DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic
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The arrival of a third military aircraft from the United States continues to stir interest in following actions the United States may be taking to step up its overt involvement in Haiti. Officially, these aircraft are bringing agents that will be preparing the way for the United Nations’ effort that is scheduled to begin in about two weeks with the arrival of the police troops from Kenya.
Under-Secretary of State Todd Robinson told the Miami Herald that the arrival of the US contingent was the forerunner of the official mission from the UN. No further details have been forthcoming.
It was also revealed that the United States Defense Department has set aside US$190 million to finance the equipment and support of the UN mission.
It was reported that entire families have abandoned their homes in the barrios of Port-au-Prince to head to safer spaces.
The United...
The Greenberg poll on the presidential election in the Dominican Republic on 19 May 2024 reveals that President Luis Abinader, running for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) will comfortably win the election. Greenberg reports of those polled 58% will vote for Abinader. Former three-term President Leonel Fernandez of the People’s Force (Fuerza del Pueblo) trails well behind with 25%. Greenberg says 13% of the eligible voters polled say they will vote for the former mayor of Santiago, Abel Martínez, who is running for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).
The poll says Abinader now has a 74% approval rate of eligible voters.
The previous Greenberg poll in November 2023 had shown Abinader leading with 49% of the vote. In the Dominican Republic, to win in a first round of the election, 50%+ 1 of the vote is needed.
Read more in Spanish...
Former three-term President Leonel Fernandez offers his experience in government and his privileged intellect to the population again. He wants to do better and resolve key problems left pending from his being President from 1996-2000, 2004-2008 and 2008-2012.
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With but two weeks to go for the Presidential and Congressional election on 19 May 2024, the Fuerza del Pueblo political party seems to not have been able to get its act together and comply with legal statutes for registering candidates.
One of the affected by recent decisions of the Fuerza del Pueblo leadership, Andy Morales says he has not resigned his candidacy for deputy for the FP in the National District. The FP had announced the candidates would be chosen by poll, and Morales won the poll. Subsequently, the FP leadership, namely party president and former three-time President Leonel Fernandez, chose to register a different candidacy, that of Rafael Paz.
Paz is a former executive vice president of the National Business Council.
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has sided with the TSE that had ruled against the registration of the candidacies of Rafael Paz and Selinee Mendez...
83-year old former President Hipólito Mejía reported suffering a fall that caused a fracture in his right forearm. The information was posted in his X and Instagram accounts with a photo where he is with members of his family, including his daughter, National District Mayor Carolina Mejía.
“I feel fine, thank God. I had a fall and it caused a non-displaced fracture in my right forearm. As you can see, I’m fine and whole! I wish you all a happy Sunday with family. Blessings,” was the message published on the social networks.
Mejía was President of the Republic from 2000 to 2004.
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General Juan José Otañez Jimenez / Acento
In just two weeks, on 19 May 2024, millions of Dominicans will diligently go to the polls to elect their President for the next four years.
As is typical in this type of event, passions are high. The JCE seeks to prevent any clashes that could disrupt the public peace at the voting stations. As a result of this, Major General Juan Jose Otaño Jimenez, commander of the Electoral Military Police, will head some 56,000 members of the Dominican military and the National Police charged with maintaining domestic tranquility on election day, Sunday, 19 May 2024. There are some 16, 857 polling units spread out in 4,298 election locations in the entire nation, thus their work is cut out for them.
The main mission of the Election Military Police is to protect the election machinery, equipment, personnel and the ballots. The force is also...
Vice President Raquel Peña and Industry & Commerce Minister Victor (Ito) Bisono attended the opening of the International Chamber of Commerce in Santo Domingo Centre of Entrepreneurship. The center is a joint effort of the ICC and the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santo Domingo (CCPSD).
The Vice President and Industry Minister were present for the center inaugural speeches by ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO, CCPSD Second Vice-President of the Board of Directors Anyerlene Bergés and CCPSD Executive Vice-President Antonio Ramos.
The new ICC Centre of Entrepreneurship in the Dominican Republic seeks to promote the participation of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in international trade.
This is ICC’s 15th entrepreneurship center opened since the first was launched in Istanbul, Turkey in 2020.
“We are excited to announce...
The Central Bank reported on Sunday that the Consumer Price Index for April was -0.10%. Interannual inflation now stands at 3.03%.
The Central Bank reports that the index was impacted significantly by the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages group, that posted a variation of 0.72% in April.
The reported interannual inflation rate is the lowest in the past 46 months or since June 2020. It is now at the lower limit of the target range for the year of 4.0% ± 1.0% established in the Central Bank monetary program for 2024.
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The Ministry of Education announced on Thursday, 2 May 2024 an overall 8% wage increase for public school teachers and those retired, but this was not enough for the teachers’ union (Asociación Dominicana de Profesores – ADP). The teachers’ union continues to rally its members to strike in protest. The union is asking for at least a 20% increase.
Public school teachers are among the best paid school teachers in the Dominican Republic, to the point the once burgeoning private school system has not been able to compete and thousands of teachers have resigned to join the public school system.
