China Foreign Minister Wang Yi expected, US Ambassador is back
DR moves up to 94th of 189 in UN Human Development Index
AES Andres off the grid; blackouts and higher cost of power
A “mistake” shut down 300 MG of electricity and it will be costly
Airport Authority director calls for three more Punta Catalinas
Will public transport fares go up this week?
Easy entry and lack of controls has lead terrorists to DR
Government continues rounding up illegal aliens
Police identify Ciao restaurant assailants as Venezuelans
A powerful editorial by Adriano Miguel Tejada
DR defeats Chile, but loses to Venezuela in FIBA World Cup Americas Quailfier
China Foreign Minister Wang Yi expected, US Ambassador is back
Foreign Minister Wang Yi of the People’s Republic of China is expected to arrive in the Dominican Republic on Thursday, 20 September 2018, as reported in El Caribe. He is coming for the Friday, 21 September formal opening of the People’s Republic of China embassy, as announced by the Ministry of Foreign Relations earlier last week. The visit is also a preparatory step for the meeting of President Danilo Medina in China with his colleague Xi Jinping of China. He is expected to announce major Chinese investments in the Dominican Republic. On his agenda are meetings with President Danilo Medina and Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas, among others. The Dominican Republic established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in Beijing on 1 May 2018.
Meanwhile, the media reported that US Ambassador Robin Bernstein returned on Friday, 14 September 2018. She had been summoned to Washington, D.C. after El Salvador announced it was signing for diplomatic relations with China. She was accompanied by her husband, Richard Bernstein.
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/09/12/panorama/dinero/el-canciller-de-china-llegara-este-jueves-rd/
DR moves up to 94th of 189 in UN Human Development Index
The Dominican Republic has moved up eight places to ranking 94th of 189 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The overall trend globally is toward continued human development improvements, with many countries moving up through the human development categories, including the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic is categorized in the high human development group of the ranking, together with Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Cuba, Mexico, Grenada, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, St. Lucia, Jamaica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Dominica, and Paraguay in Latin America and the Caribbean. Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bahamas and Barbados are included in the top very high human development group.
The UNDP 2018 Report that focuses on opportunities and wellbeing for young people concluded that Ireland enjoyed the highest increase in HDI rank between 2012 and 2017 moving up 13 places, while Turkey, the Dominican Republic and Botswana were also developing strongly, each moving up eight places.
Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and Germany lead the ranking of 189 countries and territories in the latest Human Development Index (HDI), while Niger, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Chad and Burundi have the lowest scores in the HDI’s measurement of national achievements in health, education and income, released on 14 September 2018 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
According to the report, Latin America and the Caribbean enjoy high levels of human development, second only to Europe and Central Asia. However, when adjusted for inequality, the region’s HDI drops by 21.8% due to the unequal distribution of human development, particularly in income. The region has the narrowest gap between men and women in HDI at 2%, below the global average of 6%. However, it has the second highest adolescent birth rate and the labor force participation rate for women is significantly lower than for men (51.6 vs 77.5%).
http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/2843/978-92-1-126436-4_web.pdf
http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI
AES Andres off the grid; blackouts and higher cost of power
The executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE), Ruben Jimenez Bichara, says the government is sourcing power from more expensive generators to compensate from the unexpected temporary shutdown of the 319 MW natural gas-fired AES Andres power plant. The official version for the AES Andres issue is that the plant was affected by lighting and could be out for a year. The outage has increased blackouts, even on 24/7 electrical circuits.
The outage occurred at a time when other key power plants are out of service for maintenance, including Barahona Carbon, capacity 45MW, and 300MW CESPM in San Pedro de Macoris, capacity 300MW that will be off the grid for maintenance. To meet the demand, CDEEE is contracting power from Generadora San Felipe, with capacity to generate 180 MW and Haina Turbo Gas, with capacity for 90 MW, and San Lorenzo, with capacity for 30MW.
Jimenez Bichara said the most difficult period for power supply will be 8 to 15 October, when there will be a 221 MW deficit.
