Boca Chica overpass inaugurated
Community says no to Hard Rock Casino, process to continue
PLD political committee members are ministers
Political will needed to fix Santo Domingo traffic
Chikungunya vaccine tested in Dominican Republic
Odile Minimo Bogaert appointed at Adoexpo
Fuente cigars founder passes away
Lighting kills two over the weekend
Romeo Santos at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Boca Chica overpass inaugurated
President Danilo Medina and Minister of Public Works Gonzalo Castillo were in Boca Chica on Sunday, 7 August 2016 for the inauguration of the Andres-Boca Chica area’s second overpass. During the event, Castillo announced that a third overpass would be built in front of the ITLA University.
The Boca Chica overpass is part of the La Caleta-Boca Chica highway improvement project, aimed at reducing the traffic congestion affecting the towns of La Caleta and Boca Chica near the Las Americas International Airport and the Punta Caucedo Port. The overpass is part of the Circuito Vial del Este, a road system aimed at easing traffic flow east of Santo Domingo all the way to Punta Cana.
The four-lane overpass is designed for speeds of 80-100 km per hour. It is intended to improve safety for Boca Chica residents as through traffic will pass over the ground level allowing pedestrians to cross using the traffic lights.
National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) president Simon Suarez, in Boca Chica for the inaugural event, praised the quality of the roadwork. He said it would contribute to improving quality of life of the residents in Andres and Boca Chica, as well as creating the conditions for attracting investments and new job opportunities.
As part of the road improvements, the Ministry of Public Works also implemented a social program to ensure that thousands of local motorcycle taxi drivers received driver’s licenses, helmets and identity jackets.
The ceremony was also attended by Administrative Minister of the Presidency Jose Ramon Peralta, Agriculture Minister Angel Estevez, Defense Minister Lieutenant General Maximo William Munoz Delgado, Culture Minister Jose Antonio Rodriguez, Superior Education Minister Ligia Amada Melo, Superintendent of Insurance Euclides Gutierrez Felix, Banco de Reservas administrator Enrique Ramirez and the presidents of the Tecnoamerica Pedro Delgado Malagon, Samuel Conde of the Caucedo Multimodal Free Zone and Luis Jose Asilis of Grupo Metro, as well as Santo Domingo provincial governor Juan Frias and the mayors of La Caleta Jesus Mercedes and Boca Chica Daniel Ozuna.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...a-chica-ampliacion-boca-chica-la-caleta-video
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/08/08/430349/inauguran-un-elevado-y-construiran-otro
Community says no to Hard Rock Casino, process to continue
Developers of the Santo Domingo Hard Rock Hotel and Casino project have still not presented a social impact study of the project as requested by community groups as a legal requirement for the Ministry of Environment to issue construction permits. Nevertheless, the Ministry validated the second public hearing held at the Ministry of Environment on Friday, 6 August 2016, where it told interested parties that the assessment process is not over. Next step is disclosure of the environmental impact study online in 15 days prior to the decision whether or not to issue an environmental permit.
Construction of the hotel and casino, the largest in the city center, has already begun in an upscale residential-commercial area of the city, at the heart of the Poligono Central.
The casino, which would be the largest in Santo Domingo, is the main concern for local residents, whose representatives are demanding that the company present the results of a comprehensive study to confirm the negative social impact they say the proposed casino, which will cover an area of nearly 2,500 square meters, could have in the community.
The proposed casino is similar in size to the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas (that has 2,800 sq. meters). The Santo Domingo casino is similar in size to that already in operation at the Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana, and is owned and operated by the same companies. The difference is that there are few local residents around the Punta Cana resort and the hotel itself has 1,700 rooms, meaning its focus is primarily on tourists. On the other hand, the Santo Domingo hotel would have 387 rooms, thus Hard Rock Hotel & Casino International is heavily targeting the local market. It describes the proposed Santo Domingo hotel “as an opportunity to fill a gap in the marketplace for a hotel that also acts as an entertainment destination for the local market,” as Frank Maduro, vice president of marketing at AIC Hotel Group promoters of the hotel, said recently in an interview with Travel Pulse.
During the public hearing at the Ministry of Environment, the developers distributed a press release announcing a 30-floor hotel. Architectural plans nevertheless adding up to a 39-floor building (seven underground floors + 32 ground floors, including six floors with amenities) in the city center at the corners of Av. Abraham Lincoln and Calle Andres Julio Aybar were also presented. When the hotel was announced by Hard Rock International in January 2016, 40 floors were mentioned.
