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Daily News - 29 February 2000
Presidency sends 10 bills to Congress
The Executive Branch sent ten bills to Congress yesterday. Nine of these are to be initially studied by the Senate and one by the Chamber of Deputies. The bills are:
Código Penal. Modernizes the old criminal law code dating back to the 30s. Incorporates dispositions such as indexation of fines, community work sentences, permanent jail sentense, as well as other measures for the implementing of modern systems of prevention, control and punishment of delinquency.
Proyecto de Ley sobre Adquisiciones y Contrataciones Gubernamentales (bill on government purchases and contracting). Harmonizes the government purchasing systems regardless of whether purchases are carried out by the central government, autonomous entities or with internal or external financing.
Ley Orgánica de la Secretaría de Estado de Relaciones Exteriores (new organizational structure of the Ministry of Foreign Relations). This bill reflects the re-engineering process to which the Ministry of Foreign Relations was subject to with the assistance of the United Nations Development Program.
Ley de Migración (migration bill). New rulings on status of foreigners in the DR, entry of persons in transit and temporary laborers.
Secretaría de Estado de Transporte (Ministry of Transport). Creation of the new ministry seeks to group the different transport related operations of the government.
Ley Orgánica de la Administración Pública (public administration structure) provides for the applying of scientific criteria to the new structure of the Executive Branch, and the judicial framework so that the state can be a catalyst to national development focusing on the citizen.
Proyecto de Ley de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos (bill on housing and human settlements) covers provisions to reduce the housing deficit that affects Dominicans as well as deals with the housing deficit affects Dominicans and the resulting slum areas.
Ley Orgánica Municipal (provisions to modify the law that rules city governments), granting these new functions, ability to generate their own resources, with a focus on decentralizing the state.
Programa de Promoción y Apoyo a la Micro, Pequeña y Mediana Empresa (project to promote micro, small and medium sized business).
Bill that reduces from 4.5 to 2% the tax on sports betting, and from 10 to 5% the tax on horse races betting. Motivated because the high taxes have impeded that those who have leased the Quinto Centenario Horse Race Track achieving acceptable profitability.
New bridge over Ozama to open tomorrow
The Ministry of Public Works announced the temporary bridge over the Ozama River would go into operation tomorrow. The Ministry of Public Works said that vehicles taking the new Puente Barcaza that will connect East-West of the city of Santo Domingo at the southern part of the river will have access through the Avenida del Puerto (on the western side) connecting on to the Avenida España (on the eastern side). As soon as the bridge is placed into operation, Duarte Bridge will be partially closed to allow for repairs of its cabling system.
JCE sets at 15 May deadline to get cedula
The Junta Central Electoral, the government body in charge of organizing presidential, municipal and congressional elections in the DR, announced that citizens have until 15 May, if necessary, to secure their voting/identification cards. The process has suffered major technical and managerial problems. Thousands of "cedulas" are tangled in the technical problems that the organization has been confronting. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 May and the card is required for voting. The President of the electoral court, Manuel Ramón Morel Cerda confirmed that more than 700,000 citizens have applied but have not received their cedulas for multiple reasons. Yesterday, which would have been the last day to get the document, there was a mutiny as thousands of persons visited the JCE to get their cedula.
Peña Gómez son backs Danilo Medina of the PLD
The Bloque Institucional Socialdemócrata (BIS) presided by José Francisco Peña Guaba, son of Partido Revolucionario Dominicano legendary leader, the late José Francisco Peña Gómez, announced that he will be backing the presidential aspirations of Danilo Medina of the Partido de la Liberación Dominicana, and not those of Hipólito Mejía of the PRD. He said he did so without receiving money or another benefit. Danilo Medina said that Peña Guaba's move was brave because he would be accused by the PRD of having sold out. Last year, several of Peña Gómez's daughters also went public with their support for Danilo Medina.
Japanese donation to help health and education projects
The government of Japan has donated US$310,514 for health and education projects. The money will be used for:
Centro de Salud Reproductiva (Center for Reproductive Health) in San Francisco de Macorís
Audiovisual support equipment for education and health promotion efforts
Expansion of the Escuela Juan Pablo Duarte
Expansion of the San Francisco de Asís Senior Citizen Home
Reconditioning of the Hogar Escuela Santo Domingo Savio, a Santo Domingo orphanage
Independence Boxing Cup
Boxers from 13 countries are participating in the Copa Independencia de Boxeo that opens 28 February at the Palacio de Deportes of Santiago de los Caballeros. President of the organizing committee, Marino Collante said that boxers have arrived from Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Colombia, for the event. The event will last through 3 March and will serve as preparatory event for important international competitions, such as the Olympic Games.
Santo Domingo Movie Showing
The Second Santo Domingo International Movie Showing continues at the Hollywood Diamond Plaza mall. It will last through 5 March. The limelight this year is on films from Europe, Latin America and Israel. It is an excellent opportunity to see films that otherwise would not come to the DR, where 90% of the films are US films.
Tuesday, 29 February.

