DR1 breaks for 16 August long weekend
President Danilo Medina inaugurates start of construction of a baseball complex
Ministry of Culture announces advances in DR’s request for its second World Heritage Site
Minister of Education says public school uniforms are free; stores sell them
Political parties to amend internal rules to comply with the new Political Parties Law
Water shortage in Santiago province
Severe weather and inadequate flight procedures cause Elias Piña crash
Why did cruise ship not dock?
Deal confirmed between Scotiabank and Banco de Progreso
Attorney General strikes a deal with Embraer on Super Tucanos bribes
Odebrecht evidence handed over
Corruption continues on the rise in CEA
Judge suspended during drug trafficking investigation
Last suspect in Casa de Campo robbery under arrest
Police rescue teenager from abusive parents
Rains forecast for the long weekend
DR1 breaks for 16 August long weekend
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 20 August 2018. News from Thursday to Monday will be compiled for the Monday digest. For breaking news updates and commentaries, see the DR1 Forums 24/7.
The 16th of August holiday commemorates Restoration Day that marks when independence was returned to the Dominican Republic by Spain. The country had been annexed to Spain by General Pedro Santana on 18 March 1861. He feared Haitians would again occupy the country.
This long weekend also coincides with the last days before school reopens in the Dominican Republic on 20 August 2018 with major sales happening at the big stores of school supplies and books. Given that it falls on a Thursday, many businesses will allow for staff to take the long weekend off and sneak in the last of family vacations.
The 16 August holiday also marks the start of a new working session at the National Congress.
President Danilo Medina inaugurates start of construction of a baseball complex
On Tuesday, 14 August 2018, President Danilo Medina attended the groundbreaking of a new complex for the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team in the province of Santo Domingo. The new complex will be built in the El Paredon section of Boca Chica and will have a campus of 157,000 square meters. The complex will have capacity to house 160 people, including players and technical staff.
Present for the inaugural were President Medina, Derrick Hall, president of Arizona Diamondbacks; Junior Noboa, vice president of operations of Arizona Diamondbacks for Latin America; Robert Copley, acting ambassador of the United States Embassy; Ricky Noboa, national baseball commissioner, former MLB players Miguel Montero and Luis Gonzalez and Radhamés Castro, mayor of the municipality of Boca Chica.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...e-primer-palazo-complejo-arizona-diamondbacks
Ministry of Culture announces advances in DR’s request for its second World Heritage Site
Culture Minister Eduardo Selman says the government has filed papers to persuade UNESCO to declare a World Heritage Site the landing spot where Christopher Columbus built the first European settlement in the New World, La Isabela.
Selman, an architect by profession, announced the government has submitted paperwork for the naming of La Isabela, the historic community founded by the Spanish conquistadors in 1494. He also announced efforts to recognize the bachata, the popular Dominican music, as an Intangible World Heritage treasure.
In 2017, UNESCO declared the merengue Intangible World Heritage. UNESCO has also declared the Colonial City of Santo Domingo a World Heritage Site.
Selman said the requests are part of the revalorization of the national cultural heritage in the interest that these also become tourist attractions for those seeking to enjoy different cultures.
In the case of La Isabela, he said that this year at UNESCO a first approval had been granted and that work is now underway to present the corresponding follow up documentation. He said there is hope that by next year, the site could be declared a World Heritage Site.
He announced the Dominican Book Fair in New York, to be held starting 12 October 2018, with presentations of books, awards for young people who participate in different literary contests, the visual arts presentations and more. To open the fair, a merengue concert will be presented.
https://noticiassin.com/eduardo-selman-espera-que-unesco-declare-la-isabela-patrimonio-cultural/
Minister of Education says public school uniforms are free; stores sell them
Public school uniforms are for sale in major stores nationwide and had been sold in some public schools. The Ministry of Education had committed to provide two uniforms free to each student in public school. The uniforms are for public school children, with private schools having their own individualized uniforms.
The irregular sale at the public schools was known after Listin Diario reporter Karen Vasquez gathered evidence on her cell phone of the sale of the polo shirts for RD$500 each in the Pantoja public high school. Upon ascertaining that the reporter had videoed interviews confirming the sale at the school that would ruin her career, the director, Daris Feliz forcefully took the reporter’s smart phone after alleging the journalist had no right to make the videos at the school. She threatened to sue the journalist. Feliz had said on tape that the sale was authorized and was happening at the request of several parents. Feliz returned the smart phone only after she provided her password and the videos were wiped.
Parents in Santo Domingo public school district 15 had denounced the sale. The Ministry would announce the suspension of the director of the Pantoja public high school, for impeding the Listin Diario from doing her job and taking her smart phone. Francisco Disla, of the school district 15, apologized to the reporter for the incident, as reported in Listin Diario.
