DR1 Daily News - Thursday, 21 July 2016

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
Construction starts at Ministry of Relations annex
Zahi Hawass visits and lobbies for DR support for his Unesco bid
DR companies make deals for millions in Taipei
1,000 more cops for Santiago
More loans approved by Senate
Senate tables accusations against Felix Bautista
Pros and cons for approved abortion articles
The last minute bicycle path
Higher inflation forecast for 2017
Pension fund now at RD$309 billion
DR public debt/GDP ratio is above regional average
Big construction booms, small firms hurting
Bringing banking to far away places
Punta Cana Foundation calls for environmental action
BritCham Brexit Forum set for 9 August 2016
Real estate growth expected to continue
DR stock market tops RD$629 billion
Thousands of DR taxi drivers in New York under threat
Yip and yipeta are correct words in Spanish



Construction starts at Ministry of Relations annex
Minister of Foreign Relations, Andres Navarro, and the Ambassador of Taiwan, Valentino Ji Zen Tang, marked the start of the construction of a technology center at the Ministry of Foreign Relations. The building will also house the office for free access to information and the central lobby for the Ministry of Foreign Relations. A donation of US$1.4 million from Taiwan is being used to construct the new Centro de Tecnologias de la Informacion y Comunicacion (TIC) of the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
http://hoy.com.do/canciller-navarro...onstruccion-edificio-para-centro-tecnologico/

Zahi Hawass visits and lobbies for DR support for his Unesco bid
Former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, leading archaeologist Zahi Hawass, received the Dominican Republic Cultural Award during a visit to Vice President Margarita Cedeno at the Presidential Palace on 19 July 2016. He was accompanied by Dominican criminal lawyer turned archaeologist, Kathleen Martinez. With the support of Hawass, Martinez is leading a major effort to locate the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony in Egypt. When he was Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, Hawass gave the Dominican criminal lawyer turned archaeologist the opportunity to lead dig crews to find the lost tombs of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony.
Hawass visited Santo Domingo as part of his effort to secure the Dominican government vote for Egypt?s candidacy for United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) director general.
On occasion of his visit, Culture Minister Jose Antonio Rodriguez presented the award to Hawass at a special event held in honor of the Egyptian archaeologist. The award was given to Hawass for his world-wide efforts to protect and preserve Egyptian heritage.
During the meeting, Rodriguez asked Hawass to help the DR recover stolen artifacts in the Turin University in Italy. As reported, Hawass once helped Peru repatriate 100 artifacts from Hill University in the United States.
Hawass was also in Santo Domingo for the screening of the 50-minute documentary on Martinez?s efforts at the Taposiris Magna historical site in Egypt. Hawass said that a mission, led by Dominican Martinez, had conducted a radar survey inside the temple in search of Cleopatra?s tomb, which is at a depth of 500 km. He said results would be announced soon.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsCon...ister-Hawass-receives-cultural-award-in-.aspx
See the documentary that aired on PBS here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_onAgsXqeI&index=1&list=PLskeziQlujsNIVR_MPT7sbHNdtQWqcLcr

DR companies make deals for millions in Taipei
The Center for Exports and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD), reports that four Dominican companies that participated in the Taipei Food Fair in June 2016 returned with business deals valued at around US$5 million. The Dominican mission traveled to Taiwan with the support of the Taiwan Embassy in the Dominican Republic and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council. The annual Taipei Food Fair is one of the most important food and drink trade shows held in Asia. In a press release, Jean Alain Rodriguez, executive director of CEI-RD, explains that the event is an opportunity to explore the Asian market trends and preferences. Participating were Caribbean Liquid Sugar, Khao Caribe, Dominican Humidors and Delifruit.

1,000 more cops for Santiago
The director general of the National Police, Major General Nelson Peguero Paredes announced on Wednesday, 20 July 2016, that in the coming months, when the National Emergency System (911) begins to operate in Santiago, an additional 1,000 police agents will be assigned to citizen safety patrols in the nation?s second largest city.
Peguero Paredes said the National Police also plans to open offices in public venues, such as malls, to make it easier for citizens to file complaints. ?We are even working so that in the not-too-distant future, citizens will be able to file their complaints by cell phone or using their computers,? he said.
General Peguero Paredes spoke to reporters during an event on citizen safety organized by the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM). The general pointed out that in spite of all the adverse commentaries, including those from media outlets, the Dominican Republic is among the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean with the lowest indexes of violent death per hundred thousand inhabitants.

More loans approved by Senate
The Senate approved on Tuesday, 19 July 2016, loan totalling US$220 million for improvements in education, electricity networks and drinking water service.
A US$50 million loan from the World Bank will be used to train elementary school teachers. While another US$120 million loan, also from the World Bank, will fund projects to reduce of losses over transmission lines and reduce the number of blackouts.
Finally, a US$50 million loan from the French Development Agency will fund improvements in drinking water service in Santiago. This project will be implemented by the Corasan, the Santiago government water corporation.