Jimenez Bichara took advantage of the event to stress the importance of completing the 752 MW Punta Catalina coal-fired power central under construction by Odebrecht in Peravia province. He announced the construction of the plant has been completed and tests will start in December. He expects the system could go on the grid in February 2019.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...n-electrica-mejorara-desde-este-fin-de-semana
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...-que-se-genere-una-reaccion-social-GJ10802589
A “mistake” shut down 300 MG of electricity and it will be costly
The former director of the National Energy Commission, Antonio Almonte told reporters that a “careless mistake” caused the shutdown of the AES Andres power plant early this month, removing 319 MW from the nation’s electrical grid. Almonte asked the government to carry out a serious investigation regarding the case that could cost the government hundreds of millions of pesos for the purchase of energy in the coming months.
In a document that was given to the media, Almonte says that the Pubic Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) and the Superintendence of Electricity should determine whether it was a lightning strike or poor management that caused the collapse of this major player in the national power grid. He explained “it is highly unlikely that under normal operating conditions the occurrence of a lightning strike on a facility such as AES Andres could produce the destruction of practicality the entire recovery system for the boilers and the generators, as reported by AES.”
The engineer went on to explain that “this type of situation occurs, with almost absolute certainty, in plants where the operators do not regularly test or verify the control valves, but leave them open for a fixed load that ends up accumulating particles and solids of sediment that block its automatic system of closure, even though the signals that protect the system reach them in time.” He noted that “to operate a generating plant with the safety valve not frequently tested is a technical and economic stupidity.” He said this must be investigated by the regulatory agencies and state supervisors in the electric sector.
He said that the Dominican government should conduct an investigation modeled after technical reviews from the American insurance companies that cover the investments in that power plant, and they must find out if everything that happened was due to a lightning strike or whether it was due to poor operating procedures.
The additional costs that will have to be absorbed by the Dominican government in order to provide normal service to the population because of the shutdown of AES Andres will be the exclusive responsibility of the generating company, according to the Executive Vice President of the CDEEE, Ruben Jimenez Bichara. Jimenez Bichara told the reporters that the contracts that the CDEEE has with the different generators do not recognize as “force majeure” those events that occur within the facility, but rather only those that happen outside of the facility that impedes the flow of energy to the circuit. He said because of this the additional costs will be the exclusive responsibility of AES Andres.
http://elnacional.com.do/atribuyen-a-descuido-tecnico-salida-planta-genera-300-megas/
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...to-normalizar-la-energia-electrica-NP10795109
Airport Authority director calls for three more Punta Catalinas
Marino Collante, the executive director of the Dominican Airport Authority, called for the construction of three more generating facilities such as the one under construction by Odebrecht at Punta Catalina. Collante said that in the midst of this precarious situation facing our electricity service there is an obvious need to construct large electricity generators.
Businessmen and their worries about electricity increasing costs were the headline news in several newspapers at the end of last week. Many businesses fear that because of this current crisis, their production cost will increase as they need to use standby generators in order to maintain production. According to the Diario Libre, the government is currently in “permanent session” in order to deal with the situation and they have announced that they are going to provide the resources necessary to purchase additional energy.
At the same time, residents of different sectors of Greater Santo Domingo expressed their worries about the crisis in the electric system to reporters from the Diario Libre. Residents of Pantoja, Manoguayabo, Hato Nuevo, Buenos Aires in Herrera, Los Alcarrizos and the Girasoles complained that they were only receiving some three hours of electricity each day. Some of the electricity distributors have reported that the suspension of service has been going on for several days and are the result of the reduction in electricity produced by the nation’s generators after several plants went off-line after the shutdown of AES Andres natural gas power plant.
http://eldia.com.do/marino-collante-afirma-el-pais-necesita-tres-punta-catalina/
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...anto-domingo-por-tanda-de-apagones-PO10782368
Will public transport fares go up this week?
Intrant says they are illegal, but the major operators of public transport vehicles are already imposing or threatening to impose a RD$5-RD$10 peso fare increase. The National Institute for Traffic and Ground Transport (Intrant) says that the announced RD$5 fare increase in public transport is illegal and Intrant is the only body that can review fares according to Mobility, Ground Transport, Traffic and Road Safety Law 63-17, stated Viviano de León, press officer for Intrant to El Caribe. Spokesmen for providers of the public transport service want an increase in the “bono gas” subsidy made by the government to compensate for the constant increases in the price of fuel. Major transporters want a change in the Hydrocarbons Law 112-00 that the government is arguing allows the routine increases in the cost of fuel.
