DR1 Daily News - Monday, 6 February 2017

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Stricter rules for development in mountainous areas issued
Making doing business easier for small business
Consulate alerts Dominican residents not to travel
A woman most likely to replace resigning Chamber of Accounts judge
Green Book organizers demand independent Odebrecht investigation
PLD committee political meets Monday, 6 February
There are almost 3,000 fuel stations in DR
Eric Trump visits Cap Cana 
Italian arrested for child pornography in Puerto Plata
Licey is first to be eliminated in Caribbean Series
Luisito Pie wins silver in US taekwondo open
Chile defeats DR in Davis Cup
Braulio and Yohanna in St. Valentine’s Day concert
El Jeffrey at Jalao



Stricter rules for development in mountainous areas 
The Ministry of Environment announced a series of new regulations for the issuing of environmental permits for infrastructure in mountainous areas. Resolution No. 0005-2017 updates requirements for the construction of housing projects in areas that are forested or serve as a source of surface water. Construction is now off limits 30 meters from a body of water, in its present location or original course. Development projects are required to maintain at least 60% of the forest intact on the property and owners will now be required to submit plans to restore native species at the site. Housing is banned at sites at elevations that are more than 1,200 meters above sea level. 

In addition, owners of developments in mountainous areas are now required to create a trust in benefit of the Ministry of Environment in order to comply with the Program for Environmental Management (PMAA) that focuses on the sustainable use of natural resources. 

http://noticiassin.com/2017/02/medio-ambiente-regula-infraestructuras-en-zonas-de-montanas/
http://www.diariolibre.com/medioamb...ccion-de-obras-en-zonas-de-montanas-YX6176313


Making doing business easier for small business
The president of the Dominican Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized Companies, Issaachart Burgos praised the recent Microbusiness Registry launched by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) and implemented by the Deputy Ministry for Small Business at the MIC. The Registry of Small Business is a simplified government service that enables microbusiness to register a business in 24 hours by presenting a personal identity card (cedula) and paying RD$500. He made the comments during an interview with the economic editor at Hoy. 

Burgos said the new system makes it possible to obtain the National Contributors Registration (RNC) of the Tax Agency (DGII), the Mercantile Registration of the Chamber of Commerce, the registration of employees in the Social Security (TSS) and in the Ministry of Labor all in one place.

Burgos says, nevertheless, the government needs to do much more to make formalization more attractive to small business. He said it is necessary to reform the Labor Code and the Social Security Law, and simplify the payment of taxes. 

Burgos says microbusiness and small business find too costly the hiring of a skilled accountant to deal with the difficult government red tape processes. He said that the Simplified Tax Payment System (PST) of the DGII needs to be made more efficient and functional to make it attractive to small businesses. He said as it is only 10,000 small business are using the PST. Burgos says that small business taxes should only require one form and a one-time payment. He also was critical of the Labor Code that is the same for small, medium and large-sized businesses. 

He advocates making it easier so that more small business can be formalized and thus their workers have access to health, labor risk and retirement benefits. 

http://hoy.com.do/urgen-simplificar-pagos-de-impuestos-y-seguridad-social/


Consulate alerts Dominican residents not to travel
The Dominican Consulate in New York is recommending that Dominican nationals who are residents in the United States who may have committed any kind of an infraction, regardless of how minor, postpone travel abroad due to the uncertainties following the recent migratory measures announced by the Trump Administration. In addition, the Consulate recommends that Dominicans living in the US should seek legal counsel if they are applying for US citizenship and have committed any infraction. The Consulate says those who do cannot afford counsel should contact the Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights. 

The Consulate advises Dominicans who have traveled abroad and are returning through US immigration to not sign any document in which they resign their residency (I-407). The Consulate says the persons have the right to first appear before an immigration judge for their case to be heard prior to their residency being revoked. The signing of the document could start a deportation procedure. 

http://acento.com.do/2017/actualida...anos-no-salir-eeuu-medidas-migratorias-trump/
http://nmclr.org.
https://rdconsuladony.wixsite.com/remoconsu


A woman most likely to replace resigning Chamber of Accounts judge
The secretary general of the ruling PLD party, Reinaldo Pared Pérez said that he would back a proposal that would nominate a woman to replace Pablo Domingo del Rosario, who abruptly resigned from the Chamber of Accounts. The position of the PLD is key because that party is majority in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. 

Last week, Pablo Domingo del Rosario was seated at the Chamber of Accounts, but reports surfaced indicating that he resigned.  Apparently, he felt slighted when it was revealed that he would lose the vice presidency of the Chamber and so he chose to resign rather than assuming a position as an ordinary member of that body. 