Hollywood Diamond 5
5:15 pm "Tren de sombras" (Spain),
7:15 pm "Nazareno Cruz y el lobo"
9:15 pm "Angeles sangrientos" (Norway)

Hollywood Diamond 6
5:30 pm "Pienaneze nunzio" (Italy)
7:30 pm "Juan Moreira"
9:30 pm "Placa Vendome (France)

Hollywood Diamond 7
5:45 pm "DYBBYK" (Israel)
7:45 pm "Yepeto" (Argentina)
9:45 pm "Secretos del corazón" (Spain)

Wednesday, 1 March
5:15 pm "Soñar, soñar"
7:15 pm "Tuve un sueño contigo" (Chile)
9:15 pm "Sentimiento urbano" (Israel)

Hollywood Diamond 6
5:30 pm "Poseídos" (Israel)
7:30 pm "Historias clandestinas de La Habana" (Argentina)
9:30 pm "El milagro de P. tinto" (Spain)

Hollywood Diamond 7
5:45 pm "Polvo de Nápoles" (Italy)
7:45 pm "La sombra de Caín" (Spain)
9:45 pm "Comme elle respire" (France)
Santo Domingo Film Festival
Festival de Cine de Santo Domingo. Barrio Santa Barbara, Colonial City. This festival that has governmental sponsorship continues through 25 March. Films to be shown are "Martindi Metuno," Puerto Rican Jose Parreño. "About Jane" by Cesar Ruiz, Venezuela. "Nunca se sabe," by Victor Ramirez, Dominican Republic. Admission is free.
Car exhibition at the Dominican Fiesta
Expo Automovilismo. 2-5 March 2000. Hotel Dominican Fiesta. The most complete sampling of the cars. Car racer Mario Andretti is expected to cut the opening ribbon.
International equestrian tournament
Riders from 11 countries will participate in the X Equestrian Grand Prix Brugal to take place 3-5 March at the Centro Ecuestre Las Colinas in Santo Domingo. Competitors are coming from Guatemala, Honduras Venezuela, Germany, Holland, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Haiti and Panama to participate in six categories. Riders will represent the DR from the Nitrán, Las Marismas, Casa de Campo, Club Internacional de Equitación, Feria Ganadera and Las Colinas horseback riding centers. The competition is an officially sanctioned International Equestrian Federation event.
Other events worth attending
Gonzalo Rubalcaba Trio. Contemporary Latin jazz music. 3-4 March. 8:30 pm. Teatro Nacional. RD$500-RD$300.
Bungee Concierto 2000. Saturday, 4 March and Sunday 5 March. Velodromo Parque Olimpico. March 4: Toque Profundo, Tabutek, Gualtiao, Reach, Garlic, Division X and On the rise.
March 5: Al Jadaqui, Mabé , Mr. Clika. Reach, Garlic, Division X and On the rise. Tickets RD$175. 7 pm. Bungee jump at noon. Concert at 7 pm.
Carnival Millennium 2000
Carnival continues all over the Dominican Republic. The Ministry of Tourism and the Cervecería Nacional Dominicana (Presidente Beer) present Carnival Millennium 2000.
Next highlights of the Carnival this year are:
5 March. Santo Domingo. Malecon parade. 2 pm.
Bonao: 12 March. Parque de Bonao. 3 pm.
Puerto Plata. 10-13 March. 12 March presentation of carnival figures from other areas of the country. Malecon. 3 pm.
Mao. 12 March. Calle Duarte. 3 pm

Presidente Beer is also sponsoring the participation of several well-known orchestras, with shows to be staged at the Avenida del Puerto.
The orchestras to perform there as of 9 pm are:
Rubby Pérez (Friday, 3 March)
Freddy Gerardo and Grupo Mío (Saturday, 4 March), Fernando Villalona and Los Toros Band-Grand Parade (Sunday, 5 March.)
National Symphony Orchestra Season
The second half of the National Symphony Orchestra 1999-2000 season continues at the National Theater in Santo Domingo.
The calendar for the upcoming presentations is as follows:

1 March
Francois Bahuaud and Fernando Geraldes, Conductors.
Domenico Dragonetti's Concerto for bass and orchestra.
Brahms' Concert No. 1, with special performance by award-winning British pianist, Ashley Wass.
Edvarg Grieg's Suite Holberg.

March 8
Felix Carrasco, guest conductor visiting from Mexico.
Beethoven's Concert for Violin and Orchestra, with special performance by Austrian violinist Inge Kofler.
Beethoven Symphony No. 7
Contemporary Mexican composer Arturo Marquez's Danzon No. 2.

15 March
Night of Chamber Music.
Tchaikovsky, Chavez, Wagner and Bizet.

22 March. Julio de Windt.
Bienvenido Bustamante's Concert for Flute and Orchestra. Special performance by Luis Ruiz.
Franz Liszt's Concert No. 1 for Piano and Orchesta. Special performance by Italian pianist Enrico Pace.
Paul Taylor Dance Company
The Paul Taylor Dance Company (http://www.ptdc.org) will perform in Santo Domingo 24 and 25 March at the National Theater. The group will perform in a benefit for the Fundacion Mir in La Romana. Fundación Ritmos por la Danza brings this company to Santo Domingo. The company has toured 650 cities in 60 countries and was appointed cultural ambassador of the United States in the program Millennium Council of the White House.
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