Because of recent price increases in fuels, many publico and bus drivers have already increased their fares for passengers by RD $5 and RD $10. However, according to the president of the National Confederation of Transportation Organizations (CONATRA) Antonio Marte, these fare increases have not yet been approved by his union. Marte went on to tell reporters for most of the nation’s newspapers that it would be this week when his union would decide whether or not to officially increase fares. The other player in this scenario is the National Transportation Institute (Intrant) that has not approved any fare hikes by any of the different transportation unions.
After the price increases of gasoline, diesel, and LPG instituted on 7 September, many local public transport union members staged strikes and protests throughout last week. Marte, together with several members of the leadership of CONATRA delivered documents to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce which stated that the drivers belonging to the union “can no longer shoulder the high fuel prices.” Last Friday, 14 September 2018, gasoline prices went down slightly, and the reaction by different transportation syndicates is expected this week.
http://eldia.com.do/choferes-aumentan-entre-rd5-y-rd10-al-pasaje-por-alza-combustibles/
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-de-rd-5-00-precios-de-los-pasajes-GB10777607
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/09...asaje-de-mas-de-rd5-partir-de-proxima-semana/
https://www.teleradioamerica.com/20...5-00-el-pasaje-a-partir-de-la-proxima-semana/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/09...t-desautoriza-alza-de-precios-en-los-pasajes/
https://www.metrord.do/do/noticias/...aje-transporte-publico-alza-combustibles.html
Easy entry and lack of controls has lead terrorists to DR
In the past, it is alleged that terrorists of all stripes had taken advantage of tourist friendly policies in the Dominican Republic. Recently, security measures in the country have been enhanced. But events in 2011 and 2015 highlight the vulnerabilities of the migration controls to keep out world known drug traffickers, smugglers, criminals, mafias and terrorists.
It is now known that Arab terrorists behind the 9-11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City had “vacationed” in Puerto Plata at the hey days of when they were sought for terrorist attacks in Paris, France. That was in 2011. Listin Diario journalist Carolina Pichardo also shared that Puerto Plata was a meeting point for Mohamed Atta, head of the 9-11 terrorist attack in New York City, just three weeks before the attack. Reportedly, then Dominican consul in Hamburg, Germany Dra. María de los Ángeles Peña revealed that the Egyptian pilot that crashed the American Airlines flight into the Twin Tower had requested and obtained a tourist visa to vacation in the country. Peña said she would learn about this after she was contacted by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States after it was determined the visa had been issued by a Dominican consulate in Germany.
More recently, in 2015, Amedy Coulibaly, known as a French Islam terrorist who held up a Jewish supermarket where several persons were killed including Charlie Hebdo publication journalists that year, was also in the country. 26-year old Hayat Boumedienne, at a time when she was sought by the French police as a suspected accomplice of her common law husband Amedy Coulibaly, who was the main suspect for the Montrouge, Paris 2015 shooting in France, supposedly vacationing in Puerto Plata. At the time she was considered on the run and armed and dangerous.
Listin Diario reports that in February 2014, Interpol revealed the capture of 20 fugitive foreign criminals that were living in the country. These persons face charges for drug trafficking, homicide, fraud, asset laundering, bank robbery, rape, among others. Among the 20 that were captured in the country were: Serbian Ivan Ivan Sivkovic, who had laundered a considerable amount of money and was sought for bank fraud; Slovenian Hari Presetnik, sought for bank fraud, Mexican drug trafficker Antonio Avalos Valencia. All reported with long stays in the country.
