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Daily News - 22 January 2001
Caribbean free trade agreement imminent
Caribbean Free Trade Agreement to be signed in February
President of the Senate Ramon Alburquerque said that the signing of the free trade agreement with Caribbean Community nations is imminent. He said that both his office and the presidency of the Chamber of Deputies agreed with the President to hold special sessions starting 1 February to pass the treaty. Congress regularly recesses through 27 February. Alburquerque made the announcement on the Aeromundo television program. He said that the Association of Industries and the Council of Businesses had requested a waiting period of three months before the passing of the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Both agreements were signed in the past government and are pending congressional approval.
May the Virgin Mary help me, prays the President
President Hipólito Mejia, in Higuey for the celebration of the special mass on occasion of Virgen de la Altagracia Day (21 January), asked the patron saint of Dominicans for help. News reports said he requested that the Virgin Mary orient him to be able to effectively confront poverty in the DR.
The Bishop of the Diocese of La Altagracia, Ramón de la Rosa y Carpio said during the mass that the social package the government has been promising to implement is a matter of life and death for the immediate future of the nation. The Bishop said that if this is not taken in a serious and efficient manner, the people will do without its traditional politicians in a few years. The package would soften effects of the new tax package in effect since 1 January that has had the effect of increasing most products and services by about 20-30%.
40 missing at sea after attempting to get to Puerto Rico
The story is a common one. Again, the Navy reports relatives of 40 persons who attempted to make it clandestinely to Puerto Rico have urged them to go to the rescue of their family as these have not contacted them to tell them they arrived safely to their destination. This is interpreted that they have had problems at sea. The Navy is searching the eastern coast of the DR.
News reports say so far this year, the Navy has arrested 1,807 illegal travelers on 306 boats. From October to December 2000, 774 persons were arrested.
New gasoline prices
Premium gasoline: RD$42.00 (RD$41.73)
Regular gasoline: RD$36.69 (RD$36.48)
Premium diesel: RD$26.22 (RD$25.35)
Regular diesel: RD$24.14 (RD$23.28)
Santo Domingo retains site of Pan Am Games
The Pan American Sports Organization decided to give Santo Domingo one last chance at hosting the 2003 Pan American Games. Local news reports say that the organizing of the games was conditioned to the strict fulfillment of the work plan submitted by the local organizing committee at the Panama City assembly meeting.
"This decision obliges us to make up for the lost time, to leave behind us the delays and implement the plans. There will be changes" said Jose Joaquin Puello, chief local executive in charge of the games. According to the Listin Diario, Puello announced he will appoint a president of the Organizing Committee and will move up to the position of chairman of the board. He said this person will take over the organizational works, injecting new dynamism to the efforts. He told those who have opposed the hosting of the Games in the DR, "This is an ineludible commitment, there is no return," he said upon returning to Santo Domingo. Puello denied the PASO go ahead had been conditioned.
The next PASO assembly will take place in Santo Domingo, 18-19 May.
According to Hoy newspaper, the commission that visited Santo Domingo to ascertain the advances made towards the games criticized that a tender was not called to build the athletes village. It appears that the government handpicked the builders of the village that is estimated to cost RD$800 million. Of the total cost, according to the newspaper, the state will supposedly recover RD$320 million with the eventual sale of the apartments. The organization of the Games are expected to cost over RD$2,000 million, with thousands more to be invested in venues and the village.
Minors arrested for driving
The National Police said that it arrested another 55 minors for driving over the weekend. The police already had arrested 179 minors, ages 13-17 for driving, in violation of the law. The Police said that parents of the minors will be taken to justice. On last Thursday alone, 120 minors were arrested. The Police announced special vigilance over the Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill North-South avenues where youths for years have carried out daredevil competitions. The permissiveness of parents again is the talk of the town after a 15-year old killed a minor when driving his mother's car.
New casino in San Pedro de Macoris
The Santana Beach Resort, located about a 12 minute drive from San Pedro de Macoris and 45 minutes from Santo Domingo announced the opening of its casino. A Catalunya hotel group owns the Santana Beach Resort from Spain. It has 500 rooms and features a 1.5 kilometer beach strip.
