Haiti to lift ban, says it never existed
Deal signed with South Korean power company
CEA hands over sugar land title deeds
Cost of political campaigns is too high
Writ issued against Public Defenders Office
DR is most innovative country in the Caribbean
Environmental prosecutions
Kilic Deniz to test Dominican waters
Videos show positive DR-Haiti relations
Some missing children found
Fire on Av. Duarte
Drug haul in Barahona
Teenager accused of death of 81-year old Canadian
Health Tourism meets in Santo Domingo
Haiti to lift ban, says it never existed
Following an afternoon meeting in Port-au-Prince on 30 August 2016 between Haitian acting President Jocelerme Privert and Dominican Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas, the Haitian government has announced that it will officially publish a notice in a few days time confirming there are no restrictions on the import of 23 Dominican products by land as long as the necessary customs duties are paid.
Speaking to Dominican journalists covering the Dominican minister?s visit to Haiti, acting President Privert denied there had ever been a ban. ?What I say is that there never was an embargo or any interference with the entry of those products. No law was ever passed prohibiting the entry of any product from any country into Haiti,? said Privert.
Earlier in the day, Haitian Minister of Foreign Relations Pierrot Delienne had also announced that his government would arrange to provide passports by the end of October at the latest, for around 112,000 Haitian nationals who live in the Dominican Republic so that they can complete their registration in the National Migrant Legalization Plan (PNRE).
In addition, to mark Vargas? first official visit, D?lienne said that his government would react favorably to the request to restart the Bilateral Mixed Commission meetings so that they could work together on a common agenda, with the next meeting set for 19 October 2016. The commission last met in November 2014.
During the visit to Haiti, Vargas was accompanied by Dominican businessmen Juan Vicini, Manuel Estrella and Fernando Capellan, and the Dominican Ambassador in Haiti, Ruben Sili?, along with several officials and diplomats from the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Relations.
El Caribe reports that Haiti?s new Foreign Relations Minister D?lienne?s wife is Dominican, and that their three daughters study in the Dominican Republic.
In the meeting that took place at the Presidential Palace in Haiti, acting President Privert promised that the elections would be held on 9 October 2016 as scheduled to bring political stability so that fewer Haitians feel compelled to immigrate to the Dominican Republic.
The meetings began at 9am and concluded at 3:45pm.
The first session was a closed door meeting with Minister D?lienne, Dominican ambassador Ruben Sili?, and Dominican businessmen Manuel Estrella, Fernando Capell?n and Juan Vicini, as reported in El Caribe. It was followed by an 11:15am meeting with Dominican and Haitian government missions with Dominican ambassador Cesar Medina, journalist Marjorie Espinosa, Ministerial advisor Hugo Rivera and Dominican ambassador Alberto Despradel. Haiti was represented by government officials.
A third meeting took place in the afternoon when Minister Vargas visited the Presidential Palace to meet with acting President Privert.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...antara-prohibicion-a-23-productos-dominicanos
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/08/31/haiti-deja-pasar-los-23-productos-que-prohibio-casi-ano
http://eldia.com.do/556167-2/
Deal signed with South Korean power company
On Monday, 29 August 2016, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) signed a US$39 million agreement with the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo.
The deal includes the installation and replacement of the distribution network across the country, and the South Korean state-owned company will cover the whole process from planning to execution.
KEPCO has already completed a US$51 million won power distribution order from 2011 in the country and in addition, to alleviate the chronic power shortage, KEPCO?s CEO Cho Hwan-eik and President Danilo Medina have discussed further cooperation on renewable energy, as reported in the Korea Herald.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160830000590
CEA hands over sugar land title deeds
The State Sugar Company (CEA) will hand over more than 11,000 title deeds to the same number of families for land in the Monte Plata, Guerra, Manoguayabo, Villa Altagracia and Las Americas areas.
CEA director Jose Miguel Dominguez said that the people are occupying CEA-owned land but that issuing property titles would guarantee their legal security. He said that the process of demarcation, measurement and making the legal transfer had cost the CEA more than RD$240 million.
http://almomento.net/cea-entregara-...s-a-familias-asentadas-en-sus-terrenos/239149
Political campaigning cost too high
The Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) says that the cost of fielding candidates for congressional, presidential or municipal posts is unaffordable. The party is suggesting the need to regulate electoral campaign costs.
