$DR/$US bid-ask spreads...Q for frederic

Hi frederic, I have seen posted on several places that the bid/ask spreads of the DR/US exchange rate is as high as $1 peso. This seems tremendously high and counter productive. I have several of questions relating to that:

1) Is this accurate and does it represent the historical average?
2) Can an individual or a corporation buy pesos directly form the Central Bank or from the Treasury?
3) Where/who does the central bank get its information from to come up with some kind of 'nominal' daily exchange rate?
4) If there are different places/businesses where large amounts can be exchanged, do they communicate in order to maintain an orderly market?

....Best for last....

5) How can an individual be legally licensed to make a market in this exchange rate? can this be done in the DR as well as US?


thanks in advance, frederic (or anyone else who can help)

follow up...

1. Is this spread that we see in the open market (DR$1) the same spread that importers and exporters are subject to when exchanging millions of dollars? Is there a specific bank or financial institution that makes a market for these large US$/DR$ exchange transactions?

2. If the spread is so high (DR$1), then I submit that the exchange rate market is very innefficient. The market forces are not working porperly to bring this spread down. My guess is that there might one or all of the following taking place:

a) too much goverment intervention
b) collusion betwen the different exchange houses
c) significant barrier to getting multiple quotes

I would appreciate you comments,

mondongo