Vice President Rafael Alburquerque hosted a visit by 12 students from Japan who are in the DR as part of a cultural exchange program between the two nations. The delegation of youngsters visited the Presidential Palace with Youth Minister Manuel Crespo. The VP held a 40-minute conversation with the students who will be in the DR for 21 days, as reported by El Caribe. The Japanese students will tour the most important tourism sites in the country and major cities, learning about Dominican culture and history.
President Leonel Fernandez has appointed two new consuls in New York and Puerto Rico, and two new vice consuls in Port-au Prince and Miami. The President appointed Marcos Montilla to the post of consul in New York, replacing Francisco Fernandez. Franklyn Grullon becomes the Dominican consul in Puerto Rico. Ignacio Contreras replaces Miguel Mateo as Vice consul in Port-au Prince, and Camilo Bermudez was appointed Vice consul in Miami. Recently the Consulate in New York City raised prices for services.
According to economist Andre Dauhajre, the Santo Domingo Metro has spent its 2006 budget in just seven months, and the project is now seeking a RD$3 billion loan from the state-owned Banco de Reservas. As reported in Hoy newspaper, during the period, the governmental Office for the Reorganization of Transportation, (OPRET) in charge of the Metro project spent RD$ 1.65 billion, from a total 2006 budget of RD$1.74 billion. Dauhajre states that a possible loan would be given to the contractors, not the government, as that would violate a standing IMF agreement. He is doubtful the loan would be authorized, speculating the contractors wouldn't be able to back such a loan.
Dauhajre continues explaining that the metro would be the government's third monetary crisis, alongside the energy crisis and the quasi-fiscal deficit, and at a cost of RD$65-75 per person per ride, the metro would inevitably lead to more losses.
Dauhajre estimates that the first metro line, from Villa Mella to the Centro de los Heroes, will cost RD$20,000 million, double the initial projections for the line, and that OPRET president Diandino Pena recently admitted that it has not been possible to build a metro such as proposed for US$327 million in any country.
Yesterday's Listin Diario devoted its editorial column to the DR's electricity problem, which has affected the quality of life of two generations of Dominicans with no solution in sight. The editorial says that President Fernandez's solution is to make the theft of electricity a criminal act. It says that the conclusion reached at last weekend's workshop in Juan Dolio appeared to be that what has to be clarified is the process of buying and selling electricity.
The editorial points out, however, that the price per kilowatt, and the condition of the meters and unfulfilled aspects of the Electricity Law such as that which obliges the power suppliers to compensate with three hours of electricity for each hour of blackout should also be clarified.
It points out that when the CDE (Corporacion Dominicana de Electricidad) was privatized, the stated aim was that the government would stop having to subsidize the distribution of power by 2003. But almost a decade after privatization, the Listin Diario columnist writes that the problem is as serious as ever, and if anything, it is worse. "The cost of electricity is now more oppressive for consumers, the government's debt with electricity suppliers appears unpayable, the subsidy is growing uncontrollably, while the blackouts are as frequent and as long as ever. It is impossible to continue postponing and patching up the problem," concludes the editorial.
Several business organizations have expressed surprise that the government has not taken recommendations made by the British consulting firm Adam Smith into consideration when presenting its plan to resolve the power crisis. The Association of Industries (AIRD), the National Young Entrepreneurs Association (ANJE) and the Association of Industries of the North (AIREN) told Hoy that any solution should give priority to strengthening the Superintendence of Electricity, so that it can act independently of political or private interests, and adhere to the law in its decisions. The associations lamented the fact that this was not taken into account in the integrated plan presented by the Committee for Recovery, or in the preliminary conclusions of the workshop on the electricity sector held over the weekend in Juan Dolio.