The Chamber of Accounts, which is in charge of auditing government departments and officers, had been criticized by Congress for not choosing a woman as one of its members. 

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...mbro-de-cc-facilitara-escogencia-de-una-mujer


Green Book organizers demand independent Odebrecht investigation
Green March Against Impunity organizers say they are giving President Danilo Medina until the 27 of February 2017 (coinciding with Independence Day) to authorize and empower an independent commission of prosecutors to investigate the bribery scandal involving the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. The civic group is demanding the judiciary reveal and sanction those who have taken bribes and are responsible for overpricing in government contract work with the Brazilian firm from 2001 to date. The protestors say that the Dominican Republic is a signatory of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (CNUCC) and thus should request independent counsel from the UN to investigate the Odebrecht case. Odebrecht has admitted to paying US$92 million in bribes to Dominican officials. 

In the case, so far Angel Rondón, the named commercial representative of Odebrecht in the DR, has admitted to the bribes, but has argued these were legitimate fees for work carried out to secure the contracts. 

The Attorney General Office has announced an eight-year agreement was reached with Odebrecht for the later to pay the Dominican state US$184 million in compensation for the bribes, with a first US$30 million payment already received. 

The Attorney General Office has said the agreement is totally confidential as authorized by Art. 290 of the Dominican Procedures Penal Code. Nevertheless, as part of the agreement, Odebrecht has committed to provide to the Attorney General all information requested regarding the operations of Odebrecht in the country as company executives had made known to the judiciary in Brazil where the case was first prosecuted.

On Sunday, 5 February 2017, the Green Book organizers began gathering signatures at Independence Park in order to pressure the government to reveal the names of those involved and insist that these individuals be held accountable. 

The Green Book with the signatures of petitioners will be delivered to the Presidency on Wednesday, 22 February, as part of Green Book’s National Mobilization to End Impunity campaign.

The organizers argue that Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez is not acting as a prosecutor, but rather as a defender of the political interests of President Medina and the ruling PLD political party. 

Green Book organizers expect President Medina to address the organization’s concerns during his state of the nation address to the nation on 27 February that will be broadcast live from the National Assembly. 

“We do not accept the institution of corruption that oppresses us and keeps us in poverty,” say the organizers while highlighting the continued impunity. “We demand an independent commission investigate the past three Presidents -- Danilo Medina, Leonel Fernandez and Hipolito Mejia, to get to the bottom of government corruption. The Dominican people have decided to rid our nation of these political shenanigans, and during this month honoring our republic, we are reminded of the sacrifices made by Juan Pablo Duarte and Los Trinitarios,” read a document by the organization. 

http://elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=519323
http://acento.com.do/2017/video/vid...-conforme-comision-investigue-caso-odebrecht/
http://acento.com.do/2017/video/vid...-conforme-comision-investigue-caso-odebrecht/
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/justicia/ciudadanos-
firman-libro-en-el-que-exigen-fiscales-independientes-para-
caso-odebrech-DB6175261
http://eldia.com.do/agencia-ap-se-h...verde-para-investigar-sobornos-de-odebrecht/ 
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...s-30-millones-para-resarcir-al-pais-GB6157019


PLD political committee meets Monday, 6 February
The ruling PLD political party announced a meeting has been called for the Political Committee of the PLD for Monday, 6 February 2017. The Political Committee is the highest-ranking body within the ruling political party. The meeting will take place at the Presidential Office of the PLD located in Zona Universitaria as of 7pm. 

Senator Reinaldo Pared Pérez, secretary general of the PLD, said the meeting is an ordinary session of the committee. He said that recently these meetings have served as forums to reconcile differences between the president of the political party, former President Leonel Fernández, and President Danilo Medina. 

Pared Pérez says that the Political Committee has pending business that includes hearing the reports from commissions that presented eight projects for rulings to apply the resolutions derived from the 8th Ordinary Congress Commander Norge Botello of the PLD and setting a date for the meeting of the Central Committee of the party when the commission’s reports will be formally presented to the body.

The meeting is occurring as the pressure mounts for transparency on who in administrations, both past and present may have benefitted from bribes accepted to have been paid by the Odebrecht, the Brazilian construction company. 

http://eldia.com.do/comite-politico-del-pld-se-reunira-manana-5/


There are almost 3,000 fuel stations in DR
The National Statistics Office (ONE) has a record of 2,978 fuel retail stations as of 2015). 51.2% sell diesel and gasoline, 24.9% sell propane gas and 1.3% sell natural gas. 

Most of the stations are located in Santo Domingo (18.1%), the National District (8.2%), Santiago (11%), Monte Plata (5.3%) and San Cristóbal (5%). 

