DR1 Daily News next update on 30 July 2018
New military checkpoint set up in Jicomé, Santiago
JCE says primaries would cost the same as the elections
National District DA declines to take part in search for new DA
OISOE announces tender in midst of questionable construction
Chamber of Accounts wants more money to audit Odebrecht projects
Legislators were doing everything, but what they were hired to do
Manufacturers: the bottlenecks to doing business in the DR
Bondelic tells its side of why it was shut down by ProConsumidor
China is the flavor of the month
News on Valsartan contamination shakes up local pharmaceuticals
Moviemaker announces he wants to run for president
Four more arrested in La Romana drug case
Traffic accident in Bonao claims three lives
Gold in handball and volleyball, karate, too
Pável Núñez and Carlos Luis will be singing boleros
DR1 Daily News next update on 30 July 2018
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 30 July 2018. The Monday issue will compile headline news for the previous Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Breaking news can be followed 24/7 in the Forums. See the DR1 Forum at http://www.dr1.com
New military checkpoint set up in Jicomé, Santiago
President Danilo Medina inaugurated a military checkpoint in Jicomé, on the Duarte highway where Santiago connects with northwestern provinces and the border with Haiti. The intention is to reduce illicit activity and crime in the area.
Staff of the army intelligence service (J2), customs (DGA), National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) canine unit, National Investigations Agency (DNI) and the army will be posted there to work as a unit. Defense Minister Ruben Dario Paulino Sem said the center would be the base from where the agencies will operate from. He said the men would act to improve controls on the flow of goods and people from and to the Dominican border with Haiti.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...en-contra-intereses-nacionales-danilo-entrega
JCE says primaries would cost the same as the elections
The president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Julio Cesar Castaños Guzman, that experts have alerted that the conducting of simultaneous primaries for the nation’s political parties, a proposal that is being debated in the legislature, would cost the government as much money as the 2020 general election. Castanos Guzmán pointed out that the JCE electoral budget would increase by RD$5.6 billion if required to organize and oversee the primaries for each political party, essentially duplicating the cost and effort of the general election organization process. He also stressed the electoral calendar is already very tight and does not see how such an effort as organizing the primaries can be fit in.
For the 2020 general election, some 4,106 positions will be contested across the nation. Faced with this situation, the authorities estimate that the total number of pre-candidacies in the 26 political parties would be around 197,262. If the substitutes are included on the ballots, the number of candidates would climb to 320,000.
Castaños Guzmán pointed out that there are 190 deputies to be elected; there are 316 mayor positions at the municipal level and 1,164 city council posts and their substitutes will also be elected. He said that besides the municipal districts there are 268 directors and deputy directors as well as 730 members of the municipal councils. He noted the complexities involve assuring compliance with gender requirements of the candidates as well as the need to train and organize the logistics for the 125,000 persons needed to oversee the primaries.
When talking about the resources needed to implement the primaries, Castaños Guzman noted the amount of debt currently being carried by the JCE, some RD$900 million left over from the 2016 general elections.
Castaños Guzmán said the organization of the elections is affected by the lack of agreement among the parties on the Political Parties Bill. The bill would establish important rules for conducting the 2020 general election. Differences between the two leaders of the ruling PLD party have been the main snag to the passing of the bill. For instance, PLD party president, former President Leonel Fernandez did not attend the JCE meeting, but sent his position. It states that the organization of primaries is not a role assigned to the JCE in the Dominican Constitution and if the JCE is required to do so, the effort would put at risk the credibility of the organization. He said the Constitution says that the role of the JCE is one of supervision and prior logistics support.
Reinaldo Parez Perez, secretary general of the PLD, stated the PLD would evaluate the remarks by Castaños Guzmán.
Orlando Jorge Mera, spokesman for the PRM, the largest opposition party, said that not all the political parties should have the need for the JCE to organize their primaries. The PRM has spoken up in favor of the JCE organizing their primary.
Federico Antún, president of the PRSC, stated, as quoted in Diario Libre: The Political Parties Bill will not resolve anything. On the contrary, it probably will complicate things. If we, the parties are not able to arbitrate ourselves, then we are not in a position to govern either, the country should not take us into consideration.”
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...costo-de-unas-elecciones-generales-FH10425606
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...as-costaria-lo-mismo-que-elecciones-generales
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...3/la-jce-advierte-alto-costo-de-las-primarias
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-simultaneas-segun-castanos-guzman-DG10431615
National District DA declines to take part in search for new DA
The current district attorney for the National District, Yeni Berenice Reynoso, announced on Wednesday, 25 July 2018, that she would not take part in the positions search announced by the Superior Council of the Justice Department to elect the District Attorneys for the National District and another 21 provinces of the country. The very vocal District Attorney tweeted that she backed her fellow prosecutors who are taking part in the search convened by the Council. She said: “I will not participate, I respect but I do not share the idea that lacking just a few months to reach seven years in this job I have to compete to see if I have the requisites to lead the office of the District Attorney of the National District for another 18 months.”