Adam Smith consultants Ross Parker and John Health recommended that the government make a US$650 million investment over four years, a time span that they consider sufficient for the power distribution companies to double the number of paying clients, reduce power tariffs and cut electricity theft in half. They said that the investment would be much lower than the amount the government currently spends on power subsidies. As reported in Hoy, the consultants emphasized that the solution to the problem is to put an end to theft and the free supply of power. They explained that if collection rates were to improve, prices would come down.
The European Union will invest approximately 40 million euros for rural electricity projects in the DR and to help people who cannot pay their electricity bills as from 2007, according to a report in Diario Libre. The information was announced by Ambassador Dino Sinigallia, who said that the EU was getting involved in the electricity sector as a way of contributing towards poverty reduction. Sinigallia explained that the EU's aid program for the DR is worth EUR180 million. The diplomat was speaking during a visit to Chamber of Deputies President Julio Cesar Valentin. He was accompanied by EU officials in charge of economic and political affairs, Rodolfo Lazarishi Gener and Jonathan Pitts.
Two hundred and forty prosecutors will not be receiving their paychecks on the 25th of this month for failing to comply with the Presidential decree, issued on 17 August requiring all government officials to declare their assets. The 15-day grace period for submitting this information ended last Wednesday, according to a report in Diario Libre. This measure is being taken by the Attorney General's Department and was announced by Department of Prevention of Corruption (DEPRECO) Director Octavio Lister. The official said that the manner in which sanctions will be applied in other government departments depends on President Leonel Fernandez. He has sent the President a list of all the officials who complied with the requirement by 6 September, the deadline for filing the asset statement.
The PLD political commission, led by President Leonel Fernandez, met in the Presidential Palace last night, and reportedly discussed the composition of the new Central Electoral Board and the General Accounting Department. They also discussed Lidio Cadet's resignation from the political commission. The venue was considered unusual as they usually meet at the PLD Presidential Headquarters on Doctor Pineyro Street in Zona Universitaria. Diario Libre reported on the discreet arrival of commission members who do not have offices at the palace.
The new border patrol will begin its operations in January, according to the Armed Forces Minister Lieutenant General Ramon Aquino Garcia, as reported in Diario Libre. However, the recruitment of staff who will receive training for this mission has not yet begun. The border patrol will be in charge of the custody of the border with Haiti, and is being introduced in response to suggestions made by United States experts who analyzed the "porous" Dominican-Haitian border, the site of daily smuggling of drugs, commodities, arms and illegal aliens.
High and mid-level officials at the Central Electoral Board (JCE) are aspiring to seats on the board, according to a report in Diario Libre. Meanwhile, several of the judges have taken leaves of absence "to rest" as of today. At least 10 JCE employees have submitted their resumes to civil society organizations in the offices of National Dialogue Coordinator Msgr. Agripino Nunez Collado, and to political party delegates. According to the Electoral Law, to become JCE president, a board member or substitute judge, the requirements are to be Dominican, over 35 years of age, to be in full capacity in terms of civil and political rights, and hold an academic degree in law with a minimum 12 years of professional experience. Among those aspiring to become electoral judges are the director of political parties, the legal consultant, the secretary general, the director of the civil registry, several inspectors and the civil status officer of Villa Mella.
The Dominican overseas community grew by 17.5% between 2000 and 2005, representing an additional 257,364 individuals, according to estimates by the Quisqueya Foundation. Economists Frank Valenzuela and Hector Frias, president and executive director of the foundation, said that the number of Dominican emigrants had increased from 1,371,441 to 1,628,195 during that period, according to a report in El Caribe. The data was obtained from estimates by the US Census Bureau, the National Statistics Institute and the Spanish Interior Ministry, the Federal Statistical Office in Germany and the Statistical Office of the European Communities (EUROSTAT). Other sources included the Census Offices in Panama, Venezuela and Canada, as well as research by the World Migration Office that analyzes migratory trends in Latin America and the world.