PRSC president Federico (Quique) Antun Batlle said that the high cost of campaigning encourages corruption and opens the way to illicit financing and misuse of public funds.
As Antun said, in this country it is impossible to cover the high costs of campaigns transparently. He said a campaign for a deputy in Congress costs between RS$10 and RD$30 million, while a senator?s could cost over RD$50 million. Presidential campaigns cost around US$100 million. Campaigns for mayors cost the same as deputies for the small and medium-sized municipalities and between RD$50 and RD$150 million for the larger ones. Even campaigns for city government councilors cost between RD$500,000 and RD$3 million.
He added that not even 25% of this investment is recouped, which leads the candidates to look for illegal alternatives to recover the money invested.
http://elnacional.com.do/prsc-dice-una-candidatura-alcalde-cuesta-hasta-rd150-mm/
Writ issued against Public Defenders Office
The Dominican Lawyers Association (CARD) has issued a writ against the Director of the National Office of Public Defenders (ONDP), Laura Hernandez, for alleged violation of the law and the Constitution.
CARD president Miguel Surun Hernandez submitted the writ to the Superior Administrative Court on the grounds that the ONDP had committed serious irregularities by offering Public Defender services to people who can afford to pay for a lawyer. He said that they had overwhelming proof that the ONDP had provided services to defendants who had money thus depriving people without money of the ability to have a public defender.
He said they had proof of more than 700 cases represented by public defenders who could afford a lawyer including one of the accused in the Super Tucano plane case.
In addition he said they had received complaints that people with money were receiving a better service from the Public Defenders? Office than people on lower incomes, and the Public Defenders were also receiving bribes.
He said they wanted the establishment of a registration system for defenders to be carried out in coordination with the College of Lawyers, so that those who could afford it would be allocated a private lawyer.
He concluded by saying that they wanted to set a limit of 80 cases per public defender so the rest of the cases could go to private attorneys, and the end of the use of the green pompom on the hat of the public defenders as it violated Judicial Organization Law 821-1927 that established equal attire for all lawyers when in court.
http://almomento.net/colegio-de-abogados-somete-a-directora-de-la-oficina-de-defensa-publica/239191
DR is most innovative country in the Caribbean
According to the latest edition of the World Intellectual Property Organization?s Global Innovation Index, released on 15 August 2016, the Dominican Republic is the most innovative country in the Caribbean, ranking 76th in the world for innovation of 128 ranked countries.
The Dominican Republic ranked highest in the Caribbean region for market sophistication and business sophistication, and poorest for human capital and research.
The next-highest-ranked Caribbean country is Jamaica, which came in at 89th in the world.
Costa Rica is the top ranked Central American country (45th), followed by Panama (68), Guatemala (97), Honduras (101), El Salvador (104) and Nicaragua (116).
In 2016, China joined the ranks of the world?s 25 most-innovative economies, while Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Finland and Singapore lead the 2016 rankings in the Global Innovation Index, published by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The report examined a series of factors impacting innovation, including institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs and creative outputs.
http://www.wipo.int/econ_stat/en/economics/gii/
https://www.globalinnovationindex.org
Environmental prosecutions
A report showing that the Prosecution Service Specializing in the Defense of the Environment and Natural Resources has processed 65,310 cases for environmental crimes across the country for the first 10 months of 2105 has just been released.
The unit is headed by prosecutor Francia Calderon, and according to the report during 2015 some 210 cases actually went to court and 137 cases had coercive measures applied.
Anyone who commits crimes against the environment may face jail time from six days to three years.
Eight types of infraction are detailed in Environment Law 64-00 that cause damage to the environment and protected areas along with the cutting or destruction of trees in protected forestry areas, as well as jail time perpetrators can face fines, withdrawal on environmental licenses, demand reparations for the damage and the loss of tools and vehicles that caused the damage to the environment.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...6/procesan-65310-casos-de-delitos-ambientales
Kilic Deniz to test Dominican waters
A leading fish farming company from Turkey, Kilic Deniz has announced that it is currently in the process of establishing bass and bream farming operations in the Dominican Republic to supply the United States market.