She went on to explain that she had told the current Attorney General of the Republic, Jean Alain Rodriguez and the former Attorney General, Francisco Dominguez Brito, of her intentions to not continue on the job.
The District Attorney was transferred from the same position in Santiago in December 2011 and has been on the job for nearly 7 years. The law says that a district attorney may only serve for a maximum of eight years.
A similar situation also exists for the Santo Domingo East prosecutor Olga Diná Llavería and Santiago prosecutor Luisa Liranzo, who if chosen would only remain in the job for a year and a half.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...ir-dirigiendo-el-distrito-nacional-KH10425285
OISOE announces tender in midst of questionable construction
The Office of Supervising Engineers of State Projects (OISOE) announced the opening of a tender process for the construction of the St. Vincent de Paul Regional Hospital in San Francisco de Macoris. The tender will be held on Friday, 3 August at 1pm in the auditorium of OISOE located on Doctor Baez St., #4, in Santo Domingo.
As noted in the Diario Libre, problems in the construction of three of the hospitals recently concluded in which OISOE has been involved as the institution charged with the remodeling have raised concerns among architects and engineers. The Francisco Moscoso Puello Hospital that flooded after several hours of rain less than three months after its reopening made headlines in newspapers across the country. The Dario Contreras Hospital that was also remodeled at a “staggering overvaluation,” according to complaints filed and more recently, there were reports of shortcomings at the newly reopened San Lorenzo de Los Mina Maternity Hospital.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-por-anomalias-en-obras-entregadas-BH10425004
Chamber of Accounts wants more money to audit Odebrecht projects
The Chamber of Accounts has produced a budget of RD$1.9 billion in order to audit the different projects carried out by the Brazilian construction firm of Odebrecht and to audit 7,288 different institutions. Hugo Alvarez Perez explained during a conference with reporters that they are now reviewing the audit on the different projects carried out by an international accounting firm in order to determine if the projects were overvalued.
Alvarez told reporters: “We are now in the revision stage but a lot of projects are out there which require a large team of auditors, lawyers and engineers. We even had to contract specialized engineering services to calculate the specific construction and material requirements for buildings, including how much re-bar, cement, and aggregate should be used and so forth.”
Alvarez explained that at the present time the Chamber of Accounts has a budget of RD$814 million and in order to do an acceptable job, not an ideal one and they would need at least RD$1.9 billion to conduct a thorough audit. He noted that his agency is supposed to audit 7,288 institutions that handle public funds, including nonprofits.
http://elnacional.com.do/insiste-en-mas-fondos-para-auditar-odebrecht/
Legislators were doing everything, but what they were hired to do
A report in Diario Libre on 26 July 2018 highlights the low legislative output for the session that ends this week. The President ordered an extension of the legislature through 15 August. Important bills are still delayed.
Diario Libre reports that during the 150 days of the legislature (that began 27 February and ends on 26 July 2018), the Chamber of Deputies and Senate barely passed five bills. These are the bills that regulate Sign Language and Braille, that which created the Dominican Nurses Guild (Codopenf), that which declares the National Day for Dominican Cooking and Gastronomy, and that which orders the National Larimar Day, and another on Payment of Environmental Services.
The newspaper says that none of the projects on the priority list were approved. Among these are the Political Parties Bill, the Electoral Bill, the Land Use Bill, the Civil Procedures Bill, the Civil Code and the Penal Code bills. Other priority bills that are still delayed are: Notary Public, Private Security, Checks, Real Estate Guarantees, Water, bill for the Accountability of the National Congress.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...es-fueron-aprobadas-en-el-congreso-BH10428854
Manufacturers: the bottlenecks to doing business in the DR
The president of the Dominican Republic Association of Industries (AIRD) Campos de Moya highlighted challenges ahead if the country is to release its full export potential. De Moya spoke during the American Chamber of Commerce luncheon on 26 July 2018 in the presence of Administrative Minister of the Presidency, Jose Ramon Peralta, who is leading a government effort to increase exports and improve the local business climate.
On the list of obstacles to doing business presented are:
Power, considered costly and deficient
Lack of long term financing for exports and purchase of machinery
Absence of resources and state programs for promotion of innovation, research and development
Monopoly practices in the cargo transport
Red tape affecting productiveness and productive linkages
Tax structure that penalizes investments, assets and increase in value added while it favors imports
Failure to apply measures to improve competitiveness
Campos de Moya also mentioned as a negative the regularity with which government changes its own rules. “As a concrete example of this, after years of advocating for a law that would provide manufacturers with a legal framework to compete against trade liberalization, equalize conditions against international competitors and avoid exporting taxes, at the end of 2007 the Proindustria Law was enacted. However, afterwards that law has been amended seven times, including two amendments via the Budget Law. But, in addition, in only 10 years of validity of the law, it has had five general directors," he said.
