DR1 Daily News - Tuesday, 23 August 2016

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President Medina clicks open school year
Job Fair at Ministry of Labor
Eye Bank at the Cecanot
Doctors going on strike in the north
Few jobs are being created in the formal sectors
The story of Dominican currency at the Central Bank
Fitch rates Dominican banks
Aircraft makes emergency landing
Power cut at Las Americas airport
Arias Valera seeks political asylum, denied
Hearing for Frenchman delayed
Drug haul on bus in Santiago
Storms make their way west to Caribbean waters
International Book Fair to open 19 September
Contemporary Jazz Lab at Fiesta Sunset Jazz


President Medina clicks open school year
President Danilo Medina, accompanied by new Education Minister Andres Navarro and First Lady Candida Montilla, launched the 2016-17 school year on Monday 22 August 2016 with a click of a mouse, instead of the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The ceremony was held at the Pedro Henriquez Urena Public School in Villa Mella. At the event, Minister Navarro announced that 3,841 schools were now open for the extended school day (eight hours of schooling) and that 950,000 students would be receiving computers from the government.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...dotaran-de-computadoras-a-950-mil-estudiantes


Job Fair at Ministry of Labor
The Ministry of Labor is holding a Job Fair on Thursday, 25 August 2016 to recruit staff as supervisors or leaders, cashiers, kitchen assistants, waiters and call center agents.

The Ministry said that anyone who is interested should go to the Ministry with their CV and copy of their cedula between 9 am and 3 pm or call (809) 535-4404, ext. 3115 and 3122, from 8 am to 4 pm.

http://www.diariolibre.com/economia/anuncian-feria-de-empleo-en-el-ministerio-de-trabajo-CA4736657


Eye Bank at the Cecanot
The Dominican Republic now has a modern Eye Bank installed at the Centro Cardio-Neuro-Oftalmologico y Transplante (Cecanot), part of the Ciudad Sanitaria Dr. Luis E. Aybar. The Japanese government contributed to the state-of-the-art technology at the new center. Director Dr. Federico Nunez says the new cornea storage facility has high-tech equipment that includes a specular microscope, slit lamp, laminar flow hood, and a refrigerator to preserve corneas.

In the past, for a cornea transplant to be carried out, the very costly corneas had to be purchased abroad from a selection of rejects by US doctors.

He encouraged Dominicans to become donors not only of corneas but also of their other organs. Dr. Nunez says that Cecanot has a 500-person waiting list for cornea donations.

Regional Metropolitan Health Service (SRSM) director Dr. Felix Hernandez, representing Health Minister Altagracia Guzman Marcelino, attended the formal opening of the Cornea Bank along with National Health Service (SNS) director Dr. Nelson Rodriguez Monegro.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Hernandez expressed his appreciation for the Japanese government’s contributions, which were made through their Embassy in the Dominican Republic.

The bank, which was installed at a cost of more than RD$6 million, is on Calle Federico Velazquez at the corner of Calle Federico Bermudez in northeastern Santo Domingo’s Maria Auxiliadora neighborhood. Tel 809 681-0080.

http://eldia.com.do/un-banco-de-corneas-para-devolver-vision/


Doctors going on strike in the north
Dominican Medical Association (CMD) president Waldo Ariel Suero has announced a 24-hour strike for Thursday 25 August 2016 in all of the northern region public hospitals in protest at the government’s rejection of their demands. Suero said that the imposition of new working hours for doctors was unacceptable.

Law 395-14, establishes that public hospital physicians need to work a minimum of 30 hours a week and a maximum of 40 hours, but the Medical Association is only accepting a maximum of 20 hours. The Medical Association argues that because of the long time with the shorter work hours, the 20 hours or less has become a “custom” and thus these are “acquired labor rights” for the physicians that need to be respected by the public health authorities.

During a Monday 22 August 2016 press conference at the Jose Maria Cabral and Baez University Hospital in Santiago, Suero confirmed that emergency cases would be treated during the strike.

Silvano Geraldino, the National Nurses Union (SINTRAE) General Secretary for the northern region said that the nurses would not be supporting the action following their signing of an agreement with the government last week. The nurses and other hospital staff have said they do not have a problem with meeting work hour requirements.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...n-la-region-norte-el-proximo-jueves-FB4737645
http://eldia.com.do/el-tema-del-horario-impide-el-dialogo-entre-medicos-y-gobierno/


Few jobs are being created in the formal sectors
In an interview with Diario Libre on Monday, 22 August 2016, Dominican Republic Employers’ Confederation (Copardom) president Joel Santos stated that the country’s informal job sector was growing because not enough jobs were being created in the formal sector. He said that the sectors that are growing in the economy are ones that are offering more jobs.