Who did it
The Police announced the arrest of 23-year old Liriano Rojas Martinez and 43-year old Virgilio Antonio Rodriguez for the murder of 72-year old Isabel Martinez de Zouain, a much-appreciated Santiago lady. Hoy newspaper says that the cook and gardener of the deceased lady have mutually incriminated each other. Rojas said that Rodriguez planned the murder that he executed. Rodriguez says the contrary is true. The motive of the murder was to rob RD$10,000 the lady would have after cashing a check in the bank. The suspect murderers were relocated to Santo Domingo for continued police investigations. The Santiago lady had been reported missing until police investigators found her cadaver buried in her own backyard.
Opposition to Jarabacoa area dam continues
Opponents to the construction of the Manabao-Bejucal-Tavera dam said that Silvio Carrasco, director of the government National Hydraulic Resources Institute offends the intelligence of the President of Republic when he said that the project does not contemplate the change of the course of the Yaque del Norte, Guanajuma, Arroyo and Los Dajaos rivers. Carrasco said that the dam would source its waters from the excess resulting from rains in the area. A committee head by Omar Rodriguez that seeks to stop the project said that the mentioned water surplus only occurred during the David and Federico hurricanes of 1979 and Georges in 1998.
The Manabao dam was discarded during a past Balaguer government because studies showed that it would adversely affect the ecology of the area. The committee says that no new studies have been able to show the contrary.
New South-North highway through San Jose de Ocoa
President Mejia said that he has authorized the construction of a north-south highway that would link the agrarian region of San Jose de Ocoa and the Cibao with the South. The cost of the project is RD$250 million, and reportedly, the contract for the construction of the highway has been entrusted to the Pablo Yarull y Asociados company. The highway has been opposed in the past on grounds that it would affect the environment.
After 44 years, Spaniards get land titles
El Caribe newspaper reported that eight of a group of 4,000 Spanish farmers that came in 1955 attracted by a Franco-Trujillo migration treaty signed in 1956 by the two dictators finally got land titles. The titles had been promised to them as part of agreement stipulations. It took them 44 years, and much effort on behalf of the Spanish government to see that the dream could come true for the Spanish emigrants. In a moving ceremony held at the residence of Spanish ambassador Fermin Prieto-Castro, the Instituto Agrario Dominicano handed the titles to the eight farmers. As per the efforts, another 42 titles will be forthcoming benefiting Spanish farmers living in Azua, San Juan de la Maguana, Barahona and Nagua.
Speaking for the benefited farmers, Florentino Delgado said that he feels more at home in the DR than in Spain. He recalled that years back he traveled to his home town in La Rioja, Spain but found that everything had changed. He returned to spend the rest of his days in the DR, attracted by the blue of the sea. Two of his five sons live in Spain after benefiting from two Spanish government scholarships.
Cyclists coming for important competition
The XXII Vuelta Independencia Nacional will take place 20-27 February. The cycling race is broken down into eight stages in seven days that take competitors throughout the DR.
Teams from 16 countries are expected. Confirmed participants are coming from Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, St. Maarten, Guatemala, United States (Miami, Buffalo, New York City). Organizers also expect the participation of teams from Panama, Martinique, Cuba, Haiti and Spain.
The competition starts 20 February with a closed circuit of 144 kilometers around the Parque Mirador del Sur in Santo Domingo. Competitors will also tour San Pedro de Macoris, La Romana, Monte Plata, Bonao, La Vega, Santo Cerro, Higuey, El Seibo among other communities.
Eco tourism fair announced
The province of Monseñor Nouel (Bonao) will host the Fifth Fair of Ecotourism and Production. The event is set for 24 May to 3 June at the Natura Bass fishing center of Hatillo Dam. The event is organized by the Fundacion de Ciencia y Arte and has the support of the Ministry of Tourism.
Escogido vs. Aguilas
All appears it will be the Escogido vs. the Aguilas for the Winter Baseball Championship. For the game schedules, see http://www.dr1.com/daily/calendar.shtml
 TEAM  WON  LOST  PCT.  DIF.
 Escogido  13  4  .765  
 Aguilas  9  8  .529 3
 Azucareros  7  10  .412  6
 Estrellas  5  12  .294  8
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