.

Pena said that the worst inheritance Trujillo left Dominicans were not the crimes, but the degradation of Dominican society with political patronage, and the cult to personality that we still suffer today.

9. Dutch national arrested with cocaine at PUJ
The Drug Control Department (DNCD) announced the arrest of Dutch citizen Sonata Sattijananad, 54, prior to his boarding a Jet Air Fly flight to Brussels, Belgium. He was checked after being on a list of suspect travelers. His luggage was checked thoroughly and 1 kilo and 360 grams of a substance suspected of being cocaine was found in a camera bag. He will be arraigned at a Higuey court today.

10. Soriano Familia off limits for probe
Police Colonel Elvis Florencio Soriano Familia is off limits for investigation in the case of drug trafficker Jose David Figueroa Agosto. Major General Rolando Rosado Mateo, head of the National Drug Control Department defended Soriano Familia. He was initially mentioned during the arrest of Sobeida Felix Morel, when she was first identified as the girlfriend of fugitive Jose David Figueroa Agosto. She accused him of taking one of the bags of money with around US$1.5 million in cash. At the time, she also outspokenly held him responsible for her security.

Yesterday Rosado Mateo defended Soriano Familia against all accusations, as reported in El Dia.

He said that a board of officers had recommended the expulsion from the Armed Forces of 13 officers and corporals assigned to the anti-drug agency for their ties to a 33-kilo drug seizure that was intended for export to Canada through Puerto Plata International Airport. "We have dismissed and sent to justice more than 100 officers and agents of the DNCD and the Airport Security Corps (CESA) in the past two years for their links to the airport mafias," said Rosado Mateo as reported in Listin Diario.

The dismissed officers are: Colonel Ramon A. Vasquez Diaz, Captain Genetti Moronta, First Lieutenants Franskimy Moreno Salcedo and Randy Francisco Grullon, the first three from the Army the fourth from the Air Force. He also recommended the expulsion of Sergeant Majors Duarte Simon Pierre of the Army, and Gerardo Santana de los Santos, Joan Manuel Vargas Lugo and Beltran Espino Green of the Air Force.

Mateo reported that the smuggling networks in operation at the airports have been weakened. He said hundreds of kilos had been exported via these networks but that seizures at the airport are up 90% so far this year.

11. Figueroa Agosto funded plastic surgery
Miss World Dominican Republic 2007 enhanced her figure thanks to plastic surgery paid for by Puerto Rican drug trafficker Jose David Figueroa Agosto who was posing as an architect with the fake identity of Christian Almonte. The TV host of Digital 15 show Tu manana, which she produces with Alex Macia, learned the information was public after receiving calls that plastic surgeon Edgar Contreras had named her when testifying about Figueroa Agosto paying for operations for several Dominican women, including TV hosts. In an interview with Listin Diario she confirmed accepting the funding for her operation, but denied she had ties with the trafficker.

www.noticiassin.com/2011/05/carolyn-aquino-admite-figueroa-agosto-le-patrocino-operacion-de-los-senos/
http://foro.univision.com/t5/Reinas-de-Republica-Dominicana/Foto-de-Carolyne-Aquino/m-p/255929462

12. 30 years for murderer
Deylin Oscar Perez Paredes (alias Cara de Beta) was declared guilty of the murder of Kaisha Patricia Requena Grullon. He was convicted to 30 years at La Victoria Jail.

She resisted to a mugging upon arriving to her home in El Millon the evening of 5 August 2009. Judges Sarah Veras Almanzar, Ingrid Soraya Fernandez Mendez and Teofilo Andujar ordered a compensation payment of RD$5 million to the woman's parents. According to the case, Cara de Beta, accompanied by a minor and on a motorbike, intercepted Requena to steal her handbag. When she resisted, the convict fired three bullets that killed her.

13. Bartolo Colon again shows his stuff
The new Bartolo Colon pitched eight scoreless innings in the 15-inning game against the Baltimore Orioles won by his New York Yankees 4-1 yesterday. Colon left the game with only a one-run lead to a game that went into a tie that ran into the 15th inning. Fellow Dominican Robinson Cano saved the 4 hours and 56 minutes game for Colon when he batted a double that brought in two runs in the 15th inning, breaking the 1-1 tie.

Colon's outstanding performance keeps him in the spotlight as a medical miracle. In an operation in the DR, Dr. Joseph Purita, an orthopedic surgeon from Florida, accompanied by Dominican colleagues, injected bone marrow stem cells from Colon himself into his elbow and shoulder. The operation is cited as the reason for Colon's return to his best days performance. The injection is proven to have helped repair ligament damage and a torn rotator cuff. Dr. Joseph Purita, an orthopedic surgeon from Florida has said this is the future of sports medicine and recommends that Pedro Martinez undergo treatment.

Read more:

www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/sports/baseball/for-yankees-start-and-finish-make-up-for-whats-between.html?src=twr
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/gameflash/2011/05/18/37733_recap.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/gameflash/2011/05/18/37733_recap.html#ixzz1Mo4tmGO0

14. The Last Survivors
Once upon a time in the Antilles, there was a huge variety of mammals: sloths, monkeys, rodents and insectivores. Humans arrived and now barely 15 of these native species are left represented by two families: solenodon and hutias. They are now in danger of becoming extinct. We all need to help to conserve these species.

This Friday, 20 May at 6pm, on the 2nd floor of the Las Terrenas Town Hall, Dr. Jose Nunez and Pedro Martinez, along with the executive director of the Hispaniolan Ornithological Society (Sociedad Ornitologica de la Hispaniola n SOH), Jorge Brocca will be giving a presentation about their work with these species. The talk is being organized by the Las Terrenas Town Hall in coordination with Parque Ecotopia, SOH and The Last Survivors Project led by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

www.thelastsurvivors.org

15. Dominican cooking at the Book Fair
The Dominican cooking promoters known as "Aunt Clara" and "Aunt Ilana" will be making a personal appearance at the Esperanza Lithgow Cookbook Pavilion at the Santo Domingo Book Fair on Thursday 19th May. Hear them talk about their best-selling Aunt Clara's Dominican Cookbook and award winning cocinadominicana.com and dominicancooking.com websites, now in their 10th year. The session starts at 5pm.

16. Joel Rosario at Sunset Jazz
This Friday, 20 May's Sunset Jazz event brings young saxophonist Joel Rosario and his Quartet back to the Dominican Fiesta Hotel's top floor nightclub. They will be playing originals and classics from Latin jazz, blues, samba and swing as well as other rhythms with new fresh and innovating arrangements. Playing this evening will be Remy Taveras on drums, Alvaro Dinzey on keyboards and Esar Simo on bass. Friday, 20 May. Dominican Fiesta Hotel & Casino at Av. Anacaona 101, Mirador del Sur. 6:30pm. No cover, but reservations are needed - 809 562-8222.

For more on upcoming events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

1. Government revenues up 8.9%
The government reports that this year's revenues are up 8.9% compared to 2010, but that they have fallen by 6.6% below the estimates in the National Budget. As reported in Hoy, during the first three months of the year, the reported revenues are RD$63.28 billion, up from RD$58.12 billion in 2010. The government had estimated it would receive US$67,75 billion.

Customs revenues were 2.9% of the total, Tax Department revenues 75% and National Treasury 2.1%.

www.hoy.com.do/economia/2011/5/18/375959/Ingresos-fueron-de-RD632817-millones-en-enero-marzo-2011

2. Mobile accounts
The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) has announced that more than 243,645 mobile Internet accounts are open in the Dominican Republic within the grand total of 622,931 Internet accounts. there are almost nine million active mobile accounts in the DR, almost one per person. The Dominican population is 9,742,000, of which almost four million are Internet users, according to data from Indotel. Indotel says that household Internet penetration is 14%, nevertheless. Dominicans also pay the highest telecom taxes in Latin America, at 28%.