The promoters highlighted the positive impact the hotel would have through the creation of between 600 and 900 permanent jobs and 2000-3000 during the construction stage, as well as stimulating complementary investments in the area. The company public relations firm again distributed a press release indicating the hotel would be 30 floors.
While the city limit for the area is 23 floors, the developers said they chose to not comply with the zoning limitation on the grounds that the high-rise design will create a landmark for the city on the 5,078 square meter lot.
Project consultant Mario Mendez said that in order to reduce traffic jams, a concert hall was no longer being included in the project, only the convention center. The company operates the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana where the convention center doubles up as a concert hall. Seven floors of parking with a total of 520 spaces are planned, with a heavy reliance on taxi service and valet parking. The community has also expressed concern that the project would worsen the already chaotic traffic in the chosen location of the hotel and entertainment center.
Speaking for a community of an estimated 150,000 residents, architect Omar Rancier reiterated that the project must comply with the urban rulings for the area covered by Municipal Ruling 94-98 and Environmental Law 64-00. The architect who is serving as consultant to the neighborhood boards explained that as contemplated the project would have a density of 1,333 room per hectare, that is three times more than the permitted density of 400 rooms per hectare.
He pointed to the site location violation of the zoning that prohibits the location of casinos 500 meters from schools and hospitals, and other density and height violations by the project in its current form.
On the other hand, taxi association representatives spoke in favor of the project at the meeting because of the work it would create for them.
Rafael Paz, executive director of the National Business Council, who said he was speaking as a resident of the area, backed the project saying it would create jobs, which he said was the country’s main problem. Stating that other similar developments would follow, he suggested that affected city residents could relocate to suburban residential areas such as Arroyo Hondo, which was met with loud boos from those in attendance.
Economist Antonio Flaquer countered Paz’s push for giving priority to the jobs that would be created, saying that the country’s main problem was institutional weakness and failure to comply with the law. He said that law-abiding countries attracted foreign investment. “They need to comply with the laws,” he stated.
Not every investment that creates jobs is good, Flaquer said, in reference to the proposed casino, pointing out that pornography also creates a lot of jobs. He asked: “Do we need a casino?” and mentioned the country’s existing 30,000+ betting shops and the RD$45 billion that is spent on gambling nationwide, describing it a tax on the poor.
Also speaking for the community, Mirtha Cabral stated that Hard Rock has opened hotels without casinos in 75% of their destinations, stressing that the negative social impact of casinos has been well documented. Negative impacts include an increase in criminal activities, social deviations such domestic violence, divorce, bankruptcy, drug and alcohol abuse, risky or illicit sexual behavior (especially prostitution), and problem gambling, loss of property value, and impoverishment. Cabral singled out the entertainment complex includes a large slot machine area, with state-of-the-art machines that are known to be highly addictive.
One woman made an emotional appeal to the community to be alert and reject the casino that she compared to the Spaniards who offered beads and mirrors to 'ignorant' Indians and took home all the gold they could find.
http://www.diariolibre.com/medioamb...go-desahogo-de-vecinos-y-promotores-DJ4586984
http://hoy.com.do/residentes-dn-siguen-opuestos-a-construccion-hotel-hard-rock/
http://almomento.net/bufete-tenzer-...l-hard-rock-hotel-casino-santo-domingo/224549
http://www.travelpulse.com/news/hot...d-rock-hotels-dominican-republic-success.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/business...o-wreck-a-local-economy-build-casinos/375691/
PLD political committee members are ministers
A report in Diario Libre points out that 30 of the 34 members of the ruling PLD party’s influential Political Committee are on the government payroll. Diario Libre says that membership of the political committee is the equivalent of being a minister, director general, president of the Senate or Chamber of Deputies. It also means they are untouchable, according to the newspaper report.
Only four committee members are not in government: former President Leonel Fernandez, former attorney general Radhames Jimenez, former executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) Radhames Segura and former Vice President Rafael Alburquerque. The committee is the deciding arm of the ruling party.
