President Leonel Fernandez submitted three bills to the Senate on 7 October 2005, as reported during a press conference at the Presidential Palace by government spokesman Roberto Rodriguez Marchena yesterday. The bills modify the Budget Law, the Planning and Public Investment Law, and the Law for the Fostering of Tourist Development.
The Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) extended the deadline for the registration of "publicos" with green or yellow tops until 17 October 2005, after chaos broke out on the first day it was applied, causing hundreds of commuters to arrive late at their places of work and study, according to Listin Diario. However, the alternate day schedule for "publicos" is to continue and only public cars with yellow tops can work today, according to AMET spokesman, colonel Damian Arias. More than 250 "publico" drivers were arrested yesterday for not complying with the new measure. Their cars were impounded by AMET. Early yesterday morning there was widespread chaos at publico stops across the capital, when it soon became clear that there were not enough vehicles with green tops to fill the demand. This caused irritation for passengers wanting to get to work, universities or schools. The same thing happened after 5:00pm when buses were crowded with passengers trying to get back home.
El Caribe's online edition reports that public transport improved this (Tuesday) morning compared to yesterday when the application of the inter-daily system came into effect. Today, only yellow-top "publicos" are circulating and fewer passengers were observed to be waiting for transportation. Some are saying that there are more cars painted yellow than green. Also, Monday is usually the busiest day of the week.
Clave Digital reports that "publico" drivers are shortening their routes to take advantage of the excess of passengers.
The National District Court of Appeals Criminal Chamber has granted bail to former Technical Undersecretary of the Dominican Municipal League, Amaury Guzman, who is suspected of being the leader of the "mafia" that was issuing official documents to impostors using false documentation. Diario Libre reports that the amount to be paid by Guzman is RD$5 million. He will not be able to leave the National District nor the country, and must report to the Attorney General's department on the 10th and 20th of every month. Related to the case, a farmer from Jima Abajo, La Vega, was returned to the DR yesterday. He had traveled to Italy on an official passport passing as a council member. Felix Julian Estrella Mejia stated that he returned voluntarily.
The Central Electoral Board has ordered an investigation into complaints about an alleged "mafia" operating at the Civil Registry at Boca Chica, where marriage, divorce, and birth certificates are suspected of being sold to Dominicans and foreigners. The complaint was filed by the judges of the Municipal Board of Boca Chica, who requested the authorities to intervene.
Ramon Baez Figueroa, Marcos Baez Cocco, Luis Alvarez Renta and others involved in the Baninter case have been sent to a criminal court by the Qualification Chamber of the National District. The decision was not unanimous by judges Katia Miguelina Jimenez, Sergio Antonio Ortega and Esther Agelan Casasnovas. A report in Diario Libre states the previous sentence favoring Luis Alvarez Renta and Vivian Lubrano de Castillo was revoked and they were sent to a criminal court. They found serious, precise and concordant indications that compromise the criminal responsibility of the accused as established in Article 408 of the Criminal Code. The court's decision states that Baez Figueroa was the President of Baninter and Baez Cocco was Vice President of Operations, acting as second in command of the institution, sharing responsibilities on the strategic level with Lubrano de Castillo who was assistant to Baez Figueroa, and all were members of the bank's Board of Directors, and these would determine operational and management policies. Baez Figueroa and Baez Cocco are accused of asset laundering among other felonies. Vinicio Castillo Seman, one of Baez Figueroa's defense attorneys, said the case will be taken to the Supreme Court of Justice for a final decision.
Listin Diario reports that Castillo Seman indicated this has been a violation of the rule of law coming from a court that has been subject to a lot of pressure by the Attorney General's department as well as sectors of civil society and powerful economic groups interested in having Baez Figueroa convicted. Marcos Baez' defense attorney, Dr. Toney Delgado stated they would take the case to the Supreme Court of Justice as the sentence is a violation of Article 66 of the Monetary and Financial Law that orders the completion of the administrative procedure prior to the instruction of the criminal case.
Clave Digital reports that judge Sergio Antonio Ortega had the dissident vote on every charge. It also states that the court's decision cannot be appealed against, although the Supreme Court of Justice has previously received cases against the decisions of the Qualification Chamber when it believes that the fundamental rights of the accused have not been respected.
