DR1 Daily News - Friday, 31 March 2017

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Drive-through screening at Puerto Caucedo
New and more secure passport for Dominicans
DR ratifies COP21 Paris Climate Agreement
Study shows 10 public schools are at risk in an earthquake
Olivares protests sale of city street
Church calls for end to corruption
Judge Awilda resigns, expecting to be fired
Judge Cristo Cristo fired for serious transgressions
Medina celebrates 30 de March Battle, RD$1.2 million robbed in Santiago 
Channel 5 announces its own show business awards night
GoldQuest: Two new gold systems in the Tireo Belt
Tornado seen in Santo Domingo 
Contemporary dance at the Centro Cultural de España
Robert Nicol coming for EmTech Caribbean
Cecilia, Cuquin and Boruga at Galeria 360


Drive-through screening at Puerto Caucedo
DP World Caucedo donated to the Customs Agency (DGA) a RD$75 million state of the art cargo-screening machine that promises to improve security and screening of cargo while minimizing the impact on operations. The L3 CX Portal combines drive-through convenience with a multi-tiered safety system that allows drivers to safely remain in the cab during scans. 

The Puerto Caucedo operators chose the automated cargo inspection system as an efficient solution to eliminate bottlenecks at the port.  The system has the capacity to inspect up to 150 containers per hour without any additional cost for importers or exporters. Its software solution allows analysts to quickly screen cargo contents locally or remotely for contraband and other illegal materials. 

The machine is already in operation and was inaugurated by DGA director, Enrique Ramírez, in the presence of the president of the Caucedo Multimodal Free Zone Samuel Conde and the director general of DP World Caucedo Morten Johansen. Ramirez says that talks are ongoing to secure donations of equipment for the Haina and Puerto Plata ports.

At the inauguration, Samuel Conde said the donation is part of the strategic policy of the port to continue investing in making the latter more efficient and secure so that the country can be more competitive in international markets. He said the system guarantees security and efficiency for the clients and will facilitate trade in the Dominican Republic. 

The DP World Multimodal Caucedo Port is the most modern port in the Dominican Republic. On site they are building the regional logistics hub for the Swedish mega company, Ikea. 

http://acento.com.do/2017/economia/...do-dona-a-aduanas-moderna-maquina-de-rayos-x/
https://twitter.com/dpworldcaucedo?lang=en


New and more secure passport for Dominicans
The Passports Agency (DGP) announced the reinstatement of the VIP one-day passport service. The service had been temporarily suspended as part of the installation of a new system to issue e-passports or biometric passports for Dominicans. The new biometric technology will reduce the vulnerability of passports being used in transnational organized crime. The DGP has said the new passports will be available next year and will cost the same as the passports  used today. 

At present, regular issuing passport service takes six working days. But the Passports Agency announces that they are working to shorten the process to four working days.

http://elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=527978
 

DR ratifies COP21 Paris Climate Agreement
Environment Minister Francisco Domínguez Brito highlighted the importance of the Dominican Congress ratifying the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The Chamber of Deputies gave its approval to the document in a session on Wednesday, 29 March 2017. Domínguez said the document is not a simple international agreement but the one that the Dominican Republic and the other countries must implement to address the global threat that affects all nations, with insular states being the most vulnerable. 

Domínguez said that extremes in climate can be seen in increasingly erratic cycles of floods and droughts that are affecting many countries. He said this is a way to advance not only towards mitigation but also to adapt to the new climate reality. 

“The future needs to be taken very seriously, we live on an island that is listed amongst the most vulnerable on the planet, shared with Haiti, which by itself is considered the third most vulnerable country on the planet in the face of climate change," said Dominguez. “Then the best we can do is to work very hard to address climate for the future of our country and bolster cooperation with our neighbor country, because our fate in environmental matters will be permanently linked," he said referring to Haiti.

Previously the agreement had been sanctioned by the Constitutional Court and the Senate. The COP21 agreement was signed by President Danilo Medina on 22 April 2016, together with representatives of 176 countries during the ceremony held at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City. 

http://elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=528019


Study shows 10 public schools are at risk in an earthquake
A study carried out by Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) engineering students showed 10 public high schools in Santo Domingo have structural problems that make them vulnerable to collapse in the case of a strong earthquake. The Study on the Structural-Physical Vulnerability of Schools in Regional Sections 10 and 15 of Greater Santo Domingo evaluated a sampling of 21 high schools to check for risk factors. 

Schools showing marked vulnerabilities are: 
Demetrio Betances, Enriquillo, José Francisco Peña Gómez, Los Palmeros, Presidente Antonio Guzmán, República de Corea, Santa Clara, José San Martín, Benito Juárez and Los Jardines del Norte. With the exception of the República de Corea school built in 1974, and the Liceo Los Jardines del Norte built in 1975, the other eight schools were built between 1998 and 2016. The assessment followed guidelines from US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the United States. They also used standards of the local National Geological Service (SGN) to analyze the geological and geotechnical vulnerabilities of the land where the schools are located. 

