DR1 Daily News - Monday, 5 September 2016

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
Medina to Margarita Island and New York
Public hospital doctors’ agreement could be imminent
New Sports Minister to give priority to National Games
Highway toll increases announced
Senator “can’t afford water” on her wages
RD$15 million for five UASD university employees
Colonial City street closures
Second source of Colonial City aqueduct found
Easy, Mr. Dodds; we will fix that…
Man kills four women
Rains and high surf forecast
Davis Cup in Santiago
Herminio Alberti photo exhibition at Casa de Teatro
Cyrille Aimee at Teatro La Fiesta


Medina to Margarita Island and New York
President Danilo Medina will be traveling to Margarita Island, Venezuela on Tuesday 13 September 2016 to attend the 17th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement taking place from 13-18 September. Venezuela is taking over the temporary presidency of the 120-nation group during the event. Medina will be traveling with Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado.

On Sunday, 18 September, Medina and Vargas will travel to New York City to attend the 71st United Nations General Assembly. Medina and Vargas have several meetings scheduled in New York with representatives of member countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) of which the Dominican Republic is the temporary president through January 2017.


Public hospital doctors’ agreement could be imminent
On Friday, 2 September 2016 the media reported that the impasse over working hours had been resolved. Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero announced that the government had agreed to four-hour work shifts for doctors.

Julio Castanos Guzman, one of the members of the doctors’ and government negotiating committee, said that the talks had progressed beyond the work schedule impasse, as reported in El Dia. He said that a full agreement was expected within the next two weeks.

The commission also includes Dominican Medical Association (CMD) president Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero, Public Health Minister Altagracia Guzman Marcelino, Social Security Institute director Dr. Cesar Mella and the rector of the Catholic University of Santo Domingo Fr. Jesus Castro.

Suero also called off all planned public hospital doctors’ strikes.

http://www.metrord.do/noticias/el-c...-ayer-a-un-preacuerdo/ftwpib---tW09yRtjGzKtE/


New Sports Minister to give priority to National Games
Minister of Sports Danilo Diaz, on the job since 16 August 2016, wants to resume the National Games. The National Games were discontinued in 2009 after it was determined they were a waste of money. Billions were invested in sports facilities that later were abandoned.

Over the past four years, former Minister Jaime David Fernandez dedicated much of the budget of the Ministry to rescuing several of the sports facilities. Diaz said he would continue the work of Fernandez in the rescuing of the country’s sports installations.

Diaz, nevertheless, says the National Games are where the better sports talents are discovered. He said he will continue to support the National Student Sports Games that were the priority of his predecessor. But he will also back the Municipal Games, the Regional Games and then the National Sports Games.

http://beta.eldia.com.do/los-juegos-nacionales-son-prioridad-de-danilo-diaz/


Highway toll increases announced
The Fideicomiso RD Vial, the government trust in charge of financing maintenance and new roadworks, has announced that tolls at Las Americas, Duarte, Sanchez, 6 de Noviembre, La Romana and Coral I highways will double in some cases as of Monday, 5 September 2016.
As of Monday, cars, pickups and SUVs (category I) that paid RD$30 will now pay RD$60.
The RD$30 toll had been in effect since 2002. The government says it is applying an indexation adjustment.
Category 2 (microbuses and minibuses) will be charged RD$120, up from RD$50.
Category 3 (3 and 4 axis vehicles) will be charged RD$180, category 4 (5 and 6 axis) RD$240 and category 5 (7 axis and more) will pay RD$300.

At the Coral II, Circunvalaci?n Juan Bosch I and II, Circunvalaci?n La Romana, Circunvalaci?n Santiago, category 1 vehicles 1 will pay RD$100, category 2 RD$200, category 3 RD$300, category 4 RD$400 and category 5, RD$600.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...e-los-peajes-a-partir-de-este-lunes-MI4857824


Senator “can’t afford water” on her wages
Senator for Dajabon Sonia Mateo became the talk of the town after Thursday (1 September 2016) morning’s El Sol de la Manana radio show when she claimed that Senators’ wages were not enough for a bottle of water. Senators’ wages were increased from RD$250,000 a month to RD$320,000 a month at the end of August.

Promptly, a mock-campaign to donate water to the legislator was promptly launched. Social media filled up with memes reflecting the wit and outrage of thousands of Dominicans who felt insulted by the legislator.

As reported in Diario Libre, the senator’s two-week wage was RD$125,000, plus she has a staff costing RD$503,420 a month. On the radio talk show, Mateo also said that opponents of the wage increase “were heartless.”

