DR1 Daily News - Tuesday, 17 January 2017

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May 3, 2000
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President Medina meets Haitian president elect
No compensation for Valle Nuevo landowners
School meal providers owed five months’ money
Odebrecht bribe interviews continue
Odebrecht documents handed over to Attorney General
Odebrecht contracts may be suspended
Super Tucano investigation ongoing
Police officers suspended in the Brayan F?lix Paulino investigations
Elias Pi?a governor shoots two
Estrella Burgos beats Britain’s Bedene in Australian Open
David Ortiz dispels suspicions he would want back into the game
ESPN special to focus on baseball in DR
Baseball playoff team to be decided


President Medina meets Haitian president elect
President Danilo Medina and the president-elect of Haiti, 48-year old Jovenel Moise, met at the Presidential Palace in Santo Domingo on Monday, 16 January 2017. Prior to the visit to the Presidential Palace, Moise had met with Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas who then accompanied him to the meeting with the Dominican president. At around 7:45pm they arrived to the Presidential Palace where President Medina received them at the steps leading to the seat of government. Also participating in the meeting at the Presidential Palace were Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo and Administrative Minister of the Presidency Jos? Ram?n Peralta among others.

Moise would later be the guest of honor at a state dinner hosted by President Medina.

As part of the bilateral agenda, during the two-day visit, discussions are expected to focus on trade and sales of Dominican products to Haiti.

News reports explain that Moise will hold meetings with local energy, farming and tourism players.

A successful entrepreneur, Moise will start his administration on 7 February 2017. He will seek to bring economic growth to Haiti. In its report on the global economic outlook for 2017 released this week, the World Bank estimated that Haiti’s economic growth will be negative (-0.6%) compared to the 4.5% growth rate forecast for the Dominican Republic.

http://elnacional.com.do/danilo-recibira-hoy-al-presidente-electo-haiti/
http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-15872-haiti-portrait-who-is-jovenel-moise.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/30/world/americas/haiti-president-jovenel-mose.html?_r=0


No compensation for Valle Nuevo landowners
Environment Minister Francisco Dominguez Brito has declared that compensating landowners in the Valle Nuevo National Park is not on his immediate agenda. Lawyers for the landowners have said that his attitude is both arbitrary and a violation of the Constitution.

However, when consulted, lawyers recognize the limits that Dominican laws impose on property rights when faced with public interest issues.

Minister Dom?nguez Brito, himself a lawyer by profession, claims that the conservation of a protected area is a constitutional mandate that is not subject to payment. His pronouncement was made as the 120-day timescale for abandoning crops and cattle-ranching in the key water source area comes to an end on 29 January 2017. Farmers and cattle farmers living or working in Valle Nuevo have to leave as part of a rescue plan for the protected area.

Lawyers Manuel Ferm?n Cabral, Gilbert de la Cruz and Juan Manuel Guerrero, who represent the landowners seeking financial compensation, have said that the Constitution is clear in its article 51, which states: “every person has the right to enjoy and dispose of their assets. No person can be deprived of their property, unless for public utility of social interest, with prior payment of its fair value, determined by agreement between the parties, or the ruling of a competent court, conforming to what is laid down in the law”.

They insist that the state is obliged to compensate the owners before they leave and the only instances when payment is made afterwards are if the government declares a “state of emergency or defense”.

According to land specialist, lawyer Hector Alies, property rights do have limits as the original owner of all the land was the state that means that there could be a legitimate connotation that the state can impose public interest on privately-owned land. When it comes to Valle Nuevo, he said that public interest in the area is inherent in the law and those who bought there or live there cannot ignore it.

Ricardo Garc?a, the director of the National Botanical Gardens, stressed the importance of the protected area. As reported in Diario Libre, he said that 7 out of every 10 Dominicans depend on the Valle Nuevo water sources that are born in the park area. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of preserving the biodiversity that at present is endangered by the farming activities.

http://www.diariolibre.com/medioambiente/confrontacion-de-derechos-constitucionales-BX6000524
http://www.diariolibre.com/medioamb...pecies-de-la-flora-en-total-peligro-LX6011638


School meal providers owed five months’ money
School meals suppliers in Cotu? (S?nchez Ram?rez province) have suspended their service for 48 hours in demand of more than RD$30 million owed to them by the Ministry of Education for the past five months.

