DR1 Daily News - Wednesday, 14 September 2016

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President Medina calls for cabinet meeting
Miguel Vargas to Venezuela for Summit
Radio host Yolanda Martinez named to ProCompetencia
Another overpass near Boca Chica
US Ambassador visits Mayor David Collado
Low-income students have no uniforms
Access to deportations requested
Manufacturing sector receives more credit
Rosario gives reason for visa cancellation
6,000 Dominicans lose US visas and residencies
Super Tucano colonel to stay in jail
Omega sentenced to five years in jail
Man killed by lightning
No classes at UASD on Wednesday
Mario Vargas Llosa award ceremony on 19 September
Wifredo Garc?a photography exhibition



President Medina calls for cabinet meeting
President Danilo Medina has called a meeting for the whole Government Cabinet, according to government spokesman and director general of communications for the Presidency (DICOM), Roberto Rodriguez de Marchena. The meeting is scheduled for 10am on Friday, 16 September 2016 in the Presidential Palace.

This will be the first cabinet meeting that Medina has held in his second term of office and will be attended by the new ministers appointed on 16 August this year.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...onsejo-de-gobierno-ampliado-para-este-viernes


Miguel Vargas to Venezuela for Summit
Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas will travel to Venezuela on Wednesday, 14 September 2016 to attend the XVII Non Aligned Movement Summit (MNOAL) being held on Isla Margarita from 13-18 September 2016. The Dominican Republic has been a member since 2000 of the Non-Aligned Movement, which has 120 member countries.

Vargas will be accompanied by the deputy minister for Bilateral Foreign Policy Affairs C?sar Medina, deputy minister for International Economics and Cooperation Hugo Francisco Rivera Fernandez, Dominican Ambassador to Venezuela Adonaida Medina, and Ministry communications director Hugo Beras.

http://eldia.com.do/canciller-varga...a-para-participar-en-xvii-cumbre-de-la-mnoal/


Yolanda Martinez named to ProCompetencia
The Chamber of Deputies has approved TV and radio host and lawyer Yolanda Martinez?s appointment as director of ProCompetencia, a government entity in charge of promoting fair competition known in Spanish as Comisi?n Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia.

She will replace Michelle Cohen. Cohen was recently in the news when ProCompetencia released findings of an IDB-funded study on competitive practices in the Dominican Republic. Its findings included accusations of unfair practices by the Presidente beer-Barcelo rum alliance to maintain a high market share.

A total of 138 deputies voted in favor of Mart?nez.

The Senate now needs to approve the presidential appointment of Yolanda Martinez.

She is a graduate of the PUCMM in law. She worked from 1994-2000 as a lawyer at Codetel and from 2000-2002 as an external legal advisor to the company.

http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...por-yolanda-martinez-defensa-competencia.html
http://hoy.com.do/conozca-el-curric...eva-miembro-consejo-directivo-procompetencia/


Another overpass near Boca Chica
The Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) will begin work this month on the construction of the third overpass on the La Caleta-Boca Chica section of the Las Americas highway.

Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo spoke to journalists on Tuesday 13 September 2016 after meeting with President Danilo Medina at the Presidential Palace to report on the status of public works nationwide.

He added that more roads would be ready in November, one connecting Haina with the Ring Road, the Padre las Casas-Bohechio road and other works.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/09/13/435038/construiran-otro-elevado


US Ambassador visits Mayor David Collado
National District Mayor David Collado yesterday hosted US Ambassador James Brewster and his husband Bob Satawake at the Palacio Consistorial in the Colonial City. As reported in El Caribe, Collado explained that the ambassador offered the support of the United States in issues such as citizen safety, tourism, traffic management, human rights and entrepreneurship. Commenting on the visit, Collado said: ?It has been a very fruitful visit for the immediate future of the capital city.?

Brewster observed: "The main thing is that Bob and I wanted to come here to congratulate the new mayor and look into how our embassy can work together with the new city government."

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/09/13/embajador-james-brewster-visita-alcalde-david-collado


Low-income students have no uniforms
Although students returned to school three weeks ago, the National Institute of Student Welfare (Inabie) has still not delivered school supplies to thousands of students from low-income families, according to a Diario Libre report.

Inabie spokesperson Massiel Maria described the issue as a logistics problem caused by delays in the processes of tenders for making the supplies. She said that around 750,000 kits should have all been issued by the end of the month.

