DR1 Daily News - Tuesday, 13 December 2016

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2016 Budget amendment for RD$11.8 billion
Economy on track to hit 7% again
CPI at 0.13% in November 2016
Education Minister says graduating students are unskilled
Government gives in and suspends single code for doctors
New lane for left turns on Lincoln*
Municipal League impasse resolved
Electricity companies returning money to consumers
Hard Rock Hotel needs to stick to the laws
Italian suffers heart attack on board Condor flight
Dominicans named in Brazilian corruption scandal
Ademi Bank admits to RD$1.5 million mistake
Higuey prosecutor pleads innocence
Major fatal crash in San Francisco de Macoris
Canadian arrested for pedophilia
Merengue, salsa and urban music at Hard Rock Caf?
Christmas carols at the Centro Le?n



2016 Budget amendment for RD$11.8 billion
The Executive Branch has submitted a bill for an amendment to the 2016 National Budget requesting authorization to issue RD$11.8 billion in bonds in the local market. On Monday, 12 December 2016, DR1 erroneously reported that the amendment was to the 2017 budget that was passed on 29 November 2016 in Congress.

The funds are needed to compensate for a lower than estimated collection of taxes in the first half of 2016 and to finance the coal-fired Punta Catalina power plant under construction in the southwestern province of Peravia (Ban?).

The funds will cover the RD$7 billion less in taxes received this year. Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero said US$100 million would be used to maintain the pace of construction of the power plant.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/...ones-FJ5694474


Economy on track to hit 7% again
The Central Bank reports that the Dominican economy is on track to close 2016 with growth rates of around 7% for the third year running. However, the agriculture sector may experience lower growth than anticipated due to the damage caused by the November 2016 rains especially in the north.

By the end of the third quarter, the economy was showing 6.9% growth and the sectors responsible for the growth are projected to experience a greater level of growth in the last three months of the year, apart from possibly agriculture.

The mining, financial, construction and tourism sectors are all showing strong growth rates and are all major contributors to the country’s economy.

Retail is also doing well, especially following Black Friday and the recent automobile fairs that saw record numbers of loan applications.

The construction sector is still expanding with mortgages continuing at a high rate, leading to increased production of cement, metal bars and paint. Construction generates employment that leads to increased consumer spending. By the end of September 2016, growth stood at 12.2% and is expected to increase towards the end of the year with the release of RD$12,000 million to finance low-cost housing projects, including the government-sponsored Juan Bosch City housing project.

Mining continues to do well, with growth of 22.3% at the end of the third quarter, due to stable gold prices on the world markets.

http://www.bancentral.gov.do/notas_...in-del-mes-de-noviembre-fue-de-013-por-ciento


CPI at 0.13% in November 2016
The Central Bank reports that the Consumer Price Index increased by 0.13% in November 2016 compared to October 2016. The Central Bank says that accumulated inflation for January-November is now at 0.79%. This compares to inter-annual November 2015 to November 2016 inflation that is at 0.88%. Actual inflation for 2016 is below the lower level of 4% estimated by the Central Bank for its monetary program.

http://www.bancentral.gov.do/notas_...in-del-mes-de-noviembre-fue-de-013-por-ciento


Education Minister says graduating students are unskilled
Speaking on the Hoy Mismo program on Channel 9, Color Vision on Monday 12 December 2016, Education Minister Andres Navarro said that 80% of Dominican students graduate from high school without any skills and only 19% are trained to be “able to do something”.

He said that this is why the Ministry of Education is looking at a way to change schools and high schools into polytechnics so that the students receive practical training to enter the labor market once they finish high school.

http://eldia.com.do/el-80-de-los-estudiantes-que-concluyen-el-bachillerato-no-tiene-competencia/


Government gives in and suspends single code for doctors
The Superintendence of Health and Labor Risks (Sisalril) announced on Friday, 9 December 2016 that it would temporarily suspend the implementation of Resolution 208-2016 that established a single code for doctors working in the Dominican Social Security System. The Dominican Medical Association (CMD) had rejected the single code. Sisalril said that a new resolution could be issued in the future in cooperation with the stakeholders.

“It is in the interest of this Superintendence to provide all opportunities possible to hear the proposals and suggestions of all the interested parties for the better development of the Family Health Insurance and improved service provision to affiliates,” establishes Resolution 210-2016 that revokes the current implementation of the single code under which doctors would have been assigned a number for all their transactions and permitted better control over physicians employed in the public sector.

http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...ecia-codigo-unico-para-ejercicio-medicos.html


New lane for left turns on Lincoln
The Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) has informed that work is underway on Santo Domingo’s Abraham Lincoln Avenue to enable southbound drivers to turn left onto Lope de Vega Avenue. Earlier in 2016, the government closed off access for drivers to cross over from Porfirio Herrera Street.


Municipal League impasse resolved
An agreement between President Danilo Medina, former President Leonel Fernandez and Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado has resolved the stalemate that has been blocking the appointment of the General Secretary of the Dominican Municipal League (LMD). The post will be shared between the PLD and the PRD for the next four years. Vargas Maldonado is the president of the PRD, a main PLD ally during the 2016 general election.

