President Leonel Fernandez will travel to Washington on 24 October and will meet with President George W. Bush the following day to analyze both countries' bilateral agenda, including trade, drug trafficking, security and terrorism. Presidential Press Director Rafael Nunez informed that the Dominican President's visit to Washington seeks to strengthen cooperation between the United States and the DR in issues of common interest such as security and energy, and to reiterate the commitment to foster free trade and economic growth. The DR-CAFTA agreement is also believed to be on the agenda, and Diario Libre is reporting that it is possible that the country's oft-postponed entry into the treaty will finally be announced. Fernandez will return on 26 October, after holding meetings with representatives of multi-lateral funding organizations, members of the Bush administration cabinet, and the Inter-American Dialogue.
The country experienced a tragic loss yesterday when a helicopter, a Robinson 44, crashed in Cabarete, Puerto Plata, killing all four men on board. The victims of the crash were Delio Gonzalez, a realtor who was promoting investments on the north coast, Butch Kerzner, the son of the owner of Atlantis Hotels in Bahamas, First Lieutenant Kevelier Matos, who was piloting the craft, and co-pilot Emilio Rosario Almonte.
A press release from Kerner International Holdings Limited in The Bahamas, reads that Howard "Butch" Kerzner, CEO of the company was in a helicopter accident while surveying potential development sites for the company in the Dominican Republic. He was on board with one additional passenger and two pilots, and there were no survivors. Sol Kerzner, Chairman and founder of the company and father of Butch Kerzner is en route to the Dominican Republic, after which he will immediately return to the company's headquarters in The Bahamas. Butch Kerner, 42, was appointed CEO in January 2004 and is survived by his wife and two young children.
The President of Helicopteros Dominicanos, SA (Helidosa), George Manuel Hazoury, asked to wait for the results of the technical investigations being carried out by the Civil Aviation Department to determine the cause of an accident of one of the company's helicopters, in which four people died. Hazoury told Clave Digital that people should not jump to conclusions and disagrees with reports that the helicopter had blown up in mid air, since according to him, the bodies showed no sign of burns. Helidosa has been flying helicopters for six years, with a fleet of 13, and Hazoury said that none of their helicopters had ever experienced any problems. Hazoury stated that representatives of the helicopter's insurers would be arriving in the country from London today for their investigation. He said that preliminary information from eyewitnesses indicates that there was bad weather while the helicopter was in flight and there was thunder at the time of the accident. Armed Forces Major General Juan Antonio Campusano Lopez is also reported to be investigating why military officials were making the trip with the private investors.
The beginning of the public consultations for the constitutional reform was postponed until next week to give those who want to take part more time to become familiar with the 77-item questionnaire that will serve as a basis for the discussions. The consultations were originally due to begin today, according to a report in Diario Libre, but were postponed during a meeting between the commission of lawyers that wrote up the questionnaire and the executive commission for the reform composed by Msgr. Agripino Nunez Collado, Marcos Villaman and Carlos Dore Cabral. The text of the 77-item questionnaire was published in the national press yesterday.
District Attorney Jose Manuel Hernandez Peguero reacted angrily yesterday against the ruling that acquitted 37 active and retired police officials accused of making private use of stolen vehicles that had been recovered by the Police. Clave Digital reports that Hernandez Peguero believes the ruling by Acting Judge of the National District Court of First Instance, Rosanna Isabel Vasquez Febrillet, is contradictory because it says that the acts were not a felony and in another part of her ruling she states that there was insufficient evidence. "If there was no crime, as stated by the Judge, then there was no need to assess the evidence", said the DA. He called the case to the attention of the President of the Supreme Court of Justice, Jorge Subero Isa, indicating that this sort of ruling is a mortal blow to the credibility of a branch of government that is to judge criminals who keep recovered property without the consent of its owners.
A press release by the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) expresses surprise at the ruling. FINJUS Executive vice president, Dr. Servio Tulio Castanos Guzman, recalled that in late 2004, the Dominican public reacted with disbelief to the news that the National Police was engaging in the illicit practice of keeping recovered stolen vehicles for the private use of its officials and their relatives. The argument in the ruling that states the use of stolen vehicles is not illicit; is amazing, states FINJUS. It calls on the Justice Branch and the Justice Department to clear up the circumstances that resulted in this ruling. National Business Council (CONEP) president Elena Viyella de Paliza said that it is incomprehensible that the judge could make that decision and that independent judges are needed who are willing to take on the responsibility that corresponds with the job, and who are willing to punish those responsible for wrongdoing, regardless of who it is.
Yesterday, Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso met with the General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mohamed El Baradei in Vienna, to inform him of the Dominican Republic's adhesion to the Application Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Tlatelolco Treaty for the Proscription of Nuclear Arms in Latin America and the Caribbean. Diario Libre reports that the minister delivered two diplomatic notes informing of the Dominican state's decision to reach an additional protocol to the agreement already in existence at the IAEA for the application of those treaties, and to accept modifications made by the agency.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that it is willing to extend the Stand-by agreement with the DR until April next year, if Congress asks for it. The process has thus far been slow, with 6th and 7th revisions expected for August, now expected for December. Central Bank president Hector Valdez Albizu, who according to Diario Libre has never been partial to external impositions on economic matters, is hoping that the agreement with the IMF is extended. The agreement came into effect in January 2005, and has a 28-month duration; meaning that it runs out in April 2007.
