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Daily News - 21 February 2000
Channel bans Nuria re-run on Central Bank journalism practices
A re-run of the "Nuria en el 9" investigative TV journalism show on work agreements between journalists and the Central Bank and the Bank's practices to secure positive coverage was suspended by Color Visión, Channel 9. Nuria Piera, the producer, said that because of the many requests they received, the last Saturday show on the Central Bank was to rerun in the show's Saturday evening slot. The show also had explanations on the Central Bank's extraordinary retirement plans. Nevertheless, she was notified by the station that they would not pass any more of her investigative journalism programs on the Central Bank topic. In an interview with Hoy newspaper, Nuria Piera says this is not the first time she is censored. She said nevertheless, that Color Vision is one of the stations that allow its producers the most freedom of press.
Another private generator wants to get paid
Compañía de Electricidad de Puerto Plata, a private generator based in Puerto Plata, is demanding that the government pay US$28.5 million owed or that they would consider disconnecting their power plant. Generators CEPP I and II produce 60 megawatts and are the third largest power park, only surpassed by AES Dominican Power I and II (205 megawatts), and Smith Enron (185 megawatts). CEPP joins Smith Enron and AES Dominican that are requesting that the government fulfill their payment agreements.
The private generators are demanding payment of US$102 million. The government has offered to pay US$40 million and leave US$60 million for the next government. This would be US$10 million less in arrears than the Fernández administration inherited from the previous Balaguer administration. The government has not honored several payment plans that have been negotiated with the private generators.
CEPP complains that they received payment for only 40% of the power billed in December and 46% of power billed in January. CDE has alleged cash flow problems due to the privatization of the CDE and take over of collections by the private power distributors.
President Fernández expected back tonight from Asian tour
President Leonel Fernández is expected to return late tonight from his 10-day tour to Asia. He will make a final stop on his way back in Los Angeles to meet with Silicon Valley businessmen. During his trip, Fernández dedicated a large part of his time to the promotion of the Santo Domingo Cyberpark, a new high tech industrial park that would be the flagship of a new national development strategy.
During the trip, President Fernández met with Masayoshi Son, president of SoftBank, one of the leading Internet companies in the world. He was received by Emperor Akihito of Japan, and by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. In Japan, he also met with businessmen from Honda and Toyota who promised to send exploratory missions to the DR.
Fernández returns with commitments for US$45 million in donations from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and a Japan Bank International Cooperation (JBIC) offer to finance any Japanese company that would set up operations in the Santo Domingo Cyberpark. JBIC would also promote missions of small and medium-sized businessmen interested in investing in the DR in general. Likewise, that organization was reported to have offered to carry out studies to identify which Dominican products can be readily sold in Japan.
In Singapore, President Fernández met with Dato Joseph Chong, a well-known Malaysian businessmen, and announced that a 105 megawatt barge of a Chong enterprise would arrive in the DR early in April for connection on line that same month. Mr. Chong also committed to invest US$20 million in the Santo Domingo Cyberpark. In Singapore, President Fernández toured high tech industrial parks and was received by President S. R. Nathan and Prime Minister Tong with whom he discussed strengthening of relations.
In Bangkok, where he traveled later to attend the UNCTAD Conference, President Fernández met with the Prime Minister Thailand and toured the installations of high tech industrial parks.
Hugo Guiliani, a former governor of the Central Bank, praised the results of the President's trip. Nevertheless, he said that he laments that the trip has taken place at the end of the Fernández administration and not at the start. He feels President Fernández should have pursued trade and economic agreements with Japan prior to investing in Central American and Caribbean trade agreements. The presidential candidate that leads in the polls, Hipólito Mejía of the opposing Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, has said repeatedly that he believes that President Fernández is dreaming, and that the Santo Domingo Cyberpark is a utopia.
Jacinto Peynado conditions Japanese investments to resolving power problem
Former Vice President Jacinto Peynado, Toyota concessionaire in the DR, who accompanied President Fernández to Japan, praised the President trip. Nevertheless, he highlighted that to attract Japanese investment to the DR the government has to resolve the electricity problem. "If we have an unstable power supply, if we have a high production cost of electricity, and if there are not incentives to the investor, they are not going to install a factory that costs millions of dollars to please anyone in particular," Peynado told El Siglo newspaper. Nevertheless, he said there are very good perspectives for Japanese investment in the DR. "I believe that the step taken by Mr. President is a positive one, because it has opened a door," he said. "The Japanese have been selling their products to the DR since the 50s without them buying anything in exchange."
Manuel Morales to Israel
Manuel Morales Lama is the new Dominican ambassador to Israel. One of the longest standing professional Dominican diplomats, Morales is the author of a leading textbook with instructions on how to be a diplomat.
