DR1 Daily News - Wednesday, 16 November 2016

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Russia offers its satellites for oil prospecting
Ruling on transporters postponed by TSA again
Austria seeks to improve trade ties
Passport office to be trained
PLD Political Committee immersed in JCE process
Economist urges shift in tax concentration
ATM move RD$291M from Jan-Sept 2016
Playa Grande and Amanera to be sold
Overturned tanker causes Santiago highway bottleneck
Floods get worse
Excess rains cause major crop losses
Rains cause bridge collapse
Edenorte prepares for more floods
More rains to come
Possible new tropical storm or hurricane
Marijuana hauls
DJ music festival in Punta Cana
Juanes is coming for Barcel? Electric Paradise
Milly Quezada and Conjunto Quisqueya*
Brugal suspends Puerto Plata Merengue Festival



Russia offers its satellites for oil prospecting
The Russian government is offering the Dominican government immediate support for President Danilo Medina’s energy policies with the aim of developing the country’s petroleum and natural gas industries. Minister of Foreign Relations Miguel Vargas Maldonado visited Russia last week and met his counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss opening up trade, investment, tourism and cooperation. Vargas was heading a Latin American and Caribbean Community (CELAC) mission to Russia. The Dominican Republic holds the pro-tempore presidency of CELAC.

As reported by the Ministry of Foreign Relations, in the bilateral meeting with Vargas, Lavrov offered access to the use of satellites for prospecting, scholarships for Dominican students, and training to combat drug trafficking.

http://mirex.gob.do/medios/noticias...telital-para-la-exploracion-de-petroleo-en-rd
http://mirex.gob.do/medios/noticias...ga-a-rusia-para-encabezar-reunion-de-la-celac


Ruling on transporters postponed by TSA again
The National Business Council (Conep) has reiterated its call to the government to end the leniency that it has exercised towards the country’s transport leaders for many years, in terms of compliance with traffic laws and the Constitution. Conep has taken the case to the Superior Administrative Court (TSA), which postponed its decision again on Tuesday, 15 November 2016.

Dozens of members of several public transport unions protested outside the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) and prevented the beginning of the appeal hearing submitted by Conep against several state institutions due to the transport sector monopoly.

The noise prevented the judge and lawyers for both sides from talking or hearing each other and the hearing was postponed to a later date.

Transport union leaders Antonio Marte, Juan Hubieres and Alfredo Pulinario led the demonstrators, who were carrying placards and playing drums, trumpets and other musical instruments.

The Conep is seeking to make cargo and passenger transport more efficient, with a quality service at a fair price. Conep executive vice president Rafael Paz says that a report by the Inter-American Development Bank estimates the cost of cargo transport in the Dominican Republic as five times higher than in any Central American country. Likewise, according to Central Bank data, Dominicans are obliged to pay 25 to 30% of their wages for transport.

Meanwhile, the leading members of the transport cartel are protesting the recent legal actions by Conep on the grounds that the business organization is trying to push them out of the transport business, to the detriment of their livelihoods. Conep has requested a ruling from the TSA on the right of other companies to enter the transport market so there is competition, in an attempt to break the long-term oligopoly that has benefitted from government tolerance.

Conep argues that the current chaos and permissiveness that dominate the cargo and passenger transport sector threatens the rule of law in the Dominican Republic to which all citizens are subject, dragging it to a situation of disorder and chaos that seriously threatens the national economic regime and social prosperity. Conep issued a communiqu? stating that: “Society as a whole is calling for order in this sector. Indignity and social neglect resulting from the abuses of unions and affiliates should elicit a reaction from the government, which must take the relevant actions to eliminate the violations by these syndicates.”

http://hoy.com.do/aboga-porque-estado-rompa-permisividad-en-el-transporte/
http://hoy.com.do/organizacion-conep-busca-sacar-unidades-rutas/
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...sometido-por-conep-contra-transportistas.html
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...a-monopolio-en-el-sector-transporte-NB5461249


Austria seeks to improve trade ties
An Austrian government and business mission visited the Ministry of Foreign Relations this week to look into ways of increasing trade, investment and cooperation relations with the Dominican Republic. The mission was hosted at the Ministry by deputy minister of foreign relations for economic affairs and international cooperation, Hugo Rivera Fern?ndez. The Austrian mission was headed by Bernadette Marianne Gierlinger, deputy minister at the Federal Ministry of Sciences, Research and Economy.

