President Medina inaugurates Santiago Botanical Garden
Scout movement to be introduced in public schools
IMF releases economic outlook
DR government confronts seven international arbitrage cases abroad
Human Rights meeting in the country in May
Fresenius Kabi expands in Haina
Prosecutors begin to investigate Controller General officers in Omsa case
Falcondo pipe bursts releasing fuel into Haina River
Was Dominican kidnapped in Haiti or not?
Ten provinces on alert for flooding
Cooking pavilion at the Santo Domingo Book Fair
President Medina inaugurates Santiago Botanical Garden
On Monday 23 April 2018, President Danilo Medina Sánchez, accompanied by the ministers of the Environment and Public Works, headed up the ceremony to inaugurate the first stage of the Professor Eugenio de Jesús Marcano Botantical Garden in Santiago.The area has more than 650,000 square meters, of which more than 12 kilometers are trails for walking and cycling protected by a closed perimeter and permanent security. Over the next months, it was announced that a visitor’s center, a train, a Japanese Garden and a modern events and convention center would open at the Santiago Botanical Gardens.
Minister Francisco Domínguez Brito explained the importance of the project and asked that the citizens of Santiago value it, as it would be one of the most important botanical parks in the Caribbean. During the inauguration, Domínguez Brito also highlighted other projects to protect natural resources such as the agroforestry programs and the recovery of the Valle Nuevo Protected Area, the rescue of the Ozama and Isabela rivers and that of the Yaque del Norte River.
http://eldia.com.do/danilo-medina-deja-inaugurado-jardin-botanico-en-santiago/
Scout movement to be introduced in public schools
Education Minister Andrés Navarro announced the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Dominican Scouts Association to incorporate the scout movement into public schools nationwide.
The agreement was signed by Juan Carlos Santana Sandoval, president of the board of directors of the Asociación de Scouts Dominicana, Inc. The agreement was signed at the
Campo Escuela Scouts “Cuayo” in Medina, San Cristobal.
Navarro says the scout movement has a lot to teach in the values of responsibility, commitment, character and integrity and basics for developing good Dominicans with leadership skills. Navarro shared his own experience as a scout more than 42 years ago.
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep.../navarro-llevara-a-escuelas-movimiento-scouts
IMF releases economic outlook
The International Monetary Fund highlights that the Dominican economy was quick to rebound after the effects of the Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. The Dominican Republic reported moderate growth in 2017 with economic activity expanding by 4.6% compared to 7.1% on average during 2014-16. The IMF published the appraisal results following the conclusion of its April 2018 consultation.
The IMF notes that public debt has continued to increase and the interest burden continues to grow relative to a narrow revenue base that is making debt less affordable. Nevertheless, the IMF says that the economic outlook for the country remains positive. The IMF says that lower lending rates and stronger credit growth, combined with higher real wages and employment, are expected to continue to support domestic demand. Growth is expected to increase to 5.5% in 2018 and then to moderate to its medium-term potential rate of around 5%. Inflation is expected to remain within the Central Bank’s 4 +/- 1 percent target band, while the external current account deficit will gradually widen to its historical levels with higher oil prices and stronger domestic demand. The IMF identifies the main downside risks could be higher world oil prices, tighter-than-anticipated global financial conditions, and weaker-than projected external demand.
The IMF forecasts that more meaningful fiscal adjustment will be needed to rebuild the buffers and reverse the upward debt dynamic. The IMF says that the government’s fiscal management program would need to be particularly mindful of its impact on growth, poverty and inequality. The adjustment should focus on widening the tax base (including through streamlining of tax incentives and exemptions), simplifying the tax system, and rationalizing inefficient expenditures, while prioritizing fiscal space towards increasing public investment and social spending to protect the most vulnerable.
The IMF is also advising reforms be made to enhance transparency in the public procurement processes, strengthen public financial management practices and align public statistics with international norms to further contribute to increase policy transparency and predictability.
http://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles...h-the-dominican-republic?cid=em-COM-123-36958
DR government confronts seven international arbitrage cases abroad
The Dominican government has seven international arbitrage cases open in courts abroad. The most important are the Lajun Corporation case where the company rejects its eviction from managing the Santo Domingo waste dump and is suing for US$300 million. Also, that placed against the government by Odebrecht that is claiming an additional US$708 million for the completion of the Punta Catalina power center in Peravia province.