Another case was the use of the country as a base by accomplices of former El Salvador President Elías Antonio Saca (2004-2008) to launder around US$300 million from corrupt actions in El Salvador.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-y-delincuentes-entraron-sin-estorbos-al-pais
https://fuegoalalata.do/2018/09/14/puerto-plata-fue-un-punto-de-reunion-de-terroristas-del-9-11/
Government continues rounding up illegal aliens
In a broad sweep through many areas of the entire country government immigration officials continued to round up illegal foreigners, and in this last sweep more than 1000 persons were taken into custody during operations. According to most sources the majority of the persons detained were Haitians and Venezuelans. In provinces such as Espaillat, La Vega, Santiago, Hermanas Mirabal, the Altagracia, Peravia, and Greater Santo Domingo, inspectors from the Migration Agency (DGM) worked in rural areas, along streets and avenues, at construction sites and recreational areas in search of these illegal residents. The inspectors are provided with equipment connected to the computer center at the DGM to verify the legality of the documents presented by the foreigners. In this latest sweep more than 1,000 illegal aliens were taken into custody.
http://elnacional.com.do/detienen-mas-de-mil-extranjeros-indocumentados/
Police identify Ciao restaurant assailants as Venezuelans
The National Police have identified a gang of Venezuelan criminals as the perpetrators of the assault on the upscale Ciao restaurant in the Naco section of Santo Domingo. Most of the booty consisted of Rolex and Cartier watches and rings belonging to the patrons. According to police spokesman Frank Felix Durand Mejia, the gang has been identified, however, the leader of the gang reportedly took a flight to Venezuela the same day. Some of the gang members had previously been indicted in 2016 on similar charges of assault with deadly weapons and robbery, but they were apparently free on bail.
The police were able to identify the gang after investigating the motorcycle used by two of the men who committed the robbery. This motorcycle apparently slid to the pavement and forced the occupants to flee on foot and get in another vehicle that was waiting for them. The gang’s leader, Jonnan Casanova Andrade, had paid three persons RD$1,000 each to get the motorcycle used in the robbery. Casanova
Andrade fled on COPA flight 257 to Venezuela.
As reported, the gang would identify the victims in a shopping mall and follow these to assault them in a place where the victims would be most vulnerable.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...en-naco-uno-viajo-ayer-a-venezuela-GO10782411
https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2018/09/14/533127/ladron-de-relojes-huyo-a-venezuela
https://acento.com.do/2018/actualid...elictiva-responsable-asalto-restaurante-ciao/
http://hoy.com.do/la-policia-identi...saltado-en-restaurante-ciao-de-la-tiradentes/
A powerful editorial by Adriano Miguel Tejada
On Friday, 14 September 2018, the executive editor of the nation’s largest newspaper, Adriano Miguel Tejada, voiced in his AM editorial concerns about when the country will rise to the exemplary justice in Central America. He uses the catchy “pa’cuando” (when will it be) phrase made popular in the JLo song.
“An example… And here, when will it be? The editorial begins with a description of a photograph of former President Elías Antonio Saca in prison garb after being sentenced for corruption in office, along with several of his ministers. The former President was sentenced to five years in prison on the first charge and another five years for money laundering, and he was ordered to pay a fine of US$260 million. Also convicted were former assistant to the president, Pablo Gomez together with former ministers of Communications and Youth.
“Central America has provided an example for the application of justice without prejudice of who is affected. Former presidents in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and now El Salvador have been convicted. At the same time in Panama a former President is now on trial. However, to the contrary, in our country the dominant thesis is that “Presidents are not to be touched,” as if corruption was a disease that can be fought from the outside,” he writes.
“Why can’t a former President be put on trial? Supposedly, the person who was invested with the highest honor a country can bestow upon a citizen should behave at the level of his duty, which includes the careful and faithful administration of public funds and not to use his position for personal benefit. There is no argument that can counter the ideal of equal treatment of all before the law. Until we eradicate this culture of fraud, it will be impossible to end corruption in our country,” he concludes.
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/am/un-ejemplo-y-aqui-pa-cuando-MO10789216
DR defeats Chile, but loses to Venezuela in FIBA World Cup Americas Quailfier
With a fifth win, the Dominican national basketball team had held tight to their chance of a slot for the Americas in the FIBA Basketball World Cup by defeating Chile 71-46 at the Palacio de los Deportes in Santo Domingo. But then on Sunday, 16 September, playing Venezuela at the Forum de Valencia Arena, the Dominican team couldn’t pull together enough and lost 79-78 in overtime.
In Group F, the DR is now behind Canada, Venezuela and Brazil, and ahead of the US Virgin Islands and Chile. The DR’s now only chance is to be the fourth best of both Group E and F, to make the seven that move ahead in the qualifier for the Americas for China 2019 FIBA World Championships. The three best teams of Groups E and F, plus the fourth best of both groups, will make up the seven.
