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XII Iberoamerican Summit The first 6 presidents are expected to arrive today to Bavaro for the XII Iberoamerican Summit of Heads of State and Government that formally opens tomorrow at the Barcelo Bavaro Convention Center. All care has been taken to make this a pleasurable and safe stay for the visiting statesmen. Listin Diario reports that the medical center available to assist the 23 visiting statesmen is equipped with a blood bank with a supply of all blood types of the chiefs of government and state. Most of the statesmen will be staying at the Bavaro Palace Hotel opposite the convention center. Only President Alejandro Toledo of Peru will be absent. Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Relations Hugo Tolentino Dipp said that the summit will cost the country RD$50-million - RD$10-million less than the amount budgeted. He said the country would recover the investment in international press coverage that will be received during the 2-day meeting. The official photograph will depict the backdrop of Bavaro Beach. | |||
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US military to assist in Pepegate investigations El Caribe newspaper reports that General James T. Hill, head of the U.S. Southern Command, could visit today to take part in the so-called Pepegate credit card and airplane/helicopter misuse investigations. The military is expected to collaborate into the probe into the irregular use of the HI-772 British Aerospace turboprop airplane and N750 PG Colibri helicopter assigned to the presidential advance team. According to an El Caribe source, the Federal Investigation Bureau seeks to determine whether any of the trips made were to traffic weapons and US dollars to and from US territory. The US investigators consider the number of flights made highly suspicious, according to El Caribe. El Caribe reports that the deputy chief of the Southern Command, Major General Robert Bishop, and the chief of the Group of Military Assistance at the US Embassy have met with the upper echelons of the Dominican armed forces on the case. President Mejia met yesterday at his home with the Minister of the Armed Forces, Jose Miguel Soto Jimenez, chief of Police Major General Jaime Marte Martinez, chief of the Army Major General Carlos Luciano Diaz, and chief of the investigation bureau of the Armed Forces, General Jose Furcy Castellanos. According to El Dia newspaper, a commission of high ranking military from the United States that is already in the country, and headed by Major General Bishop, have met with lawyer Marino Vinicio Castillo and the Dominican military’s own highest ranking members. When El Caribe journalist asked Vice President Milagros Ortiz Bosch for a comment, she declined to address the issue by saying, “You are getting into very deep matters… if the US Ambassador Hertell has not spoken on the matter, then I cannot either.” Hoy newspaper reports that during his visit, Major James T. Hill will also visit the Haitian border. Rumbo news weekly magazine features the airplane and helicopter matter as their cover story this week. When asked about the helicopter and airplane during the press conference held yesterday to report on the potential case against the 4 individuals implicated in the Baninter credit card fraud aspect of the Pepegate scandal, District Attorney Maximo Aristy Caraballo said that the craft were confiscated to determine their ownership. “Everything else is speculation,” he said. | |||
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What’s with the helicopter? TV producer Cesar Medina, in his column in the Listin Diario today, asks for more information on the Colibri helicopter involved in the Pepegate affair. Despite the N750 PG’s implication in the scandal, its ownership remains unclear. The helicopter’s value is estimated at US$1.1-million and was confiscated along with the British Aerospace turboprop plane HI-772 and taken to the San Isidro Air Base. Both craft were reportedly for the exclusive use of the presidential advance team. The chief of the advance team was recently arrested to investigate the improprieties regarding the use of the airplane and helicopter and the fraudulent use of the credit card issued in the name of Pedro Julio Goico to cover presidential travel expenses. [CDN radio show reported this morning that three supplemental cards had been issued in the names of Goico family members.] Medina says that the helicopter was purchased 50 or 60 days ago but that the purposes for which it has been used since that time are unclear. Also unknown is the name of its owner, although he says there are rumors circulating that a down payment was paid with a check issued by a government officer. Medina says that the matter would not be newsworthy if it had not been part of the goods confiscated by the team investigating the Pepegate scandal. The authorities have not publicized details on the origin or use of the confiscated airplane or helicopter. | |||
