DR1 Daily News - Wednesday, 27 July 2016

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May 3, 2000
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New firearms bill passes in Congress
Psycho Social Center opened by First Lady
Dominican Republic projected to have highest regional economic growth
Codia is against building school besides Ozama River
PLD appoints spokesmen at Chamber of Deputies
Doctors have not been paid
Barrick Gold contributing to economy
Dominican boxer reports robbery of his prize money
Two men arrested with marijuana
More people implicated in legal corruption
Pasion night club closed in Santiago
Aisha Syed concert at the National Theater
Musical festival at Playa Montesinos on the Malec?n



New firearms bill passes in Congress
Twenty-two of 32 senators approved the Firearms Bill (Proyecto de Control y Regulacion de Armas, Municiones y Materiales Relacionados) and the amendments to the Ministry of Foreign Relations and foreign service on its last work day, 25 July 2016. Congress will resume its work on 16 August 2016.
The new firearms bill, presented by PRSC deputy Victor (Ito) Bisono, seeks to better control the use of firearms by civilians and likewise limits the use of firearms by military and police when they are off duty. The bill also calls for the gradually reduction of the number of guns legally circulating in the country by establishing tighter restrictions for gun ownership and limits on the display of guns in public spaces.
The new Ministry of Foreign Relations bill creates a Diplomatic and Consular Career Council, among other entities to strengthen the institutional framework of the department. The new initiative replaces Law 314 that has been in effect since 6 July 1964.
Both bills now will be sent to the President for signing into law and publication.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...nado-convierte-en-ley-proyecto-armas-de-fuego

Psycho Social Center opened by First Lady
First Lady Candida Montilla called the rejection and marginalization of criminals who have served their sentences a double sentence against these. She said that they are often denied a chance to be integrated fully back into society as law-abiding citizens.
The First Lady spoke at the inauguration of the National Psycho-Social Assistance Center (Cenasi) at the La Victoria Jail. She said that studies show that many criminals commit new offenses after they leave jail. These reoffenders often cite stress caused by society that denies them opportunities as a reason for committing new crimes.
The Center, which has a capacity to serve around 2,000 inmates, is directed by well known communicator and psychologist Zoila Luna. The programs it offers seek to help those who have completed their sentences to return to a normal, productive life once out of prison.
Also present at the opening ceremony were the Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito, Minister of Public Works Gonzalo Castillo; Senate president Cristina Lizardo; deputy president of the Chamber of Deputies Yomaira Medina; Director General of Prisons, General Tomas Holguin de la Paz; Governor of Santo Domingo province, Juan Frias, and the mayor elect of Santo Domingo North, Rene Polanco, among others.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...ion-a-presos-para-reinsertarlos-a-la-sociedad

Dominican Republic projected to have highest regional economic growth
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has released its Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2016. The report shows that the Dominican Republic leads the region in growth with 6%. This is in contrast to the forecast overall decline in growth for the Caribbean region at -0.3% Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The DR?s 6% growth is followed by Panama (5.9%), Nicaragua and Bolivia (4.5%), and Costa Rica (4.3%). In addition, it forecasts a 2.8% GDP growth for Paraguay, followed by Colombia (2.7%), Chile (1.6%) and Uruguay (0.5%).
The countries that will show a contraction in their growth rate are Argentina (-1.5%), Ecuador (-2.5%), Brazil (-3.5%) and Venezuela (-8.0%).
The overall economic forecast for Latin American and Caribbean countries is a -0.8% contraction in their growth rate in 2016, marking a steeper decline than in 2015 (-0.5%).
The report predicts that overall Central America will grow at 3.8% thanks to the boost coming from its improved terms of trade (resulting from lower hydrocarbons prices), the recovery of its external and domestic demand, and increased income from remittances.
http://www.diariolibre.com/economia...a-latina-y-el-caribe-segun-la-cepal-IY4463309
http://www.cepal.org/en/pressreleas...and-caribbean-depends-invigorating-public-and

Codia is against building school besides Ozama River
The Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors (CODIA) has come out as against the ongoing construction by a Ministry of Education contractor of the Los Cocos School in Guandules, close to the Ozama River. The Codia specialists say the location is not suitable for a school. The chosen site is 50 meters from the banks of the Ozama River and next to the Benavides stream where there is a high risk of flooding from the river.
In a press conference, Codia recommended that a sports arena or technical workshops be located at the site, given that the builders had already invested RD$30 million in creating the foundation for the school on the property in question.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...cion-de-escuela-cerca-del-rio-ozama-JX4462874