FIBA described the game as “one of the most exciting games of the Americas Qualifiers.” It highlighted it was the first Americas Qualifier game needed extra time. For the Dominican Republic, Víctor Liz played phenomenally, contributing 25 points; Eulis Báez added 17. FIBA reported that despite the outcome, the Dominican team was in control during a great part of the encounter since the middle of the first quarter is now with a mark of 5-3, or are fourth in their group. The Dominicans have lost three of their past four games after beginning the Qualifiers with 4-0.
The DR has pending playing Venezuela again on 21 February 2019 and Brazil on 24 February 2019.
http://www.fiba.basketball/basketba...alive-with-an-important-victory-against-chile
http://www.fiba.basketball/basketba...minican-republic-and-continue-to-lead-group-f
DR moves up to 94th of 189 in UN Human Development Index
AES Andres off the grid; blackouts and higher cost of power
A “mistake” shut down 300 MG of electricity and it will be costly
Airport Authority director calls for three more Punta Catalinas
Will public transport fares go up this week?
Easy entry and lack of controls has lead terrorists to DR
Government continues rounding up illegal aliens
Police identify Ciao restaurant assailants as Venezuelans
A powerful editorial by Adriano Miguel Tejada
DR defeats Chile, but loses to Venezuela in FIBA World Cup Americas Quailfier
China Foreign Minister Wang Yi expected, US Ambassador is back
Foreign Minister Wang Yi of the People’s Republic of China is expected to arrive in the Dominican Republic on Thursday, 20 September 2018, as reported in El Caribe. He is coming for the Friday, 21 September formal opening of the People’s Republic of China embassy, as announced by the Ministry of Foreign Relations earlier last week. The visit is also a preparatory step for the meeting of President Danilo Medina in China with his colleague Xi Jinping of China. He is expected to announce major Chinese investments in the Dominican Republic. On his agenda are meetings with President Danilo Medina and Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas, among others. The Dominican Republic established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in Beijing on 1 May 2018.
Meanwhile, the media reported that US Ambassador Robin Bernstein returned on Friday, 14 September 2018. She had been summoned to Washington, D.C. after El Salvador announced it was signing for diplomatic relations with China. She was accompanied by her husband, Richard Bernstein.
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/09/12/panorama/dinero/el-canciller-de-china-llegara-este-jueves-rd/
DR moves up to 94th of 189 in UN Human Development Index
The Dominican Republic has moved up eight places to ranking 94th of 189 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The overall trend globally is toward continued human development improvements, with many countries moving up through the human development categories, including the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic is categorized in the high human development group of the ranking, together with Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Cuba, Mexico, Grenada, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, St. Lucia, Jamaica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Dominica, and Paraguay in Latin America and the Caribbean. Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bahamas and Barbados are included in the top very high human development group.
The UNDP 2018 Report that focuses on opportunities and wellbeing for young people concluded that Ireland enjoyed the highest increase in HDI rank between 2012 and 2017 moving up 13 places, while Turkey, the Dominican Republic and Botswana were also developing strongly, each moving up eight places.
Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and Germany lead the ranking of 189 countries and territories in the latest Human Development Index (HDI), while Niger, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Chad and Burundi have the lowest scores in the HDI’s measurement of national achievements in health, education and income, released on 14 September 2018 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
According to the report, Latin America and the Caribbean enjoy high levels of human development, second only to Europe and Central Asia. However, when adjusted for inequality, the region’s HDI drops by 21.8% due to the unequal distribution of human development, particularly in income. The region has the narrowest gap between men and women in HDI at 2%, below the global average of 6%. However, it has the second highest adolescent birth rate and the labor force participation rate for women is significantly lower than for men (51.6 vs 77.5%).
http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/2843/978-92-1-126436-4_web.pdf
http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI
AES Andres off the grid; blackouts and higher cost of power
The executive vice president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE), Ruben Jimenez Bichara, says the government is sourcing power from more expensive generators to compensate from the unexpected temporary shutdown of the 319 MW natural gas-fired AES Andres power plant. The official version for the AES Andres issue is that the plant was affected by lighting and could be out for a year. The outage has increased blackouts, even on 24/7 electrical circuits.
