Home  Message Archive  2007  2006  2005  2004  2003  2002  2001  2000  1999  1998  Premium News Service

Daily News - 5 January 2001
10% wage increases for those who make up to RD$5,000
President Hipólito Mejía said that everyone on the government payroll who makes up to RD$5,000 will benefit from the announced 10% salary increase effective 1 January 20001. The private sector announced meetings starting this month to determine its levels of salary increases.
Advertising tax revision sent to senatorial commission
The senators chose not to move on the reduction of the advertising tax from 12 to 6%. Instead, they sent the request that was part of the "Gentlemen's Agreement" that permitted the passing of the tax package by the Chamber of Deputies to a special commission. As part of the agreement, the government had accepted to reduce the ITBIS tax on advertising to 6% down from the approved 12%, but this modification of the tax law requires approval by the senators. During the discussions, the senators had played with the idea of eliminating the tax overall, but so far the proposals are in limbo and by law advertising is now taxed with 12%.
Hoy newspaper says that the attitude of the PRD majority senators is being interpreted as a confrontation between Mejía and the senators. President Mejía says that the Acuerdo de Caballeros reached between former President Joaquin Balaguer, Hatuey de Camps for the PRD and the Presidency should be respected.
Ghost organizations benefit from budgetary allotments
The Listin Diario says that many of the organizations the government benefited with an overall RD$100 million addendum to the National Budget are ghost organizations. The addendum is said to have been the incentive for the deputies to pass the tax package as submitted by the Senate. In today's, 5 January issue, the Listín says that several of the foundations were created barely days before the passing of the bill. It specifically mentions the Fundacion de Asistencia y Ayuda Comunitaria para la Region de Barahona and the Fundacion de Desarrollo Comunitaria para La Vega that were incorporated on 29 November 2000. A month after, these organizations are now entitled to receive allotments of RD$400,000 and RD$300,000 respectively.
The Listin Diario says that many of the organizations are unknown in their communities, and mentions the Instituto de Promocion Humana de Santiago, that will benefit from an allotment of RD$186,687 when its domicile is unknown. Correspondents of the newspaper could not either locate the Fundacion para el Desarrollo de Inoa and the Fundacion de la Mujer de Licey al Medio. No one knows about the Fundacion Salvemos el Rio Jobo, and the Fundacion para el Desarrollo Ambiental y Sanitario Barrio Moca, other beneficiaries. PRSC deputies Maximo Castro Silverio and Ramon Rogelio Genao justified their right as elected officers to maintain foundations and manage resources to help their communities. "We were elected, just as the President of the Republic was," they say.
The "good" and the "bad" foundations in the government's eyes
The Listin Diario comments today in an editorial on the contradiction between what it calls the "lack of consideration" for the Voluntariado del Museo de las Casas Reales, a group of persons that had dedicated years to the promotion of culture, and to the free allotting of resources to ghost institutions.
Decree 1307-00 of 31 December 2000 suspended the incorporation of the Voluntariado del Museo de las Casas Reales, a prestigious non-governmental organization that for 24 years endeavored to promote the arts in the DR. The monuments and work of the organization by the decree were placed under the tutelage of the new Ministry of Culture. The motives are not clear, as the decree that suspends the Voluntariado's incorporation does not specify the reasons for the dissolution. The Voluntariado is given until 12 January to move out of its headquarters at the Casa Rodrigo de Bastidas, adjacent to the Fortaleza Ozama in the Colonial City. The Voluntariado gets to keep the valuable collection of works of arts it has gathered over the years, by keeping one work for every art exhibition. The Voluntariado operated for more than 10 years with its own funds until having been provided with a RD$30,000 monthly subsidy by the government. This was suspended eight months ago.
In its editorial today commenting on the contradictions between the "good" and the "bad" non-governmental organizations, the Listin Diario says:
"The worst of all is that both the same government and the people know that many of these entities are nothing but quickie inventions for the enrichment of groups of individuals, in the name of a shameful political blackmail that every year gets a hold of government funds when it is time to debate the budget.
