DR1 Daily News - Tuesday, 4 October 2016

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May 3, 2000
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Activities in DR suspended for Matthew
Flights to Haiti suspended
Families evacuated due to Hurricane Matthew
Matthew’s main arrival still awaited
Tornado destroys houses in Oviedo
New Bridges over Santo Domingo rivers
Price of vehicle taxation increases
Capital goods to be taxed
Government to sell shares in Punta Catalina
Government spending is 84% of National Budget
Requirements for new JCE director
PLD Political Committee meeting cancelled
DGA says mover companies are trafficking in firearms
Inapa head to hear coercive measures next week
Corripio Prize winners announced
New version of iconic song, Por Amor



Activities in DR suspended for Matthew
With forecasts of tropical storm force gusts and heavy rainfall with the passing of Hurricane Matthew to the west of Hispaniola, government and private entities in the Dominican Republic have announced they will not be operating.

The civil registry offices and several other government institutions will shut down on Tuesday, 4 October 2016. Courts will also be closed.

Over the weekend, the Ministry of Education instructed schools in red and yellow alert provinces to shut down through Wednesday, 5 October. Schools remain open in the provinces of La Altagracia (Higuey, including the Punta Cana tourist area), La Romana, San Pedro de Macor?s and Saman?. The UASD state university suspended classes on Monday, while private universities announced they would remain shut down on Tuesday.

An estimated 14,500 people have left their homes, most staying with relatives or friends as reported by the Emergency Operations Center (COE), the coordinating body for relief and disaster mitigation work.*

Monday’s heavy rainfall has already flooded city streets and registers of 250 to 500 millimeters of rain are expected.

The provinces under red alert are Azua, San Jos? de Ocoa, San Juan de la Maguana, Pedernales, Barahona, Independencia, Dajab?n, Montecristi, Bahoruco, El?as Pi?a, San Crist?bal, Peravia (Ban?), Santiago Rodr?guez, Puerto Plata, Valverde (Mao), Santo Domingo, and the National District.

A yellow alert has been called for Monte Plata, Espaillat (Moca), Duarte (San Francisco de Macor?s), Mar?a Trinidad S?nchez (Nagua), Santiago de los Caballeros, S?nchez Ram?rez (Cotu?), Monse?or Nouel (Bonao) and La Vega.

Green alert provinces are Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), Saman?, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, La Romana, San Pedro de Macor?s and La Altagracia (Higuey, including the Punta Cana tourist area).

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/10/04/matthew-provoca-suspension-actividades-del-pais
http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/157613-2016-Hurricane-Season


Flights to Haiti suspended
On Monday, 3 October 2016, international flights were suspended from Las Americas International Airport to Port-au-Prince in Haiti and others to Mexico and Cuba as a precaution due to the effects of Hurricane Matthew.

Nevertheless, flights to St. Martin, Aruba, Curacao and other Caribbean islands are still running.

Sunrise and Air Century, which have daily flights to Port-au-Prince from the La Isabela International Airport did not fly on Monday and said they would resume operations once the hurricane had passed.

Pawa Dominicana also suspended flights to Haiti and Aeromexico suspended flights from Mexico to and from Santo Domingo.

http://hoy.com.do/suspenden-vuelos-hacia-haiti-y-mexico/


Families evacuated due to Hurricane Matthew

More than 13,000 families have been evacuated, according to Civil Defense director General Rafael Luna Pichirilo.

According to the latest report from the Emergency Operations Center (COE), Matthew is still south of Cabo Beata in Pedernales and to the southwest of Port-au-Prince.

Winds speeds are 215 kilometers an hour although changes in intensity are forecast.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...de-huracan-matthew-aumenta-a-13-000-DK5095959


Matthew’s main arrival still awaited
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami has warned that slow-moving Hurricane Matthew, a Category 4 on the Saffir Simpson scale began to unleash its fury on Haiti on the evening of Monday, 3 October 2016, with strong winds and heavy rains.

Matthew is the fifth hurricane of this Atlantic Season and as of Tuesday morning, 4 October 2016, it was heading north at less than 15 km per hour, with an increase in speed expected.

The center of Matthew approached the southwest of Haiti on Monday night. It is expected to reach eastern Cuba on Tuesday before moving on to the center of the Bahamas.

In the Dominican Republic tropical storm warnings are in place from Barahona in the southwest to Azua in the southern Dominican Republic.

Alerts are in place for torrential rains and flooding in the Dominican Republic and Haiti where in some places more than a meter of rain is expected.

According to MetroRD, although the Emergency Operations Center has not confirmed the death, reports indicate that a man drowned on Sunday after going for a swim in Boca Chica despite warnings by the authorities. He was named as 31-year old Ray Alfonso Reynoso Cruz from Villa Carmen in Santo Domingo East.

The Civil Defense reports that in Santo Domingo, two children died in the poor neighborhood of Capotillo when their roof caved in due to the heavy rains early Tuesday morning.

In Haiti, first reports from the authorities revealed a fisherman drowned in the south of the country, in St Jean du Sud, and another person who disappeared in Aquin, also in the south.

