Government and labor agree to 20% minimum wage increase
What happened to the Police wage increase?
Environment Minister visits Samaná beaches
Alejandro González Pons named ambassador to Mexico
Rafael Molina Morillo passes away
Police patrols say 97 arrested for cocaine in first day of patrols
DR to play baseball in Can-Am League in Ottawa
Sports Writers announce Top 10 Athletes
Good reviews for “El hombre que cuida”
Myriam Hernandez at the Jaragua
Government and labor agree to 20% minimum wage increase
Labor representatives and government agencies, who form part of the National Salary Committee (CNS), approved a 20% minimum monthly wage increase for employees in the private sector that are not covered by specific wage rulings. The wage increase, which would be effective on 1 April 2017, was not been ratified by the third party of the committee, the employers. Minister of Labor Jose Ramon (Monchy) Fadul now needs to ratify the increase for it to go into effect. Fadul had prior to the decision spoken up in favor of the 30% minimum wage request made by the labor unions.
Labor unions and government representatives voted in favor of the increase that will affect companies with assets of more than RD$4 million. The minimum wage for these companies is now RD$15,447.60. Those companies with assets of RD$2-$4 million will be subject to a minimum wage rate of RD$10,620 per month. And those companies with assets of less than RD$2 million will have the minimum wage set at RD$9,411.60.
The CNS also agreed that the minimum wage for private security guards be set at RD$13,032. The daily minimum wage for farm workers will now be RD$320.
The decision was adopted by the three members of the Ministry of Labor that represent the government and the two members of the labor unions. Fermín Acosta, president of the Dominican Management Confederation (Copardom) and of Circe Almanzar, vice president of Copardom and of the Dominican Republic Association of Industries (AIRD), who represented the employers, left the meeting during an impasse when the wage increase was being discussed. Acosta and Almanzar said the increase could mean the bankruptcy of many companies.
Labor spokesman Rafael (Pepe) Abreu was pleased with the agreement. He said the 20% was not ideal because they had hoped for a 30% increase, but is a first step. Management had originally offered a 9% salary increase.
In 2015, a three-party agreement between labor, government and management was reached that called for 14% increase in wages.
Commenting on the raise, the president of the Association of Industries of Herrera, Antonio Taveras Guzmán called the decision part of “short term wage policy” of the government. He said the government should instead promote public policies that guarantee real income that is sustainable over time. He said, on the contrary, unreasonable wage increases destroy jobs when paying out higher wages become unsustainable for the vast majority of small and medium sized companies.
Taveras Guzman said that Dominican workers deserve decent wages, but workers also benefit from labor stability that comes when companies can continue to generate sufficient revenue and avoid bankruptcy. He said there must be a negotiated compromise between wages and corporate economic viability.
The president of the Confederation of Small and Medium-sized Companies (Codopyme), Issachart Burgos, said that the announced wage increases without applying the company classification suggested by management would increase unemployment. He said a minimum wage of RD$15,500 is unsustainable for many small businesses.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...-reforma-laboral-y-rechazan-aumento-de-un-20-
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...-la-resolucion-del-impasse-salarial-CY6724646
What happened to the Police wage increase?
Former presidential candidate of the PRM, Luis Abinader, demanded that President Danilo Medina explain the delays in the application of the wage increase for members of the police force. On 27 February 2017, President Medina promised wage increases to be applied immediately that would have raised the monthly salary of an entry level patrol officer to RD$16,000.
Nevertheless, social media have commented on a video in which a spokesman of the Police Department said the increases at the level mentioned by the President will not be applied.
President Danilo Medina in his Annual Report to the Nation on 27 February 2017 announced the doubling of wages for the National Police and the military. Specifically, a patrolman who currently earns RD$7,000 per month would receive RD$16,150 per month. A captain who supervises the patrol and who currently earns a monthly wage of RD$17,500 will be paid RD$36,000 per month. A colonel who heads a department will make RD$79,325 per month.
In addition, Medina had announced the new wage structure includes additional pay for the level of risk undertaken by each employee of the Police Department.