He urged government offices become act as facilitators of processes, not managers of red tape. He says each extra procedure has a cost for business and reduces its competitiveness.
He urged the Chamber of Deputies pass the bill against illicit commerce that recently passed in the Senate.
He also expressed concern regarding migration. He says it is a dagger that bleeds us: it puts pressure on social security, enhances unemployment, creates situation of risk to national security and increases state spending on matters such as health or education.”
He urged an amendment of the Labor Code. He said manufactures want to create more jobs, but need a more flexible labor code to ensure sustainability of business.
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...ustrial-en-la-republica-dominicana-CH10428659
Bondelic tells its side of why it was shut down by ProConsumidor
One of the most popular bakeries in the city of Santo Domingo, Bondelic was shut down on Tuesday, 24 July 2018, to the surprise of all its patrons, and those passing by.
The store is sharing its own version of what happened with the general public:
It explains that on Tuesday it as visited by inspectors of ProConsumidor, the consumer agency, with Juan Arturo Vallejo as leader. The store says that as they are accustomed to deal with scams, and fake inspectors of different government organizations, many times accompanied by corrupt police, an act or document from the institution was requested to allow the inspection. On Wednesday, company executives visited Proconsumidor headquarters on Av. Charles Sumner to try to meet with some authority to confirm the authenticity of the inspection. Employee Leannety Cuello told them to take with someone at that level an appointment was needed and a letter should be submitted to process the request for appointment.
Bondelic explains that before they could request the appointment, the inspectors of ProConsumidor returned, with police, to shut down the business, placing large signs announcing it had been closed down for impeding the inspection.
The owners highlighted that Bondelic is a business with high quality norms that has been established for 25 years of service to clients.
“We want to emphasize that Proconsumidor did not close down Bondelic because it found anything out on the place, because it has never entered our premises, nor for the hygiene nor the quality of what we produce. Proconsumidor closed Bondelic simply because we refused to let its inspectors enter without a document authorizing the entry. Simply for that reason.”
Anina del Castillo, director of ProConsumidor, says Bondelic was notified that the inspection would take place. She also argued the inspectors were duly uniformed. She said the business would continue closed until the inspection is completed.
She said businesses that would like to verify the authenticity of the inspection can scan an ID of the inspector and online they will be able to verify this.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/bondelic-seguira-cerrado-hasta-que-acabe-inspeccion-CG10430561
China is the flavor of the month
The government’s sudden dismissal of relations with Taiwan after nearly 80 years and its quick pivot to recognize the Peoples Republic of China took most people by surprise. It has, however, resulted in so much media attention that it has become the center of interest in the Dominican Republic. Since both governments announced, simultaneously, the start of bilateral relations at the highest level, almost 3 months ago, there has been a wave of trips by officials, businessmen and journalists from Santo Domingo to Beijing. Nearly daily, since then, the news has not ceased regarding the benefits that this decision by the government will supposedly bring to the Dominican Republic.
A few days ago, a Dominican diplomat told reporters that the Chinese government might invest as much as US $10 billion in the coming years in different sectors such as tourism, energy and infrastructure. For the director of relations with Asia and Oceania at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Luis Gonzalez, local exports to China could go from US$140 million to US$500 or US$600 million in the coming two years. It is worthwhile to note that in 2017, the trade deficit between the two nations was US$2.3 billion in favor of China. In the middle of last June, Economy Minister Isidoro Santana had visited China for the creation of a mixed commission that would provide follow-up to issues such as international commerce, bilateral cooperation, direct foreign investment, and the promotion of Dominican tourism to the world’s most populous nation.
https://acento.com.do/2018/economia...moda-rd-tras-iniciar-relaciones-diplomaticas/
News on Valsartan contamination shakes up local pharmaceuticals
Two pharmaceutical companies ordered the recall of all of their products that use Valsartan as the principal active ingredient, and another six companies have sent out press releases to make it clear that their products are not part of the recall. Meanwhile, cardiologists and internists are providing guidance to their patients.
Following warnings from EMI in Europe as well as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, the Ministry of Public Health issued a recall for pharmaceuticals using this active ingredient. The pharmaceuticals involved came from a Chinese company, Zhejian Huahai Pharmaceuticals and this has unleashed a movement by local pharmaceutical providers to inform local doctors regarding the origins of their medicines. Feltrea and Leterago have announced the recall of all of their products containing Valsartan, prescribed for the treatment of hypertension and other heart-related issues. Different companies have published ads making clear their position. Sued & Fargesa, Novartis, Stein Corp and IberoFarmacos have all notified the public that their products do not contain the active ingredient produced by the Chinese company.
http://elnacional.com.do/prohibicio...arsan-estremece-industria-farmaceutica-en-rd/
Moviemaker announces he wants to run for president
Some of the guests at the press conference thought that a new movie project was about to be announced. The guests were surprised when they found out about the real reason for the press conference: the 61-year old filmmaker Alfonso Rodríguez announced his aspirations to seek the presidency of the Dominican Republic in 2020.