"This monumental waste insults this society full of poor that suffer and mocks those who pay taxes so that these may return in productive and useful works, not so that their money fill the pockets of people that have not lawfully earned this money. And much less deserve it."
OMSA director says President authorizes buying from his company
The director of the Oficina Metropolitana de Servicios de Autobuses (OMSA), Diógenes Castillo, admitted to Hoy newspaper that OMSA is sourcing maintenance from a company he owns. He says this is with authorization of the President of the Republic. He said that OMSA called a tender and no other companies bid for the contract. He also admitted that he has employed eight of his relatives, not 32 as denounced by Juan Hubieres, a transport union leader who has accused Castillo of turning the public transport division into his own family business.
Salvador Sanchez, director of Communications of OMSA, says that Hubieres has publicly accused Castillo after the later refused to pay the union leader RD$252,996,000 of a contract with several transport organizations the later had signed with the past government.
Electricity superintendent doubts veracity of meters
The Superintendent of Electricity Jose Ovalles Tejada says he doubts the quality of the meters being installed by electricity distributors. He said that in 50% of the complaints placed by consumers, consumers have been right. The time has to come when all the meters will have to be certified by the Superintendence, he said. "I, particularly, have my doubts and recently I have sent correspondent to the distributors requesting information on the manufacturers of the meters," said Ovalles.
He said there is much discontent among consumers over increases in billings, arrears charges made illegally, and an increase in blackouts.
Police says same gun killed Canadian and retired general
The chief of the National Police says that a bullet test carried out in Puerto Rico showed that the same gun fired the bullet that killed Canadian Robert Ethier in Cabrera and retired Major General Juan Rene Beauchamps Javier in nearby Abreu, both in the Maria Trinidad Sánchez province on the North Coast. Ethier was murdered on 24 December, and the military on 26 December. Mayor General Pedro de Jesus Candelier Tejada said that investigations continue to resolve the cases.
Fernández foundation alliance with Harvard University
The Fundacion Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FGDE) presided by former President Leonel Fernandez and Geoffrey G. Kirkman, director of operations of the Group of Information Technology at the Center for International Development at Harvard University announced last night the signing of a cooperation framework. The Harvard institution commits to evaluate where the Dominican Republic is at in regards to taking advantage of the information technology revolution. The goal is to prepare the country for the inter-communicated world and define strategies before the challenges of global technological development. The project seeks to contribute to designing how the DR can incorporate technology of information into a national economic and social development plan. For information on the Center for International Development, see http://www.cid.harvard.edu/
Esquea Guerrero wants to run for President
Emmanuel Esquea Guerrero, former president of the incumbent Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, has announced his aspirations to the post of presidential candidate for the PRD in the 2004 presidential elections.
INTEC agreement with Nova Southeastern U
The Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo signed an agreement with the Nova Southeastern University of Fort Lauderdale, Florida to prepare Ph.Ds in education starting mid 2001. Rectors Rafael Toribio of Intec and Wells Singleton for the Nova Southeastern University signed the agreement. For more information on the university, see http://www.nova.edu/
Johnny Ventura's show to be televised on Channel 13
Telecentro, Channel 13 will televise Johnny Ventura's "Soy" show, which filled the halls of the National Theater over the Christmas holidays, on Saturday, at 10 pm. Telecentro was one of the sponsors of the presentation. The Johnny Ventura show received excellent reviews for the 22, 23 and 26 December presentations. The show tells the story of the legendary Dominican merengue band leader, today Mayor of Santo Domingo.
Escogido leads in baseball semifinals
The Escogido has won three straight games in the semi-finals of the Dominican Baseball Season, and leads the Aguilas, Azucareros and Estrellas. For games schedules, see http://www.dr1.com/daily/calendar.shtml
 TEAM  WON  LOST  PCT.  DIF.
 Escogido  3  0  1000  
 Aguilas  2  1  .667  1
 Azucareros  1  2  .333  2
 Estrellas  0  3  .000  3
Home  Message Archive  2007  2006  2005  2004  2003  2002  2001  2000  1999  1998  Premium News Service

The contents of this webpage are copyright © 1996-2008.  DR1. All Rights Reserved.