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

Daily News - 25 January 2001
The TV station that built too high
The Municipality of Santo Domingo acknowledges that Telemicro, Channel 5, built three additional floors in violation of the area's building regulation. The Municipality had authorized the station build three floors at its location behind Independence Park; the television station built six. The building is an eyesore behind the mausoleum where the fathers of Dominican nationality are buried.
Luis Jose Chavez, secretary general of the Municipality said they would request the demolition of the top three floors. He said the building takes away the visibility of the mausoleum. He also said they would verify other area violations, such as the takeover by the Channel of the Calle Julio Verne for parking and of a small park by the station.
Chavez made the announcement after a meeting held to discuss the recovery of the Parque Independencia, now that the Department of Parks announced that several city parks are the responsibility of the municipality. During the meeting, the fence built around the park was also discussed. While some say it is ugly and takes away from the mausoleum, others say it makes no sense to topple it as it costs lots to build.
The business of begging
The Department of Migration announced it would be picking up women and children beggars at city corners. But Hoy newspaper reported that there were none to be found on the "job" yesterday. The Minister of Foreign Relations had denounced that all appeared that the beggars were being dropped off at city corners to work by an organized human contraband network. Usually the work is carried out by women with small children who beg from cars stopped at traffic light intersections of main city avenues.
The Director of the Department, Cuevas Moreta said that the Haitian children are exploited on the job by others. Many are not children of the woman who heads the group at a corner. Usually, the parents of the children receive pay for their children's efforts. The Department says there are different modalities of the beggar's racket that exploits human misery. He said in one of the versions, they have ascertained that the Haitian women rent the children to go begging.
Will President Mejia stop talking as much?
The press director of the Presidency, Luis Gonzalez Fabra said that his department is working on designing new communication policy. President Mejia is the most outspoken and available of Presidents. He seems to be always available for the press, but his spontaneous responses have been criticized for lacking the level of what should be forthcoming from a President. Even former Vice President Jaime David Fernandez, a psychiatrist by profession, has suggested that the President should moderate his language. Speaking during a workshop on social communication held at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra yesterday, Gonzalez said the President will delegate in cabinet teams the responses to the press, rather than the President addressing each topic on a daily basis. He said the cabinet members will be the spokespeople regarding information.
Why so many triplets?
In the past five months there have been 11 cases of triplets in the Dominican Republic. Of the cases, 10 were not the result of fertility treatments. Of the 11 cases, 10 were born to parents that do not have the means to adequately provide for three babies at once. The president of the Dominican Society of Gynecology, Dr. Alejandro Paradas said there could be hereditary factors involved, but he said it would be very interesting to carry out research to determine what is causing this extraordinarily high rate of multiple-births.
Of the births, six have been born in the National District (Santo Domingo), and the other five have been born to mothers in Moca, Nagua, Salcedo, San Pedro de Macorís and Baní. Of the 33 children, 19 are boys and 14 are girls, according to a report in El Nacional newspaper.
More minors arrested for driving
The Department of Transit of the National Police announced the detention of another 111 minors for driving in violation of the traffic law. The law establishes a minimum age of 18 years. Teenagers 16 to their 18th birthday may receive driving permits but are limited to driving with a person who has a valid driver's license. Some exceptions are made in the case of minors who have married. With the arrest, the Police has detained 422 minors for driving since the operation began on 16 January following the death of a 9-year old boy crashed into by a 15 year old driving his mother's car.
New labor offices
The Ministry of Labor announced it will soon open new labor agencies in the resort areas of Sosua, Bavaro and Boca Chica. The Ministry opened on 28 December an agency in Las Terrenas, Samana, another tourist-oriented community. The new offices will advise both managers and employees, and that the offices are being opened to improve work relations in those communities.
Consular invoice and 5% exchange commission still in
The government had announced it, the business community had celebrated. But now it turns out that it is not true that the consular invoice will be eliminated. At least not for now. The consular invoice, which violates agreements under the World Trade Organization, penalizes importers with delays and increases the cost of imports. The consular invoice has normally only served to make consuls rich.
Judicial Advisor to the Executive Branch Guido Gomez Mazara had announced the invoice would be eliminated by a presidential decree. Later, the Executive Branch reportedly sent a bill to Congress containing the measure. The bill, though, was retrieved by the Presidency.
Jochi Vicente, president of the National Association of Young Businessmen (ANJE) urged the government abolish the invoice. This had been a campaign promise of President Mejia. He also urged the government eliminate the 5% exchange tax, as this also increases the cost of doing business. The exchange tax was instituted by the government of former President Leonel Fernandez as compensation since the government during its final days chose not to increase the price of fuel to leave this decision to the incoming government. With the increase of the price of fuel, the 5% tax is deemed no longer necessary.
The continuation of the measures are said to contribute to make this the richest government of recent years. But business sectors say the measures will affect employment levels (as several companies go under), consumer buying power (as prices increase). Overall, the increase in taxes is forcing a slow down of the economy.
Lawyers place case against former President
Lawyers Angel Moreta, Virgilio de Leon and Radhames Espaillat presented a case against former President Leonel Fernandez for his participation in the PEME case. The PEME social program served to make payoffs to unemployed persons who could be tempted to participate in strikes that affected the social peace. The program reportedly made disbursements of RD$1,400 million. Former President Fernandez is accused of association with criminals, fraud, forging public documents, coalition with government officers, theft and violation of the Penal Code. The case was presented to Judge Esther Agelan Casasnovas of the Juzgado de Instruccion de la Segunda Circunscripcion del Distrito Nacional. In their case, they say the President was aware of the bad management and deceitful use of state funds through the program.
President Mejia to attend Aristide inaugural
Dominican Ambassador to Haiti, Alberto Despradel confirmed President Mejia would attend the 7 February inaugural of President-elect Jean Bertrand Aristide. Opposition forces in Haiti and international sectors question the legitimacy of that election. President Mejia recently attended the inaugurals of the Governor of Puerto Rico and the President of Mexico.
Breast-feeding woman becomes a celebrity
El Listin Diario reports that 31-year old Faustina Mauricio Mercedes (Angelita o Ana Maria Mercedes), the native of Sabana de la Mar who saved her shipwrecked 16 fellow boat trip passengers, has become an international celebrity. Mercedes breastfed her fellow companions for 12 days at sea, saving them from dehydration. The group didn't make it to Puerto Rico, but all survived the trip thanks to her generosity. Her story has appeared in Hispanic media in the US (Telemundo, Univision) and has been carried by wire services such as AP, and by the BBC and Diario El Pais of Spain.
The director of the National Commission of Breastfeeding, Dr. Josefina García said that her department is organizing an event to honor Mercedes. She also said they are filling out the paperwork to get the feet into the Guiness Book of World Records.
Unicef has also recognized Mercedes.
Jose Lima stars in start of baseball finals
Houston Astros' Jose Lima pitched a great game yesterday, with a 6-0 win over the Aguilas Cibaeñas in the start of the finals of the 2000-2001 Winter Baseball Championship. The team that wins will represent the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Series starting in February.
The series continues today with a game in Santiago.
The games schedule is:
25 January. Cibao. 8 pm
26 January. Quisqueya. 8 pm
27 January. Cibao. 8 pm
28 January. Quisqueya. 4 pm
29 January. Cibao. 4 pm
30 January. Quisqueya. 8 pm
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.