3. Cows for special needs children
Families with special needs children in Salcedo have received a donation of 12 dairy cows. The cows will be kept at the Diversity Care Center in the Hermanas Mirabal province. Environment Minister and former senator for the province, Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal, who is also an advisor to the center, was present. The program has the support of the Ministry of Education and is implemented by the provincial technical office. It seeks to involve the families of children with special needs in productive activities. Rosa de los Santos de Garcia, president of the Union Santa Rosa, is also one of the supporters of the initiative. As reported in El Caribe, Elena Gonzalez, president of the center, said that the initiative gives these children the prospect of earning a living and helps them become productive. "Families and institutions have the duty to include these children and transform society so that it is capable of accepting deficiencies, to understand that there are many different ways of being and that we all have the same rights," she stated during the ceremony. Manuel Acosta, father of one of the children who will take part in the program, praised the actions.

4. Following the cement trade story
Jamaican and Dominican cement producers are in dispute over their penetration of each other's markets. Local producers are responding to anti-dumping protectionist measures in Jamaica, while Jamaicans are trying to export production surplus to the Dominican market, competing on price.

Consumers may benefit from the dispute. Hardware stores report that the price of cement has dropped RD$25-RD$30, down from a peak price of RD$315 as local authorities and producers and Jamaican cement importers try to sort out the current impasse.

Recently, the consumer protection agency, ProConsumidor blocked the entry of 58,800 bags of Carib Cement from Jamaica until the Ministry of Public Works issues a no-objection certificate. ProConsumidor questioned the quality of the cement.

Docemca, the importer that is affected by the ban, claims that Dominican producers who would be affected by the lower-priced Jamaican import are behind the ban.

Meanwhile, the Association of Dominican Portland Cement Producers (Adocem) published an advertisement today criticizing Carib Cement, its representatives in the Dominican Republic and the governmental Standards and Quality Systems Department (Digenor) for "dishonest behavior, lack of transparency and violation of Dominican laws" in the import of Jamaican cement.

Adocem says the dispute dates back to 15 February 2010 when Jamaica imposed an anti-dumping order against the Dominican Republic on behalf of Carib Cement, alleging the local market was being affected. Adocem says this was not the first time this kind of order had been issued, indicating that other exporting countries including China, Thailand, Indonesia and the United States had also been affected by the protectionist barriers imposed by Jamaica. They make the point that at that time Carib Cement was not able to supply the quantity or quality of cement needed.

Adocem adds that in 2006, Carib Cement was affected by quality complaints within Jamaica itself.

In a chronological account of Carib Cement's import history, they mention that a first shipment of Carib Cement arrived on 19 March 2010 with 2,500 tons of cement. The cement was imported using a company, Materiales de Construccion El Jobo that they say was made up by people who when consulted were not aware of having formed that company for the sale and distribution of construction materials, as specified in the commercial registration.

They also make the point that the shipment was declared in Customs with a value of CIF of US$50, or about RD$80 per bag, which would be undervaluing the total to evade the corresponding Customs taxes.

In their explanation, Adocem says that on 31 August 2010, after a visit to Jamaica, the director of Digenor convened the technical committee to modify the RTD 178 regulation on cement, which consists of safety requirements and guarantees to consumers.

On 25 April 2011 a new shipment arrived with 2499 tons of cement, this time the importer was Importadora Docemca SRL. Digenor issued certificates in their favor but Adocem described them as irregular because the corresponding tests were not made. The company also ignored the need for the Ministry of Public Works to check the technical quality and strength specs before the product's local sale could be authorized.

Adocem says that Digenor issued a quality stamp without approval from the National Standards and Systems Committee, as established in Law 602.

This is why on 28 April 2011 ProConsumidor ordered the immediate removal of the cement from the market until the required process is completed.

5. Micro businesses prevail
A local poll shows that 67% of all Dominican companies are micro-businesses. Only 12% of 39,029 companies that operated formally in 2010 employed more than 50 workers. This data is from the Directory of Companies 2010 produced by the National Statistics Office (ONE), as reported in Hoy. ONE says that in the Dominican Republic 42 of every 100 companies have their main office in the National District and seven of every 10 have offices either in the National District, the province of Santo Domingo or Santiago.

Also, the stats show that in the Dominican Republic one of every three formally incorporated businesses belongs to the store category, while one in every nine is a manufacturer. But industry employs many more people. 18 of every 100 people in employment work in commerce, compared to 29 of every 100 who work in industries.

ONE says that in 2009, there were 26,000 formally organized companies.

ONE has published statistical compilations on trade for 2009 and 2010. Also available is Dominicana en Cifras (The DR in Figures) 2010, a comprehensive statistical compilation. It also publishes the Directory of Companies and Establishments 2010.

6. Venezuelan company acquires Pollo Cibao
Agritrade of Venezuela has purchased Corporacion Avicola y Ganadera Jarabacoa, best known for its Pollo Cibao brand. Corpa president Carlomagno Gonzalez announced an injection of higher international quality production standards and new technology for poultry production. "The integration of Agritade in Corpa is beneficial for all parties. It guarantees the sustainability and strengthening of the poultry industry in the Dominican Republic," said Gonzalez, after announcing the sale.

Agritrade has supplied grain to Corpa for more than 10 years.

7. The high cost of politics
Politics has cost Dominican taxpayers RD$6 billion in the past 12 years and many are wondering what has been gained. Listin Diario reports today that the Dominican government has disbursed RD$6 billion to the country's political parties since the passage of Electoral Law 275-97 that allocates funds from the National Budget to the political parties. Previously, the political parties benefited from tax exemptions in order to fund their activities. As reported in the newspaper, of the total RD$4.8 billion have been assigned to the PLD, the PRD and the PRSC.

8. Frei calls for accountability in political funding
Speaking at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) where he was named an honorary professor yesterday, former Chilean President Eduardo Frei called for the approval of a political party law as a mechanism for guaranteeing transparency in the handling of accounts and government funds allocated to politicians. Frei was visiting to attend the launch of a masters program in political studies, sponsored by the Central Electoral Board (JCE) at the PUCMM.

Frei advocated for limits on spending by the political parties. He spoke on the role of political parties and their strengthening in Latin America, while calling for limits on spending and mechanisms for accountability. He said in the rest of Latin America, as in the Dominican Republic, people do not trust the political parties. He also advocated open primaries to limit the imposition of caudillos in politics. He also criticized the fact that so many people in politics are businesspeople. "You can not be in politics and in business. That makes harmony between transparency and ties to corruption difficult," he said.

Frei was President of Chile 1994-2000 and is a senator for the region of Los Rios.

9. Cuesta's new arts tableware collection
Amaya Salazar is this year's choice for the traditional Casa Cuesta tableware collection, Coffee Art (Arte de Cafe). This year, these collectors' items are notable for the bright coloring of the painter's faceless figures. Other artists that have been featured in past collections include Dionisio Blanco, Guillo Perez, Candido Bido, Yoryi Morel, Plutarco Andujar, Elsa Nunez, Tete Marella and Jorge Severino. The collection consists of coffee cups, dessert plates, small square plates, a large square plate and a round plate.

10. Climbing Mount Everest
Strong winds thwarted a first attempt by Dominican climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest last weekend. Weather conditions have improved and the good news is that the third climber, Federico Jovine who would not have made the climb last week as he was recovering from bronchitis, has now joined Karim Mella and Ivan Gomez. They say that this Friday evening they expect to report back home they made it to the top. The team members are together at Camp 3, at an altitude of some 7,300 meters.

The trio hopes to become the first Dominicans to climb Mount Everest.

www.dr1.com/forums/dominicans-abroad/114245-follow-first-dominican-expedition-climb-mount-everest-himalayas-2.html

11. And 1 streetball coming to the DR
And 1, described as the best group of street basketball in the world, has included Santo Domingo in their 2011 tour. The team is booked or a Saturday, 18 June presentation in Santo Domingo's Palacio de los Deportes, and another on 19 June at the Gran Arena in Santiago de los Caballeros.

Streetball is a variation of the sport of basketball, that adapts the sport to playing on less formal courts. The format makes it easier for individual players to showcase their skills.

For more upcoming and ongoing events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

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Juan Dolio nueva alternativa de retiro a la tranquilidad

Zona en crecimiento Actualmente, se levantan grandes villas y torres de apartamentos; afamados intelectuales de la talla de Mario Vargas Llosa han apostado por esta comunidad

http://hoy.com.do/vivir/2011/3/2/364765/Juan-Dolio-nueva-alternativa-de-retiro-a-la-tranquilidad

Juan Dolio. Su crecimiento en la modalidad de turismo inmobiliario no es casual; esta comunidad, a sólo 35 minutos de Santo Domingo, forma, junto con Guayacanes, un municipio costero que por su belleza y tranquilidad, tanto dominicanos como extranjeros tienen los ojos bien puestos.

