DR1 Daily News - Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
President provides more money to small producers
CDEEE announces new solar and wind energy projects 
Dominican Republic heads free zone exports
New Ambassador for Panama
Montecristi’s famous clock is once again ticking
Visit for OAS anti corruption department
Returning convicts up 50% on last year
Another alledged robber shot dead by police
Hold up at Kentucky Fried Chicken
Baseball’s Pedro Guerrero has a stroke
Dominicans dominate the rosters of MLB teams 
Seven Dominicans are playing in Japan Baseball League
Regional sports leaders meet in Santo Domingo
Five-day visit of Juan Sebastián de Elcano topsail announced



President provides more money to small producers
On Tuesday 4 April 2017, at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace, President Danilo Medina committed over RD$104 million to the Project for Rural Economic Development (ProRural).  The project will benefit 500 producers belonging to 37 rural organizations in 20 provinces around the country. This marked the third installment of the government’s pledge to support ProRural. 

The first payment to ProRural was RD$200 million and the second, in November of last year, was for RD$110 million.

The government reports that in total, around 20,000 small producers and their families have benefitted from the initiative that seeks to fight poverty in a productive manner.

The project is coordinated by the General Office of Multinational Cooperation (Digecom) with support of the Dominican Agroindustrial Board (JAD). It is funded by an agreement signed between the Dominican government and the International Agriculture Development Fund (FIDA). 

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...4-millones-para-proyectos-agricolas-NA6741609


CDEEE announces new solar and wind energy projects 
The Dominican Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) has announced eight power-generating projects using renewable sources of energy with an investment of US$779.8 million are underway. The projects will go into operation starting 2018 and will bring an additional 361.2 megawatts to the electrical grid.  

CDEEE executive vice president, Rubén Jiménez Bichara made the announcement during the launch of the Plan to Support Renewable Energy Projects. He said the new renewable energy projects will increase to 556.21 megawatts the availability of clean energy in the national electrical grid (SENI). 

Three solar power plants will be installed in Montecristi, El Seibo, and Santo Domingo provinces. Two wind projects will be installed in Montecristi, two others in Puerto Plata and one in Peravia provinces. 

The new projects are: 

Montecristi:
Parque Montecristi Solar: 57.96 MW
Parque Eólico Guanillo:  50 MW
Parque Eólico Agua Clara: 50 MW

Puerto Plata:
Parque Eólico Guzmancito: 48.3 MW
Parque Eólico Puerto Plata : 46 MW

Peravia: 
Parque Eólico Matafongo: 34 MW 

El Seibo: 
Parque Fotovoltaico WCG: 50 MW

Barahona:
Parque Canoa Solar: 25 MW

http://cdeee.gob.do/cdeeesite/cdeee-apoya-inversion-privada-de-us780-millones-en-energia-renovable/


Dominican Republic heads free zone exports
According to the Dominican Competitive Observatory, the Barometer for the Manufacturing and Free Zone Sector in the Dominican Republic shows that the country heads the list for free zone exports amongst DR-CAFTA trade agreement countries.

The report states that in 2016, the DR exported US$5.30 billion in medical equipment, textiles, electrical products, tobacco, shoes and other manufactured goods.

Medical equipment represented 25.3% of the total free zone exports, textiles 20.6%, electrical products 14.1%, tobacco 14.1% and footwear 8%. 

Of DR-CAFTA countries, Costa Rica was next, with its free zones having exported US$4.9 billion, Honduras US$3.95 billion, Guatemala US$3.34 billion, Nicaragua US$2.60 billion and El Salvador US$1.15 billion.

There are 647 companies operating in export free zones throughout the country that generate 161,948 jobs, representing 3.67% of the total workforce in the Dominican Republic.

http://almomento.net/rd-entre-paise...mas-productos-elaborado-en-zona-franca/303950
http://www.competitividad.org.do/wp...rometro-de-manufactura-y-zonas-francas-2.jpeg


New ambassador for Panama
President Danilo Medina has appointed Rafael Tejeda Acevedo as the new Dominican ambassador in Panama, replacing journalist César Medina. Medina was appointed Deputy Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy based at the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Santo Domingo. Decree 99-17 with the appointment was issued on Monday, 3 April 2017. 

https://es.scribd.com/document/3439...a-a-Rafael-Tejeda-Acevedo-embajador-en-Panama


Montecristi’s famous clock is once again ticking
The historic and symbolic clock of San Fernando de Montecristi in the northwestern city of Montecristi has been restored and is accurately keeping time for this community.