Speaking on behalf of the providers, Sonia Carrasco said that if the Education authorities did not resolve the issue in the next few days, they would not resume delivery of the meals. She went on to say that they were small and medium-sized businesses and could not wait any longer for the money owed as they themselves had to pay dozens of employees and had creditors they had to honor.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...suspenden-desayuno-escolar-en-cotui-BB6003461


Odebrecht bribe interviews continue
Shortly before noon on Monday, 16 January 2017, the former vice president of the Dominican Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE), Radham?s Segura, arrived at the Attorney General office to be interviewed by Attorney General Jean-Alain Rodr?guez. He was accompanied by his lawyer and Rodr?guez carried out the interview along with Laura Guerrero of the Specialized Administration Corruption Unit (PEPCA). Segura is the third person summoned for interview as part of the investigations into the supposed payments of US$92 million in bribes by Odebrecht in return for securing contracts in the Dominican Republic.

Segura said that he would be explaining about a US$225 million contract for the Palomino Hydroelectric plant that was signed when he was in post at the CDEEE in April 2005. He is maintaining that no intermediaries were involved in the contract negotiation or signing.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...ce-contrato-de-palomino-no-tuvo-intermediario
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2017/01/...duria-para-ser-interrogado-por-caso-odebrecht


Odebrecht documents handed over to Attorney General
Robert Valdez, lawyer for the general manager of the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht in the country, Marcelo Hofke, spent around an hour at the Attorney General’s office on Monday 16 January 2017, delivering five files of documents requested by the Attorney General, Jean-Rodr?guez, following a five-hour interrogation carried out last week.

As he left the building, Valdez said that everything requested had been handed in on time but would reveal no more details about the investigation.

During the investigation, Hofke said that the US$92 million in bribes had been paid to businessman Angel Rond?n who confirmed he had received the money, not as a bribe but as payment for consultancy services.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2017/01/16/odebrecht-entrega-documentacion-requerida-por-procurador


Odebrecht contracts may be suspended
The director of the Public Purchases and Contracts Department, Yokasta Guzm?n, has said that they will decide this week whether or not to suspend the contracts the Dominican state has with the Brazilian engineering firm Odebrecht.

The announcement came following a request from Attorney General Jean-Alain Rodr?guez who instructed all new contracts with Odebrecht to be put on hold until the investigation into the case is over and that all state contracts with Odebrecht should be suspended.

Guzman said that the Procurement Law states that in the case of bribes, contracts could be temporarily or permanently withdrawn.

http://eldia.com.do/compras-y-contrataciones-decidira-esta-semana-si-suspende-contratos-odebrecht/


Super Tucano investigation ongoing
The Attorney General’s Office has confirmed that they have not completed the investigations into the case of the Super Tucano planes purchased by the government of former President Leonel Fernandez.

The case was declared to be complex in August 2016, allowing more time for investigation. Attorney General Jean-Alain Rodr?guez confirmed that investigations were proceeding in a satisfactory manner and were not being delayed due to any other corruption-related cases.

He said that he could not reveal any evidence about the Super Tucano case at the moment as it may interfere with the prosecution, but that they were continuing to identify everyone involved, both directly and indirectly.

So far in the case, coercive measures have been imposed on former Defense Minister Pedro Rafael Pena Antonio, as well as Air Force Colonel Carlos Ram?n Piccini and businessmen Daniel Aquino Mendez and Daniel Aquino Hern?ndez.

http://almomento.net/procuraduria-informa-avanzan-las-investigaciones-del-caso-super-tucanos/280749


Police officers suspended in the Brayan F?lix Paulino investigations
The Police have announced that three officers have been suspended in connection with the bribe they were allegedly paid by suspect bank robber Brayan Peter Felix Paulino in San Crist?bal.

Police spokesman General Nelson Rosario said that the Department of Internal Affairs had concluded their investigation and the penalties would now be decided. He did not reveal the names or ranks of the suspended officers but said that others would also be punished for negligence in the line of duty by allowing Felix Paulino to go free.

