DR1 Daily News - Friday, 15 July 2016

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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President Medina opens elementary school in Sosua
Talks for wage increases in public hospitals resume next week
Haiti further restricts Dominican imports
Merchants resort to lake crossing to get around land ban
Room cost at La Victoria hell of a jail
Overseas Security Advisory Council represented by AmCham
Piantini neighborhoods protest noisy stores
Neighbors protest 38-floor Hard Rock Hotel
The most dangerous places in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican team to the Rio Olympic Games
Wason Brazoban at Escenario 360
Bocao Food Fest outside Acropolis Center this weekend
Meghal Thakkar booked for Art of Living courses in Santo Domingo
The Colors of Dance at the National Theater
Andres Cepeda coming to Santo Domingo



President Medina opens elementary school in Sosua
President Danilo Medina was in Sosua, Puerto Plata on Thursday, 14 July 2016, for the inauguration of the Professor Jeremias Kerry Green Grade School. The elementary school, equipped for the extended school day, is located in the Barrio La Union.
Parents praised the new school’s facilities, where children will receive breakfast and lunch as well as afternoon classes. The school is also has a basketball court and a recreation area.
The Presidency reported that as part of the school construction, adjacent streets were repaved, giving the barrio an overall improved appearance.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...y-green-cambia-imagen-y-trae-progreso-a-sosua

Talks for wage increases in public hospitals resume next week
The arbiter for the talks between the public health system and public hospital staff, Father Jesus Castro Marte, rector of the Universidad Catolica Santo Domingo (UCSD) announced on Thursday, 14 July 2016 that talks will resume on Thursday, 21 July. The parties are convened for the office of the rector of the UCSD on Av. Bolivar at 3:30pm.
Working hours is one of the main differences between the parties. The representatives of the public hospital doctors want to keep work schedules of 4 hours or less. Meanwhile, Nelson Rodriguez Monegro, director of the National Health System (SNS) says that the Ley de Carrera Sanitaria y de Funcion Publica, the law that rules the career of public hospital staff, establishes a work schedule of six to eight hours, or 30 hours a week, and a maximum of eight hours or 40 hours a week.

Haiti further restricts Dominican imports
The government of Haiti announced new requirements for food imports. As of 30 June 2016, the government is requiring that for the import of flour, and seasoning and bouillon cubes and packets, among other food products, a special import permit must be requested from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Haiti.
The import request to be made to the Ministry of Commerce of Haiti must be accompanied by five duly authenticated documents. These are:
Favorable opinion of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development of Haiti.
Import statement from the Societe Generales SA de Suveillance (SGS). Phytosanitary certificate issued in the Dominican Republic.
Certificate of origin of the merchandise.
Proforma document issued by the exporter where the address and the importer and description of the article are provided.
The government of Haiti did not give reasons for the added red tape for Dominican exporters.

Merchants resort to lake crossing to get around land ban
Merchants of the Dominican Republic and Haiti are getting around the trade ban on 23 popular Dominican products for export by land to Haiti by using small boats that cross the Azuei Lake. These unregistered merchants would normally cross the border into the Dominican Republic to Jimani and Dajabon on market days when authorities allow pedestrians to cross without paying fees. Now Malpasse has become the gateway, given its proximity to the Azuei Lake that links the two countries, explains a report in Listin Diario.
The ban on the 23 popular Dominican products has been imposed by the Haitian government since 1 October 2015. The government of Haiti allows the import of these products into the country by sea and airports. Only land transport was banned.
Maximo Socrates Mendez (Socratin), president of the Council of Malpasse Merchants, explains that a small boat carries the same amount of cargo as a Daihatsu truck and the owners of the merchandise do not pay customs duties. Mendez explained that before the trade ban, the boats were only used to transport illicit charcoal. Mendez criticized the ban and noted that perishable goods, such as flour, take 15 days to reach the country by boat, while it is only takes 24 hours for these goods to be delivered by land.
http://www.listindiario.com/economia/2016/07/14/426936/yolas-hacia-haiti-una-vuelta-contra-la-veda

