DR1 Daily News - Wednesday, 29 March 2017

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Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas calls for constructive dialogue at the OAS
Public school breakfast suppliers begin to cut service in schools
New ruling for Baiguate National Park
Internet connections increase
Alburquerque says he is not involved in Odebrecht bribes
Don’t expect TV service in your hospital room
More areas to receive 24-hour electricity
Beach patrols in Boca Chica
US Embassy donates 15 vehicles to Ministry of Defense
Trial of suspended judge Awilda Reyes continues
Dominicans arrested for poaching in Turks & Caicos
Haitians on the run captured in Boca Chica
Piantini robbery, policeman involved
Police arrest bandits related to Delcy Yapor murder
Cuco Valoy wins Gran Soberano Award
Duo Rosa at Palacio de Bellas Artes



Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas calls for constructive dialogue at the OAS
Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado says the Dominican Republic backs and wagers that dialogue be fostered to lead to the solution of the political situation in Venezuela. He appealed to the international principle of no intervention in internal affairs of countries, respecting their sovereignty. He said the Dominican Republic is always available to contribute to a peaceful and rapid solution through constructive dialogue. 

“We take this opportunity to call for the opposition and government to sit down to talks to find a definite solution and establish a democratic agenda,” he said in a press release issued by the Ministry from Costa Rica where he is participating in the 16th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Tuxtla Mechanism for Dialogue and Harmonization. 

The Organization of American States (OAS) is holding an extraordinary session on Venezuela at the request of 18 countries. Last week Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, México, Panama, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay and the United States called for Venezuela to set its electoral calendar and free political prisoners. Those countries together with Barbados, Bahamas, St. Lucia and Jamaica are participating in a meeting in Washington, D.C. on the situation in Venezuela. The OAS has scheduled a vote on whether to invoke the "Democratic Charter" against Venezuela and trigger the suspension of Venezuela from the bloc of nations. This would require two thirds of the OAS vote, or 24 of 35 member countries.

Meanwhile, the representatives of Bolivia and Nicaragua asked the OAS to suspend the meeting, arguing that it would violate the sovereignty of Venezuela and would set a precedent of intervention in the region, which goes against the body's own principles. 

But despite Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua's protests, the OAS went forward as scheduled with the contested debate. 

Meanwhile, a US State Department official said on Tuesday, 28 March 2017 that the US will not seek the immediate suspension of Venezuela from the OAS. "Our goal for the special session is not immediate suspension," said Michael Fitzpatrick, the US deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, in a statement. "We encourage Venezuela to participate in a productive discussion on ways to solve the economic and humanitarian crisis," said Fitzpatrick.

Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, Florida Senator Marco Rubio threatened El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, saying that if they did not vote in favor of invoking the Democratic Charter, US aid to those countries could be suspended. 

El Día reported that US cooperation is of US$50.9 million (2016-2019), and that of the European Union is estimated at US$158 million (2016-2019), according to Digecoom.  

http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...ialogo-como-solucion-situacion-venezuela.html
http://elnacional.com.do/canciller-dice-rd-apuesta-al-dialogo-para-solucion-situacion-venezuela/
http://www.listindiario.com/las-mun...zuela-con-voto-de-20-paises-y-oposicion-de-11
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...se-en-asuntos-internos-de-venezuela-HN6681944
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nationworld/world/americas/article141080013.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.listindiario.com/las-mun...a-carga-en-la-oea-contra-injerencia-de-paises
http://eldia.com.do/donaciones-de-ee-uu-al-pais-ascienden-a-us50-9-millones/


Public school breakfast suppliers begin to cut service in schools
Marino Peralta, president of the Association of Suppliers of Food to Dominican Republic Schools announced the suspension of service to 80 public schools for lack of payment on behalf of the Instituto Nacional de Bienestar Estudiantil (Inabie). He said the government is in arrears with them for RD$3 billion. 

He said the businesses can no longer continue offering the service. The cuts have been in Montecristi, according to a report in El Nacional. 

http://elnacional.com.do/cortan-almuerzo-escolar/


New ruling for Baiguate National Park
The Ministry of Environment announced the approval of new regulations for the Baiguate National Park Management Plan. The protected area is located in Jarabacoa and covers an extension of 52.44 square kilometers. It is located 3.75 km south of the municipality of Jarabacoa. 