The wage increase for the police was to go into effect on 1 March 2017.
http://almomento.net/abinader-exige...e-los-policias-no-han-recibido-aumento/303319
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltYZSnlgkZ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZq8msLLtQ4
Environment Minister visits Samaná beaches
Francisco Domínguez Brito, Minister of Environment, was in Samana over the weekend inspecting Samaná beaches. He also visited several protected areas in the province and met with business, community and government authorities. On Friday, he visited the beaches of Cosón, Punta Popy and Playa Bonita en Las Terrenas to see firsthand the erosion of the area’s beaches.
The Ministry also reported Dominguez Brito observed cases where businesses have not observed the law that requires at least a 60 meters buffer from the shore to the business establishment. The Minister stressed the need to bring order to these public spaces.
He also spoke with the fishermen in Playa Popy about the need to organize the beach front and create spaces where they can carry out their work more efficiently and with more safety and convenience for their selves and their clients. At present, the fishermen sell fish right on the beach in back of the cemetery.
During the visit, he also met with representatives of the Samaná Tourism Cluster about taking measures to improve Samaná beaches as a tourist destination.
The Minister said he wanted to tackle these problems and provide solutions without long bureaucratic processes. “The protection of ecosystems and the dynamics of the beach are essential for sustainability of the tourism product, so that we do not kill the chicken that is laying the golden eggs.”
Domínguez Brito also discussed garbage disposal solutions in the tourism areas and proposed a dialogue with technicians of the Ministry to find solutions in the short, medium and long term. He said in an ideal scenario less garbage would be generated because most of it would be recycled.
http://ambiente.gob.do/dominguez-brito-instruye-rescate-de-playas-en-samana/
Alejandro González Pons named ambassador to Mexico
In Decree 94-1 issued on 31 March 2017, President Danilo Medina named Alejandro Gonzalez Pons Dominican ambassador to Mexico.
Gonzalez Pons had been the Dominican ambassador in Belgium and head of the Dominican mission to the European Union. Previously he had served as Dominican ambassador in Spain and Chile.
He is a graduate in political sciences with a specialty in international relations from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España. He completed postgraduate studies in international economic relations at the Sorbonne University in Paris.
In the Dominican Republic he was a professor of political sciences and diplomatic law at the UASD. He also taught sociology and economic development at INTEC University where was also dean of the social sciences faculty.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...a-alejandro-gonzalez-pons-embajador-en-mexico
Rafael Molina Morillo passes away
Long time Dominican journalist and editor, lawyer Rafael Molina Morillo passed away on Sunday, 2 April 2017 at his home. He was 87 years old. At the time of his death he was the executive editor of El Dia and published a daily column, “Buenos Dias.”
In addition to being the founder of El Nacional and the Ahora weekly news magazine (no longer in circulation), Molina Morillo is a former Dominican ambassador to Washington, D. C. He was a winner of the 2010 National Journalism Award granted by the Ministry of Education and the Dominican Association of Journalists (CDP) and is a past president of the InterAmerican Press Association (IAPA).
In his last column in El Día, he advocated for cutting to half the enrollment in the state university. At the university it is common for students to more than double the time in which they should graduate.
Molina Morillo is survived by his wife Francia Espaillat and his children, Jose Antonio, Amelia, Maria Alicia and Silvia Maria.
http://eldia.com.do/la-pobre-uasd/
http://eldia.com.do/fallecimiento-molina-morillo-causa-tristeza-en-todo-el-pais/
http://eldia.com.do/buen-ciudadano-gran-periodista/
http://eldia.com.do/el-legado-de-molina-morillo/
Police patrols say 97 arrested for cocaine in first day of patrols
The Police announced the arrested of 1,309 persons on 1 April 2017, the first day of the joint police-military patrols to improve security in cities. The arrests included 97 individuals for having possession of cocaine, 13 people for illegal possession of a firearm, two individuals wanted for robbery. A number of citations were issued for motorists driving without proper documents.
Of 2,926 vehicles stopped and inspected, 94 were captured impounded by authorities when the drivers of these vehicles could not produce the required documentation. Also, 6,458 motorcyclists were stopped, leading to 1,459 motorcycles being impounded.
The patrols are evident in the middle class and upper class neighborhoods that have been victims of recent assaults by bandits on motorcycles.
http://www.policianacional.gob.do/l...liza-amplio-operativo-contra-la-criminalidad/
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...-detenidas-operativo-contra-criminalidad.html
DR to play baseball in Can-Am League in Ottawa
The Dominican Republic will be playing in the Canadian-American Baseball League. The DR will play 27-29 June 2017 in Ottawa, Canada as announced by League commissioner Miles Wolff.
