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

Daily News - 14 March 2001
More National Park lands for hotel development
The Senate has under study a recently submitted bill that would exclude eight million square meters from the Parque Nacional Cabo Cabrón, a national park located in Samana, on the northeastern coastline, as per Hoy newspaper today. Hotel construction is banned by Environmental Law 64-00 law within national park areas. President Mejia passed this law two days after taking office. The new bill seeks to override this.
This would be the fourth park that the Mejia administration seeks to mutilate. The other three are the National Park of the East, the Jaragua National Park (Southwest) and the Mirador del Este Park (for building Pan American Games sports venues).
The use of land within the national parks for hotel development has met with widespread opposition from the press, environmental groups, and even the National Hotel & Restaurant Association. Francisco Jimenez Reyes, spokesman for the environment group of the Senate has opened the floor to discussions.
Mirador del Este Park to be used to build sports venues
Despite the opposition for former President Joaquin Balaguer and several environmental and city groups, President Hipolito Mejia okayed the use of the Mirador del Este Park in Santo Domingo for the construction of sports venues. The city government of Santo Domingo had suggested the use of other lands also located in the eastern side of the city, but the Organizing Committee insists on using the Mirador del Este Park area as this was part of the proposal to the regional sports organization. Any change of plans could result in the country losing the right to host the Games.
Jose Joaquin Puello, president of the Pan American Games Organizing Committee said that President Mejia has recommended respecting the ecology of the park that is one of the principal green areas of the eastern side of the city. The Columbus Lighthouse is part of the Mirador del Este Park.
Puello said that several of the works will go up at the park as planned. He said some may be built elsewhere. He did not mention which would not be built there, but press reports have mentioned the gymnastics pavilion could be built adjacent to the Quisqueya Ballpark, instead of at the Mirador del Este Park.
He also announced that President Mejia authorized the disbursement of RD$22.5 million a month for the construction of sports venues necessary for the Games, as reported in El Siglo. The first disbursement is due this March.
Puello met yesterday with President Mejia at the National Palace. He said that the first tender to choose the builders of sports installations will be for the Mirador del Este Park venues. He said that another tender will take place in Venezuela for the remodeling of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center. This will take place in Venezuela as is required by the Venezuelan loan that will finance the construction.
The Minister of Sports Cesar Cedeño, Minister of Public Works Miguel Vargas, and the liaison between the Executive Branch and the Organizing Committee, Carlos Cochon were present at the meeting.
Fishing banned at Rincon Dam
Authorities banned fishing at Rincon Dam after hundreds of trout appeared dead floating on the surface waters of the dam. The situation affects several families that live off fishing. The same situation occurred recently at Hatillo Dam in Cotuí. Other species are not affected. The Ministry of Environment is investigating the matter.
President of Chile to visit on 23 April
President Ricardo Lagos is expected in Santo Domingo on 23 April. President Lagos will visit the DR on his way back to Chile after attending the Summit of the Americas scheduled for Quebec City, Canada 20-22 April. President Lagos will make the stopover to be present at a symbolic opening of the International Book Fair on 23 April. This year the book fair is dedicated to Chile. Chile will have a special pavilion and 40 publishing houses are coming from Chile for the event.
Minister of Culture Raful explained artistic events are planned for the symbolic opening. The formal opening will take place on 26 April as originally planned.
Navy rescues 17 tourists at sea
The Navy rescued 17 Hungarian tourists when their small boat overturned while they were on a whale-watching trip two miles off the coast of Samana. Rear Admiral Luis Alberto Humeau Hidalgo, chief of the Navy, said that because the boat was not overloaded and the tourists heeded the requirement of using their life jackets while onboard, no one was injured. The tourists were rescued at sea. The boat overturned because of the turbulent sea.
Executive Branch now pursues modifying the Constitution
El Caribe newspaper reports that now that the PRD legislators have put aside their bill to reform the Constitution, an Executive Branch department of the government is at it. The Consejo Nacional de la Reforma (Conare), a government department created to foster reform in government, presented a draft with a complete reform of the Constitution. The proposed Constitution has 163 articles divided in twelve chapters. Conare spokesman said that 80 civic society institutions participated in the drafting of the new proposal.