In Turkey, the company produces 50,000 tons of blue fin tuna and farmed sea bass and sea bream and plans to produce the same again in the Dominican Republic for export to the United States. The reason is that the US market is very profitable, with a price premium of 50-60%, so the company wants to be able to farm closer to it, as reported in Under Current News.
The company has 25 years? experience in aquaculture from the start of its operations in Bodrum, Turkey. It now exports to over 40 countries in five continents.
The operation in the Dominican Republic is a pilot project for further expansion of the company into new international markets.
https://www.undercurrentnews.com/20...pansion-in-bluefin-on-wild-catch-not-farming/
Videos show positive DR-Haiti relations
Young people from Haiti have won first and second place in a 90-second video competition sponsored by the European Union to show positive everyday relations between young Dominicans and Haitians. Third place went to a Dominican.
The short film, ?Amour, paix et amiti? by Aniberca Martes won first place, second place went to ?Philippe et Pamela? by Mykee Richarson and third place to ?La convivencia con respeto? by Wilmer Rosario.
The films were sponsored by the European Union as part of the European Union?s HT-RD Bi-National Program known as ?Konnen?m Pi Byen? (Conoceme Mejor), or Know Me Better. 45 videos participated.
The Bi-National Program between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, funded with 50 million euros from the European Union, was launched in 2012. It aims to strengthen political, economic, trade and environmental cooperation between the two countries. The challenge, according to the EU, is to consolidate a sustainable and constructive partnership between the two nations for economic and social development.
Key areas are:
Institutional strengthening through support to both technical secretariats of the Joint Bilateral Commission and the establishment of a Bi-national Observatory;
Trade facilitation and customs harmonization;
The environment and local development in border regions;
The construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure in the border zone to the north of both countries.
http://sentinel.ht/2016/08/30/haiti-producers-top-dominican-counterparts-eu-video-contest/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9TCFqtpxUyXtwUuAIHKXeqmon0dxTskd&v=nNPsqyPcOR4
Some missing children found
According to the National Police Missing Persons Department, three of the eight children supposedly still missing since 2013 have been found and returned to their families.
Two of the three are 12-year old Wilbert Cespedes Montero, and 16-year old Miguel Abreu F?lix who lived in the San Jose Project in Haina, San Cristobal, who disappeared in April 2013 but were found and returned home a few days later.
The Police have said that the major problem is that the youngsters go out and their parents report them as missing but they are just behaving like any kid would.
They did admit that there were problems with the Complaints Department especially in cases occurring in the provinces, which were not always sent to the central office in the capital.
Another child who was reported as still missing, a three-year old girl who disappeared in La Romana in May 2013 was also found and returned home. Two people are awaiting trial in this case.
On Monday 29 August 2016, Police spokesman General Nelson Rosario said that a 17-year old girl who had been reported missing on 21 August was also found safe and sound and returned home to Santiago of her own accord.
In addition, a 14-year old girl who had been missing since 1 July this year has turned up at a police station in Bavaro, asking for protection from her parents, who live in Boca Chica and were allegedly mistreating her. She had apparently been taken to Bavaro by 34-year old Erick Arias Aquino, to work as a prostitute. He was arrested by the Police in July.
However, some children have not reappeared, including 16-year old Cynthia Altagracia Billini Sanchez who disappeared this month and is said to have mental problems. In addition, six-year old Wilfredo de la Cruz, who disappeared from Ponce, Guar?canos, has also not been found.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/08/30/433288/encontraron-3-de-8-ninos-desaparecidos
Fire on Av. Duarte
A fire broke out at the MXA Importers building on Duarte Avenue on the corner of Caracas street in the National District on Tuesday 30 August 2016. No one was injured and the fire was extinguished by the fire brigade.