The agenda included the business climate, environmental cooperation and bilateral trade relations. The mission met with representatives of the Ozama-Isabela River Presidential Commission, the Greater Santo Domingo Commonwealth, the National Energy Commission, the Dominican Republic Association of Industries (AIRD), the Center for Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD), and the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce and Production.

The Austrian government was represented by the Department of International Cooperation for Projects and Technology, Foreign Economic Policy, Exhibitions and International Fairs, representatives of the Austria Technological Institute and the consulate of Austria in the Dominican Republic.

The business members of the mission included Michael Dichand of Gussing Renewable Energy International in biomass and Wolfgang Weingartner of MUT, specialized in support for machinery, environmental technology and transport systems.

Deputy Minister Rivera said that the business representatives sought to strengthen bilateral business ties. He said Austria is much interested in environmentally friendly technologies, including wastewater treatment and waste disposal, as well as renewable energy development in the Dominican Republic.

The mission was coordinated by Dominican ambassador in Austria Ram?n Qui?ones and minister counselor Iv?n Tapia Linares.

http://mirex.gob.do/medios/noticias...dades-comerciales-y-de-cooperacion-en-el-pais


Passport office to be trained
The General Passport Office has issued a press release announcing a training program for its staff so that they can provide a better service to the public and work more transparently.

According to the director general, Ramon (Monchy) Rodriguez, they aim to increase the level of efficiency and incorporate new technology and greater transparency and staff will be attending a series of workshops for this purpose. Rodriguez said that he wants the Passport Office to be the most efficient public institutions with the highest standards of transparency in the country.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/11/15/pasaportes-capacita-personal-para-mejorar-servicio


PLD Political Committee immersed in JCE process
The PLD Political Committee has created a commission to follow up on the congressional process of choosing the new members of the Central Electoral Board (JCE).

The Political Committee of the ruling PLD met on Monday, 14 November 2016, and chose the members of the political commission that will decide who will be the next members of the Central Electoral Board (JCE). These judges will preside over the 2020 general election. The ruling party holds an absolute majority in both houses of Congress and its legislators will have the last word. With few exceptions, in the past PLD legislators have complied with decisions taken by the PLD Political Committee.

The commission was formed by former President Leonel Fern?ndez, former Vice President Rafael Alburquerque and Senate president Reinaldo Pared P?rez. Pared Perez is also general secretary of the PLD.
Former President Leonel Fern?ndez can run for President in 2020, while President Danilo Medina would have to change the Constitution again to authorize a second re-election bid.

On Tuesday 15 November 2016, PLD spokesman Ruben Dar?o Cruz informed that the choice of judges for the 2016-2020 JCE would be announced on Wednesday, 16 November. Diario Libre reports that Fernandez met with the president of the commission to choose the JCE judges, Dionis S?nchez and other senators at Funglode on Tuesday. A meeting with the commission is scheduled for 2pm on Wednesday, before the start of the Senate session for selecting the judges.

They went on to say that an exception had been made in the case of Julio Cesar Casta?os Guzm?n, who was not interviewed as he is the vice president of the Supreme Court of Justice, president of the First Civil and Commercial Court and former president of the JCE.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...omision-para-ver-integracion-de-jce-IE5457903
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...omision-para-ver-integracion-de-jce-IE5457903
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...ce-hay-consenso-con-castanos-guzman-AC5466020


Economist urges shift in tax concentration
Economist Bernardo Hir?n S?nchez says that the tax authorities should restructure collections to improve income distribution and ensure that taxes do not only serve to pay for government. “The Dominican tax system has to be redesigned to become an instrument for the redistribution of wealth,” he said. “The system cannot only serve to pay for government expenditure and reduce fiscal deficits, but also needs to serve to redistribute income, as this is the only instrument for this in the capitalist regime,” he said, as reported in El Caribe.