The Minister said: "It is important that every Dominican family that has children enrolled the public schools know that these uniforms are 100% free. It is important to note that everything that is delivered to students in public schools is free.”
Navarro said that he has authorized some schools to allow their students to attend wearing the old khaki pants with blue cotton shirt during the two months until the full order of new khaki pants and polo shirts in five colors are delivered.
"We have an unforeseen situation, which is that we have not been able to get the suppliers to deliver all of the uniforms before the start of the school year," Navarro admitted. He argued that 50% was locally produced, due to a matter of installed capacity for production and the rest had to be imported.
He said the colors are being assigned to the five school districts. Students in Cibao Central will use the red wine color; those in the Cibao Norte, yellow gold; those in the South region, turquoise blue; those of the East, green polo shirts; and those in Greater Santo Domingo royal blue. He praised the quality of the polo shirts that are manufactured in 50% cotton and 50% polyester.
Public school reopens in the Dominican Republic on Monday, 20 August 2018.
http://elnacional.com.do/educacion-indaga-venta-de-uniformes-en-escuelas-de-sd/
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...ye-a-directora-que-coacciono-reportera-listin
Political parties to amend internal rules to comply with the new Political Parties Law
The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Ruben Maldonado, warned on Tuesday, 14 August 2018, that political parties need to adapt their statutes and by laws to the new Political Parties Law. The political parties need to act in time for the deadline for the primaries in October 2018.
https://noticiassin.com/presidente-cdhay-que-modificar-estatutos-para-aplicar-ley-de-partidos/
Water shortage in Santiago province
The Santiago Corporation of Aqueducts and Sewers (Coraasan) has informed that due to the drought that is affecting the Central Cibao area, the Tavera dam has less water in it and currently stands at 316 meters above sea level as opposed to the normal level between 322 and 325 meters above sea level. This has led to a decrease in the amount of water available in the area that is exacerbated by the high temperatures leading to a high consumption of water.
Coraasan explained that there is currently a deficit of 22 million gallons of water a day, not only due to the drought but also as the two of the five pumps in Lopez Angostura are out of service. The company has asked the population to ration the use of water and that in the meantime Coraasan will repair the pumps and increase the free water delivery by truck service.
The intense rains that came with a passing tropical wave could bring relief to the drought situation.
http://hoy.com.do/sequia-afecta-el-embalse-de-la-presa-de-tavera/
Severe weather and inadequate flight procedures cause Elias Piña crash
The Ministry of Defense aviation technical committee that is investigating the crash of the T-35B Pillan aircraft of the Air Force in which the pilot was killed and the co-pilot injured has issued a preliminarily report. The Ministry is attributing the crash to a combination of severe weather and inadequate flight procedures and that the aircraft failed to reach sufficient altitude to clear the Sierra de Neyba mountain range. On the day of the crash, the National Weather Service (Onamet) had predicted a tropical wave would affect the central area of the country. A passing low pressure trough that brought heavy rain to the area made matters worse.
The investigation will be completed once a report from the aircraft manufacturer, Empresa Nacional de Aeronautica (Enaer) of Chile is delivered. The Air Force says the aircraft was up to date with its inspections and maintenance was satisfactory.
The pilot, First lieutenant Kelvin Villanueva Garay, died when the plane crashed on Saturday, 4 August in Los Calimetes, Elías Piña province on the order with Haiti. Co-pilot, second lieutenant Ángel Félix Victoriano, survived the crash. The airplane had begun its ascent to pass over the Neyba and Bahoruco mountain ranges. It had taken off from the North Command of the Air Force, located off the Puerto Plata International Airport for a routine border patrol of the route Dajabón-Cabo Rojo (Pedernales) to San Isidro in the province of Santo Domingo.
The accident investigation commission is head by Brigade General Pilot Leonel Muñoz Noboa, Colonel Pilot Enmanuel Souffront Tamayo, and Colonel Pilot Héctor Martínez Pérez.
http://hoy.com.do/falla-de-procedim...-accidente-en-que-murio-piloto-en-elias-pina/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/08...mpo-influyeron-en-accidente-de-avion-militar/
Why did the cruise ship not dock?
Carnival Cruises say the Carnival Horizon with 5,366 people on board did not dock at Amber Cove in Maimon, Puerto Plata for “technical reasons.” The details have not been shared, though.
Meanwhile, the vice minister of the Ministry of Tourism in Puerto Plata says that maritime conditions, with the passing of a tropical wave, were to blame for the ship failing to dock.
But locals claim that it was the failure of the city authorities to deal with conflicting interests over the control of the solution to the garbage dump in the city that was the real “technical reason.” The rains apparently generated a thick smoke covering emanating from the local garbage dump.
The Carnival Horizon instead of docking continued on its journey to New York.