Local media report that not all public school teachers nationwide are backing the strike. Many have said the labor demands should not affect classes.
When making the announcement of the 8%, Education Minister Ángel Hernández recalled that only two years ago the...
At a time when gushing wealth from oil is coming to Guyana, government authorities in the Dominican Republic keep their hopes up that there could be commercially-exploitable oil off Dominican shores, too.
The Dominican Oil Refinery (Refidom) and the National Pedro Henriquez Ureña University (UNPHU) have released the second report on their findings of an exhaustive geological study of possible hydrocarbon-bearing areas of the Dominican Republic. The most recent release is titled: “Geochemical modeling of the Enriquillo, Azua, San Juan, and Cibao basins” and was presented at the UNPHU campus in Santo Domingo.
Refidom general manager, Yamily Lopez, told reporters that these studies are very important for the development of the country as well as for the refinery. According to this spokesperson, the results of the study will be made available to potential investors, both...
After media pressure, the echelons at the Ministry of Environment have taken actions to assuage concerns and put a stop to violations to the Environment Law 64-00 and Protected Areas Sectoral Law 202-04, much criticized in the media.
The Ministry of the Environment arrested hundreds of persons, mostly from Haiti, who were scratching out a living in the Los Haitises protected area, a national park. Dozens and dozens of small, subsistence plots of basic foods such as yucca, corn, and squash were also razed.
While this might seem cruel, the reality is that the area commonly called Los Haitises is a critical natural resource and eco-system. It is the source of hundreds of rivers and streams that provide water to nearly half of the population of the Dominican Republic. It must be preserved. Several Dominicans were also arrested and...
The people in the Dominican Republic drink a lot of soda drinks, flavored water and fruit juices. Soft drinks cost little and distribution is excellent nationwide.
The soft drinks industry is now lobbying to keep its tax benefits. Health sectors consider the sugary drinks should be taxed as these drinks are damaging to health. Most consumers are unaware of the negative effects the sugary drinks have on health.
The soft drink and juices industry reveals that and all together this non-alcoholic beverage sector produces a whopping RD$15.6 billion for the National Treasury (Hacienda). The sector also provides jobs for over 60,000 persons.
A recent study sponsored by the Association for Non-Alcoholic Beverages of the Dominican Republic and carried out by Despradel and Associates (DESA) looked at data from the Central Bank and...
Just about 60 years ago, a young Mary Perez de Marranzini, whose son Celso suffered from polio in his youth, realized that there was no place in the Dominican Republic where persons with physical disabilities could receive assistance. She was determined to change all of that, and, as a result, the was the Dominican Rehabilitation Association was founded in Santo Domingo.
The organization, now known simply as Rehabilitacion, has provided for more than 22 million services since its inception, and treated an estimated more than 10% of the Dominican population that has suffered some type of injury or illness that has resulted in a disability or an impairment of physical movement. Just last year the agency provided over 1.5 million services, many of which were free.
Celso Marranzini Perez, the current president of the Board of Directors, noted that there...
The Center for Emergency Operations (COE) has placed over more than half of the Dominican Republic under some kind of alert. From Punta Cana to Montecristi, and all along the North Coast, there are both Yellow and Green alerts due to the rains that keep falling, Diario Libre reports.
Communities in the province of Puerto Plata, on the north coast, made headlines for flooding after weeks of rains saturated the soils.
Although not in the news, the nation’s second-largest city Santiago de los Caballeros is suffering from a serious water shortage due to the muddy water in the Yaque River.
The new weather front currently passing over the country is expected to cause rains into today, Monday, and possibly into this week.
Only the Southwest, known as the Deep South, traditionally dry areas and southcentral San Cristobal, Peravia and Azua, have escaped these latest heavy...
24-year old professional model Celinee Santos won the right to represent the Dominican Republic in the Miss Universe contest during the contest held on 5 May 2024. She was chosen from 18 participants during the event televised from the Sambil Convention Center in Santo Domingo.
Santos will represent the Dominican Republic in the Miss Universe pageant that this year is scheduled for Mexico on 28 September 2024, under new more relaxed rules.
Santos won the crown on her second intent in the pageant. She had competed in the contest in 2023. She represented the DR in the Miss International 2022 in Tokyo, Japan coming in as the fourth finalist.
Santos was 15 years old when she won a first beauty contest and was crowned Reina de Santa Ana in San Francisco de Macorís on a vacation trip to that northeastern city. She was born and raised in Santo Domingo.
Santos...
The Dominican national basketball team is ranked 19th in the world and is one of six teams that will seek to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games during the summer of 2024.
The DR got a last chance when the team finished in 14th place at the World Cup. That qualified the team for the OQTs as one of the best 16 remaining teams that did not advance directly to the Summer Olympics.
The Dominican Republic team has never made it to the Summer Olympics. FIBA Basketball is following the team’s participation over the years. The news release says that the Dominican team has participated twice in an OQT. The DR was just one victory from making their Olympic debut in 2012 when the team beat North Macedonia in the Quarter-Finals in Venezuela but then lost to Lithuania 109-83 in the Semi-Finals. The Dominicans had one more chance but lost to Nigeria 88-73 in the Third Place Game to decide the final...
