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Daily News - 10 February 2000
President Fernandez leaves tomorrow on second Asian trip
President Leonel Fernández leaves tomorrow on his second trip to the Far East. This will be the 32nd trip abroad of Fernández, who is recognized for creating a new awareness of the Dominican Republic abroad. This is resulting in new interest among international companies in doing business in the DR.
President Fernández will travel tomorrow, 11 February to New York where he will overnight. He is scheduled to meet in New York with investors to discuss his Santo Domingo Cyberpark, a high tech industrial park.
He leaves the next day, 12 February for Japan. During his stay in Japan (13-17 February), the Emperor of Japan will receive him on 15 February. He is also scheduled to be received by the Prime Minister of Japan, Keizo Obuchi. With Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi he will sign several cooperation agreements in education, health, ecology, agriculture, technology, and natural resources. See http://www.mofa.go.jp/index.html
On 17 February he will take advantage of his trip to Singapore where he again will promote the Santo Domingo Cyberpark project. On 18 February, he is scheduled to travel to Bangkok, Thailand, where he will speak at the Xth Unctad Conference. Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, personally invited President Fernandez to attend during a visit to Santo Domingo.
On 19 February, he returns to Tokyo from where he will initiate his return to the DR. He is expected back in New York on 20 February.
President defends electricity privatization
President Leonel Fernandez feels that the capitalization of the public companies is the greatest contribution the present government will leave the country. He warned opposition leaders that their questioning of the privatization process and threats to reverse the later is damaging to the investment climate in the DR. He stressed that the companies were privatized as per the law Congress passed, and that these relations are now set in contracts. He says any revision of these needs to be carried out in court. He said that capitalization of the electric companies received a bad name when a coincidence of negative factors happened at the same time. He mentioned that several plants went off line, there were problems with the billing system of the private distributors, and the price of fuel abroad increased.
In a televised press conference, he urged Dominicans to give time to the companies to make the necessary adjustments and investments. He said that the blackouts are not due to the privatization, but to deficiencies that were inherited.
The President said that despite the "momentary black clouds over privatization", the process will guarantee efficient and trustworthy service in years to come.
Fernández said that they went ahead with privatization because studies showed that the electricity system required an investment of RD$40,000 million, including RD$25,000 million in investments to ensure improvements and RD$15,000 million to pay old debts.
The President said, "The problem of the bad image of privatization has come about because of the way they (the private companies) have been billing, without any justification, absolutely no justification." He reiterated the role of the Superintendence of Electricity to assist consumers with their billing problems.
The private companies have not been available for comment to the press on the irregularity in their billing. In January, the problem climaxed when consumers received bills with around 100% increases, at a time when blackouts were 10-14 hours a day.
Privatization chief urges new companies to get their act together
The president of the Commission for the Reform of Public Enterprise (CREP), Antonio Isa Conde demanded that the privatized companies improve the service they are offering consumers. "I think that with the months they have in operation they should be showing signs of more consistent improvements than what they have shown so far," he told El Siglo newspaper. The distribution companies, Unión Fenosa (Edesur and Edenorte) and AES Distribuidora del Este have been distributing energy since August 1999.
Small retailers association says they won't pay for blackouts
The Federación de Comerciantes Detallistas de la RD (Fecoderd), the largest association of small shop (colmado) owners demanded a stop to the blackouts. They said they refuse to pay for blackouts. Spokesman Gilberto Luna said that they are giving the private distributor companies two weeks to resolve the billing problems or they would tell their members to return their electricity counters and not pay their bills. They say they are losing business due to the blackouts, as they cannot sell refrigerated goods. The storeowners have been suffering from 10-14 hour blackouts a day.
Many hotels not affected by electricity crisis
Arturo Villanueva said that a large number of big hotels in the DR have not had to suffer through the present electricity crisis. The executive vice president of the National Hotel Association said that many of these hotels are on independent electricity production circuits. Major resorts in La Romana and La Altagracia provinces (Bayahibe, Dominicus, Casa de Campo, Punta Cana-Bavaro) as well as Las Terrenas (Samana) and Playa Dorada (Puerto Plata) have also escaped the crisis. The private generating companies sell the hotels energy at lower prices than the newly privatized companies are selling.
Dominicana Airlines tender set for end of March
Antonio Isa Conde told El Siglo that the pre-qualifying period for bidders for the state airline, Dominicana Airlines, is 29 February. He says the tender will take place 30 days afterwards. He said 21 companies have shown an interest in participating. He said that the larger debts of the former Compañía Dominicana de Aviación have been negotiated, leaving way for the privatization of the state airline. The Civil Aviation Board also sweetened the privatization of the company by banning other Dominican airlines from flying to the United States for a seven year period. What has still to be resolved is the lifting of Category III, which does not permit any Dominican airline to fly to the US.
Central Bank injects US$30 million to lower exchange rate
The Central Bank announced the placement of US$30 million in the exchange market, to put a stop to the depreciation of the Dominican peso. He said they will be removing RD$500 million in excess liquidity from the monetary system.
US dollars were being bought for RD$15.85 to RD$16.35 and sold for RD$16.10 to RD$16.40, not taking into account the 5% commission.
Dominicans want presidential candidates to debate on TV
El Siglo newspaper poll carried out by Penn, Schoen & Berland indicates that 64% of Dominican voters would like the leading presidential candidates to participate in a televised debate. Only 35% felt the debate was not necessary.
When asked the same question in October, 52% said they favored the debate.
Molina Morillo leaves the Listín Diario
Rafael Molina Morillo, executive editor in chief of the Listín Diario announced he has resigned. He said he will use his time to finish four books he is writing and develop his own media projects. Molina Morillo, founder of El Nacional newspaper and Ahora magazine, had been DR ambassador in Washington, D.C. before returning to journalism. He started nine years ago at the Listín Diario as editor of the newspaper's magazines. He was later promoted through the ranks of the Listín Diario until reaching the top position of executive editor.
African competition for Dominican ball players?
Bienvenido Rojas, sports editor of El Siglo newspaper, reports today that Major League teams are beginning to promote the sport of baseball in Africa. Major League teams have their largest training camps in the Dominican Republic, but are now considering new talent they are discovering in Africa. So far, they have supported the creation of baseball leagues in Nairobi and Meru.
40% of Santo Domingo households have computers
A news story in El Caribe newspaper states that at least 40% of Santo Domingo households have at least one computer. And 30% of these households are connected to the Internet. The newspaper cites a report by the Asociación Nacional de Informática (Asonainfo). It also mentions that Codetel (GTE) alone has around 100,000 Internet subscribers. The report states more than 200 companies sell computers, software and accessories in the DR with prices for PCs going from around RD$7,000 to more than RD$30,000. Computers are also available for use in private and public schools. The Ministry of Education has installed computers in 168 public schools.
Canadian accused of child pornography
A 69 year old Canadian citizen, Felipe Cotes, was arrested in the northwestern city of Monción, Santiago Rodríguez province accused of child pornography. He was arrested together with Dominicans Juan Francisco, Maria Elena Rodriguez and Blasina Gomez, who would assist him by recruiting the young girl. When he was arrested, the Police found several child pornography photographs and videos in his possession. He was arrested after complaints made by the Catholic Church in the city.
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