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Spider Man or a vampire? Hoy newspaper page-2 columnist says that the security organizations of the United States, including the FBI, CIA and DEA, have expressed their concern over the break-in at the apartment of former President Leonel Fernandez. The only items taken were a desk clock and a laptop computer, which were both later found in the apartment of third-floor neighbor, lawyer Milton Messina. The newspaper attributes the feat of climbing the building to the fourth floor apartment to the visit of a US tourist - Spider Man. President Mejia, when asked by journalists, jested, “They climbed up the wall to a fifth floor - it was a vampire!” | |||
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Demolition of the Agua y Luz Diario Libre reports that the government is negotiating with a Spanish company the demolition of the legendary Agua y Luz (“water and lights”) open-air theater in order to build a convention center on the site. The Balaguer administration spent millions to renovate the theater, whose dancing waters rated with the likes of the shows of Barcelona. The structure was damaged during Hurricane Georges in 1998, and has been abandoned ever since. | |||
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The plight of producers Expo Herrera, the leading industrial and commercial trade exhibition held annually in Santo Domingo, opened yesterday at the Dominican Fiesta hotel. In his opening speech, the president of the Association of Industries of Herreras told of the major difficulties facing producers in the DR today. “It is sad to see how in past years important companies, even though capable of exporting, have had to abandon the country.” He continued by saying that if the authorities do not take measures to improve the country’s ability to compete, many more industries will go bankrupt. In his opinion, the opening of free trade with Central America has brought the disadvantages facing Dominican businesses out into the open, including very exorbitant interest rates, taxes and the highest power rates in the region. The event will be open from 13-17 November at the Dominican Fiesta hotel. This is the first indoor Expo Herrera, as traditionally it had been held at the Feria Ganadera. | |||
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Imperial Circus of China The Imperial Circus of China, considered China’s finest, is in town. The troupe continues the beautiful Chinese tradition of acrobatics and contortionism that has entertained Chinese audiences for more than 2000 years. The Chinese circus, unlike the western version, relies on the skills of the performer - not animals or tomfoolery. This makes for a more sophisticated artistic show, which has proved highly popular among western audiences over recent years. The circus opens in Santo Domingo this Friday, 15 November on the Malecon, at the corner of Socorro Sanchez and Malecon. Tuesday to Friday shows begin at 8 pm, Saturday at 5 and 8 pm, and Sunday at 3, 5 and 8 pm. http://imperialcircus.com/main.htm | |||
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Posthumous free dive tribute In a posthumous tribute to Frenchwoman Audrey Mestre, the International Association of Free Divers (IAFD) formally announced on 28 October the setting of a new free dive world record. The sport of free diving involves dives of great depth with the goal to remain beneath the water for as long a time as possible. On Wednesday, 9 October 2002 Mestre had become the deepest free diver in the world, after reaching 170 meters (557.7 feet), 2’55” while training in Dominican coastal waters. The performance was entered in the book of records of the International Association of Free Divers as the current world record in No Limits. Mestre is the freediver, male or female, who had reached the deepest mark in the world, as of 28 October 2002. Mestre, nevertheless, did not survive the dive. According to a report in Time Magazine, the pressure of the water could be compared to that which a football player would sustain if he had a fellow player on top of every centimeter of his body. Some speculate that the human limit has been reached. Worldwide some 20,000 freedivers practice the sport. Mestre had previously achieved two marks in training, 145 meters on 2 October and 166 meters on 4 October. Her fellow diver and husband, Pipin Ferreras, lamented her death. Commenting on the reasons behind her death, Ferreras stated, “The only people responsible for this are myself, for introducing Audrey to this sport, and Audrey, for deciding to practice it. We both knew the risks we faced in doing extreme dives.” DR1 News had reported earlier this year that Audrey Mestre had set a Tandem Mixed World Record with Pipin Ferreras on Saturday 20 April in Bayahibe, La Romana. She dove to a depth of 103 meters in 2:10 minutes. For more information, see http://www.iafdusa.com | |||
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A-Rod and Alou good news Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez was awarded the Rawling’s 2002 American League Gold Glove for fielding excellence yesterday. The San Francisco Giants also announced yesterday the hiring of Felipe Rojas Alou as the club’s new manager. Rojas Alou began his Major League playing career with the Giants and went on to post a 691-717 record in 10 seasons at the helm of the Expos. See http://www.mlb.com | |||
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