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Daily News - 8 March 2000
New La Romana International Airport ready by November
El Caribe newspaper reports that work is advancing on the construction of the La Romana International Airport located north of La Romana city. The new airport will be about 20 minutes driving distance from La Romana and the resort areas of Bayahibe and Dominicus. It will replace the Punta Aguila Airport that is located inside the Casa de Campo vacation complex.
Diego de Moya Canaan, head of construction of the airport, said that construction is slated to be completed by November of this year. Construction is going up at a cost of RD$420 million. Engineer Moya, of Moya Supervisiones y Construcciones, said that the airport has been designed to look like a sugar mill, with the control tower will look like the chimney of a sugar factory. The owner of the airport, Central Romana, is one of the most productive sugar cane mills in the world.
Moya Canaan told El Caribe that the airport will be able to adequately serve tourists projected to arrive to the area for the next 20 years. It will also be an airport of choice for residents in eastern towns, such as Higüey. This is because it will be closer to Higuey than the Punta Cana International Airport.
Moya said that the airport construction is two months ahead of schedule. The airport is taking 13 months to build. He said that they are using the most advanced airport construction technology to build the 2,950 meter long and 45 meter wide runway. The airport will also have two taxiways of 750 meters each, and an additional kilometer as a free zone for the use by aircraft. The terminal has a built up area of 7,500 meters, with capacity for expansion as needed.
He explained that the airport site was chosen after consulting with the United States Federal Aviation Administration. The construction will be able to resist the strongest winds of hurricanes that may affect the area.
President Fernández to meet with Chirac in Guadeloupe
President Leonel Fernández will travel to Guadeloupe on Friday, 10 March to attend a Caribbean Summit of Heads of State and Government. The President of France, Jacques Chirac will be present at the meeting where trade and cultural exchange issues will be discussed.
DR and France sign extradition treaty
The Dominican government and France signed a reciprocal extradition agreement. Minister of Foreign Relations Eduardo Latorre signed for the DR, Ambassador Francois Xavier Deniau for France. Citizens of the Dominican Republic or France can now be extradited for penal infractions. "The mobility criminals have today as a result of modern transport means and communications in general threatens and challenges the community of nations," said Minister of Foreign Relations Latorre. "Drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons trafficking, terrorism, and the trafficking of persons are phenomenons that can threaten our societies without distinction," he said. Minister Eduardo Latorre said that the agreement was signed as part of the fight against organized global crime.
Half of Duarte Bridge closed
The Ministry of Public Works announced that from 6 am on Thursday, 9 March, the two lanes of the Juan Pablo Duarte Bridge will be closed, permitting only East-West traffic. The Bridge crosses over Ozama River separating the East and West side of the city of Santo Domingo. West-East traffic is closed to enable the company in charge of rehabilitation works on the bridge to advance on the replacement of the cabling of the bridge. This could take about four months time. The government recently opened an alternate route over the bridge, the six-lane so-called Puente Barcaza that links the Avenida del Puerto on the West Side with the Avenida de España on the East Side.
Women are better drivers in DR
Contrary to popular belief in the Dominican Republic, women are better drivers, engineer Angel Segura, director of the Department of Ground Transport (DGTT) told El Siglo newspaper. Segura says that women are more conservative, prudent, polite and concentrate better when driving. Furthermore, he said that it is very rare that women have to stand before the transit court on charges of drunken driving or reckless driving.
The DGTT registries show that there are 691,822 men and 155,823 women are authorized to drive.
Transit court records show that of the total cases, less than 10% involve women drivers. He says the most common reason for issuing a ticket to a woman is for illegal parking.
Travel agent event set for Punta Cana
Preparations are advancing for the hosting of the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE 2000) that will take place 23-25 March 2000 in Punta Cana. DATE 2000 is an event that will bring together leaders of the Dominican hospitality industry and qualified international travel buyers from around the world. A large number of Dominican hotel operators will be exhibiting and providing information on Dominican travel opportunities.
The National Association of Hotels & Restaurants and the Dominican Republic Tourism Promotion Council (CPT) are the organizers of the tourism marketing event that will take place at the new convention center of the Hotel Meliá Caribe.