Rodriguez announced on Tuesday, 24 July 2018, that he will lead the Democratic Revolution political movement "because I cannot sit at home watching how [these politicians] are destroying my country, the country where I was born, the only country in the world where I am not discriminated against and where I am not an immigrant, the country where once it was ideal to raise my children. "
He also revealed his net worth of RD$190 million. He presented what he called the 10 Commandments of the Democratic Revolution: law and order; zero corruption; zero tolerance for illegal immigration, safe border and orderly migration; less taxes that generate more jobs; health and education at the highest level; the poor must have at least the basics; incentives for foreign investment; agriculture and tourism at full capacity; death penalty and life imprisonment.
Surrounded by three of his three daughters, the movie producer also said he launched his candidacy because he can not remain silent without doing anything while corruption leads the country to total collapse, in the economic, migratory, educational. Regarding security, he explained that the government has not been able to resolve anything in terms of social security and citizen security.
"Because I cannot continue to be governed by the worst people that exist, people who do business with donated medicine for others for the 'children of machepa', people who have no qualms when it comes to stealing the aid of atmospheric phenomena, people without scruples that the country sell our gold, beaches, our natural riches to the highest bidder," he said.
He adds in his statement that he cannot live in a nation run by mafiosi who turn a blind eye to pornography and child prostitution in tourist spots such as Boca Chica and Sosúa.
https://www.listindiario.com/entret...aspiraciones-a-la-presidencia-de-la-republica
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1745426/
Four more arrested in La Romana drug case
The authorities have arrested four more persons, including a Colombian, who they say are tied to the recent seizure of 381 kg of cocaine off the coast of Bayahibe, in La Altagracia province. The persons arrested were sent to the Justice Department for arraignment, as the investigation continues and others are suspect of involvement.
According to a press release from the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD), the operations to apprehend the suspects took place in Greater Santo Domingo and La Romana, and there are now five persons currently being processed in the case. Readers will remember that last Monday the DNCD together with the Armada and the Army stopped a fast boat, arrested the captain and seized more than 381 kg of cocaine off the coast of Bayahibe.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...o-de-droga-decomisado-en-la-romana-BH10426034
Traffic accident in Bonao claims three lives
Three fatalities and 10 injured was the tragic toll of an accident that occurred Wednesday, 25 July 2018 in the morning on the Duarte Highway between a bus carrying employees of the Dominican Aviation Institute and National Assets and a pickup truck loaded with mangoes. The government employees were traveling to Puerto Plata to carry out assessments regarding some government assets. The victims were taken to the morgue at the public hospital in Bonao and the injured were taken to the Juan Bosch Trauma Hospital in La Vega. According to available reports, the pickup truck was traveling in the wrong lane. There were also reports of five road fatalities in the north coast.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...nales-mueren-en-accidente-en-bonao-PH10426229
Gold in handball and volleyball, karate, too
The Dominican women’s volleyball team won their fifth consecutive title match on Wednesday, 25 July 2018 at the Central American and Caribbean Games taking place in Barranquilla, Colombia. To gain the gold medal, the team nicknamed “Queens of the Caribbean” defeated Colombia 3-0 (25-19, 25-17 y 25-19). In handball, the DR defeated Puerto Rico in the finals.
Maria Dimitrova, Ana Villanueva and Deivis Ferreras won gold medals in karate (combat).
Crystal Lara clocked in 2:13.82 in 200 backstroke to win the first silver and medal in Central American Games for the Dominican Republic in the event. The swimmer, who is born, raised and has always trained in the United States, competed for the first time for the Dominican Republic.
At the end of Wednesday, the Dominican Republic was in 4th place in the medals standing. The DR is behind Mexico, Colombia and Cuba. The DR has won 13 gold, 11 silver, 22 bronze, for a total 46 medals.
http://barranquilla2018.com/
Pável Núñez and Carlos Luis will be singing boleros
On Friday, 27 July 2018, the young Dominican contemporary singer and his Cuban friend Carlos Luis will be at the Rancho in Santiago. On the next day and for the same concert they will perform on Saturday, 28 July at Casa de Teatro in Colonial City of Santo Domingo. On that evening, with them will be young singer-composer Ariel Núñez. Pavel sings rock, ballads, pop and this time will be accompanied by a Big Band singing boleros.