The ruling establishes that farming and cattle ranching are incompatible with the protected area. For each zone, general guidelines, activities, standards and requirements are defined.

The press release notes that the plan contemplates zoning for the management of the protected area that includes buffer zones, visitation and ecotourism, special management (recovery), strict conservation areas. 
Other areas may be subject to different types of direct intervention, to improve the quality of the natural resources present and, at the same time, actions that contribute to the generation of wealth for the bordering communities. 

The note explained that this area is excellent for practicing ecotourism because it has a tropical rainy climate with an annual average temperature of 22 degrees Celsius.

http://ambiente.gob.do/medio-ambien...manejo-parque-nacional-baiguate-en-jarabacoa/


Internet connections increase
According to data published by the Dominican telecommunications regulator Indotel, the number of Internet connections in the Dominican Republic has soared by over 22% per year to reach 6.1 million at the end of January 2017, having grown 26% in 2016 as a whole.  

However, Indotel’s chairman Jose del Castillo Savinon emphasizes that the goal is to boost internet access from the current figure of less than 50% of the population to at least 70% over the next three years. 

The government’s República Digital program calls for substantially increased fiber-optic coverage to meet the goal, starting with the introduction of broadband services in ten more provinces to connect nearly all of the country’s 32 provinces.  

https://www.telecompaper.com/news/dominican-republic-targets-70-broadband-penetration--1189799


Alburquerque says he is not involved in Odebrecht bribes
The former president of the Senate, Ramon Alburquerque (1998-2002) has stated that none of the Odebrecht contracts or those of Andrade Gutierrez, another Brazilian corporation, were approved during the time of his service in the Senate.

He explained he told Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez that when the contract for the Northwest Aqueduct was presented on 7 October 1999, during his tenure as president of the Senate, he ordered a study that eventually discovered overvaluations and questioned the design of the project. 

As reported in Listin Diario, when asked about whether he knew about the bribes paid by Odebrecht, he replied that every Dominican knew about them. When asked if he had complained about them, he deadpanned that no Dominican complained about corruption pointing to the outcome of unresolved accusations of corruption involving former President Leonel Fernandez and Felix Bautista for the Sun Land corruption case.

He stated that he had voted against each one of the contracts because when the PLD was in power they had never voted in favor of his party’s project and in addition he believed that the designs and many of the evaluations were flawed.

Finally, when asked what they had talked about for the six hours he was inside the Attorney General’s office, he replied that he waited for an hour, then had an hour long lunch and then documents had to be corrected two or three times. The actual interrogation, he said, was not more than an hour to an hour and a half.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu.../se-desvincula-contratos-de-empresa-odebrecht


Don’t expect TV service in your hospital room
Several private clinics have begun to remove cable TV service in rooms and waiting room areas rejecting the decision of the National Copyright Office to charge RD$9 a day per TV per transmitting the service. The Association of Private Clinics (Andeclip) Rafael Mena said the clinics would have had to pass the charge on to the patients increasing the cost of the service.  

The announcement affects around 116 private clinics affiliated with Andeclip and public hospitals are likely to follow suit. 

Rafael Mena said that for two or three years they had unsuccessfully disputed the charge. 

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2017/03/28/clinicas-inician-retirada-sus-habitaciones


More areas to receive 24-hour electricity
The EdeNorte power distribution company has announced 24-hour electricity service has been provided to more communities in the northeastern provinces of Maria Trinidad Sanchez and Duarte. Just in Matancita, Nagua around RD$72 million was invested in the replacement of the cables, on streetlights and in other equipment to guarantee 24-hour electricity. 

In addition, there is now 24-hour electricity in some of the communities in San Francisco de Macoris, including Rivera del Jaya, Nuevo San Francisco, Vista del Valle, Don Antonio and Ugamba.  The project will be continued throughout all of the Cibao area. 