The members are:
President Danilo Medina
Reinaldo Pared Perez, secretary general of the PLD and next president of the Senate
Vice President Margarita Cedeno
Abel Martinez, president of the Chamber of Deputies and mayor elect for Santiago
Alejandrina German, Minister of Women
Alma Fernandez, director of the National Housing Institute (INVI)
Bautista Rojas Gomez, Minister of Environment
Carlos Amarante Baret, Minister of Education
Carlos Pared Perez, assistant to President Medina
Cesar Pina Toribio, legal advisor to the Executive Branch
Cristina Lizardo, president of the Senate
Eduardo Selman, consul in New York
Euclides Gutierrez, Superintendent of Insurance
Felix Jimenez, president of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery
Francisco Javier Garcia, Minister of Tourism
Franklin Almeyda, security advisor to the Executive Branch
Gonzalo Castillo, Minister of Public Works
Jaime David Fernandez, Minister of Sports
Jose Joaquin Bido Medina, director of Ethics
Jose Tomas Perez, ambassador in the United States
Juan Temistocles Montas, Minister of Economy
Julio Cesar Valentin, senator for Santiago
Lidio Cadet, director of special programs
Lucia Medina, president-elect Chamber of Deputies
Miriam Cabral, deputy National District
Radhames Camacho, national deputy, Chamber of Deputies president in 2018
Jose Ramon Fadul, Minister of Interior and Police
Ramon Ventura, Minister of Public Administration
Ruben Jimenez Bichara, CDEEE executive vice president
Simon Lizardo, Minister of Hacienda
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...-del-pld-estan-en-la-nomina-publica-LC4589782
Political will needed to fix Santo Domingo traffic
A laissez-faire approach to traffic law violations and the government’s policy of prioritizing individual rather than collective solutions have plunged the capital city of the Dominican Republic into traffic chaos, according to a report in Hoy. It adds that a bill that has been dormant in Congress since 2005 establishes a legal framework for tackling the traffic issues. What is missing is “political will.” The government needs to take actions such as banning unfit vehicles from the roads and unifying 11 traffic-related government units, says the report.
Other decisions proposed include relocating the mass transit bus stations outside the city. Their location contributes to the chaos.
In an interview with Hoy, Oneximo Gonzalez, project vice president for Transporte y Vialidad, S.A. says that the root of the current chaos is the fact that priority has yet to be given to collective transport.
The Bill for Mobility, Land Transport, Transit and Road Safety (Ley de Movilidad, Transporte Terrestre, Transito y Seguridad Vial) has provisions for improving safety, environmental protection, lower fares and reduced fuel consumption.
Gonzalez says that 85-90% of the three million daily commuter trips made in Santo Domingo are in “carros de concho”, the discarded private cars turned into multi-fare paying taxis.
The bill proposes establishing a tax of RD$2 per gallon of gasoline to modernize the fleet with the participation of the large taxi and bus associations. A transparent trust would be established with funds for purchasing the vehicles that are unfit for circulation from their owners and taking them off the roads. In turn, the transport associations would become formal transport companies.
Under this proposed system, for every 200 conchos taken off the roads, one bus would be introduced, and specialized lanes would be established along key thoroughfares such as Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln avenues.
The bill also has provisions for environmentally friendly fuel, fines with the use of surveillance cameras and criminalizing traffic light and speeding violations.
http://hoy.com.do/solo-falta-voluntad-politica-para-solucion-caos-transito-de-gran-sd/
Chikungunya vaccine tested in Dominican Republic
The Huberto Bogaert Diaz dermatological institute’s Vaccination and Research Unit is taking part in a regional research project aimed at finding a vaccine for the chikungunya virus. A total of 78 volunteers are taking part in the clinical trial. The study is also underway in Puerto Rico, Haiti, Guadeloupe and Martinique, which are also affected by the disease.
The vaccine is being developed at the United States National Institutes of Health’s Vaccine Research Center (VCR).Dr. Yeycy Donastorg Cabral, lead researcher for the Huberto Bogaert Institute said that a first phase of the vaccination trial was a test in the United States with 25 volunteers. She now hopes to test the vaccine on 106 volunteers, 78 of whom are already on board. The volunteers will receive either an injection of the vaccine or a placebo before being monitored for 18 months to evaluate the experimental vaccine’s safety and capacity to generate an immune system response in participants. Volunteers need to be between the ages of 18 to 60, and must commit to 11 follow-up visits and have no plans to leave the country in the next 18 months.
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/08/08/prueban-vacuna-contra-chikungunya
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-begins-testing-investigational-zika-vaccine-humans
Odile Minimo Bogaert appointed at Adoexpo
The Dominican Exporters Association (Adoexpo) has announced the appointment of lawyer Odile Minimo Boagert as its new executive vice president. Adoexpo president Alvaro Sousa Sevilla made the announcement.