During a ceremony headed up by Mayor Luis Mendez, accompanied by vice admiral of the Dominican Armada (Navy) Miguel Peña Acosta, the symbol of the city is no longer an embarrassment. The Armada helped finance the repair. 

The clock has graced the historic Duarte Park since March 1895. It was built in France by legendary French watchmaker Jean Paul Garnier.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2017/04/04/funciona-reloj-montecristi
https://history-computer.com/CalculatingTools/Gadgets/Garnier.html


Visit for OAS anti corruption department
According to the Government Ethics and Integrity Agency (Digeig), officers of the anti corruption department of the Organization of American States (OAS) are visiting the country for three days for discussions related to the prevention, control and penalizing of corruption. 

The visit will conclude today, Wednesday 5 April 2017.  Meetings have been held with civil society representatives and government organizations to follow up on previous recommendations as well as to study the measures and policies in place to prevent corruption. 

The team discussed systems for the hiring of public employees, procurement systems and the protection of those who denounce corruption.

http://almomento.net/mecanismo-anticorrupcion-de-la-oea-inicia-visita-a-republica-dominicana/303735


Returning convicts up 50% on last year
Yesterday afternoon, Tuesday 4 April 2017, another 106 Dominican ex convicts arrived at Las Americas International Airport from New York, bringing the total number repatriated this year to 573, which is almost a 50% increase over the same time period last year. 

The group includes 57 individuals convicted of drug dealing.  The other repatriated ex-felons have served sentences for a number of other crimes, including homicide, robbery, assault, rape, fraud and forgery and kidnapping. Their sentences ranged from four to fifteen years, and they are aged between 43 and 57 years old.

The repatriated ex-cons were met at the airport by authorities from Migration, the National Police, Drug and Intelligence agencies, DNCD and DNI and other agencies. They were then taken to the Refugee center in Haina, San Cristobal where they were processed. Those with no outstanding warrants in the Dominican Republic were handed over to their families.

There still remain more than 8,000 Dominicans in United States prisons, mostly serving sentences for drug related crimes.

http://elnacional.com.do/traen-hoy-...mplieron-condenas-por-drogas-y-otros-delitos/


Another alledged robber shot dead by police
Director General of the National Police, Major General Nelson Peguero Paredes has announced that one of the suspects in the robbery at the Constitución insurance company in Piantini neighborhood in Santo Domingo has died, following a supposed shoot out with a police patrol on the Yamasá road in Monte Plata province, north of Santo Domingo.   

During the 28 March 2017 Constitución robbery, the thieves stole RD$415,000 and US$200,000 but the money was dropped as they tried to escape.

The deceased was identified as 22-year old Euri Paredes Martinez. He died while receiving medical care at the Ney Arias Lora Trauma Hospital in Greater Santo Domingo. Full details of the events leading up to his death are not known. 

During the robbery, one of the robbers, police private Luis Henriquez Reyes Javier, was shot in the head and is intensive care.  The police are calling for the third and last member to give himself up or face the possibility of being subjected to the same fate as his partners in crime.

http://www.policianacional.gob.do/m...-patrulla-policial-en-la-carretera-de-yamasa/


Hold up at Kentucky Fried Chicken
Police spokesman General Nelson Rosario confirmed that persons unknown assaulted on Monday, 3 April 2017, the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise located at Av. Rómulo Betancourt and Calle Arturo Defilló in Bella Vista neighborhood. They stole RD$190,000 in cash of the day’s sales. 

Rosario said the robbery occurred at around 2am when the staff was closing. He said two hooded armed men entered by a back door that had been left open. 

https://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/asaltan-a-kentucky-fried-chicken-de-bella-vista-ND6731681


Baseball’s Pedro Guerrero has a stroke
The former Major League Baseball slugger of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pedro Guerrero, is battling for his life in the Lebanon Hospital Center in the Bronx, New York hospital, according to his stepdaughter, Jessica Mora.