Fuel stations make up 0.7% of all registered business in the country, a total of 457,095 according to the National Business Registry (RNE 2014-2015). 

http://elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=519357


Eric Trump visits Cap Cana 
Ricardo and Fernando Hazoury, president and vice president of the board at the Cap Cana real estate and tourism development in Punta Cana, expressed their pleasure in hosting Eric Trump, son of US President Donald Trump at the Punta Cana development last week. It was reported Trump visited for half a day. 

“It was excellent to once again receive Eric at Cap Cana, Dominican Republic, said the Hazoury’s in a press release. 

The press release says the ties continue to be “incredibly strong, especially with Eric, who has led this project since its start,” they added. They expressed they are enthusiastic about working with the Trump Organization in the future phases of the project. 

The press release explained that Trump toured Cap Cana to see the latest developments.  

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2017/02/05/cap-cana-dice-
relaciones-con-the-trump-organization-ldquopemanecen-
fuertesrdquo


Italian arrested for child pornography in Puerto Plata
The National Police announced the arrest of the named Giuseppe Sgarbi in Puerto Plata. He is accused of child pornography. 

During a raid on his dwelling, he was found to be engaged in the sexual exploitation of two minors (ages 16 and 17) and the making of pornographic videos with them. As reported, the minors were paid RD$2,000 each for having sexual intercourse and allowing the act to be recorded.

The agents were part of the Department of Migration Control and Research on Trafficking in Persons and were working together with members of the Justice International Mission (JIM). They acted on a court ordered issued by a Puerto Plata judge. 

During the raid, the law enforcement agents seized a laptop, cameras, USB drives, several cell phones, hard disks and CDs with pornographic videos and bills for cell phone use given to the girls, contracts signed with the parents of the teenagers, vaginal lubricants, sexual stimulates, vibrators, cash, bathing suits, passports and a Ford Focus vehicle, as reported by the Police.

http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...o-que-explotaba-sexualmente-menores-edad.html


Licey is first to be eliminated in Caribbean Series
The representative of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Series, the Tigres del Licey lost all their first four games to Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela in the Caribbean Series taking place in Culiacán, Mexico. They were the first team to be eliminated in the first round. 

The DR lost 4-0 to Cuba, 7-2 to Mexico, 10-2 to Puerto Rico and 4-3 to Venezuela. 

Team manager Audo Vicente said the team was affected by the absence of key players that did not make the trip, in particular he mentioned Juan Francisco,  Yamaico Navarro and Emilio Bonifacio. He said: “This is the team we have and we have to respect the decisions these players made to not play because of family or Major League team commitments,” he said. 

This makes 10 consecutive games the Dominican Republic teams have lost in the recent Caribbean Series. 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/winterleagues/league.jsp?
league=cs
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2017/02/05/republica-dominicana-
queda-descalificada-serie-del-caribe


Luisito Pie wins silver in US taekwondo open
Dominican Olympian Luisito Pie came away with the silver medal at the US Open Taekwondo Championships that took place in Las Vegas, Nevada from 31 January to 3 February 2017. Pie won the medal in the 63 kg category. The event took place at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino with the participation of 2,500 athletes. 

Pie had won bronze in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2017 in the 58 kg category. He lost in the finals to the representative of Croatia.  Yereth Cocco also won bronze competing in the youth category. 

http://www.diariolibre.com/deportes/luisito-pie-gana-plata-
en-abierto-taekwondo-de-estados-unidos-DA6174027


Chile defeats DR in Davis Cup
With the DR playing without their best player, Víctor Estrella, Chilean tennis players won all the five matches and took home the Americas Zone I trophy. The teams were the 2017 Americas Zone Group I first round tie.

The Chileans will now go on to take on Colombia from 7-9 April 2017. 

See the matches results at: 
http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie.aspx?id=M-DC-2017-G1-AM-M-DOM-CHI-01


Braulio and Yohanna in St. Valentine’s Day concert
The Spanish romantic songs singer Braulio García joins Yohanna Almánzar of the Dominican Republic for a night of romantic boleros at the Barceló Santo Domingo (former Hotel Lina) in Santo Domingo. The show will be on Tuesday, 14 February at 9pm. 

Braulio is best known for his songs: “En la carcel de tu piel,” “Noche de bodas,” Qué tentación,” “Pequeña amante,” “El vicio de tu boca,” among others. Listen to his music at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa-IYregXnM


El Jeffrey at Jalao
Jalao Restaurant in the Colonial City presents the merengues by Engel García “El Jeffrey” on Wednesday, 15 February 2017 on occasion of St. Valentine’s Day. 

Listen to his music at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SR2tSxltJo

For information on upcoming events:
http://www.dr1.com/calendar


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