As reported in Listin Diario, other cases registered at the United Nations arbitrage court were submitted by a French company for electricity distribution in 2007, another by TCW in 2007 that alleges indirect interference of a government holding, two in 2014 by a US mining company, another by Bellantine, a US luxury real estate project with hotel and spa, and another real estate project by Panamanian company Silverton.
https://www.listindiario.com/economia/2018/04/24/511943/pais-enfrenta-7-casos-arbitrajes
Human Rights meeting in the country in May
The Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (CIDH) will hold their 168th general meeting in the Dominican Republic from 3 to 11 May 2018. Delegates and invited experts will discuss the human rights’ situations in countries such as Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Venezuela.
The CIDH will be holding public meetings as well as working sessions to exam the status of human rights’ in the hemisphere including torture victims in Mexico, the treatment of indigenous communities in Peru, and complaints of violation of human rights in Nicaragua.
In addition, the agenda includes addressing race-based assaults in Brazil and the rights of LGBTI persons in the Americas. Participants will also exam the human rights situation in Venezuela and a case of the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico. The CIDH will also discuss rights of women in Argentina and human rights on Colombia.
The hosting of the meeting in the Dominican Republic is controversial given that the CIDH has been very critical of the Dominican Republic handling of migratory issues in regards to immigration from Haiti.
http://almomento.net/cidh-analizara-en-mayo-en-rd-situacion-derechos-humanos/
Fresenius Kabi expands in Haina
Fresenius Kabi is expanding its production of medical devices in Haina, in western Santo Domingo province. Another 500 jobs are being added. The new employees, including production workers, technical personnel, engineers and managers, will join a Fresenius Kabi workforce in Haina that currently numbers about 3,000. The total investment is more than €20 million (US$25 million).
On 19 April 2018, President Danilo Medina attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the installation of new plasma kit assembly lines, injection molding equipment, sterilization units and dedicated warehouse space is being added with completion scheduled for late 2019, the company reports.
The Haina plant manufactures and exports apheresis systems for plasma and platelet collection as well as medical devices for blood separation. These products are used, for example, to allow blood components to be separated while the blood is being donated, making it possible for these life-saving donations to be used more quickly and efficiently.
Mats Henriksson, CEO of Fresenius Kabi, said the products manufactured by the company in the Dominican Republic are important in the provision of healthcare far beyond the country. “Our employees here in Haina do an excellent job, and will continue to produce high-quality medical devices that provide healthcare professionals with the equipment they need to help their patients,” Henriksson said.
https://www.fresenius-kabi.com/news/fresenius-kabi-expands-haina-site
Prosecutors begin to investigate Controller General officers in Omsa case
Prosecutors for Santo Domingo province interviewed five auditors of the Controller General Office who reviewed the finances from the Metropolitan Bus Service Office (Omsa), after the Chamber of Accounts revealed major irregularities in procurement operations. The investigations are being carried out by prosecutor Olga Diná Llaverías and assistants Cristenes del Carmen Pérez, Isidro González, Mario Reyes, Ingrid Font and Altagracia Inés López.
The audit was carried out after lawyer Yuniol Ramírez was murdered. The lawyer was investigating corruption at the Omsa. The audit exposed complicity of the internal audit unit of the Controller General Office in authorizing the payments that did not meet the regular procurement practices.
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...ditores-de-la-contraloria-asignados-a-la-omsa
Falcondo pipe bursts releasing fuel into Haina River
The director of the municipal district of Quita Sueño, Antonio Brito Rodríguez is requesting the intervention of the Ministry of Environment after the explosion of another Falcondo fuel pipe releasing millions of gallons of diesel and fuel oil into Haina River. He recalled that less than six months ago the same pipeline exploded. He said this is evidence the pipes that carry fuel for the Falcondo operations in Bonao are in bad conditions.
http://hoy.com.do/exigen-la-interve...segunda-explosion-de-tuberias-en-quita-sueno/
Was Dominican kidnapped in Haiti or not?