40 global track stars were in The Bahamas for the Paris Olympic relays qualifier during the World Athletics Relays at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau on Saturday, 4 May and Sunday 5 May 2024. The DR qualified to participate in the 4 x 400m mixed relay, the same competition in which the country won the silver medal in the 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympic Games. Marileidy Pauino, Anabel Medina and Alexander Ogando were on the Tokyo winning team and repeated in The Bahamas competition.
The DR qualified with a 4 x 400 m Season Best of 3:14.39. Yeral Núñez joined relay members Marileidy Paulino, Alexander Ogando and Anabel Medina Ventura in The Bahamas.
The US team won the race with 3:11.52 – Ryan Willie, Matthew Boling, Kendal Ellis and Lynna Irby-Jackson.
The Olympics website explains the qualification is not final and depends on the...
Gloria Ceballos, director of the National Weather Office (Onamet) says the rains will continue throughout May. The concerns are that April was also a month of prolonged rains and this means the soils are saturated bringing concerns for mudslides and floods. Indeed, the authorities ordered the reducing of the level of the waters of the Tavera Dam as a preventive measure. The intense rains have increased the level of the hydroelectric dams in the country.
Minister of Industry & Commerce Victor (Ito) Bisono was in Washington, D.C. for meetings with US Department of State and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officials to continue to foster US investments in nearshoring and the semiconductor industry.
Bisonó led a mission with Johannes Kelner, Deputy Minister for Free Trade Zones and Special Regimes and experienced businessmen Samuel Conde and Manuel Enrique (Ike) Tavares.
At the US Department of State they met with José W. Fernández, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Energy & Business Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Finance and Development, director of Private Sector Engagement-Economic Bureau and representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
A press release from the Ministry of Industry & Commerce says that the trip is part of efforts to...
The Constitutional Court is reviewing claims that the National Intelligence Law violates the Constitution in the attributions granted to the new National Intelligency Agency (DNI).
The presiding judge of the Constitutional Court (TC) Napoleón R. Estévez Lavandier confirmed the high court has received seven files with complaints regarding the recently enacted National Intelligence Agency Law 1-24 violates the Constitution. The plenary of the TC met on 26 April 2024 to review the law.
The law was enacted on 15 January 2024, but for it to be implemented a ruling needs to be passed.
The National Society of Dailies is participating in a committee to review the law that is also said to violate freedom of speech and affect news organizations and journalists.
The presidential candidate for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Abel Martinez extensively presented his views and proposals during the televised interview for the Corripio Media Group. Leading polls say Martinez has around 10% of the intention to vote. The PLD was the ruling party from 1996-2000, and then from 2004-2020.
During the PLD presidencies of Leonel Fernandez and Danilo Medina, he served several terms as president of the Chamber of Deputies and mayor of Santiago, the country’s second-largest city.
Martinez is now running for office with former Minister of the Presidency Zoraima Cuello as his vice presidential candidate.
Three-term President Leonel Fernandez, who also served under PLD governments, will be the next to present his proposals during the Corripio Group series.
Read more in...
Listin Diario has shared the proposals made by those running for congressional positions in northern Puerto Plata province and Dajabon province on the border with Haiti in the 19 May 2024 election. The views and proposals are a snapshot of much of what needs to be done in the province.
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Traffic management has not been a strong point of governments in the Dominican Republic. Significant relief was garnered with the construction of the metro and skylift in Santo Domingo. The Abinader government has continued mass transport investments and Santiago has its skylift and a monorail is under construction.
But traffic jams continue as vehicles and motorcycles seemingly take over every single space left on city streets. Government actions and even more so, government lack of action rather accommodate vehicles and motorcycles and as a result all commuters are suffering through the long traffic jams.
A perfect storm of lack of adequate public transport, the economic boom and governmental Banco de Reservas-led low-interest rate programs to foster vehicle sales has resulted in traffic jams being normal at any time of the day. What should be a 15-minute drive to get...
Frequently it is observed that the Dominican Republic has all the laws to make it run well, and that what is needed is to comply with the laws. But sometimes, the country just has laws that don’t make sense.
Diario Libre looks into the major mishap of the legislature that passed several laws that does not specify an amount, rather the totals are pegged to a percentage of GDP or other government funds. As President Luis Abinader himself has observed during a recent La Semanal press conference, there is no way the government can comply with these laws. The President would like Congress to act to correct the situation. Diario Libre gives the numbers of why the spending as to the percentages ordered by the laws would bankrupt the state.
In black and white, the newspaper uses National Budget data to report that to comply with the laws is equal to 65% of all Central Government...
Dominican Attorney General Miriam German was recently in Washington, D.C where she met with US Justice authorities to foster collaboration between both countries to combat crime. Now with the indictment of several Dominicans for participation in what is being named the grandparents scam, the US government is seeking several to be extradited to face charges.
