DR1 Daily News - Wednesday, 29 November 2017

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President Medina offers to lead multi-destination tourism in the Caribbean
Jamaica and DR sign aviation MOU
Parking: New business opportunity
Venezuelan talks to resume on Friday, 1 December in Santo Domingo
Check to see if you have traffic fines
Andeclip, criticized by all, defends itself, recalls measure
Public hospital doctors set aside strike call
Infant mortality on the increase at La Altagracia
CAASD invests RD$10 billion in National District and Santo Domingo East
He must be a very bad driver
The 2017 hurricane season comes to a close with major damage
Dominican Bar Association election gets nasty
Batista Ogando: two murders?
Review of coercive measures for teenage killing
Dominican Winter League Baseball Championship 2017
El Lapiz at Hard Rock Live


President Medina offers to lead multi-destination tourism in the Caribbean
Speaking at the gala dinner gathering of the UNWTO 'Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth for Sustainable Tourism' on 28 November 2017 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, President Danilo Medina invited the Caribbean to transform the tourism model in the region. Speaking in Spanish, Medina said during his visit to Jamaica he had signed a collaboration agreement with the Jamaican government to drive forward multi-destination tourism. The DR also signed a memorandum of understanding for an aviation agreement. The conference took place from 27-29 November 2017.

In his remarks, President Medina challenged other regional countries to follow and develop the full potential of the Caribbean experience. “This is an opportunity to position the Caribbean as a single destination, that does not mean we will stop promoting the Dominican Republic or Jamaica,” he said. “It means we recognize that there is a greater market; a visitor who wants more than one experience in his trip, who wants to experience diversity of cultures and take advantage of his visit to see several places,” explained Medina.

He said Caribbean governments can do much to advance this project, including open skies, migratory facilitation, better and more efficient airports, reduction in travel taxes and joint promotion. He challenged tour operators, travel agencies, air and sea transporters to design attractive multi-destination products.

“We want to work with you to transform tourism so that not only does it motorize growth but that it motorizes sustainable development. That it not be just about creating jobs, but that these be quality jobs for the progress of our peoples. That it not just mean more revenues, but revenues for all the sectors,” said Medina.

The keynote speaker at the dinner, Medina called for transforming the tourism model in the Caribbean to add adventure, ecological, historical, cultural, culinary, sports and health tourism to the offering of beach and relaxation. “There is a need to do this to guarantee sustainability so that tourism resources reach more communities,” he said. He said that several communities could become attractive for tourism, but this need to be carried out in a low density and sustainable manner. He specifically mentioned this is the case in the south and northwest of the Dominican Republic. He shared his belief that tourists are interested in authentic experiences, so betting on sustainable tourism will be beneficial to all.
In his opening remarks, Medina had praise for the secretary general of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai. Rifai in his own address at the conference had strongly urged Caribbean tourism stakeholders to stop promoting modern-day plantations called exclusive resorts.

The Jamaica Gleaner in its coverage of that speech said that Rifai was obviously not concerned about ruffling feathers as he warned against the practice of building five-star resorts in three-star communities, where the citizens were not part of the transformation. He insisted tourism stakeholders can not continue to have their visitors in bubbles, where there are walls between the visitor and the community. Rifai emphasized that it was not the model that the UNTWO was looking for.
According to him, the opportunities in tourism should carry the end result of inclusive economic growth, more decent jobs, the distribution of wealth, shared prosperity and respect for each other. He insisted tourism stakeholders could not continue to have their visitors in bubbles, where there are walls between the visitor and the community.

President Medina returned to the San Isidro Air Base at 1:45am on Wednesday, 29 November 2017. He traveled with Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas, Administrative Minister José Ramón Peralta, Environment Minister Francisco Domínguez Brito, Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García and Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo, spokesman for the Presidency Roberto Rodríguez Marchena, among other staff. Attending and participating in the conference for the private sector of the Dominican Republic were Frank Rainieri and Jake Kheel of the Puntacana Group, and Spanish hoteliers Abel Matutes of Palladium Hotels and Enrique Marchena of the Universidad Central del Este, among others.

