Changes introduced to the tax reform bill where it passed the first vote in the Chamber of Deputies last Wednesday were rejected by government that classified some of them as "unacceptable", especially the 1.5% anticipated tax on net sales, the measures that eliminate the exchange commission, and those that limit the Monetary Board's capacity, according to a report in Diario Libre. A documented presented last night by the economic team that discussed the reform bill warns that if the bill is passed on those terms, the Executive Branch would veto it and submit the 2006 Budget mantaining the current exchange commission. President Leonel Fernandez called a meeting for today at 11 am with Senate and Chamber of Deputies Presidents Andres Bautista and Alfreda Pacheco. The Chamber of Deputies has postponed the second vote on the tax reform bill until next Tuesday.
Listin Diario reports that Presidential Technical Secretary Temistocles Montas said the use of a budget that keeps the exchange commission would close the doors for the DR to enter the DR-CAFTA next January. The agreement requires the dismantling of the exchange commission. Montas spoke in the presence of Tax Department Director Juan Hernandez, and Customs Department Director Miguel Cocco. He praised Chamber of Deputies President Alfredo Pacheco's decision to postpone the second voting on the bill until next Tuesday.
El Caribe indicates that Pacheco has insisted the reform bill will be pondered adequately before approving it and that alternatives will be sought to avoid taxing basic foodstuffs.
During a meeting held yesterday in the Presidential Palace, the Executive Branch decided to allocate RD$37.42 billion to public investment in provinces around the country in 2006. Resources will be used in infrastructures, aqueducts, educational centers, sanitary facilities, street paving, sidewalks, sports and community centers. Diario Libre reports the meeting was attended by President Leonel Fernandez, Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, the Presidential Minister Danilo Medina, Interior and Police Minister Franklin Almeyda, Presidential Technical Secretary Temistocles Montas, as well as provincial governors and presidents of Provincial Development Councils. Some of the amounts assigned to provinces were: Samana RD$384 million; Salcedo RD$293 million; Sanchez Ramirez RD$508 million; Monsenor Nouel RD$488 million; La Vega RD$2.903 billion; Montecristi RD$700 million; National District RD$5.132 billion; Santo Domingo RD$2.0 billion; Duarte RD$1.,0 billion; El Seibo RD$356 million, and La Altagracia RD$1.8 billion.
Executive Branch Anti-Narcotics advisor Marino Vinicio (Vincho) Castillo reacted to US ambassador Hans Hertell's comments yesterday by saying the diplomat was permissive with drug trafficking during former President Hipolito Mejia's administration, as reported in Listin Diario. He stated drugs would enter the country during the past administration as if it were a public commercial or state operation. It would come in through airports and ports, because there were ministers in the Presidential Palace who were known to have close relations to people involved in drugs, according to Castillo. "Now we are working with transparency, Mr. Ambassador" said Castillo during the incineration of seized drugs that was done by the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) yesterday.
Superintendent of Electricity Francisco Mendez said Dominicans are paying for an expensive and very bad and precarious energy service, when referring to the high rates paid by consumers which he believes reflect the inefficiency of electric distributors and the structural flaws in the sector. According to Listin Diario, the official stated that electric distribution companies must do their work and cannot continue giving excuses. The strategy should be to increase the commercial treatment given to users, to catch users who steal the service, and penalize those who incur in fraud and other aspects that damage the service. Mendez said the distribution companies have not met the levels they forecast and that is why radical decisions have had to be made in their administrations. They have never received payments so regularly. To date this year the government has allocated US$400 million that have contributed to keep the service stable. He also reported the World Bank has approved a US$150 million loan which still has to be passed in Congress. Mid-morning yesterday, the electric deficit was 23% of the demand.