The PLD Political Committee will meet over the next few days to ratify the decision but sources say that Jose Leonel (Neney) Cabrera will be appointed as Secretary General for two years before being replaced by Ignacio Ditren of the ruling PLD.

Law 176-07 establishes that the Municipal League assembly should meet every four years to choose a Secretary General on 26 January 2017.

The incumbent is Johnny Jones of the PRSC and his term of office should have ended in 2015. However, he remained in post when the PRD’s proposal of Julio Mari?ez was rejected, so Jones was chosen for one more year.

http://elnacional.com.do/pld-prd-acuerdan-dividirse-la-lmd/


Electricity companies returning money to consumers
The Electricity Superintendence (SIE) via the Office of the Protection of Retail Consumers (Protecom) has ordered RD$3,807,200 to be returned to 664 clients who had made claims.

According to a press release, the Southern Electricity Distribution Company (EdeSur) has been ordered to pay RD$818,333 to 251 users, the Northern Distribution Company (EdeNorte) was ordered to return RD$1,757,525 to 231 users, and EdeEste in the east RD$611,342 to 182 clients.

Protecom director Julio Rosario says that in November 2016, they responded to 3,370 claims, the majority for high bills (95%), 4% for acts of irregularity and the remaining one percent for other reasons.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/12/...as-3-millones-usuarios-del-servicio-electrico


Hard Rock Hotel needs to stick to the laws
The Pol?gono Central Neighborhood Group has asked Mayor David Collado to revoke the irregular permit granted by the previous municipal administration for the construction of the proposed 38-floor Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Santo Domingo. Piantini is a predominantly residential area with an estimated 30,000 homes and 15 schools.

Recently the Ministry of Tourism has authorized tax incentives for hotel and tourism constructions in the area but these developments are limited by zoning restrictions. In the case of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino several of these regulations have been violated.

In a press conference, community leaders reiterated that the construction work violates the laws and regulations for the area relating to construction and the environment. The violations include the proposed 38 floors, when the zoning limit is 23 (including 1.5 floors per one floor of underground parking). The neighborhood group says the 38 floors violate Municipal Resolution No. 94-98 and want the city government to voluntarily suspend the land-use permit on the grounds that it was irregularly issued by the previous city administration. This is until the city government answers a legal recourse for the definite annulment of the permit presented by the neighborhood groups. The recourse was presented during the previous municipal administration under former mayor Roberto Salcedo.

Speaking for the community, architect Arturo Espaillat said that if this permit is granted the area will become uninhabitable. He said the issuing of one permit would open the way for other companies to start similar high-density constructions.

Arturo Espaillat, Carmen Alonzo, and legal counsels Jos? Alberto Ortiz and Miriam Paulino said that as well as the number of floors, the project does not meet with the requirements for the number of parking spaces or take the traffic aspects into consideration. They said that the project needs a minimum of 1,020 parking spaces but only is planning 500. The opponents to the mega hotel and casino project spoke about the negative effects that installing a casino would have on the schools, education centers, churches, clinics, medical centers and more than 30,000 families living in the area.

Lawyer Ortiz said that studies have shown that in US counties where casinos have been installed crime has increased by 20-40%. He said that in a city that already has rising crime rates, measures should be taken to promote activities that reduce crime instead of increasing it. He also pointed to a study carried out by the Chamber of Deputies in Mexico that established direct links between casino gambling and an increase in prostitution, money laundering, prostitution, gambling addiction, drug addiction, alcoholism and mafias wherever they are installed.

The Neighborhood Group has already submitted an appeal to the Superior Administrative Court scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, 14 December.

Ortiz said that the proposed construction of the announced 23,000 square-foot casino would violate Gambling Law 29-06 and Environmental Law 64-00. The Ministry of Environment has yet to issue an environmental permit for the construction. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is under construction at the corner of Av. Abraham Lincoln and Andres Julio Aybar Street.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...n-de-hotel-hard-rock-en-el-piantini-AM5709516


Italian suffers heart attack on board Condor flight
An Air Condor flight headed to Frankfurt returned to Las Americas International Airport after an Italian passenger suffered a heart attack on Monday, 12 December 2016. As reported, 48-year old Dario Angelinos received first aid at the Ministry of Public Health dispensary at the airport. His condition was stabilized, but the medical team there said he would need to be hospitalized to prevent another heart attack. He arrived almost unconscious at the medical dispensary and was given emergency treatment by doctors Rafael Tejada and Dolores Suardy.

Angelinos had made the stopover in transit from Costa Rica, arriving only with a letter establishing his identity. He was taken to a Santo Domingo hospital in a 911 Emergency System ambulance.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...-devolverse-tras-un-turista-sufrir-un-infarto


Dominicans named in Brazilian corruption scandal
One of the Antigua Overseas Bank (AOB) executives under investigation for corruption in Brazil in a case called “Operation Lava Jato” has given the names of several Dominicans who managed accounts using money from the Odebrecht group, whose president, Marcelo Odebrecht has been convicted of paying bribes in order to obtain contracts.