Listen to President Danilo Medina’s speech in Jamaica at:
https://livestream.com/PresidenciaRD/conferenciaempleoycrecimientoinclusivo/videos/166549334
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...ional-y-mundial-para-avanzar-hacia-futuro-del
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...antations-called-exclusive-resorts-says-rifai
http://cf.cdn.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/jamaica_programme_a4_web-vfinal.pdf


Jamaica and DR sign aviation MOU
Jamaica's Foreign Affairs Minister, Kamina Johnson Smith, and her Dominican Republic counterpart, Miguel Vargas, signed a memorandum of understanding during the visit of President Danilo Medina to Jamaica this 27-29 November 2017.

The Jamaica Gleaner reported that Prime Minister Andrew Holness has said a new air services agreement is to be negotiated between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic will complement a soon-to-be-signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on multi-destination tourism.

Holness made the declaration during his press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on 28 November 2017 after meeting with President Danilo Medina to discuss bilateral, regional and multilateral issues.

Holness said the two governments had also agreed to establish a joint bilateral commission to enable broader cooperation in sports, culture, education and other areas of mutual interests.

By reaching out to Danilo Medina, the prime minister made a point to break the reticence of English-speaking Caribbean to establish stronger ties with the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic. The only other Caribbean island head of state to attend the UNWTO Global Caribbean Sustainable Tourism Conference was Prime Minister Allen Castanet of St. Lucia. Castanet is a long time hotelier.

"Jamaica and the Dominican Republic have mutual interests in strengthening trade and investment relationships with the aim of creating more opportunities for employment and income generation in both countries," added Holness.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...ate-air-services-agreement-dominican-republic


Parking: New business opportunity
The city government of the National District (Santo Domingo de Guzmán) wants to find private investors to develop and oversee parking for the capital city. Secretary General of the National District government, Biviana Riveiro, said talks are ongoing with representatives of different businesses to turn empty lots into private parking lots. She said already in Piantini two private parking spaces are under construction and they are analyzing other proposals for parking in the Colonial City.

She spoke of the importance of the National Transport and Transit Institute (Intrant) work with them to develop the clear interpretations of provisions in Law 63-17 on Mobility, Land Transport, Transit and Road Safety, so that there is the necessary coordination between the two entities, clear rules and a long range plan. “It is time we act to provide for long term solutions and not simply patches that do not tackle the challenges for mobility, growth and land use organization required by the city of Santo Domingo,” she said.

Earlier, the director of the National Transport and Transit Institute (Intrant), Claudia Franchesca de los Santos, had criticized that city mayors of Greater Santo Domingo are not fulfilling their duties to help reduce traffic problems. One solution, she said, would be to create sufficient parking so that drivers are not obliged to park on narrow streets and sidewalks. She said that in the Polígono Central of the National District, the Intant has identified six lots and the owners of these are willing to allow parking there, but the city government has not shown an interest.

De los Santos stressed the importance of city governments joining the efforts of the Intrant to resolve the traffic chaos in the cities.

De los Santos also said the government will implement a buyout program to remove vehicles that are 20 or more years old from the roads as ordered by the new transport Law 63-17. Interviewed on La Súper 7 en la Mañana (107.7FM), De los Santos confirmed that “in some manner the state would purchase the units that need to be removed.”

De los Santos said that Mobility, Land Transportation, Traffic and Road Safety Law 63-17 establishes that the state must assess these vehicles and then remove them permanently.

She said that starting next year all vehicles must comply with the requirements under Law 63-17. De los Santos acknowledged the process of removing the vehicles from circulation could take 5-6 years.

She said as part of the process, 97% of the transport unions have legally been incorporated as businesses as established under Law 63-17.