Senate tables accusations against Felix Bautista
In work session on Tuesday, 19 July 2016, the Senate commission studying an investigation into the wealth of PLD senator for San Juan de la Maguana Felix Bautista said the accusations of illicit accumulation of wealth do not have merit and ordered the tabling of the initiative. The senator?s wealth was largely accumulated during the time he was the director of the Office of Supervisory Works of the Presidency (OISOE) under former President Leonel Fernandez. After he left that office, Bautista was elected senator for San Juan de la Maguana, which afforded him special privileges in the judiciary as the accusations of corruption made their way through the courts.

Pros and cons for approved abortion articles
The Penal Code criminalizes abortion, establishing penalties of four to 10 years in prison for anyone who is found to have performed an abortion.
Spokesmen for evangelical churches and the Roman Catholic Church are very much in favor of the strictest measures regarding abortions now incorporated into the Penal Code. Reverend Fidel Lorenzo, president of the Dominican Council for Evangelical Unity (Codue) called the recently passed Penal Code ?a notable step the country has taken.? ?We have a code to match the times after more than fifteen years of struggle and defending the protection of life.?
Roman Catholic Church priest Manuel Ruiz, who has led the anti-abortion campaign, said he would wait to read the passed bill prior to expressing an opinion to see if all the exclusions had been eliminated.
Nevertheless, the Dominican Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology protested anti-abortion provisions in the recently passed Penal Code. The Society called for the veto of President Danilo Medina to the bill. ?Dominican society demands the prevention of unsafe abortions, the respect to women?s rights and the development of a legal framework to provide guarantees for medical interventions to revert deaths associated with abortion,? said the society in a press release. It said that as approved the Penal Code violates the rights of Dominican women and all the population. ?The decision puts at risk the professional practice of obstetricians, surgeons and nurses that under exceptional conditions comply with their duty to treat pregnant women whose lives are at risk, under circumstances in which the fetus could bring conditions incompatible with life outside the womb given the aberration of incest or rape,? stated the Society.
The amendments ban abortion while keeping the authorization for these in the cases of all scientific and technical resources are used to save the mother and child?s life (article 110). This amendment was included after President Medina banned the Penal Code that had excluded this exemption.
Nevertheless, outspoken president of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD) Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero said that as approved the Penal Code will result in an increase in maternal mortality and clandestine abortions.
Feminists are asking President Danilo Medina to again veto the Penal Code amendments recently passed in Congress.
Representatives of the Foro Feminista on Wednesday, 20 July 2016 said: ?The PLD has absolute control of the Senate and can stop this legislative process and return the bill to the Chamber of Deputies for revision,? said Virtudes de la Rosa, spokesperson for the women?s group. In an interview on ?Enfoque Matinal?, on Channel 37, said she expressed hope that Medina will continue to be a strong voice for women and girls in the country and again veto the bill. He said the amendment is a step backwards and would be damaging to public health.
Eliminated from the code is the articles that would have allowed exceptions to the anti-abortion provisions to save the life of the mother, or if malformations of the fetus are detected or the pregnancy was the result of incest.
In 2014, Medina struck down the Penal Code for this same reason.
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/07/...tener-discusion-sobre-penalizacion-del-aborto
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...que-aumentara-la-mortalidad-materna-BY4414672
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...ble-el-aborto-para-salvar-dos-vidas-XE4413347

The last minute bicycle path
The Ayuntamiento of the National District (ADN) says it has finished the construction of the first 600 meters of the first of three stages of the city center bicycle circuit. The section is runs along Av. Winston Churchill from Dr. Angel Severo Cabral to the north and Victor Garrido Puello street to the south. To build the route, the city government paved a grass area with asphalt.
The construction of the bicycle path started in 2016, as part of the failed re-election bid by three-term Mayor Roberto Salcedo. In a press release the city government reports that the path is 2.5m wide. The next phases would be to continue the path south to Polibio Diaz Street. A third phase would take the route further south to Rafael Augusto Sanchez Street.
The city government had planned the entire 8 km path to enable bicyclers to ride from the National Botanical Gardens to the Centro de los Heroes, passing by 12 shopping points, three Metro stations and the campuses of four universities. The path would also join three parks ? the Botanical Gardens, Mirador Sur Park and the Malecon.
It is yet to be seen if the new city government under Mayor-elect David Collado will continue the project.