NHC scientists have warned of danger due to the rains in Haiti and the south west of the Dominican Republic where some places could have more than a meter of rain.

http://www.diariolibre.com/mundo/la...obra-las-primeras-victimas-en-haiti-XN5096123
http://www.metrord.do/noticias/matthew-causa-estragos-con-15-mil-desplazados/ftwpjd---9pUXxiAVt4Hyc/
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/10/04/dos-ninos-mueren-colapsar-casa-capotillo


Tornado destroys houses in Oviedo

According to reports, a tornado in the southwestern province of Pedernales destroyed 12 houses and brought down a tower with radio antennas in the town of Oviedo on Monday afternoon, 3 October 2016. No injuries or loss of life were reported.

Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Ruben Dar?o Paulino Sem said the tornado caused the damage at around 2pm. Paulino also announced that border security would be stepped up to prevent Haitians fleeing the effects of the hurricane from entering the Dominican Republic. He said nevertheless, that the Armed Forces were ready to help Haiti and have added humanitarian aid units with 500 additional agents sent to border patrols.

Paulino said they have implemented Phase 2 of the Plan Rel?mpago for disaster mitigation.

The Armada announced that two speedboats have been stationed in Barahona. Coasts are already being affected by high surge.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/10/03/tornado-destruye-12-viviendas-oviedo
http://elnacional.com.do/fotos/toda...es-a-cerrar-un-tramo-de-la-via-jorge-gonzalez


New Bridges over Santo Domingo rivers
The Ministry of Public Works is exploring the possibility of building new bridges over the Ozama and Isabela rivers to connect eastern and western Santo Domingo.*

In an interview with Listin Diario, Minister Gonzalo Castillo said that the need became apparent when the small floating bridge over the Ozama River was closed for repairs, resulting in traffic chaos.

The Minister said that assessments are being carried out to identify where the bridges should be located. He said, however that the most likely locations would be between the Juan Bosch and Francisco Rosario S?nchez bridges or between the Duarte and Mat?as Ram?n Mella (Puente de la Bicicleta) bridges. The construction of another bridge next to the existing floating bridge is also being considered.

He said that in any case, the construction of the third phase of the Santo Domingo Bypass includes another bridge. The third phase will connect section two of the bypass to the Saman? highway.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...truira-puentes-sobre-los-rios-ozama-e-isabela


Price of vehicle taxation increases
The Tax Agency (DGII) has announced increases in the cost of the vehicle taxation stickers, or marbete in Spanish, based on the vehicle model and year.

The new fees are RD$1,500 for vehicles over five years old, an increase of RD$300 and RD$3,000 for those made in 2012 or later, which is an increase of RD$800.

The renewal period has now begun and will last for three months through 6 January 2017. New stickers can be bought in several places around the country including the savings and loans branches of Popular, Bonao, Cibao, Duarte, La Nacional, La Vega Real, Maguana, Mocana, Peravia and Romana.

In addition at the Bancamerica, ADEMI, ADOPEM, BDA, BDI, Banco Caribe, CONFISA, Banco de Ahorro y Credito del Caribe, Empire, Lopez de Haro, Vimenca, Banesco and Bellbank banks, and the ASPIRE, Vega Real and Cooperativa Global de Loma de Cabrera cooperatives.

There is also the option to renew online. For more information, see:

https://www.dgii.gov.do/marbetes/preguntasFrecuentes.aspx and https://www.dgii.gov.do/marbetes/Renovacion.aspx
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/10/03/este-lunes-inicia-proceso-renovacion-marbete
http://elnacional.com.do/suben-800-y-300-a-placas-vehiculos/


Capital goods to be taxed
The Medina administration has chosen to tax capital goods, including industrial machinery and raw materials instead of cutting countless chapters of wasteful spending and political patronage. The 2017 National Budget includes a 9% tax to be imposed on these chapters. As reported in El Dia, the tax was authorized by Article 24 of the 2005 Tax Reform but was never applied. The machinery has been tax exempt to date. Industries under the ProIndustria tax incentives law will continue to be exempt.

The announcement of the new tax will affect manufacturing and industry in the country.
El Dia also reports that in the 2017 Budget, 50% of the tax revenues collected by Indotel Telecom law will be transferred to the BanReservas.


Government to sell shares in Punta Catalina
The government has announced an imminent call for bids in a tender for shares in the Punta Catalina coal-fired power plant under construction in Peravia (Ban?) province. Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) executive vice president Ruben Jim?nez Bichara says the government aims to raise US$1 billion by selling 49% of shares in the power plant. The power plant is valued at US$2.04 billion.

Jim?nez Bichara says that the power plant under construction by the government is expected to be up and running by the second quarter of 2018.

http://www.diariolibre.com/economia...arian-49-de-acciones-punta-catalina-EY5098897


Government spending is 84% of National Budget
An analysis of the National Budget presented by the Medina administration reveals that current expenditure will consume 84% of the 2017 National Budget. As reported in El Caribe, the 2017 budget maintains the same pattern as previous years.