The event has the organizational support of the Caribbean Hotel Association that is implementing a marketplace-type schedule. Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) US chapter travel agents are scheduled to meet with Dominican hotel marketers during the final three hours of the event.
Each exhibitor will be able to make product presentations that will complement the program of structured appointments.
For more information contact CHA at wpina@chahotels.com or the National Hotel & Restaurants Association at asonahores@codetel.net.do
"The Talented Mr. Ripley" opens in Santo Domingo
"The Talented Mr. Ripley" opens in Santo Domingo cinemas tomorrow, 9 March. The thriller has been nominated to five Oscar awards. These are: art direction, actor in supporting role (Jude Law), costume design, original score, and screenplay adaptation of the novel by Patricia Highsmith. See http://www.oscar.com
The film is directed by Anthony Minghella, of "The English Patient" fame, and like that film has stunning photography. The film stars Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Cate Blanchett. It is rated R.
Chichí Peralta replaces vocalist Jandy Feliz
The leading vocalist of Chichí Peralta's Son Familia, Jandy Féliz recently announced his decision to leave the group and make it on his own. He told the press that he wanted more credit for his work, than he was getting from group owner, Chichí Peralta. Peralta himself left a famous group, 4-40 of Juan Luís Guerra, to successfully make it on his own years ago. Chichí Peralta is best known for his very successful CD, "Pa' otro lao."
But Chichí Peralta says that Féliz left in a bad way. He had just recently recorded the group's new CD, and his leaving has caused major problems as his voice has had to be replaced on the "De vuelta al barrio" track that was recorded with the London Philarmonic conducted by José Antonio Molina. Peralta's new CD is expected to be launched in April.
Peralta announced that Cesar Olarte would replace Féliz. He said that Féliz had been ill advised by Salvador Pérez, a former president of Cayman Records that has formed his own company. He said that Feliz's departure violates his contract with the Son Familia group that did not end until 2006.
Peralta said that Féliz was never hired as a partner, but rather as an employee. He said that Féliz had done well with the group, going from an unknown person to purchasing a house and a car with two year's work.
Cuban music legends at National Theater
Raul Pérez Peña has organized the Tercer Festival Caribeño del Son, honoring the classic Cuban music. 10 March Gala Night at the National Theater. Coming are several legends from Cuba such as Orquesta América with Pio Leyba and Caridad Hierrezuelo of the Buena Vista Social Club. Tickets RD$300. From the DR, Grupo Maniel.
Pedro Martínez to open SD game for Boston
Pedro Martinez will open for the Boston Red Sox versus the Houston Astros on the Saturday, 11 March. This will be the first day of a two-day spring training exhibition series slated for Santo Domingo's Quisqueya Ball Park.
This is a chance to see Dominicans Pedro Martínez, Ramón Martínez, José Offerman, Wilton Veras, Manny Alexander, Israel Alcantara, Julio Santana and Juan Peña that are scheduled to play for Boston. As well as Nomar Garciaparra, Troy O'Leary, Carl Everett.
Dominicans José Lima, Octavio Dotel, Moisés Alou, Tony Eusebio, José Cabrera and Julio Lugo, Nelson Samboy and Omar Ramírez are scheduled to play for Houston. And Billy Wagner, Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Ken Caminiti that will also play for Houston.
Tickets are going on sale today, Wednesday, 8 March at the Quisqueya Ball Park. Ticket prices are: RD$1,000-RD$600 (box seats), RD$350 preferences, and RD$50 bleacher.
The games will be transmitted by radio and by Antena Latina, Channel 7 in the DR. In the US and Latin America the games may be seen by Univisión and Galavisión.
Prior to the games, the Major League ball players will give baseball clinics in front of the stadium.
Carnival Millennium 2000 continues in Puerto Plata
Carnival ended in Santo Domingo on Sunday, but it now moves on to new interior towns. The Ministry of Tourism and the Cervecería Nacional Dominicana (Presidente Beer) announce presentations in Bonao (Park), Puerto Plata (Malecón) and Mao (Calle Duarte) on Sunday, 12 March at 3 pm.
National Symphony Orchestra Season
The second half of the National Symphony Orchestra 1999-2000 season continues at the National Theater in Santo Domingo.
The Wednesday, 8 March presentation has the following program:

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.
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