The information about the cancellation of the arrival of the ship in Maimon, has gone viral, following a complaint by one of the passengers in her Twitter account, saying that there was no formal explanation for the cancellation. Mrs. Austin said that the response from Carnival was that they could not go into port due to technical problems.
The previous week when Carnival Horizon visited Puerto Plata there was a dense cloud of smoke coming from the garbage dump, which those on the cruise who took excursions to Ocean World and into the city having to drive through and in addition it made it hard to breathe in the area of the dock.
https://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2018/08/14/528509/crucero-suspendio-arribo-por-vertedero
Deal confirmed between Scotiabank and Banco de Progreso
On Tuesday, 14 August 2018, The Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) made the formal announcement that an agreement had been reached amongst shareholders for the bank to acquire Banco de Progreso, subject to regulatory approval within the next three weeks.
Clavet Group Ltd and Fletchwood Ltd, hold 86.84% and 10.58% of the shares of Banco de Progreso have put their combined shares of 51.83 million up for sale at US$6.33 each, giving a total of US$328 million, which is around RD$16.3 thousand million.
With this acquisition, Scotiabank will become the fourth largest bank in the country behind Banco de Reservas, Banco Popular and Banco BHD-Leon.
Banco del Progreso has 57 branches in the country, 188 ATM machines, more than 160 sub agencies and more than 250,000 personal and business clients. Banco del Progreso has around 1,430 employees, while Scotiabank employs 2,000.
Scotiabank has been operating in the country since 1920, with 58 branches, 120 ATMs and 2,000 employees.
In a note to its clients, Banco del Progreso stated that bank customers would soon have access to a much wider network of branches, a wider range of products and services. The bank advanced that nothing would be changed in terms of branches, operations or products until regulatory approval has been granted. At that time, the Banco del Progreso brand would be replaced with the Scotiabank branded products and services.
http://eldia.com.do/scotiobank-formaliza-acuerdo-para-adquirir-banco-del-progreso/
https://acento.com.do/2018/economia...ciones-del-banco-del-progreso-us330-millones/
Attorney General strikes a deal with Embraer on Super Tucanos bribes
The Attorney General Office has announced it is about to sign a deal with Embraer regarding the bribes the company officers admitted in a US court to having paid to officers in the Dominican Republic to close a deal for the sale of eight Super Tucano aircraft in 2009 during a Leonel Fernandez administration. The aircraft would be used to police Dominican airspace from drug traffickers.
The deal would be similar to the deal signed with another Brazilian firm, Odebrecht, and would allow for the case to be expedited through Dominican justice. The case now needs to be approved by the presiding judge of the Fourth Court of Instruction of the National District where it was sent.
As part of the deal, Embraer would pay the Dominican government US$7 million, or double the US$3.5 million in bribes the company admitted in a US court having paid.
In the case, the accused are former Minister of the Armed Forces, Major General Rafael Peña Antonio, the former director of special projects of the Air Force, colonel Carlos Piccini Núñez, and businessmen Daniel Aquino Méndez and Daniel Aquino Hernández, Ysrael Abreu Rosario, and Félix Del Orbe Berroa, as well as the companies Magycorp, S.R.L. and 4D Business Group.
Recently, a National District court had restarted the judicial case against those accused of receiving US$3.5 million in bribes to approve the contract for eight Super Tucano aircraft to the Dominican Air Force. The aircraft were bought from the Brazilian Aeronautic Company, Embraer that had also been initially involved in the trial. However, judge Yanibet Rivas had removed them from the proceedings and set the date for the next hearing for 3 September 2018. The reason for this is that the request to separate Embraer from the hearing was made by the Specialized Prosecution Agency for the Persecution of Corruption (Pepca) as having admitted that the bribe was paid. However, representatives of Embraer had not attended the last hearings which caused delays in the proceedings.
Originally an Embraer representative appeared twice in court, but for the last three hearings the company simply notified that court that they would not be present for the proceedings. Now that Embraer is separated from the case, it would continue, leading to the announcement of the deal struck by the Attorney General with company representatives.
The firm, Pellerano and Herrera, the lawyers representing Embraer had no objection but Tony Delgado, defending the accused Danilo Aquino Hernandez has asked for more time as he now needs to amend his defense strategy given that Embraer will not be present.
http://elnacional.com.do/otorgan-plazo-acusados-sobornos-caso-tucano/
http://hoy.com.do/procuraduria-pacta-con-embraer-para-juicio-abreviado-rd/
Odebrecht evidence handed over
The Supreme Court of Justice, via the general secretary, has handed over the evidence in the Odebrecht case to the lawyers of Angel Rondon, who is accused of receiving bribes from the Brazilian company in order to be favored with work. This happened after Supreme Court judge, Francisco Ortega, ordered that the evidence should be handed over which had been communicated but not notified to the lawyers of the seven accused by the Public Prosecution Service.