As reported, RD$526.37 billion, or 84.30% will be for current expenditure, while only RD$98.03 billion or 15.70% is being allocated to capital expenditure. Two decades ago, before the dominance of PLD governments, the government used to invest 60% in infrastructure and 40% in current expenditure.

The 2017 budget sent to the ruling PLD party dominated Congress is for RD$711.39 billion, with current expenditure making up RD$624.4 billion. The difference of RD$87 billion is to cover the public debt.

The Medina administration has allocated 53.43% of the Budget to the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Health, Presidency of the Republic, Ministry of Interior and Police and the Ministry of Public Works. The largest assignment was for the Ministry of Education with RD$142.9 billion, or 22.4% of the total expenditure.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/10/04/gastos-corrientes-coparan-84-del-presupuesto-2017


Requirements for new JCE director
The vice president of the Senate and president of the committee assessing the applicants for judges at the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Senator Dionis S?nchez says that the specification for the post calls for a person with character and independence who will respect national sovereignty. He said that the JCE is about managing the civil registry as well as organizing elections. The Senator said that it is especially important to know how to handle pressure from international organizations about the Haitian immigration problem. He said that whoever was in charge of the JCE had to be clear about those aspects.

S?nchez said that they had received many applications but the process was not yet over, and that the evaluations were continuing but it had not yet been decided if the timeframe would be extended by 60 days.

A total of 222 people have applied meeting the minimum requirements as set out in law and the Constitution, and so far 89 people had been interviewed. He said that the process needed to be completed by the end of October.

He said that many of the applicants appeared not to understand the JCE’s role, whereas there were others who had much more to say and they were allowed more than the 15 minutes allocated for each candidate’s interview.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...-no-ceda-ante-presion-internacional-YI5093881


PLD Political Committee meeting cancelled
The ruling PLD party suspended its Political Committee meeting that was scheduled for Monday, 3 October 2016.

General Secretary, Reinaldo Pared Perez said that the decision to cancel the meeting was made due to Hurricane Matthew.

Following the end of the electoral process, it was decided that the Political Committee would meet on the first Monday of each month.

As the ruling PLD party holds the majority in both houses of Congress, decisions reached by the Political Committee have national impact.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/10/03/suspenden-reunion-hoy-comite-politico-del-pld


DGA says mover companies are trafficking in firearms
The new Customs Agency (DGA) director, Enrique Ram?rez has announced that the department has proven that several mover companies are linked to firearms and munitions smuggling through the East Haina Port. Ram?rez says that several of these companies will lose their license to operate in the next few hours.

Since his appointment to the post, the DGA has seized several shipments of firearms and munitions. Ram?rez said it was up to the Minister of Defense to establish the purpose and destination of the shipments. He said the role of Customs is to control sea and airports to ensure there are no irregular imports evading taxes.

http://eldia.com.do/aduanas-comprueba-trasiego-de-armas/
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/10/04/437718/ligan-empresas-a-trafico-de-armas


Inapa head to hear coercive measures next week
National District judge Kennya Romero has said that on 13 October 2016 she will rule on the coercive measures for the former director of the Inapa state water company, Alberto Holguin and contractor Sobeida Perdomo, both accused of perverting the course of justice in a fraud case involving more than RD$1 billion.

The Specialized Prosecution Service for the Persecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca) has accused them of crimes including forgery, perversion of justice, embezzlement, fraud against the state, and abuse of trust.

Pepca head Laura Guerrero said that the case involves serious sums of money and that it is both new and different as it involves contractors and recruitment.

http://eldia.com.do/juez-se-reserva...-a-exdirector-de-inapa-para-el-13-de-octubre/


Corripio Prize winners announced
The Corripio Foundation has announced the winners of the 10th Corripio Foundation Awards, which are awarded on an annual basis.

The announcement was made by Foundation president Jos? Luis Corripio Estrada (Pep?n), who said that he was very proud and pleased with the work of the jury in selecting the prizewinners.

The award for the Social Science and Legal in the Ecology category goes to the Sur Futuro Foundation. Dr. Huberto Bogaert Diaz of the Dominican Dermatological Institute for Skin Surgery won the prize in the Medicine category for Natural Science and Health.

Actor Salvador Perez Martinez won the Arts award, journalist Angela Pena the Communication prize and the Father Jose Antonio Esquivel Foundation’s Sopena Center won the Corripio Alonzo Family Prize.

Corripio announced that they are thinking of increasing the current number of five prizes and creating new categories.

Prizewinners will be presented with their awards on Tuesday, 18 October 2016 at the Eduardo Brito National Theater, and will receive a statuette, a diploma and RD$1 million in cash.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...res-decima-version-premios-fundacion-corripio


New version of iconic song, Por Amor
Rafael Solano has given his blessing to the modernized version of Por Amor, his legendary 1968 song.*

The song has new lyrics written by Gn?mico with Danny Rivera singing lines of the old version in the mix.

“Even though it is not my world or my music, I am not bothered by what I heard. It is in line with new musical trends, what people are playing,” said Solano in an interview with Listin Diario.

http://www.listindiario.com/entrete...nde-version-renovada-del-emblematico-por-amor


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