Traffic was diverted in the area around the scene and to date the cause of the blaze is unknown.
http://eldia.com.do/fuego-afecta-importadora-mxa-en-la-avenida-duarte/
Teenager accused of murder of 81-year old Canadian
A 15-year old girl was arrested on Tuesday 30 August 2016, reportedly the lead suspect in the murder of 81-year old Canadian national John Verne Ward in Villa Hermosa, La Romana. The Canadian died after being stabbed several times.
The arrested girl?s case will be heard by the Boys, Girls and Teenagers Court.
Drug haul in Barahona
The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) has confiscated 100 packages of cocaine or heroin that were being transported by a suspected drug dealer who was arrested during an operation carried out on the highway to Barahona in the south of the country.
The arrested man was identified as 38-year old Leonardo de Aza Gavilan, a resident of Ensanche Quisqueya, National District.
The drugs were being transported in a secret compartment in a Ford Expedition, which was stopped by the DNCD at the Santa Ana crossroads in Barahona province.
The drugs were sent to the National Forensic Science Institute (Inacif) to establish the weight and type and the arrested man is being questioned.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...de-yipeta-con-100-paquetes-de-droga-MJ4812709
Health Tourism meets in Santo Domingo
The Dominican Health Tourism Association (Adtusalud) is holding its 3rd International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress at the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel Santo Domingo from 1-3 September 2016.
The three days of talks and events bring together a panel of world authorities on health tourism, local medical and wellness facilities, and buyers and suppliers to the industry.
Adtusalud president Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso says the event is an opportunity for networking, education and exploring investment opportunities.
The Congress has the support of the Ministry of Tourism and is endorsed by the Public Health Ministry, the National Hotels & Tourism Association (Asonahores), the National Business Council (Conep), the Consular Corps in the Dominican Republic, Unibe university, the Center for Alternative Solution of Disputes, the Medical Tourism Association and the National Council of Export Free Zones (CNZFE).
http://adtusalud.org/en/3rd-international-congress-of-tourism-of-health-and-welfare/
For more on ongoing and upcoming events:
http://www.dr1.com/calendar
Archived News stories:
http://dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.p...-Headline-News
Archived Travel News stories:
http://dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.p...p-Tourism-News
Deal signed with South Korean power company
CEA hands over sugar land title deeds
Cost of political campaigns is too high
Writ issued against Public Defenders Office
DR is most innovative country in the Caribbean
Environmental prosecutions
Kilic Deniz to test Dominican waters
Videos show positive DR-Haiti relations
Some missing children found
Fire on Av. Duarte
Drug haul in Barahona
Teenager accused of death of 81-year old Canadian
Health Tourism meets in Santo Domingo
Haiti to lift ban, says it never existed
Following an afternoon meeting in Port-au-Prince on 30 August 2016 between Haitian acting President Jocelerme Privert and Dominican Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas, the Haitian government has announced that it will officially publish a notice in a few days time confirming there are no restrictions on the import of 23 Dominican products by land as long as the necessary customs duties are paid.
Speaking to Dominican journalists covering the Dominican minister?s visit to Haiti, acting President Privert denied there had ever been a ban. ?What I say is that there never was an embargo or any interference with the entry of those products. No law was ever passed prohibiting the entry of any product from any country into Haiti,? said Privert.
Earlier in the day, Haitian Minister of Foreign Relations Pierrot Delienne had also announced that his government would arrange to provide passports by the end of October at the latest, for around 112,000 Haitian nationals who live in the Dominican Republic so that they can complete their registration in the National Migrant Legalization Plan (PNRE).
In addition, to mark Vargas? first official visit, D?lienne said that his government would react favorably to the request to restart the Bilateral Mixed Commission meetings so that they could work together on a common agenda, with the next meeting set for 19 October 2016. The commission last met in November 2014.
During the visit to Haiti, Vargas was accompanied by Dominican businessmen Juan Vicini, Manuel Estrella and Fernando Capellan, and the Dominican Ambassador in Haiti, Ruben Sili?, along with several officials and diplomats from the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Relations.
El Caribe reports that Haiti?s new Foreign Relations Minister D?lienne?s wife is Dominican, and that their three daughters study in the Dominican Republic.