Felix Paulino was being sought in connection with a series of bank robberies carried out with the late John Percival Matos when he was arrested for a traffic offence in San Cristobal, but paid RD$25,000 for his release.

http://eldia.com.do/suspenden-tres-...ia-por-soborno-de-brayan-peter-felix-paulino/


Elias Pi?a governor shoots two
The governor of the province of Elias Pi?a, Fernando Fortuna, shot and wounded a woman and an army lieutenant in a bar in the Las Tres Cruces sector in the Municipal District of Guananito on Sunday evening, 15 January 2017.

The victims are Marina de la Rosa Encarnaci?n and first lieutenant Rafael Adames Encarnaci?n, who were both taken to the Alejandro Cabral regional hospital in San Juan de la Maguana.

According to List?n Diario newspaper, the incident took place at 7pm during an argument when the governor took out his gun and shot the man in the right eyebrow and the bullet exited through his nose. He then shot the woman. Fortuna is under arrest.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2017/01/16/450538/gobernador-hiere-a-dos-en-elias-pina


Estrella Burgos beats Britain’s Bedene in Australian Open
Dominican tennis player Victor Estrella has moved on to a second round in the Australian Open. This is a first for the 36-year old tennis professional who is ranked 103rd by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

Estrella defeated British number four Aljaz Bedene 7-6 (9-7), 7-5, 0-6, 6-3. Bedene was ranked 108th in the world into the tournament.

In the game, Bedene was 5-2 up in the opener but Estrella would move on to take the first two sets. Bedene would easily win the third set, but then Estrella would take the match that lasted three hours and nine minutes.

The Guardian newspaper would describe the game as “enthralling, error-filled fight.”

Estrella has a career high of 43rd on 13 July 2015.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/victor-estrella-burgos/e224/overview
http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/players/overview/atpe224.html
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...strella-burgos-in-australian-open-first-round


David Ortiz dispels suspicions he would want back into the game
Those reading a possible comeback to Major League Baseball of slugger David Ortiz are wrong. On Monday, the Boston Red Sox baseball legend cleared out doubts. “My playing time has already expired,” Ortiz would tell Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. He told his fans as proof that he hasn’t been undergoing his usual offseason preparations.

The 41-year old said: "Baseball is not something that you wake up today and you say, 'I'll play tomorrow,'" he noted. "Baseball is something that carries a lot of sacrifice, a lot of preparation, and there is a reason why we train the entire year to play it, practice every day, especially during the season, because it is a sport of consistency."

http://m.bleacherreport.com/article...t-comments-on-players-from-dominican-republic


ESPN special to focus on baseball in DR
Coinciding with expectations that Dominican Vladimir Guerrero could become the third Dominican Major League Baseball player to be admitted to the Cooperstown Hall of Fame, ESPN Deportes announced the airing of a “Baseball Tonight” show filmed in the Colonial City.

The special will be shown on ESPN3 and ESPN Play as of 7pm on Wednesday, 18 January 2017. The Baseball Hall of Fame will be announcing the Baseball Writers' Association of America election results at 6pm.

Show hosts are Dominicans Ernesto J?rez and Enrique Rojas and Venezuelan Carolina Guill?n. Among the special guests interviewed for the show are baseball hall of famers, pitchers Juan Marichal and Pedro Mart?nez. If favored by the sports writers’ vote, Vladimir Guerrero would become the first Dominican slugger to be honored.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18454588/the-2017-class-baseball-hall-fame


Baseball playoff team to be decided
Expect full house today as the four Dominican Winter Professional Baseball Championship teams play their last of 18 games in the round robin to choose the playoff teams. The Leones del Escogido will match the Tigres del Licey in Santo Domingo’s Quisqueya stadium, while Aguilas and Gigantes del Cibao will meet at the Juli?n Javier stadium in San Francisco de Macor?s.

The Aguilas have already qualified for the finals. As of Tuesday, 17 January 2017, the Tigres del Licey and Gigantes del Cibao are tied in second place with 8 wins and 9 losses. Follow the games at http://www.lidom.com

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


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