According to Police director, Ney Aldrin Bautista, the Dominican driver who was supposedly kidnapped a few days ago in Haiti had no signs of torture or physical aggression as confirmed by a doctor. He said that the Haitian authorities had no evidence about the supposed kidnapping of Kairon Antonio Peralta. Bautista remarked so-called self-robberies and self-kidnappings are not infrequent, but observed the Penal Code did not provide a clear means to prosecute these types of cases. Bautista asked legislators to consider including these acts of obfuscation as a crime in the code that is being reviewed in Congress, given the significant amount of time and resources needed to investigate these supposed crimes.
He confirmed that in this case, they still did not know if it was a real kidnapping or simply a false claim.
http://almomento.net/supuesto-secuestrado-en-haiti-no-presenta-signos-de-tortura/
Ten provinces on alert for flooding
The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) has forecast that the rains will continue for the next 48 hours, due to a weather front.
This means that ten provinces are under alert for possible flooding and they are Hato Mayor, San Cristóbal, Monte Plata, Samaná, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monseñor Nouel, Espaillat and Puerto Plata.
The rains and electrical storms are most likely to occur in the afternoons and early evenings especially in the north east, south east, central mountain area and the border region.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...s-proximas-48-horas-diez-provincias-en-alerta
Cooking pavilion at the Santo Domingo Book Fair
Dominican cooking books are for sale at FILSD 2018, the Santo Domingo International Book Fair now in its 21st year at the Plaza de la Cultura. Books by well known Dominican chefs including Rosa María Gómez (La Chefa); Ines Páez (La Chef Tita), Socorro Castellanos, Alejandro Díaz, Silvia de Pou, among others are on exhibition and sale. Guest author at the fair cooking pavilion is chef Mirciny Moliviatis from Guatemala. Guatemala is the guest country at the fair this year. The pavilion every night becomes a restaurant and gastronomic cultural center. Dominican cooks perform live cooking shows, there are talks and interactions between chefs and participants.
The Santo Domingo book fair is open day and night through 30 April 2018.
http://mitur.gob.do/inauguran-pabellon-libro-cocina-en-la-xvl-feria-internacional-de-libro/
Scout movement to be introduced in public schools
IMF releases economic outlook
DR government confronts seven international arbitrage cases abroad
Human Rights meeting in the country in May
Fresenius Kabi expands in Haina
Prosecutors begin to investigate Controller General officers in Omsa case
Falcondo pipe bursts releasing fuel into Haina River
Was Dominican kidnapped in Haiti or not?
Ten provinces on alert for flooding
Cooking pavilion at the Santo Domingo Book Fair
President Medina inaugurates Santiago Botanical Garden
On Monday 23 April 2018, President Danilo Medina Sánchez, accompanied by the ministers of the Environment and Public Works, headed up the ceremony to inaugurate the first stage of the Professor Eugenio de Jesús Marcano Botantical Garden in Santiago.The area has more than 650,000 square meters, of which more than 12 kilometers are trails for walking and cycling protected by a closed perimeter and permanent security. Over the next months, it was announced that a visitor’s center, a train, a Japanese Garden and a modern events and convention center would open at the Santiago Botanical Gardens.
Minister Francisco Domínguez Brito explained the importance of the project and asked that the citizens of Santiago value it, as it would be one of the most important botanical parks in the Caribbean. During the inauguration, Domínguez Brito also highlighted other projects to protect natural resources such as the agroforestry programs and the recovery of the Valle Nuevo Protected Area, the rescue of the Ozama and Isabela rivers and that of the Yaque del Norte River.
http://eldia.com.do/danilo-medina-deja-inaugurado-jardin-botanico-en-santiago/
Scout movement to be introduced in public schools
Education Minister Andrés Navarro announced the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Dominican Scouts Association to incorporate the scout movement into public schools nationwide.
The agreement was signed by Juan Carlos Santana Sandoval, president of the board of directors of the Asociación de Scouts Dominicana, Inc. The agreement was signed at the
Campo Escuela Scouts “Cuayo” in Medina, San Cristobal.
Navarro says the scout movement has a lot to teach in the values of responsibility, commitment, character and integrity and basics for developing good Dominicans with leadership skills. Navarro shared his own experience as a scout more than 42 years ago.