The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies classified the bill for promoting the development of renewable energy sources as a high priority yesterday, according to Listin Diario. This was announced by the presidents of the energy commissions of both chambers, Angel Dignocrates Perez and Rafael Librado Castillo. Legislators again announced the bill will go to public hearings next week and that there will be a seminar at the end of the month on this matter, to which they are inviting universities, institutes, international organizations, private and government businesses, as well as individuals, who may wish to express their considerations. They have classified the bill as a priority because the quality of life in the DR depends on renewable energy.
The government has begun work on the 2nd phase of the northwestern region multiple aqueduct, at a cost of more than US$90 million. The project will benefit approximately 800,000 families in Valverde, Mao, and the provinces of Santiago Rodriguez, Monte Cristi and Dajabon, as well as the municipality of Navarrete in Santiago Province. Listin Diario reports that President Fernandez was present at the groundbreaking ceremony, which was blessed by the Bishop of the Diocese of Mao-Monte Cristi, Msgr. Tomas Abreu Herrera. Provincial Governor Domingo Colon spoke during the 40-minute ceremony, as well as Brazilian Ambassador Ronaldo Dunlup; the mayor of Navarrete, Amantina Gomez, and the Executive Director of the National Tap Water Institute (INAPA), Victor Diaz Rua. The project is being built by Brazilian consortium Odebrech and its final phase will supply water to different communities in Valverde Province.
Dominicans arriving at the Luis Munoz Marin airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, are receiving "arrogant and patronizing" treatment from immigration inspectors, according to the Dominican Human Rights Committee and the Dominican Worker's Unity Movement, which picketed the immigration building at the San Patricio Plaza Shopping Center yesterday, according to El Caribe. Rafael Fernandez stated that the inspectors' behavior towards legal resident Dominican and other Latin American nationalities is arrogant, patronizing, and their manner is aggressive towards people who are fellow citizens. He claimed that the immigration officers treat them as "criminals or terrorists" and that they are creating a bad image of the United States from Puerto Rico.
An alleged thief died when he jumped over the fence of a building site on Tiradentes Avenue and Fantino Falco street. Diario Libre reports that the man had mugged a bank employee, striking her and taking her purse, and was being chased by a group of people when he ran off. When he found himself cornered, he jumped over the fence of the construction site and fell on three iron rods, dying almost instantly. The corpse remained on Tiradentes Avenue from noon until after 3:00pm, waiting for a forensic doctor.
The Council of Spanish Residents in the DR will be composed of five members presented by Feseredo, and two presented by "Espanoles del Mundo", as announced by the General Consulate of Spain yesterday. The election took place on Sunday. The council members are Ines Aizpun Vines, Mario Garcia Alvarez, Abelardo Iglesias, Juan Jose Leira Alvarez and Eduardo Garcia Domenech, all of Feseredo, and Eduardo Pahino Torres and Mario Jesus (Susi) Pola Zapico, of "Espanoles del Mundo". The Spanish Consulate also informed that Spaniards registered as residents may request their new passports in digital format.
Everything is in place for the start of filming of the cinema version of TV series "Miami Vice". Work begins Thursday on locations previously selected by the film's producers. A report in El Caribe indicates that Colin Farrel, Li Gong and Jamie Foxx will be starring in the film. Some of the locations are Cano Hondo in Sabana de la Mar, Avenida del Puerto, Sanchez street, San Pedro de Macoris, Mercado Nuevo on Duarte Avenue, Calle 42 in Capotillo, and the Colonial Zone. The casting of extras has been called for this week. The scenes shot in the DR are meant to take place in Havana, Cuba, and other countries such as Haiti. The film is due for release in 2006.
The Cultural Section of the United States Embassy is sponsoring an exhibition of photographs called "Personal Travels", by US artists Avana Vellissia Jackson and Marco Villalobos, at the Museo del Hombre Dominicano. The exhibit is part of the commemoration of the museum's foundation on 12 October 1973 and the meeting between cultures that took place in America after 1492. It celebrates the diversity of afro-hispanic culture in the United States, recognizing its important contribution to, and influence on, US culture. "Personal Travels" offers a glimpse that goes beyond music, dance, gastronomy, and sports, presenting political activism as an important cultural contribution of afro-hispanics to US culture. The exhibit is based on interviews with people of Mexican, Colombian, Cuban, Dominican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, Peruvian, and Puerto Rican origin.
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