DR1 Daily News - Wednesday, 10 August 2016

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Attendance at Medina’s inauguration
Lots of new laws planned
Judicial Branch says courts are short of funds
Some health organizations sign agreement
ProIndustria to build arts and crafts center in Higuey
Could take time for Brexit, but DR needs to prepare
Simultaneous primaries hold up talks for Political Parties Bill
Trouble expected in the municipalities on 16 August
Jumbo in Higuey opens 11 August
Fees increase at private schools unacceptable
Orange revenues grow
Power cut caused carbon monoxide deaths
House arrest in Peravia case
Abuse of Dominican workers in the United States
More rainstorms
Dominicans in the Olympics



Attendance at Medina’s inauguration
Confirmations of attendance at the inauguration for President Danilo Medina and Vice president Margarita Cedeno next four-year term are being received from international leaders.

So far, the confirmed guest list includes the Presidents of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, Panama, Juan Carlos Varela and Guatemala, Jimmy Morales Cabrera. King Emeritus of Spain Juan Carlos I is also expected to attend.

Other heads of state coming for the ceremony include the prime ministers of Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Martin.

Several other countries have confirmed the attendance of vice presidents, foreign ministers and heads of delegations including Vice Presidents Chen Chien-Jen of Taiwan, Salvador Valdez Mesa from Cuba, Ana Helena Chacon Echeverria of Costa Rica, Moises Omar Calleslevens Acevedo of Nicaragua, and Gabriela Micheti of Argentina.

Confirmations are expected from Presidents Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, Juan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras and Jocelerme Privet of Haiti.

http://hoy.com.do/se-esperan-nueve-...mentacion-de-danilo-medina-este-16-de-agosto/


Medina administration priority legislation list
The Medina administration has announced plans for the next four-year term that begins on 16 August 2016.

As reported in Diario Libre, President Medina proposes to prioritize more than 20 laws in his 2016-2020 government plan including some which are already in effect, amend others and introduce some new bills.

As reported, the high-level government committee is looking into amending or eliminating obsolete laws that are no longer relevant.

The government has announced it will be prioritizing a Bill for Extinction of Domain (Ley de Extincion de Dominio), which enables the government to seize and recover assets determined to be the result of corruption or other illicit acts.

A bill for the Criminal Code (Codigo Penal) proposes to double the expiration time for corruption crimes, and the protection of witnesses, experts, victims and whistleblowers. The bill is pending approval in the Senate.

A Citizen Oversight Mechanisms Bill (Ley de Veedurias) would allow all government entities to be monitored.

There is also the long-delayed Political Parties Bill (Ley de Partidos Politicos) and an Amnesty Bill (Ley de Amnistia) for late declarations of minors under the age of ten and foreigners when applicable.

A secured transactions bill (Ley de Garantias Mobiliarias) would provide credit for productive sectors.

A Water and Forestry Bill (Ley de Aguas, Ley Forestal) is aimed at regulating for sustainable use of natural resources.

A Mining Bill (Ley de Minas y Canteras) would help overcome obstacles not covered in the current legislation.

The Land Use Bill (Ley de Ordenamiento Territorial) was approved by the deputies in a first reading.

The Cooperatives Bill (Ley sobre Cooperativas) proposes to make cooperatives lending more efficient and transparent.

The Reciprocal Guarantees Bill (Ley de Garantias Reciprocas) was included in the 2012-2016 government program and passed in the Senate. It would provide financing.

Participative Bills (leyes participativas).

The Procurement Bill (Ley de Compras y Contrataciones) for amendments that allow tenders in minor public works.

The Anti-discrimination Bill (Ley Anti-discriminacion) seeks to prevent discrimination and promote equality.

The Mortgage Market Bill (Ley del Mercado Hipotecario) will submit amendments for greater development of trusts.

A Small Business Bill (Ley para las Mipymes) would allow solar panels to be used as guarantees for credit.

An Arms Control Bill (Ley de Control de Armas) is now pending presidential signing into law.

The Monetary and Financial Law (Ley Monteria y Financiera) would be modified to strengthen the Central Bank’s capacity to deal with international eventualities.