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep.../navarro-llevara-a-escuelas-movimiento-scouts
IMF releases economic outlook
The International Monetary Fund highlights that the Dominican economy was quick to rebound after the effects of the Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. The Dominican Republic reported moderate growth in 2017 with economic activity expanding by 4.6% compared to 7.1% on average during 2014-16. The IMF published the appraisal results following the conclusion of its April 2018 consultation.
The IMF notes that public debt has continued to increase and the interest burden continues to grow relative to a narrow revenue base that is making debt less affordable. Nevertheless, the IMF says that the economic outlook for the country remains positive. The IMF says that lower lending rates and stronger credit growth, combined with higher real wages and employment, are expected to continue to support domestic demand. Growth is expected to increase to 5.5% in 2018 and then to moderate to its medium-term potential rate of around 5%. Inflation is expected to remain within the Central Bank’s 4 +/- 1 percent target band, while the external current account deficit will gradually widen to its historical levels with higher oil prices and stronger domestic demand. The IMF identifies the main downside risks could be higher world oil prices, tighter-than-anticipated global financial conditions, and weaker-than projected external demand.
The IMF forecasts that more meaningful fiscal adjustment will be needed to rebuild the buffers and reverse the upward debt dynamic. The IMF says that the government’s fiscal management program would need to be particularly mindful of its impact on growth, poverty and inequality. The adjustment should focus on widening the tax base (including through streamlining of tax incentives and exemptions), simplifying the tax system, and rationalizing inefficient expenditures, while prioritizing fiscal space towards increasing public investment and social spending to protect the most vulnerable.
The IMF is also advising reforms be made to enhance transparency in the public procurement processes, strengthen public financial management practices and align public statistics with international norms to further contribute to increase policy transparency and predictability.
http://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles...h-the-dominican-republic?cid=em-COM-123-36958
DR government confronts seven international arbitrage cases abroad
The Dominican government has seven international arbitrage cases open in courts abroad. The most important are the Lajun Corporation case where the company rejects its eviction from managing the Santo Domingo waste dump and is suing for US$300 million. Also, that placed against the government by Odebrecht that is claiming an additional US$708 million for the completion of the Punta Catalina power center in Peravia province.
As reported in Listin Diario, other cases registered at the United Nations arbitrage court were submitted by a French company for electricity distribution in 2007, another by TCW in 2007 that alleges indirect interference of a government holding, two in 2014 by a US mining company, another by Bellantine, a US luxury real estate project with hotel and spa, and another real estate project by Panamanian company Silverton.
https://www.listindiario.com/economia/2018/04/24/511943/pais-enfrenta-7-casos-arbitrajes
Human Rights meeting in the country in May
The Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (CIDH) will hold their 168th general meeting in the Dominican Republic from 3 to 11 May 2018. Delegates and invited experts will discuss the human rights’ situations in countries such as Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Venezuela.
The CIDH will be holding public meetings as well as working sessions to exam the status of human rights’ in the hemisphere including torture victims in Mexico, the treatment of indigenous communities in Peru, and complaints of violation of human rights in Nicaragua.
In addition, the agenda includes addressing race-based assaults in Brazil and the rights of LGBTI persons in the Americas. Participants will also exam the human rights situation in Venezuela and a case of the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico. The CIDH will also discuss rights of women in Argentina and human rights on Colombia.
The hosting of the meeting in the Dominican Republic is controversial given that the CIDH has been very critical of the Dominican Republic handling of migratory issues in regards to immigration from Haiti.
http://almomento.net/cidh-analizara-en-mayo-en-rd-situacion-derechos-humanos/
Fresenius Kabi expands in Haina
Fresenius Kabi is expanding its production of medical devices in Haina, in western Santo Domingo province. Another 500 jobs are being added. The new employees, including production workers, technical personnel, engineers and managers, will join a Fresenius Kabi workforce in Haina that currently numbers about 3,000. The total investment is more than €20 million (US$25 million).
On 19 April 2018, President Danilo Medina attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the installation of new plasma kit assembly lines, injection molding equipment, sterilization units and dedicated warehouse space is being added with completion scheduled for late 2019, the company reports.