Room cost at La Victoria hell of a jail
It is known as hell, but reporters now say that more than RD$3 million a week buys certain privileges in the La Victoria Jail in northern Santo Domingo, according to findings in a study carried out by the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH). The CNDH says the business is good, especially given that there is no employee or taxation costs. The owners of the business are the inmates and persons of influence in the jail.
The report estimates on average inmates pay RD$400 a week for their cell, meaning only in rentals some RD$3 million are generated each week for those in control, based on a prison population of around 8,000 inmates.
CNDH says that the Public Ministry has refused to receive their report on the bribery going on at the jail. The entity advocates for the shut down of the General Department of Prisons and the passing of La Victoria Jail to the new prison model used at several other jails where these internal business transactions have been reduced to a minimum. In 2014, there were 8,055 inmates at the La Victoria Jail of a total of 26,350 inmates in the country.
As reported in Acento, when a new inmate arrives to the jail, payments of RD$500 to RD$30,000 are required prior to being assigned a cell. The minimum fee for a bed in a cell is RD$250, but these go for up to RD$1,500. On the upper end, there are rooms that go for RD$25,000 and others that cost RD$300,000 for the right to stay there.
In the area known as F1, the beds cost between RD$40,000 and RD$50,000 for the right to share a room with five or six other persons. A jail officer may profit from the sale of the bed if this is not earlier negotiated by the person leaving the jail.
Inmates also need to purchase their food from vendors in the jail or have it brought to them. The “chao” or food provided in the jail is considered only fit for dogs. It is delivered to the cells in buckets, giving the impression that the jailers are feeding slop to hogs.
Most of those serving time in La Victoria are men between the ages of 19 to 35 years, and many have sentenced to jail for 20-30 years. The jail was built for 2,500 prisoners, but regularly houses up to 8,000.
The director general of Prisons, Tomas Holguin La Paz denied that trading in privileges inside the jail exists. Nevertheless, he said the management of the jail does not intervene in the deals that the inmates carry out. La Paz observed that inmates are allowed two visits a week.
He called for Manuel Maria Mercedes, president of the DNDH, to provide names of those who are in business of extortion in the jail.
http://acento.com.do/2016/actualida...mas-rd3-millones-semanales-negocios-internos/
http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=487907

Overseas Security Advisory Council represented by AmCham
The American Chamber of Commerce signed a collaboration agreement with the US Government Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). The US State Department explains that OSAC provides a forum for sharing best practices and provides the tools needed to cope with today’s ever-changing challenges and security-related issues abroad.
AmCham said the agreement will improve the security of individuals and companies of the US in the Dominican Republic. The agreement was signed by Gustavo Tavares, president of the board of directors of AmChamDR and Alain Astacio, chairman of the OSAC.
The AmCham has the shared mission of protecting and promoting business interests of the United States in the Dominican Republic.
In his remarks, Tavares stated: “We have many opportunities and the field is open to unite strengths and achieve the best results in the Dominican Republic. Foreign Direct Investment of the United States in the Dominican Republic brings numerous benefits for both countries in regards to jobs, GDP growth and quality of life. Likewise, private investment benefits and grows when there is security, stability and rule of law.
Alain Astacio for OSAC explained more than 3,500 companies and 18,000 specialists around the world are part of the advisory board of the OSAC. He said the public private partnership complements the AmCham platform.
http://acento.com.do/2016/economia/8364568-amchamdr-osac-firman-acuerdo-colaboracion/

Piantini neighborhoods protest noisy stores
There seems to be no notion of zoning in the city government. Piantini neighbors want that to change.
Eight Piantini neighborhood boards are appealing to the Listin Diario newspaper to take public their protest for more law and order in their communities. The residents of these communities complain that the Internal Revenue Service (DGII) values their properties at the highest tax rates. But yet the city government has allowed businesses drawing crowds of people, loud music and noise, garbage and long working hours to operate side by side with homes. The neighborhood boards are alarmed that the number of these businesses has increased in recent months.
Hard Rock Hotel is in line to install what would be the biggest casino and entertainment in the city, in the same Piantini neighborhood. Neighborhood groups have protested the announced construction expressing concern that the Hard Rock site would attract prostitution, drugs and more negatives to this residential area.
One of the businesses pointed to by the residents is the Moriqueta Liquor Market that neighbors say has reduced the quality of life for more than 150 families living in the area. In the open letter to the Listin Diario, the eight protesting boards say that the liquor store was opened next door to a single dwelling in front of another single dwelling and meters from eight high rise residential towers. They say it is the wrong business in the wrong place.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...sectores-residenciales-se-quejan-por-negocios