He said that Minimo was chosen for what she will bring to the organization in terms of legal structuring, drafting of guidelines and implementations of projects and strategic proposals to allow for increased institutional strengthening. Minimo has Masters degrees in international business law and civil and business law. She joins Adoexpo after holding similar posts at the Organizacion Nacional de Empresas Comerciales (ONEC) representing the country’s leading stores and the Asociacion Dominicana de Importadores Ferreteros (Adoimfe), two leading importer organizations.
http://acento.com.do/2016/economia/8370893-adoexpo-designa-odile-minino-vicepresidente-ejecutiva/
Fuente cigars founder passes away
81-year old Carlos Fuente, founder of the Tabacalera A. Fuente died in Tampa, Florida on Sunday, 7 August 2016 after several years battling stomach cancer. He led the company to become one of the best cigar brands in the world, with operations in Santiago de los Caballeros. His Arturo Fuente and Fuente Opus X brands are legendary. The operation, which manufactures around 30 million cigars a year was led by Carlos Fuente and his daughter Cynthia Fuente.
http://www.arturofuente.com/CarlosFuente.html#/carlos-fuente-sr
Lighting kills two over the weekend
A 42-year old Haitian and an 18-year old Dominican were killed after being hit by lightning in thunderstorms over the weekend of 6-7 August 2016. The Haitian was identified as Ice Pie who was working on a rice farm in La Bija, Sanchez Ramirez (Cotui) province when he was struck by lighting. Meanwhile, the coroner said that 18-year old Joel Mejia Holguin died when struck by lighting on a farm in Sabana Rey, La Vega. He was carrying rice on a horse.
http://pn.gob.do/noticias-principal...un-joven-mueren-al-ser-impactados-por-un-rayo
Dominicans in the Olympics
Beatriz Piron was just one kilogram short of winning a medal in the 48kg in women’s weightlifting during the opening weekend of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. She lifted 187 kilos in her event to place fourth in her category. Gold went to Sopita Tanasan of Thailand with 200 kg, silver to Sri Wahyuni Agustiani of Indonesia and bronze to Japanese Hiromi Miyake with 188 kg.
In the men’s weightlifting, Luis Alberto Garcia Brito led the men’s 56kg at the conclusion of group B with 263 kg, but ended in 8th place in his category.
In judo, Wander Mateo turned in a good performance for the Dominican Republic in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics finishing 7th in the 66kg competition. Mateo had defeated Rodrik Kuku of Congo and Sergiu Olenic from Portugal to reach the quarterfinals.
In other results of the first days of competition, in archery, Yessica Camilo ranked 64th of 64. In road race cycling Diego Milan did not finish the race. In tennis, Victor Estrella, ranked 87th in the world, competing in men’s singles lost to Fabio Fognini of Italy, ranked 41st.
In shooting men's trap, Eduardo Lorenzo (68 16) ranked 15 of 30 participants.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/re...trap-qualification-results.html#ixzz4GjNdziSw
Other Dominican athletes due to compete are:
8 August:
Weightlifting. Yuderqui Contreras (48kg)
Weightlifting Luis Alberto Garcia Brito.
9 August:
Johnny Perez (100 freestyle swimming)
10 August:
Yvonne Losos, equestrian
12 August:
Athletics. Luguelin Santos (400 meters)
Swimming Dorian McMenemy (50 m freestyle)
13 August:
Athletics. Yancarlos Martinez
13 August:
Boxing. Leonel de los Santos (52kg)
14 August:
Boxing. Hector Luis Garcia (56 kg)
Athletics. Ana Tima (triple jump)
15 August:
Athletics. Mariely Sanchez (200 meters)
Athletics. Jaunder Santos (400 meters hurdles)
16 August:
Athletics. Stanly del Carmen (200 meters)
Athletics. Yancarlos Martinez.
17 August:
Taekwondo. Luisito Pie (58 kg)
18 August:
Track and field. 4 x 100.
19 August:
Katherine Rodriguez (67kg)
Judo: Moises Hernandez (80 kg)
Track and field 4 x 400.
Athletics. Mayobanex D’Oleo (Men’s 4 x 100 relay)
Shooting: Eduardo Jose Lorenzo (Shooting Trap Men)
Athletics: Luis Enrique Charles (Men’s 4 x 400 relay)
https://www.rio2016.com/en/dominican-republic
http://www.listindiario.com/rio2016...on-se-quedo-a-un-kilo-de-la-medalla-de-bronce
http://www.diariolibre.com/deportes...mateo-llego-septimo-en-los-66-kilos-YL4591735
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/mens-56kg-and-womens-53kg-weightlifting-recap
Romeo Santos at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Romeo Santos, known as The King of Bachata, is booked for a performance at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana on 27 August 2016. He rose to stardom as a member of the Aventura group and has since gone on to perform as a solo artist.