New military checkpoint set up in Jicomé, Santiago
JCE says primaries would cost the same as the elections
National District DA declines to take part in search for new DA
OISOE announces tender in midst of questionable construction
Chamber of Accounts wants more money to audit Odebrecht projects
Legislators were doing everything, but what they were hired to do
Manufacturers: the bottlenecks to doing business in the DR
Bondelic tells its side of why it was shut down by ProConsumidor
China is the flavor of the month
News on Valsartan contamination shakes up local pharmaceuticals
Moviemaker announces he wants to run for president
Four more arrested in La Romana drug case
Traffic accident in Bonao claims three lives
Gold in handball and volleyball, karate, too
Pável Núñez and Carlos Luis will be singing boleros
DR1 Daily News next update on 30 July 2018
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 30 July 2018. The Monday issue will compile headline news for the previous Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Breaking news can be followed 24/7 in the Forums. See the DR1 Forum at http://www.dr1.com
New military checkpoint set up in Jicomé, Santiago
President Danilo Medina inaugurated a military checkpoint in Jicomé, on the Duarte highway where Santiago connects with northwestern provinces and the border with Haiti. The intention is to reduce illicit activity and crime in the area.
Staff of the army intelligence service (J2), customs (DGA), National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) canine unit, National Investigations Agency (DNI) and the army will be posted there to work as a unit. Defense Minister Ruben Dario Paulino Sem said the center would be the base from where the agencies will operate from. He said the men would act to improve controls on the flow of goods and people from and to the Dominican border with Haiti.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...en-contra-intereses-nacionales-danilo-entrega
JCE says primaries would cost the same as the elections
The president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Julio Cesar Castaños Guzman, that experts have alerted that the conducting of simultaneous primaries for the nation’s political parties, a proposal that is being debated in the legislature, would cost the government as much money as the 2020 general election. Castanos Guzmán pointed out that the JCE electoral budget would increase by RD$5.6 billion if required to organize and oversee the primaries for each political party, essentially duplicating the cost and effort of the general election organization process. He also stressed the electoral calendar is already very tight and does not see how such an effort as organizing the primaries can be fit in.
For the 2020 general election, some 4,106 positions will be contested across the nation. Faced with this situation, the authorities estimate that the total number of pre-candidacies in the 26 political parties would be around 197,262. If the substitutes are included on the ballots, the number of candidates would climb to 320,000.
Castaños Guzmán pointed out that there are 190 deputies to be elected; there are 316 mayor positions at the municipal level and 1,164 city council posts and their substitutes will also be elected. He said that besides the municipal districts there are 268 directors and deputy directors as well as 730 members of the municipal councils. He noted the complexities involve assuring compliance with gender requirements of the candidates as well as the need to train and organize the logistics for the 125,000 persons needed to oversee the primaries.
When talking about the resources needed to implement the primaries, Castaños Guzman noted the amount of debt currently being carried by the JCE, some RD$900 million left over from the 2016 general elections.
Castaños Guzmán said the organization of the elections is affected by the lack of agreement among the parties on the Political Parties Bill. The bill would establish important rules for conducting the 2020 general election. Differences between the two leaders of the ruling PLD party have been the main snag to the passing of the bill. For instance, PLD party president, former President Leonel Fernandez did not attend the JCE meeting, but sent his position. It states that the organization of primaries is not a role assigned to the JCE in the Dominican Constitution and if the JCE is required to do so, the effort would put at risk the credibility of the organization. He said the Constitution says that the role of the JCE is one of supervision and prior logistics support.
Reinaldo Parez Perez, secretary general of the PLD, stated the PLD would evaluate the remarks by Castaños Guzmán.
Orlando Jorge Mera, spokesman for the PRM, the largest opposition party, said that not all the political parties should have the need for the JCE to organize their primaries. The PRM has spoken up in favor of the JCE organizing their primary.
Federico Antún, president of the PRSC, stated, as quoted in Diario Libre: The Political Parties Bill will not resolve anything. On the contrary, it probably will complicate things. If we, the parties are not able to arbitrate ourselves, then we are not in a position to govern either, the country should not take us into consideration.”
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...costo-de-unas-elecciones-generales-FH10425606
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...as-costaria-lo-mismo-que-elecciones-generales
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...3/la-jce-advierte-alto-costo-de-las-primarias
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-simultaneas-segun-castanos-guzman-DG10431615
National District DA declines to take part in search for new DA
The current district attorney for the National District, Yeni Berenice Reynoso, announced on Wednesday, 25 July 2018, that she would not take part in the positions search announced by the Superior Council of the Justice Department to elect the District Attorneys for the National District and another 21 provinces of the country. The very vocal District Attorney tweeted that she backed her fellow prosecutors who are taking part in the search convened by the Council. She said: “I will not participate, I respect but I do not share the idea that lacking just a few months to reach seven years in this job I have to compete to see if I have the requisites to lead the office of the District Attorney of the National District for another 18 months.”