The outage occurred at a time when other key power plants are out of service for maintenance, including Barahona Carbon, capacity 45MW, and 300MW CESPM in San Pedro de Macoris, capacity 300MW that will be off the grid for maintenance. To meet the demand, CDEEE is contracting power from Generadora San Felipe, with capacity to generate 180 MW and Haina Turbo Gas, with capacity for 90 MW, and San Lorenzo, with capacity for 30MW.
Jimenez Bichara said the most difficult period for power supply will be 8 to 15 October, when there will be a 221 MW deficit.
Jimenez Bichara took advantage of the event to stress the importance of completing the 752 MW Punta Catalina coal-fired power central under construction by Odebrecht in Peravia province. He announced the construction of the plant has been completed and tests will start in December. He expects the system could go on the grid in February 2019.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...n-electrica-mejorara-desde-este-fin-de-semana
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...-que-se-genere-una-reaccion-social-GJ10802589
A “mistake” shut down 300 MG of electricity and it will be costly
The former director of the National Energy Commission, Antonio Almonte told reporters that a “careless mistake” caused the shutdown of the AES Andres power plant early this month, removing 319 MW from the nation’s electrical grid. Almonte asked the government to carry out a serious investigation regarding the case that could cost the government hundreds of millions of pesos for the purchase of energy in the coming months.
In a document that was given to the media, Almonte says that the Pubic Electricity Corporation (CDEEE) and the Superintendence of Electricity should determine whether it was a lightning strike or poor management that caused the collapse of this major player in the national power grid. He explained “it is highly unlikely that under normal operating conditions the occurrence of a lightning strike on a facility such as AES Andres could produce the destruction of practicality the entire recovery system for the boilers and the generators, as reported by AES.”
The engineer went on to explain that “this type of situation occurs, with almost absolute certainty, in plants where the operators do not regularly test or verify the control valves, but leave them open for a fixed load that ends up accumulating particles and solids of sediment that block its automatic system of closure, even though the signals that protect the system reach them in time.” He noted that “to operate a generating plant with the safety valve not frequently tested is a technical and economic stupidity.” He said this must be investigated by the regulatory agencies and state supervisors in the electric sector.
He said that the Dominican government should conduct an investigation modeled after technical reviews from the American insurance companies that cover the investments in that power plant, and they must find out if everything that happened was due to a lightning strike or whether it was due to poor operating procedures.
The additional costs that will have to be absorbed by the Dominican government in order to provide normal service to the population because of the shutdown of AES Andres will be the exclusive responsibility of the generating company, according to the Executive Vice President of the CDEEE, Ruben Jimenez Bichara. Jimenez Bichara told the reporters that the contracts that the CDEEE has with the different generators do not recognize as “force majeure” those events that occur within the facility, but rather only those that happen outside of the facility that impedes the flow of energy to the circuit. He said because of this the additional costs will be the exclusive responsibility of AES Andres.
http://elnacional.com.do/atribuyen-a-descuido-tecnico-salida-planta-genera-300-megas/
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...to-normalizar-la-energia-electrica-NP10795109
Airport Authority director calls for three more Punta Catalinas
Marino Collante, the executive director of the Dominican Airport Authority, called for the construction of three more generating facilities such as the one under construction by Odebrecht at Punta Catalina. Collante said that in the midst of this precarious situation facing our electricity service there is an obvious need to construct large electricity generators.
Businessmen and their worries about electricity increasing costs were the headline news in several newspapers at the end of last week. Many businesses fear that because of this current crisis, their production cost will increase as they need to use standby generators in order to maintain production. According to the Diario Libre, the government is currently in “permanent session” in order to deal with the situation and they have announced that they are going to provide the resources necessary to purchase additional energy.
At the same time, residents of different sectors of Greater Santo Domingo expressed their worries about the crisis in the electric system to reporters from the Diario Libre. Residents of Pantoja, Manoguayabo, Hato Nuevo, Buenos Aires in Herrera, Los Alcarrizos and the Girasoles complained that they were only receiving some three hours of electricity each day. Some of the electricity distributors have reported that the suspension of service has been going on for several days and are the result of the reduction in electricity produced by the nation’s generators after several plants went off-line after the shutdown of AES Andres natural gas power plant.
http://eldia.com.do/marino-collante-afirma-el-pais-necesita-tres-punta-catalina/
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...anto-domingo-por-tanda-de-apagones-PO10782368
Will public transport fares go up this week?