The Public Ministry confirmed it is asking the judges of the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) to authorize preventive custody for four Dominicans accused of scamming US citizens of millions of dollars in the extensive grandparents’ scam. The fugitives of US justice said to be in the DR are Juan Rafael Parra Arias (Yofre), Rafael Rodríguez Guzmán (Max Morgan), Félix Samuel Reynoso Ventura (Fili/Filly the Kid) and José Ismael Dilone Rodríguez.
The US Justice Department reported on 30 April...
Dulce María Barrera de Germosén / El Nacional
There is no news on the whereabouts of the Haitian national who is the main suspect in the murder on 25 April 2024 of a 74-year old woman in Mao, Valverde in the northwest. The Haitian is undocumented and by now could have fled to Haiti. The man only known as Keke cleaned at the woman’s house. The case brings to the front the security risks of hiring undocumented Haitians in the Dominican Republic. Millions of Haitians do not legally exist because civil registry has never been a priority of Haitian governments nor international organizations and governments assisting in Haiti in the past 100 years.
The woman was found gagged and with her hands tied in her bathroom, with her body showing signs of violence. She would have died of knife wounds. She was stabbed at least five times.
The victim is identified as 74-year...
Karl Anthony Towns / Wikipedia
Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony Towns (KAT) led the show in the Minnesota Timberwolves win against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, 28 April 2024. Now the Timberwolves gets a shot in the second round of the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets.
Dominican sports fans who had not been following the NBA playoffs are likely to now tune in to the NBA games. It is that Karl Anthony Towns is on the Dominican national basketball team. Remember Towns played with the Dominican national team in the FIBA World Cup in August 2023.
On Sunday, 28 April 2024, the Minnesota Timberwolves clinched the ticket to the semifinals of the NBA playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
Karl Anthony Towns and teammate Anthony Edwards made for an unbeatable duo that got their act together in the last quarter after trailing the Phoenix Suns for most of the first half. In the...
The terms for the contracting of the renovations of the sports venues for the Central American and Caribbean Games to be held 24 July to 8 August 2026 in Greater Santo Domingo call for two major engineering firms to win it all.
The works to be carried out are estimated to cost RD$2.95 billion and the winners of the contracts have to come forth with 30% of the total worth to be one of the two designated engineering firm winners.
The contracting falls under the Ministry of Housing (Mivhed) and its Minister Carlos Bonilla.
The renovations have already begun with the Palacio de Deportes under a board that is supervising the works.
The government of Abinader had announced in March 2024 that RD$3.5 billion would be invested and only one new venue would be built for the summer games. The government will be building the sports villa for the teams in the Juan Bosch City on...
A visiting mission for the International Football Association (FIFA) confirmed that Santo Domingo and Santiago will be the two venues for the celebration in the Dominican Republic of a FIFA World Cup. The U-17 will take place from 16 October to 3 November 2024 at the Estadio Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo and the Cibao Universitario in Santiago.
Soccer fields in La Vega, Moca, Panamericano in San Cristobal, Parque del Este in Santo Domingo East, Alterna Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, Baranquita in Santiago and the Parque Central in Santiago will be used for team warmups.
The visiting FIFA officials were Jaime Yarza, director general of FIFA tournaments, Marina San Miguel, director of Junior FIFA tournaments, and Rodolfo Villalobos, representative of UNCAF before the FIFA Executive Board. Also participating in the meetings were for the...
A Fausto Rey and Angela Carrasco concert would be a sellout for several nights at the National Theater in the Dominican Republic. The concert is instead going live in New York City. Dominican expats are in for the treat of the “Hoy como Ayer” concert at the Concert Hall of the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts at 8pm on Saturday, 4 May 2024. The concert hall has capacity for 2,276 persons. Lehman Center is located at 250 Bedford Park Blvd W, in the Bronx, New York.
It is the first time the two legendary singers come together for a concert.
72-year old crooner Fausto Rey is celebrating his 55th anniversary as a singer. He is recognized for excellence in his singing of boleros, merengues and other genres. Among his memorable ballads are “Es tu dia feliz,” “Si no es por amor,” and “Yolanda”.
72-year old ballad singer Angela Carrasco migrated to Spain as...
Vice President Raquel Peña was in Punta Cana to give the keynote speech at the opening of the 3rd ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium, gathering civil aviation board members and aviation experts from around the world.
The Vice President highlighted that hosting this type of event in the country is a recognition of the growing importance of the Dominican Republic in the field of global aviation.
“By being held in the Dominican Republic, it underlines the privileged location of the nation, and its commitment to excellence and innovation in the sector,” emphasized the Vice President.
Peña stressed that aviation has been key to strengthening the country’s international connectivity, strengthening tourism development and boosting economic growth.
During the opening ceremony, the president of ICAO, Salvatore Sciacchitano anticipated...
Santiago Skylift riders after a free month of rides now pay RD$35 fares. The skylift is operating Monday to Friday from 6am to 10:30pm and on 6am to 9pm on Saturdays. On Sundays and holidays, the schedule is from 8am to 9pm.
Cash or debit/credit Visa and MasterCard is accepted and other pay bank platforms. To get the pre-charged payment system, need to buy a Fitram card for RD$100 that funds RD$40 to future rides. The card is valid for the Skylift, the monorail and future corridors.