UASD economics professor Hir?n said that in 2000, the tax concentration index was around 65% and by 2014 it was only 49%, reflecting a clear decline. “When indirect taxes are more than the direct taxes, then these become regressive… there has been a shifting of taxes from the higher income levels to those of the middle class basically,” he said.

Hir?n made his remarks during a discussion organized by the Centro Cuesta Bookstore. UASD School of Economics director Antonio Ciriaco Cruz and economists Edita Rodr?guez Salce, Julio Caminero and Filiberto N??ez also took part.

In recent years, the government has passed countless tax reforms in order to maintain its high rate of government spending, notable for some of the highest levels of wasteful spending in the world, according to the World Economic Forum Competitiveness Report.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2016/11/14/economista-recomienda-reorientar-sistema-tributario-dominicano


ATM move RD$291M from Jan-Sept 2016
Dominicans are doing most of their banking via automated teller machines. The Central Bank says that RD$291 million worth of transactions was made at the country’s 2,805 ATMs from January to September 2016. Most of the ATMs are located in Greater Santo Domingo, with 1,381 or 49%. In 2008, there were 588 ATMs in the province of Santo Domingo and the National District.

El Dinero reports that this reflects the importance of cash and debit cards in the Dominican economy. The Central Bank reports that ATM transactions were up 17% in the first nine months of the year.

http://www.eldinero.com.do/32063/ca...n-rd291000-millones-en-enero-septiembre-2016/


Playa Grande and Amanera to be sold
Dolphin Capital has agreed to sell its Playa Grande Golf and Resort project, including the Amanera resort, on the north coast of the Dominican Republic for EUR64 million to Third Point, the AIM-listed company's largest shareholder, which is acting on behalf of certain funds.

Miltos Kambourides, founder and managing director of Dolphin Capital, said the sale would enable the project to move on the next stage of development.

The sale was agreed at an enterprise value of EUR140 million, which represents a 10% discount of the project's carrying value at 30 June and will result in a loss of EUR15m, which will be recognized in the company's financial statements for the year ending 31 December.

The buyer will assume all EUR75 million of Playa Grande’s liabilities, of which EUR58 million are loans. The company will also be released from liability and its guarantees from the EUR19 million senior construction project loan with a consortium of banks in the Dominican Republic.

The sale is conditional on the lapse of a right of first refusal for the project in favor of its prior owner, who is required to pay a deposit equal to 10% of the consideration for the disposal within 15 days of receipt of a draft sale contract. It is not anticipated that this right will be exercised.

http://www.digitallook.com/news/aim...minican-republic-resort-for-64m--2283916.html


Overturned tanker causes Santiago highway bottleneck
An oil tank freighter overturned on the Duarte highway near Colorado near the city of Santiago causing a three-hour traffic jam on Tuesday, 15 November 2016.

Santiago fire chief Ricardo Rosario said that the accident happened at 7am. He said Santiago city and El Cibao International Airport firefighters used special foam to prevent a fire due to the large volume of leaking fuel.

The driver of the Petronan fuel truck, who was identified as Johan Mojica, was unhurt. He said the accident had occurred after the driver of another vehicle hit the brakes suddenly.

Traffic was closed on the south-north direction and two-way traffic was diverted to the north-south direction of the Duarte Highway.

http://elnacional.com.do/se-vuelca-tanquero-cargado-combustibles/


Floods get worse
The Emergency Operations’ Center (COE) has announced that 132 communities are now cut off and 22,055 people have had to leave their homes. They add that 55 people have had to leave their homes due to flooding, and another 4,152 homes have been partially affected.

The red alert is still in place for the provinces of Espaillat (Moca), Mar?a Trinidad S?nchez (Nagua), La Vega, Santiago, Montecristi, Puerto Plata, yellow for Santiago Rodr?guez, Duarte (San Francisco de Macor?s), Monse?or Nouel (Bonao) and Valverde (Mao), while S?nchez Ram?rez (Cotu?), Dajab?n, Hato Mayor, San Pedro de Macor?s, Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), Saman? and El Seibo are on green alert.

Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Ruben Dar?o Paulino Sem, has ordered military personnel to help with the rescue operations and to support the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, the Presidency Social Plan, Economic Cafeterias and other organizations.