Dado el crecimiento reflejado en los últimos diez años, Juan Dolio se ha convertido en una opción para invertir en un lugar tranquilo, seguro y cercano a la Capital. Brinda la facilidad de invertir en villas, residencias o apartamentos con vista al mar.

Es realmente una comunidad completa donde tanto residentes como visitantes pueden disfrutar de espacios espectaculares, que deleitan visualmente, así mismo de la rica gastronomía, criolla e internacional, que ofrecen sus más de 20 restaurantes.

Al llegar a la comunidad se avista una serie de opciones a escoger, que van desde proyectos inmobiliarios, tanto para estadías cortas, de uno o varios días, de veraneo o residencias permanentes.

Entre las más grandes infraestructuras de la zona están el Club Hemingway, Marbella by Metro, Guavaberry Country Club, Barceló Capella, Albatros Club y Resort, Villas Margroup.

También se levantan imponentes torres de apartamentos para residencias, de 15 y hasta 19 niveles, la más alta.

Respecto al desarrollo y crecimiento de la zona hablamos con Luis José Asilis Elmúdesi, ex presidente de la Asociación para el Desarrollo de Juan Dolio, y actual miembro de esta entidad, así como con el director ejecutivo de la misma, Francisco Bonilla.

Asilis Elmúdesi afirma que el crecimiento sostenido de Juan Dolio en los ultimos 20 años se debe principalmente a su estratégica localización, a solo 35 minutos de la capital de Santo Domingo, y a unos 20 minutos del aeropuerto internacional de Las Americas, y además, a sus preciosas playas.

“Lo atractivo de la zona está en sus ofertas, tanto en residencias como en su gastronomía y campos de golf, lo que es muy interesante”.

Francisco Bonilla afirma que inversiones millonarias están desarrollando en Juan Dolio infraestructuras desde las más sencillas pretensiones hasta el más alto nivel.

Entiende que una de las características que venden a Juan Dolio como el lugar para escapar de la contaminación del bullicio de la ciudad es la confraternidad de la gente que allí ha invertido.

“Esta es una comunidad internacional, donde convergen personas de múltiples nacionalidades. Y ahora tendremos muchas más inversiones de celebridades, porque se acaba de iniciar un novedoso proyecto para la industria cinematográfica”.

“Uno de los mayores potenciales de Juan Dolio es su cercanía”, afirma Bonilla.

1. Fernandez addresses DANR in New York
Addressing an audience convened by the Dominican-American Round Table at the Hispanic Society of America on 22 May, President Leonel Fernandez spoke of the relationship between elected Dominican-American officials and the Dominican Republic. He attended the event as part of a visit to New York City this past weekend.

He provided a glimpse of what the future holds for Dominicans in the US and the DR and highlighted the role of DANR in the socio-economic and political empowerment of Dominicans in the US, including Puerto Rico.

"In doing the math, of the 2 million Dominicans currently living in the United States, DANR could bring at least 100,000 to Washington DC," said Fernandez, speaking of plans to organize a mass gathering of DANR and its National Dominican-American Council (NDAC) in summer 2012 to celebrate their presence and contributions to the US and the DR.

President Fernandez gave an account of Dominican Republic's progress over the past five decades in demographics, trade and partnership with the United States.

After his lecture, President Fernandez met with elected officials present including U.S. Congressman Charles Rangel, NYS Senator Adriano Espaillat, NYS Senator Jose Peralta, NYS Senator Gustavo Rivera, NJ Freeholder Tilo Rivas, NYC Councilwoman Julisa Ferreras, NJ Councilman Julio Tavarez, NJ Councilman Rey Martinez, NY Yonkers Councilman Wilson A. Terrero, NJ Commissioner Fiordaliza Frias and NJ Commissioner Ruben Vargas among others.

For more details, see http://danr.org/

2. Vice President backs Danilo Medina
Vice President Rafael Alburquerque is giving up his bid to be the presidential candidate for the ruling PLD party, with an announcement that he is stepping aside in favor of Danilo Medina. Polls show that voters consider Medina to be the favorite to win the party nomination. Speaking yesterday, Alburquerque said he was withdrawing from the race to strengthen Medina's candidacy in view of what he deems "the danger of the PRD's return to power. Recent polls also show that former President Hipolito Mejia is likely to defeat aspiring PLD candidate Danilo Medina if the election were held at the time of the polls (in April). He recalled that on 3 May he warned that if party leaders remain neutral this would lead to a defeat in the presidential election, as the polls are now confirming.

"The threat of a return to chaos that the country lived through between 2000 to 2004 under a PRD government is a dangerous reality that would affect the quality of life of most Dominicans," he stated.

He commented that Mejia has already said he would eliminate current government social programs and would review international trade agreements.

3. Dominicans reach Everest summit
The four-man Dominican expedition to climb Mount Everest is on its way back home after two of its members reached the summit of the world's highest peak. In the early hours of Saturday May 21 (local time), Karim Mella became the first Dominican to conquer Mount Everest and post the Dominican flag at the top. Next was Ivan Gomez. A third team member, Federico Jovine, did not make it after experiencing technical problems with his oxygen mask. He was 300 meters from the top. The south side climb of the mountain, up 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) began on 28 March and the men, who were accompanied by a doctor, Julio de Pena, are now on their way down. The International Mountain Guide expedition support company announced that yesterday, the teams celebrated the conquest of the Everest. The team is known locally as the Grupo Excelsior.

www.dr1.com/forums/dominicans-abroad/114245-follow-first-dominican-expedition-climb-mount-everest-himalayas-2.html

4. 6.3 million have cedulas
A year before the 20 May 2012 presidential election, the Central Electoral Board (JCE) announces that 6,367,600 persons have IDs (cedulas) in the Dominican Republic. This is 251,203 more than the 6,116,397 with cedulas at the time of the 2010 congressional and municipal election. Of the total as of 18 May 2011, 50.66% (3,225,534) are women and 49.34% (3,142,066) are men. Eligible voters over the age of 50 make up 29.51%, while voters between the ages of 16 and 29 make up 27.97%. Voters between the ages of 30 and 39 make up 22.9%, and people aged 40-49 make up 19.61%. The minimum legal voting age in the Dominican Republic is 18.

Of the total, 33.3% live in the National District and the Province of Santo Domingo, 37.9% in the northern region, 17.6% in the southern region and 11.1% in the eastern region.

The JCE says that 202,125 people are registered to vote abroad, for 3.2% of the total. This means that 47,336 more people are currently registered compared to 2008. Of the total, 68.9% are in the United States, primarily in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Boston and Miami. Next is Spain, with 20.3% in Madrid and Barcelona, with 20.3% of the total. Venezuela has a registry of 2.1% eligible voters.

5. Haiti has new Prime Minister-designate
President Michel Martelly of Haiti has chosen entrepreneur Daniel-Gerard Rouzier as his Prime Minister. The legislature needs to approve his choice.

He is an owner of the Sun Auto car dealership, president of a power generation company and a graduate in management and accounting from Dartmouth and Georgetown University in the United States. Rouzier is married with three children.

Martelly said that his choice was based on the fact that Daniel Rouzier is a father and a successful businessman who knows how to transform dreams into reality. He added that Rouzier shared his vision and was ready to support him in building a better Haiti.

6. Public Health steps up hygiene campaigns
Public Health Minister is warning the public to exercise extra precaution when it comes of hygiene in order to prevent the spread of cholera in Dominican Republic.

The recent heavy rainfall is thought to have caused the outbreaks that have been reported in several slum areas with sanitation problems in Santo Domingo. La Cienaga and La Puya have been the worst affected neighborhoods. At the Luis Eduardo Aybar and Francisco Moscoso Puello Hospitals where patients suffering from diarrhea are being taken, some four dozen suspected cholera cases were reported over the weekend. There have been 14 deaths in the DR out of about 1,000 cases reported to date. Outbreaks have also been reported in the Santo Domingo slum neighborhoods of Los Alcarrizos and Canta la Rana, as well as in San Pedro de Macoris and San Juan de la Maguana.

