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Daily News - 11 February 2000
The other face of privatization, state flour mill shows a profit
The computerized billing problems of the new electricity distributors have been giving the privatization process a bad name. Little had been written until now of the very successful privatization of the state flour mill, Molinos Dominicanos. For decades a bottomless barrel, the new managers that purchased 50% of the shares of Molinos Dominicanos, have done a complete turn around of the mill, today known as Molinos del Ozama. Company general manager Enrique Rodríguez Malla announced yesterday that the company is investing RD$35 million in new equipment. Production is up from 80 tons of flour at the time of the take over to 400 tons of flour at present. Malla & Compañía, which won the tender for the contract, took over on 15 April 1999. Molinos del Ozama produces five different types of flours: Primavera (bread), Ozama (crackers), Blanquita (bakeries) Isabela (pan sobao), and Molinero Semoline (pastas).
US$1,374 million foreign investment registered in 1999
The Foreign Investment Promotion Office reported that Central Bank figures show that international companies registered US$1,374 million in foreign investment in the DR in 1999. This is up from US$699.8 million in 1998. Of the total, 47% was injected into the energy sector, 22% in tourism, 16% telecommunications, 3% free zones.

Major players in 1999 were: Energy sector:
Consorcio New Caribbean Investment (Gener-Chile and Coastal-US) US$177.7
Seaboard Corporation US$144.5 million
Union Fenosa (Spain) US$211.9 million, Edesur and Edenorte
AES for AES Distribuidora Dominicana US$109 million

Telecommunications:
Codetel US$220 million
Tricom US$152 million

Tourism:
Spain US$152.9 million (51.6%)
Italy US$28.2 million (9.5%)
Germany US$4.3 million (1.47%
Switzerland US$2 million (0.67%)
Fire destroys pathology lab at Cancer hospital
A fire destroyed the installations of the pathology department at the Instituto Oncológico Dominicano Heriberto Pieter, the leading public cancer hospital. The fire occurred at 10 pm following a blackout. There were no personal injuries but the fire destroyed all medical records, equipment and furnishings of the department that gives service to Dominicans that can't afford to pay for private oncology services. Mrs. Emilia Tavares, president of the Dominican Cancer League urged contacts be made with institutions to secure donations of the very expensive equipment that they have lost. Initial contacts regarding equipment and donations can be made with Dr. Yazmin Redondo, the chief pathologist of the cancer hospital, at perez.redondo@codetel.net.do
Antonio Guzmán revered by Dominicans
El Siglo newspaper published today results of a survey carried out 25 January-1 February during which Dominicans were asked to name which has been the best government from 1966 to the present day and the best president in this century. The results were as follows:
Antonio Guzman 46% (1978-1982)
Leonel Fernández 23% (1996-2000)
Joaquín Balaguer 14% (1986-1996)
Joaquín Balaguer 13% (1966-1978)
Salvador Jorge Blanco 4% (1978-1982)