However still not having received the evidence are the lawyers of Jesús Vasquez, Víctor Díaz Rúa, Conrado Pittaluga, Andrés Bautista, and Tommy Galán. Once the lawyers have the evidence they will study it and prepare their objections, which will be discussed on 21 August 2018 at the first hearing. Judge Ortega took the decision to hand over the evidence, following a request from the lawyers of Víctor Díaz Rúa, so that they might prepare their objections.
The defense lawyers of Angel Rondon say that Marcos Vasconcelos Cruz, the Odebrecht head in the Dominican Republic until November 2016, needs to explain the bribes. A letter where he confirms payment of around US$20 million to Angel Rondon for his fees as consultant for the securing of the Punta Catalina power central contract to the company was leaked to the press.
http://eldia.com.do/suprema-corte-d...l-caso-odebrecht-a-abogados-de-los-imputados/
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...a-explicar-sobornos-a-funcionarios-AC10565261
Corruption continues on the rise in CEA
TV investigative journalist, Alicia Ortega, presented on her El Informe TV show more cases of corruption at the State Sugar Council (CEA). The CEA in the 60s and 70s operated as the main government source of revenues with sugar from its now defunct sugar mills being the country’s main money crop. The Leonel Fernández government chose to divest the country of the sugar mills, but the entity has been kept alive by a growing bureaucracy. Ortega has aired several programs that the highlight the excesses and the wasteful spending that is open for everyone to see at the government entity.
Among other instances of corruption, Ortega has denounced that city councilors, deputy majors and employees of other public agencies are on the CEA payroll. She says there are people on the payroll of the extinct government body who actually who live overseas. Others employees include the father of the present director, his children, brothers, nephews, uncles and cousins. The wives of other government officers are also on the payroll.
Despite the airing of the specific cases of corruption, the Medina administration has not officially responded the accusations. The Ethics Agency of the government has said an investigation is underway.
https://noticiassin.com/la-zafra-de-irregularidades-en-el-cea-no-se-detiene/
Judge suspended during drug trafficking investigation
The Board of the Judicial Branch has notified National District Judge Patricia Padilla that she has been suspended until an investigation concludes. She is being investigated for having allowed two suspected drug dealers to go free.
The measure was taken after the judge declared a request for recusal to be admissible, which was made by the Prosecutor for the appeal court, Moisés Cordones Rodríguez.
The case involved two people linked to 500 kilos of cocaine and the judge having concluded that the time limit to bring formal charges in the case had expired, forced the Public Prosecution Service to abandon the case without making a formal accusation.
The Board of the Judicial Branch has asked the Prosecutor’s Office for a copy of the files to conduct its own investigation as to whether judicial action was appropriate
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...eza-hasta-concluir-investigacion-en-su-contra
Last suspect in Casa de Campo robbery under arrest
The last suspect in a robbery at a villa in Casa de Campo in July is under arrest. The 26-year old Juan Francisco Morla Castro (Checo) was arrested by the Police after an intensive manhunt. The Police say Morla Castro is suspected of having been involved in three robberies in the vacation community, together with Orlando Soriano and Juan Manuel Morales Solano (Bojote) who are in jail for similar thefts.
Castro said he used his part of the earnings from the July robbery to buy a Hyundai minibus.
The press division of the Police in the East reported that Castro admitted the crime and said the gun they used was in possession of William Soliver Herrera (Pipe) who was killed in Villa Guerrero in El Seibo on 27 July 2018.
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...o-en-casa-de-campo-dijo-que-compro-un-minibus
Police rescue teenager from abusive parents
The National Police rescued a 14-year old teenager who had been chained in a room in her house in the Herrera sector in Santo Domingo West. Agents of the Departamento de Investigación de Trata y Tráfico de Personas visited the family home with a warrant where they confirmed the irregular keeping of the child who had been chained with her right foot tied to a bed. The act was in violation to Child Protection Law 136-03.
When the agents entered the home the father, who reportedly was drunk, attempted to attack the agents. He was subsequently arrested.
The parents said they chained their daughter to keep her at home. They said persons unnamed in the sector had sexually abused the girl. The teenager was sent to the care of the Consejo Nacional para la Niñez y la Adolescencia (CONANI).
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...staba-encadenada-en-una-habitacion-de-su-casa
http://hoy.com.do/sus-propios-padres-encadenaron-y-aislaron-esta-jovencita-de-14-anos/
Rains forecast for the long weekend
According to the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), a tropical wave currently located over the Eastern part of the country has moved westward, but a trough will bring rainfall and storms especially during the afternoons, as it combines with the remnants of the tropical wave. Areas to be affected are the north, northeast, southeast (including Greater Santo Domingo), the central mountain area and the border region.
http://onamet.gov.do/m/pdto/08w-wprono/01w-wpronostico-general.php
President Danilo Medina inaugurates start of construction of a baseball complex
Ministry of Culture announces advances in DR’s request for its second World Heritage Site
Minister of Education says public school uniforms are free; stores sell them
Political parties to amend internal rules to comply with the new Political Parties Law
Water shortage in Santiago province
Severe weather and inadequate flight procedures cause Elias Piña crash
Why did cruise ship not dock?