The Fitram office says that during the trial period, around 240,000 rides were made as residents in Santiago tested the new system. Children under 16 need to be accompanied by an adult to ride the system.
Presidential candidates are receiving free air time and online and print space to outline their government programs and why people should vote for them. The presentations began on Tuesday, 30 April with the interview to President Luis Abinader who seeks to be reelected on 19 May 2024. Most polls show Abinader winning comfortably, with more than 60% and 20 points over his nearest rival, former three-time President Leonel Fernandez.
During his presentation, Abinader stressed that his first government happened when the country was under the duress of the Covid-19 pandemic, the assassination of Jovenel Moise in Haiti and the Ukraine and Gaza wars. He insisted that now that the economy has recovered “the best is yet to come.”
In the series of interviews, “The Proposals of the Candidates,” each of the nine presidential candidates have been invited to the...
A mission of the judges of the Central Electoral Board will travel to the United States to supervise the setup of the election tables in key areas of the United States. Around 870,000 expats registered to vote abroad and can decide the 19 May election in the Dominican Republic.
The mission of JCE judges travels on Wednesday, 1 May 2024.
The mission is head by JCE president Roman Andres Jaquez Liranzo and member judgesRafael Armando Vallejo Santelises, Dolores Fernández, Samir Chami Isa and Patricia Lorenzo Paniagua.
The mission also includes members of the Technical Table for Voting Abroad, made up by the Elections, Information Technology, Voting Abroad and Political Parties departments, and directors of Communications, International Relations and Protocol.
The mission will hold meetings with the Dominican community and political parties abroad...
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During the 18 February 2024 municipal election, voters were allowed to enter the poling stations with their cell phones. Now the JCE cell phones, cameras and computers will not be allowed. Of course, firearms also continue to be banned.
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Speaking during the weekly La Semanal press conference on Tuesday, 30 April 2024, President Luis Abinader valued that Haiti has taken the step to appoint a president of the Presidential Transition Council (Edgard Leblanc Fils) and an acting Prime Minister Fritz Bélizaire. Abinader described these as “advances” in the midst of the extreme crisis affecting Haiti.
“I think it is progress that people are being selected and there is someone with whom they can interact,” said the President when answering a question on LA Semanal with the press from the Presidential Palace.
Abinader said that he does not know Belizaire, but that he is glad for any improvement in Haiti.
Speaking during the Grupo Corripio interview on Haiti also on Tuesday, 30 April 2024, President Abinader spoke of the dilemma of Haitian migration in the Dominican Republic.
An estimated two...
Attorney General Miriam German Brito and Vice Admiral Jose Manuel Cabrera Ulloa, president of the National Drug Agency (DNCD), traveled to Washington DC, USA, for a 15 to 19 April visit the offices of the Central Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other US government facilities. They accepted a US government invitation to meet the administrator of the DEA, Anne Wilgram and Ronald L. Davis, director of the United Marshals Service, Renita Denise Foster, director of the Caribbean Division, and Clifford Brown, deputy director of the Caribbean Division.
They were accompanied by the supervisor of the Santo Domingo Office Caribbean Division of the DEA in the DR, Melitón Cordero and by the US Marshals investigators Silvestre del Rosario and Sasha Zacarias.
The administrator of the DEA and the US director of the US Marshals congratulated the...
Eduardo Sanz Lovatón / Listín Diario
For decades the Haitian population migrating to the Dominican Republic has not complied with Dominican laws. In Haiti there is no law, thus the Haitians are just doing what they have always done. Nevertheless, the migration situation is unusual situation when the migrant population comes from a country where citizens comply with the laws in their own country. This is the case of recent Chinese migration to the Dominican Republic.
For years, the local authorities have been known to be very lax in seeking compliance of local hygiene, labor, city, tax and custom laws of businesses of Chinese migrants. For years, these businesses concentrated in the area that would become Chinatown off Av. Duarte in the capital city. But with the signing of diplomatic ties in May 2018 with China, a significant new wave of Chinese migrants came and...
The expansion works at the Kilometer 9 section of the Duarte Highway, the main thoroughfare connecting north and south, began on 24 February 2022 with the promise that the work would be completed in 10 months. The Km 9 is a key crossroad for transport headed to numerous points in and outside the capital city.
The Ministry of Public Works announced back then that the work encompasses improvements of roads, reconstruction and expansion of vehicular bridges; the construction of two new bridges on the north and south sides, a new pedestrian bridge, relocation of the informal vendors’ stands and the electrical system, drainage works.
27 months later, those transiting through the key intersection continue to experience major inconveniences with apparently no date for the completion of the works.
El Caribe reports on the delays.
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Venues in Punta Cana are joining the 8th World Wellness Weekend. The global event has booked activities in 7,484 venues in 148 countries around the world from 20 to 22 September 2024. In its 8th edition, the World Wellness Weekend offers fun and free activities for people to discover with friends, colleagues or family. The focus is on fitness, yoga, outdoor activities, relaxation, massage workshops…
Several hotels in Punta Cana are joining the global effort that seeks to encourage millions of people around the world to resume a regular physical routine after the summer, almost as the “new year resolutions” in January.