7. Dominicans are overweight
Research presented during the 16th Dominican Endocrinology Congress shows that 68.8% of Dominicans are overweight. The same report found that diabetes affects 15.5% of the population. Dr. Felix Escano Polanco, president of the Dominican Society of Endocrinologists presented a paper at the conference indicating that diabetes and hypertension affect 50% of the Dominican population. The ongoing research is focusing on the Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Metabolic Syndrome (EFRICARD).

8. Making pitchers new
Dr. Leonel Liriano, member of a team of physicians working with Florida doctor Joseph Purita says that around 10 pitchers are interested in the stem cell treatment that has apparently helped Bartolo Colon, of the New York Yankees, return to his star pitching form. He said the pitchers include Dominicans and foreigners aged 21 to 37. He made the statement in a televised interview with sports journalists Hector J. Cruz, Bienvenido Rojas, Mario Emilio Guerrero and Dionisio Soldevila on Telecentro on Sunday. He said the pitchers are both active and others are retired from Major League Baseball. Colon underwent the procedure in April 2010 when he was out of a job with the MLB. Today he is has a 2-2 record and an ERA of 3.16 and has been reinstated by the Yankees.

Liriano said their first choice for the experimental treatment was to work with Pedro Martinez, but this did not happen. "We worked with Colon and we are seeing the results," he said. The procedure is under investigation by Major League Baseball. He has made it clear that hormones were not used. That the team of doctors extracted fat and bone marrow stem cells from Colon and injected them into his arm and shoulder to repair years of wear and tear. He said this is not magic, but a scientific achievement.

"We helped Bartolo recover, but his physical condition and his work are what have him pitching the way he has for the Yankees so far," said the physician.

9. Mango fair
Now is a good time to travel to Bani and become an expert on the wide range of varieties of mangos that are produced in the Dominican Republic. The annual Bani mango fair is set for 16-19 June at the central park, Plazoleta del Parque Central.

Educational and cultural events are held concurrently with the colorful exhibition of dozens of varieties of mangos produced in the region.

10. Yolandita Monge & Anthony Rios
Puerto Rican Yolandita Monge joins Dominican Anthony Rios for an evening of romantic songs. The two used to date many years ago. The concert will take place on 27 and 28 May at the National Theater and 3 June at the Gran Teatro del Cibao in Santiago. The production is dubbed "25 Years Later". Anthony Rios, who has 26 children with 24 women, could be said to be one of the most persuasive Dominican men.

For more upcoming and ongoing events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

JetBlue's new La Romana flight
Deputy Minister of Tourism Magaly Toribio has highlighted the importance of the new JetBlue flight from New York's JFK International into La Romana Casa de Campo International Airport starting 16 November. JetBlue is the largest carrier in the Dominican Republic and this is its latest announcement of a flight. The airline is offering one-way sale fares as low as US$99 each way (plus taxes) through Wednesday, 1 June at their website for travel between 16 November and 14 December 2011.
"The new JetBlue flights put the beautiful and romantic La Romana area within a few hours of a major US city," said Magaly Toribio, the DR Ministry of Tourism's Deputy Minister of International Promotion. "The Dominican Republic's long-term commitment to innovative marketing has firmly established our culturally rich paradise in the hearts and minds of global travelers who seek sensational sun, azure blue seas and sumptuous and affordable world-class hotels. Our country's increasing popularity with US visitors allows our airline partners to increase their flights to meet the growing demand for our warm and welcoming island nation," she said.
The Wednesday and Saturday flights depart at 8:36am, arriving LRM at 1:31pm. They depart LRM at 2:26pm, arriving JFK at 5:26pm.
In the Dominican Republic, JetBlue also serves Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Santiago and Santo Domingo with services to New York, Boston, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue's service to La Romana will be operated with the airline's fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft.

Living Museum of the Sea
Research teams from Indiana University and the Dominican Republic Ministries of Culture and Tourism attended the formal opening of La Romana's Living Museum of the Sea on Monday, 23 May. The site showcases items from the 1699 Captain Kidd shipwreck found 70 feet off the coast of Catalina Island in the waters off La Romana. The opening of the underwater site with items from the shipwreck Quedagh Merchant abandoned off the shore of Catalina Island marks the 310th anniversary of the scandalous 17th century pirate Captain William Kidd's hanging in London for his 'crimes of piracy.' Kidd had captured the Armenian ship off the west coast of India.
Underwater plaques help guide divers around the Kidd site as well as relics and rare corals at two other shipwreck sites.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded IU US$200,000 to turn the Captain Kidd shipwreck site and two nearby existing underwater preserves into no-take, no-anchor "Living Museums of the Sea," where cultural discoveries will protect precious corals and other threatened biodiversity in the surrounding reef systems, under the supervision and support of the Dominican Republic's National Underwater Cultural Heritage Office (ONPCS). USAID has since extended its support by a year, increasing the funding award to $300,000.
The Underwater Science team from the IU School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER), led by researcher and archeologist Charles Beeker, has been working to preserve, analyze and document the Kidd shipwreck since its surprising discovery, which made headlines around the world. This unique museum, resting in less than 10 feet of water just 70 feet from the shore, gives divers the opportunity to see the 17th century ship remains, including several anchors, along with dozens of cannons, which rest on the ocean's floor and serve as home to coral and sea creatures. Above water, several more traditional museums will benefit from artifacts that are on loan to IU by the Dominican Republic government for the purpose of study and research.
Historians differ on whether Kidd was actually a pirate or a privateer - someone who captured pirates. After his conviction for piracy and murder charges in a sensational London trial, he was left to hang over the River Thames for two years as a warning to other pirates.
According to historians, Kidd captured the Quedagh Merchant, loaded with valuable satins and silks, gold, silver and other East Indian merchandise, but left the ship in the Caribbean as he sailed to New York on a less conspicuous sloop to clear his name of the criminal charges.

The highest waterfall in the Caribbean
While for years it has been said that Aguas Blancas in Constanza is the highest waterfall in the Caribbean, but researchers now say the claim should go to La Jalda, the waterfall originating from Magua River off Miches in eastern province of El Seibo. A report in Listin Diario say there are 11 different points from which the fall can be accessed. A governmental decree on 22 October 2009 created the Parque Nacional Saltos de la Jalda in the municipality of Miches, declaring it a protected area. Venezuelan businessman Gustavo Cisneros, who is a major property owner in the Miches area, has built a helicopter to landing pad for visitors to the waterfall. There are also routes accessible to hikers, or horseback riders.
Listin Diario reports that vehicles need to be left in the community of La Lisa, Magua, in Sabana de la Mar. From there, the trail needs to be followed on foot or by horseback. On the way, 100-year old trees make up the dense forest of the Eastern Mountain Range. Reporting on the waterfall, Manuel Vega says that the forest is so dense that the sunrays can hardly be seen until the waterfall clearing is reached.
Reportedly, the Ministry of Environment has prepared two trails, one with wooden safety handrails. A forest ranger house is under construction.

Cruise ship season was successful
The 100,000-ton mega Grand Princess cruise ship was among the ships that docked in Santo Domingo this past cruise ship season. Other ships that called on the Don Diego and Sans Souci terminals were Aida Luna, Braemar, Club Med II, Sea Cloud II, Maasdam, Princess Danae, Saga Pearl II and Discovery. Visitors stopping off at these ports are just a short walk away from Colonial Santo Domingo, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

National Choir honors mothers
If you're in Santo Domingo this week, try not to miss the Mother's Day concerts by the National Choir at the Palacio de Bellas Artes . This is their fifth gala concert dedicated to mothers. Mother's Day in the Dominican Republic is celebrated on the last Sunday in May. The National Dominican Choir is directed by Jose Enrique Espin Santiago. The concerts will take place on Tuesday, 24 May and Wednesday, 25 May at 8pm and admission is free.
For more on upcoming and ongoing events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. IMF arrives for reviews
A mission from the International Monetary Fund is in the country to conclude the fifth and sixth reviews of the Stand-by Arrangement with the Dominican monetary authorities. The accord between the administration and the IMF approved in November 2009 (http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2009/pr09393.htm).