Tickets are for sale at tuboleta.com.do
Read more about upcoming events at http://www.dr1.com/calendar
To read more news, see dr1.com and the DR1 News Archives at: http://dr1.com/premium/news/2016/index.shtml
Community says no to Hard Rock Casino, process to continue
PLD political committee members are ministers
Political will needed to fix Santo Domingo traffic
Chikungunya vaccine tested in Dominican Republic
Odile Minimo Bogaert appointed at Adoexpo
Fuente cigars founder passes away
Lighting kills two over the weekend
Romeo Santos at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Boca Chica overpass inaugurated
President Danilo Medina and Minister of Public Works Gonzalo Castillo were in Boca Chica on Sunday, 7 August 2016 for the inauguration of the Andres-Boca Chica area’s second overpass. During the event, Castillo announced that a third overpass would be built in front of the ITLA University.
The Boca Chica overpass is part of the La Caleta-Boca Chica highway improvement project, aimed at reducing the traffic congestion affecting the towns of La Caleta and Boca Chica near the Las Americas International Airport and the Punta Caucedo Port. The overpass is part of the Circuito Vial del Este, a road system aimed at easing traffic flow east of Santo Domingo all the way to Punta Cana.
The four-lane overpass is designed for speeds of 80-100 km per hour. It is intended to improve safety for Boca Chica residents as through traffic will pass over the ground level allowing pedestrians to cross using the traffic lights.
National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) president Simon Suarez, in Boca Chica for the inaugural event, praised the quality of the roadwork. He said it would contribute to improving quality of life of the residents in Andres and Boca Chica, as well as creating the conditions for attracting investments and new job opportunities.
As part of the road improvements, the Ministry of Public Works also implemented a social program to ensure that thousands of local motorcycle taxi drivers received driver’s licenses, helmets and identity jackets.
The ceremony was also attended by Administrative Minister of the Presidency Jose Ramon Peralta, Agriculture Minister Angel Estevez, Defense Minister Lieutenant General Maximo William Munoz Delgado, Culture Minister Jose Antonio Rodriguez, Superior Education Minister Ligia Amada Melo, Superintendent of Insurance Euclides Gutierrez Felix, Banco de Reservas administrator Enrique Ramirez and the presidents of the Tecnoamerica Pedro Delgado Malagon, Samuel Conde of the Caucedo Multimodal Free Zone and Luis Jose Asilis of Grupo Metro, as well as Santo Domingo provincial governor Juan Frias and the mayors of La Caleta Jesus Mercedes and Boca Chica Daniel Ozuna.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...a-chica-ampliacion-boca-chica-la-caleta-video
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/08/08/430349/inauguran-un-elevado-y-construiran-otro
Community says no to Hard Rock Casino, process to continue
Developers of the Santo Domingo Hard Rock Hotel and Casino project have still not presented a social impact study of the project as requested by community groups as a legal requirement for the Ministry of Environment to issue construction permits. Nevertheless, the Ministry validated the second public hearing held at the Ministry of Environment on Friday, 6 August 2016, where it told interested parties that the assessment process is not over. Next step is disclosure of the environmental impact study online in 15 days prior to the decision whether or not to issue an environmental permit.
Construction of the hotel and casino, the largest in the city center, has already begun in an upscale residential-commercial area of the city, at the heart of the Poligono Central.
The casino, which would be the largest in Santo Domingo, is the main concern for local residents, whose representatives are demanding that the company present the results of a comprehensive study to confirm the negative social impact they say the proposed casino, which will cover an area of nearly 2,500 square meters, could have in the community.
The proposed casino is similar in size to the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas (that has 2,800 sq. meters). The Santo Domingo casino is similar in size to that already in operation at the Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana, and is owned and operated by the same companies. The difference is that there are few local residents around the Punta Cana resort and the hotel itself has 1,700 rooms, meaning its focus is primarily on tourists. On the other hand, the Santo Domingo hotel would have 387 rooms, thus Hard Rock Hotel & Casino International is heavily targeting the local market. It describes the proposed Santo Domingo hotel “as an opportunity to fill a gap in the marketplace for a hotel that also acts as an entertainment destination for the local market,” as Frank Maduro, vice president of marketing at AIC Hotel Group promoters of the hotel, said recently in an interview with Travel Pulse.
During the public hearing at the Ministry of Environment, the developers distributed a press release announcing a 30-floor hotel. Architectural plans nevertheless adding up to a 39-floor building (seven underground floors + 32 ground floors, including six floors with amenities) in the city center at the corners of Av. Abraham Lincoln and Calle Andres Julio Aybar were also presented. When the hotel was announced by Hard Rock International in January 2016, 40 floors were mentioned.
