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Daily News - 04 April 2001
President speaks up for a free press
President Mejia said in a letter to El Siglo newspaper on the occasion of its 12th anniversary that he favors a free press. President Mejia wrote to the newspaper: "an independent press plays a prime role in sustaining democracy, so it s important to have an honest and responsible press that serves as a democratic balance of as much or more importance than the political parties." The Mejia government has been under criticism by sectors that say the President and his cabinet officers are intolerant to criticism.
President says no to drugs
Speaking at the opening of the Annual Drug Enforcement Conference, President Hipolito Mejia warned that the budget cuts in the US coastguard service patrolling the waters between the DR and Puerto Rico make it necessary for the DR to acquire new equipment to continue the fight against drug trafficking in the area. He appealed to Donnie Marshall, director of the Drug Enforcement Agency of the United States, to expand its assistance to the DR for the training and purchase of equipment to combat drug trafficking. Mejia said that his government absolutely refuses to allow the use of Dominican territory for the re-export, local distribution or processing of illegal drugs.
Minister of Foreign Relations on Haitian dilemma
Minister of Foreign Relations Hugo Tolentino Dipp says the nation needsto study in depth the situation of thousands of Haitians that  are illegal residents in the DR, where they have raised their families. Thousands of Haitian women cross the border to give birth in public hospitals. While the children are born here, they are not granted Dominican citizenship. The dilemma of the citizenship of the Haitians has been debated for years. Most Haitians that cross over have no  legal identification documents whatsoever, and thus their life and  that of their children, pass in a kind of legal limbo. If the parents  were legal citizens, upon birth here their children would be granted Dominican citizenship. The Dominican Constitution does not grant citizenship to citizens "in transit." The Haitian Constitution says that the children of Haitians are Haitians regardless of where they  are born. But the new Haitian government says it will modify the  Haitian Constitution so that the Haitians born in the DR can aspire  to the Dominican nationality. The matter is complex. Several sectors  say that for humanitarian reasons, Dominican citizenship should be  granted to the Haitians that after many years in the DR maintain  little ties to their life back in Haiti. Others say that would  create increasing pressures in the DR, as thousands more impoverished  Haitians would come for family reunification or motivated by the  chance for a better livelihood. The Minister of Foreign Relations  accused Dominican businesses that violate the law by using Haitian  labor of being the main reason why there are 500,000 to 800,000  undocumented Haitians living in the DR. He said that in the long run,  those employers are causing damage to the country and the prospect  of truly harmonious Dominican-Haitian relations.
Governors meet to discuss power situation
Governors of 27 provinces met yesterday to find a solution to the electricity crisis that is causing social unrest in their provinces. The electricity distributors are subjecting large areas to long power outages, arguing they can no longer subsidize power supply to neighborhoods that do not pay for the service. The distributors say they provide an average of 18 hours a day for free because in the barrios, people generally accept the practice of not paying for electricity. In turn, consumers complain of unfairly high bills and delays in receiving bills, as well as the long blackouts. President  of the Senate Ramon Alburquerque said that the Senate Committee for  Energy Affairs which is studying the Electricity Bill is expected to  give the go ahead to its passage. Alburquerque says they realize that  the Electricity Bill is essential to reduce the dissatisfaction of the  people with the bad service. Congress has been studying the bill for  more than four years.
A disgusted National Library director resigns
Andres L. Mateo, a novelist, resigned from his post as director of  the National Library. His letter of resignation to Minister of Culture  Tony Raful is very critical of the present administration. He explains  that the latest humiliation he was subjected to was the cancellation of  2 employees of the library. "Those in power only hear what they want  to hear; they isolate themselves in flattery and identify only with the judgment of opportunists," he writes in his resignation letter.  "Once in power, we are no longer a project, and we have aged so rapidly  that no one remembers what was promised regarding culture during the campaign; there is no longer space for reflection and dialogue among ourselves. All is impositions and orders from above," he writes bitterly. He complained that the National Library no longer has its  own budget. And thus, it doesn't need a director, he says. "Why have  directors if the budgets have been taken away from the institutions,  personnel is being named by remote control and mass cancellations are  carried out without the directors being able to give their opinions,"  writes Mateo. "In this scheme, the directors are only there to watch  over a cadaver," he concludes.
New motorcycles and four wheel bikes for Tourism Police
Administrative Secretary of the Presidency, Pedro Franco Badma, and  the Minister of Tourism, Ramon Alfredo Bordas, formally delivered 30 DT motorcycles and 15 four-wheel bikes to the Tourism Police Department. Upon receiving the equipment that will be used to patrol tourism areas,  the director of the Tourism Police, Rear Admiral Hector Antonio Lizardo  Jorge, said that the tourism police force is operating under two mottoes,  "We are a Proactive Not Reactive Force" and "We Prevent so we don't  have to Lament".
Corruption denied at Customs
The director general of the Customs Department, Vicente Sanchez Baret, urged the Dominican Association of Customs Brokers to be responsible and give the full names of the persons involved in corruption at Customs. He denied that officers and employees of that department are involved in corrupt acts as claimed by the brokers. For details on  that accusation, see http://www.dr1.com/daily/news040201.shtml
GATT valuation system in place for July
The World Trade Commerce GATT valuation system will be operational starting 1 July of this year at all ports in the DR, said Luis Abreu, deputy technical director of the Customs Department. He said that  the new method will prevent 98% of the undervaluations of imports.
One arrested for suspect earnings
The Department for the Prevention of Corruption of the Mejia Administration announced the arrest of Jose Manuel Peqa, who is in charge of auctions and property recovery of Bienes Nacionales, the government department that controls state property. Peqa is being investigated for the more than RD$1 million in earnings deposited  in the bank following his appointment to the post. Peqa makes  RD$13,000 a month in his post. Peqa is the only person who has  been pointed to so far as the authorities investigate a multi-million peso scam regarding the sale of government properties for ridiculously low prices.