She went on to explain that she had told the current Attorney General of the Republic, Jean Alain Rodriguez and the former Attorney General, Francisco Dominguez Brito, of her intentions to not continue on the job.
The District Attorney was transferred from the same position in Santiago in December 2011 and has been on the job for nearly 7 years. The law says that a district attorney may only serve for a maximum of eight years.
A similar situation also exists for the Santo Domingo East prosecutor Olga Diná Llavería and Santiago prosecutor Luisa Liranzo, who if chosen would only remain in the job for a year and a half.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...ir-dirigiendo-el-distrito-nacional-KH10425285
OISOE announces tender in midst of questionable construction
The Office of Supervising Engineers of State Projects (OISOE) announced the opening of a tender process for the construction of the St. Vincent de Paul Regional Hospital in San Francisco de Macoris. The tender will be held on Friday, 3 August at 1pm in the auditorium of OISOE located on Doctor Baez St., #4, in Santo Domingo.
As noted in the Diario Libre, problems in the construction of three of the hospitals recently concluded in which OISOE has been involved as the institution charged with the remodeling have raised concerns among architects and engineers. The Francisco Moscoso Puello Hospital that flooded after several hours of rain less than three months after its reopening made headlines in newspapers across the country. The Dario Contreras Hospital that was also remodeled at a “staggering overvaluation,” according to complaints filed and more recently, there were reports of shortcomings at the newly reopened San Lorenzo de Los Mina Maternity Hospital.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-por-anomalias-en-obras-entregadas-BH10425004
Chamber of Accounts wants more money to audit Odebrecht projects
The Chamber of Accounts has produced a budget of RD$1.9 billion in order to audit the different projects carried out by the Brazilian construction firm of Odebrecht and to audit 7,288 different institutions. Hugo Alvarez Perez explained during a conference with reporters that they are now reviewing the audit on the different projects carried out by an international accounting firm in order to determine if the projects were overvalued.
Alvarez told reporters: “We are now in the revision stage but a lot of projects are out there which require a large team of auditors, lawyers and engineers. We even had to contract specialized engineering services to calculate the specific construction and material requirements for buildings, including how much re-bar, cement, and aggregate should be used and so forth.”
Alvarez explained that at the present time the Chamber of Accounts has a budget of RD$814 million and in order to do an acceptable job, not an ideal one and they would need at least RD$1.9 billion to conduct a thorough audit. He noted that his agency is supposed to audit 7,288 institutions that handle public funds, including nonprofits.
http://elnacional.com.do/insiste-en-mas-fondos-para-auditar-odebrecht/
Legislators were doing everything, but what they were hired to do
A report in Diario Libre on 26 July 2018 highlights the low legislative output for the session that ends this week. The President ordered an extension of the legislature through 15 August. Important bills are still delayed.
Diario Libre reports that during the 150 days of the legislature (that began 27 February and ends on 26 July 2018), the Chamber of Deputies and Senate barely passed five bills. These are the bills that regulate Sign Language and Braille, that which created the Dominican Nurses Guild (Codopenf), that which declares the National Day for Dominican Cooking and Gastronomy, and that which orders the National Larimar Day, and another on Payment of Environmental Services.
The newspaper says that none of the projects on the priority list were approved. Among these are the Political Parties Bill, the Electoral Bill, the Land Use Bill, the Civil Procedures Bill, the Civil Code and the Penal Code bills. Other priority bills that are still delayed are: Notary Public, Private Security, Checks, Real Estate Guarantees, Water, bill for the Accountability of the National Congress.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...es-fueron-aprobadas-en-el-congreso-BH10428854
Manufacturers: the bottlenecks to doing business in the DR
The president of the Dominican Republic Association of Industries (AIRD) Campos de Moya highlighted challenges ahead if the country is to release its full export potential. De Moya spoke during the American Chamber of Commerce luncheon on 26 July 2018 in the presence of Administrative Minister of the Presidency, Jose Ramon Peralta, who is leading a government effort to increase exports and improve the local business climate.
On the list of obstacles to doing business presented are:
Power, considered costly and deficient
Lack of long term financing for exports and purchase of machinery
Absence of resources and state programs for promotion of innovation, research and development
Monopoly practices in the cargo transport
Red tape affecting productiveness and productive linkages
Tax structure that penalizes investments, assets and increase in value added while it favors imports
Failure to apply measures to improve competitiveness
Campos de Moya also mentioned as a negative the regularity with which government changes its own rules. “As a concrete example of this, after years of advocating for a law that would provide manufacturers with a legal framework to compete against trade liberalization, equalize conditions against international competitors and avoid exporting taxes, at the end of 2007 the Proindustria Law was enacted. However, afterwards that law has been amended seven times, including two amendments via the Budget Law. But, in addition, in only 10 years of validity of the law, it has had five general directors," he said.