The promoters highlighted the positive impact the hotel would have through the creation of between 600 and 900 permanent jobs and 2000-3000 during the construction stage, as well as stimulating complementary investments in the area. The company public relations firm again distributed a press release indicating the hotel would be 30 floors.
While the city limit for the area is 23 floors, the developers said they chose to not comply with the zoning limitation on the grounds that the high-rise design will create a landmark for the city on the 5,078 square meter lot.
Project consultant Mario Mendez said that in order to reduce traffic jams, a concert hall was no longer being included in the project, only the convention center. The company operates the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana where the convention center doubles up as a concert hall. Seven floors of parking with a total of 520 spaces are planned, with a heavy reliance on taxi service and valet parking. The community has also expressed concern that the project would worsen the already chaotic traffic in the chosen location of the hotel and entertainment center.
Speaking for a community of an estimated 150,000 residents, architect Omar Rancier reiterated that the project must comply with the urban rulings for the area covered by Municipal Ruling 94-98 and Environmental Law 64-00. The architect who is serving as consultant to the neighborhood boards explained that as contemplated the project would have a density of 1,333 room per hectare, that is three times more than the permitted density of 400 rooms per hectare.
He pointed to the site location violation of the zoning that prohibits the location of casinos 500 meters from schools and hospitals, and other density and height violations by the project in its current form.
On the other hand, taxi association representatives spoke in favor of the project at the meeting because of the work it would create for them.
Rafael Paz, executive director of the National Business Council, who said he was speaking as a resident of the area, backed the project saying it would create jobs, which he said was the country’s main problem. Stating that other similar developments would follow, he suggested that affected city residents could relocate to suburban residential areas such as Arroyo Hondo, which was met with loud boos from those in attendance.
Economist Antonio Flaquer countered Paz’s push for giving priority to the jobs that would be created, saying that the country’s main problem was institutional weakness and failure to comply with the law. He said that law-abiding countries attracted foreign investment. “They need to comply with the laws,” he stated.
Not every investment that creates jobs is good, Flaquer said, in reference to the proposed casino, pointing out that pornography also creates a lot of jobs. He asked: “Do we need a casino?” and mentioned the country’s existing 30,000+ betting shops and the RD$45 billion that is spent on gambling nationwide, describing it a tax on the poor.
Also speaking for the community, Mirtha Cabral stated that Hard Rock has opened hotels without casinos in 75% of their destinations, stressing that the negative social impact of casinos has been well documented. Negative impacts include an increase in criminal activities, social deviations such domestic violence, divorce, bankruptcy, drug and alcohol abuse, risky or illicit sexual behavior (especially prostitution), and problem gambling, loss of property value, and impoverishment. Cabral singled out the entertainment complex includes a large slot machine area, with state-of-the-art machines that are known to be highly addictive.
One woman made an emotional appeal to the community to be alert and reject the casino that she compared to the Spaniards who offered beads and mirrors to 'ignorant' Indians and took home all the gold they could find.
http://www.diariolibre.com/medioamb...go-desahogo-de-vecinos-y-promotores-DJ4586984
http://hoy.com.do/residentes-dn-siguen-opuestos-a-construccion-hotel-hard-rock/
http://almomento.net/bufete-tenzer-...l-hard-rock-hotel-casino-santo-domingo/224549
http://www.travelpulse.com/news/hot...d-rock-hotels-dominican-republic-success.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/business...o-wreck-a-local-economy-build-casinos/375691/
PLD political committee members are ministers
A report in Diario Libre points out that 30 of the 34 members of the ruling PLD party’s influential Political Committee are on the government payroll. Diario Libre says that membership of the political committee is the equivalent of being a minister, director general, president of the Senate or Chamber of Deputies. It also means they are untouchable, according to the newspaper report.
Only four committee members are not in government: former President Leonel Fernandez, former attorney general Radhames Jimenez, former executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) Radhames Segura and former Vice President Rafael Alburquerque. The committee is the deciding arm of the ruling party.