Deal confirmed between Scotiabank and Banco de Progreso
Attorney General strikes a deal with Embraer on Super Tucanos bribes
Odebrecht evidence handed over
Corruption continues on the rise in CEA
Judge suspended during drug trafficking investigation
Last suspect in Casa de Campo robbery under arrest
Police rescue teenager from abusive parents
Rains forecast for the long weekend
DR1 breaks for 16 August long weekend
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 20 August 2018. News from Thursday to Monday will be compiled for the Monday digest. For breaking news updates and commentaries, see the DR1 Forums 24/7.
The 16th of August holiday commemorates Restoration Day that marks when independence was returned to the Dominican Republic by Spain. The country had been annexed to Spain by General Pedro Santana on 18 March 1861. He feared Haitians would again occupy the country.
This long weekend also coincides with the last days before school reopens in the Dominican Republic on 20 August 2018 with major sales happening at the big stores of school supplies and books. Given that it falls on a Thursday, many businesses will allow for staff to take the long weekend off and sneak in the last of family vacations.
The 16 August holiday also marks the start of a new working session at the National Congress.
President Danilo Medina inaugurates start of construction of a baseball complex
On Tuesday, 14 August 2018, President Danilo Medina attended the groundbreaking of a new complex for the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team in the province of Santo Domingo. The new complex will be built in the El Paredon section of Boca Chica and will have a campus of 157,000 square meters. The complex will have capacity to house 160 people, including players and technical staff.
Present for the inaugural were President Medina, Derrick Hall, president of Arizona Diamondbacks; Junior Noboa, vice president of operations of Arizona Diamondbacks for Latin America; Robert Copley, acting ambassador of the United States Embassy; Ricky Noboa, national baseball commissioner, former MLB players Miguel Montero and Luis Gonzalez and Radhamés Castro, mayor of the municipality of Boca Chica.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...e-primer-palazo-complejo-arizona-diamondbacks
Ministry of Culture announces advances in DR’s request for its second World Heritage Site
Culture Minister Eduardo Selman says the government has filed papers to persuade UNESCO to declare a World Heritage Site the landing spot where Christopher Columbus built the first European settlement in the New World, La Isabela.
Selman, an architect by profession, announced the government has submitted paperwork for the naming of La Isabela, the historic community founded by the Spanish conquistadors in 1494. He also announced efforts to recognize the bachata, the popular Dominican music, as an Intangible World Heritage treasure.
In 2017, UNESCO declared the merengue Intangible World Heritage. UNESCO has also declared the Colonial City of Santo Domingo a World Heritage Site.
Selman said the requests are part of the revalorization of the national cultural heritage in the interest that these also become tourist attractions for those seeking to enjoy different cultures.
In the case of La Isabela, he said that this year at UNESCO a first approval had been granted and that work is now underway to present the corresponding follow up documentation. He said there is hope that by next year, the site could be declared a World Heritage Site.
He announced the Dominican Book Fair in New York, to be held starting 12 October 2018, with presentations of books, awards for young people who participate in different literary contests, the visual arts presentations and more. To open the fair, a merengue concert will be presented.
https://noticiassin.com/eduardo-selman-espera-que-unesco-declare-la-isabela-patrimonio-cultural/
Minister of Education says public school uniforms are free; stores sell them
Public school uniforms are for sale in major stores nationwide and had been sold in some public schools. The Ministry of Education had committed to provide two uniforms free to each student in public school. The uniforms are for public school children, with private schools having their own individualized uniforms.
The irregular sale at the public schools was known after Listin Diario reporter Karen Vasquez gathered evidence on her cell phone of the sale of the polo shirts for RD$500 each in the Pantoja public high school. Upon ascertaining that the reporter had videoed interviews confirming the sale at the school that would ruin her career, the director, Daris Feliz forcefully took the reporter’s smart phone after alleging the journalist had no right to make the videos at the school. She threatened to sue the journalist. Feliz had said on tape that the sale was authorized and was happening at the request of several parents. Feliz returned the smart phone only after she provided her password and the videos were wiped.
Parents in Santo Domingo public school district 15 had denounced the sale. The Ministry would announce the suspension of the director of the Pantoja public high school, for impeding the Listin Diario from doing her job and taking her smart phone. Francisco Disla, of the school district 15, apologized to the reporter for the incident, as reported in Listin Diario.