A report in El Dia estimates that senators receive RD$425,900 per month in cash. Other benefits are high-cost international medical insurance, discretionary social funds of up to one million pesos a month, one unlimited vehicle tax exemption every two years, luxury restaurant services, and additional pay for serving on commissions.

The El Dia report on Monday, 5 September estimates that each of the 32 senators costs taxpayers upwards of RD$2 million a month.

Meanwhile, deputy Pedro Botello has put in a request for a similar increase for the Chamber of Deputies. He is asking Chamber of Deputies president, Lucia Medina, who is President Danilo Medina’s sister to apply Law 105-13 as has occurred in the Senate. Lucia Medina recently stated that any wage increase would be in violation of the Constitution, which says that legislators cannot legislate for their own direct benefit.

http://beta.eldia.com.do/un-senador-recibe-rd425900-todos-los-meses/
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...tellita-de-agua-las-redes-responden-NG4833942
https://notitemasrd.wordpress.com/2...ojo-de-la-critica-por-su-queja-sobre-salario/


RD$15 million for five UASD university employees
MetroRD reports that the state university UASD has authorized the disbursement of around RD$15 million to purchase five Toyota 4Runner SUVs for five of its deans.

The beneficiaries are Juan Tiburcio of the Faculty of Arts, Alejandro Ozuna of the Faculty of Sciences, Wilson Mejia of the Faculty of Health, Ramon Desangles Flores of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and Ramon Rodriguez of the Faculty of Humanities.

The local market cost of the SUVs is US$63,000.

MetroRD reports that the gas-guzzling vehicles will mean an increase in costs for the university.

Defending the expenditure, communications director Cesar Amado Martinez said that transportation was a priority need.

http://www.metrord.do/noticias/cues...5-mm-para-decanos-uasd/ftwpia---OLmeZbGpT4YQ/


Colonial City street closures
The Colonial City Tourism Promotion Program (PFTCC) and the EdeEste power distribution company have announced the partial closure of the Arzobispo Meri?o, Mercedes and Isabel La Cat?lica streets in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo. The streets are being closed to install two special power transformers needed for the underground electricity cabling in the area. The works will begin at 5pm on Monday, 5 September 2016 and will be completed on Tuesday, 6 September at 1pm.

The operation is divided in two phases. First, the stretch from Calle Arzobispo Meri?o between Emiliano Tejera and Luper?n will be closed, and a section from Mercedes between Isabel la Cat?lica and Hostos streets. Once the works in those sections are completed, the stretch of Isabel la Cat?lica street between Mercedes and Emiliano Tejera street will be closed.

Parking will not be allowed on Arzobispo Meri?o, Mercedes (between Hostos and Las Damas) and Isabel la Cat?lica (between Luper?n and Tejera) streets while the installation is underway, to prevent damage to parked vehicles.


Second source of Colonial City aqueduct found
Archaeologists assisting in the installation of underground electricity cabling say they have discovered the second water source for the first aqueduct of the New World in the Columbus Park area.

Archaeologist Santiago Duval told Diario Libre that the source, which was found by Francisco Coste and Joaquin Adames, has been protected. According to the archaeologists, it is a six-inch diameter clay pipe surrounded by a platform.

The source supplied the local jail and the Convento de la Clarisa that is now the Colegio Santa Clara on Calle Isabel la Catolica at the corner of Calle Billini.

The installations were found because the excavation works are being carried out manually to take extra care in the historic area.

Architect Gladys Leticia Tejeda of the Oficina Patrimonio Monumental said that the aqueduct was built by Spaniard Rodrigo de Liendo.

The first source of the aqueduct of the Colonial City was discovered on Arzobispo Merino Street near the corner of Calle El Conde.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/ciudad/hallan-fuente-del-primer-acueducto-de-america-HA4839108


Easy, Mr. Dodds; we will fix that…
An editorial in Diario Libre on Saturday, 3 September 2016 mentions a letter that local resident associations in the Piantini neighborhood of Santo Domingo have sent to Hamish Dodds, CEO of Hard Rock Corporation. In January 2016 the company announced the start of construction of a 40-floor hotel and casino in central Santo Domingo.

While excavations are far advanced, for the construction of the high rise to continue, the Ministry of Environment needs to issue an environmental permit that by law requires a go-ahead from the community. The community says the proposed hotel and casino currently violates several construction regulations for the area.