It appeared that Guerrero has suffered his second stroke since 2015 and was unconscious, connected to life support. However later reports from his wife, Roxanna Jimenez, say that although the first hospital declared him to be brain dead and asked them to sign to disconnect him from life support, a second opinion stated he was in a coma and following the draining of blood from the blood clot he suffered, she says he is now recovering. She said that doctors said the prognosis is good and that he had opened his eyes and was trying to communicate.

Guerrero, aged 60, played for a number of teams and was known as a powerful, free swinger and clubbed 215 homeruns during his career. 

http://hoy.com.do/dominicano-pedro-guerrero-grave-tras-sufrir-accidente-cerebro-cardiovascular/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/04/04/dodgers-pedro-guerrero-hospitalized/100015456/


Dominicans dominate the rosters of MLB teams 
There are more Dominicans on the rosters of Major League Baseball clubs than any other nationality (other than players from the US).  At the start of the season (that began this past Sunday, 2 April 2017, there are 93 Dominican players are Dominicans in the league. There are 77 Venezuelans, 23 Cubans and 16 Puerto Ricans.  Other countries that have their citizens on major league rosters include Japan (eight), Canada (six), South Korea (four), Curacao and Nicaragua (four each), Panama (three), and Australia, Brazil and Colombia (two apiece). Aruba, Germany, Netherlands, Taiwan and the U.S. Virgin Islands had one each.

According to statistics from the commissioner’s office of the United States Major League Baseball, a record 29.8% of major leaguers at the start of the season were born outside the US, topping the previous high of 29.2% in 2005.

Figures include 749 active players on opening day rosters and 119 on disabled lists or the restricted list. 

The combined salaries of the 87 Dominican players on the 2017 rosters of US Major League Baseball teams for the season that began on Sunday, 2 April 2017, is US$459 million. This does not include the US$21 million the Yankees are paying Alex Rodríguez in his final year of his contract.  

Diario Libre’s senior sports editor Nathanael Pérez Neró says that the total is US$15.9 million more than the record set in 2017. 

http://www.morningjournal.com/sport...of-mlb-players-born-outside-the-united-states
https://www.diariolibre.com/deporte...ngresos-aun-sin-el-salario-de-a-rod-LB6737278


Seven Dominicans are playing in Japan Baseball League
The Japanese baseball league began play on 31 March 2017, with the participation of seven Dominican players, including Boston Red Sox’s former slugger, Manny Ramírez. Ramírez made headlines for negotiating a contract that included all the sushi he wanted. The season ends in October. 

As reported in Diario Libre, the Dominican players on NPB rosters are: 
Arquimedes Caminero (Yomiuri Giants), Audy Ciriaco (Yokohama Dena Baystars), Rafael Dolis (Hanshin Tigers), Gonzalez Germen (Orix Buffaloes), Marcos Mateo (Hanshin Tigers), Jordan Norberto (Chunichi Dragons), Jimmy Paredes (Chiba Lotte Marines), and Carlos Peguero (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles). 

http://npb.jp/eng/
https://www.diariolibre.com/deporte...egan-en-la-liga-japonesa-de-beisbol-KB6737792


Regional sports leaders meet in Santo Domingo
The 17th Ordinary Assembly of the American Sport Council (CADE) and the 22nd Ibero-American Sports Council (CID) will bring together approximately 60 sports ministers and other senior government officials from across South, Central and North American countries for meetings in Santo Domingo this week. The events will take place in Santo Domingo at the InterContinental Real Hotel on Av. Winston Churchill starting on Thursday, 6 April and will continue through Saturday, 8 April 2017. 


Five-day visit of Juan Sebastián de Elcano topsail announced
The four-masted topsail, the Royal Spanish Navy’s, Juan Sebastián de Elcano will be docking in Santo Domingo on Easter Saturday, 15 April 2017 at 9am. At 113 meters (371 ft) long, the training ship is the third-largest tall ship in the world. 

The ship departed on 12 March from Cádiz, Spain. It will dock at the Don Diego gate of the Santo Domingo Port in the Colonial City for a five-day stay and will be open for free visits by the general public. From Santo Domingo, the ship will travel to New York City on 20 April 2017. 

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