The Minister said: "It is important that every Dominican family that has children enrolled the public schools know that these uniforms are 100% free. It is important to note that everything that is delivered to students in public schools is free.”
Navarro said that he has authorized some schools to allow their students to attend wearing the old khaki pants with blue cotton shirt during the two months until the full order of new khaki pants and polo shirts in five colors are delivered.
"We have an unforeseen situation, which is that we have not been able to get the suppliers to deliver all of the uniforms before the start of the school year," Navarro admitted. He argued that 50% was locally produced, due to a matter of installed capacity for production and the rest had to be imported.
He said the colors are being assigned to the five school districts. Students in Cibao Central will use the red wine color; those in the Cibao Norte, yellow gold; those in the South region, turquoise blue; those of the East, green polo shirts; and those in Greater Santo Domingo royal blue. He praised the quality of the polo shirts that are manufactured in 50% cotton and 50% polyester.
Public school reopens in the Dominican Republic on Monday, 20 August 2018.
http://elnacional.com.do/educacion-indaga-venta-de-uniformes-en-escuelas-de-sd/
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...ye-a-directora-que-coacciono-reportera-listin
Political parties to amend internal rules to comply with the new Political Parties Law
The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Ruben Maldonado, warned on Tuesday, 14 August 2018, that political parties need to adapt their statutes and by laws to the new Political Parties Law. The political parties need to act in time for the deadline for the primaries in October 2018.
https://noticiassin.com/presidente-cdhay-que-modificar-estatutos-para-aplicar-ley-de-partidos/
Water shortage in Santiago province
The Santiago Corporation of Aqueducts and Sewers (Coraasan) has informed that due to the drought that is affecting the Central Cibao area, the Tavera dam has less water in it and currently stands at 316 meters above sea level as opposed to the normal level between 322 and 325 meters above sea level. This has led to a decrease in the amount of water available in the area that is exacerbated by the high temperatures leading to a high consumption of water.
Coraasan explained that there is currently a deficit of 22 million gallons of water a day, not only due to the drought but also as the two of the five pumps in Lopez Angostura are out of service. The company has asked the population to ration the use of water and that in the meantime Coraasan will repair the pumps and increase the free water delivery by truck service.
The intense rains that came with a passing tropical wave could bring relief to the drought situation.
http://hoy.com.do/sequia-afecta-el-embalse-de-la-presa-de-tavera/
Severe weather and inadequate flight procedures cause Elias Piña crash
The Ministry of Defense aviation technical committee that is investigating the crash of the T-35B Pillan aircraft of the Air Force in which the pilot was killed and the co-pilot injured has issued a preliminarily report. The Ministry is attributing the crash to a combination of severe weather and inadequate flight procedures and that the aircraft failed to reach sufficient altitude to clear the Sierra de Neyba mountain range. On the day of the crash, the National Weather Service (Onamet) had predicted a tropical wave would affect the central area of the country. A passing low pressure trough that brought heavy rain to the area made matters worse.
The investigation will be completed once a report from the aircraft manufacturer, Empresa Nacional de Aeronautica (Enaer) of Chile is delivered. The Air Force says the aircraft was up to date with its inspections and maintenance was satisfactory.
The pilot, First lieutenant Kelvin Villanueva Garay, died when the plane crashed on Saturday, 4 August in Los Calimetes, Elías Piña province on the order with Haiti. Co-pilot, second lieutenant Ángel Félix Victoriano, survived the crash. The airplane had begun its ascent to pass over the Neyba and Bahoruco mountain ranges. It had taken off from the North Command of the Air Force, located off the Puerto Plata International Airport for a routine border patrol of the route Dajabón-Cabo Rojo (Pedernales) to San Isidro in the province of Santo Domingo.
The accident investigation commission is head by Brigade General Pilot Leonel Muñoz Noboa, Colonel Pilot Enmanuel Souffront Tamayo, and Colonel Pilot Héctor Martínez Pérez.
http://hoy.com.do/falla-de-procedim...-accidente-en-que-murio-piloto-en-elias-pina/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/08...mpo-influyeron-en-accidente-de-avion-militar/
Why did the cruise ship not dock?
Carnival Cruises say the Carnival Horizon with 5,366 people on board did not dock at Amber Cove in Maimon, Puerto Plata for “technical reasons.” The details have not been shared, though.
Meanwhile, the vice minister of the Ministry of Tourism in Puerto Plata says that maritime conditions, with the passing of a tropical wave, were to blame for the ship failing to dock.
But locals claim that it was the failure of the city authorities to deal with conflicting interests over the control of the solution to the garbage dump in the city that was the real “technical reason.” The rains apparently generated a thick smoke covering emanating from the local garbage dump.
The Carnival Horizon instead of docking continued on its journey to New York.