He mentioned mining, financing services, construction, education as growth sectors.
He said that the conditions needed to be created to make the country more competitive so that Dominican companies can export and create the needed jobs.

The National Statistics Office (ONE) revealed on 11 August 2016 that there are 457,05 stores in the Dominican Republic of which 80% operate in the informal sector, including 184,727 colmados, or corner food and beverage shops.

Santos stressed the government needs to focus on creating more jobs, on the number of formal businesses that exist and not on how to wring more out of the existing formal businesses. The government has announced that taxation increases were planned so that it can maintain its spending levels. The Copardom president said that a tax reform would have to focus on how to create more jobs and formal companies.

In his opinion, small and medium-sized businesses have the most positive impact on economic development.

In the interview, Santos highlighted that the high severance costs in the Dominican Republic have a chiller effect on job creation. He said that three out of four members of the workforce are not duly covered by the Labor Code and called for more inclusive labor reforms.

http://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/...o-para-que-la-formalidad-prevalezca-CD4720488


The story of Dominican currency at the Central Bank
The Central Bank is holding an exhibition of diverse currencies dating back to the Restoration War period (1863-1865). The war restored Dominican independence from the Spanish kingdom.

The exhibition, “Common History of Dominican Currency” is open in the Central Bank temporary exhibition hall in Santo Domingo. Central Bank Governor Hector Valdez Albizu said that the exhibition would provide visitors with an idea of the modest means of commercial activity until only some decades ago when we were far from reaching the current levels of technological development for making payments.

The exhibition is open from 9am to 4pm through mid September.


Fitch rates Dominican banks
Fitch Ratings has completed its review of the largest banks in the Dominican Republic and, as a result, has affirmed the banks' current ratings.

The three banks are: Banco de Reservas, Banco de Servicios Multiples (Banreservas); Banco Popular Dominicano (BPD), and Banco Multiple BHD Leon S.A. (BHDL).
Asset quality at the banks in this review remains sound. Fitch Ratings believes that favorable economic and operating conditions, regular fine-tuning of underwriting standards and strict collection efforts should contribute to preserving good asset quality ratios.

BHDL outperforms local peers in terms of profitability as it is by far the most efficient operation and has the lowest credit costs. BPD's profitability is stable and resilient, whereas Banreservas' profitability ratios have been historically volatile.

When capitalization at the three banks is viewed in conjunction with their reserve coverage levels, BHDL exhibited the strongest loss absorbing capacity among large Dominican banks as of December 2015, while Banreservas had the weakest. Fitch expects Dominican banks' capitalization ratios to be stable in 2016, boosted by sound profitability.

http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/hea...rom-improved-operating-environment-31495.html


Aircraft makes emergency landing
On Monday 22 August 2016, a light aircraft made an emergency landing on the Higuey to Macao road, injuring one person on the ground.

According to pilot Jose Urtecho, the plane was on its way from Punta Cana International Airport to Arroyo Barril in Samana when it experienced a mechanical fault and he was forced to land. The crash-landing resulted in injuries to a motorcyclist on the road who is now in stable condition in a Higuey hospital. The pilot and his four passengers, all tourists, were unhurt.

Aviation Accident Investigation Unit (CIAA) president Colonel Enmanuel Souffront Tamayo told the press that an investigation was underway.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...que-viajaban-en-avioneta-accidentada-en-higey
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...-en-la-carretera-higey-macao-hay-un-lesionado
http://almomento.net/punta-cana-avi...a-carretera-higuey-macao-de-uvero-alto/236726


Power cut at Las Americas airport
Las Americas International Airport experienced a power outage at around 12:37pm on Monday 22 August 2016 following a lightning strike during an electrical storm.

Some airlines were able to operate on the airport’s emergency power, while others were delayed until service was reestablished around 35 minutes later.

According to airport operator Aerodom, the transfer system failed to back up power and the airport’s Contingency Plan was put into operation. Aerodom said that the main navigation systems were not affected but that the automatic immigration systems had to switch to manual operation.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...trico-en-el-aila-tras-un-apagon-de-35-minutos
http://hoy.com.do/restablecen-servicio-de-energia-en-el-aila-tras-apagon-de-35-minutos/


Arias Valera seeks political asylum, denied
The former advisor to the Judicial Branch, judge Francisco Arias Valera who is on domiciliary arrest, declared that he formally requested political asylum at the seat of the Apostolic Nunciature. Nevertheless, it is known that the asylum was not granted.

Arias Valera declared that he was being politically persecuted by President Danilo Medina and Senate president Reinaldo Pared Perez. He says he is being pressed to come to an agreement with the Attorney General’s office.