She also reported that the Santo Domingo Skylift over the Ozama River would go into operation in 2018, and the two lines of the Santo Domingo Metro would be fitted with new cars. She said this means users would be using other transport systems to reach these.

https://elnuevodiario.com.do/adn-afirma-la-capital-coordinan-sector-privado-haga-parqueos/
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...-tasadas-adquiridas-por-estado-segun-ley.html


Venezuelan talks to resume on Friday, 1 December in Santo Domingo
Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas announced that talks between the Maduro administration and Venezuelan opposition will resume on Friday, 1 and Saturday, 2 December 2017, in Santo Domingo. The talks seek to restore a climate of governance in Venezuela that has been affected by serious political, social and economic problems.

On Monday, 27 November 2017, Foreign Minister Vargas said that the six main points on the agenda for the talks have been agreed upon by the government and opposition leaders.

https://elnuevodiario.com.do/canciller-dominicano-consenso-principales-puntos-dialogo-venezuela/


Check to see if you have traffic fines
The public is urged to visit https://multas.pgr.gob.do/consultas to access a database to review if any motorist has one or more outstanding traffic citations. A Dominican ID (cedula) or a passport number (for foreigners) will be required to review your status.

If you do have an outstanding ticket, you must print out your citation and pay the fine at the BanReservas branch on Av. Winston Churchill. Once the fine is paid, the government will remove you from the system in less than 24 hours.

https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...l-para-verificar-multas-de-transito-CE8666037


Andeclip, criticized by all, defends itself, recalls measure
The president of the National Association of Private Clinics (Andeclip) sat for a meeting with the Superintendent of Health and Labor Risks, and the Public Health Minister Altagracia Guzman that concluded with the recalling of a recent measure that obliged their customers to exclusively use their own diagnostics services prior to surgeries at the hospitals. The decision was very controversial.

Nearly everyone who intervenes in the nation’s health sector has criticized the measure taken by the National Association of Private Clinics (Andeclip) that requires all laboratory work to be done “in-house” at the respective clinics. Several entities are studying the judicial aspects of this provision, including the Public Health Law and Law 87 – 01, and entities such as ProCompetencia are warning that the Andeclip measure could be in violation of Law 42 – 08. The outgoing CMD President Waldo Ariel Suero, first said that the measure was illegal and would increase the cost of private health care in the country.

However, in the digital news site 7 dias.com.do, Andeclip justified their position. The president of the National Association of Private Clinics, Rafael Mena, told reporters that the provision calls for laboratory studies to be done at the same facility where patients are receiving treatment before undergoing surgery. This policy was approved by the 116 private health centers that make up Andeclip. Mena argued that most of the lawsuits filed by clients against clinics and doctors are for errors in diagnosis carried out by outside medical labs - thus justifying the Andeclip policy. He said the measure is not totalitarian because it does not apply to patients who are simply consulting.

He asked the Superintendency of Health and Labor Risks (Sisalril) as well as the other institutions in the health sector to consider this appeal by the private clinics. Mena also issued a call to the directors of Pro-Consumidor as well as the Board of the Affiliates of the Social Security Defense (DIDA) so that ”they also demand the administrators of the local HMO’s (called Administrators of Health Risks or ARS and the Dominican Republic) that are companies that have enjoyed the best part of the health sector and yet do not cover the majority of the patients procedures.”

http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...za-intento-monopolizar-analisis-clinicos.html


Public hospital doctors set aside strike call
The Dominican Medical Association (CMD) has decided to set aside their call for a national, two-day strike of all medical personnel at public hospitals. The strike was set to begin on Wednesday, 29 November 2017 and end on Friday, 1 December at 6 am. The decision was taken by the CMD leadership after authorities in the public health sector set 11 December as the day for renewing talks with the new CMD board of directors that will now be headed by Dr. Wilson Roa. Dr. Roa at present is the vice president of the CMD board.

