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Mejia to speak in Washington, D.C. President Hipolito Mejia will be the keynote speaker at the Thursday, 26 September luncheon part of Dominican Week events in Washington, D. C. The President will speak following the Business & Investment Seminar, “Economic Outlook of the Dominican Republic” at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. The event is part of the activities scheduled for the 20-28 September Dominican Week. In addition to the US Chamber of Commerce, the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America (AACCLA) and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic are also co-sponsoring the event.
Business seminar speakers include: |
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US migration posts could open here? Hoy newspaper reports that the government is holding talks with US officers on the establishing of US migration check points at Dominican airports. This would expedite travel of Dominicans abroad and reduce inconveniences to travelers. The measure would also mean savings for the airlines that are penalized for transporting clandestine passengers. Director of the Airport Department Carlos Gabriel Garcia and the Director of Migration Miguel Vasquez are exploring this option with the US authorities. If approved, US migration inspectors and supervisors would be stationed at Dominican airports for the pre-checking of passengers headed to the United States and Puerto Rico. |
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Recognizing an honest public servant President Hipolito Mejia visited public servant Jorge Martinez Lavandier, who lives at the Centro Geriatrico Cristina, a hospice located on the outskirts of Santo Domingo. He took Martinez a certificate that the aging long time public servant’s pension had been increased from RD$6,000 to RD$25,000. After being director of income tax and customs during Balaguer administrations, Martinez today lives in poverty. Throughout his career in government, he was always recognized for his honesty and straight forwardness. He is seen as the exception to public servants, more known to go from rags to riches in a few months on the job. Recently, the press highlighted his case as what happens to exemplary honest public servants. |
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President Mejia greets resolution for Haitian aid President Hipolito Mejia sees as great news for the Dominican Republic the Organization of American States’ decision to back the normalization of economic cooperation between the government of Haiti and the international financial institutions. President Mejia commented that the Dominican government has for years urged the international community, especially the United States, France and Canada, to become more active in favor of Haiti’s economic woes. He said he pressed the point in his meetings in Washington, D.C. with President George Bush, Secretary of State Collin Powell and Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. “I spoke with heart to them and the American people; I told them that the situation was explosive and that the burden for us (Dominicans) was too big,” he explained. “Countries like the United States, Canada and France are responsible for the Haitian situation,” said Mejia. He said that the OAS decision could mean things will start to change. Aid to Haiti has dwindled to a minimum as donating nations have sought to pressure for advances in democracy in Haiti. The Organization of American States now urges the resumption of blocked aid to advert a possible humanitarian disaster in Haiti. The worsening of economic conditions in Haiti increases the social burden in the Dominican Republic, as massive immigration of job and survival seeking Haitians cross the border. European countries and the US had frozen US$500 million in international aid, including US$150 million in low-interest loans from the Inter-American Development Bank. The resolution issued last Wednesday by the 34 member countries urges Haiti and its foreign donors to resolve the technical and financial obstacles so the aid can be resumed. |
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Record high in interest rates El Caribe newspaper reports that the bank interest rates are at their highest point since May 2001. Citing a Central Bank report, the newspaper mentions that as of 23 August the average lending rate was 27.77%, and the prime rate averaged 22.49%. While the high interest rates penalize most productive activities, in turn those with savings benefit from the increase in interest rates. Banks are now paying 17.23%-21% on savings. El Caribe explains that interest rates go up when the authorities restrict the money in circulation to prevent a slide of the exchange rate. The exchange rate seems to have stabilized at slightly under RD$19 to the US$1 after the government injected US$80 million of its international reserves. |
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No sacred cows for Mejia Speaking on the Once a Week TV show on Channel 4 on Sunday night, President Hipolito Mejia urged the Dominican people to trust him, that matters regarding the recent violent crimes would be resolved. He said that he would not play the game nor cover up for anyone and that there were no sacred cows in his government. “Neither the chief of the Police, the Secretary of the Armed Forces, nor the chiefs of the military, nobody can stop a case from being processed, even if it is a person of their favor,” said the President. “There are common criminals in illustrious families,” he said. President Mejia said a prophylaxis at both global and sectorial levels is necessary to remove the rotten apples and avocados from all the boxes. Recently headlines have focused on the arrest of present and former government officers and their relatives that have been involved in people and drug smuggling. |
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Can of worms The murder of Victor (Franklin) Feliz Mendez, son of a former Barahona senator, seems to have opened a can of worms with many more connections to drug dealing operations being revealed in the press every day. Diario Libre reports on the death of two civilians accused of his murder. Also accused in this case are four police officers that are under arrest. The police are also on the trail of 19 year old Priscila Diaz Infante, daughter of an employee of legendary drug dealer Rolando Florian. Diaz is said to have visited Florian frequently in the Monte Plata jail, where he is fulfilling a 20 year sentence for drug trafficking. The Police say that Diaz allowed that the murdered Feliz Mendez be kept at her Lope de Vega home in Santo Domingo and that a vehicle of hers was used to transport him. According to Diario Libre, at the time of the kidnapping, Feliz Mendez had 25 kilos of cocaine in his SUV that was “recovered” by his assailants. Feliz Mendez was said to be in debt to the Florian-related gang. |
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Power situation is biggest concern The August Penn, Schoen & Berland poll commissioned by El Caribe newspaper shows that Dominicans perceive the power situation as the nation’s most pressing problem. 33% of those polled identified the power problem as the most important concern, followed by unemployment (22%) and poverty (11%). In February of this year, the same poll showed that only 8% of the population mentioned it as the most important problem. Meanwhile, newspapers headlines over the weekend carry statements by Cesar Sanchez, general manager of the CDEEE, regarding a government decision to levy rate increases on those who pay for the service to compensate power distributors that have been unable to increase their collections. This is contrary to the whole spirit of privatization that had promised a decline in power rates due to the supposed increased efficiency of the private companies. |
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Travel recovers While La Romana/Bayahibe and Punta Cana continue to be vigorous travel destinations, overall travel to the Dominican is down this year compared to last year, reflecting the impact of world events on tourism. Occupancy in La Romana/Bayahibe was steady at 75% and Punta Cana posts a healthy 73%. But Playa Dorada, Sosua-Cabarete, Boca Chica-Juan Dolio show declines in travel. Overall travel declined 2.4% for the first eight months of the year compared to the same period last year. Occupancy in the country so far this year has averaged 69.7%, down from 71.4% last year. According to data from the National Hotel & Restaurant Association, as reported in Diario Libre, the worst months were January, February, April and May. There is a marked recovery in travel in August. |
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Expo USA The American Chamber of Commerce and the United States Embassy are hosting Expo USA 2002 at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel from 12-14 September. New to market US companies and US companies and brands already in the Dominican Republic will be exhibiting at the convention center of the city hotel. |
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Euro deposits at the Popular Banco Popular announces that it is now opening savings accounts in Euros. The bank becomes the first to announce the Euro accounts. |
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Felix Sanchez shares Jackpot Dominican world 400 meters hurdles champion Felix Sanchez will be buying a Mercedes Benz with revenues from his share of the 50 kilos of gold he won on Friday, 6 September in Berlin. The 2002 IAAF Golden League ended with Sanchez joining Marion Jones (US), Hicham El Guerrouj (Morocco), and Ana Guevara (Mexico) each with a share of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot. The athletes won seven of seven events. To collect their four-way split of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot all four winners must now compete in Paris on 14 September at the IAAF Grand Prix Final. For more on the event, see http://www.iaaf.org/ |
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