Others schools showing important vulnerability were:
La Grúa, San Juan, Salome Ureña, Rubén Valdez Sánchez, Facundo Lavatta, Las Margaritas, Politécnico Santa Clara de Asís, José Martí and Liceo Técnico San Pablo Apóstol should be reinforced. Of the sample, the only school showing stable conditions is the Ercilia Pepín.

The study concludes that 84% of the public schools assessed need a more in-depth evaluation. 64% are in a moderate degree of vulnerability and 36% at high risk due to land and construction status. 

The advisor of the study was geologist María De Los Ángeles Calzadilla Ribeaux.  

According to data from the Ministry of Education, in Regional Section 10 there are 525 public schools with an enrollment of 482,856 students. There are 460 schools in Regional Section 15 with an enrollment of 456,304 students. 

Seismologists have forecast the city of Santo Domingo is due to experience a strong earthquake, given that this has not occurred since the 8.1 earthquake in 1946. 

http://elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=527955


Olivares protests sale of city street
Former judge of the Central Electoral Board, Eddy Olivares has made known the intention of the Santo Domingo East Municipality of selling to Molinos del Ozama the street Olegario Vargas. The street leads to the Ermita del Rosario, the small monument that once was the first Spanish Catholic Church in the Americas. As reported in El Dia, in a letter Olivares addressed to Santo Domingo East Mayor Alfredo Martinez, he says that the sale of public asset could be penalized. Olivares says the Santo Domingo East is proposing to sell for RD$15 million the city street in the vicinity of Molinos del Ozama. 


Church calls for end to corruption
As the country prepares for the celebration of Easter Week (09-16 April 2017), the Roman Catholic Church of the Dominican Republic is speaking out against corruption and urging that government officials cooperate with investigations of incidences of fraud, regardless of who may be implicated. 

In an editorial in the Camino newsletter, the Episcopate urged Dominicans to battle against corruption, lack of citizen security and the lack of transparency at all levels. The bishops called for support of a society based on values, where particular privileges do not overwhelm the population that seeks to live in dignity. 


Judge Awilda resigns, expecting to be fired
Suspended judge Awilda Reyes Beltré yesterday resigned from the position she held at the 4th Penal Court of the National District, reportedly to avoid being fired by the Judicial Branch Council as a possible outcome of the ongoing disciplinary trial. 

She said that she was hanging up her robes as a judge, but would not concede her dignity. “The only legacy that I leave for my children who, in astonishment, have suffered in my arms as I fight against the outrage, the ignominy and the excesses of the overwhelming power that the “Pharaoh” Mariano Germán Mejía [president of the Council of the Judicial Branch and the Supreme Court] exhibits. 

Reyes Beltre said that Mejía, who is without merit to be judge, has come to wreck the careers of judges in the judiciary.  She has threatened to tell all about corruption in the Dominican judiciary. 

At a hearing last Tuesday, Reyes Beltre had requested another postponement of the case.  The judge, who accused her of tactics to constantly postpone proceedings, denied her request for postponement and barred her from leaving the court room.  She described this day in court as a show or judicial circus, saying it demonstrates the collapse of the judicial system.

Reyes Beltre is accused of accepting money to issue favorable sentences, such as in the case of the councilor of Pedro Brand, Erinson de los Santos Solís who was accused of being the material author of several murders. 

http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/201...-cargo-adelantandose-posible-destitucion.html


Judge Cristo Cristo fired for serious transgressions
The Judicial Branch Council fired Judge Margarita Cristo Cristo of the Fifth Hall of the Labor Court of the National District for serious irregularities in her work. Resolution No. 06/2017 establishes that the judge was lacking in the principles of functional and institutional awareness, fairness, honesty, administrative impartiality, judicial impartiality, legality, prudence and responsibility of the Code of Ethical Performance of the Judiciary. 

The decision was reached by the president of the CPJ and the Supreme Court of Justice, Mariano German Mejia, and councillors Etanislao Radhamés Rodríguez, Fernando Fernández Cruz and Leonardo Recio Tineo. 

https://www.metrord.do/do/destacado...cristo-faltas-graves-ejercicio-funciones.html


Medina celebrates 30 de March Battle, RD$1.2 million robbed in Santiago 
Taking advantage that most police agents in Santiago had been assigned to patrol the civic-military parade held to commemorate the 173rd anniversary of the 30 March 1844 Battle attended by President Danilo Medina, criminals robbed an exchange house located on Calle 16 de Agosto with Mella Street in Santiago. 

Two men and two women arrived to the Tienda Fernandez at around 3pm and held up the owner  Radhames Fernandez. Reportedly they stole RD$1.2 million. Agents of the Police Criminal Investigations Division (Dicrim) are investigating the robbery. 

Yesterday, the son of former President Hipolito Mejia, Ramon Eduardo Mejia suffered the robbery of his SUV when he was assaulted by eight men after leaving the Body Shop gym in Arroyo Hondo. 

The robbery coincides also with the announcement of the Ministry of Interior and Police and the Ministry of Defense of bolstering of security patrols with 7,000 more agents. 

