DR1 Daily News - Friday, 16 September 2016

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New government appointments
Padre Linares honored, he returns to Spain
Congress approves Yolanda Martinez for ProCompetencia
US$98 million missing to finish Metro 2B line
US and DR sign new tax information sharing agreement
Rosario proposed as candidate to stay on at JCE
Tsunami and earthquake response drill
Classes cancelled on Thursday in UASD
Zika no longer epidemic in the DR
Arson suspected in El Morro fire
Senators wage increase was RD$135,000 not RD$70,000
Asonahores calls for keeping up the tourism success formula
Haina Port Terminal announces improvements
Murdered watchman was dad-of-six
Corominas Pep?n recognized for seismological legacy
Davis Cup played in Santiago
Dominican women’s volleyball team
Sambil super sales this weekend
Spirits Fest at JW Marriott
Santiago Street Food Festival


New government appointments
President Danilo Medina has appointed Alma Fernandez as director of the Center for Industrial Development and Competitiveness (ProIndustria). She replaces Alexandra Izquierdo who moves to the National Statistics Office (ONE).

In her previous post, Alma Fernandez was the long time director of the National Housing Institute (INVI). Her sister is the long serving director of the National Council of Export Free Zones (CNZFE), Luisa Fernandez.

The Medina administration also announced that Leandro Gonz?lez Mejia was designated as administrator of the Parque Mirador Norte.

The appointments are contained in Decree 257-16.

The two joined 44 others that were appointed or confirmed to government posts by Decree 246-16.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...-designados-mediante-decretos-246-16-y-257-16


Padre Linares honored, he returns to Spain
After 40 years contributing to the education of children in the Dominican Republic, Padre Juan Linares, the Spanish priest best known for his Ni?os y Ni?as con Don Bosco, Canillitas con Don Bosco, Campamento Nacional Felices con Don Bosco programs is returning to his native Spain. He arrived in 1967 to head the Colegio Don Bosco.

He founded the Instituto Salesiano de Formacion Laical. On Wednesday, 15 September 2016, his efforts in the country were recognized by Vice President Margarita Cede?o. She decorated him with the medal “Bien por Ti”.

http://m.elcaribe.com.do/2016/09/16/imponen-medalla-bien-por-padre-linares


Congress approves Yolanda Martinez for ProCompetencia
The Chamber of Deputies voted on Tuesday, 13 September 2016 in favor of TV and radio host and lawyer Yolanda Maria Mart?nez Zarzuela’s appointment in replacement of Michelle Cohen as president of the National Commission for Defense of Competitiveness (ProCompetencia). The entity was created to promote competitive practices in the Dominican marketplace. The Executive Branch proposed Mart?nez for the post. 138 deputies voted in favor and only one against.

The decision to replace Michelle Cohen is controversial and violations of ProCompetencia’s own Law 42-08 are being cited. A report in MetroRD quotes Candido Mercedes of civil society group Participacion Ciudadana who explains that Law 42-08 establishes a fixed five years for the post of president and Cohen had only served three. He added that the law also establishes that the directors of ProCompetencia are responsible for choosing the director, not the Chamber of Deputies.

He goes on to ask why an executive director for ProCompetencia has not yet been appointed, a full eight years after the law creating the entity was passed. He says that this situation has arisen because of a conflict of interests.

Lawyer Nassef Perdomo said that Congress should have read the law and rejected the Executive Branch’s request to change the president of the organization.

Meanwhile, Herrera Industries Association president Antonio Taveras Guzman is linking Cohen’s dismissal to publication of the results of a study on dominant marketplace practices, which was carried out with IDB funding. He pointed out nevertheless that despite not being fully functional because the government has delayed in appointing the executive director, in wages alone, the president and the four ProCompetencia board members are costing taxpayers more than RD$34 million a year with little to show for the expenditure.

http://www.metrord.do/noticias/dudosa-legalidad-en-designacion-de-cargo/ftwpip---UvqFCBTufwmEI/
http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=497629


US$98 million missing to finish Metro 2B line
The director of the Santo Domingo Metro office (Opret), engineer Diandino Pe?a says that a US$98 million loan is still pending for the completion of the 2B line of the urban transport system. The government has already provided US$28 million in counterpart funds. He said that the civil engineering works are completed 95% and electromechanical installations 30%.