A Simplification Bill (Ley de Simplificacion) would simplify administrative charges in offices that issue licenses and permits.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...n-una-sera-contra-la-discriminacion-XH4595473


Judicial Branch says courts are short of funds
The president of the Supreme Court of Justice and the Judicial Power Board, Mariano German says that 98 courts nationwide are awaiting funding to go into operation. He is requesting a RD$14 billion budget for 2017, up from the current assignment of RD$5.6 billion.

He criticized the fact that even though Law 194-04 states that 2.66% of the National Budget should go to the Judicial Branch, this has not been implemented. German says that the 133 courts in operation, including the Palace of Justice in Santo Domingo all are affected by the lack of funds.

The court system includes 80 conciliation courts, five courts of appeal, 19 children and adolescent courts and eight land courts.

Speaking to the press about the organization of a National Judicial Summit that will take place starting 7 October 2016, Judge German said that this year, 2016, they only received approval for half or RD$5.6 billion of the RD$10.98 billion budget requested. This money has to cover all their expenses, which account for 96.7% of the budget with only 3.3% for capital expenditure including development and investment projects.

He said that the Judicial Branch employs 6,091 administrative staff and 675 judges but despite the difficulties in 2015 they handled 325,903 cases.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...-no-funcionen-por-falta-de-recursos-FY4607373
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/08/...ectores-medios-sobre-cumbre-judicial-nacional


Some health organizations sign agreement
Representatives from 14 public health organizations have accepted the proposals made by the government, including salary increases, pensions, incentives and role changes.

Following several months of negotiations with the Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo, Public Health Minister Altagracia Guzman and the director of the National Health Service, Nelson Monegro, they have decided to sign the agreement, despite opposition from the public health sector represented by Panasalud and led by Dominican Medical Association (CMD) president Waldo Ariel Suero.
Conasalud spokeswoman Rafaela Figueroa said that the agreement entails an increase of 35% for nurses and auxiliaries, 39% for psychologists, 34% for dentists, 30% for pharmacists and 27%-34% for laboratory workers.

As far as additional hours are concerned, the organizations said that they had always complied with the law and meet the lawful working hours, so this would not stop them from signing the agreement. The working hours issue is a major snag in the government and CMD/Panasalud talks.

http://eldia.com.do/gremios-del-sector-salud-aceptan-acuerdo-con-el-gobierno/
http://acento.com.do/2016/salud/8371577-gremios-del-sector-salud-anuncian-firmaran-acuerdo-gobierno/


ProIndustria to build arts and crafts center in Higuey
ProIndustria (Center for Development and Industrial Competitiveness) and Mayor Karina Aristy have signed an agreement for the construction of an arts and crafts plaza and municipal market in Higuey, the main bedroom community for tourism sector employees who commute to Punta Cana.

The city is located 20 minutes from Punta Cana via the new Autovia del Coral highway.

The new plaza and market will be constructed on the grounds of the abandoned Higuey industrial free zone. Aristy said that the old market would remain in its current location. The new market will offer new spots for vendors.


Brexit could take time, but DR needs to prepare
Speaking on Brexit at the British Chamber of Commerce forum held on Tuesday, 9 August 2016, UK Ambassador Chris Campbell stated that he does not envision immediate effects for the Dominican economy as a consequence of the UK vote in favor of leaving the European Union. “We recognize the need for a soft transition to minimize the interruption of our trade relations. There will be challenges ahead but there will also be greater opportunities for developing a new and vibrant relationship in many areas, not only trade,” he said he said when speaking at the “A New Chapter in History: Dominican Republic and United Kingdom Relations after Brexit Forum”.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations Cesar Dargam commented that the Dominican government respects the sovereign decision of the people of the UK and has already held preliminary talks to discuss the terms for future trade agreement developments. “The Dominican Republic would seek to replicate the current terms of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA),” he said.

Jean-Alain Rodriguez of the Center for Exports and Investments (CEI-RD) remarked at the Forum: “We are prepared for the worst-case scenario. We are evaluating potential new markets and backing the private sector in finding alternative markets. This is the first of several preventive measures taken by the government through CEI-RD to prevent Brexit from affecting the Dominican economy.”

