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Daily News - 20 February 2001
President: no more wage increases
President Hipolito Mejia said yesterday that there will be no more wage increases for public employees this year. His administration this year authorized a 10% inflation adjustment on wages. Mejia said that the measures that are part of the government's social compensation plan have barely started to be implemented, and time is needed to feel their effects. The Dominican Association of Professors, that groups public school teachers, aspires to a 100% wage increase.
Chemical castration for violators of minors
Leonora Martinez, director of the Department of Family and Minors of the District Attorney's Office, favors the chemical castration of violators of minors. The castration would prevent a repeat of the action. She says that the increase in the number of cases seen by the judiciary more than an increase in number of violations reflects the fact that the society is more open to denounce these. She said that the high number of cases denounced in slum area barrios is an indication that the communities could be alternately empowered to act proactively and protect the children by preventing these cases. She said that family values need to be revised, and the law that protects minors made more severe in regards to penalties to violators. She also advocated for education programs regarding the way parents bring up their sons versus their daughters, and the attitude of adults in regards to teenagers and children.
Government recognizes outstanding university students
President Hipolito Mejia honored 50 outstanding university students yesterday at a ceremony at the National Palace. University students honored were from the following universities: Autonoma de Santo Domingo, Iberoamericana, Interamerica, Catolica de Santo Domingo, Pontificia Madre y Maestra, Pedro Henriquez Ureña, Central del Este, Accion Pro Educacion y Cultura, Tecnologica de Santiago, Organizacion & Metodos and the Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo.
Marijuana crop found in upscale neighborhood
The Listin Diario reports that the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) and the Puerto Plata Attorney Office (Fiscalia de Puerto Plata) closed down a small marijuana farm uncovered in the upscale Costambar residential community of Puerto Plata. Some 242 plants of marijuana planted in oil cans were found in the plantation located between three nurseries. The drug agents also confiscated seeds, equipment for the preparation of the drug for distribution. During the operation, Luis Henriquez Valera, a former Major League baseball player, and his wife were arrested. The drug agents are on the trail of a German citizen known as Peter Frank, according to the news report. The drug agents confiscated the house, valued at RD$4 million pesos, an all-terrain vehicle, and other articles.
New working hour schemes being debated
The Ministry of Labor is considering approving new working hour labor schemes for Dominican industries. The Ministry recently authorized the Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana to operate four days a week in 11-hour shifts (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), as a pilot program. Workers would get 3 days off (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). The president of the Dominican Association of Free Zones, Fernando Capellan has requested the new working hour scheme be authorized for Dominican free zones.
Customs tax workshop
The Dominican Association of Customs Agents is presenting the workshop: New Customs and Tax Structure in the DR. The workshop is sponsored by UNAPEC, a local university. The workshop will discuss Law 147-00, which incorporated changes to the law on the ITBIS tax and the Selective Tax on Consumption, Law 140-00 on tariffs, GATT valorizations, and the experience of Peru using new GATT valorizations.
The workshop is set for the Hotel Melia Santo Domingo on Friday, 23 February and Saturday, 24 February. To register, call 682-6971 and 692-7371.
Consensus for changes for social security bill
The Dominican Medical Association and the Executive Commission for the Reform of the Health Sector agreed on 18 modifications to the Social Security Bill. The bill passed a first Senate reading, and then met with strong opposition from the union of medics. The medics oppose the bill and have threatened to paralyze public hospitals if it would pass.
Negotiating for the government health sector reform commission were Jose Lois Malkun, Jesus Feris Iglesias, Bernardo Defillo, Elias Serulle, Jose Garcia Ramirez, Belgica Beato and Cesar Mella. Victor Diaz Alba and Julio Demorizi represented the Dominican Medical Association and Alma Bobadilla represented the Dominican Institute of Social Security in the negotiations.
The revised bill goes back to Congress for approval.
Who contaminated the lake?
The Environmental Commission of the state Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo concluded in a study of what contaminated the Presa de Hatillo artificial lake that Falconbridge, a ferronickel mining company, was responsible. The company denies the responsibility for the contamination that caused the death of thousands of fishes in the lake. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment says that it needs to await findings of a study being carried out by a laboratory in the United States.
Former Minister lashes against sports status quo
Former Minister of Sports Cristobal Marte accused Dominican sports leaders of being lazy, incapable, jealous, selfish and unorganized. Interviewed by Hoy newspaper, he said that the country has many sports leaders who can't even read and write. Marte is vice president of the International Volleyball Federation and is known as responsible for the development of women's volleyball in the DR. He said that the women's volleyball team will fight for the gold medal in the 2002 San Salvador Central American and Caribbean Games and for the bronze in the Santo Domingo 2003 Pan American Games. He said that in the country there is a sports structure that promotes an organized chaos so that a small group can profit. He said that the men and women that want to work in favor of sports are subject to great pressures and blackmail by this group of leaders that are capable of anything to make a buck. "I am not criticizing Cesar Cedeño, the present Minister of Sports, nor the previous, this is something that has years in the making," he said.
He said that he did not accept President Mejía's suggestion to be part of the organizing committee of the Pan American Games because when he visited the organizers and requested documents on the critical route, budget, organizers, none of this information was provided to him. He said that he felt he could make a greater contribution from outside of the organizing structure because if he were part he would demand that those on salary justify with their work their salaries.
Marte told Hoy newspaper that things have changed at the Organizing Committee with the naming of Raul Barrientos as executive vice president. Barrientos is in charge of the financial aspects, and Dr. Jose Joaquin Puello Herrera was entrusted with the preparing of the athletes.
Marte urged that the National Sports Games be revised so that they fulfill their objective of sports development in the provinces. He said that today, they serve more a political purpose than a sports purpose.
Furthermore, he said that it is true that former President Joaquin Balaguer is not in favor of building sports installations for the Pan American Games at the Mirador del Este Park. He said he was there when the project was presented to Balaguer.
Major regional cycling race starts today
The XXII Vuelta Independencia Nacional will take place 20-27 February. The International Cycling Union internationally allots the race (2.5 points) towards participation in the UCI World Amateur Championship.
The cycling race is broken down into nine stages in seven days that take competitors throughout the DR.
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, Spain, Italy, England and Germany and Singapore. The event is organized annually by the Dominican Cycling Federation. The competition starts Tuesday, 20 February with a closed circuit of 124 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.
The race is run in nine phases:
1) Av. Mirador del Sur (124 kilometers).
2) Santo Domingo-La Romana (116 kilometers).
3) La Romana-Higuey-La Romana (114 kilometers).
4) La Romana-Monte Plata (169 kilometers).
5) Santo Domingo-Bonao (80 kilometers).
6) Bonao-Jarabacoa (77 kilometers).
7) Jarabacoa-San Francisco (160 kilometers).
8) Santiago-Puerto Plata-Mao (147 kilometers)
9) Santiago-Santo Domingo (173 kilometers).
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