Dozens of spas, gyms and wellness businesses in Punta Cana have signed on for the event. The event is an opportunity to learn about what Punta Cana has to offer in wellness activities in and outside of the hotels.
Among the...
The Ministry of Tourism reported 8,445 business meetings between the participating 170 buyer companies and 120 suppliers attending the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange — DATE 2024 tourism fair. The event took place in Punta Cana at the meeting facilities of the Paradisus Palma Real from 24 to 26 April 2024.
Reports are that more than 840 persons registered for the event, the main marketing event for the Dominican hotel industry and complementary tourism offer.
The president of the Hotel and Tourism Association of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores), David Llibre said that the number of transactions carried out exceeded those of 2023. He said the success of the activity embraces the public-private sector commitment to promote tourist attractions, increase investments and ensure that each year the number of visitors to the country grows.
Aguie Lendor, executive vice president of...
Hyatt Hotels’ Secrets Tides Punta Cana opened in January 2024 in the Dominican Republic. The 688-room adults-only resort blends modern luxury with a romantic atmosphere offering an ideal escape for couples. The resort opened in the adults-only Uvero Alto beach stretch of Punta Cana, promoting romantic escapes. Secrets Tides Punta Cana, with 668 rooms, was the host hotel for the DATE 2024 closing event.
During DATE 2024, the Dominican tourism fair, Matthias Hohner, Hyatt’s regional commercial vice president for the Dominican Republic, explained that two more Hyatts will follow. These are Secret Playa Esmeralda, also an adults-only hotel, and Dreams Playa Esmeralda, designed for the entire family.
He explained the Hyatt Inclusive Collection is expanding within the Dominican Republic to include attractive destinations known for their culture...
Minister of Tourism David Collado announced a technical learning institute will open in Punta Cana to further the training of hotel and tourism staff. Punta Cana has over 300 hotels in a beach stretch of more than 100 km from north to south and across three eastern provinces – La Altagracia, El Seibo and Hato Mayor. The new technical-professional learning center would prepare the staff including bartenders to management for the expanding tourism destinations of Punta Cana in La Altagracia province and Miches in El Seibo province to the north.
Over 800 travel agencies, tour operators, hotel operators, resorts and hotel suppliers participated in the DATE 2024, the 24th edition that took place 24-26 April 2024.
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The International Civil Aviation Organization’s 3rd Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) is taking place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic from 30 April to 2 May 2024.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO – OACI) is a UN agency that works with civil aviation bodies around the world. This is the first time that the gathering is held in the Americas, with the two previous meetings held in Turkey and South Korea.
The objectives of the symposium are to strengthen global operational security, develop a sustainable aviation industry, and guarantee the benefits of civil aviation worldwide.
Panels on the program include:Safely Integrating Advanced Air Mobility into Existing Aviation FrameworksBuilding a Resilient Aviation System in the Face of CrisesExploring Air Transport’s Impact on Tourism GrowthMeasuring Impacts...
The TUI Care Foundation is helping tourists give back to nature to sustain the beauty of the Dominican Republic. A recent participant in a TUI Foundation trip reports back on the experience for The Sun of Ireland. To date, the TUI Care Foundation highlights it has restored 70.000 m2 of seascapes while engaging with 200 local workers and 30 organizations. The organization also backs the TUI Academy to train the new generations of tourism employees.
As reported, a significant 27,500 tourists have participated in this sustainable experience, which combines coral gardening, awareness and snorkeling.
The TUI Care Foundation seeks to build on the “potential of tourism as a force for good”. Tourists are taken to experience planting coral, sailing through a forest of mangroves and hearing locals’ life stories that makes tourism real for them.
The TUI Care...
The low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines has added a new flight to service to the Dominican Republic in time for peak summer travel. The new flight connects the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) with the country’s second-largest city, Santiago and its Cibao International Airport (STI). The flights start on 14 June 2024.
Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design, Frontier Airlines announced the flight on 23 April 2024.
The flights will be three times a week and are launched at an introductory fare of US$59 plus taxes.
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US golf media has been following the announcement of the restoration of the legendary Te4eth of the Dog 18-hole course in Casa de Campo, La Romana. The course was designed by the late Pete Dye and set the grounds in 1971 for the Dominican Republic to subsequently become a leading golf destination in the Caribbean. The restoration of the golf course would begin starting January 2025.
Jerry Pate Design is the company owned by the winner of the 1976 US Open and the 1982 Players Championship. After that latter victory, Pate threw Dye into the water on the new Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass that Dye had recently designed, as reported in Golf Week/USA Today.
Casa de Campo Resort’s Teeth of the Dog is regarded as one of the world’s 50 top golf courses. Previous facelifts were performed by the original architectural firm.
First Call had reported in August...
The intense use of the natural habitats of Punta Cana beaches for the operation of giant resorts has created a conflict of interest with the turtles that return to the beaches to lay their eggs. On many occasions, the turtles are confused as they are molested by the lights and good-intentioned tourists.