He denounced an alleged conspiracy in which he is being pressured into complaining about former President Leonel Fernandez and his former Attorney General, and saying that they were heads of a ring within the Judicial Branch that worked to obtain favorable court rulings for suspected criminals, allegedly with the consent of the Supreme Court of Justice president Mariano German Mejia, also alleged to belong to the network. Arias Valera called the situation “Quirino 2” and told journalists he had delivered a letter asking for political asylum from Pope Francis.

He also claimed that he had savings of RD$2,700,000 in BanReservas but was not being allowed to withdraw his money.

Arias Valera is currently in the middle of a hearing about corruption within the Judicial Branch for supposedly negotiating sentences. As president of the Judicial Branch Council he was responsible for assigning judges to cases.

His lawyer, Carlos Balcacer called the CDN 92.5FM En La Mira radio talk show on Monday 22 August 2016 and said that his client had not consulted him before seeking asylum. He said that he would have advised him not to seek political asylum.

Balcacer said that Arias Valera faces a maximum sentence of two years, of which he would only have to serve half and he would already have served the other half during his current house arrest. El Caribe reports that Arias Valera has returned home.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...uesta-trama-contra-leonel-fernandez-AL4739112
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/08/22/exjuez-arias-valera-encuentra-casa
http://eldia.com.do/553175-2/
http://epaper.diariolibre.com/epaper/PDF_dl/dl.pdf


Hearing for Frenchman delayed
A Dominican court has delayed a court hearing to change the coercive measures imposed on Frenchman Christophe Naudin until 15 September 2016. He is accused of helping two French pilots escape from the country following their drug dealing conviction and 20-year jail sentence.

The hearing was delayed because the prosecutor, Milciades Guzman, had another hearing.

Naudin has been in preventive custody in Najayo jail since March 2016 when he was extradited from Egypt.

He was only due to serve three months in pre-trial custody but it was extended following an appeal that was denied, which resulted in the three months recommencing from that time. In addition the case has been declared to be “complex” which means the pre-trial custody term can last a year.

http://eldia.com.do/aplazan-revision-de-prision-preventiva-de-frances-christophe-naudin/


Drug haul on bus in Santiago
The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) has confiscated six packages of what is thought to be cocaine or heroin inside a bus belonging to an inter-urban transport company that covers the Santo Domingo to Santiago route.

The substance with an approximate weight of 5.5 kilos was sent to the National Institute of Forensic Science (Inacif) for analysis while DNCD investigators tried to establish who was responsible.

The discovery was made in the bus company’s Santiago terminal following a lengthy operation during which the agents searched every passenger on board the bus when it arrived at its destination.

http://eldia.com.do/dncd-decomisa-seis-paquetes-de-droga-en-autobus-de-pasajeros/


TS Gaston goes west to Caribbean waters
Tropical Storm Gaston is moving on a route that could bring it to pass near the Dominican Republic this week. The storm is on a west-northwest route moving at 31 km/h.

Forecasters expect it to develop further because low wind shear and sea surface temperatures are favorable for more organization. The tropical wave is expected to affect Puerto Rico as of Wednesday, 24 August 2016.

To follow the storms in the area:
http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/157613-2016-Hurricane-Season
http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/157613-2016-Hurricane-Season/page5

To read background information on hurricanes in the Dominican Republic, see http://dr1.com/weather/hurricanes.shtml


International Book Fair to open 19 September
The International Book Fair 2016 (FILRD-2016), which is normally held in April but was postponed this year, will be held from 19 September to 2 October 2016 at the Plaza de la Cultura in Santo Domingo, according to the Ministry of Culture. The announcement came following a meeting held on Monday 22 August 2016 between new Minister Pedro Verges and Valentin Amaro and Pedro Antonio Valdez, who are in charge of organizing the book fair.

Verges said that the fair’s focus this year would be on books and on promoting Dominican literature. In recent years the event has been criticized for turning into a government propaganda platform and for having stands that seemed to sell almost everything except books.

This year the focus will also be on the Dominican Republic and the Diaspora, said the new Minister.

Amaro said that Dominican authors who live in the United States, Europe, Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico, Peru, Uruguay and other countries would be special guests at the event.

http://hoy.com.do/cultura-anuncia-f...ibro-va-del-19-de-septiembre-al-2-de-octubre/


Contemporary Jazz Lab at Fiesta Sunset Jazz
Fiesta Sunset Jazz presents musician Javier Vargas and the Contemporary Jazz Lab at the rooftop nightclub of the Dominican Fiesta Hotel & Casino in Santo Domingo on Friday, 26 August 2016 from 8:30pm. No cover.

For more on ongoing and upcoming events:
http://www.dr1.com/calendar

Archived News stories:
http://dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/91-Daily-Headline-News

Archived Travel News stories:
http://dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/92-Travel-amp-Tourism-News
 
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