Higher inflation forecast for 2017
Economist Nassim Jose Alemany of Deloitte forecasts an increase in inflation to 5.5% next year, the highest in the past five years. He also forecast an increase in the cost of goods and services for the remainder of the year.
The economist expects the economy to grow 6.2%, with an inflation of 2.1% this year, similar to that of 2015 that was 2.3%.
He reported from January to April 2016, the economy had grown 7%. http://www.eldinero.com.do/25626/de...l-pib-e-incremento-de-la-inflacion-para-2017/

Pension fund now at RD$309 billion
Pension funds in the Dominican Republic managed by local banks are now at valued at RD$309 billion, with most of these deposits held by the Central Bank. Kirsis Jaquez, president of the Dominican Association of Pension Fund Managers (Adafp), said that there are more than 3.1 million persons affiliated to the Social Security Pensions System that has been in operation for 13 years.
http://www.listindiario.com/economi...trimonio-de-las-pensiones-sube-a-rd-309000-mm

DR public debt/GDP ratio is above regional average
According to the Centro Monetario Centroamericano (CMC), the ratio of public debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the first quarter of 2016 in the Dominican Republic is above the average of the seven Central American countries, including Panama. The debt to GDP ratio in the DR for the first quarter of 2016 was 46.6%, which is below that of Costa Rica and El Salvador, but higher than that of Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
The regional country with the best ratio is Guatemala with 24%. El Salvador has the highest debt to GDP ratio, estimated to be 64.6%.
The debt to GDP ratio of the countries in the region is:
Guatemala 24% (up from 24.3%)
Panama 40.9% (up from 36.7%)
Honduras 43.1% (up from 42.4%)
Dominican Republic 46.6% (up from 42.7%)
Nicaragua 45.9% (up from 45.8%)
Costa Rica 59.2% (same as 59.2%)
El Salvador 64.6% (up from 61.2%)
http://www.secmca.org

Big construction booms, small firms hurting
The president of the Dominican Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized Construction Businesses (Copymecon), Eliseo Cristopher said that the construction sector has grown, but this growth is primarily confined to large companies. He said that one cannot speak of robust and widespread growth in the sector when it is only a handful of big companies that are benefiting from the industry?s expansion. He criticized that several government entities manage their budgets as if they were private business when criticizing the tenders these carry out. He spoke when interviewed at the PUCMM university.
http://www.listindiario.com/economia/2016/07/20/427749/crecimiento-no-se-refleja-en-las-pymes

Bringing banking to far away places
Banking agencies operating in pharmacies, corner grocery shops, gasoline stations, supermarkets, hardware stores and other businesses report transaction values of RD$1.76 billion for the first half of 2016. The agencies bring banking services to populations in outlying locations that had been traditionally underserved by banks because volume was not sufficient to justify the creation of a full services bank branch. The shift towards increasing access to banking services in rural areas began in 2013.
Listin Diario reports that some 718,391 transactions were carried out in the first half of 2016.
http://www.listindiario.com/economia/2016/07/20/427749/crecimiento-no-se-refleja-en-las-pymes

Punta Cana Foundation calls for environmental action
The vice president of the Punta Cana Group Foundation, Jake Kheel called for the authorities responsible for the care and preservation of the environment and society in general to push for more action for the Dominican Republic not to become a desert. Kheel was the keynote speaker at the monthly luncheon of the American Chamber of Commerce held at the Jaragua Renaissance Hotel on Wednesday, 20 July 2016.
He centered his speech on the sustainability of our environment and the necessary commitment of both citizens and inhabitants of this country to protect the environment.
During his talk, Kheel, the executive director of the Punta Cana Group Foundation, highlighted the importance of raising awareness to protect the environment. A film ?Death by a Thousand Cuts? that brings into stark contrast the destructive practices of charcoal production and that was produced by Kheel was presented during his talk. The documentary highlighted the progressive deterioration of the Bahoruco mountains, a protected area located in the province of the same name and in the province of Independencia. Kheel said that this area is practically a desert because of the high demand for charcoal that is illegally produced in the region and then carried by trucks, mules and burros to Haiti where it is used for cooking.
He noted that 80% of the Haitian population still uses charcoal to cook and that the majority of this product is produced in the Dominican Republic, especially in border provinces.
He criticized the lack of action to combat the charcoal smuggling on behalf of the Ministry of Environment.
http://www.eldinero.com.do/25700/bo...son-deforestados-por-haitianos-y-dominicanos/