The Haina plant manufactures and exports apheresis systems for plasma and platelet collection as well as medical devices for blood separation. These products are used, for example, to allow blood components to be separated while the blood is being donated, making it possible for these life-saving donations to be used more quickly and efficiently.
Mats Henriksson, CEO of Fresenius Kabi, said the products manufactured by the company in the Dominican Republic are important in the provision of healthcare far beyond the country. “Our employees here in Haina do an excellent job, and will continue to produce high-quality medical devices that provide healthcare professionals with the equipment they need to help their patients,” Henriksson said.
https://www.fresenius-kabi.com/news/fresenius-kabi-expands-haina-site
Prosecutors begin to investigate Controller General officers in Omsa case
Prosecutors for Santo Domingo province interviewed five auditors of the Controller General Office who reviewed the finances from the Metropolitan Bus Service Office (Omsa), after the Chamber of Accounts revealed major irregularities in procurement operations. The investigations are being carried out by prosecutor Olga Diná Llaverías and assistants Cristenes del Carmen Pérez, Isidro González, Mario Reyes, Ingrid Font and Altagracia Inés López.
The audit was carried out after lawyer Yuniol Ramírez was murdered. The lawyer was investigating corruption at the Omsa. The audit exposed complicity of the internal audit unit of the Controller General Office in authorizing the payments that did not meet the regular procurement practices.
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...ditores-de-la-contraloria-asignados-a-la-omsa
Falcondo pipe bursts releasing fuel into Haina River
The director of the municipal district of Quita Sueño, Antonio Brito Rodríguez is requesting the intervention of the Ministry of Environment after the explosion of another Falcondo fuel pipe releasing millions of gallons of diesel and fuel oil into Haina River. He recalled that less than six months ago the same pipeline exploded. He said this is evidence the pipes that carry fuel for the Falcondo operations in Bonao are in bad conditions.
http://hoy.com.do/exigen-la-interve...segunda-explosion-de-tuberias-en-quita-sueno/
Was Dominican kidnapped in Haiti or not?
According to Police director, Ney Aldrin Bautista, the Dominican driver who was supposedly kidnapped a few days ago in Haiti had no signs of torture or physical aggression as confirmed by a doctor. He said that the Haitian authorities had no evidence about the supposed kidnapping of Kairon Antonio Peralta. Bautista remarked so-called self-robberies and self-kidnappings are not infrequent, but observed the Penal Code did not provide a clear means to prosecute these types of cases. Bautista asked legislators to consider including these acts of obfuscation as a crime in the code that is being reviewed in Congress, given the significant amount of time and resources needed to investigate these supposed crimes.
He confirmed that in this case, they still did not know if it was a real kidnapping or simply a false claim.
http://almomento.net/supuesto-secuestrado-en-haiti-no-presenta-signos-de-tortura/
Ten provinces on alert for flooding
The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) has forecast that the rains will continue for the next 48 hours, due to a weather front.
This means that ten provinces are under alert for possible flooding and they are Hato Mayor, San Cristóbal, Monte Plata, Samaná, La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez, Monseñor Nouel, Espaillat and Puerto Plata.
The rains and electrical storms are most likely to occur in the afternoons and early evenings especially in the north east, south east, central mountain area and the border region.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...s-proximas-48-horas-diez-provincias-en-alerta
Cooking pavilion at the Santo Domingo Book Fair
Dominican cooking books are for sale at FILSD 2018, the Santo Domingo International Book Fair now in its 21st year at the Plaza de la Cultura. Books by well known Dominican chefs including Rosa María Gómez (La Chefa); Ines Páez (La Chef Tita), Socorro Castellanos, Alejandro Díaz, Silvia de Pou, among others are on exhibition and sale. Guest author at the fair cooking pavilion is chef Mirciny Moliviatis from Guatemala. Guatemala is the guest country at the fair this year. The pavilion every night becomes a restaurant and gastronomic cultural center. Dominican cooks perform live cooking shows, there are talks and interactions between chefs and participants.
The Santo Domingo book fair is open day and night through 30 April 2018.
http://mitur.gob.do/inauguran-pabellon-libro-cocina-en-la-xvl-feria-internacional-de-libro/