Neighbors protest 38-floor Hard Rock Hotel
The neighborhood boards of the Piantini, Yolanda Morales, Paraiso, Naco and Esteva Oeste/Seralles are inviting the community to participate in the 3pm presentation of the project by the promoters at the Barcelo Santo Domingo (former Lina) hotel at Av. Maximo Gomez. The proposal is to build the 38-floor hotel on the corner of Av. Abraham Lincoln with Andres Julio Aybar. In the area a maximum of 23 floors are allowed. The neighborhood groups alert that the construction will negatively impact the environment and the community bringing with it a significant increase in traffic to the already congested residential and commercial area.
The neighbors also object the construction of the casino at the location. The casino would be the largest in the city with 400 slots, 40 gambling tables and area for sporting bets. The hotel has yet to receive the Ministry of Environment permits for the construction.

The most dangerous places in the Dominican Republic
The Ministry of Interior and Police Jose Ramon Fadul has released statistics on the places with the highest crime rates in the country. This dubious list includes Santiago, San Cristobal, La Altagracia and the Greater Santo Domingo. He said preventive measures, such as permanent patrolling of key barrios in Greater Santo Domingo can help reduce crime. Fadul also observed that the authorities have focused on lowering crime in Puerto Plata where foreigners have recently been targeted. As reported in Diario Libre, Fadul said that a report prepared by the Citizen Observatory for the National District reveals that La Cienega and Los Guandules, part of the Barrio Domingo Savio, had the highest number of homicides in 2015, with 33 deaths reported. Other barrios with high homicide rates are Cristo Rey (16 deaths), Villa Consuelo (15), Capotillo (12), Villas Agricolas (11), Villa Francisca (10), Villa Juana, Palma Real, 27 de Febrero, and Ensanche Espaillat (6), La Zurza, Gualey, and San Carlos (5).
In a report in Diario Libre, community representatives attributed the high crime rates in the neighborhoods to a lack of jobs, lack of police patrols, blackouts, and drug consumption. They called for the construction of sports facilities to keep the youths away from the vices.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/sucesos/monchy-cita-a-las-provincias-mas-violentas-YE4350616
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...xclusion-como-causa-de-la-violencia-FB4355403

The Dominican team to the Rio Olympic Games
The Dominican Olympic Committee has announced the Dominican Republic will compete in 11 sports with 29 athletes in the Rio Olympic Games. Track and field will have 13 competitors. This will be the first time the DR competes in archery, cycling and equestrian sports.
There are hopes that combat sports and track and field athletes will bring back medals.
The Dominican team:
Archery: Jessica Camilo
Boxing: Leonel de los Santos, Hector Luis Garcia
Cycling: Diego Milan Jimenez
Equestrian: Yvonne Losos
Judo: Wander Mateo
Shooting: Eduardo Casasnovas
Swimming: Dorian McMenemy, Jhonny Perez
Taekwondo: Luis Pie, Moises Hernandez, Katherine Rodriguez
Tennis: Victor Estrella
Track and Field: Luguelin Santos (silver medal London 2012), Yohandry Andujar, Staly del Carmen, Juander Santos, Gustavo Cuesta, Yon Soriano Carty, Christopher Valdez, Mayobanez D’Oleo, Mancarlos Martinez, Maximo Mercedes, Luis Charles, Mariela Sanchez and Ana Jose Tima. Weightlifting: Yudelkis Contreras, Beatriz Piron, Luis Garcia
http://eldia.com.do/delegacion-rd-esta-optimista-para-juegos-olimpicos-rio-2016/

Wason Brazoban at Escenario 360
Singer/songwriter Wason Brazoban will be on stage on Friday, 15 July 2016 at Escenario 360 at the Galeria 360 for a romantic songs concert, “Eterno Romantico.” The show starts at 9pm. Brazoban is celebrating his 15 years in show business.
For more information call 829 953-0360