In the meeting that took place at the Presidential Palace in Haiti, acting President Privert promised that the elections would be held on 9 October 2016 as scheduled to bring political stability so that fewer Haitians feel compelled to immigrate to the Dominican Republic.
The meetings began at 9am and concluded at 3:45pm.
The first session was a closed door meeting with Minister D?lienne, Dominican ambassador Ruben Sili?, and Dominican businessmen Manuel Estrella, Fernando Capell?n and Juan Vicini, as reported in El Caribe. It was followed by an 11:15am meeting with Dominican and Haitian government missions with Dominican ambassador Cesar Medina, journalist Marjorie Espinosa, Ministerial advisor Hugo Rivera and Dominican ambassador Alberto Despradel. Haiti was represented by government officials.
A third meeting took place in the afternoon when Minister Vargas visited the Presidential Palace to meet with acting President Privert.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...antara-prohibicion-a-23-productos-dominicanos
http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/08/31/haiti-deja-pasar-los-23-productos-que-prohibio-casi-ano
http://eldia.com.do/556167-2/
Deal signed with South Korean power company
On Monday, 29 August 2016, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) signed a US$39 million agreement with the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo.
The deal includes the installation and replacement of the distribution network across the country, and the South Korean state-owned company will cover the whole process from planning to execution.
KEPCO has already completed a US$51 million won power distribution order from 2011 in the country and in addition, to alleviate the chronic power shortage, KEPCO?s CEO Cho Hwan-eik and President Danilo Medina have discussed further cooperation on renewable energy, as reported in the Korea Herald.
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160830000590
CEA hands over sugar land title deeds
The State Sugar Company (CEA) will hand over more than 11,000 title deeds to the same number of families for land in the Monte Plata, Guerra, Manoguayabo, Villa Altagracia and Las Americas areas.
CEA director Jose Miguel Dominguez said that the people are occupying CEA-owned land but that issuing property titles would guarantee their legal security. He said that the process of demarcation, measurement and making the legal transfer had cost the CEA more than RD$240 million.
http://almomento.net/cea-entregara-...s-a-familias-asentadas-en-sus-terrenos/239149
Political campaigning cost too high
The Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) says that the cost of fielding candidates for congressional, presidential or municipal posts is unaffordable. The party is suggesting the need to regulate electoral campaign costs.
PRSC president Federico (Quique) Antun Batlle said that the high cost of campaigning encourages corruption and opens the way to illicit financing and misuse of public funds.
As Antun said, in this country it is impossible to cover the high costs of campaigns transparently. He said a campaign for a deputy in Congress costs between RS$10 and RD$30 million, while a senator?s could cost over RD$50 million. Presidential campaigns cost around US$100 million. Campaigns for mayors cost the same as deputies for the small and medium-sized municipalities and between RD$50 and RD$150 million for the larger ones. Even campaigns for city government councilors cost between RD$500,000 and RD$3 million.
He added that not even 25% of this investment is recouped, which leads the candidates to look for illegal alternatives to recover the money invested.
http://elnacional.com.do/prsc-dice-una-candidatura-alcalde-cuesta-hasta-rd150-mm/
Writ issued against Public Defenders Office
The Dominican Lawyers Association (CARD) has issued a writ against the Director of the National Office of Public Defenders (ONDP), Laura Hernandez, for alleged violation of the law and the Constitution.
CARD president Miguel Surun Hernandez submitted the writ to the Superior Administrative Court on the grounds that the ONDP had committed serious irregularities by offering Public Defender services to people who can afford to pay for a lawyer. He said that they had overwhelming proof that the ONDP had provided services to defendants who had money thus depriving people without money of the ability to have a public defender.
He said they had proof of more than 700 cases represented by public defenders who could afford a lawyer including one of the accused in the Super Tucano plane case.
In addition he said they had received complaints that people with money were receiving a better service from the Public Defenders? Office than people on lower incomes, and the Public Defenders were also receiving bribes.
He said they wanted the establishment of a registration system for defenders to be carried out in coordination with the College of Lawyers, so that those who could afford it would be allocated a private lawyer.