The information about the cancellation of the arrival of the ship in Maimon, has gone viral, following a complaint by one of the passengers in her Twitter account, saying that there was no formal explanation for the cancellation. Mrs. Austin said that the response from Carnival was that they could not go into port due to technical problems.
The previous week when Carnival Horizon visited Puerto Plata there was a dense cloud of smoke coming from the garbage dump, which those on the cruise who took excursions to Ocean World and into the city having to drive through and in addition it made it hard to breathe in the area of the dock.
https://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2018/08/14/528509/crucero-suspendio-arribo-por-vertedero
Deal confirmed between Scotiabank and Banco de Progreso
On Tuesday, 14 August 2018, The Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) made the formal announcement that an agreement had been reached amongst shareholders for the bank to acquire Banco de Progreso, subject to regulatory approval within the next three weeks.
Clavet Group Ltd and Fletchwood Ltd, hold 86.84% and 10.58% of the shares of Banco de Progreso have put their combined shares of 51.83 million up for sale at US$6.33 each, giving a total of US$328 million, which is around RD$16.3 thousand million.
With this acquisition, Scotiabank will become the fourth largest bank in the country behind Banco de Reservas, Banco Popular and Banco BHD-Leon.
Banco del Progreso has 57 branches in the country, 188 ATM machines, more than 160 sub agencies and more than 250,000 personal and business clients. Banco del Progreso has around 1,430 employees, while Scotiabank employs 2,000.
Scotiabank has been operating in the country since 1920, with 58 branches, 120 ATMs and 2,000 employees.
In a note to its clients, Banco del Progreso stated that bank customers would soon have access to a much wider network of branches, a wider range of products and services. The bank advanced that nothing would be changed in terms of branches, operations or products until regulatory approval has been granted. At that time, the Banco del Progreso brand would be replaced with the Scotiabank branded products and services.
http://eldia.com.do/scotiobank-formaliza-acuerdo-para-adquirir-banco-del-progreso/
https://acento.com.do/2018/economia...ciones-del-banco-del-progreso-us330-millones/
Attorney General strikes a deal with Embraer on Super Tucanos bribes
The Attorney General Office has announced it is about to sign a deal with Embraer regarding the bribes the company officers admitted in a US court to having paid to officers in the Dominican Republic to close a deal for the sale of eight Super Tucano aircraft in 2009 during a Leonel Fernandez administration. The aircraft would be used to police Dominican airspace from drug traffickers.
The deal would be similar to the deal signed with another Brazilian firm, Odebrecht, and would allow for the case to be expedited through Dominican justice. The case now needs to be approved by the presiding judge of the Fourth Court of Instruction of the National District where it was sent.
As part of the deal, Embraer would pay the Dominican government US$7 million, or double the US$3.5 million in bribes the company admitted in a US court having paid.
In the case, the accused are former Minister of the Armed Forces, Major General Rafael Peña Antonio, the former director of special projects of the Air Force, colonel Carlos Piccini Núñez, and businessmen Daniel Aquino Méndez and Daniel Aquino Hernández, Ysrael Abreu Rosario, and Félix Del Orbe Berroa, as well as the companies Magycorp, S.R.L. and 4D Business Group.
Recently, a National District court had restarted the judicial case against those accused of receiving US$3.5 million in bribes to approve the contract for eight Super Tucano aircraft to the Dominican Air Force. The aircraft were bought from the Brazilian Aeronautic Company, Embraer that had also been initially involved in the trial. However, judge Yanibet Rivas had removed them from the proceedings and set the date for the next hearing for 3 September 2018. The reason for this is that the request to separate Embraer from the hearing was made by the Specialized Prosecution Agency for the Persecution of Corruption (Pepca) as having admitted that the bribe was paid. However, representatives of Embraer had not attended the last hearings which caused delays in the proceedings.
Originally an Embraer representative appeared twice in court, but for the last three hearings the company simply notified that court that they would not be present for the proceedings. Now that Embraer is separated from the case, it would continue, leading to the announcement of the deal struck by the Attorney General with company representatives.
The firm, Pellerano and Herrera, the lawyers representing Embraer had no objection but Tony Delgado, defending the accused Danilo Aquino Hernandez has asked for more time as he now needs to amend his defense strategy given that Embraer will not be present.
http://elnacional.com.do/otorgan-plazo-acusados-sobornos-caso-tucano/
http://hoy.com.do/procuraduria-pacta-con-embraer-para-juicio-abreviado-rd/
Odebrecht evidence handed over
The Supreme Court of Justice, via the general secretary, has handed over the evidence in the Odebrecht case to the lawyers of Angel Rondon, who is accused of receiving bribes from the Brazilian company in order to be favored with work. This happened after Supreme Court judge, Francisco Ortega, ordered that the evidence should be handed over which had been communicated but not notified to the lawyers of the seven accused by the Public Prosecution Service.