According to a statement from the Central Bank, the commissioners will discuss the quantitative and structural goals corresponding to the end of December 2010 and the end of March 2011. The members of the IMF mission are chief Alejandro Santos and economists Teresa Daban, Rafael Espinoza, Javier Arze del Granado and Priscila Muthoora.

The IMF team plans to meet with Central Bank Governor Hector Valdez Albizu, Hacienda Minister Daniel Toribio and Economy, Planning and Development Minister Temistocles Montas, as well as with Celso Marranzini of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) and with members of the economic and social cabinets of the Fernandez administration.

Last Monday, 16 May, during a meeting with the administration's economic team chaired by President Leonel Fernandez, it was agreed to write a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the fifth and sixth reviews of the agreement between the Dominican Republic and the IMF. The letter will be dealt with by the directors of the IMF.

The Fernandez administration seeks to make a US$500 million sovereign bond placement this year.

2. Technology to prevent illegal immigration
Migration Department director Jose Taveras Rodriguez says that a sophisticated detection system will go into operation in a couple of weeks to help to slow down illegal immigration to the Dominican Republic. According to Listin Diario, the computer system called "Real Time Control" will be placed at the checkpoints along the Haitian border. The system is supposed to be able to provide data on everyone crossing the frontier and is connected to the National Police, the DNI and the DNCD. The system will also be in place at the nation's airports, according to the newspaper. The official, who was interviewed as he returned from a trip to Pamana, said that, "in a few months the use of illegal exits, the so-called "machetes" that produce fake passports and documents, will be a thing of the past."

3. Public Health calls for halt to stem cell use
The successful use of stem cells in the shoulder of pitching star Bartolo Colon has stirred up a hornet's nest of inquiry and worry. This can be seen in the headlines in today's Listin Diario where the Ministry of Public Health calls for a stop to the use of stem cells, and the National Council of Bio-Ethics in Health (Conabios) is saying that the processes have not been approved in the Dominican Republic. On the other hand, Dr. Leonel Liriano said he was sorry that the process, which involves using bone marrow, has not been properly or adequately explained. He said that the only thing that is new is that the procedure was used in sports medicine. He said: "I think that the country has not been adequately informed and has not adequately understood (the procedure). Because there is no way that Conabios would be issuing these statements and therefore if Conabios acts this way, the Minister has to respond."

He said that all the orthopedists who, for example, work on the spinal column, are working with bone marrow.... In other words, I am not using anything that is not done here, and what I have done is use it in my area, sports medicine," he said. Conabios said it was concerned about the long-term effects or that patients would flock to the Dominican Republic for such treatments.

4. Cholera cases mounting
With more than 100 cases reported in the last day, some public hospitals serving slum areas are being overwhelmed with the demand for treatment. The Ministry is being criticized for having lowered their guard in prevention measures in the slums.

At a time when the emergency room and other areas of the Antonio Musa Hospital in San Pedro de Macoris are overflowing with suspected cases, the Minister of Public Health warned yesterday that the disease will continue to increase significantly over the next four weeks due to the rains that are being recorded all over the country.

Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez told Diario Libre reporters that in the last 24 hours more than 100 suspected cases were registered across the country. Of these, 26 are in the Luis Eduardo Aybar, Santo Socorro and Francisco Moscoso Puello hospitals in the National District. The rest were reported in San Juan de la Maguana, Santiago, Azua and San Pedro de Macoris where the authorities have confirmed several outbreaks. The patients who have been hospitalized, including several children, he added, are making good progress.

In San Pedro de Macoris, the Minister of Health said that the medical staff has been strengthened with the support of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), and an epidemiological control was established to monitor the cases with diarrhea.

Other measures announced by Rojas Gomez in the fight against the disease include contracting epidemiologists for fieldwork and increasing the number of rehydration units in the barrios and cities to prevent the further spread of the disease.

5. Crop dusters complain of DNCD controls
The Association of Crop Dusters (APLICA) is complaining about the bureaucratic restrictions that have been imposed on their business by the National Drug Control Department (DNCD). Headlines in El Nuevo Diario and Listin Diario carry their warnings about the nation's harvests being in danger due to the delays caused by the new red tape affecting air fumigators.

One of the problems is that the DNCD has taken control of the sale of aviation fuel to the crop dusters. According to Oliverio Espaillat Bencosme, president of APLICA, the lack of punctuality of DNCD agents at the airport refueling stations is causing unacceptable delays in crop spraying which, in turn leads to crop losses.

As of a week ago, all that was needed to purchase fuel for a crop duster was to arrive at the airport, present paperwork requesting the sale, signed by the president of the company and carrying the company's official stamp. This is no longer the case. Now, the DNCD has to authorize each purchase, but the stumbling block is that in most cases, according to Espaillat Bencosme, the agent in charge of granting the permission is "never there".

APLICA asked the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene in the case but so far, nothing has been done or said. Espaillat says the food supply chain is in danger because crops need to be sprayed on a strict schedule, and not when some DNCD agent feels like going to work.

6. A call to evacuate Lake Enriquillo area
Environmental specialists are calling for the evacuation of areas around Lake Enriquillo and the need for a plan for the use of lands in Bahoruco and Independencia provinces. A plan of this kind would determine that the area around the lake that cannot be used for farming or for human settlement. Eminent ecologist and Deputy Minister of the Environment, Eleuterio Martinez, together with geologist Osiris de Leon, are calling for the urgent resettlement of residents living around the Enriquillo Depression where the lake is located. According to the experts, the Neiba Valley was once an ocean channel that went from the Bay of Neiba to the current site of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital.

Several theories have been put forward to explain the ever-increasing expansion of the lake, according to the two experts, including the deforestation in the area of the watershed, the sedimentation brought by the South Yaque River or as a result of a sea level rise.

De Leon, who has been studying the area for three years, nevertheless, rejects all these possible causes. His thesis is based on the fact that for five days the tropical storms Noel and Olga dumped an enormous amount of water on the surrounding mountains in 2007. In fact, he said, these two storms produced more water than all the normal rainfall over a year and a half. As reported in El Caribe, De Leon pointed out that the lake is fed by a series of springs and several surface streams. Because the Neiba mountains are, as he calls them "sponges", all the water absorbed during the two tropical storms is being slowly released by the springs and streams of the area. The result: while the lake has the ability to evaporate some 750 million cubic meters of water a year, 1,250 million cubic meters of water are entering the basin resulting in its increasing size.

Martinez says that the cloud forests of Neiba and Baoruco are contributing more than the normal amount of water to the sub-soils, and pointed out that a similar process is affecting Lake Azuei, just five kilometers from Enriquillo on the Haitian side of the border.

7. Clinics say teachers owe RD$350 million
The National Association of Private Hospitals and Clinics (Andeclip) said yesterday that the SEMMA Health Insurance Program for the nation's public school teachers has a current debt of RD$350,000,000 with the clinics. Andeclip president Rafael Mena called on the Minister of Education, Josefina Pimentel, to meet with them to find a way out of the problem. Until that comes about, he said, all medical services for teachers and their families are suspended. He added that this debt is just for the 35 clinics that are affiliated with Andeclip and have contracts with ARS-SEMMA. He said that some clinics are owed as much as six million pesos and that some doctors are owed RD$400,000. Some clinics are owed for services provided last August, September and October. Directors of ARS-Semma and from the Dominican Teachers Association as well as officials from the Ministry of Education deny that the agreement signed in February has been broken or that payments have not been made on time.

8. Three killed in Santo Domingo East
Three alleged kidnappers were killed by National Police agents yesterday morning in what was described as a gun fight. The killings took place during an operation to rescue a moneylender who was kidnapped by the gang. According to a report from the National Police, two of the dead were named as Antonio Mejia Minyety (Buky) and Franklin Ambiorix Mejia Minyeti. The third man's identity has not yet been established. Police Captain Claudio Figuereo Santana was wounded during the incident.