President Mejia, when asked about the draft, said, "What I know is that there is no rush, it has to be subject to discussion by the active sectors of the nation, a permanent dialogue and that nothing be rushed."
Hoy newspaper in its editorial today criticizes that resources are used and unnecessary tensions created with the presentation of the draft. "The PRD legislators could do an important service to this government fighting poverty in their respective communities, instead of distracting time on the modification of the Constitution, a modification that can wait, as there in no manner is there anything urgent about it," states the daily newspaper.
Fires blaze in the forests
The Ministry of Environment reports that three major forest fires still are blazing. A fourth was controlled early this week in the Cordillera Central due to the weekend effort of hundreds of volunteers from forestry schools, Civil Defense, and specialized brigades. The fires are primarily caused by the combination of the drought and strong winds that is normal this time of the year. The Ministry also urges that those on hikes up the mountains be sure to put out their bonfires, and take care with putting out flame-causing items such as cigarette butts. According to a report in El Siglo, forests cover 27% of the nation. There is an estimated 13,266.06 square kilometers of forests in the DR.
How big will Sergio's afro get?
Sergio Vargas, the popular merengue bandleader's afro is growing. Sergio, a native of Villa Altagracia, a town north of Santo Domingo, has said he will not cut his hair until the government repairs the streets of his hometown and resolves the potable water problem. El Siglo newspaper publishes today a front-page photo showing Vargas' already abundant curly hair.
Former Vice President urges vote against the losers
Former Vice President Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal openly spoke up in support of the candidacy of Alejandrina German for secretary general of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). He warned that Reynaldo Pared Perez, who received 48% of the vote, responds to the interests of a particular group within the organization. In a speech he said that the unity of the party should not be the result of arrangements made under the table.
Fernandez said that the group that is trying to sell the idea that it controls the PLD is the same that led the party to defeats in the congressional election of 1998 and the presidential election of 2000. He spoke about former secretary of the Presidency, Danilo Medina, who was the party's presidential candidate in 2000.
Despite millionaire promotional support and marketing, Medina proved in the 2000 presidential race to lack the charisma necessary to win the presidency. But he continues to show his strength within the party.
Present secretary general, Jose Tomas Perez, who came in third place in the vote, announced his support to the candidacy of Reynaldo Pared Perez in the second round vote that will be held on Thursday, 16 March. This announcement gives Pared Perez an almost certain victory.
Fernandez said that the agreement whereby Jose Tomas Perez gives his support to Pared Perez could only be the result of a promised seat in the Political Committee or a congressional seat.
News reports indicate that the party is divided into two groups: those that support Jaime David Fernandez and those that support Danilo Medina.
The party's expected next presidential candidate, former President Leonel Fernandez has kept himself removed from the internal party debates.
In the Sunday, 11 March round to choose the party secretary general, Reynaldo Pared Perez received 48.22% (7,402 votes), Alejandrina German 32.18% (11,089) and Jose Tomas Perez 19.6% (4,508).
New president of Free Zone Association
Jose Clase was chosen the new president of the board of the Dominican Association of Free Zones for 2001-2003, reports Jose Manuel Torres, executive director of Adozona. Fellow board members recently elected are Angel Rosario Viñas, Fernando Ceballos, Raymundo Hache, Jesus Martin Rivas, Roberto Lesli, Fabio Jorge, Pedro Manuel Garcia, Tulio Marti, Walter Castro and Luis Guillermo Angarita.
Easter Week fare sale
Air Santo Domingo, the domestic air carrier, is advertising an Easter Week sale. It is selling Puerto Plata-Punta Cana-Puerto Plata for RD$1,800 round trip; Herrera-Punta Cana-Herrera for RD$1,500 roundtrip; Herrera-Punta Cana-Puerto Plata-Puerto Plata-Punta Cana-Herrera for RD$1,400 and Herrera-Portillo-Herrera for RD$1,300. This offer is valid from 1 to 15 April, and taxes are not included in the quoted fares. To book contact your travel agent or asd@codetel.net.do
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.