When President Danilo Medina rode the 2B line on 5 May 2016 with his government officials, just nine days before the general election date, the impression given was that soon the line linking east and west Santo Domingo would soon be in operation.

However, Engineer Pe?a says that its completion depends on the government taking out a loan for the missing funds. The government has yet to send the loan bill to Congress. It should have been sent to Congress at the end of last year. The funds will cover the electromechanical systems, the manufacturing of the cars, installation of the rails and electricity works for accesses.

Pe?a says that the government has invested around US$280 million in the 2B line. The original cost was set at US$385 million.
Meanwhile, construction continues on the Santo Domingo cable car as a feeder for the operation of the 2B line of the Santo Domingo Metro.

It will run from the western Santo Domingo all the way to a final stop at the Megacentro in eastern Santo Domingo.

The first line of the Metro runs 14.5 km north-south with 16 stations (Villa Mella to the Centro de los Heroes) carries on average 160,000 passengers per day. A first part of the second line goes from west to east (Av. Luper?n to Av. Francisco del Rosario S?nchez (Puente de la 17) has 14 stations and is 12.85km long and transports another 100,000 passengers per day.

The 2B stretch is an extension of the west to east line.

Pena said that funds were also needed to purchase new cars to add to the Line 1.

https://metrodesantodomingo.wordpre...segunda-linea-del-metro-y-dice-que-es-segura/
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/09/15/faltan-98-millones-dolares-para-culminar-linea-2b-del-metro
http://m.elcaribe.com.do/2016/09/16/diandino-pena-reitera-que-hacen-falta-trenes-linea-del-metro


US and DR sign new tax information sharing agreement
The United States and the Dominican Republic government have signed a new tax information sharing agreement. The agreement was signed by US Ambassador James Brewster and Minister of Hacienda Donald Guerrero. The agreement Fatca-IGA 1 establishes the sharing of financial information on Dominican and US residents and citizens for tax purposes.


Rosario proposed as candidate to stay on at JCE
Ateneo Dominicano has registered the incumbent president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) Roberto Rosario M?rquez to stay on as a judge in the 2016-2020 electoral and civil registry board. Rosario has been in the news after the US General Consul visited him to personally cancel his US visa. The reasons for the cancellation have not been publically disclosed.

Fellow judge Jos? ?ngel Aquino has also been registered as a candidate.

A special Senate commission is reviewing the list of candidates for JCE members and substitutes.


Tsunami and earthquake response drill
The Civil Defense, the Emergency Operations Center, the National Police and neighborhood groups and community leaders took part in a tsunami and catastrophic earthquake simulation in the densely populated municipality of Haina, in San Cristobal province in the morning of Thursday, 15 September 2016. The one-day drill was aimed at assessing, enhancing and evaluating preparedness.

Bernardo Aliaga of Unesco’s Inter-Governmental Oceanographic Commission said that this type of training contributes to preparing the population to mitigate damage in the event of an earthquake and tsunami.

Civil Defense director Rafael Luna Pichirilo said that Haina was chosen because of its high population density and proximity to the coastline.

Similar exercises were carried out simultaneously in nearby Nigua and Palenque.

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=498018


Classes cancelled on Thursday in UASD
It’s been a tough week for students at the UASD state university campus in Santo Domingo. Protests sent them home on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 September 2016. Classes were called off on Wednesday 14 for a meeting of the professors’ federation (FAPROUASD), but the ongoing protests prevented students from getting back to their classwork on Thursday 15. The unrest also forced the shutdown of the Av. Ortega y Gasset tunnel.

The protests began a week ago on Friday, 9 September 2016, when employees announced a 72-hour work stoppage to demand an increased budget from the central government.

http://eldia.com.do/hoy-tambien-se-registran-disturbios-en-alrededores-de-la-uasd/
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...uspende-docencia-otra-vez-por-disturbios.html


Zika no longer epidemic in the DR
The Epidemiology Agency at the Ministry of Public Health says that the number of zika cases in the country has dropped considerably. The latest bulletin from the agency shows the consistent decline in cases. Six cases were reported for week 33 of 2016 (in the provinces of Azua, Barahona, Dajab?n, El?as Pi?a, Santiago and Santo Domingo), while four cases were reported for week 34 (in Pedernales, Independencia and Santiago).