The outgoing president of the CMD, Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero, said the decision was taken to show the authorities that the CMD leadership is sensitive to the nation’s public health situation. Suero insisted that the Minister of Public Health Altagracia Guzman Marcelino and the director of the National Health Services, Nelson Rodriguez Monegro, have so far not shown leadership or a clear intent to negotiate in good faith with CMD. Suero has accused the authorities of turning the negotiations into a political football.

https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...amado-a-paro-en-hospitales-publicos-DH8669647
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...tales-para-dar-paso-dialogo-con-gobierno.html


Infant mortality on the increase at La Altagracia

The outgoing president of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD), Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero, told reporters that at the nation’s largest maternity hospital, La Altagracia, in Santo Domingo, nearly a dozen newborn babies passed away between Friday and Monday. He blamed the deaths on the lack of sanitary conditions at the hospital. He criticized that while this was happening, President Danilo Medina was receiving in his office at the Presidential Palace, a person he called “a witch doctor” (Nigerian prophet TB Joshua) instead of meeting with the health sector in order to discuss the sanitary issues and find some way out of the existing situation and put a stop to the high rate of infant mortality in this country. The Medina administration also spent hundreds of thousands of pesos to transport Joshua fans to the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium to seek heeling with the evangelic pastor.

So far this year health authorities have registered 2,424 infant deaths (infants of less than 28 days of age), the great majority of complications due to premature births. The infant mortality rate for the Dominican Republic is 25 per 1,000 live births.

The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Altagracia Guzman Marcelino has said “this is a major health challenge, both of public and private sectors…” The infant mortality rate will be one of the central issues of the 10 Year Plan for Health 2018 – 2028 that the Ministry of Public Health plans to carry out.

The high infant mortality in the Dominican Republic can be attributed, in part, by the large number of adolescent births, and the large number of undocumented Haitian who come to give birth in the country. Most of the expectant mothers arrive from Haiti to the hospital without previous physician records, and many are diagnosed as having high-risk pregnancies.

https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...es-dias-en-maternidad-la-altagracia-AH8669673


CAASD invests RD$10 billion in National District and Santo Domingo East
The Water and Sewer Corporation of Santo Domingo (CAASD) intends to finish this year with having invested RD$10 billion in water works in the National District and Santo Domingo East, according to the director of the agency, Alejandro Montas. Montas also said that the issue of drinking water in Greater Santo Domingo could be solved by the end of the current Medina administration, once the Water Bill is passed in Congress. He said the bill has been stuck in Congress because of political conflicts.

The official explained that they have refurbished 12 water treatment plants and they have built seven more for improved water treatment, that serve about 47% of the population of Greater Santo Domingo.

He spoke of new water works to be implemented. He told the reporters from El Nacional newspaper that President Medina had approved the expansion of the East Aqueduct, an investment of US $97.3 million. Montas said that the waste treatment plants of Greater Santo Domingo will cost US$612 million. He added that the water treatment plant at La Zurza is nearly finished and will serve a population of 450,000 persons.

Montas also noted that only about 27% of the water that is supplied by the CAASD is actually paid for by customers. He said his agency collects about RD$110 million per month and their operating costs are more than RD$200 million. He said the CAASD has an electricity bill that is over RD$1.0 billion a year and they spend RD$30 million a month on purification chemicals, including aluminum sulfate and chlorine.

http://elnacional.com.do/caasd-invierte-10-mil-millones-en-el-dn-y-sde/


He must be a very bad driver
The case of Leonardo Mateo Peña is really one for the books. He had accused the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (AMET) of an abuse of power. As a result the AMET investigated his case. The findings: the plaintiff had received 169 tickets for violations since 2011.

General Frener Bello Arias, head of the AMET, ordered the AMET investigators to probe deeper. They discovered that 129 of the infractions issued were real, and in order to prove this to the local media they presented the 30 AMET agents who had issued these infractions.