Economist Roberto Despradel said that banana exports needed to be the focus of negotiations with the UK under Brexit. Bananas, the DR’s main export product to the United Kingdom, enjoy preferential treatment under the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union. Despradel said that the DR needed to defend its privileged position that grants preferential access of Dominican bananas to the UK market. The DR also needs to monitor any negotiations being carried out by other countries, he added.

Marcos Pena of Jimenez, Cruz & Pena called for the Dominican government and the private sector to work together to establish a two-way strategy that is both regional and bilateral to push forward a trade and development agenda with the UK.

http://www.britchamdr.com/index.php?lang=en


Simultaneous primaries hold up talks for Political Parties Bill
The passing of a Political Parties Bill and the amendments for the Electoral Law to bring them up to date have stagnated inside the ruling PLD’s Political Committee. The PLD holds the majority in both houses of Congress, so a decision by the senior party members is crucial to the passing of the bill that has been dormant for years.

Diario Libre reports that in a meeting of the Political Committee held on 2 August 2016 the main obstacle to submitting the bill for approval in Congress was that the faction represented by former President Leonel Fernandez disagrees that primaries should be held on the same day nationwide and that they can only be open to registered members. At present, an opposition candidate can influence the selection of other parties’ political candidates because open voter lists are used, meaning that anyone can vote in the primaries. As they are held on different days, voters can be found to vote in more than one primary for a price, which observers say is a common occurrence.

PLD deputy Radhames Camacho, a member of the Political Committee commission that is studying the Political Parties bill, says the simultaneous primaries will ensure transparency and prevent people from voting for more than one candidate in the different primaries. Other commission members are Reinaldo Pared, Abel Martinez, Julio Cesar Valentin and Radhames Almeyda.

The Fernandez faction reportedly argues that the obligatory simultaneous primaries would be in violation of the Constitution.

For the 2016 general election many political parties used polls instead of primaries to select their candidates.

Diario Libre reports that the faction representing President Danilo Medina is in favor of the obligatory simultaneous primaries.

The next meeting of the 34 PLD Political Committee members has been scheduled for Monday, 5 September 2016.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...imultaneas-danilo-a-favor-leonel-no-ND4599197


Trouble expected in the municipalities on 16 August
According to the PLD’s Municipal Affairs director Ignacio Ditren at least five municipal authorities around the country are having problems forming the organization of the new local administrations.

He said, without naming the authorities, that there were problems between the different political groups involved in the last elections and that the opposition groups in question (the PRSC and PRM) were seeking to create disorder within the local authorities.

He met with PLD councilors on Tuesday morning, 9 August 2016 to issue instructions as to how they should handle themselves next Tuesday as well as telling them what the party and the PLD expected of them.

The tradition in Dominican politics is for the council chamber president to come from the same party as the incoming mayor, the so-called “golden rule” that is now being opposed by the PRM and the PRSC parties. These opposition parties now say the law must be applied and the councilors should vote on who should chair their council.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...icultad-en-los-bufetes-de-cinco-ayuntamientos


Jumbo in Higuey opens 11 August
Centro Cuesta Nacional (CCN) has announced the opening of its Jumbo megastore in Higuey this Thursday, 11 August 2016. There are 10 Jumbo stores nationwide, of which three, San Pedro de Macoris, La Romana and now in Higuey, now serve the eastern region. Vice president for corporate social responsibility Vicky Malla said that 65,000 products would be for sale.

She announced that the next Jumbo megastores would be opening in Punta Cana and in Puerto Plata.


Fees increase at private schools unacceptable
The Dominican Federation of Parents of Children at Private Colleges and Public Schools (Fedopadres) is complaining about the increase in fees of between 20 and 40% for the 2016-2017 school year. It also accuses the Ministry of Education of complicity with the increase.

Fedopadres president Juan Avila says that Catholic schools are increasing their fees by 20%, evangelical schools by 30% and independent schools by up to 40%, which he described as an outrage.

Parents also have to buy textbooks, uniforms and sports outfits with the brand and in the shops dictated by the school at a cost of between RD$20,000 and RD$40,000 a year depending on the school and their grade.

