DR1 Daily News - Wednesday, 3 January 2018

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May 3, 2000
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Back to school on 8 January
31 die over Christmas and New Year holiday
Dominican to head UN climate change fund
Hacienda acts to reduce money laundering at casinos and sports betting shops
Crisis between Coraasan and Santiago City Council
Tour operators protest short notice for increase in Puerto Plata cable car rides
Fernando Casado recovers from a stroke
Special guest discussion causes cancellation Ozuna and Bad Bunny concert
Fire at the Meliá Caribe Tropical in Punta Cana
Drug Agency seizes 1,502 packages thought to be cocaine
US Coast Guard arrests 39 Dominicans on illegal boat trips to Puerto Rico
Licey Tigers lead the round robin
The Nutcracker Suite Ballet at Galeria 360
10k Carrefour Marathon 2018



Back to school on 8 January
Education Minister Andrés Navarro reminded all parents that the Christmas, New Year and Three Kings Day holidays will soon be over. He said children must return to classes on Monday, 8 January 2018. Navarro reiterated that it is crucial students not miss school days.

http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...cacion-llama-reintegrarse-docencia-enero.html


31 die over Christmas and New Year holiday
The Center for Emergency Operations (COE) reported the death of 31 persons in road accidents over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Another 1,372 people were injured in these traffic accidents. He said that from Saturday, 30 December 2017 to Monday, 1 January 2018, there were 16 deaths from trauma and 435 accidents reported. There were 527 persons affected by road accidents, 267 persons suffered from alcohol intoxication and 11 from food intoxication. A motorcyclist was involved in 87% of the deaths.
The most accidents occurred in Santiago 32%, National District 20%, Santo Domingo province 12%, Puerto Plata 9% and La Vega 9%.

Major General Juan Manuel Mendez of the COE said that there were 1,213 accidents, 612 persons reported suffering from alcohol intoxication and 53 people from food intoxication.

He said this compares to 33 deaths last year and 1,459 traffic accidents, for a 6% reduction in deaths and 27% in accidents.

https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...urieron-31-personas-en-accidentes-de-transito
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-nuevo-menor-cantidad-en-cinco-anos-YE8897405


Dominican to head UN climate change fund
For the first time in its history, the Adaptation Fund Board of The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be head by a Dominican, Victor Viñas Nicolás. Over the past eight years Viñas Nicolás has served as senior advisor and director of climate change at the Ministry of Environment and has been the chief negotiator for the Dominican Republic before the UNFCCC since the Bali 2007 meeting. He is a member of the National Council for Climate Change and Mechanism for Clean Development (CNCCMDI).

Upon making the announcement, the executive vice president of the CNCCMDI, Ernesto Reyna Alcantara, pointed out that Viñas Nicolás, who had represented Latin America and the Caribbean on the executive board of the Fund, will now replace present chair Michael Kracht of Germany.

On the importance of this mechanism an agency, Reyna Alcantara noted that the Adaptation Fund supports developing nations that are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and who are members of the Kyoto Protocol. The Fund provides financing for programs and projects aimed at mitigating the greenhouse gases and adapting to the impact of climate change.

Since 2010, the Adaptation Fund has committed US$ 462 million to support 73 countries, with nearly 5.5 million direct beneficiaries.

https://listindiario.com/economia/2...daptacion-de-la-convencion-de-naciones-unidas
https://www.uncclearn.org/sites/default/files/images/victor_r._vinas_nicolas_bio.pdf
https://acento.com.do/2018/ecologia...sidira-fondo-adaptacion-onu-cambio-climatico/


Hacienda acts to reduce money laundering at casinos and sports betting shops
The Ministry of Hacienda issued Resolution No. 204-2017 with the rules to combat money-laundering and financing of terrorism. The ruling establishes guidelines for casino and games of chance sector and also includes lottery sales points, sports betting and the electronic lottery concessions.

According to the Ministry of Hacienda press release, the rules establish the criteria for these companies to consider in adopting their policies, controls and procedures so that they can identify, measure, control, mitigate and monitor their risks of money laundering. The resolution, signed by Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero Ortiz, calls for its obligatory application in casinos, lottery sales points and electronic lottery concessionaires that are subject to Law 155-17.

