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Daily News - 6 March 2000
Malecón Carnival was most successful ever
Thousands turned out yesterday along the Av. George Washington boulevard of Santo Domingo (the Malecón) to watch the carnival parade. Some 120 costumed dance groups and colorful characters from all around the country represented their provinces and folkloric traditions of each region. Among the most applauded of the parade were the Diablos Cojuelos from La Vega and Santiago, the sea creatures from the Carnavarengue of Río San Juan, the Cachuas de Cabral, Los Moñuses de Espaillat, Platanuses de Cotuí, the Abejas de Mao, and the devils and crocodiles from Bonao.
The Malecón Carnival was said to be the most successful given the turnout. People began staking out carnival watching positions as of 2:30 pm. They were joined by President Leonel Fernández.
The Carnival started at 4 pm to the beat of Los Carnavales del Carnaval, sung by Marcos Caminero. It was organized by the Ministry of Tourism at a cost of about RD$4.5 million, including RD$600,000 in prize money.
New military chiefs
President Leonel Fernández made changes in the military hierarchy that were notified by Decree 99-2000. Major General Jose Elías Valdez Bautista is the new Chief of the Army. Rear Admiral Rafael Monzón Brea, was named Chief of the Navy. General José Antonio Ramírez Ferreira was appointed the new head of the J2 unit of intelligence of the Armed Forces. Major General Luis Luna Paulino is in charge of the National Institute of Forestry Resources. Major General Jose Eliseo Noble Espejo, former Chief of the Army was promoted to Deputy Minister of the Armed Forces representing the Army, and Rear Admiral Victor Garcia Alecont, former Chief of the Navy, was promoted to Deputy Minister of the Armed Forces.
Police chief revokes presidential police promotions
President Leonel Fernández accepted recommendations for the revoking of several police officer promotions included in a list of 3,459 promotions announced on 26 February. By constitutional mandate, the President is the chief of the Police. But Major General Pedro de Jesús Candelier Tejada, head of the Police forces, requested that several of the promotions be revoked in order to honor the police promotion ladder. Among those whose promotions were revoked is a lieutenant and two corporals on the Presidency military aides corps. Several of those promoted had been recommended by government officers non related to the Police, by politicians, and even professional baseball players, according to pess reports. The decision to reverse the promotions sets a precedent for the National Police.
PLD and PRSC recommendations to JCE
The Partido de la Liberación Dominicana and the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano published a communiqué in national newspapers expressing their concern that with less than 75 days to go before the presidential election of 16 May still 700,000 Dominicans have not received their voting/indentification card, or cédula. Of this number, 50% of these cédulas have not yet been finalized by the Junta Central Electoral, the government body in charge of presidential, municipal and congressional elections in the DR. The PRSC and PLD urge that the JCE guarantee citizen's constitutional right to vote by delivering the cédula on time. If this is not possible, they urge that the JCE implement recommendations to this end made by the Centro de Asesoría Electoral para America Latina (CAPEL) and Participación Ciudadana or implement any other mechanisms approved with the consensus of the JCE, the political parties and the civil society.
JCE announces 25-26 March voting list review
The JCE announced a "jornada de verificación del padrón", two days for the verifying of the voting list will be carried out 25-26 March. Citizens need to attend the voting centers to verify that all is in order for them to vote at the table where they expect to vote. JCE spokesman Wilfredo Alemany said that the two days will serve to clear all doubts citizens may have as well as facilitate that corrections may be made where problems are detected.
Cardinal criticizes excessive spending in political campaigning
Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus López Rodríguez described as "political primitivism" the furor with which political militants carry out political campaigns. He criticized the millionaire sums invested into the campaigns, suggesting that this money be used in more important things. "I have never agreed with the government financing the political campaigns in our countries," he said on the "Fé y Acontecer" program on Televida, Channel 41, the Catholic Church channel. He said that countries that have achieved political maturity do not spending on what he described as "nonsense."
Juan Bosch hospitalized
Ninety-one year Juan Bosch was interned in the Ramón de Lara Hospital of the San Isidro Military Air Force Base. A former President of the Republic and the founder of the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano and the Partido de la Liberación Dominicano has been said to suffer from Parkinson's disease. He is 91 years old. His physician said he has neurological difficulties such as problems with speakking, moving some extremities and walking. He is expected to stay in the hospital for four or five days.