The Fedopadres president stated that although laws were in place to prevent these excesses, the Ministry of Education never applies them in these cases, adding that unlike pubic schools, the private schools were allowed to choose their textbooks. He said that there was only one law that should apply to all types of school but that was not the reality.

Avila also complained that private and semi-private schools were rejecting children from low-income families.

http://elnacional.com.do/padres-denuncian-colegios-suben-entre-20-y-40/


Orange revenues grow
Altice, the owners of Orange Dominicana, is reporting second quarter revenues of EUR174 million for Orange in the Dominican Republic. This is up 5.1% year on year on a constant currency basis and 0.7% on a reported basis, as published in Telecompaper.com.

Capital expenditure for the quarter increased to EUR33.9 million from EUR27.8 million in Q2 2015, mostly spent on further 3G and 4G network expansion, with Orange now having 90% 3G coverage and 50% 4G coverage.

In the mobile segment, Orange increased its customer base to 3.91 million from 3.79 million a year ago. Orange Dominicana also finished the quarter with 321,000 fiber-based revenue generating units (RGUs), up from 236,000 a year ago thanks above all to an increase in fiber homes now standing at 590,000 from 384,000 at the end of the same period last year.

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/altice-q2-sales-up-51-to-eur-174-mln-in-dominican-republic--1157056


Power cut caused carbon monoxide deaths
The Police have issued the initial results of their investigation into the carbon monoxide poisoning deaths of 24-year old Smaylin Gil Batista and 19-year old Eduardo Rosario Reyes, both employees of Drink Jary, a bar in Santo Domingo East.

According to a witness who lives near the bar, Eudies Emmanuel Sanchez, both men worked all night as usual and then, as they always did, they slept in the bar,

On that tragic night, however, there was a power cut so they were using the generator.

The electricity went out several times during the night and at 11pm it went out and did not come back on. Apparently there is little ventilation in the bar, and once the customers had left, the two men went to sleep and died in their sleep.

Sanchez said that they both had other jobs and they would sleep in the bar once it closed and then one would go to work as a porter and the other as a waiter.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...electrica-habria-envenenado-a-empleados-drink


House arrest in Peravia case
A Santo Domingo judge has imposed coercive measures of house arrest with electronic tagging and the payment of RD$40 million on Venezuelan businessman Omar Jose Farias Luces who is accused of fraud in the Banco Peravia case.

Farias Luces was arrested last Thursday, 4 August when he tried to leave the country on a private plane from the Punta Cana International Airport.

In connection with the same case, Nelson Serret Segranez, Jorge Serret Sugranez, Carlos Serret Sugranez, Pausides Morales, Nelson Cabral and Colonel Florentino de Jesus Acosta are currently in pre-trial custody in San Pedro de Macoris jail while Yesenia Serret Aponte was sent to the women?s jail at Najayo.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/08/...ago-40-millones-contra-omar-jose-farias-luces


Abuse of Dominican workers in the United States
In the first work visa fraud case to be charged criminally, an Ohio woman has been convicted in connection with a conspiracy that required Dominican laborers at a Minnesota vegetable farm to pay illegal fees and kickbacks.

A federal jury in Minneapolis took less than four hours on Monday, 8 August 2106 to convict 68-year old Sandra Lee Bart, of Seven Hills, Ohio, after a trial that lasted a week.

Bart and a co-defendant recruited mostly agricultural employers to hire workers from the Dominican Republic, then forced the employees to pay kickbacks and cover their own travel costs.

According to court documents, Bart’s scheme began with a lawn management company she ran in Ohio, where she began hiring employees on temporary work visas, also called H-2A visas. She and an employee, co-defendant Wilian Socrate Cabrera, created an unregistered business called “Labor Listo,” through which Cabrera recruited workers from his hometown of Navarrete in the Dominican Republic. The two recruited workers for Bart’s company and later for businesses including Svihel’s farm, a landscaping firm in Kentucky and farms in Florida, Wisconsin, Missouri and North Dakota.

Like Svihel, Cabrera pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in foreign labor contracting in July, and both men are cooperating with the government.
Federal regulations covering the visas prohibit employers from collecting recruitment fees or wage kickbacks. Employers must also pay for housing and travel expenses to and from their workers’ home countries, but Cabrera collected travel costs from workers, according to court documents.