Once again, the Ministry of Environment has extended its marine protection area for turtles this time in the Laguna Arrecifal de Bávaro in the Punta Cana area. The new protection area covers 18.4 square kilometers of marine space and is established to conserve populations of sea turtles in danger of extinction, explained José Ramón Reyes, Deputy Minister of Coastal and Marine Affairs of the Ministry of Environment, as reported in SIN Noticias.
Resolution No. 0008/2024, signed by Minister Miguel Ceara Hatton on 9 April 2024, establishes the necessary...
The Dominican Republic is becoming a destination for food lovers. While international cuisine reigns in cities and restaurants all around the country, Dominican food is also making its mark. The Ministry of Foreign Relations publishes a PDF of a compendium of Dominican gourmet food recipes.
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According to a survey conducted by the Cibao Economic Center (CEC), President Luis Abinader will win his bid for reelection on 19 May 2024 with a comfortable 63.5% of the votes. Abinader is running for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). A 50%+1 of the valid votes are needed to win in a first round.
According to the survey data, three-term former President Leonel Fernandez will be the runner up with 20.6% of the vote. The candidate for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), the political party that ruled the DR from 1996-2000 and from 2004-2020, former Santiago Mayor and former Chamber of Deputies president Abel Martínez Durán, will get 9% of the vote.
The Cibao Economic Center said that 3.6% of the likely voters were still undecided about who to vote for.
The president of the Centro Economico del Cibao is Leonardo Aguilera, currently the president of the...
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) ordered the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP) political party to submit new candidates for deputies for Constituency District 1 of the National District for the upcoming 19 May 2024 congressional election. Fuerza del Pueblo was founded in 2019 when former President Leonel Fernandez split from the then-ruling Dominican Liberation Party under former President Danilo Medina.
The FP submitted the candidacies of Rafael Paz and Selinée Méndez for deputies. A ruling issued by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) had rejected these on ground that they did not correspond with the methodology the political party had registered for choosing the candidates.
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) gave the political party until Wednesday, 1 May, to register its list of candidates for deputies for the aforementioned constituency, in compliance with sentences TSE/0307/2024...
The newly sworn-in mayor of Santo Domingo Este, Evangelic pastor Dio Astacio installed billboards with his image and that of President Luis Abinader in the green area of the ecological avenue and in other green areas in the area. El Dia reported the action is a violation of the law by the new mayor who won the position with the backing of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM).
El Dia reports the billboard impacts the newly installed Paseo de la Historia and the monument dedicated to the late President Juan Bosch.
The mayor also installed a billboard promoting his support to the reelection of President Abinader in a protected area of Av. Barceló at the entrance to the municipality of Santo Domingo East.
Other large billboards in areas under Santo Domingo East rulings also promote the figure of the official alongside President Abinader.
Read...
Ten United Nations diplomats, most from the UN Security Council, visited the Dominican Republic for a relatively brief but very active stay, as reported in Listin Diario.
The ambassadors of Malta, Guyana, Bahrain, Benin, Greece, Indonesia, Kuwait, Libya, Slovenia and Tajikistan met with President Luis Abinader, Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez, Defense Minister General Carlos Luciano Díaz Morfa, capital city mayor Carolina Mejia and had time to discuss issues related to global security, peace and regional stability. They also discussed the efforts of the Dominican Republic to comply with the state of law, economic growth, job creation and combat poverty.
The ambassadors also met Economy Minister Pavel Isa Contreras, Minister of Industry & Commerce Víctor (Ito) Bisonó, and with the director of ProDominicana, Biviana Riveiro, with whom they talked about the...
The Ministry of the Environment has just announced what they are calling the “Green Line” which is, in r a hotline for reporting violations of environmental rules and regulations. The calls go to provincial authorities of the Ministry and are tied to the offices of Zero Bureaucracy and the Ethics Division of the central government.
Minister Miguel (Mickey) Ceara Hatton stressed that the launch of the app is an important step towards more transparency and citizen participation, and will allow citizens to report environmental problems, where they are happening and what type of problem. Photographs and videos can also be uploaded on the app. Linea Verde RD is the proper name for the new hotline.
What is yet to be seen if any actions are taken. For years, social media is full of claims of irregularities that the Ministry of Environment has yet to act on.
Recently Esta Noche con...
Diario Libre, Listin Diario and many other main-stream media have been covering recent environmental violations, many of which are said to have occurred with the complicity of high-ranking government environment officers.
Making a call to protect water sources and biodiversity, environmentalists speaking during a round table for the Esta Noche con Mariasela variety TV program last week once again called national attention to repeated violations of Environmental Law 64-00 and Protected Area Law 202-04 by Deputy Minister for Protected Areas Federico Franco. The panelists urged President Luis Abinader to take action to defend the water sources and biodiversity of the Dominican Republic. Panel members were Ricardo Ripoll of Somos Pueblo muckraking digital platform; environmental lawyer Nelson Pimentel, UASD environmental coordinator Luis Carvajal and climate...