Windsurf, kite, surf, SUP and kayaking for The Butterfly Effect
Enjoy a full day of windsurf, kite, surf, SUP and kayak in Cabarete, Puerto Plata.
The Miss Cabarete's 8th Annual Butterfly Effect event is taking place in Cabarete on Saturday, 16 July 2015. The schedule for the event is 9am morning downwinder for SUP and Kayak beginners, from Embocca to Millennium.
10am: Arrival at Millennium
11:30am: Hula and Aquafit in pool
2:30pm: Afternoon Downwinder for Windsurf, Kitesurf and advanced SUP & Kayak from Millennium to Playa Encuentro
4pm: Arrival and celebration at Playa Encuentro
8pm: Dinner, festivities and auction for DREAM at TUVA.
Registration is US$40 and includes entry into the event, BE lycra, BE goodie bag, snacks, yoga and fitness fun, beach clean-up, ending ceremony and fundraising party for the DREAM Project. All participants need to bring their own equipment.
For more information see http://www.betheeffect.com

Bocao Food Fest outside Acropolis Center this weekend
The Bocao Food Fest, sponsored by the popular food website bocao.com.do, has organized a tapas-style restaurant and food truck festival for this weekend, Saturday 16 July and Sunday 17 July 2016, from 4 pm to 11:30 pm at the parking area outside the Acropolis Center. Restaurants will set up stalls and there will be food trucks offering small plates of food for attractive prices. The general admission fee is RD$250. Food will be available for purchase in cash or credit cards.
The Acropolis is located at Calle Andres Julio Aybar at the corner Av. Winston Churchill. Parking is available at the Acropolis Center for RD$25 for three hours.
http://bocao.com.do/foodfest#info

Meghal Thakkar booked for Art of Living courses in Santo Domingo
Art of Living speaker Meghal Thakkar is coming from India to give a workshop entitled “Health and Happiness” that focuses on stress reducing techniques. The workshop will be on Thursday 21 July 2016 from 6 to 9pm at the Ministry of Defense (Av. 27 de Febrero corner Av. Luperon). A contribution of RD$500 is requested. Thakkar is a senior instructor for the Art of Living Foundation. He will also offer the Art of Living Happiness Program at the Colegio La Salle from 22 to 24 July. For more information, call 809 338-4404, 849 863-1071 or write to dominicana@elartedevivir.org

The Colors of Dance at the National Theater
The National Theater is celebrating its 43rd anniversary on Friday, 29 July 2016 with the ballet “Los colores de la danza.” The ballet presents best Dominican dancers in choreography created by Carlos Veitia, Elizabeth Crooke and Isadora Burgos with the lovely paintings of Jose Miura, Dustin Munoz, Elsa Nunez, Amaya Salazar, Aquilas Azar and Fernando Urena Rib as part of the set. The ballets are choreographed to music by Dominicans Tono Abreu, Bienvenido Bustamante, Jsoe Dolores Ceron, Dante Cucurullo, Darwin Aquino and Felle Vega.

Andres Cepeda coming to Santo Domingo
Colombian singer and songwriter Andres Cepeda will be at the National Theater for performances on 2 and 3 September 2016 as part of his “Mil Ciudades” world tour. The concerts are produced by Big Show Pro.
Sample his music at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJyyGMxzC6w&list=PLXeJkVAhRv4ts1Df11zTFpgejMFdMRrrJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVyhPBSoM6A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFf17x3w_zE

Read more about upcoming events at http://www.dr1.com/calendar

To read more news, see the DR1 News Archives at: http://dr1.com/premium/news/2016/index.shtml
 
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AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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Dolores, I just wanted to say how much I like the news in this new forum. It eliminates my having to check the Home Page several times a day to see if news has been uploaded.

Thank you!
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
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48
www.
Thank you! Robert is working to restore the news to the other side. I don't think we can repeat the news on both sides once that happens. Will see. Meanwhile, please feel free to add any comments to this news thread.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
For those who enjoy ballet, do not miss the Colores de la Danza ballet. Saw it some time ago and it was lovely. Also, the Bocao Food Fest was recommended. It is an opportunity to sample the food of many city restaurants in one place -- tapa style.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
For those interested in seeing how neighbourhood groups work in the DR, do not miss the neighbourhood groups meeting at the Barcelo Santo Domingo regarding the construction of the mega Hard Rock Hotel. Personally I think the impact of a 38-floor hotel on the area will be too much. See the details in the news above.
 
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