The press release explains that the businesses are obliged to adopt, develop and carry out compliance programs to ensure the fulfillment of the liabilities with respect to the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, the designation of the strategies aiming to diminish or eliminate the risks that the customers, their operations and services may be exposed to. Operations of more than US$3,000 need to be monitored.

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...-y-el-financiamiento-del-terrorismo-EE8897879
http://hacienda.gob.do/images/docs/marco_legal/resoluciones/Resolucion-No-204-17.pdf


Crisis between Coraasan and Santiago City Council
With the shutdown of the business office of the Santiago Water and Sewage Corporation inside the Santiago city hall the judicial fight between these two institutions took a turn to the worst. There are suits and countersuits involving tens of millions of pesos.

The face-off between Santiago Mayor Abel Martinez and the administrator of Coraasan, Silvio Duran, has its origin in a lawsuit against the city government. In July 2017 the Coraasan lawyers presented a lawsuit against the city government calling for the payment of RD$185 million for sewage and water services from 1999 until the present. The city government in turn alleges that Coraasan owes them about RD$100 million.

http://www.lainformacion.com.do/not...to-entre-coraasan-y-la-alcaldia-se-profundiza


Tour operators protest short notice for increase in Puerto Plata cable car rides
The president of the Association of Receptive Tourism Operators of the Dominican Republic (Opetur), Michel Musa Banks, warned that they would boycott the sale of excursions to the top of the Isabela de Torres Mountain, due to a 25% increase in the price of cable car tickets. Ticket prices were increased from US$8.00 to US$10.00. Musa Banks said the price increase affected the commitments already made by Opetur members. Musa Banks said they would prefer to remove the excursion from city tours.

He said that they would honor commitments that had already been made as these are published in brochures distributed worldwide and Opetur members would have to absorb the increase in the cost.

Musa Banks criticized that the cable car operators did not meet with the tour operators in time to discuss the fare increase. He the tour operators are also affected by increases in entry fees to national parks made by the Ministry of Environment. He observed that the Saona Island fee was increased from RD$102 to RD$250 and the cost to visit the waterfalls at Damajagua has increased to RD$550.

http://elnacional.com.do/paralizaran-visitas-teleferico-puerto-plata-por-aumento-tarifa/


Fernando Casado recovers from a stroke
One of the most legendary Dominican singers of all times, Fernando Casado, suffered a stroke on Monday, 1 January 2018, as reported in Diario Libre. He was hospitalized at Cedimat's heart center. His son Fernando Arturo Casado told reporters that his father is successfully recovering from heart catheterization.

The son went on to say that tests are being carried out to determine the cause of his father’s illness. Casado said that his father has regained his ability to speak without impediment.
Casado will always be remembered for his performance in 1977 when he serenaded the Miss Universe contestants with a heartfelt rendition of “Como Me Besabas Tu”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRSZI2_PcuQ
https://www.diariolibre.com/revista/internan-de-urgencia-al-artista-fernando-casado-FH8898160


Special guest discussion causes cancellation Ozuna and Bad Bunny concert
Diario Libre explains that the escalating of the discussion between a man and a woman seated in the special guest area of the Punta Cana Blue Mall Amphitheater during the Ozuna and Bad Bunny urban music concert on Saturday, 30 December 2017, led to the cancellation of the concert.

Fans in attendance posted videos of the disturbance that reportedly included Ozuna intervening to calm an agitated woman seated at a table at the concert. When efforts failed to quell the disturbance, security intervened to remove the couple from the venue. The attempt to remove the couple produced a vigorous protest from others seated at the table, resulting in an altercation that escalated into a full-fledged fist with chairs being thrown. The violence led to organizers having to cancel the concert.

As reported, the video became one of the trending topics over the New Year holidays.

