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Daily News - 10 January 2001
Fuel price increases explained
Minister of Industry and Commerce Angel Lockward explained why despite fuel prices dropping on world markets, local prices have gone up. The Hydrocarbon Law pegs the price of gasoline and diesel to world market prices. But Lockward said the DR imports refined fuel, not crude. He also said that the country does not buy in large quantities because its storage capacity allows only for 15-day inventory. He also said that the local fuel prices also suffer from the devaluation of the peso. The peso has been losing to the US dollar.
Inflation was 9.02% in 2000
Inflation was 9.02% in the 2000, due primarily to increases in petroleum prices, according to the Central Bank. This is the highest inflation recorded in the past five years. Hoy newspaper reports that inflation in past years has been:
1999, 5.10%; 1998, 8.20%; 1997, 8.37%; 1996, 3.95%; 1995, 9.22%.
Senate reduces tax on advertising from 12 to 6%
The Senate passed the bill that reduces from 12 to 6% the ITBIS on advertising. The reduction had been requested by former President Joaquín Balaguer who ordered PRSC deputies to vote in favor of the tax package proposed by the PRD administration.
Senate passes Public Defender, changes in Electoral Law, and Judicial Branch financial autonomy
The Senate passed the law that creates the figure of Public Defender. The Public Defender is entrusted with preserving the individual and collective rights of citizens when government officers affect these. The new figure will have functional, administrative and budgetary autonomy, as per the law.
The Senate also passed a bill that reforms Electoral Law 8-92. The modification extends the validity of the "cedula," or identification-voting card to 10 years. Another approved modification of the law orders that "cedulas" issued to those 16 years of age be printed in a different color than the voting card that is issued to those eligible to vote, that is those that will be 18 years at the time of an election. Also approved is the requirement of posting the nationality of the person on the ID card.
The Senate approved the budgetary autonomy of the Judicial Branch. The Judicial Branch will now receive an allotment of 1.5% of the national budget.
Government will not be able to buy imported goods?
The Senate also passed a bill that prohibits government officers from using funds from the budget or international loans to purchase imported goods or services. Excluded are public funds that are counterpart of international loans.
President sends to congress law to reduce corruption
President Hipolito Mejia sent to the Chamber of Deputies a law that obliges government officers to prepare a detailed inventory of their assets and debts at the time of taking office. The new law that would replace Law 82 of December 1979 would place upon the government officer the responsibility of proving where an increase in assets has come from two years after leaving office if this is questioned by another citizen. At the present time, the responsibility to prove corruption is on a third party, not the government officer. The new law was recently motivated by legal advisor to the Executive Branch Guido Gómez Mazara who said that government officers are declaring assets projecting what they plan to steal while in government.
Ministry of Foreign Trade sent to Senate
The Executive Branch deposited in the Senate a bill that would create the Ministry of Foreign Trade, or Secretaría de Comercio Exterior. The bill was prepared with the counsel of the Interamerican Development Bank. It would place under the umbrella of the Ministry of Foreign Trade the Center for the Promotion of Exports (Cedopex), Office for the Promotion of Investment (OPI), the National Commission for Trade Negotiations, and the National Council for Free Zones. The new ministry is justified as it would unify similar efforts, strengthening the country's position before and reducing costs. Reportedly, the government contemplates funding the new ministry with the budgets of the already existent organizations.
More on the OACI scandal in DR
The Listin Diario publishes today part two of the exposé by journalist Ana Mitila Lora on the scandalous US$13 million Civil Aviation Board-International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation project. The project supposedly would have readied the aviation sector of the country so that the US Federal Aviation Agency would lift the ban on Dominican registration airlines flying to the US.
The Listin report says that instead the project was but "a business since its creation in 1997 where each took a share of state funds." Basing her report on conclusions of the Chamber of Accounts audit, she says the project was plagued with irregularities in the purchase of equipment and vehicles, many not needed by the organization and by payments made for costly irrelevant workshops. Mentioned, for example, is the purchase of fire extinguishing equipment for all airports, at a cost of US$104,591 when this was not a responsibility of the project. Furthermore, the cost of these equipment was padded by an extra RD$105,637 as a conversion rate of RD$17.06 was used, instead of the RD$16.05 of the moment. Another example of an irregularity, was the purchase of military-type beds, blankets, mosquito nets and boots for RD$1,056,200 for the fire department of the airports, when the later departments are responsibility of the privatized airport concessionaires, and not the project.
Police Reform commissioner proposes dismantling of top ranks of the Police
As per a report published in El Siglo, the Commission for the Reform and Modernizing of the National Police presented a project to restructure the institution to the Executive Branch. Among the recommendations is the dismantling of the top brass of the institution. Mechanisms to control corruption among agents and the use of excess force are also recommended. A Superior Police Council, to be presided by the Ministry of Interior and Police and the Institute for Human Dignity is proposed. Mayor General Hugo Rafael González Borrell, a former Chief of the Aviation, presides the commission. Other members are Rafael Suberví, Minister of Interior and Police, and former Police chief, Mayor General Rafael Guerrero Peralta. González Borrell says that a "reconditioning" of the men is needed for a true police reform, as this cannot be accomplished by modifying the uniforms the force wears.