The other side of Haitian-Dominican relations
El Siglo newspaper highlighted in its Sunday, 20 February issue, a little known aspect of Haitian-DR relations. Haitian businessmen have invested over RD$1,000 million in the DR (more than US$62 million) since 1986.
The report on Haitian investments in the DR points to companies such as Helados Nevada (ice cream), Frutina (flavored water), Agua Fonbella (potable water), Jugos Antillas (juice products), Bohio Agroindustrial (spices and condiments), Kawas Mercantil (exporting company), Remesadora Cam (remittances), Transporte Boulos, Mariesh Industries (free zone), Alpha General Assembly (free zone), West Eden Corporation (free zone), Tropical Airways (air service to Haiti) and Caribinter, Caribe Tours and Terrabus (both companies offer bus service).
Journalist Leo Reyes says that Haitians have invested in hotels, cafeterias, clothing stores, footwear stores, and art galleries. Investment peaks can be traced back to political changes in Haiti. Peaks occurred at the fall of the Jean Claude Duvalier in 1986 and during the embargo imposed to secure the return of President Jean Bertrand Aristide.
The report says that while the US$62 million number is but an estimate, it is a conservative one. It indicates that because of the Haitian reticence to talk to the press, real numbers are hard to come by. The Haitian Chamber of Commerce had no figures available. Furthermore, it is a common practice for Haitians to remain anonymous, using on-paper Dominican owners as a front for their operations in the DR. For the online part of the report, see http://www.elsiglord.com/enfoques/20/8.htm
Vuelta Ciclística Independencia Nacional
Dominican cyclist Wendy Cruz of the Alico-DR team won the first of eight days of competitions that are part of the Vuelta Ciclística Independencia Nacional, a major cycling event in the Caribbean. He posted a time of 3:28.55 minutes, sprinting ahead during the last three meters of the race. Second and third place winners were Estiven Mlueark (USA) Miami and
Donny López (Dom), representing the Association of Dominicans in New York (ASODOCI).
The grueling competition takes cyclists through most of the DR (1,145.4 kilometers) from 20-27 February. It is an officially sanctioned International Cycling Union race (see http://www.uci.ch)
For web site international coverage on this event, see http://www.cyclingnews.com International teams have come from St. Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Curaçao, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Panama, Honduras and several US states (New York, Florida, Illinois and Texas). Fourteen DR-based teams are also participating, for a total of more than 200 cyclists.
The race schedule is as follows:
Sunday, 20 February: 11 am. Closed circuit around Mirador del Sur Park (144 kms)
Monday, 21 February: 10 am. Santo Domingo-Boca Chica-San Pedro de Macorís-La Romana (116 kms). Point of departure: Ministry of the Armed Forces-Plaza de la Bandera.
Tuesday, 22 February: 9:30 am. La Romana-San Pedro de Macorís-Santo Domingo (120 kms). Point of departure: Parque Duarte in La Romana. Wednesday, 23 February: 9:30 am. Santo Domingo-Bonao (89 kms). 3 pm. La Vega-Santo Cerro-Jarabacoa (75 kms).
Thursday, 24 February: 9:30 am. La Vega-Bonao-Piedra Blanca-Cotuí-Pimentel-San Francisco de Macorís (150 kms)
Friday, 25 February: 9:30 am. Santiago-La Cumbre-Puerto Plata-Imbert-Navarrete-Mao (160 kms)
Saturday, 26 February: 9:30 am. Closed circuit Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración in Santiago (120 kms). Sunday, 27 February: 9:30 am. Santiago-
Bonao-Villa Altagracia-Santo Domingo (158 kms.)
OHL-Grupo Alfa allotted five Pan Am villa towers
The Ministry of Public Works allotted the construction of five of the eight towers making up the Pan Am Games Olympic Villa to the Consorcio OHL-Grupo Alfa on Saturday, 19 February. They proposed to build these at a cost of RD$1,200 million.
Grupo Nexo-Ingeniero Marco Tulio Reyes was allotted the construction of two more towers, and Consorcio Ferrovial-Agroman-Ingeniero Domínguez was allotted one. Construction time will be 30 months. Hoy newspaper estimated that the total cost of the 700 apartments will be around RD$1,920 million, not taking into consideration the government contribution of the property on which they will go up. This would bring the cost of the apartments to around RD$3 million each, making them category deluxe apartments.
DR to host 28 sports for Pan Am Games
President of the Santo Domingo 2003 Organizing Committee, Dr. José Joaquín Puello confirmed that only 28 sports will be included in the Pan Am Games in order to cut costs of the event. Dr. Puello said this is 12 sports less than the 40 sports that were played in the past Winnipeg games.
Dr. Puello expects 5,000 competitors and coaches to come for the event, 1,000 less than participated in Winnipeg.
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