He concluded by saying that they wanted to set a limit of 80 cases per public defender so the rest of the cases could go to private attorneys, and the end of the use of the green pompom on the hat of the public defenders as it violated Judicial Organization Law 821-1927 that established equal attire for all lawyers when in court.
http://almomento.net/colegio-de-abogados-somete-a-directora-de-la-oficina-de-defensa-publica/239191
DR is most innovative country in the Caribbean
According to the latest edition of the World Intellectual Property Organization?s Global Innovation Index, released on 15 August 2016, the Dominican Republic is the most innovative country in the Caribbean, ranking 76th in the world for innovation of 128 ranked countries.
The Dominican Republic ranked highest in the Caribbean region for market sophistication and business sophistication, and poorest for human capital and research.
The next-highest-ranked Caribbean country is Jamaica, which came in at 89th in the world.
Costa Rica is the top ranked Central American country (45th), followed by Panama (68), Guatemala (97), Honduras (101), El Salvador (104) and Nicaragua (116).
In 2016, China joined the ranks of the world?s 25 most-innovative economies, while Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Finland and Singapore lead the 2016 rankings in the Global Innovation Index, published by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The report examined a series of factors impacting innovation, including institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs and creative outputs.
http://www.wipo.int/econ_stat/en/economics/gii/
https://www.globalinnovationindex.org
Environmental prosecutions
A report showing that the Prosecution Service Specializing in the Defense of the Environment and Natural Resources has processed 65,310 cases for environmental crimes across the country for the first 10 months of 2105 has just been released.
The unit is headed by prosecutor Francia Calderon, and according to the report during 2015 some 210 cases actually went to court and 137 cases had coercive measures applied.
Anyone who commits crimes against the environment may face jail time from six days to three years.
Eight types of infraction are detailed in Environment Law 64-00 that cause damage to the environment and protected areas along with the cutting or destruction of trees in protected forestry areas, as well as jail time perpetrators can face fines, withdrawal on environmental licenses, demand reparations for the damage and the loss of tools and vehicles that caused the damage to the environment.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...6/procesan-65310-casos-de-delitos-ambientales
Kilic Deniz to test Dominican waters
A leading fish farming company from Turkey, Kilic Deniz has announced that it is currently in the process of establishing bass and bream farming operations in the Dominican Republic to supply the United States market.
In Turkey, the company produces 50,000 tons of blue fin tuna and farmed sea bass and sea bream and plans to produce the same again in the Dominican Republic for export to the United States. The reason is that the US market is very profitable, with a price premium of 50-60%, so the company wants to be able to farm closer to it, as reported in Under Current News.
The company has 25 years? experience in aquaculture from the start of its operations in Bodrum, Turkey. It now exports to over 40 countries in five continents.
The operation in the Dominican Republic is a pilot project for further expansion of the company into new international markets.
https://www.undercurrentnews.com/20...pansion-in-bluefin-on-wild-catch-not-farming/
Videos show positive DR-Haiti relations
Young people from Haiti have won first and second place in a 90-second video competition sponsored by the European Union to show positive everyday relations between young Dominicans and Haitians. Third place went to a Dominican.
The short film, ?Amour, paix et amiti? by Aniberca Martes won first place, second place went to ?Philippe et Pamela? by Mykee Richarson and third place to ?La convivencia con respeto? by Wilmer Rosario.
The films were sponsored by the European Union as part of the European Union?s HT-RD Bi-National Program known as ?Konnen?m Pi Byen? (Conoceme Mejor), or Know Me Better. 45 videos participated.
The Bi-National Program between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, funded with 50 million euros from the European Union, was launched in 2012. It aims to strengthen political, economic, trade and environmental cooperation between the two countries. The challenge, according to the EU, is to consolidate a sustainable and constructive partnership between the two nations for economic and social development.