The members are:
President Danilo Medina
Reinaldo Pared Perez, secretary general of the PLD and next president of the Senate
Vice President Margarita Cedeno
Abel Martinez, president of the Chamber of Deputies and mayor elect for Santiago
Alejandrina German, Minister of Women
Alma Fernandez, director of the National Housing Institute (INVI)
Bautista Rojas Gomez, Minister of Environment
Carlos Amarante Baret, Minister of Education
Carlos Pared Perez, assistant to President Medina
Cesar Pina Toribio, legal advisor to the Executive Branch
Cristina Lizardo, president of the Senate
Eduardo Selman, consul in New York
Euclides Gutierrez, Superintendent of Insurance
Felix Jimenez, president of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery
Francisco Javier Garcia, Minister of Tourism
Franklin Almeyda, security advisor to the Executive Branch
Gonzalo Castillo, Minister of Public Works
Jaime David Fernandez, Minister of Sports
Jose Joaquin Bido Medina, director of Ethics
Jose Tomas Perez, ambassador in the United States
Juan Temistocles Montas, Minister of Economy
Julio Cesar Valentin, senator for Santiago
Lidio Cadet, director of special programs
Lucia Medina, president-elect Chamber of Deputies
Miriam Cabral, deputy National District
Radhames Camacho, national deputy, Chamber of Deputies president in 2018
Jose Ramon Fadul, Minister of Interior and Police
Ramon Ventura, Minister of Public Administration
Ruben Jimenez Bichara, CDEEE executive vice president
Simon Lizardo, Minister of Hacienda
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...-del-pld-estan-en-la-nomina-publica-LC4589782
Political will needed to fix Santo Domingo traffic
A laissez-faire approach to traffic law violations and the government’s policy of prioritizing individual rather than collective solutions have plunged the capital city of the Dominican Republic into traffic chaos, according to a report in Hoy. It adds that a bill that has been dormant in Congress since 2005 establishes a legal framework for tackling the traffic issues. What is missing is “political will.” The government needs to take actions such as banning unfit vehicles from the roads and unifying 11 traffic-related government units, says the report.
Other decisions proposed include relocating the mass transit bus stations outside the city. Their location contributes to the chaos.
In an interview with Hoy, Oneximo Gonzalez, project vice president for Transporte y Vialidad, S.A. says that the root of the current chaos is the fact that priority has yet to be given to collective transport.
The Bill for Mobility, Land Transport, Transit and Road Safety (Ley de Movilidad, Transporte Terrestre, Transito y Seguridad Vial) has provisions for improving safety, environmental protection, lower fares and reduced fuel consumption.
Gonzalez says that 85-90% of the three million daily commuter trips made in Santo Domingo are in “carros de concho”, the discarded private cars turned into multi-fare paying taxis.
The bill proposes establishing a tax of RD$2 per gallon of gasoline to modernize the fleet with the participation of the large taxi and bus associations. A transparent trust would be established with funds for purchasing the vehicles that are unfit for circulation from their owners and taking them off the roads. In turn, the transport associations would become formal transport companies.
Under this proposed system, for every 200 conchos taken off the roads, one bus would be introduced, and specialized lanes would be established along key thoroughfares such as Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln avenues.
The bill also has provisions for environmentally friendly fuel, fines with the use of surveillance cameras and criminalizing traffic light and speeding violations.
http://hoy.com.do/solo-falta-voluntad-politica-para-solucion-caos-transito-de-gran-sd/
Chikungunya vaccine tested in Dominican Republic
The Huberto Bogaert Diaz dermatological institute’s Vaccination and Research Unit is taking part in a regional research project aimed at finding a vaccine for the chikungunya virus. A total of 78 volunteers are taking part in the clinical trial. The study is also underway in Puerto Rico, Haiti, Guadeloupe and Martinique, which are also affected by the disease.
The vaccine is being developed at the United States National Institutes of Health’s Vaccine Research Center (VCR).Dr. Yeycy Donastorg Cabral, lead researcher for the Huberto Bogaert Institute said that a first phase of the vaccination trial was a test in the United States with 25 volunteers. She now hopes to test the vaccine on 106 volunteers, 78 of whom are already on board. The volunteers will receive either an injection of the vaccine or a placebo before being monitored for 18 months to evaluate the experimental vaccine’s safety and capacity to generate an immune system response in participants. Volunteers need to be between the ages of 18 to 60, and must commit to 11 follow-up visits and have no plans to leave the country in the next 18 months.
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/08/08/prueban-vacuna-contra-chikungunya
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-begins-testing-investigational-zika-vaccine-humans
Odile Minimo Bogaert appointed at Adoexpo
The Dominican Exporters Association (Adoexpo) has announced the appointment of lawyer Odile Minimo Boagert as its new executive vice president. Adoexpo president Alvaro Sousa Sevilla made the announcement.