At a press conference at Apec University, Dean Denis Simo expressed his concern about the decay in the Dominican educational system and acknowledged that it is obsolete and ineffective. Simo commented that the public, as well as the private school systems, have failed, which has led to a low quality of teachers, fewer class hours, and lack of incentives. Simo comments further, in Hoy newspaper, that regardless of the educational reforms and the investment of funds into the system, the Dominican Republic ranks 115th in the world for quality of education, and 111th in math education. He argues that it is not the amount of funds that is hurting educational reform, rather a fundamental problem in the educational system, which doesn't have an adequate plan for reform. The Dean stated that in order to provide quality education for Dominican citizens it is necessary to start from the bottom, and overhaul the educational system. Simo received support from Eduardo Varcarcel, president of the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs, who is quoted in Listin Diario as saying that the government should fulfill its commitment to education because it is not a matter of giving what you can, rather a matter of giving what is necessary
Marine biologist Ruben Torres is returning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in northeastern Tanzania, becoming the first Dominican to attempt the feat twice. Representing the Dominican Republic with pride, Torres is seeking to raise awareness about Alzheimer's, and calls on other Latin American nations to pay greater attention to the disease. Torres is confident about his trip, despite the fact that the mountain claims an average of ten lives a year.
Torres, who first climbed the 5,895-meter mountain in 2005 with five other Dominicans, leaves for Tanzania today, and will begin his trip on the 16th, and hopes to reach the peak on the 21st, which is World Alzheimer's Day.
The National Drug Control Department (DNCD) announced yesterday that they had arrested a woman, Francisca Antonia Torres and her brother Prudencio Torres, who had tried to enter the country with 11.5 kilos of illegal narcotics. The heroin, originating in Venezuela, was hidden in the soles of 15 pairs of tennis shoes in her luggage.
The DNCD also reported that they had arrested a Dominican woman, Altagracia Francisca de los Santos who also holds Dutch citizenship, who tried to travel to Spain with 2.38 kilos of cocaine in her suitcase. Both arrests were made at the Aeropuerto Internacional de las Americas.
Adding to the DNCD's recent drug clampdown, they also reported the seizure of cocaine, heroin and crack in Santo Domingo's Villa Maria and Villa Consuelo barrios.
Listin Diario reports that two Spaniards, Carlos Sanchez and Andres Leitor Martinez, who are involved in the multi-million euro scandal in Marbella, Spain, had leased the state-owned Cayacoa and Cayo Levantado hotels in Samana, but later passed on their operation rights to the Grupo Pinero, known for its Bahia Principe hotels. According to the director of Corphoteles Emely Cruz de Fernandez, Grupo Pinero acquired Sanchez and Leitor's shares in Greco Development a year and two months ago. The original contract was signed when Rafael Subervi Bonilla was Minister of Tourism, and Corphoteles was under Pedro Antonio Peralta during the Hipolito Mejia administration.
Dominican jazz pianist Michel Camilo and Spanish flamenco guitarist Tomatito bring their fresh-sounding musical hybrid of flamenco guitar and piano to Dminican audiences with a benefit presentation, Spain Again, this coming Friday, 29 September at the National Theater at 8:30 pm in Santo Domingo and Saturday, 30 September at 8 pm at the Centro Espanol in Santiago. Benefits will go to the Fundacion Saint Jude, Fundacion Oncoserv and the Michel Camilo music scholarship. Camilo grew up in the DR where he received his education as a classic pianist, prior to being known as a straight-ahead acoustic jazz pianist. He has lived in and around NY since 1979. He is known for incorporating a wide variety of distinctly Latin and Caribbean elements in his music. Tomatito lives in Spain, born into a family of gypsies and is recognized as one of that country's top flamenco guitarists. The duo received a Latin Grammy in 2000 for their first CD together, "Spain". This is the first time they will be playing together in the DR. Their relationship goes back to the 1980s when Camilo met Tomatito in Spain. Tickets are for sale at the National Theater for RD$1,000 and RD$750. For more on upcoming events, see http://www.dr1.com/calendar
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