One of the Dominicans identified is the son-in-law of the former minister of Public Works, Victor Diaz Rua. Lawyer Conrad Pittaluga and Angel Rond?n are also named.

The information came from Marco Pereira de Sousa Bilinski who is cooperating with prosecutors and confirmed that he knew about the money movements made by Odebrecht.

Pereira de Sousa Bilinski says that in 2007 or 2008 he made contact with Conrad Pittaluga in the Dominican Republic, who said he wanted to open accounts and they were opened with AOB in the names of Newport Consulting LTD and Aragon Business Consulting LTD, with Pittaluga as the beneficiary.

He was also put in contact with Kelly Marius who opened accounts on behalf of another Dominican, Angel Rond?n Ridio, under the name of his companies Conansa International and Lachan Corp.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...-dominicanos-en-operacion-lava-jato-LB5704409


Ademi Bank admits to RD$1.5 million mistake
The Banco Ademi confirmed on Saturday, 10 December 2016 that the more than RD$1.5 million in cash found by a garbage scavenger in a San Crist?bal dump belonged to one of their branches in San Crist?bal. The bank said the cash was dumped because of “human error.”

“On 23 November 2016 we experienced the loss of an institutional valise with inter-banking deposits belonging to one of our branches in San Crist?bal containing RD$1,550,000,” stated the bank in a press release.

The bank explains that the correct procedures were not followed, leading to the loss. Measures have been taken to ensure this does not happen again, according to Ademi. The Police announced the replacement of the commander of the San Crist?bal police station, Colonel Sixto de la Cruz Ram?rez and the commander of the Police criminal investigations unit (Dicrim) in San Crist?bal, Lieutenant Colonel Jos? de Oleo Herrera, along with several other policemen who were dismissed in connection with the case.

An 18-year old garbage scavenger, Darlin Franco found the cash. He later accused police officers after informed of the finding kept part of the money that he had found.

http://acento.com.do/2016/economia/...nero-encontrado-buzo-vertedero-san-cristobal/


Higuey prosecutor pleads innocence
The Higuey prosecutor, Elizabeth Rijo Rijo, who was dismissed amidst accusations of violent behavior towards a cleaner, Juana Paniagua Hidalgo has denied that she is guilty.

Rijo said that they had a verbal disagreement but that it was not physical. She said that she felt she had been unfairly treated given that she has had an unblemished record for over 11 years at the Public Prosecution Service.

She complained that the investigation against her had violated all of the procedures, as there was no disciplinary hearing and she was simply dismissed following the investigation.

She said that she was never notified in writing of the charges against her or given the opportunity to tell her version of events, and that the evidence was not analyzed.

http://hoy.com.do/fiscal-de-higuey-niega-haber-abofeteado-a-conserje-pide-revision-del-caso/


Major fatal crash in San Francisco de Macoris
On Monday, 12 December 2016, five people died and 11 were injured when a truck crashed in the community of Tabalero Arriba, in the northeastern province of San Francisco de Macoris.

According to a Metropolitan Transport Authority (Amet) spokesman, the victims were passengers in a Toyota Hilux pickup truck that was being used for public transport.

The deceased were identified as Mercedes Polanco, Ram?n Valerio, Narciso Valerio, Luis Calder?n and Pedro Paniagua.*The injured, including the driver, Martin Paniagua, were all taken to private clinics in the area and the public hospital in San Francisco de Macoris.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...-heridos-al-accidentarse-una-camioneta-en-sfm


Canadian arrested for pedophilia
Three boys aged 12, 16 and 17, including two brothers, were taken from the house of a Canadian man on Saturday, 10 December 2016, in Monte Llano, Puerto Plata province amidst allegations of abuse.

A report from the National Police states that Jean Roch Barbeau, age unknown, was arrested by members of the Migration Control and Investigations into People Trafficking Department in “flagrante delicto,” when he was with the young boys.

During the raid in his home, according to the report, children’s toys, sexual stimulants, condoms, makeup and a van in which he supposedly used to transport the minors were confiscated.*The boys were taken to a children’s home in Santiago and the accused is under arrest.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...e-casa-de-un-canadiense-acusado-de-pederastia


Merengue, salsa and urban music at Hard Rock Caf?
La Gran Manzana (merengue), Omega (urban music), Chiquito Team Band (salsa), Ram?n Orlando (merengues and ballads) and Yiyo Sarante (salsa) will be performing at the Hard Rock Caf? in Santo Domingo on Friday, 16 December 2016 as of 9pm. General admission is RD$1,600, VIP tickets are RD$2,300.


Christmas carols at the Centro Le?n
Enjoy a concert of traditional Christmas songs at 4pm on Saturday, 17 December 2016 at the Centro Cultural Le?n in Santiago. Take time to visit the “La mu?eca viajera”, a temporary exhibition of dolls from around the world at the Santiago cultural center. See more at http://centroleon.org.do

For information on 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
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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I love the headline "Ademi Bank admits to RD$1.5 million mistake"
Only in the DR. Welcome to Wonderland baby!