Epidemiological experts perceive the disease may have run its course. There were 5,135 suspected cases of zika for the duration of the epidemic

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/09/15/salud-publica-dice-epidemia-del-zika-esta-llegando-fin


Arson suspected in El Morro fire
Environment Minister Francisco Dominguez Diaz suspects that a fire that affected the Montecristi National Park (El Morro) on Thursday 15 September 2016 was started intentionally.

An investigation is underway into the fire, which has now been brought under control, but which damaged a large area of the park. The blaze affected endemic species such as the Salvia montecristina and the Antirrhoea montecristina and was especially difficult to extinguish because of the strong winds in the area.

http://www.diariolibre.com/m/medioa...-incendio-en-el-morro-fue-provocado-AN4953983


Senators wage increase was RD$135,000 not RD$70,000
Former senator Jesus Vasquez says that senators of the Dominican Republic had increased their wages by RD$195,000, and not the RD$70,000 that was reported in the media.

He said that as of 15 August 2016, the senators received wages of RD$125,000 and another RD$125,000 in expenses, to cover hotel services, cell phone services, fuel, and per diems. However, with the increase in wages to RD$320,000 the senates raised their wage payments by RD$195,000. He said the senators would continue to receive the benefits for hotel services, cell phone services, fuel and per diems, as reported in Acento.

http://acento.com.do/2016/politica/...sos-no-70-mil-denuncia-jesus-vasquez-del-prm/


Asonahores calls for keeping up the tourism success formula
National Hotel & Tourism Association president Sim?n S?arez called for actions to be taken to maintain the Dominican tourism industry success story.

He stressed that decisions needed to be taken to defend the country’s current standing as the leading tourism destination in the Caribbean given what that means for the economy and development. He also warned that the country needed to expand its reach and prepare for stiff competition with Cuba.

The hotel sector representative mentioned that the Medina administration has set the goal of the country reaching 10 million tourists by 2022.

S?arez called for the country to consolidate gains such as the top ranking in the recently published Caribbean Tourism Quality Index 2016 prepared by Resonance Consultancy.

S?arez commented that the success formula of the past 40 years includes: liberal entry regime, free currency exchange system, open skies policies, competitive fiscal policy with tax incentives, investing in human resources training, strengthening of the role of the Ministry of Tourism, and elevating the environmental protection to ministerial level.

He was speaking during the opening of the 30th Asonahores Trade Show at the Barcelo Bavaro Convention Center in Punta Cana. The event is an opportunity for suppliers to meet with the largest concentration of hotel buyers in the country.

The 2016 Caribbean Tourism Quality Index measured tourism’s supply-side performance and competitiveness in 28 destinations across the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic was the top ranked in the Absolute Rankings based on the total number of very good or excellent experiences in each country according to thousands of visitor reviews on TripAdvisor and other social media.

http://caribeturf.com/yahoo_site_ad..._Caribbean_Tourism_Quality_Index.17191632.pdf


Haina Port Terminal announces improvements
US$70 million has been invested in the Haina Port Terminal west of Santo Domingo. As a result, traders’ use of the port has increased volume with a 9% rise in metric tons passing through the port.

During a recent presentation of the port improvements, Haina International Terminals president, engineer Erik Alma, highlighted that the cargo volume was 5,366,950 metric tons of merchandise in 2015. This is up 9% compared to 2014, when cargo was 4,925,361 metric tons.

He said the additional volume is the result of modernization processes underway with an investment of more than US$70 million in recent years. Alma made the presentation of new HIT services on 14 September 2016 at Cava Alta. He highlighted that the HIT port has a privileged location, is near industrial zones and has access to the leading highways.

Alma said that the top 10 destinations for 20-foot freight container exports were: US with 48,791 containers, Haiti with 4,138, China with 3,726, Jamaica with 2,988, Cuba with 2,717, Costa Rica with 2,066, Trinidad & Tobago with 1,713, Puerto Rico with 1,708, Peru with 1,491, and Panama with 1,407.

HIT has invested in a latest generation CCTV system with 150 high-resolution surveillance cameras, a control tower with radars and software for ship traffic, and two Gottwald cranes with lifting capacity for 100 tons each.

To facilitate the transaction process, Alma highlighted that customers can make payments for services online at their website:
http://www.hit.com.do or by using their app HIT mobile.

http://elnacional.com.do/flujo-merc...adas-metricas-invierten-mas-de-us70-millones/


Murdered watchman was dad-of-six
56-year old Bienvenido Garcia, the Grupo 4S watchman who was murdered in an armed robbery outside Bella Vista Mall on Av. Sarasota in Santo Domingo on Wednesday, 14 September 2016 around 7pm, leaves a widow and six children. He was shot dead when he and his colleague were returning to the securities company armored truck.