Wolff said that players of the team will be selected by the Dominican Republic’s national baseball federation, which also oversees player selection for events such as the World Baseball Classic.
As part of the 2017 Can-Am League International Series, the Cuban national team will return to Ottawa June 17-19. The team will feature a number of players who led the team to the second round of the World Baseball Classic in March.
Sports Writers announce Top 10 Athletes
The Dominican Association of Sports Writers (ACD) honored the best athletes of the year in a ceremony on Sunday, 2 April 2017.
The top 10 athletes were:
Athlete of the Year: Luisito Pie (bronze medalist in Rio Olympics)
Basketball: Karl Anthony Towns Minnesota Timberwolves)
Taekwondo: Luis Pie
Baseball: Edwin Encarnación (Toronto BlueJays)
Volleyball: Brayelin Martinez
Boxing: Jonathan Guzman
Tennis: Victor Estrella
Equestrian: Yvonne Losos
Weightlifting: Beatriz Piron and Crismely Santana
Track: Stanley del Carmen
Coach of the Year:
Miguel Camacho (taekwondo)
Best National Team:
Women Volleyball Team
Special recognitions were bestowed to former national basketball team member Vinicio Muñoz and former president of the boxing federation Bienvenido Solano
https://www.diariolibre.com/deporte...ano-envia-mensaje-a-las-autoridades-BB6726571
Good reviews for “El hombre que cuida”
The drama “El hombre que cuida”, by Alejandro Andujar is getting good reviews from critics and audiences. The film stars Hector Anibal in the role of a watchman of a home in Palmar de Ocoa beach location.
Myriam Hernandez at the Jaragua
Chile’s leading balladist Myriam Hernández will perform at the Teatro La Fiesta of the Jaragua Renaissance Hotel in Santo Domingo on Saturday, 29 April 2017. She will be singing her best hits in the Gala de Amor concert. Showtime: 9pm. Tickets: RD$5,000, RD$4,800, RD$4,600 for sale online at Uepa Tickets or at the Jaragua box office.
For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see http://www.dr1.com/calendar
What happened to the Police wage increase?
Environment Minister visits Samaná beaches
Alejandro González Pons named ambassador to Mexico
Rafael Molina Morillo passes away
Police patrols say 97 arrested for cocaine in first day of patrols
DR to play baseball in Can-Am League in Ottawa
Sports Writers announce Top 10 Athletes
Good reviews for “El hombre que cuida”
Myriam Hernandez at the Jaragua
Government and labor agree to 20% minimum wage increase
Labor representatives and government agencies, who form part of the National Salary Committee (CNS), approved a 20% minimum monthly wage increase for employees in the private sector that are not covered by specific wage rulings. The wage increase, which would be effective on 1 April 2017, was not been ratified by the third party of the committee, the employers. Minister of Labor Jose Ramon (Monchy) Fadul now needs to ratify the increase for it to go into effect. Fadul had prior to the decision spoken up in favor of the 30% minimum wage request made by the labor unions.
Labor unions and government representatives voted in favor of the increase that will affect companies with assets of more than RD$4 million. The minimum wage for these companies is now RD$15,447.60. Those companies with assets of RD$2-$4 million will be subject to a minimum wage rate of RD$10,620 per month. And those companies with assets of less than RD$2 million will have the minimum wage set at RD$9,411.60.
The CNS also agreed that the minimum wage for private security guards be set at RD$13,032. The daily minimum wage for farm workers will now be RD$320.
The decision was adopted by the three members of the Ministry of Labor that represent the government and the two members of the labor unions. Fermín Acosta, president of the Dominican Management Confederation (Copardom) and of Circe Almanzar, vice president of Copardom and of the Dominican Republic Association of Industries (AIRD), who represented the employers, left the meeting during an impasse when the wage increase was being discussed. Acosta and Almanzar said the increase could mean the bankruptcy of many companies.
Labor spokesman Rafael (Pepe) Abreu was pleased with the agreement. He said the 20% was not ideal because they had hoped for a 30% increase, but is a first step. Management had originally offered a 9% salary increase.
In 2015, a three-party agreement between labor, government and management was reached that called for 14% increase in wages.