The moneylender is Aguedo Salazar Paula (Abelito), who was kidnapped in the Moca area on May 1. The kidnappers were asking for a ransom payment of RD$3.5 million, according to the Police. Several other people were detained in the operation, which took place in the Brisas Oriental VIII area off the San Isidro Highway. They were named as Antonio de Jesus Tejeda, 38; Wellington Dominguez de Jesus, 21; and Estefania Santana Rosa. The National Police are looking for four fugitives Leonardo Antonio Valerio Santana, Ramon de Jesus Moreno (Nelson) and two individuals known only as Luis, El Pelotero and El Pavo. Reports in Listin Diario and other papers link the group to an international kidnapping ring.

The National Police said that they seized a large number of cell phones, several weapons and ammunition, as well as an SUV vehicle. Local residents told Diario Libre reporters that the men who were in the house had arrived in the neighborhood only about five days ago.

9. Who gave Figueroa Agosto the DNI card?
A former Lieutenant Colonel of the Dominican Army with 27 years of service under his belt, Jose Francisco Rodriguez Fernandez, denied responsibility for issuing a National Department of Investigations (DNI) identification card to Jose David Figueroa Agosto, saying he never had the power or the authorization to make such a decision. The DNI is the local equivalent to the FBI in the US.

Rodriguez Fernandez gave his statements to the District Attorney of the National District during an interview that lasted several hours. According to the statement by the retired officer, only the director of the National Investigation Directorate (DNI) had the authority to issue an ID card. Rodriguez said he had been involved in the procedure but did not have "quality nor capacity" to deliver the card to any person, as reported in El Caribe.

Rodriguez said on the Huchi Lora afternoon talk show that the evaluations to accredit a person as a member of the DNI could only be accepted or rejected by the director, who is the only person with capacity to issue the ID.

As reported in El Caribe, former director of the National Department of Investigations, Retired General Fernando Evangelista Cruz Mendez also denied responsibility. Answering a question by talk show host Huchi Lora on CDN about who issues the cards, Cruz Mendez said he would have to "see if things were that way". He said he did not recall, nor was aware if the card was issued. "I would have to see if there is documentation, but if there is documentation where the director approves what passed by all the procedures to issue a card of that kind," he said on the radio talk show.

He said he learned about Figueroa Agosto after the case hit the press. "I understand he used other names," he said.

After the interview, District Attorney Alejandro Moscoso Segarra told reporters that he was thinking about interviewing the DNI director General Cruz Mendez. Last year, the retired general made headlines when joining the campaign forces of PRD presidential candidate, former President Hipolito Mejia. El Nacional reported that he said Dominican society was dying because of the costly government, and that graft was killing government institutions.

www.elnacional.com.do/nacional/2010/10/18/63849/General-retirado-cuestiona-gastos-de-Gobierno-LF

10. Summer Jazz at Casa de Teatro
Casa de Teatro's Summer Jazz Festival begins at the cultural center on Arzobispo Merino on 2 June. This year, eight groups from the Americas and Europe will take the Casa de Teatro stage for performances every Thursday through 28 July.

The opening concert will be with Dominican legend Felle Vega, with the participation of a dance group. Next is Grupo Boza from Colombia on 9 June. Josean Jacobo & Tumbao from the DR continue on Thursday 16. Insuler from Martinique is booked for the jazz evening of Thursday, 30 June.

In July, Xiomara Fortuna from the DR performs with her group Azul & Jazz on Thursday, 7 July. This is followed on Thursday, 14 July with Javier Rosario and his Trio from New York. From Spain, on Thursday, 21 July, Ximo Tibar & Ivan Jazz Ensemble sponsored by the Centro Cultural Espanol will perform.

The closing will be a performance by the Dominican group, "El prodigio en jazz".

For more upcoming and ongoing events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

http://i323.photobucket.com/albums/nn467/juancito2008/ameliao.jpg

Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: photobucket/supercasas/bufeo

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Sources: phtobucket/supercasas/bufeo

Montañistas dominicanos relatan hazaña en el Monte Everest
Fueron los primeros dominicanos en alcanzar la cima del mundo

http://www.diariolibre.com/showimage.php?id=410322

MONTE EVEREST.- El pasado 20 de mayo a las 9:00 de la noche los montañistas dominicanos Karim Mella , Iván Gómez y Federico Jovine iniciaron el ascenso a la cima del Monte Everest junto a otros escaladores.

Karim Mella e Iván Gómez lideraron el ascenso del grupo hasta el lugar denominado "el balcón", a 8,400 metros de altura, donde debían cambiar sus tanques de oxígeno suplementario por botellas nuevas de 3,000 libras, que les darían unas 10 horas adicionales para llegar a la cima y descender hasta el campamento número cuatro, de donde habían partido hacía ya cuatro horas.

Allí, debido al viento y frío extremo los tanques de oxígeno nuevos de Iván y Karim presentaron problemas de liqueo en los reguladores, lo cual conllevó a una situación de emergencia debido a que los sherpas debían resolver el problema antes de que se vaciaran por completo las botellas, mientras Iván y Karim entraban en hipoxia, ya que no estaban respirando el oxígeno necesario para el organismo a esa altura denominada "la zona de la muerte", porque el cuerpo humano no es capaz de sobrevivir por sí solo con tan bajos niveles de oxígeno y temperaturas extremas.

Luego de unos 10 minutos lograron resolver el problema en el tanque de Karim, quien se vio forzado a retomar el ascenso para calentar de nuevo su cuerpo, que estaba entrando en hipotermia. Tras aproximadamente 35 minutos los tanques de oxígeno nuevos de Iván no había podido ser reparados cuando llegó Federico Jovine y encontró a su compañero en un estado de hipoxia avanzado que lo dejó perplejo, hasta que por fin le fueron facilitados un tanque y un regulador a Iván Gómez, quien luego de recuperarse pudo continuar el ascenso unos 45 minutos después de su compañero Karim Mella.

En ese mismo lugar denominado "el balcón", el equipo de oxígeno de Federico Jovine también presentó problemas, los cuales fueron resueltos, pero ésto junto a otras condiciones que se presentaron esa noche llevaron al montañista Jovine a una condición de hipoxia e hipotermia que ponían en peligro su vida, por eso tuvo que descender al campamento número cuatro.

Una vez en la cima, alrededor de las 5:00 de la madrugada, Karim Mella trató de esperar a su compañero Iván Gómez para izar juntos la bandera dominicana en el techo del mundo, pero el viento y frío extremo le impidieron esperar más de lo necesario.

Unos 40 minutos después llego su compatriota Iván Gómez, quien también izó la bandera dominicana, así como la del Ejercito Nacional, institución a la cual pertenece.

Luego de un difícil y complicado descenso, agravado por el agotamiento físico y cansancio extremo de una jornada de más de 13 horas, los montañistas se reagruparon en el campamento número cuatro a 7,900 metros de altura, para luego de una hora de descanso y rehidratarse lo suficiente para continuar el descenso hasta el campamento avanzado número dos a 6,500 metros. En este campamento se alimentaron y pasaron la noche para continuar el descenso en horas de la madrugada atravesando el peligroso Khumbu Ice Fall hasta llegar al campamento base y considerarse fuera de peligro con la hazaña completada.

Tomaron un helicóptero hasta Lukla para luego abordar un avión ligero que los llevó hasta Katmandú. Los dominicanos descansan y se recuperan del desgaste físico para en esta semana continuar su viaje hasta República Dominicana.

Diario Libre (http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias_det.php?id=291576)

1. Deputies get RD$125 million for Mother's Day
With Mother's Day coming up, the deputies of the lower house of Congress will receive RD$125 million worth of household appliances and other goods for distribution to mothers in their respective districts. The Chamber of Deputies says that the appliances were obtained in a public tender. The gifts will be presented to mothers chosen by the deputies. According to El Nuevo Diario, the Chamber of Deputies has been doing this for 10 years.

2. Diandino urges passage of loan bills
Engineer Diandino Pena, the mega-builder of the Santo Domingo Metro System, was in Congress yesterday urging legislators to hurry up and pass the EUR251-million loan package that will be used to buy the trains, rails and the electro-mechanical systems for the Metro II program. This sum of RD$13.5 billion pesos will be used to attempt to make up the four month in arrears in the construction of the second Metro line.