Conazucar's days are counted
A major supplier that demands payment of RD$70 million has embargoed property of the Consorcio Azucarero del Caribe (Conazucar) for lack of payment. Employees of the Consuelo sugar mill of the Mexican company also have embargoed the company, claiming unpaid wages for RD$3 million.
El Siglo reports that Conazucar is in the midst of negotiations with a local group for the transfer of its shares and that the Mexican company will abandon its operations in the DR. The company was created when the Mexicans won a tender held to privatize the State Sugar Council (CEA) mills during the past administration. The CEA has authorized the negotiations.
The CEA administrator, Victor Manuel Baez said that it will cash in the insurance bond to collect on US$6 million the Mexican company owes for the present harvest.
Conazucar had the operation of the Consuelo, Boca Chica, Ozama, Rio Haina and Quisqueya mills.
The leading executives of the Mexican company left the country in December.
Suspect of murder of general accused of other crimes
Gilberto Antonio Paula Rosario (El Coquero o El Rubio) will be meanwhile accused of the murder of Canadian Robert Ethier on 24 December. Paula is suspect of having murdered former Minister of the Armed Forces Juan Rene Beauchamps Javier two days later in Abreu, in the province of María Trinidad Sánchez on the North Coast. He will also be charged for promoting illegal boat trips to Puerto Rico. Relatives of Paula Rosario maintain his innocence, and his mother says she has not been allowed to see her son since he was arrested on 3 January. Another suspect of the crime, Henry Javier Pérez (Henry Rafael Acevedo) will be meanwhile charged for gun robbery and the killing of another foreign, according to a Police spokesman.
Jealous man kills wife, and school principal at school
Jealousy crimes are not unusual in the DR, but the yesterday murder of a teacher, Adelaida Perez and the principal, Porfirio Jerez Vega, of the school where she worked was one of the worst many can remember. The murders occurred at the school where the two victims worked and were witnessed by students. Reportedly, the professor visited the Escuela 24 de Abril near San Francisco de Macorís, on the northeast of the country, to seek reconciliation with his former spouse, a teacher at the school. When this was not possible, he shot her five times. When the principal of the school tried to intervene, he also received three shots. The insane man fled and an hour later was found hanging from a cacao tree in the Paraje Sonador, near where he committed the murders. He is believed to have committed suicide.
Government institution has funds available for athletes village
The president of the Banco Nacional de la Vivienda said that that organization will assist builders with a loan for RD$400 million to build the athletes' village for the 2003 Santo Domingo Pan Am Games. The cost of the village is estimated at more than RD$1,000 million. Chiqui Troncoso, of the BNV, said, "The National Housing Bank will provide the interim loans to the builders." He spoke after a presentation of the village made on occasion of the visit of Pan American Sports Organization commissioners. The commissioners are in Santo Domingo for meetings through Thursday to review advances made by the local organizing committee for the Pan Am Games. Their conclusions will be presented at the 19 January meeting scheduled by the Pan American Sports Organization in Panama City.
At the meeting it was announced that Frank Pimentel and Asociados, Grupo Hazoury and Alfa 2000 would create a consortium to build the village with local funding.
As planned, the village will have 720 apartments in three-floor buildings and will go up at a cost of RD$600 million. The village will be ready seven months prior to the games.
The village will be located about 10 minutes from the Las Americas International Airport at the grounds of the Las Americas Institute of Technology and Santo Domingo Cyberpark. Special electricity, telecommunication and potable water facilities will be built. An overpass will be built to communicate the village with the Las Americas Expressway that leads into Santo Domingo.
Baby cub stolen form mother lion
Holiday Circus administrators are concerned for the well-being of a two-month baby tiger cub that was stolen from its mother, Sumatra. Sumatra is in Santo Domingo for performances as part of the Circo Holiday of the Hermanos Suarez. The mother, who has another baby cub, is very anxious and cries the loss of her second cub at night.
The administrators are concerned for the well being of the cub whose feeding is costly. Airport authorities have been alerted, and thus the export of the baby Bengala tiger will not be easy. Local vets have also been alerted in case the cub is taken to them.
Circus authorities say that a German Shepherd dog is also missing but they suspect he went off with a bitch in heat. They hope that once the love affair is over the dog will return to his job of taking care of the circus.
Learn about opera
The governor of the Columbus Lighthouse announces it is sponsoring a course on the history of opera. Opera expert Antonio Braga, who is professor of History of Music at an Italian university, will give the course. The course will focus on works by Cimarosa, Verdi and Bellini. It starts on 12 January and will end 12 February. The course is free. It will take place from 8 to 10 pm.
Escogido sets new record of consecutive wins
The Escogido Lions have set a new record of consecutive wins in a round robin by winning seven games straight. The longest previous winning streak was six games won by the Tigres del Licey during the 1988-89 season.
For game schedule, see Calendar at http://www.dr1.com/daily/calendar.shtml
 TEAM  WON  LOST  PCT.  DIF.
 Escogido  7  0  1000  
 Aguilas  4  3  .571  3
 Azucareros  2  5  .286  5
 Estrellas  1  6  .143  6
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