However still not having received the evidence are the lawyers of Jesús Vasquez, Víctor Díaz Rúa, Conrado Pittaluga, Andrés Bautista, and Tommy Galán. Once the lawyers have the evidence they will study it and prepare their objections, which will be discussed on 21 August 2018 at the first hearing. Judge Ortega took the decision to hand over the evidence, following a request from the lawyers of Víctor Díaz Rúa, so that they might prepare their objections.
The defense lawyers of Angel Rondon say that Marcos Vasconcelos Cruz, the Odebrecht head in the Dominican Republic until November 2016, needs to explain the bribes. A letter where he confirms payment of around US$20 million to Angel Rondon for his fees as consultant for the securing of the Punta Catalina power central contract to the company was leaked to the press.
http://eldia.com.do/suprema-corte-d...l-caso-odebrecht-a-abogados-de-los-imputados/
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...a-explicar-sobornos-a-funcionarios-AC10565261
Corruption continues on the rise in CEA
TV investigative journalist, Alicia Ortega, presented on her El Informe TV show more cases of corruption at the State Sugar Council (CEA). The CEA in the 60s and 70s operated as the main government source of revenues with sugar from its now defunct sugar mills being the country’s main money crop. The Leonel Fernández government chose to divest the country of the sugar mills, but the entity has been kept alive by a growing bureaucracy. Ortega has aired several programs that the highlight the excesses and the wasteful spending that is open for everyone to see at the government entity.
Among other instances of corruption, Ortega has denounced that city councilors, deputy majors and employees of other public agencies are on the CEA payroll. She says there are people on the payroll of the extinct government body who actually who live overseas. Others employees include the father of the present director, his children, brothers, nephews, uncles and cousins. The wives of other government officers are also on the payroll.
Despite the airing of the specific cases of corruption, the Medina administration has not officially responded the accusations. The Ethics Agency of the government has said an investigation is underway.
https://noticiassin.com/la-zafra-de-irregularidades-en-el-cea-no-se-detiene/
Judge suspended during drug trafficking investigation
The Board of the Judicial Branch has notified National District Judge Patricia Padilla that she has been suspended until an investigation concludes. She is being investigated for having allowed two suspected drug dealers to go free.
The measure was taken after the judge declared a request for recusal to be admissible, which was made by the Prosecutor for the appeal court, Moisés Cordones Rodríguez.
The case involved two people linked to 500 kilos of cocaine and the judge having concluded that the time limit to bring formal charges in the case had expired, forced the Public Prosecution Service to abandon the case without making a formal accusation.
The Board of the Judicial Branch has asked the Prosecutor’s Office for a copy of the files to conduct its own investigation as to whether judicial action was appropriate
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...eza-hasta-concluir-investigacion-en-su-contra
Last suspect in Casa de Campo robbery under arrest
The last suspect in a robbery at a villa in Casa de Campo in July is under arrest. The 26-year old Juan Francisco Morla Castro (Checo) was arrested by the Police after an intensive manhunt. The Police say Morla Castro is suspected of having been involved in three robberies in the vacation community, together with Orlando Soriano and Juan Manuel Morales Solano (Bojote) who are in jail for similar thefts.
Castro said he used his part of the earnings from the July robbery to buy a Hyundai minibus.
The press division of the Police in the East reported that Castro admitted the crime and said the gun they used was in possession of William Soliver Herrera (Pipe) who was killed in Villa Guerrero in El Seibo on 27 July 2018.
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...o-en-casa-de-campo-dijo-que-compro-un-minibus
Police rescue teenager from abusive parents
The National Police rescued a 14-year old teenager who had been chained in a room in her house in the Herrera sector in Santo Domingo West. Agents of the Departamento de Investigación de Trata y Tráfico de Personas visited the family home with a warrant where they confirmed the irregular keeping of the child who had been chained with her right foot tied to a bed. The act was in violation to Child Protection Law 136-03.
When the agents entered the home the father, who reportedly was drunk, attempted to attack the agents. He was subsequently arrested.
The parents said they chained their daughter to keep her at home. They said persons unnamed in the sector had sexually abused the girl. The teenager was sent to the care of the Consejo Nacional para la Niñez y la Adolescencia (CONANI).
https://www.listindiario.com/la-rep...staba-encadenada-en-una-habitacion-de-su-casa
http://hoy.com.do/sus-propios-padres-encadenaron-y-aislaron-esta-jovencita-de-14-anos/
Rains forecast for the long weekend
According to the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), a tropical wave currently located over the Eastern part of the country has moved westward, but a trough will bring rainfall and storms especially during the afternoons, as it combines with the remnants of the tropical wave. Areas to be affected are the north, northeast, southeast (including Greater Santo Domingo), the central mountain area and the border region.
http://onamet.gov.do/m/pdto/08w-wprono/01w-wpronostico-general.php
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