The Office of the US Trade Representative announced on Thursday, 25 April 2024, that it hasremoved the Dominican Republic from the “watch list” this year for significant progress on addressing concerns with intellectual property enforcement and transparency.
The announcement came with the release of the USTR 2024 Special 301 Report on the adequacy and effectiveness of US trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights.
The USTR stated:“The report highlights progress made by our trading partners to resolve and address IP issues of concern to the United States:
USTR removed the Dominican Republic from the Watch List this year for significant progress on addressing concerns with IP enforcement and transparency. Dominican Republic agencies increased enforcement actions and interagency cooperation on combating signal piracy...
Malpractice insurance could add RD$300,000 to RD$400,000 a year to the cost of being a doctor in the Dominican Republic. But given the numerous rulings in favor of patients, physicians are seriously considering purchasing civil responsibility insurance to cover the risk of malpractice claims.
In an interview with Listin Diario, Dr. Severo Mercedes said: “The disproportionate increase in medical lawsuits produces many negative effects because it causes restlessness, anxiety, and uncertainty in the professional practice and leads to what is called defensive medicine.”
This is when doctors find themselves forced to indicate a series of studies that will increase the costs of medical practice.
Dr. Mercedes said doctors will see themselves having to contract civil liability insurance, which will also increase the costs of the practice, which is detrimental to...
The judge of the Permanent Attention Court of the Judicial District of La Altagracia, Francis Diloné ordered Air Force recruit Paulino de la Cruz to three months preventive detention at the Anamuya Jail in La Altagracia province. De la Cruz is accused of the rape of a 14-year old Haitian migrant during a Migration Agency sweep for undocumented in Veron, La Altagracia.
According to the Public Ministry file, De la Cruz entered the victim’s residence and took advantage that the girl was alone.
The investigation was begun after the mother of the minor placed a complaint. De la Cruz would be tried for violation of articles 330 and 331 of the Dominican Penal Code on sexual rape.
Prosecutors Hendrich Ramírez, Silveria Poueriet, Ronny Mercedes and Rocío García submitted the files with the investigations on the incident that occurred on 5 April 2024.
The soldier was one of 15 soldiers...
The Labor Day long weekend was wet over the majority of the Dominican Republic with 28 of the nation’s 31 provinces and the National District under some type of weather alert. Most of the North and East of the country, with the exception of Valverde and Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), were under the Yellow Alert for urban flooding, river and stream flooding, and possible landslides. The rest of the nation was under a Green Alert, with the exception of the southwestern Bahoruco, Independencia and Pedernales provinces.
In the North, Puerto Plata was one of the most impacted regions with flooding. Mayor damages were also reported in La Vega and Greater Santo Domingo.
Traffic on the north side of Las Americas Expressway was affected by poor drainage and there was flooding in stretches causing major congestion and slow driving on Monday, 29 April 2024.
The Center for Emergency Operations...
The number of times the name Elly De La Cruz (now being called EDLC) has broken a Major League Baseball record is starting to get absurd. His most recent entry, and the names of players on the list he passed, proves just how historic the start of his career has been, the media is reporting.
EDLC reached the 20-homer mark in Tuesday’s (23 April 2024) victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and then in another win on Wednesday (24 April 2024) he scored a run (his 90th overall) and stole three bases to make 50 in his career. Those numbers are significant.
Per Bally Sports Cincinnati reported that Elly de la Cruz is the first since 1901 to have 20 home runs, 50 stolen bases and 90 runs thirty games faster than any other player in Major League Baseball history.
Elly Antonio De La Cruz is a Dominican professional baseball infielder for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball...
The Miami Marlins and Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) announced a multi-year, strategic partnership on Friday, 27 April 2024 at loanDepot ballpark in Miami, Florida, USA. The signees for the agreement, Caroline O’Connor for the MZarlins and Vitelio Mejia Ortiz for Lidom did not reveal the details of the agreement.
For the past two years, the Caribbean Series that matches the best teams of regional baseball leagues, has taken place at the Miami ballpark.
“Over the past two years, we’ve had almost one million fans through this building to celebrate and enjoy international baseball, and we’re proud today to announce that we’ll be entering into a long-term agreement with Lidom to continue to bring that amazing baseball here to loanDepot park,” said O’Connor.
The Marlins and Lidopm were two parts of the 2024 Caribbean Series, organized by Confederación de Béisbol...
Star athlete Marileidy Paulino, Olympic silver medalist and reigning world champion in the 400m run, continues her preparation for the Paris Olympics this summer. In her second consecutive meeting of the Diamond League in Suzhou, China on Saturday, 27 April 2024, Paulino turned in a so-so victory at 50.89 seconds. She was far ahead of her competition.
In a post-race interview, she told reporters that this was not her best effort and she said she will be working on her start.
Paulino had already won a first Diamond event in Xiamen, China. She again received the US$10,000 cash award for the win. She could win a bonus of US$30,000 if she wins her next Diamond League race in the 400m.
Media reports are that she will face serious competition as the Diamond League shifts towards Europe and other stars such as Femke Bol from the Netherlands and Sydney MacLaughlin of the United States...
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