In the northwest, evacuations are continuing following the opening of the Tavera dam, with around 400 families being evacuated from areas close to the Yaque River by Civil Defense. The evacuation area has now been expanded as the Yaque del Norte River water levels continue to rise. COE director Juan Manuel Mendez, Civil Defense director General Rafael De Luna Pichirilo and Indhiri director Olgo Fernandez visited Santiago, Montecristi, Valverde and Santiago Rodriguez, to meet the provincial governors to try and ensure the rising waters following the opening of the dam did not lead to loss of life.

By noon on Tuesday 15 November 2016, the Tavera dam had gradually discharged some 350 cubic meters of water, and the level of the dam was at 325.1 meters above sea level with a maximum of 327.
However, the rivers are continuing to rise in the northwest.

http://elnacional.com.do/temen-empeoren-las-inundaciones-por-otra-vaguada/


Excess rains cause major crop losses
Media reports reveal that the banana crops in the northwest have been affected by the continuing rains causing millions in losses to farmers. The flooding of the Boba River in Mar?a Trinidad S?nchez province has also caused major damage to rice, plantain, banana and cassava (yuca) plantations. Rice farmers in Duarte province also report losing their crops.

http://www.diariolibre.com/m/notici...cultivadas-de-banano-linea-noroeste-AJ5469367
http://hoy.com.do/rio-boba-arrasa-produccion-agricola-en-zonas-de-nagua/
http://hoy.com.do/miles-tareas-inundadas-por-lluvias-en-bajo-yuna/


Rains cause bridge collapse
The residents of Jamao in Espaillat (Moca) province are now cut off due to the collapse of a bridge over the river on the road that linked Moca and Santiago with Sabaneta de Yasica and Cabarete and Puerto Plata. The rising waters of the River Yasica have almost completely destroyed the bridge. One of the girders is under water and the whole structure of the 60-year old bridge is expected to collapse within a few hours.
Residents of Jamao, Los Brazos, Arroyo Frio, Sabaneta, El Caimito and other communities in the area are not able to get across and have appealed to the authorities for help.

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...calidades-en-la-provincia-espaillat-BA5460223


Edenorte prepares for more floods
Edenorte Dominicana, the northern electricity distribution company has activated its emergency plan due to the floods, and has said it is preparing to ensure that all of its units are maintained so that if the electricity is affected it can be repaired quickly.

The company said that its Monitoring and Evaluation Brigades are travelling throughout the whole of the affected area, checking on the damage and giving reports to the Permanent Emergency Committee as to the problems along with suggestions to resolve them.

http://hoy.com.do/edenorte-activa-plan-de-emergencia-ante-dificultades-provocan-lluvias/


More rains to come
The provinces of the Cibao are still subject to flood alerts as a new weather front moves across the country. It is currently in the northeast and is forecast to move slowly westward, according to the weather service (Onamet). Heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms are expected in Hato Mayor, Monte Plata, San Pedro de Macor?s, S?nchez Ram?rez (Cotu?), Duarte (San Francisco de Macor?s), Saman?, Mar?a Trinidad S?nchez (Nagua), Monse?or Nouel (Bonao), La Vega, Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), Espaillat (Moca), Puerto Plata, Santiago, Montecristi, Dajab?n and Greater Santo Domingo.

This weather front will be followed by another that will also bring rains to the north, northeast, southeast, northwest and the central mountain area.

Due to these new rains and those of the past few weeks, Onamet is keeping the alerts in place for flooding and mudslides for the provinces of Espaillat, Santiago, La Vega, Puerto Plata and Montecristi as well as Dajab?n, Mar?a Trinidad S?nchez, Duarte, S?nchez Ram?rez, Monse?or Nouel, Saman?, Hato Mayor and El Seibo.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...o-alerta-por-aguaceros-se-acerca-otra-vaguada
http://eldia.com.do/meteorologia-preve-aguaceros-continuaran-por-vaguada-2/


Possible new tropical storm or hurricane
A cluster of showers and thunderstorms in the western Caribbean has the potential to become the next named tropical system of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season.*The showers and thunderstorms in the area may begin to spin slowly later this week.