In the editorial, Diario Libre editor points out that Mr. Dodds must be wondering why it is that neighborhood groups are the ones that are opposing his company’s proposed violations of all the regulations for the zone. Where are the authorities in this?

However, editorial writer Ines Aizpun warns that getting privileges can backfire. She reminds the company that the permits issued to Grupo Estrella for a cement factory on the edge of Los Haitises national park, Grupo Matutes for a high-rise building in the neighborhood of Los Cacicazgos, and for shows at an amphitheater in Santo Domingo’s Parque Iberoamericano were eventually revoked either by public pressure or by the courts.

http://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/am/tranquilo-eso-se-arregla-AJ4847570


Man kills four women
The National Police says that 48-year old Santos Delgado del Carmen shot and killed his partner 37-year old Roberta Angom?s C?spedes, their 18-year old daughter Yinauri Delgado, her mother, 66-year old Agripina Cespedes and their neighbor, 48-year old Ana Luisa Ventura Germ?n at around 9:45 am on Friday, 2 September 2016 in the Las Toronjas section of Invivienda neighborhood in Santo Domingo East. The killings took place at the couple’s home on Ercilia Pepin Street.

According to reports, Roberta was saying goodbye to her relatives before traveling to Guadeloupe where she was living with another man in order to send money home to the family. Her husband was opposed to the trip, this time of the wife and their daughter Yinauri Delgado.

A group of neighbors then stabbed and injured Delgado after he had used up all his bullets and was trying to get away. He did not have a gun permit. He was taken to the Dario Contreras Hospital for emergency treatment is now in Police custody.

Delgado is claiming that he fired the shots in self-defense against the person who had stabbed him. Witnesses said, however, that he had planned the killing because he had sent his two other children, aged 13 and 10, to the neighborhood shop to ensure they would not see the argument.

El Dia reports that the neighbors were the first surprised with the rage shown by Delgado. He was known as a quiet person, who was always ready to cooperate with the neighbors.

On Friday, a court ordered one-year jail custody to Delgado at the La Victoria jail.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...ta-entre-las-victimas-de-invivienda-LI4846287

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...-horror-en-el-sector-invivienda-sde-YL4850320


Rains and high surf forecast
The Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic will be affected by a tropical wave as of Monday, 5 September 2016. The weather service, Onamet says the storm has 20% probability of becoming a hurricane in the next 48 hours. On Monday evening, the DR will be affected by rain and thunderstorms and high surf from La Altagracia to San Jose de Ocoa provinces on Monday to Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the active tropical wave will affect the southeastern, northeastern, central mountain areas and the border with Haiti as of the afternoon and the evening.

Small boats are advised to stay in port and others to sail with care.

The hot weather will continue given the combination of Saharan dust and strong solar radiation. For Greater Santo Domingo, a maximum of 32(?C) is forecast with a minimum of 22?C in the early morning.

http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/157613-2016-Hurricane-Season/page10
http://www.onamet.gov.do/?param=pronostico-general


Davis Cup in Santiago
Colombian tennis players Santiago Giraldo (ranked 136th by the Association of Tennis Professionals), Alejandro Gonz?lez (158), Eduardo Struvay (156), Juan Sebasti?n Cabral (27 in doubles) and Robert Farah (27 in doubles) will match Dominicans Victor Estrella (83), Jos? “Bebo” Hern?ndez (222), Roberto Cid (613) and Jose Olivares (1,011) in the Davis Cup Americas Zone Group 1.

The matches will take place at the Centro Espa?ol in Santiago city from 16-18 September 2016.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Davis_Cup_Americas_Zone_Group_I


Herminio Alberti photo exhibition at Casa de Teatro
Photographer Herminio Alberti is exhibiting 28 photographs in 14 segments on poverty in the Dominican Republic.

The exhibition in Casa de Teatro in Santo Domingo’s Colonial City was curated by Pedro Farias-Nardi with Myrna Guerrero, Pedro Genaro Rodr?guez and Kutty Reyes. The exhibition will be open from Tuesday, 6 September through Friday 30 September 2016.


Cyrille Aimee at Teatro La Fiesta
French-Dominican jazz singer 32-year old Cyrille Aimee has booked a stop in Santo Domingo as part of her recent “It’s a Good Day Tour” for Saturday, 12 November 2016 at the Teatro La Fiesta of the Hotel Jaragua Renaissance in Santo Domingo.

Her latest album includes the song “Estrellitas y duendes” by Juan Luis Guerra.
Tickets are for sale on Uepa Tickets.

Listen to her music at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngW89lIN66U

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