Diario Libre observes this is not the first time an Ozuna concert has turned violent. The newspaper recounts a similar incident at an Ozuna concert in New York that also resulted in the concert being cancelled. Likewise, their warm up concert prior to the Festival Presidente in October in Santiago de los Caballeros was also cancelled due to an unruly crowd.

https://www.diariolibre.com/revista...-ozuna-terminara-a-tiros-y-sillazos-FF8896513


Fire at the Meliá Caribe Tropical in Punta Cana
A blaze affected several areas of the Meliá Caribe Tropical in Punta Cana. As reported in Noticias SIN, it was caused by an explosion of an electrical transformer. The fire affected several areas of the resort, including the lobby, the Italian, Thai and buffet restaurant and a new lounge area. Resort guests were evacuated to a safe area while the firemen arrived to deal with the blaze.

https://noticiassin.com/2018/01/un-...as-del-hotel-melia-caribe-tropical-en-bavaro/


Drug Agency seizes 1,502 packages thought to be cocaine
The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) announced on Tuesday, 2 January 2018, the seizing of 1,502 packages of what is suspect to be cocaine inside the hull of a cargo ship in an operation on Sunday, 31 December 2017. The DNCD reported that its agents acted in coordination with the Dominican Armada and the Public Ministry and foreign allies.

The DNCD boarded a ship with a suspicious profile that had been intercepted by the Dutch navy and US Coast Guard in international waters and was escorted to the Port of Santo Domingo for inspection. After 48 hours of intense search, DNCD and Public Ministry Officers found more than 1,500 packages of a white substance in the interior of the ship.

The 12-person crew was arrested, including Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans, Nicaraguans, Hondurans and Dominicans for violation of Drug Law 50-88. The substance is to be sent to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences for analysis. The DNCD said if confirmed, this would be the most important confiscation of drugs in 2017.

As reported, the drugs were inside the Kaluba tanker that transported diesel from Aruba to Puerto Plata.

http://www.dncd.gob.do/autoridades-confiscan-carga-de-mil-502-paquetes-presumiblemente-cocaina/
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/es-venezolano-capitan-del-barco-con-droga-KJ8902084


US Coast Guard arrests 39 Dominicans on illegal boat trips to Puerto Rico
US Coast Guard reported the arrest of 39 Dominicans who attempted to illegally reach Puerto Rican shores on the evening of 31 December 2017. The US Border Patrol, US Coast Guard and the Puerto Rico Police Department made the arrests during two separate incidents along Puerto Rico’s west coast.

Ramiro Cerrillo, Chief Patrol Agent for the Ramey Border Patrol Sector, stated: “Smugglers continue to have complete disregard for the safety of the people they attempt to bring into the island.”

The US Coast Guard reported the group had reached the southwestern end of the Desecheo Island. The group of 26 adult males, 2 adult females and 2 unaccompanied juvenile males were provided with food, water and blankets and spent the evening in custody. The group was eventually transported to a USCG vessel for processing.

The USCG reported the second smuggling event occurred near Carrizales in the town of Aguada where Border Patrol agents discovered a 22-foot wooden “yola” vessel without an engine or markings and after an extensive search apprehended nine individuals who claimed Dominican nationality and one person who said to be a US citizen. They were taken to Ramey Station for processing.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-...lic-attempted-new-year-s-illegal-entry-puerto


Licey Tigers lead the round robin
After a poor showing in the regular season, the Licey Tigers have taken off to a good start in the round robin played to decide the playoff teams of the Dominican Winter Professional Baseball Championship. The Tigres del Licey have won their four games. On Tuesday, 2 January 2018, with the resuming of games at the Quisqueya Ball Park after its shutdown following a fire in the press room, the Licey defeated the Escogido 4 runs to 1.

In the standings, the Tigres del Licey are followed by the Aguilas Cibaeñas with a record of 2 games won and two losses; the Gigantes del Cibao with 1-3 and the Leones del Escogido with 1-3.

http://www.lidom.com/home/licey-sigue-invicto-luego-de-derrotar-al-escogido/
http://www.lidom.com/home/calendario/


The Nutcracker Suite Ballet at Galeria 360
Galeria 360 mall announced the free presentation of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet on Sunday, 7 January 2018 in its central lobby at 5:30pm. The ballet is a seasonal production by Carlos Veitía.


10k Carrefour Marathon 2018
Carrefour mega store is inviting the public to participate in the Carrefour 10k marathon this coming Sunday, 4 February 2018. The marathon starts at 7am from the Downtown Center at Av. Núñez de Cáceres corner Av. Rómulo Betancourt. Registration is RD$700. There will be medals for all completing the 10-kilometer distance. The event is organized by Santo Domingo Corre and is a benefit for the Fundación Amigos Contra el Cáncer Infantil.

http://santodomingocorre.com/index....d=1779:carrefour-10k-2015&catid=22&Itemid=176