Each kit comprises a pair of shoes, pair of socks, shirt, pants, pencils and notebooks.
It appears that the tenders for making the uniforms should have been issued in December last year, but this didn?t happen until April, which is what has caused the delay.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...clases-no-entregan-utiles-escolares-AN4924174


Access to deportations requested
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, has expressed his regret at the Dominican Republic?s apparent reluctance to authorize personnel from his office to verify the process of deportation of illegal immigrants from the country.

Speaking on the first day of the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council, which opened in Geneva on Tuesday 13 September 2016, he said that he regretted the Dominican Republic?s inability to respond to his office?s offer to support and verify the deportations of Haitians following a change in legislation in 2013.

He said that his office remained concerned with the issue and he wanted to make assurances that any forced movement of people should comply with international legislation. According to the International Migration Organization more than 40,000 deportations to Haiti took place between August 2015 and May 2016, including several hundred unaccompanied minors.

According to the same source, at least another 68,000 people returned to Haiti ?spontaneously?.
The UN official then reiterated his request for a specialist from his office to be granted access to the deportation process.

http://www.listindiario.com/las-mun...impedir-verificacion-de-procesos-de-expulsion


Manufacturing sector receives more credit
The Dominican Republic manufacturing sector received RD$56.12 billion in credit from private sector banks in 2105, a 13.26% increase over 2014 and nearly 50% more than in 2012.

According to a report on the Dominican manufacturing industry by the Center for Development and Industrial Competitiveness (Proindustria) based on data from the Central Bank, some RD$35.62 billion of the credit was in Dominican pesos and RD$20.49 billion in foreign currency.

The manufacturing industry employs around 302,000 Dominicans with the food and drink manufacturers having the most employees in the sector at 96,778 followed by jewelry and leather dyeing at 69,383.

http://www.diariolibre.com/economia/bancos-prestaron-13-26-mas-a-manufactura-en-2015-EN4924798


Rosario gives reason for visa cancellation
Central Electoral Board (JCE) president Roberto Rosario said on Tuesday 13 September 2016 that while the US Embassy officials told him they were cancelling his visas ?for matters which came out into the public eye,? he has no idea what these matters might be.

He said that no further information was provided and that he has done nothing to be ashamed of. He said that the US Embassy had not harmed him personally but had harmed the JCE president and the country.

He gave the assurance that he had never committed terrorist acts in his life or been involved in any actions relating to illegal substances or anything that compromised the fulfillment of his duties at work.

The Senate is at present reviewing candidates for judges of the Central Electoral Board. The term of the present judges, including Roberto Rosario has expired. Senator Dionis Sanchez, spokesman for the Senate, said the judges would be chosen no later than the first week of November 2016.

Rosario said he would decide in the next two days whether to apply to continue as a judge at the JCE.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/09/...as-visas-por-cosas-que-han-salido-luz-publica
http://www.diariolibre.com/m/noticias/escogeran-miembros-jce-en-plazo-previsto-BG4932672
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...-decide-buscara-mantenerse-junta-central.html


6,000 Dominicans lose US visas and residencies
The United States? government has cancelled visas and US residencies of more than 6,000 Dominicans in the past four years, including some who held influential positions during the previous Leonel Fernandez government.

According to reliable sources, people who have had their visas cancelled include former diplomats, more than 200 active and retired members of the armed forces and national police, former mayors and councilors, former directors of several government organizations, and active and retired Major League baseball players.

They include up to four or five members of the same family who were accused by the United States of immigration law violations and of committing acts that could endanger the government of the United States.

Visas and US residencies are cancelled by the Department of State and the Dominicans involved had them cancelled for several reasons, including drug trafficking, money laundering, corruption, murder, contract killings, kidnapping and human trafficking.

Some cancellations were also made for Dominicans who overstayed their visas after traveling to the United States.

http://elnacional.com.do/eu-despoja-de-visado-a-6-mil-de-rd/


Super Tucano colonel to stay in jail
National District Appeal Court judges have turned down an appeal by Air Force Colonel Carlos Piccini Nunez who is accused of bribery during the purchase of eight Brazilian Super Tucano aircraft. They ruled he should remain in pre-trial custody for three months as originally established.

Piccini Nunez maintains his innocence, saying that he was only in charge of projects. However, the court ruled that as there was no change to the original evidence put forward, he should remain in Najayo jail.

Piccini Nunez is the only one of the accused to be jailed. The former Armed Forces Minister, Major General Pedro Rafael Pena Antonio, is free with an exit ban and periodic court appearances and businessmen Daniel Aquino Mendez and his son, Daniel Aquino Hernandez both have electronic tags, exit bans and periodic court appearances.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...rision-al-coronel-piccini-se-declara-inocente


Omega sentenced to five years in jail
National District judges have sentenced merengue singer Antonio Peter de la Rosa, who is known by his artistic name Omega, to five years in jail after being found guilty of domestic violence towards his partner Sahira Valerio in the presence of children.