The EUR251 million will be used to bolster the US$770 million the second line will cost, all told. Pena told Hoy reporters that the engineers set apart from Metro II, which is supposed to run from Los Alcarrizos to San Isidro, a section they call Metro IIA for completion in this administration, and that will run from Luperon Avenue to the Francisco del Rosario Sanchez Bridge. Pena said that this phase involves the civil engineering part of the project and consists of the stations, tunnels and ventilation system that they are building with government resources and which is 60-70% finished. He said they expect it to be done within eight months.

3. The coveted garbage contracts
Let's be sincere. Nobody likes to keep garbage in the house. But the reality is that this garbage that you do not want to see has led many business owners to do whatever they can to get it inside their trucks. And although it smells bad and pollutes, garbage is worth lots of money and is a profitable business.

In the case of Greater Santo Domingo, most companies that provide service to the municipalities have obtained their contracts by way of tenders or bidding processes, but this process, which is supposed to be covered in legality, has not been a guarantee in some cases, for transparency. In recent history there are cases of people who have resorted to the creation of companies in a hurry and even to the alteration of public documents in order to obtain garbage collection contracts.

Diario Libre, continuing its investigation into the business of garbage disposal said that the most resounding case in recent memory is the tender process called by the municipality of Santo Domingo East in 2007, in which the consortium Higiene Integral was declared the winner. Nonetheless, the city council's decision was annulled some time later by the Disputes and Administrative Court and then by the Supreme Court of Justice that accepted a complaint filed by Capitales Diversos, one of the others competing for the contract. Capitales Diversos showed that Higiene Integral had altered public documents in order to qualify for the tender. The sentence that annuls the contract says that a certification from the Department of Taxes on 2 March 2010 established that HG (Higiene Integral) showed to be in arrears in the payment of the Anticipated Earnings Tax; that its Mercantile Registration had expired six months before the tender and that the list of shareholders was from the year 2002. The decision also said that the last two reports of the company's general assembly were dated 2002 and 2004, i.e. the package of documents that was submitted for the tender did not fulfill the terms of reference.

Nevertheless, this is not the only contract that has smelled bad in this municipality. People remember the scandal that came about over the contract given to Servicios Pro Higiene and Salud (Sehisa), without a tender, during the first term of Mayor Juan de los Santos. After a lot of public pressure the administration decided to suspend the contract but the company still picks up garbage in the first and second districts. Possibly the most blatant case is the one involving LTP Verban Company in Boca Chica. In the newspaper archives, it appears that the company was formed 17 days after having been awarded the contract by the city government. The political ties between the owner of the company, Alvaro Leger, the son of Reformist leader Jose Osvaldo Leger, and then Mayor Jocelyn Pena, were also questioned.

4. Conep issues a call for better salaries
The business and management sector has launched a tripartite social dialogue with the representatives of the labor and government sectors. The president of the National Business Council (CONEP) is calling on the business sector to increase salaries above the minimum wage. The suggestion made by Conep president Manuel Diez Cabral, got the immediate backing of Labor Minister Max Puig and union spokesman Rafael (Pepe) Abreu. The Conep president said that although the National Salaries Committee is only authorized to rule on minimum wages, as a private business and as Conep, "I call upon the private sector not to forget about an increase of the salaries beyond the minimum wage".

He said that although "we are experiencing a difficult situation at a global level, not just in the country, with a continuing increase in the price of commodities and the price of oil, it was suggested to the private sector to go beyond the minimum wage, which they felt would be to the benefit of all the Dominican Republic."

Commenting on whether or not the increase in the minimum wage would be eaten up by inflation and what to do about this aspect, Diez Cabral said that the only answer was for companies to become more productive, as the country cannot control price increases in raw materials on the world market.

5. Barrios report more cholera cases
Suspected cholera cases keep being reported in about 20 of the peripheral barrios of Greater Santo Domingo, while the authorities impose measures in an attempt to eliminate the outbreaks. Although the principal sources are still in the sectors of La Cienaga, Los Guandules, El Aguacate and La Puya of Arroyo Hondo, the list of people hospitalized shows that the outbreak has also reached the sectors of Los Mina, Los Tres Brazos, Las Canitas, Kilometer 19? of Las Americas, Vietnam and La Zurza.

Suspicious cases have also appeared in Villa Mella, Villa Maria, Villa Duarte, Sabana Perdida, Cancino, Guachupita, Los Alcarrizos, Bayona, Lecheria, Gualey, La Barquita, Herrera and others. In Herrera, residents reported the death of a man at the Herrera Medical Center that they attribute to cholera. The hospitals with the greatest number of patients with cholera symptoms are still Luis Eduardo Aybar, with 19 cases, including 13 children; Francisco Moscoso Puello, with nine cases; Santo Socorro with seven and a first for the San Lorenzo de Los Mina Maternity Hospital, with two children, which brings the total to 37. Of this number, the authorities estimate that 61% tested positive for the bacteria.

Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez told Diario Libre that efforts were being focused on prevention as well as curing the disease. Teams from the ministry are working in all of the areas where outbreaks have occurred, teaching, vaccinating and advising local residents.

6. Fire in Santiago Free Zone
A fire has partially destroyed a factory in the Victor Espaillat Mera Industrial Free Zone in Santiago, causing millions worth of losses. The fire broke out at 5:45 yesterday evening at the Wendel factory, where the employees were still working at the time. However, none of the workers were injured since they were evacuated in time.

The fire, which affected the warehouse area and other installations, was extinguished some three hours later by 12 units from the Santiago Fire Department and the Free Zone's own Fire Department. The black column of smoke caused by the fire could be seen from around the city, causing alarm among many citizens. As of last night, the causes of the blaze were not known. The fire is under investigation by the National Police explosives department and Fire Department technicians. When the fire began, fire trucks from the Santiago Fire Department had a difficult time getting to the site because of the traffic congestion in the area. Last week another fire affected the Inetab cigar factory tobacco warehouse in the Victor Espaillat Mera Industrial Free Zone Park.

7. Some of Quirino's property reaps RD$105 million
In an auction held yesterday, the administrator of National Assets sold off the first group of assets belonging to Quirino Ernesto Paulino Castillo, who is in jail for drug trafficking in the United States. The first of the properties, a residence in the Cacicazgos sector of Santo Domingo, was acquired by the Fenix Foundation for the sum of RD$14 million, and the starting bid was RD$13 million.

An apartment in Mirador Norte was purchased for RD$3.5 million by the same people who have been living there for some time. In total, yesterday assets that belonged to Quirino Paulino Castillo were auctioned off for the sum of RD$105 million.

The commission in charge of the auction offered one apartment, valued at RD$4.8 million and another apartment in the same building for RD$3.4 million. This is the first auction that has been held in the country for assets seized from drug traffickers and that were obtained from money resulting from this activity.

The auction was coordinated by the administrator general of National Assets, Elias Wessin Chavez. The sales were supervised by a committee headed by architect Cesar Ivan Feris Iglesias, in representation of the National Council on Drugs, Laureano Guerrero, from the Offices of Seized Assets, Juan Cedano Santana, from the Attorney General's office, Julio Cesar Souffront from the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) and Cyntia Camejo Villalona from the Financial Analysis Unit. The envelopes with the bids were opened in the presence of the bidders.

8. Drug mule caught on the way to Madrid
Once again a passenger with a stomach-full of drugs has been caught, thanks to the efficiency Las Americas International Airport staff. Eddy Gabriel Contreras was taken to the Armed Forces Hospital where he was forced to expel 80 capsules of drugs from his stomach and digestive system. The 21-year-old was planning to travel on Iberia flight 6502 to Madrid when he was detained by National Drug Control Department (DNCD) agents. A doctor assigned to the DNCD took X-rays that showed a number of foreign bodies inside the would-be passenger's stomach. As soon as the cleaning process is finished, the young man will be sent to the District Attorney of the province of Santo Domingo for processing, as reported in El Nuevo Diario.

9. Lake Azuei grows and swallows offices
The area surrounding the Dominican Immigration and Customs offices in Jimani, on the main route to the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince has been flooded by the waters from Lake Azuei. Despite all the best efforts of local municipal workers to shore up the levees around the buildings and the parking areas, the waters are seeping in. Customs and Immigration employees now have to use brooms to sweep water out of the offices and warehouses in order to do their jobs. The old buildings are in very poor condition and are unusable.