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...dotar-de-energia-a-comunidades-de-nagua-y-sfm


Beach patrols in Boca Chica
The Specialized Corps of Tourist Security (Cestur) and the Dominican Armada (navy) have warned owners and companies who rent motorboats in Andrés, Boca Chica that they must comply with the ruling that prohibits water sports companies from operating in the areas reserved for bathers in Boca Chica beach area.  

Following a meeting with representatives of at least ten public and private institutions along with Boca Chica City Hall, General Juan Carlos Torres Robiu, director of Cestur, announced different measures that would be implemented as Easter Week approaches. Easter Week is 16-23 April 2017. 

He said that the Tourist Police, Municipal Police and the Dominican Armada would have motorized patrols all along Boca Chica beach and uniformed agents would be observing local holidaymakers as well as foreigners to prevent accidents caused by motorboats. 

General Torres Robiu said that in addition they would be checking the prices of fish and other dishes to discourage price gouging and making sure the so-called greasy spoon cafes were not defrauding clients.

The meeting was in response to a complaint by architect Enrique Feliz that motorboats had been recklessly passing through the bathing area. 

http://elnacional.com.do/haran-cumplir-medida-prohibe-competir-playa/


US Embassy donates 15 vehicles to Ministry of Defense
Patrick Dunn, chargé d’affaires at the United States Embassy handed over 15 Jeep J-8 vehicles donated by the US government to the Ministry of Defense. The donation was received by Defense Minister Lieutenant General Ruben D. Paulino Sem. Paulino Sem said the vehicles will serve to improve national security. Dunn said the donation is part of the bilateral cooperation program between the Ministry of Defense and the US Southern Command. 


Trial of suspended judge Awilda Reyes continues
Judge Estanislao Radhames Rodríguez has accused suspended judge Awilda Reyes Beltre of mocking the court during the proceedings of the trial against Reyes Beltre. He made the observation when Reyes Beltré stepped down from the witness stand and refused to defend herself, a role which she had assumed after her assigned attorney, Tomas Castro, did not appear in court (allegedly due to health reasons). Reyes Beltré then unsuccessfully petitioned the judge for a postponement of the hearing.

When the judge accused Reyes Beltre of purposefully disrupting the hearing, she replied she was ready for the ruling to dismiss her from the judicial service, at which point her husband, Harold Echavarria, stood up to protest the proceedings. Echavarria was eventually ordered to leave the court or risk arrest. 

At the same time, the judge ordered the court security not to allow Reyes Beltré to leave either.

The hearing continued with the testimony of Miguel Then who was an assistant lawyer at the court where Reyes Beltré was the judge and he confirmed that there was a disagreement between himself and Reyes Beltré, because Then felt that she should have recused herself from the hearing the appeal of the councilor for Pedro Brand municipality, Ericson de los Santos Solis. However, instead, Reyes Beltré chose to continue to preside over the hearing and eventually ordered de los Santos Solis to be freed. That decision led to criticism from the judicial system, resulting in the current disciplinary trial against Reyes Beltré. 

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...-de-impedir-que-concluya-juicio-disciplinario


Dominicans arrested for poaching in Turks & Caicos
Over 40 alleged Dominican poachers were arrested last Thursday, 23 March 2017 in Turks and Caicos Islands waters and taken into police custody after they were found with a large quantity of fish, over 39,000 pounds, on board an 80 foot fishing vessel called Captain Blaze. 

The Maritime Police stopped the boat that had tried to evade capture and towed it to land where the men were arrested on suspicion of illegally fishing and taken into custody. They are currently being held at the Detention Center in Providenciales, awaiting the outcome of the investigation. To date they have not been formally charged.

http://tcweeklynews.com/local-authorities-capture-over-dominican-poachers-p7772-127.htm


Haitians on the run captured in Boca Chica
According to the National Police, two Haitian citizens have been arrested and placed at the disposition of the Haitian authorities. They were being actively sought by Haiti having been accused of kidnapping, forgery and homicide.

The fugitives, Comi Ednel and Jonal Joissaint, were arrested in Boca Chica and are implicated in 17 cases of kidnapping in Haiti as well as several murders, forgery, drug dealing and money laundering.