Surveys performed within the Dominican industrial sector indicate that the greatest negative impact on competitiveness is the electric problem, followed by the lack of expeditiousness in customs and port authority, the training of human resources, quality development, packing in the industrial processes and tax equality, according to a report in Listin Diario. DR Industry Association President Yandra Portela Vila said a national competitiveness pact is needed that should include the electric sector as the main topic to solve the problem. Portela Vila spoke during a meeting sponsored by Listin Diario as part of its 116th anniversary celebrations.
A man was arrested upon his arrival at Las Americas International Airport from Spain carrying an official passport who is presumed to be one of the false council members that obtained the documents irregularly. According to Diario Libre, Fernando Beltre, originally from Azua, used an official passport that says he is a council member of the Municipal City Hall of Tabara Abajo. He was detained by Migration officials. According to records, Beltre traveled to Spain last June and returned on 23 November, apparently without hearing about the commotion that broke out when the mafia that issued official passports to false council members was discovered. He was taken to the main building of the Migration Department, and will be indicted if found to be involved in the case.
Former president of Banco del Progreso, Pedro Castillo, traveled to Miami, Florida, last 19 November, at a time when auditors are looking into his administration at that bank. According to Listin Diario, Migration authorities confirmed there was no exit impediment against Castillo. Recently, the new president of the bank, Roberto Bonetti said that Castillo's removal from the bank's highest post as well as from Grupo Progreso did not respond to a "simple and pure substitution" but rather to the fact that the former president was adopting decisions that "had not been approved by the Board of Directors". He did not disclose what those decisions were that resulted in Castillo's expulsion from the group. Bonetti informed an audit is being performed by KPMG to obtain correct and well-processed information that would serve for future decision-making by the bank's executives. He stated that Castillo, who had served as president for three years, had resisted being audited and the adoption of measures to make the institution's operations transparent.
Drugs seized during the past two months, including 1,466.416 kilos of cocaine and 58.170 kilos of heroin among other narcotics, were incinerated yesterday by the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) at the Army Infantry Command headquarters on Duarte Highway, in the presence of Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito, prosecutor Perfecto Acosta, and Executive Branch Anti-Narcotics advisor Marino Vinicio (Vincho) Castillo. Listin Diario reports that Rear Admiral Ivan Pena Castillo assured that there would be no truce in the fight against drug trafficking.
The District Attorney's department will auction the helicopter seized from Quirino Ernesto Paulino Castillo, who was extradited to the US where he is facing drug trafficking and money laundering charges in the Southern District of New York City. He is accused in connection to the seizure of 1,387 kilos of cocaine in Santo Domingo 18 December 2004. Listin Diario reports the helicopter will be auctioned with an opening bid of US$1.8 million.
Lisbel Binet, a 22-year-old marketing student at Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo (UASD) bore quadruplets yesterday morning at the Hospital de la Mujer Dominicana. Listin Diario reports the babies-three girls and one boy-were premature but are stable in the health center's Intensive Care Unit. Two of the girls weighed 2.1 pounds, the other weighed 2.4 pounds and the boy weighed 1.9 points, totaling around 8 pounds. The quadruplets' father, Eduardo Canario, who is also a marketing student at UASD, asked for help from the government or from any person who may contribute to the infants' care. Dr. Jose Garrido Calderon, who was in charge of looking after the pregnancy and birth of the babies, explained that their stay in the hospital will depend on their development as they are high risk and require a lot of attention due to their low weight. Canario thanked God and the hospital's medical staff. However, he explained the babies will require costly medical treatment and he and his wife need financial assistance to cover expenses. Documents have been submitted to the Presidential Social Plan office as well as to the First Lady's office asking for help, but there has been no reply yet. Individuals wanting to contact the new parents of four may do so by calling 809-596-7560 or 809-441-7906.
El Caribe indicates the babies' condition is reserved for the next 48 hours according to Dr. Noemi Carmona, who is looking after them. Both parents are unemployed.
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization has included the Dominican Republic in its third proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity announced this week. Included is the cocolo dancing drama tradition of San Pedro de Macoris. The tradition is the heritage of the migration of West Indians to the Dominican Republic. See
http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=19326&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
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