To make ends meet, his wife says he would leave the house in Buenos Aires de Herrera at 4am and not return until around 11pm. He would cover for others in order to earn the extra cash.

Garcia died at the scene after being hit by the deadly shots. His co-worker 33-year old Yervin Eduardo Cuevas Perdomo is in the intensive care unit at the Centro Medico Dominicano.

Police spokesman Nelson Rosario said that the robbers took two pouches – one with RD$3 million and the other with around RD$11,500. The guards were picking up cash from the Banesco bank at the end of the day.


Corominas Pep?n recognized for seismological legacy
Tributes have been paid to engineer Rafael Corominas Pep?n’s legacy after the news of his passing was disclosed on Wednesday, 14 September 2016. A former minister of Public Works, he is credited with setting the tone for a modern seismological regulatory framework in the country. He served as minister of Public Works during the government of the late President Antonio Guzm?n.

He is also one of the founders of the Cl?nica Corominas in Santiago and of the Dominican Seismology Society.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/09/15/435218/muerte-de-corominas-pepin-causa-pesar


Davis Cup played in Santiago
The Centro Espa?ol in Santiago is hosting the eliminatory matches for the Davis Cup. The Dominican Republic will be playing Colombia.

At 10am on Friday 16 September 2016, top Dominican tennis player Victor Estrella (ATP 77) matches Colombia’s Alejandro Gonz?lez. They will be followed by Santiago Giraldo and Jose Hernandez.

On Saturday, 17 September 2016, in the doubles, Roberto Cid and Nick Hardt will match Robert Farah and Eduardo Struvay of Colombia.

On Sunday, 18 September 2016 the games will be between the same players as on Friday, but the match players will be switched.
The winner of the series will remain in Group 1 of the Americas for 2017. The loser will match Barbados in October 2016 to decide the team that will continue in Group 1 and who will drop to Group 2.
Admission to the matches in Santiago is free.

http://www.tennisguru.net/2016/09/colombia-vs-dominican-republic-davis-cup-live-2016/
http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/group-i/americas.aspx


Dominican women’s volleyball team
The Dominican national women’s volleyball team will play in the Group C of the prestigious Group 1 in the FIVB World Grand Prix, the US$600,000 awards championship.

The draw held on Wednesday, 15 September 2016, which was overseen by FIVB President Ary S. Gra?a and conducted by FIVB 1st Executive Vice President and World Grand Prix Council Secretary Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, sees Turkey host title-holders Brazil, Belgium and Serbia on the opening weekend of matches, while China will host USA, Russia and Italy in Pool B1 and the Netherlands will welcome the Dominican Republic, Japan and Thailand in Pool C1. The Group 1 Preliminary Round will take place from 7-9 July 7-9, 14-16 July and 21-23 and be followed by the Finals, featuring six teams, from 2-6 August.

http://www.fivb.com/en/about/news/2017-world-grand-prix-draw-completed--?id=64873


Sambil super sales this weekend
From Friday, 16 September to Sunday, 18 September 2016, Sambil Mall’s shops will be offering hallway clearance sales. The Mall is located at the eastern end of Av. John F. Kennedy in Santo Domingo.


Spirits Fest at JW Marriott
Friday and Saturday, 16-17 September 2016, are the dates for the Santo Domingo Spirits Fest at the JW Marriott.

Brian Van Flandern, known as America’s Top Mixologist, is in the country for the event that will feature vodka, gin, rum, whisky, tequila and beer for a different culinary experience.

The event is being organized by Distrito Lujo.

Tastings are RD$3,115, Master class whiskies RD$6,230 and Speakeasy Party by Boca is RD$2,550.
Tickets for sale from Uepa Tickets.


Santiago Street Food Festival
Saturday and Sunday at the Jardin Cabrera Vidal in Santiago (Av. Juan Pablo Duarte) will be dedicated to food from 26 food trucks and restaurants. General admission is RD$200 and children enter free. Saturday the trucks will be there from 4pm and on Sunday from 1pm to midnight.

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

Archived News stories:
http://dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.p...-Headline-News

Archived Travel News stories:
http://dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.p...p-Tourism-News
 
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