Meanwhile, security expert Daniel Pou, told Diario Libre reporters the new patrols effort is unlikely to be successful. The media has reported this is the fourth similar announcement by the government. Pou said violence cannot be responded by violence and called for intelligence efforts. 

https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...un-millon-200-mil-pesos-en-santiago-FY6706755
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...s-calles-en-operativo-de-prevencion-EB6704996


Channel 5 announces its own show business awards night
Telemicro, Channel 5, is asking the public to choose the name of the show business awards show it plans to televise next year. The show would be in the style of the Premio Lo Nuestro of the Univision Hispanic market TV show in the United States. The person who submits the name chosen by the public, will receive a brand new vehicle as prize. 

On Wednesday, Telemicro owner Juan Ramon Gomez Diaz announced the TV station would no longer transmit the Soberano Awards that are sponsored by Presidente Beer. The station said the transmission is not profitable enough. 

He said during the Channel 5 TV awards ceremony the winner will be chosen online, in the style of the Premios Lo Nuestro of Univision. 

http://www.listindiario.com/entrete...emio-y-obsequiara-un-carro-del-ano-al-ganador


GoldQuest: Two new gold systems in the Tireo Belt
The Canadian company GoldQuest Mining Corp. announced it has identified new gold systems within its 100% owned Tireo Concessions in the Dominican Republic. The results are from target areas called Vaca Valley and Mineros Ridge, which are located 5 kilometres and 10 kilometres north of the Cachimbo Discovery respectively. In both cases, gold bearing sulphides were intersected with similar high grades and thicknesses to intersections adjacent to the Romero Deposit and the Cachimbo Discovery.

Bill Fisher, GoldQuest's executive chairman commented: "Finding sulphides coinciding with anomalous gold and other metals, we are optimistic as to the potential of the district as VMS mineralization often occurs in clusters. With the recent $23 million investment by Agnico Eagle, and with the Romero mining project in full permitting mode to complement our ongoing exploration programs, GoldQuest is well-funded and positioned to be one of the most active mineral exploration and development companies of 2017."

The hole locations are shown on the map found here:

http://www.goldquestcorp.com/images/Tireo_Drilling_Update_March_2017.pdf


Tornado seen in Santo Domingo 
A rare large tornado could be seen in the Los Cacicazgos area of Santo Domingo moving on to the Caribbean Sea. The weather phenomenon caused no damage as it moved out to the sea.

http://www.elcaribe.com.do/2017/03/30/registra-tornado-los-cacicazgos


Contemporary dance at the Centro Cultural de España
The National Contemporary Dance Company (CNDC) of the Ministry of Culture announces the performance of the show “Con toda palabra” at the Centro Cultural de España on Saturday, 1 April 2017. The choreography is by Marianela Boan. The show is a series of structured improvisations based on Dominican and Latin American poems. The performance calls for interacting with the audience. 

The dancers are Daymé del Toro, Mildred Rubirosa, Patricia Ortega, Erick Roque, Selyneeé Canela, Hendel Herrera, Alexis Espinal and Jeremy Caro. 

The Centro Cultural de España is located at Arzobispo Meriño Street corner Arzobispo Portes in the Colonial City. 

http://www.7dias.com.do/cultura/201...a-espectaculo-danza-contemporanea-sabado.html


Robert Nicol coming for EmTech Caribbean
Robert Nicol, director of the Technology Labs (BTL) at MIT who, as a scientist at MIT Center for Genome Research Project, participated in the genome sequencing, is one of the speakers at the upcoming EmTech Caribbean. During his talk he will discuss the history of genome sequencing, the impact it has had and is having throughout society. 

Nicol and several leading scientists and innovators are coming for EmTech Caribbean, having accepted an invitation from the Universidad O&M as part of an inter-institutional alliance with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s MIT Technology Review.

The event is promoted as an opportunity to discover the emerging technologies that are driving the new global economy and will change the world. “It’s where tech, business and culture converge, and where you gain access to the most innovative people and companies in the world.” 

The key themes this year are: Renewable energies, artificial intelligence, smart cities and transportation, biomedicine, financing innovation. 

Others coming for the event are: Dave Copps, founder and CEO Brainspace, Erin Baumgartner, assistant director MIT’s SENSEable City Lab; Sumeet Jain, partner Luma Capital Partners; Carolina Osorio, professor of civil and environmental engineering MIT; Robert Armstrong, director MIT Energy Initiative. 

The event is scheduled for 27-28 April 2017 at the JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo. 

http://www.emtechcaribbean.com


Cecilia, Cuquin and Boruga at Galeria 360
Three legendary Dominican comedians, Cecilia García, Felipe Polanco (Boruga) and Cuquín Victoria will perform the show: “Los Tremendos Tres” on 27 May 2017 at the Escenario 360 of the Galería 360 mall. The producer, Joaquin Geara says the comedians will talk about how they have adapted to modern life, will joke on Odebrecht, Dominican politics and customs. Tickets are for sale for RD$1,500 general admission, RD$3,000 VIP and RD$3,500 special guest. The show is set for 8:30pm. 

Read more on ongoing and upcoming events at http://www.dr1.com/calendar
 
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