BritCham Brexit Forum set for 9 August 2016
The British Chamber of Commerce announced that on Tuesday, 9 August 2016, a business forum will be convened that will analyze the impacts of Brexit as it relates to the Dominican Republic. The event will take place at the Hotel Embajador. Experts in international relations, politics, economy, trade and investment will be among the speakers. Implications in the short and medium term impacts will be analyzed, as well as future opportunities.
The forum entitled ?A New Chapter in History: Relations between the United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic after Brexit?, will take an in depth look at the challenges ahead with the imminent exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
Jose A. Rodriguez, president of BritCham, spoke of the new economic reality and new challenges ahead. ?Even though the Brexit option won by a slim margin and that the change will not happen overnight, the first global economic effects of this situation are already being felt,? he said. He explained the forum seeks to bring light to the new situation.
The forum is scheduled to start at 8am at the Hotel Embajador.
On the program are the UK Ambassador Chris Campbell and Deputy Vice Minister of Foreign Relations Cesar Dargam. Others scheduled to speak are Jean Alain Rodriguez, executive director of CEI-RD; Osmar Ben?tez, executive president of the Junta Agroempresarial Dominicana (JAD); economist Roberto Despradel, UK and Caribbean affairs expert David Jessop, among others.
Those interested in participating should contact Francesca Ortiz, executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce, at 809 729-3863 or by writing
administracion@britchamdr.com

Real estate growth expected to continue
The Dominican Republic is currently experiencing a significant growth in the real estate sector, in part due to relative stability of prices, the flexibility of interest rates, as well as the favorable impact of the low cost of basic building materials. This assessment was put forward by the EY International firm in a report entitled ?Real Estate Global Trends and the Panorama of the Industry in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic.?
According to Alberto Saenz, the leader of the real estate sector of EY Central America, Panama and Dominican Republic, the real estate industry in this country is experiencing a robust moment. According to a press release sent by Saenz to the Diario Libre, the concept of a ?Smart City? that embraces the integration of transportation infrastructure, education and health services and housing with technology, environmental care and efficient sources of renewable electricity. This integration of these types of investments in communities are fundamental in this industry today.? Saenz did voice concern that renewable electricity sources are more costly than traditional sources and the sales value of this technology has not been clearly defined in the market.

DR stock market tops RD$629 billion
The value of the securities market in the Dominican Republic is pegged at RD$629 billion. Santiago Camarena of securities firm, Alpha Valores, said that the market?s value could reach RD$796 billion in transactions during this year. Most of the investments are in bonds issued by the Central Bank and Ministry of Hacienda.
Camarena made the observations during the First Economy and Investment Meeting organized by Deloitte and Alpha Valores. He said in 2009 there were only RD$44 billion in bonds.
Camarena noted that ?if we compare ourselves with other countries our investments have remained relatively modest. The issue here has been the fact that nearly 95% of this value of investments are securities issued from the Central Bank and the ministry of Hacienda.?
http://hoy.com.do/estima-mercado-de-valores-representara-un-25-del-pib/

Thousands of DR taxi drivers in New York under threat
There are thousands of Dominican taxi drivers in New York City who could be affected by the approval of a new regulation by the Taxi and Limousine Commission of New York City (TLC) that would ban drivers from working more than 12 hours a day or more than 72 hours a week, as reported in El Nacional.
The proposed limits on the number of daily and weekly hours a cab driver can operate in NYC is an attempt to reduce traffic accidents. In November 2015, a taxi driver struck and killed a woman who was crossing the street. The taxi driver admitted that he had been on the road for 16 straight hours.
With the new regulation, taxi drivers will have to wait eight hours as a minimum before beginning a new shift. Taxi drivers who violate this regulation will be fined US$75 for the first citation. Subsequent violations of the rule would carry heftier fines and the driver could have his or her taxi license suspended for 15 days.
In the Big Apple there are more than 140,000 taxi drivers who work more than 12 hours a day. At the present time there are 13,437 yellow cabs, which are driven by persons of different nationalities and they carry more than 600,000 people each day. Taxis known as ?Gypsies? or as the livery cabs number some 25,000 and they are registered in more than 500 bases around the five boroughs. Thousands of these drivers are Dominicans. These taxis are estimated to carry 500,000 passengers each day. As reported, New York City also has green taxis that now number 18,008 and do regular work in all of the boroughs except Manhattan where they have limited service up to 96th St. On the East Side and 110 Street On the West Side.

Yip and yipeta are correct words in Spanish
The Royal Academy of Language of Spain (REA) has incorporated ?yip? and ?yipeta? and not ?jeep? and ?jeepeta? (such as in camioneta) for all-terrain vehicles. The REA Diccionario Academico includes the words as adaptations to Spanish of the generally used word Jeep for SUVs. The REA mentions ?yipeta? is commonly used in the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic. In El Salvador and Cuba, the all-terrain vehicles are known as ?yipi?.
Yipeta was included in the ?Diccionario del espa?ol dominicano?, published by Fundeu Guzman Ariza (http://www.fundeu.do)
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...a-yip-y-yipeta-adaptaciones-validas-HL4409669

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