Mateo Peña then admitted that he committed the violations. His argument is that perhaps God had used him in order for his case to carry the message for safe driving to other drivers. In a rambling quote, Mateo Peña said “... I will not lie, it is true that I have these (the infractions) I realize this and I agree with the work that the general is doing and I admire him for it and after this I realize that the AMET is doing its job.”

General Bello said that if the regulations that are part of Laws 63-17 were now on the books and being enforced, the driver’s license for Mateo Peña would be suspended.

Diario Libre in its coverage on the Mateo Peña story recalled that last July 2017 they had reported on a study that revealed that in the first five months of the year, the AMET had issued traffic tickets for an amount of RD$166 million to nationwide drivers. However more than 90% of these fines have gone unpaid and some are even rescinded.

The Erwin Walter Palm Foundation at the time estimated that the state would have received approximately RD $505 million pesos if the traffic fines had been paid. The study explains that a driver could accumulate 500 violations and still continue to drive vehicles. For instance, as of May 2013 driver Kevis Manuel Jimenez Nuñez had accumulated 474 traffic violations.

https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...racciones-de-transito-admite-faltas-HH8669081
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...abuso-autoridad-tiene-129-multas-trafico.html


The 2017 hurricane season comes to a close with major damage
As the 2017 hurricane season comes to a close, the sound of the ferocious winds and crashing seas will remain in the ears of hundreds of thousands of persons who lost their homes and property throughout the Caribbean region. The fury of hurricanes Irma and Maria will be remembered for a long time in Puerto Rico and the eastern Windward Islands such as St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John’s in the US Virgin Islands and so many of the smaller islands to the East. In Puerto Rico alone, reconstruction costs are estimated at US$94 billion. According to forecaster Martin Mata at the National Meteorological Office (Onamet) the incredible wind speeds of nearly 300 km/h that crossed the Caribbean had not been seen in recorded history.

There were 56 tropical waves over the 2017 Hurricane Season that closes on 30 November.

In the middle of September hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico and came within 80 km of the Dominican Republic shores, dropping over 10 inches of rain in some places along with hurricane force winds in the northeast part of the country. Many homes along the coast were damaged or destroyed by the waves produced by these hurricanes.

The Onamet provided timely information for both the government and its citizens concerning these atmospheric conditions and together with Civil Defense and the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) warnings were issued and very few lives were lost. More than 50,000 persons were displaced from their homes according to General Juan Manuel Mendez of the COE. Irma destroyed over 100 houses and left 2600 homes damaged; over 13,000 persons displaced and dozens of towns and villages were isolated by floodwaters. When hurricane Maria came within 85 km of Samana over 8000 homes were affected and over 24,000 persons were displaced and much damage was done two bridges and highways in the area. Further west the banana and plantains farms in the northwest were severely affected by the high winds and flooding.

As a side note, Professor William Gray had forecast 12 storms for the 2017 hurricane season and the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had called for between 11 and 17 storms with between five and seven hurricanes and between two and four major cyclones all of which came to pass.

http://elnacional.com.do/ciclones-marcaron-record-en-vientos-y-destruccion/


Dominican Bar Association election gets nasty
One of the candidates for the presidency of the Dominican Bar Association (CARD), Henrique Garcia, questioned on Tuesday, the spending of the current president of the institution Surun Hernandez that he says reached RD$1 million per month. He added that between January and July of this year Hernandez spent RD$12 million pesos on advisors and training sessions.

Garcia, who is a candidate on the Num. 2 ticket for the CARD election to be held this Saturday, said that the RD$200 million handled by Hernandez during his period was not used to the benefit of any of the lawyers. He said these expenditures “look excessive, since they were not dealing with training courses that could contribute to raise the academic level of the lawyers.”

Garcia also said that there seems to be a lack of transparency in the handling of the funds of the Bar Association and he demanded that a summons be issued to Hernandez so that details of the transactions can come to light.