Commenting on the raise, the president of the Association of Industries of Herrera, Antonio Taveras Guzmán called the decision part of “short term wage policy” of the government. He said the government should instead promote public policies that guarantee real income that is sustainable over time. He said, on the contrary, unreasonable wage increases destroy jobs when paying out higher wages become unsustainable for the vast majority of small and medium sized companies.
Taveras Guzman said that Dominican workers deserve decent wages, but workers also benefit from labor stability that comes when companies can continue to generate sufficient revenue and avoid bankruptcy. He said there must be a negotiated compromise between wages and corporate economic viability.
The president of the Confederation of Small and Medium-sized Companies (Codopyme), Issachart Burgos, said that the announced wage increases without applying the company classification suggested by management would increase unemployment. He said a minimum wage of RD$15,500 is unsustainable for many small businesses.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...-reforma-laboral-y-rechazan-aumento-de-un-20-
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...-la-resolucion-del-impasse-salarial-CY6724646
What happened to the Police wage increase?
Former presidential candidate of the PRM, Luis Abinader, demanded that President Danilo Medina explain the delays in the application of the wage increase for members of the police force. On 27 February 2017, President Medina promised wage increases to be applied immediately that would have raised the monthly salary of an entry level patrol officer to RD$16,000.
Nevertheless, social media have commented on a video in which a spokesman of the Police Department said the increases at the level mentioned by the President will not be applied.
President Danilo Medina in his Annual Report to the Nation on 27 February 2017 announced the doubling of wages for the National Police and the military. Specifically, a patrolman who currently earns RD$7,000 per month would receive RD$16,150 per month. A captain who supervises the patrol and who currently earns a monthly wage of RD$17,500 will be paid RD$36,000 per month. A colonel who heads a department will make RD$79,325 per month.
In addition, Medina had announced the new wage structure includes additional pay for the level of risk undertaken by each employee of the Police Department.
The wage increase for the police was to go into effect on 1 March 2017.
http://almomento.net/abinader-exige...e-los-policias-no-han-recibido-aumento/303319
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltYZSnlgkZ0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZq8msLLtQ4
Environment Minister visits Samaná beaches
Francisco Domínguez Brito, Minister of Environment, was in Samana over the weekend inspecting Samaná beaches. He also visited several protected areas in the province and met with business, community and government authorities. On Friday, he visited the beaches of Cosón, Punta Popy and Playa Bonita en Las Terrenas to see firsthand the erosion of the area’s beaches.
The Ministry also reported Dominguez Brito observed cases where businesses have not observed the law that requires at least a 60 meters buffer from the shore to the business establishment. The Minister stressed the need to bring order to these public spaces.
He also spoke with the fishermen in Playa Popy about the need to organize the beach front and create spaces where they can carry out their work more efficiently and with more safety and convenience for their selves and their clients. At present, the fishermen sell fish right on the beach in back of the cemetery.
During the visit, he also met with representatives of the Samaná Tourism Cluster about taking measures to improve Samaná beaches as a tourist destination.
The Minister said he wanted to tackle these problems and provide solutions without long bureaucratic processes. “The protection of ecosystems and the dynamics of the beach are essential for sustainability of the tourism product, so that we do not kill the chicken that is laying the golden eggs.”
Domínguez Brito also discussed garbage disposal solutions in the tourism areas and proposed a dialogue with technicians of the Ministry to find solutions in the short, medium and long term. He said in an ideal scenario less garbage would be generated because most of it would be recycled.
http://ambiente.gob.do/dominguez-brito-instruye-rescate-de-playas-en-samana/
Alejandro González Pons named ambassador to Mexico
In Decree 94-1 issued on 31 March 2017, President Danilo Medina named Alejandro Gonzalez Pons Dominican ambassador to Mexico.
Gonzalez Pons had been the Dominican ambassador in Belgium and head of the Dominican mission to the European Union. Previously he had served as Dominican ambassador in Spain and Chile.
He is a graduate in political sciences with a specialty in international relations from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España. He completed postgraduate studies in international economic relations at the Sorbonne University in Paris.
In the Dominican Republic he was a professor of political sciences and diplomatic law at the UASD. He also taught sociology and economic development at INTEC University where was also dean of the social sciences faculty.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...a-alejandro-gonzalez-pons-embajador-en-mexico
Rafael Molina Morillo passes away
Long time Dominican journalist and editor, lawyer Rafael Molina Morillo passed away on Sunday, 2 April 2017 at his home. He was 87 years old. At the time of his death he was the executive editor of El Dia and published a daily column, “Buenos Dias.”