Once this spin becomes fully circular, a tropical depression will be born. Once sustained winds reach 39 mph, the threshold for a tropical storm will be reached and the system will be named.

The next name on the list of tropical storms and hurricane is Otto. The Caribbean is the most favorable area over the Atlantic basin for development over the next seven to 10 days.

According to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert, Dan Kottlowski: "Strong wind shear that has been present over the Caribbean in recent weeks is diminishing and waters are sufficiently warm to sustain a tropical system, and steering winds will likely cause the system to drift northeastward for a time during this weekend into early next week."

Interests in the western and central Caribbean from Jamaica to eastern Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico may want to monitor the development of the system.

Reports from the DR1 Weather Forum, nevertheless, recommend monitoring the storm that could head in the direction of Hispaniola Island.

http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/157613-2016-Hurricane-Season?p=1741719#post1741719
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weath...ean-sea-threaten-haiti-with-flooding/61551773


Marijuana hauls
More than 350 pounds of a substance thought to be marijuana, two SUVs, a van, a truck and four firearms have been confiscated in three police raids in the National District and Santiago and six people have been arrested.
The main haul was found in a truck that was travelling on Independencia Avenue in the Gascue neighborhood in Santo Domingo and was stopped by officers from the Central Police Anti Narcotics Division (DICAN) and the Central Intelligence Division (Dintel) leading to the arrest of 44-year old Severino Garcia Familia with 258 lb of marijuana covered with a tarpaulin and hidden in sacks of used clothes and corn.

On the Joaquin Balaguer highway in Santiago, Miguel Danyi Cornielle, 24, was stopped along with Freddy Antonio Santana Martinez, 54, with 100.3 lb of marijuana and a raid in Cerro Alto led to the confiscation of the weapons, plus 10 cell phones, RD$36,000, US$400, a Range Rover and a Land Cruiser.

http://elnacional.com.do/ocupan-350-libras-de-marihuana/


DJ music festival in Punta Cana
The Heat Wave Fest 2016 will take place at the RAD Downtown Punta Cana on Saturday, 26 November 2016 from 9pm to 5am. Tickets are RD$1,000 from Ticket Express or at the fitness center on Av. Barcel? at the corner of the Boulevard Tur?stico del Este. DJs Luis, Felipe Alemais, Soni Hill, Laura Pilarte and Shortcut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_gl5JxI_OA


Juanes is coming for Barcel? Electric Paradise
The organizers of the Barcel? Electric Paradise set for 17 December 2016 in Cap Cana, Punta Cana say they have added Colombian pop star Juanes, British electronic pop band Hot Chip and Sam Feldt to the list of performers.
The electronic and Latin music extravaganza will have three stages: dance, live stage and Stage 3.

Other performers are Armin Van Buuren, The Chainsmokers, DJ Snake, Snoop Dog, Cultura Prof?tica, Adriatique, Damien Lazarus, Davide Squillace, Martin Buttrich, System of Survival, Jamie Jones and DJ Marshmello.

Tickets are RD$3,950 online, with advance ticket sales discount of RD$3,350 through 2 December 2016.

http://electricparadise.com/site2016/


Milly Quezada and Conjunto Quisqueya
Merengue stars Milly Quezada and Conjunto Quisqueya will be performing on Friday, 2 December 2016 at Hard Rock Live in Santo Domingo.
On Saturday, 3 December 2016, they will take their show to the Monte Bar in Santiago.

Brugal suspends Puerto Plata Merengue Festival
As heavy rains and flooding have caused extensive damage and disruption in Puerto Plata, Brugal rum company has announced the indefinite suspension of the Puerto Plata Merengue Festival. The event is supported by the Ministry of Tourism and the Brugal rum company is the leading private sponsor. The music festival had initially been scheduled for the weekend of 12-13 November, before being postponed until the weekend of 19-20 November. A new date has not been set in order to give Puerto Plata time to recover from the natural disaster.

For information on upcoming events:
http://www.dr1.com/calendar


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http://dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/91-Daily-Headline-News

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http://dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/92-Travel-amp-Tourism-News