He said that Minimo was chosen for what she will bring to the organization in terms of legal structuring, drafting of guidelines and implementations of projects and strategic proposals to allow for increased institutional strengthening. Minimo has Masters degrees in international business law and civil and business law. She joins Adoexpo after holding similar posts at the Organizacion Nacional de Empresas Comerciales (ONEC) representing the country’s leading stores and the Asociacion Dominicana de Importadores Ferreteros (Adoimfe), two leading importer organizations.
http://acento.com.do/2016/economia/8370893-adoexpo-designa-odile-minino-vicepresidente-ejecutiva/
Fuente cigars founder passes away
81-year old Carlos Fuente, founder of the Tabacalera A. Fuente died in Tampa, Florida on Sunday, 7 August 2016 after several years battling stomach cancer. He led the company to become one of the best cigar brands in the world, with operations in Santiago de los Caballeros. His Arturo Fuente and Fuente Opus X brands are legendary. The operation, which manufactures around 30 million cigars a year was led by Carlos Fuente and his daughter Cynthia Fuente.
http://www.arturofuente.com/CarlosFuente.html#/carlos-fuente-sr
Lighting kills two over the weekend
A 42-year old Haitian and an 18-year old Dominican were killed after being hit by lightning in thunderstorms over the weekend of 6-7 August 2016. The Haitian was identified as Ice Pie who was working on a rice farm in La Bija, Sanchez Ramirez (Cotui) province when he was struck by lighting. Meanwhile, the coroner said that 18-year old Joel Mejia Holguin died when struck by lighting on a farm in Sabana Rey, La Vega. He was carrying rice on a horse.
http://pn.gob.do/noticias-principal...un-joven-mueren-al-ser-impactados-por-un-rayo
Dominicans in the Olympics
Beatriz Piron was just one kilogram short of winning a medal in the 48kg in women’s weightlifting during the opening weekend of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. She lifted 187 kilos in her event to place fourth in her category. Gold went to Sopita Tanasan of Thailand with 200 kg, silver to Sri Wahyuni Agustiani of Indonesia and bronze to Japanese Hiromi Miyake with 188 kg.
In the men’s weightlifting, Luis Alberto Garcia Brito led the men’s 56kg at the conclusion of group B with 263 kg, but ended in 8th place in his category.
In judo, Wander Mateo turned in a good performance for the Dominican Republic in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics finishing 7th in the 66kg competition. Mateo had defeated Rodrik Kuku of Congo and Sergiu Olenic from Portugal to reach the quarterfinals.
In other results of the first days of competition, in archery, Yessica Camilo ranked 64th of 64. In road race cycling Diego Milan did not finish the race. In tennis, Victor Estrella, ranked 87th in the world, competing in men’s singles lost to Fabio Fognini of Italy, ranked 41st.
In shooting men's trap, Eduardo Lorenzo (68 16) ranked 15 of 30 participants.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/re...trap-qualification-results.html#ixzz4GjNdziSw
Other Dominican athletes due to compete are:
8 August:
Weightlifting. Yuderqui Contreras (48kg)
Weightlifting Luis Alberto Garcia Brito.
9 August:
Johnny Perez (100 freestyle swimming)
10 August:
Yvonne Losos, equestrian
12 August:
Athletics. Luguelin Santos (400 meters)
Swimming Dorian McMenemy (50 m freestyle)
13 August:
Athletics. Yancarlos Martinez
13 August:
Boxing. Leonel de los Santos (52kg)
14 August:
Boxing. Hector Luis Garcia (56 kg)
Athletics. Ana Tima (triple jump)
15 August:
Athletics. Mariely Sanchez (200 meters)
Athletics. Jaunder Santos (400 meters hurdles)
16 August:
Athletics. Stanly del Carmen (200 meters)
Athletics. Yancarlos Martinez.
17 August:
Taekwondo. Luisito Pie (58 kg)
18 August:
Track and field. 4 x 100.
19 August:
Katherine Rodriguez (67kg)
Judo: Moises Hernandez (80 kg)
Track and field 4 x 400.
Athletics. Mayobanex D’Oleo (Men’s 4 x 100 relay)
Shooting: Eduardo Jose Lorenzo (Shooting Trap Men)
Athletics: Luis Enrique Charles (Men’s 4 x 400 relay)
https://www.rio2016.com/en/dominican-republic
http://www.listindiario.com/rio2016...on-se-quedo-a-un-kilo-de-la-medalla-de-bronce
http://www.diariolibre.com/deportes...mateo-llego-septimo-en-los-66-kilos-YL4591735
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/mens-56kg-and-womens-53kg-weightlifting-recap
Romeo Santos at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Romeo Santos, known as The King of Bachata, is booked for a performance at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana on 27 August 2016. He rose to stardom as a member of the Aventura group and has since gone on to perform as a solo artist.
Tickets are for sale at tuboleta.com.do
Read more about upcoming events at http://www.dr1.com/calendar
To read more news, see dr1.com and the DR1 News Archives at: http://dr1.com/premium/news/2016/index.shtml
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