The rising waters, the same phenomenon that is affecting the nearby Enriquillo Lake, also affect the bi-national market that takes place Mondays and Fridays.

According to a study, as reported in El Caribe, the bi-national market receives an average of 23,974 Dominican visitors and 9,138 Haitian visitors each market day. Many of the government agency employees asked newspaper reporters to "say something, please".

10. ONAMET: Rains to continue
The local effects of convection and the mountainous terrain continue to cause rains with thunder and lightning and occasional wind gusts almost all over the country. Intense rains have been reported in the northwest, the Central Cibao, and the Central Mountains mostly in the afternoon or early evening. The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) is maintaining its alert against flash floods and landslides for those residents living near rivers, creeks and streams in the provinces of Monte Plata and Monsignor Nouel (Bonao). Onamet noted the presence of a low-pressure area about 1,200 kilometers to the east-southeast of Bermuda, but they noted that there is very little chance of it developing into a sub-tropical cyclone.

Rains are forecast today for the provinces of Valverde (Mao), Santiago Rodriguez, Montecristi, Dajabon, Elias Pina, San Juan de la Maguana, Puerto Plata, La Vega, Monsignor Nouel, Espaillat (Moca), Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), Duarte (San Francisco), Sanchez Ramirez (Cotui), Monte Plata, San Jose de Ocoa, Hato Mayor and El Seibo.

11. National Choir honors mothers
The National Choir is presenting its 5th Gala Concert dedicated to mothers in the Dominican Republic at Palacio de Bellas Artes in Santo Domingo. The Dominican National Choir is directed by Jose Enrique Espin Santiago. Tuesday, 24 May and Wednesday, 25 May at 8pm. Free admission.

For more upcoming and ongoing events, see www.dr1.com/calendar

1. Hispaniola first ladies meet
First Lady Sophia Martelly of Haiti has paid a visit to Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez at her offices in Santo Domingo. Hoy reports they met for several hours yesterday and Cedeno described the social programs implemented by her office, which focus on health, education and the family. "We are brother countries joined by very strong ties. Haiti will always have our support and solidarity," said Cedeno. Higher Education Minister Ligia Amada Melo joined the First Ladies later in the day.

"This is my first visit as First Lady and I wanted to come here because we share the same island and are brothers. I also wanted to thank the First Lady and President Leonel Fernandez for the unconditional support we had after the earthquake and for all the love they put into it," she said at a press conference after her talks with First Lady Margarita Cedeno.

As reported, the First Ladies spoke of possible bilateral actions, with an emphasis on prevention, disaster management, support to projects benefiting women and children, education and promotion of values.

2. Digital TV by 2015
The president of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL) David Perez has told the Corripio Media Group that 2015 will mark the end of the analog era of TV and the start of digital TV. He said digitalization would bring improved quality television services. Companies will need to import new equipment for the change. Perez said that while some channels have been making investments towards this switch, none are fully digitalized yet.

3. Jardines del Norte Park remodeled
Brazilian company Consorcio Norberto Odebrecht formally handed over the remodeled Jardines del Norte Park to Santo Domingo Mayor Roberto Salcedo yesterday. The park is located off the Duarte Highway at the north exit of the National District. Odebrecht is in charge of major road works aimed at easing traffic flow in the city.

4. More on Enriquillo Lake
Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal says there is little the authorities can do to combat the increasing water levels of the Enriquillo and Azuei lakes in Bahoruco and Jimani provinces, as reported in El Caribe. From 6-9 June experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit to evaluate the situation together with specialists from the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources the resources that could be had in both lakes and alternatives for the reasonable management of the lake basins.

According to reports, the Enriquillo Lake has extended on average by 170 kms2 from its normal size of 250km2, affecting vast farmland areas.

Fernandez says the problem is a consequence of hundreds of years of depredation resulting in the aquifers becoming saturated in the degraded soils. He said the Ministry's Quisqueya Verde reforestation plan is aimed at repairing the effects of this degradation.

5. Pro Los Haitises foundation
An important step towards the preservation of the Los Haitises National Park was taken yesterday with the formalization of a project by that consists of mapping out the park boundaries by Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. The project, which will cost RD$10 million donated by Odebrecht, will involve a precise demarcation of the areas that need to be preserved and protected. While the areas were established by Law 202-04, a lack of signage and general lack of awareness of their boundaries, has led to the exploitation of these lands, according to the Foundation for the Protection of the Los Haitises Karst (Funkarst).

Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez, Frank Rainieri, president of Funkarst and Marco Cruz, general manager of Odebrecht made the announcement yesterday at the Ministry of Environment.

The project is part of a work plan in effect as a result of an agreement for the co-management of the park between Funkarst and the Ministry in August 2010. The plan is exploring the actions to be taken to protect the area and improve the livelihoods of farmers in the area.

Rainieri said that establishing the limits of Los Haitises was necessary to stop its destruction. He said there would be an increase in surveillance and that the foundation has worked to gradually relocate farmers living inside the park, and promote farming of peppers and cabbage in Gonzalo, outside the park. Work is also under way with international agencies to establish potable water pipelines into the community and other basic services. Tropigas is assisting so that local people may replace their wood-burning stoves with propane gas stoves.

Funkarst also said it is preparing three hiking trails for visitors to explore the park, its vegetation, fauna, springs, caves and cave art. The trails can be accessed from different points along the new Samana highway. There are plans to improve maritime access, to increase the number of visits by foreign and local tourists from Cano Hondo.

6. Saving baby parrots
Hispaniolan parrots (Amazona ventralis) and parakeets (Aratinga chloroptera) are now listed as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Local environmentalists say the species could disappear if the illegal sales continue, especially in La Penda on the Duarte Highway in violation of Law 64-00. National Zoo director Patricia Toribio Paulino has re-launched the Project for the rehabilitation of psitacids on Hispaniola. She said that the way the chicks are trapped, by toppling trees to reach the nests, is doubly damaging to nature. A project is under way to rescue the chicks from illicit sale and to rehabilitate them so that they are able to fend for themselves and feed in the wild. Capture and sale of these birds is banned by Law 64-00, but the authorities have not taken action to close down the La Penda bird selling area, in flagrant violation and in full public view. She said that eight of every ten chicks that are captured die before they are sold.

The project is funded by a Ford Foundation grant that recognizes initiatives for the conservation of species as well as by the Program for the Recovery of the Puerto Rican Parrot (Miguel Garcia and Thomas White), the Center for the Rescue Arcas Guatemala (Fernando Garcia), The Toledo Zoo (Peter Tolson), National Aviary (Steven Latta and Steven Sarro), and the World Parrot Trust (James Giraldi).

www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/142690/0

7. Avtur price threatens Dominican tourism
The president of the Punta Cana Group Frank Rainieri has warned the government against complacency in the face of rising fuel prices. He said the argument that the DR is second in the Caribbean (behind Cancun) is not valid. He said the country faces serious competition from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Jamaica. He said that TUI, the largest European tour operator already announced a suspension of 12% of its flights to the DR because of the increases in the local price of avtur. He complained that the price of avtur at airports was increased last Tuesday from US$3.15 to US$4.13 per gallon. In Cancun, a gallon of avtur costs US$3.67, that is 50 cents less than in the DR. Moreso, the cost of avtur in Costa Rica is US$3.45, 70 cents less, and in Jamaica, US$3.13, or US$1 less. In Puerto Rico it is US$3.10 or US$1 less.

Rainieri spoke during a discussion "Importance and Perspectives of Tourism in the Dominican Republic" sponsored by the Permanent Commission of Tourism of the Chamber of Deputies at the Hotel Santo Domingo.

He said that since 2009, the government has increased taxation on avtur by 45%, from US$0.47 to US$0.66 per gallon.

Taxation in competitor nations is on average US$20 less, according to Rainieri. "This is competitively affecting us not only because of the high cost of fuel but because of the additional charges, also," he explained.

He called for increased promotional campaigns to attract more visitors.

Rainieri says that while the price of fuel cannot be controlled, locally we can control taxation. He said that in most places avtur is not taxed, or minimally t