In a press release from the police they state that Ednel and Joissaint were the two most wanted criminals in Haiti over the past few years.

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...cados-de-haiti-fueron-apresados-en-boca-chica


Piantini robbery, policeman involved
On Tuesday 28 March 2017, the police shot and injured one of three men who had robbed at a ARS Constitución, a medical insurance company in the Piantini neighborhood in Santo Domingo.

The thieves were trying to escape with around RD$2 million when intercepted by a security guard.  

The guard fatally shot one of the robbers in the head and recovered the money, while the other two thieves managed to escape on a motorcycle. 

Following the incident police spokesman, Nelson Rosario said that the three men were armed and identified the one who was shot as police private, Luis E. Reyes Javier.  He was taken by ambulance to the police hospital. The two who escaped were identified only by their nicknames of Maicol and Jorden and Rosario urged them to give themselves up.

The Police reported that the assailants had followed an employee of the company after she had cashed a check for US$315,000 in a nearby bank. 

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...vo-asaltante-herido-esta-tarde-en-el-piantini
http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...-raso-activo-policia-identifica-profugos.html
http://www.policianacional.gob.do/p...alto-en-el-ensanche-piantini-de-esta-capital/


Police arrest bandits related to Delcy Yapor murder
The National Police announced the arrest of two men suspect to have assaulted a woman in Evaristo Morales that led to the murder of 55-year old Delcy Yapor on Monday, 20 March 2017. The arrested are 22-year old Jesús Payano Miller (a) El Forry, and 20-year old Kelvin Leonel Caraballo Ramírez.

In a press release, the Police said they were arrested in Ensanche Quisqueya in the presence of a National District prosecutor. As reported, Caraballo Ramírez was driving the motorcycle when Payano grabbed the gym bag of a woman who was walking on her way home from her gym early in the morning. 

The Police in a search of his residence, the gym bag was found including a handkerchief that the assailant admitted having stolen from the woman. 

The Police also arrested 23-year old Jesus Alexis Garcia Peralta, owner of the motorcycle used for the robbery. 

On Monday, 20 March, former army corporal Franklin Nuñez Padilla observed the robbery and in an attempt to stop the delinquents fired shots, one of which impacted the vehicle of Delcy Yapor who at the time was driving children to school on Francisco Prats Ramírez Street. 

http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias...esencadenaron-muerte-de-delcy-yapor-DG6679533


Cuco Valoy wins Gran Soberano Award
The historic duo by Johnny Ventura and Juan Luis Guerra, “De Moca a Paris” set the tone for the 33rd Soberano Awards at the National Theater on Tuesday, 28 March 2017, directed by Edilenia Tactuk. Highlights of the evening, hosted by Pamela Sued and Francisco Vasquez, were the merengue performance by Millie Quezada, the performance of Ramon Orlando in dedication to his father, merengue Legend Cuco Valoy who would receive the Gran Soberano Award. 

Other key moments of the evening were the Soberano Merit Awards delivered to Freddy Ginebra, Josefina Miniño and Papa Molina. Among the winners of the evening were Hector Acosta for the best merengue orchestra; comedian Juan Carlos Pichardo; best vocalist Manny Cruz; best TV emcee Federich Martinez (el Pacha), best grass roots group Banda Real, best artist abroad Francisca Lachapel, best salsa performer went to Chiquito Team Band, best entertainment TV program to Que Chevere Saber, and best humor show to Raymond and Miguel.  

https://www.premiosoberano.com/


Duo Rosa at Palacio de Bellas Artes
Stephany Ortega will be performing her recital “Duo Rosa” accompanied by pianist Lena Kollmeier of Belgium. The Return World Tour will be presented on 19 April 2017 at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Enjoy the music by Debussy, Fauré, Saint-Saens, Falla, Granados, Rodrigo, Piazzola, Grever, Villa-Lobos and other greats. Tickets RD$1,000 and RD$700 at the Palacio de Bellas Artes box office and online at Uepa Tickets. 

Read more about ongoing and upcoming events at http://wwww.dr1.com/calendar