Svihel told authorities that he agreed to employ four workers from the Dominican Republic at his farm for the 2010 growing and harvesting season, from May to October. The number of Dominican H-2A workers on Svihel’s farm grew from four in 2010 to 68 in 2014 and 53 in 2015, according to court records.

Bart falsely claimed to Svihel that a Dominican church or charity paid for the workers’ travel, while the employees actually had to cover their own airfare. Svihel also pocketed roughly US$90,000 in kickbacks from the workers that Bart ordered after the wage Svihel was required to pay workers increased in 2011.

The Dominican workers were also charged recruitment fees that ranged from US$420 to US$2,385, and an annual fee of US$375 that Bart and Cabrera split. If they didn’t pay, workers were told, they would not be allowed to return to the 500-acre farm for the following growing season.

The Department of Labor’s investigation into the scheme began with an anonymous tip regarding working conditions in summer 2014. While interviewing workers, investigators learned of the illegal fees. The extra scrutiny prompted Svihel not to collect any kickbacks at the end of the 2014 season, according to documents.
Before agents swarmed Svihel’s farm in May 2015, Bart tried to have Cabrera order workers to sign documents retracting statements made to the Department of Labor about any illegal fees. But Cabrera never traveled to the farm because he was “concerned that some of the workers were angry enough with him about the fees that they would harm him,” according to a trial brief.

Bart and Svihel also shared a list of workers that they separated into lists of “good” and “bad” workers based on who they thought talked to investigators. Those on the “bad” list were sent back to the Dominican Republic in 2014 and not invited back the next season.

http://www.startribune.com/illegal-...a-bring-a-federal-fraud-conviction/389638341/


More rainstorms
The National Weather Office (Onamet) forecasts heavy rains for Wednesday, 10 August 2016. Likewise, high humidity and hot temperatures will continue.

The rains are expected to continue through Thursday, 11 August 2016.


Dominicans in the Olympics
On Tuesday, 9 August 2016, 18-year old Jhonny Jose Perez, representing the Dominican Republic in men’s swimming, achieved a time of 51.50 seconds, a national record, in the first heat in the 100m freestyle at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Nevertheless, he finished 57th of 59 competitors. The highest qualifying athlete clocked in at 47.90.

Dominicans next to compete are:
10 August:
Equestrian. Yvonne Losos
12 August:
Athletics. Luguelin Santos (400 meters)
Swimming Dorian McMenemy (50 m freestyle)
13 August:
Athletics. Yancarlos Martinez
13 August:
Boxing. Leonel de los Santos (52kg)
14 August:
Boxing. Hector Luis Garcia (56 kg)
Athletics. Ana Tima (triple jump)
15 August:
Athletics. Mariely Sanchez (200 meters)
Athletics. Jaunder Santos (400 meters hurdles)
16 August:
Athletics. Stanly del Carmen (200 meters)
Athletics. Yancarlos Martinez.
17 August:
Taekwondo. Luisito Pie (58 kg)
18 August:
Track and field. 4 x 100.
19 August:
Katherine Rodriguez (67kg)
Judo: Moises Hernandez (80 kg)
Track and field 4 x 400.
Athletics. Mayobanex D’Oleo (Men’s 4 x 100 relay)
Shooting: Eduardo Jose Lorenzo (Shooting Trap Men)
Athletics: Luis Enrique Charles (Men’s 4 x 400 relay)
https://www.rio2016.com/en/dominican-republic


Latin Music Tour at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana presents a weekend of shows by Latin music stars. Mozart La Para, Yiyo Sarante and Raulin Rodriguez are on the program for this Friday, 12 August 2016 and Anthony Santos will be performing at the hotel’s Oro Disco that same evening.

Johnny Ventura, Mark B, Don Miguelo and Wason Brazoban are booked for Saturday, 13 August.

Tickets including transport, all-inclusive hotel accommodation, concert admission and unlimited drinks during the concert are for sale online at Uepa Tickets, CCN Servicios, Supermercados Nacional and Jumbo.

Read more about upcoming events at http://www.dr1.com/calendar

To read more news, see dr1.com and the DR1 News Archives at: http://dr1.com/premium/news/2016/index.shtml