Key areas are:
Institutional strengthening through support to both technical secretariats of the Joint Bilateral Commission and the establishment of a Bi-national Observatory;
Trade facilitation and customs harmonization;
The environment and local development in border regions;
The construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure in the border zone to the north of both countries.
http://sentinel.ht/2016/08/30/haiti-producers-top-dominican-counterparts-eu-video-contest/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9TCFqtpxUyXtwUuAIHKXeqmon0dxTskd&v=nNPsqyPcOR4
Some missing children found
According to the National Police Missing Persons Department, three of the eight children supposedly still missing since 2013 have been found and returned to their families.
Two of the three are 12-year old Wilbert Cespedes Montero, and 16-year old Miguel Abreu F?lix who lived in the San Jose Project in Haina, San Cristobal, who disappeared in April 2013 but were found and returned home a few days later.
The Police have said that the major problem is that the youngsters go out and their parents report them as missing but they are just behaving like any kid would.
They did admit that there were problems with the Complaints Department especially in cases occurring in the provinces, which were not always sent to the central office in the capital.
Another child who was reported as still missing, a three-year old girl who disappeared in La Romana in May 2013 was also found and returned home. Two people are awaiting trial in this case.
On Monday 29 August 2016, Police spokesman General Nelson Rosario said that a 17-year old girl who had been reported missing on 21 August was also found safe and sound and returned home to Santiago of her own accord.
In addition, a 14-year old girl who had been missing since 1 July this year has turned up at a police station in Bavaro, asking for protection from her parents, who live in Boca Chica and were allegedly mistreating her. She had apparently been taken to Bavaro by 34-year old Erick Arias Aquino, to work as a prostitute. He was arrested by the Police in July.
However, some children have not reappeared, including 16-year old Cynthia Altagracia Billini Sanchez who disappeared this month and is said to have mental problems. In addition, six-year old Wilfredo de la Cruz, who disappeared from Ponce, Guar?canos, has also not been found.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/08/30/433288/encontraron-3-de-8-ninos-desaparecidos
Fire on Av. Duarte
A fire broke out at the MXA Importers building on Duarte Avenue on the corner of Caracas street in the National District on Tuesday 30 August 2016. No one was injured and the fire was extinguished by the fire brigade.
Traffic was diverted in the area around the scene and to date the cause of the blaze is unknown.
http://eldia.com.do/fuego-afecta-importadora-mxa-en-la-avenida-duarte/
Teenager accused of murder of 81-year old Canadian
A 15-year old girl was arrested on Tuesday 30 August 2016, reportedly the lead suspect in the murder of 81-year old Canadian national John Verne Ward in Villa Hermosa, La Romana. The Canadian died after being stabbed several times.
The arrested girl?s case will be heard by the Boys, Girls and Teenagers Court.
Drug haul in Barahona
The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) has confiscated 100 packages of cocaine or heroin that were being transported by a suspected drug dealer who was arrested during an operation carried out on the highway to Barahona in the south of the country.
The arrested man was identified as 38-year old Leonardo de Aza Gavilan, a resident of Ensanche Quisqueya, National District.
The drugs were being transported in a secret compartment in a Ford Expedition, which was stopped by the DNCD at the Santa Ana crossroads in Barahona province.
The drugs were sent to the National Forensic Science Institute (Inacif) to establish the weight and type and the arrested man is being questioned.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...de-yipeta-con-100-paquetes-de-droga-MJ4812709
Health Tourism meets in Santo Domingo
The Dominican Health Tourism Association (Adtusalud) is holding its 3rd International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress at the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel Santo Domingo from 1-3 September 2016.
The three days of talks and events bring together a panel of world authorities on health tourism, local medical and wellness facilities, and buyers and suppliers to the industry.
Adtusalud president Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso says the event is an opportunity for networking, education and exploring investment opportunities.
The Congress has the support of the Ministry of Tourism and is endorsed by the Public Health Ministry, the National Hotels & Tourism Association (Asonahores), the National Business Council (Conep), the Consular Corps in the Dominican Republic, Unibe university, the Center for Alternative Solution of Disputes, the Medical Tourism Association and the National Council of Export Free Zones (CNZFE).
http://adtusalud.org/en/3rd-international-congress-of-tourism-of-health-and-welfare/
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