He noted that in spite of all the money that has been spent, the members have neither social security nor health benefits.

Garcia was quite frank in noting that in the 35 sectional units of the “Lawyers Association of the Dominican Republic” (CARD) there is a systematic call for medical insurance, however, the institution lost its coverage because it was carrying over RD$60 million in arrears with the insurers.

http://elnacional.com.do/cuestionan-uso-200-millones-en-gestion-surun/

Batista Ogando: two murders?
Relatives and neighbors of Mario Salvador Molina, who was murdered in December 2016 in Los Girasoles, say that his death was ordered by Martín Batista Ogando, recently accused of the murder of 28-year old Geraldine Ivette Sánchez Baldera from a gunshot to her head. Batista had a two-year old son with Sánchez.

Molina died from three gunshots from an assailant who fled. Prior to his death he had been receiving threats and warnings because of his close relationship with Sánchez.

Relatives and neighbors of Molina are now asking that Batista, in pre-trial custody for the murder of his former spouse, also be tried for the murder of Molina. They say that at the time the case was not investigated because Batista has strong military and judicial ties.

https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...ambien-haber-matado-a-un-exnovio-de-geraldine


Review of coercive measures for teenage killing
A San Francisco de Macoris court ordered a three-month extension of the three-month pre-trial custody imposed on Marlin Martinez, a former deputy director of the General Office of Passports.

Marlin Martinez, together with her son, Marlon Martinez and Simón Bolivar (El Boli), are accused of the murder of 16-year old teenager Emely Peguero Polanco, who was five months pregnant. Marlon Martinez, her boyfriend, is believed to have been the father of the unborn child.

The mother is currently in jail in preventive custody at Rafey Women’s jail in Santiago. She is accused of paying to hide the remains of Peguero Polanco.

The public prosecutor in San Francisco de Macoris had demanded that Marlin Martinez to be held in custody for another three months, through 28 February 2018, having completed the first three months that were imposed.

El Boli will have a review of his coercive measures on 4 December, having been accused of moving Emily’s body to a farm in Cayetano Germosen in Moca.

According to the autopsy carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Science in Santiago, the victim’s death is attributed to complications of an induced abortion and heavy blows to her head and other parts of her body.

https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...uelve-a-los-tribunales-por-caso-emely-peguero
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2017/11/28/tribunal-ratifica-prision-preventiva-marlin-martinez/
http://hoy.com.do/tribunal-amplia-p...-marlin-martinez-por-asesinato-emely-peguero/


Dominican Winter League Baseball Championship 2017
With less than 20 games remaining in the Regular Season, the Gigantes del Cibao, Estrellas Orientales and Aguilas Cibaeñas are in a back and forth fight for the top spots in the standings. Two of the mighty teams in Dominican baseball history, the Tigres Del Licey and the Leones Del Escogido are still under .500 and trying to make the playoffs. The Toros Del Este seem to be doomed to finish in last place during the Regular Season, giving their team players an early vacation.

Here are the standings as of 28 November 2017:
Estrellas Orientales (19-13), Aguilas Cibaeñas (19-14), Gigantes del Cibao (19-14), Leones del Escogido (16-18), Tigres del Licey (16-18), Toros del Este (11-23). The top four teams move on to the semi-finals in late December.

http://elnacional.com.do/cuestionan-uso-200-millones-en-gestion-surun/


El Lapiz at Hard Rock Live
Urban music singer “Lápiz Conciente” will celebrate his 15 years in music with 11 concerts all around the country. The closing of the concerts will be at the Hard Rock Live at Blue Mall on Thursday, 14 December 2017 at 10pm. He will share the best hits of his career with his fans, including “Fuerza de mujer,” and “Las menores”.

Tickets are RD$1,000 general admission and RD$2,000 VIP and are available at Hard Rock box office and online at Uepa Tickets.