However, the court partially suspended his sentence for four years and four months. As Omega has already served eight months in jail, he will return for two months before being set free on conditional release for the rest of his sentence.

The judges made the decision as requested by the National District Prosecution Service.

As part of his sentence, during the next five years, Omega must abstain from alcohol abuse, be supervised by a Men?s Behavioral Center and attend their programs, undertake a course on Emotional Intelligence beginning in January 2017, not travel overseas without judicial authorization, not use any type of firearm, carry out 120 hours of community service, and abstain from molesting, intimidating, threatening or attacking the victim.

The judge warned that if any of these rules are broken, Omega will have to serve the full five-year sentence.

http://www.listindiario.com/entrete...a-omega-pero-solo-cumplira-8-meses-en-prision


Man killed by lightning
A 47-year old man was reported dead after being struck by lightning in a residential area on Avenida Jacobo Majluta in Villa Mella, Santo Domingo North where he worked, the Police reported on Tuesday, 13 September 2016.

The forensic examiner confirmed that Manuel de los Santos Tejada died as a result of the lightning strike. Santos was carrying a radio device for security purposes and it was found burnt on his waist.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/09/13/hombre-47-anos-muere-ser-impactado-por-rayo\


No classes at UASD on Wednesday
The state university UASD has announced that classes are being suspended on Wednesday, 14 September 2016 after violent disturbances that started on Friday, 9 September continued through Tuesday. The classes are scheduled to resume at 7am on Thursday.

The protesters are demanding that the government increase its budget allocation to the state university.

The rector of the UASD Ivan Grull?n said the suspension responds to a request made by the Federation of University Professors (Faprouasd) to facilitate the assistance of university professors to the extraordinary meeting convened by the union for Wednesday, 14 September at 10am. On the agenda of the meeting are wage increases and the 2017 allotment for the UASD in the 2017 National Budget.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/09/13/suspension-docencia-uasd-hasta-jueves
http://www.diariolibre.com/m/noticias/educacion/suspenden-docencia-en-la-uasd-por-asamblea-NH4933609


Mario Vargas Llosa award ceremony on 19 September
The Dominican government will present the International Pedro Henr?quez Ure?a Award to Nobel Prize for Literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa on Monday, 19 September 2016 as part of the celebrations of the 19th Santo Domingo International Book Fair (FILSD2016). The award is granted by the Ministry of Culture.

The decision to award the prize to the Peruvian author was very controversial, after he wrote an opinion piece published in Spanish newspaper El Pais comparing the Dominican Republic?s nationality policies to those of Nazi Germany.

When notified of the jurors? decision in February 2016, Vargas Llosa stated: ?The fact that I am being granted this award despite the issues speaks well of the democratic, open and tolerant spirit that fortunately prevails in the country.? The jury was presided by then-Minister of Culture Jose Antonio Rodr?guez.

At the time, Presidency spokesman Roberto Rodr?guez Marchena described the Ministry of Culture?s decision as imprudent.

The award ceremony will take place during the book fair inauguration at the National Theater on 19 September at 7pm.

Past recipients of the award are Puerto Rican writer and humanist Luis Rafael S?nchez (2013), Nicaraguan poet Ernesto Cardenal (2014) and Uruguayan journalist Eduardo Galeano (2015).
The Book Fair opens on 19 September and will continue through 2 October at the grounds of the Plaza de la Cultura.

The Ministry of Culture now under Minister Pedro Verg?s says that 209 international publishing houses from 18 countries are taking part this year. There will be 90 stands and a full program of talks and lectures by national and international writers.

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=497656
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...cionales-participaran-en-feria-del-libro-2016


Wifredo Garc?a photography exhibition
See photos with the theme of the reality of the Dominican-Haitian border from the collection of the late photography Wifredo Garc?a (1935-1988) at the Centro Cultural de Espa?a in the Colonial City. The exhibition is part of the PhotoImagen 2016 series.

The exhibition was first shown in 1982 at the Museum of Dominican Man. The exhibition was also shown at the University of Florida in Gainesville and at the Historical Museum Southern Florida in Miami. The exhibition opens on Friday, 16 September 2016 at 7pm and will continue through 29 October 2016. It can be seen from 9am to 9pm Monday to Saturday.

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http://www.dr1.com/calendar


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