Generadora Haina announces US$440 million investment
Empresa Generadora Haina, that won a bid to operate the Haina power plants and others in the DR, announced that it will be investing US$440 million to expand generation capacity. Ramón Martínez Aponte announced that the company will be increasing generation from 220 megawatts to 406 megawatts in 14 months time. He said that when they took over the operation, the plants were generating 186 megawatts, which they upped to 346 megawatts following repairs and maintenance works. He said that the company had recovered the 28 megawatt turbogas plant of San Pedro de Macorís that went back on line last week. He announced that the Puerto Plata city plant would go into service in seven months time, adding 26 megawatts to the national power generation capacity. In a press conference, he announced that they had subcontracted Hart Energy International to install a power central with capacity to generate 150 megawatts. This plant would use diesel technology and should be in operation within 14 months. The company also commissioned the Italian firm ABB to complete a plant in Barahona that will operate using charcoal with capacity to produce 44 megawatts.
The company is also working on the conversion of the Haina turbogas plants from simple cycle to combined cycle to be able to increase efficiency and produce 150 megawatts, up from the present 100 megawatts for basically the same cost.
Dominicans team up with Haitians to sell their products
El Siglo newspaper highlights that there has been an increase in the sale of Dominican food products to Haiti. The newspaper focuses on the popularity of Milano spaghetti, Guarina crackers, Induveca salami, Celia juices, Bon ice creams, Presidente beer, Barceló rum and Sociedad Industrial Dominicana products in Haiti.
Dominican companies primarily ally with Haitian businessmen to sell their products. Because of the unsafe investment climate in Haiti, Dominican businesses offer technical and sales know how support, in addition to supplying the product, but investment in Haiti is kept to a minimum, says the newspaper. Recently El Siglo newspaper highlighted the large investments of Haitian businessmen in the Dominican Republic.
Overview on Dominican consulate in Haiti
El Siglo newspaper reports that the income of the Dominican Consulate in Haiti has increased from US$46,000 a year at the start of the Fernández administration to US$500,000. The Dominican consulate in Haiti grants about 1,000 visas a month to Haitians. Last year, some 9,600 visas were issued. The visas are primarily granted to businessmen, Dominican product buyers, tourists, and those visiting on religious, cultural, university, professional, artistic or official business. A cost of a visa ranges from US$40-RD$110.
The Dominican Consulate also operates as an Oficialía del Estado Civil, where Dominicans living in Haiti can declare their children, and obtain marriage certificates.
The Dominican Consul in Haiti, Carlos Castillo estimates that some 7,000 Dominicans live in Haiti.
Dominican ambassador on killing of Consulate chauffeur
Silvio Herasme Peña, Dominican ambassador in Haiti, believes theft was the motivation for the killing of the 45-year old José Rafael Jiménez Núñez, chauffeur of the Dominican consul in Haiti. He said that Jiménez was careless about his personal safety, when he went alone to make a bank deposit. At the time of his assassination while driving the consulate car, he had with him US$6,000 that would be deposited.
Ambassador Herasme attributed the killing to the crime wave in Haiti. He said he does not believe there are any political connections to the murder. He said the Dominican embassy is working closely with the Haitian authorities to assist these in finding the murderers. He urged an increase in efforts of Haitian authorities to guarantee safety of foreign delegations. So far, in Haiti most foreign delegations, including the Dominican delegation, have their own security forces after the Haitian police declared themselves incapable of guaranteeing adequate protection.
El Siglo newspaper quotes an anonymous high-ranking officer saying that the situation would be better if several local authorities were not involved in illegal actions. He attributed the present increase in delinquency to the increase of the influence of drug trade barons and the return of Haitian criminals from the US. Leo Reyes reporting for El Siglo says that today in Haiti it is easier to buy a marijuana cigarette than a plantain.
Caribbean free trade agreement update
Dominican Republic will need to participate in another round of Caribbean free trade agreement negotiations. The DR still does not accept the long list Dominican products that would be banned from free trade provisions. The new round between negotiators for the Caribbean trade bloc and the DR was set for St. Kitts, from 16-19 March. Ambassador Frederic Emam Zade heads trade negotiations for the Dominican Republic. The Caribbean nations have reduced their negative list of products to 49 down from 800 at the start. The DR has exempt only 19 products.
DR defeats Montserrat in soccer
The Dominican Republic soccer team won the team of the island of Montserrat during the match that took place Sunday, 5 March in San Cristóbal. The DR won the game 3-0. The follow up game will take place 19 March in Montserrat. The winner of that match will in turn confront the winner of the Trinidad & Tobago and Netherlands Antilles series. The International Soccer Federation sanctions the event. The matches are part of qualifying rounds to win the right to participate in the Japan 2002 World Cup.
Argentinean film wins local film festival
The Argentinean film, "Yepeto," won the "Ciguapa de Oro," the main prize of the leading Dominican film festival, "Muestra de Cine Santo Domingo." The film festival is ended on Sunday, but because of popular demand will continue showing of films through Wednesday, 8 March at the Diamond theaters.
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