He urged government offices become act as facilitators of processes, not managers of red tape. He says each extra procedure has a cost for business and reduces its competitiveness.
He urged the Chamber of Deputies pass the bill against illicit commerce that recently passed in the Senate.
He also expressed concern regarding migration. He says it is a dagger that bleeds us: it puts pressure on social security, enhances unemployment, creates situation of risk to national security and increases state spending on matters such as health or education.”
He urged an amendment of the Labor Code. He said manufactures want to create more jobs, but need a more flexible labor code to ensure sustainability of business.
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...ustrial-en-la-republica-dominicana-CH10428659
Bondelic tells its side of why it was shut down by ProConsumidor
One of the most popular bakeries in the city of Santo Domingo, Bondelic was shut down on Tuesday, 24 July 2018, to the surprise of all its patrons, and those passing by.
The store is sharing its own version of what happened with the general public:
It explains that on Tuesday it as visited by inspectors of ProConsumidor, the consumer agency, with Juan Arturo Vallejo as leader. The store says that as they are accustomed to deal with scams, and fake inspectors of different government organizations, many times accompanied by corrupt police, an act or document from the institution was requested to allow the inspection. On Wednesday, company executives visited Proconsumidor headquarters on Av. Charles Sumner to try to meet with some authority to confirm the authenticity of the inspection. Employee Leannety Cuello told them to take with someone at that level an appointment was needed and a letter should be submitted to process the request for appointment.
Bondelic explains that before they could request the appointment, the inspectors of ProConsumidor returned, with police, to shut down the business, placing large signs announcing it had been closed down for impeding the inspection.
The owners highlighted that Bondelic is a business with high quality norms that has been established for 25 years of service to clients.
“We want to emphasize that Proconsumidor did not close down Bondelic because it found anything out on the place, because it has never entered our premises, nor for the hygiene nor the quality of what we produce. Proconsumidor closed Bondelic simply because we refused to let its inspectors enter without a document authorizing the entry. Simply for that reason.”
Anina del Castillo, director of ProConsumidor, says Bondelic was notified that the inspection would take place. She also argued the inspectors were duly uniformed. She said the business would continue closed until the inspection is completed.
She said businesses that would like to verify the authenticity of the inspection can scan an ID of the inspector and online they will be able to verify this.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/bondelic-seguira-cerrado-hasta-que-acabe-inspeccion-CG10430561
China is the flavor of the month
The government’s sudden dismissal of relations with Taiwan after nearly 80 years and its quick pivot to recognize the Peoples Republic of China took most people by surprise. It has, however, resulted in so much media attention that it has become the center of interest in the Dominican Republic. Since both governments announced, simultaneously, the start of bilateral relations at the highest level, almost 3 months ago, there has been a wave of trips by officials, businessmen and journalists from Santo Domingo to Beijing. Nearly daily, since then, the news has not ceased regarding the benefits that this decision by the government will supposedly bring to the Dominican Republic.
A few days ago, a Dominican diplomat told reporters that the Chinese government might invest as much as US $10 billion in the coming years in different sectors such as tourism, energy and infrastructure. For the director of relations with Asia and Oceania at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Luis Gonzalez, local exports to China could go from US$140 million to US$500 or US$600 million in the coming two years. It is worthwhile to note that in 2017, the trade deficit between the two nations was US$2.3 billion in favor of China. In the middle of last June, Economy Minister Isidoro Santana had visited China for the creation of a mixed commission that would provide follow-up to issues such as international commerce, bilateral cooperation, direct foreign investment, and the promotion of Dominican tourism to the world’s most populous nation.
https://acento.com.do/2018/economia...moda-rd-tras-iniciar-relaciones-diplomaticas/
News on Valsartan contamination shakes up local pharmaceuticals
Two pharmaceutical companies ordered the recall of all of their products that use Valsartan as the principal active ingredient, and another six companies have sent out press releases to make it clear that their products are not part of the recall. Meanwhile, cardiologists and internists are providing guidance to their patients.
Following warnings from EMI in Europe as well as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, the Ministry of Public Health issued a recall for pharmaceuticals using this active ingredient. The pharmaceuticals involved came from a Chinese company, Zhejian Huahai Pharmaceuticals and this has unleashed a movement by local pharmaceutical providers to inform local doctors regarding the origins of their medicines. Feltrea and Leterago have announced the recall of all of their products containing Valsartan, prescribed for the treatment of hypertension and other heart-related issues. Different companies have published ads making clear their position. Sued & Fargesa, Novartis, Stein Corp and IberoFarmacos have all notified the public that their products do not contain the active ingredient produced by the Chinese company.
http://elnacional.com.do/prohibicio...arsan-estremece-industria-farmaceutica-en-rd/
Moviemaker announces he wants to run for president
Some of the guests at the press conference thought that a new movie project was about to be announced. The guests were surprised when they found out about the real reason for the press conference: the 61-year old filmmaker Alfonso Rodríguez announced his aspirations to seek the presidency of the Dominican Republic in 2020.