In addition to being the founder of El Nacional and the Ahora weekly news magazine (no longer in circulation), Molina Morillo is a former Dominican ambassador to Washington, D. C. He was a winner of the 2010 National Journalism Award granted by the Ministry of Education and the Dominican Association of Journalists (CDP) and is a past president of the InterAmerican Press Association (IAPA).
In his last column in El Día, he advocated for cutting to half the enrollment in the state university. At the university it is common for students to more than double the time in which they should graduate.
Molina Morillo is survived by his wife Francia Espaillat and his children, Jose Antonio, Amelia, Maria Alicia and Silvia Maria.
http://eldia.com.do/la-pobre-uasd/
http://eldia.com.do/fallecimiento-molina-morillo-causa-tristeza-en-todo-el-pais/
http://eldia.com.do/buen-ciudadano-gran-periodista/
http://eldia.com.do/el-legado-de-molina-morillo/
Police patrols say 97 arrested for cocaine in first day of patrols
The Police announced the arrested of 1,309 persons on 1 April 2017, the first day of the joint police-military patrols to improve security in cities. The arrests included 97 individuals for having possession of cocaine, 13 people for illegal possession of a firearm, two individuals wanted for robbery. A number of citations were issued for motorists driving without proper documents.
Of 2,926 vehicles stopped and inspected, 94 were captured impounded by authorities when the drivers of these vehicles could not produce the required documentation. Also, 6,458 motorcyclists were stopped, leading to 1,459 motorcycles being impounded.
The patrols are evident in the middle class and upper class neighborhoods that have been victims of recent assaults by bandits on motorcycles.
http://www.policianacional.gob.do/l...liza-amplio-operativo-contra-la-criminalidad/
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...-detenidas-operativo-contra-criminalidad.html
DR to play baseball in Can-Am League in Ottawa
The Dominican Republic will be playing in the Canadian-American Baseball League. The DR will play 27-29 June 2017 in Ottawa, Canada as announced by League commissioner Miles Wolff.
Wolff said that players of the team will be selected by the Dominican Republic’s national baseball federation, which also oversees player selection for events such as the World Baseball Classic.
As part of the 2017 Can-Am League International Series, the Cuban national team will return to Ottawa June 17-19. The team will feature a number of players who led the team to the second round of the World Baseball Classic in March.
Sports Writers announce Top 10 Athletes
The Dominican Association of Sports Writers (ACD) honored the best athletes of the year in a ceremony on Sunday, 2 April 2017.
The top 10 athletes were:
Athlete of the Year: Luisito Pie (bronze medalist in Rio Olympics)
Basketball: Karl Anthony Towns Minnesota Timberwolves)
Taekwondo: Luis Pie
Baseball: Edwin Encarnación (Toronto BlueJays)
Volleyball: Brayelin Martinez
Boxing: Jonathan Guzman
Tennis: Victor Estrella
Equestrian: Yvonne Losos
Weightlifting: Beatriz Piron and Crismely Santana
Track: Stanley del Carmen
Coach of the Year:
Miguel Camacho (taekwondo)
Best National Team:
Women Volleyball Team
Special recognitions were bestowed to former national basketball team member Vinicio Muñoz and former president of the boxing federation Bienvenido Solano
https://www.diariolibre.com/deporte...ano-envia-mensaje-a-las-autoridades-BB6726571
Good reviews for “El hombre que cuida”
The drama “El hombre que cuida”, by Alejandro Andujar is getting good reviews from critics and audiences. The film stars Hector Anibal in the role of a watchman of a home in Palmar de Ocoa beach location.
Myriam Hernandez at the Jaragua
Chile’s leading balladist Myriam Hernández will perform at the Teatro La Fiesta of the Jaragua Renaissance Hotel in Santo Domingo on Saturday, 29 April 2017. She will be singing her best hits in the Gala de Amor concert. Showtime: 9pm. Tickets: RD$5,000, RD$4,800, RD$4,600 for sale online at Uepa Tickets or at the Jaragua box office.
For more on ongoing and upcoming events, see http://www.dr1.com/calendar