Controller opposes state paying 75% of new cars
Controller Federico Lalane Jose said he has written to President Hipolito Mejia to express his disagreement with a government program that pays for 75% of the cost of luxury vehicles, with the remaining 25% being financed by the Banco de Reservas and paid by the employees. Once the government and the employees have paid the installments, the vehicles belong to the employees. Lalane feels the purchases are detrimental to state finances. He said he favors annulling all  purchase contracts made under this plan. The press has reported that  the program has benefited employees at the ministries of sports,  agriculture and the National Lottery, but the procedure could well  have occurred in other ministries as well. The Listin Diario points  out that in the previous Leonel Fernandez administration the government  absorbed 40% of the cost of the vehicles.
Two more provinces?
The Chamber of Deputies passed the first reading for the establishment of two new provinces. One would be carved out of the National District (eastern Santo Domingo). The other would create the Provincia Ecologica del Cibao, with Constanza as its capital. These would be provinces 31 and 32. Last year, Congress created the San Jose de Ocoa province, carving it out of the province of Peravia.
Venezuelan buses: a solution or a problem in the making?
Hoy newspaper is running a red alert on the government decision to purchase 1,200 minibuses from the Venezuelan company, Carrocerias Andinas. The state would cover the US$50 million cost of the purchase. The vehicles would be distributed to urban transport unions which would sign finance agreements. In the past, some transport union members have not honored their financial commitments to the state. The Hoy newspaper editorial says that the Technical Secretary for the Presidency, Rafael Calderon, confirmed the project. Involved in the project are the City of Santo Domingo, the Metropolitan Transport  Authority (AMET) and the Metropolitan Office of Bus Services (OMSA).  The Banco de Reservas, the government bank, would provide the letter of credit to expedite the purchase of the Venezuelan buses.  Hoy newspaper is critical of the fact that a tender was not held to  choose the best option for public transport buses. It also criticizes  the lack of transparency regarding the financial terms of the deal.
Public teachers strike on hold
The Dominican Association of Professors, the union representing public school teachers, announced they will not go on strike this week.  The decision came after President Hipolito Mejia's office confirmed  the President would meet the union's directors on Friday at 1 pm at the National Palace. The teachers want a 100% pay increase.
Musicians say they need to be paid on time
Musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra wants to be paid in a more regular way. Francisco Ureqa Rib, who spoke for the 66 musicians,  said they are protesting because of the anxiety they suffer every month  due to the pay time irregularities. El Siglo newspaper explains that the situation began after the Presidency discontinued the subsidy it granted to the National Symphony Orchestra. The musicians say that the Ministry of Culture has told them that the organization does not have the resources to resolve the situation. Rafael Villalona, director general of Bellas Artes, where the musicians sat in protest, said that the situation is due to the transition process of transferring responsibility for musician payments from the Ministry of Education budget to the Ministry of Culture. 
Two Crowne Plaza hotels for the DR
Bass Hotels & Resorts announced it will open two Crowne Plaza hotels in the DR by 2003. The hotel chain is working with Coral Hotels & Resorts on the project. Crowne Plaza will operate a 22-floor hotel at the Malecon Center, presently under construction along George Washington Avenue, Santo Domingo's sea-front boulevard. This will be a US$16 million property with 200 rooms and suites, a casino, a business center, restaurants and gymnasium. The other hotel will go up in Santiago at a cost of US$14 million. It will be located between the Duarte Highway and the Avenida Rafael Vidal. It will have 208 rooms, meeting rooms, restaurants, gymnasium and casino.
Continental adds second summer flight to Newark
Continental has added a second flight from Santo Domingo to Newark  for summer travelers. Summer is the peak travel season for the  Dominican Republic. The flight starts 14 June and will continue  through 6 September. The schedule is also attractive for flight  connections. Flight CO729 departs Newark at 1:05 am arriving in  Santo Domingo at 4:49 am. The return flight, CO732 departs  Santo Domingo at 8:15 am arriving to Newark at 12:28 pm.  Fares range from around US$500 for travel from Monday to Thursday  with a maximum stay of 30 days. Seven days advance purchase is necessary.  With the new flight, Continental will have two regular scheduled flights  during the summer from Santo Domingo and one from Puerto Plata to  Newark, New Jersey.
Jochy starts his new radio show on Monday
Jochy Santos said he will be back on the air Monday, April 9 at 5 pm. The popular radio show producer says the program will be known as "El Mismo Golpe con Jochy". It will air from 5 to 8 pm at Zol 106.5 FM. "All is ready to start. We hope our fans will join us in this new phase in radio," he said. He announced that with the exception of Luisin  Jimenez and Raymundo Ortiz, the same team of "Botando el Golpe"  will join him for the new program.
Pablo Ross moves to Zol 106.5 FM
Pablo Ross, winner of this year's Radio Broadcaster of the Year Casandra Award, announced he will produce a 3pm to 5 pm program on Zol 106.5. His program will air right before Jochy Santos's "El Mismo  Golpe con Jochy" show. The move is expected to grab a big chunk of  listeners for the Banco Intercontinental radio station. Ross first  appeared on the Teo Veras (91.1 FM) morning talk show, moving up to  Cadena de Noticias (92.5 FM) where he produced the very popular  "Hablando en la Cadena" show where he moderated comments by listeners  calling in with their opinions on various topics. Ross said he left  there because the new salary offered was good and he was promised the  opportunity to develop other radio projects he has in mind.  Cadena de Noticias, owned by the Banco Popular, Baninter's leading  competition, announced that the "Hablando en la Cadena" slot would be  filled by Jesus Nova, who has already produced two programs for the  station.
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