Rodriguez announced on Tuesday, 24 July 2018, that he will lead the Democratic Revolution political movement "because I cannot sit at home watching how [these politicians] are destroying my country, the country where I was born, the only country in the world where I am not discriminated against and where I am not an immigrant, the country where once it was ideal to raise my children. "
He also revealed his net worth of RD$190 million. He presented what he called the 10 Commandments of the Democratic Revolution: law and order; zero corruption; zero tolerance for illegal immigration, safe border and orderly migration; less taxes that generate more jobs; health and education at the highest level; the poor must have at least the basics; incentives for foreign investment; agriculture and tourism at full capacity; death penalty and life imprisonment.
Surrounded by three of his three daughters, the movie producer also said he launched his candidacy because he can not remain silent without doing anything while corruption leads the country to total collapse, in the economic, migratory, educational. Regarding security, he explained that the government has not been able to resolve anything in terms of social security and citizen security.
"Because I cannot continue to be governed by the worst people that exist, people who do business with donated medicine for others for the 'children of machepa', people who have no qualms when it comes to stealing the aid of atmospheric phenomena, people without scruples that the country sell our gold, beaches, our natural riches to the highest bidder," he said.
He adds in his statement that he cannot live in a nation run by mafiosi who turn a blind eye to pornography and child prostitution in tourist spots such as Boca Chica and Sosúa.
https://www.listindiario.com/entret...aspiraciones-a-la-presidencia-de-la-republica
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1745426/
Four more arrested in La Romana drug case
The authorities have arrested four more persons, including a Colombian, who they say are tied to the recent seizure of 381 kg of cocaine off the coast of Bayahibe, in La Altagracia province. The persons arrested were sent to the Justice Department for arraignment, as the investigation continues and others are suspect of involvement.
According to a press release from the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD), the operations to apprehend the suspects took place in Greater Santo Domingo and La Romana, and there are now five persons currently being processed in the case. Readers will remember that last Monday the DNCD together with the Armada and the Army stopped a fast boat, arrested the captain and seized more than 381 kg of cocaine off the coast of Bayahibe.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...o-de-droga-decomisado-en-la-romana-BH10426034
Traffic accident in Bonao claims three lives
Three fatalities and 10 injured was the tragic toll of an accident that occurred Wednesday, 25 July 2018 in the morning on the Duarte Highway between a bus carrying employees of the Dominican Aviation Institute and National Assets and a pickup truck loaded with mangoes. The government employees were traveling to Puerto Plata to carry out assessments regarding some government assets. The victims were taken to the morgue at the public hospital in Bonao and the injured were taken to the Juan Bosch Trauma Hospital in La Vega. According to available reports, the pickup truck was traveling in the wrong lane. There were also reports of five road fatalities in the north coast.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...nales-mueren-en-accidente-en-bonao-PH10426229
Gold in handball and volleyball, karate, too
The Dominican women’s volleyball team won their fifth consecutive title match on Wednesday, 25 July 2018 at the Central American and Caribbean Games taking place in Barranquilla, Colombia. To gain the gold medal, the team nicknamed “Queens of the Caribbean” defeated Colombia 3-0 (25-19, 25-17 y 25-19). In handball, the DR defeated Puerto Rico in the finals.
Maria Dimitrova, Ana Villanueva and Deivis Ferreras won gold medals in karate (combat).
Crystal Lara clocked in 2:13.82 in 200 backstroke to win the first silver and medal in Central American Games for the Dominican Republic in the event. The swimmer, who is born, raised and has always trained in the United States, competed for the first time for the Dominican Republic.
At the end of Wednesday, the Dominican Republic was in 4th place in the medals standing. The DR is behind Mexico, Colombia and Cuba. The DR has won 13 gold, 11 silver, 22 bronze, for a total 46 medals.
http://barranquilla2018.com/
Pável Núñez and Carlos Luis will be singing boleros
On Friday, 27 July 2018, the young Dominican contemporary singer and his Cuban friend Carlos Luis will be at the Rancho in Santiago. On the next day and for the same concert they will perform on Saturday, 28 July at Casa de Teatro in Colonial City of Santo Domingo. On that evening, with them will be young singer-composer Ariel Núñez. Pavel sings rock, ballads, pop and this time will be accompanied by a Big Band singing boleros.
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