PLD appoints spokesmen at Chamber of Deputies
Temistocles Mont?s of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) has announced that Gustavo Sanchez has been unanimously chosen as the spokesman for the PLD deputies in the Chamber of Deputies and Pedro Billilo Mota as vice spokesman. The secretary will be Orfalina Almonte.
In addition, Deputies Angela Pozo and Juan Julio Campos have been chosen as secretaries of the legal office of the Chamber of Deputies.
The decision was taken with 88 of the 108 PLD deputies who were elected for the 2016 legislative period. The ruling party is majority in the Chamber of Deputies.
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/07/26/escogen-gustavo-sanchez-como-vocero-los-diputados-peledeistas

Doctors have not been paid
The president of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD), Waldo Ariel Suero says that the Ministry of Public Health owes more than RD$30 million in unpaid salaries to doctors who are residents in hospitals.
According to Suero, the salaries are three months overdue. He called this yet another example of the government?s mistreatment of the medical profession.
http://eldia.com.do/cmd-denuncia-sa...s-de-salarios-atrasados-a-medicos-residentes/

Barrick Gold contributing to economy
According to a report by the consulting firm Analytica, the mining company Barrick Pueblo Viejo will generate more than US$1.7 billion for the Dominican economy. Of that figure, 57% will be generated directly and the rest indirectly. The report also says that an estimated 64% of revenue that Barrick generates in its operations remains in country.
The report states that in 2014, the mining sector grew by 20.3%, coinciding with the start of Barrick Pueblo Viejo operations, and generated income for the Dominican Republic of US$773 million that was 18% of the International Net Reserves.
The study also states that Barrick Pueblo Viejo has created more than 2,000 direct jobs and for each direct job there have been six to eight indirect jobs that translates to more than 14,000 indirect jobs.
The report also said that 46.7% of the jobs are concentrated in the provinces of Sanchez Ramirez, Monsenor Nouel and Santo Domingo which has helped significantly to decrease the rate of unemployment in those areas.
The study also highlights the Social Corporate Responsibility program of Barrick that has benefitted more than 65,000 people via more than 120 programs.
http://www.diariolibre.com/economia...a-economia-dominicana-segun-estudio-CE4464141

Dominican boxer reports robbery of his prize money
Dominican boxer Jonathan Guzman, who returned to the country via Miami on Monday, 25 July 2016, alleges that he was robbed of his fight earnings and suspects this was during his arrival at the Las Americas International Airport.
Guzman had fought in a super bantamweight bout organized by the International Boxing Federation in Japan the previous Wednesday and had been crowned champion following a technical knockout of the Japanese boxer, Shingo Wake. He won US$90,000 of which he gave US$20,000 to his coach.
Guzman, who comes from los Guaricanos, Villa Mella, arrived at 2:45pm on a flight from Miami and was met by a large group of people who formed a motorcade to take him back to his home. Following hours of celebration, Guzman realized that the money was missing. He explained he had the money in his carry on luggage. But in Miami airline staff did not allow him two pieces of hand luggage -- one with the winner?s belt and another with the money -- and the bag with the money was put on board as cargo.
He assumed the money was still there, as the box which contained the money was in the bag, but only later when he opened the box, did he see that the money was gone.
He said he had no problems with the United States Customs for bringing the money in cash and has now made an official complaint at the police station in La Caleta. The complaint is being investigated by a commission made up of Customs Intelligence officials, the Specialized Corps of Airport Security (CESAC), and private security from Aerodom, who manages the airport. They are watching security video and interviewing several employees involved in baggage handling.
http://www.listindiario.com/el-depo...il-dolares-a-boxeador-jonathan-guzman-en-aila
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/07/26/sustraen-70-mil-dolares-guzman#sthash.eL8QEucK.dpuf
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...nvestigan-robo-000-pugil-jonathan-guzman.html