Best president:
Antonio Guzmán 42%
Joaquin Balaguer 26%
Leonel Fernández 24%
Rafael Trujillo 4%
Salvador Jorge Blanco 3%
Police announces arrest of Winston Churchill Avenue victimizer
The National Police announced the arrest of three men that they have been sent to justice accused of carrying out 10 assaults and sexual violations of women. The victims had boarded their vehicle that posed as a taxi car on the Winston Churchill and 27 de Febrero main city thoroughfares.
The individuals, José Lorenzo Perelló (a US citizen), Ramón Germán Corporán and David Rodríguez were arrested after victim Antonia María Isaac denounced them to the National Police. She explained that she was drugged, robbed of her belongings, and obliged to give up the access code for using her credit card, and raped.
Following tips provided by Isaac, Secret Service Police agents arrested the men that traveled in a light yellow Toyota Tercel, ACP 512, identified with a taxi sign. When stopped, while "on the job", the police found a 9 mm gun in the vehicle for which none of the men had a legal permit.
Their modus operandi was for the chauffeur, Guzmán Corporán to pick up the victim, and then board his accomplices along the way.
Isaac identified the men, that latter confessed to having assaulted 10 other victims in December, January and February.
The Police urged victims of similar assaults to come forward. The threesome followed in the style of much-publicized earlier arrest of Luis Meran Zabala, Fausto Ortega Ortiz, Alexander Carmona and Luis Benjamin Baez Morlan, that had also carried out similar crimes, picking up victims while posing as a taxi car passengers and driver. This earlier crime was solved when a victim was able to call out for help to a police patrol.
Promoting more DR sales to Trinidad
Fernando González Nicolás, president of the Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic said that Trinidad is the Dominican Republic's second largest trading partner in the Caribbean and Central America region, only surpassed by Puerto Rico. Trade between both countries is at US$96 million, with most of this amount being sales of Trinidad products to the DR. González spoke at the opening of a workshop on "How to Do Business in Trinidad," organized by the Chamber. Trinidad sells propane gas, agrochemicals, steel, petroleum by products, glass bottles and other products to the DR. Oscar Cury of Caribbean Export said that organization hopes to assist Dominicans so that they can increase volume of business from DR to Trinidad.
Los Corbanitos, a new tourist destination?
Los Corbanitos could be the next tourist area to begin development in the DR. Los Corbanitos is located in the southwestern province of Peravia, near Salinas (excellent site for windsurfing) and Las Calderas Navy Base. El Siglo newspaper reports that investors have made a proposal to the government-owned Inmobiliaria Corde for the purchase of 15 million square meters along the southeastern coastline. The idea is to develop beach resort type properties. The property is one hour away from the María Montez International Airport, the very large international airport that the government built in Barahona and whose use has been delayed due to the lack of hotel rooms in the area.
According to El Siglo, the investors submitted their proposal to the Executive Branch that has the legal authority to authorize the sale.
The newspaper says that only presidential go-ahead is necessary, since the sale of the lands, which are owned by Corde (the government enterprise conglomerate that is being privatized at the present time) does not require congressional approval.
The beach lands that are protected by a natural breakwater are valued at RD$100 million, but their commercial potential increases the value of the property to RD$800 million.
US professional volleyball in DR
Players set to be part of the US Professional Volleyball League, expected to begin in the USA in January 2001, will travel to the DR to play the Dominican national women's volleyball team next week. Cristobal Marte, vice president of the Dominican Volleyball Federation and vice president of the International Volleyball Federation made the announcement. He said that Williams Kennedy, who is promoting the new US volleyball league, will personally come with the players. He said that the Dominican team will not be at its best because team stars Nurys Arias, Yudelka Bautista and Sofia Heredia are at the present time playing in the Spanish volleyball league.
He said that the promoters of the new league are studying the possibility of admitting a Dominican team to the league, or at least contracting Dominican players to reinforce the US teams. The US league will have its headquarters in New York City at the Madison Square Garden. It is expected that Dominicans living in New York would be loyal fans.
The exhibition games are programmed to start 14 February in Santo Domingo at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center Volleyball Pavilion, continuing on to Puerto Plata, Santiago, and Moca.
Marte also announced the Dominican team would participate in the Millennium Volleyball Cup to be held at the Chicago Bulls arena in Chicago. Russia, Italy, Korea, Japan and Brazil will also play in that cup.
St. Valentine's weekend
11 February. Sonia Silvestre. "Yo Fui por Todas Partes" (winner of the El Soberano and Best Concert Casandra awards). Salon La Fiesta. Hotel Jaragua. 10 pm.
12 February. Fausto Rey. Salon La Fiesta. Hotel Jaragua. 10 pm. 12 February. Frank Ceara. "Donde manda el amor", Gran Teatro Cibao. Santiago. 8:30 pm.
14 February. Luisa Maria Guell. Remington Palace.
Art appreciation course at Museum of Modern Art
Rosa Pichardo will teach a course on art appreciation at the Museum of Modern Art. The course opens Tuesday, 15 February and will be held through 9 March from 6 pm to 8 pm. Pichardo is a graduate of the National Art Academy School of New York and the Universidad Católica de Chile. Those interested may contact 566-7206.
Costa Verde-Rio San Juan Carnival
The northeastern coastal region known as Costa Verde (María Trinidad Sánchez province east of Puerto Plata) is preparing for its Carnavarengue 2000 slated for 13-20 February. The event merges carnival and merengue festival celebrations.
National Symphony Season
The second half of the National Symphony Orchestra 1999-2000 season opens Wednesday, 16 February at the National Theater in Santo Domingo.
The program is as follows:

16 February. Julio de Windt, Conductor.
Cesar Franck. Symphony in D minor.
Dairus Milhaud. Concert for Percussion and Orchestra. Special performance by percussionist Miguel Angel Castro.
Peter Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture.
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