The European Union has announced that it will remove subsidies on products entering the Dominican Republic and Caricom markets in accordance with the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), but is warning that it will not concede more development aid than has already been agreed upon under the Cotonou Agreements. US$22 million has already been allocated to signatories of the agreement. This could lead to the possible exporting of sugar to Europe from the DR, according to Ben Nupnau, Economic Advisor to the European Commission. It could also lead to an increase in exports of bananas to Europe, and a strengthening of the milk sector, considering that 70% of powdered milk comes from European nations. Nupnau commented that removing of subsidies makes trade fairer. The EPA goes into affect in January 2008.
As reported in Hoy, Nupnau said that the European Union would not demand a trade agreement with the Dominican Republic that grants it the same benefits offered the United States with DR-CAFTA, although, it could resort to the Cotonou Agreement to do so. The economic advisor explained that it would be impossible and illogical to transfer the conditions established in an agreement such as DR-CAFTA to an agreement like the one to be derived from negotiations of the Economic Association Agreement between the EU and the Caribbean.
This year the DR will export US$80 million worth of bananas to Europe, according to Agriculture Secretary Salvador Jimenez. Jimenez said that the government would continue working to keep the DR's position as the third largest banana producer in the world. The European market has 550 million consumers, in 24 markets, which are willing to buy organically- grown bananas from the DR, according to El Caribe newspaper.
Banco Leon is the latest bank to announce increases in its reserves. Reports in the Caribe state that the bank grew by 16%, at the closing of the third trimester of 2006, with a net growth of RD$80.7 million. A press release from the bank states that its reserves total RD$23,836 million, up 16% from 2005, while productive reserves grew 30.8%. The reason for the growth is due to the payable portfolio for the total reserves from 3.9% in 2005 to 3.5% in 2006 and a decrease in sold real estate as part of the total reserves percentage from 2.9% in 2005 to 0.7% in 2006. Banco Leon also announced the opening of 14 new branches and the eventual introduction of Phone-Banking and Internet Banking.
The Savings and Loans Association has announced a plan for helping small and medium-sized businesses succeed. The plan will offer financial help in order for small businesses to make investments. Bank vice-president Dr. Freddy Perez made the announcement during the inauguration of the Dominican Confederation of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (Codopyme) Fair. Reyes reminded the public that during the last fair the bank helped 500 families obtain homes.
Diario Libre reports that Roberto Ramos, President of Latinvox, and an expert on the Latino market, is urging the Dominican Republic to make the most of the upcoming DR-CAFTA agreement by marketing its products to the Latino community in the United States, and then market products towards the Anglo-Saxon Americans. Ramos points out that there are 36 million Latinos living in the US, which is a perfect consumer market to go after. Ramos spoke via videoconference from Mexico, and specified that Latinos own more than two million businesses in the US and that Dominican companies should be making contacts with these businesses as DR-CAFTA approaches.
Just one day after the deadline for the purchase of the license renewal stickers, hundreds of vehicles were seized by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET) for moving around Greater Santo Domingo without the official "marbete". The impounded vehicles were taken to the former dog-racing track on Sol Poniente Avenue in the National District. Listin Diario is reporting that AMET impounded 1,123 vehicles in Santo Domingo, and 103 vehicles in Santiago.
Oddly enough, the lines at the express booths to get the "marbete" renewals were reduced yesterday because the General Direction for Internal Taxes announced that the booths would remain open until the 31st of this month. For those who get their car towed they will have to buy the "marbete", go to the transit court at AMET HQ, take the original car registration documents, and a card signed by AMET in order to get their car back. Some people never learn.
Former Public Works Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado insisted that he did not have any connections to the people involved in the Marbella corruption scandal in Spain, and stated that the publication of information to that effect only has the purpose of damaging his Presidential aspirations. Clave Digital reports that Vargas denied any connection of any sort in response to a report by Clave weekly newspaper "which has been following up on this type of imprecise, distorted news". Vargas Maldonado made this declaration during the Grupo Corripio Communications Media weekly luncheon.
Yesterday 570 convicts at Najayo prison graduated, receiving high school diplomas, English and technical certification. The graduates take part in the program in order to be better qualified once they return to the outside world. As well as English, prisoners can take classes in plumbing, refrigeration, electricity, accounting and basic education.
Dominican maestro Jose Antonio Molina continues to be one of the most sought-after musicians in the United States, having just created and directed the music for the opening show of the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. The show was produced by Emilio Estefan, who once again entrusted Molina with the musical creation for this production presented last week, as reported by Listin Diario. The activity included performances by Jose Carreras, Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz, Bernadette Peters, Albita, Andy Garcia, Cachao, Arturo Sandoval and Carlos Vives. The new cultural center in Miami is composed of two buildings, one is a ballet and opera house and the other is a symphonic music theater.
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