Two men arrested with marijuana
Members of the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) have arrested two men with 11 packs and more than 15 pounds of supposedly marijuana that they were allegedly bringing from Haiti. The arrests took place on the main road in Pedernales province at kilometer 15 of the Pedernales-Oviedo road, where the two men aged 39 from La Playa and 26 from Batey Central, both in Barahona, were travelling on a motorcycle.
http://hoy.com.do/dncd-apresa-a-dos-trasladaban-pacas-de-marihuana-desde-haiti/
More people implicated in legal corruption
Following a disciplinary hearing that resulted in the dismissal of three judges, it appears that there are more people, including lawyers and secretaries at the Palace of Justice in Santo Domingo who are now being signaled out as part of a mafia that purposely manipulates hearings in favor of those linked to organized crime, including drug dealing and corruption.
The three judges, Victor Mejia Lebron, Roso Vallejo Espinosa and Jose Dionisio Duverge Mejia were dismissed by the Judicial Branch Council (CPJ) on Friday, 22 July 2016.
During the hearing, one of the witnesses, Judge Marcia Raquel Polanco de Sena said that in the office there were secretaries who spent their time changing the books where the case files were recorded so that specific cases would be heard in the court room run by one of the judges who were dismissed on Friday. She said she had been told this in confidence by one of the judges on night shift.
According to Polanco de Sena, this judge told her that the secretaries, specifically those in reception who received the requests for remand hearing would ensure certain cases, especially those in connection with drugs, would be heard in the specific court, courtroom number five, from which those charged would often be allowed to go free on bail,
The hearing prior to the dismissal of the judges also implicated lawyers who carried bribe money from their clients that was supposedly given to the judges to ensure that their clients won the case.
On 23 June 2016, one witness interrogated was a law student, Francisco Javier Batista Cruz, who confessed that he had met with Judge Jose Dionisio Duverge Mejia to ensure the drug dealer Julio Rondon was allowed free in exchange for US$10,000. Batista Cruz said that a lawyer with the surname Nunez was involved in the deal. However, Nunez had told his client that the judge would charge US$25,000 to allow him to go free.
http://elnacional.com.do/vinculan-personal-justicia-a-jueces-mafiosos/
http://www.poderjudicial.gob.do/poder_judicial/consejo_poder_judicial/sentencias_disciplinarias.aspx

Pasion night club closed in Santiago
The prosecutor?s office in Santiago announced the shutdown of the Pasion night club located in Los Transformadores off the Duarte Highway, near the community of Canabacoa. Jose Gomez and Juan Estrella, co-owners, were arrested in a raid that was conducted on the suspicion of violations of Law 36 on Firearms, Trafficking in People and Money Laundering. Reportedly, 32 women were rescued from sexual exploitation.
Listin Diario reports that Pasion is the second adult club to be closed in Santiago in less than three months. On 9 May 2016, the Casa Blanca adult club was closed. At the time, it was reported that dozens of women were rescued from sexual exploitation, according to prosecutor Luisa Liranzo.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...e-en-santiago-cierran-club-nocturno-CX4462756

Aisha Syed concert at the National Theater
The most outstanding Dominican violinist of all times, Aisha Syed will be performing at the National Theater in a concert set for Wednesday, 3 August 2016 at the Carlos Piantini Hall of the theater. The recital will mark her 15 years as a violinist. The event is organized by Sociedad Proarte Latinoamericana.
On the program for the evening is Chaccone for Solo Violin by J.S. Bach, Violin Sonata No. 3 by Johannes Brahms, Carmen Fantasy by Pablo de Sarasate, among other works. She will be accompanied by Italian-Uruguayan pianist Ciro Fodere.

Musical festival at Playa Montesinos on the Malec?n
The Plaza Playa Montesinos of the Malecon, where the enormous statue of colonial era human rights advocate, Father Anton de Montesinos, is displayed, will be the backdrop for an urban music festival ? The Pineapple Ball.
Alexis & Fido, Mark B, Cultura Profetica, Cafres, Alex Ferrerira and Frente Caribe have been booked for the performance of 15 August 2016. It will be a night for lovers of merengue, reggae, reggaetton, and electronic music. The popular Djs, Sound of Montecarlo, No Regular Play, Stacey Pullen, Blondish and Rampue will be on hand to keep the music pumping.
http://www.listindiario.com/entrete...alecon-sera-rescatada-con-un-festival-musical

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

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