Intrant says they are illegal, but the major operators of public transport vehicles are already imposing or threatening to impose a RD$5-RD$10 peso fare increase. The National Institute for Traffic and Ground Transport (Intrant) says that the announced RD$5 fare increase in public transport is illegal and Intrant is the only body that can review fares according to Mobility, Ground Transport, Traffic and Road Safety Law 63-17, stated Viviano de León, press officer for Intrant to El Caribe. Spokesmen for providers of the public transport service want an increase in the “bono gas” subsidy made by the government to compensate for the constant increases in the price of fuel. Major transporters want a change in the Hydrocarbons Law 112-00 that the government is arguing allows the routine increases in the cost of fuel.
Because of recent price increases in fuels, many publico and bus drivers have already increased their fares for passengers by RD $5 and RD $10. However, according to the president of the National Confederation of Transportation Organizations (CONATRA) Antonio Marte, these fare increases have not yet been approved by his union. Marte went on to tell reporters for most of the nation’s newspapers that it would be this week when his union would decide whether or not to officially increase fares. The other player in this scenario is the National Transportation Institute (Intrant) that has not approved any fare hikes by any of the different transportation unions.
After the price increases of gasoline, diesel, and LPG instituted on 7 September, many local public transport union members staged strikes and protests throughout last week. Marte, together with several members of the leadership of CONATRA delivered documents to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce which stated that the drivers belonging to the union “can no longer shoulder the high fuel prices.” Last Friday, 14 September 2018, gasoline prices went down slightly, and the reaction by different transportation syndicates is expected this week.
http://eldia.com.do/choferes-aumentan-entre-rd5-y-rd10-al-pasaje-por-alza-combustibles/
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-de-rd-5-00-precios-de-los-pasajes-GB10777607
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/09...asaje-de-mas-de-rd5-partir-de-proxima-semana/
https://www.teleradioamerica.com/20...5-00-el-pasaje-a-partir-de-la-proxima-semana/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/09...t-desautoriza-alza-de-precios-en-los-pasajes/
https://www.metrord.do/do/noticias/...aje-transporte-publico-alza-combustibles.html
Easy entry and lack of controls has lead terrorists to DR
In the past, it is alleged that terrorists of all stripes had taken advantage of tourist friendly policies in the Dominican Republic. Recently, security measures in the country have been enhanced. But events in 2011 and 2015 highlight the vulnerabilities of the migration controls to keep out world known drug traffickers, smugglers, criminals, mafias and terrorists.
It is now known that Arab terrorists behind the 9-11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City had “vacationed” in Puerto Plata at the hey days of when they were sought for terrorist attacks in Paris, France. That was in 2011. Listin Diario journalist Carolina Pichardo also shared that Puerto Plata was a meeting point for Mohamed Atta, head of the 9-11 terrorist attack in New York City, just three weeks before the attack. Reportedly, then Dominican consul in Hamburg, Germany Dra. María de los Ángeles Peña revealed that the Egyptian pilot that crashed the American Airlines flight into the Twin Tower had requested and obtained a tourist visa to vacation in the country. Peña said she would learn about this after she was contacted by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States after it was determined the visa had been issued by a Dominican consulate in Germany.
More recently, in 2015, Amedy Coulibaly, known as a French Islam terrorist who held up a Jewish supermarket where several persons were killed including Charlie Hebdo publication journalists that year, was also in the country. 26-year old Hayat Boumedienne, at a time when she was sought by the French police as a suspected accomplice of her common law husband Amedy Coulibaly, who was the main suspect for the Montrouge, Paris 2015 shooting in France, supposedly vacationing in Puerto Plata. At the time she was considered on the run and armed and dangerous.
Listin Diario reports that in February 2014, Interpol revealed the capture of 20 fugitive foreign criminals that were living in the country. These persons face charges for drug trafficking, homicide, fraud, asset laundering, bank robbery, rape, among others. Among the 20 that were captured in the country were: Serbian Ivan Ivan Sivkovic, who had laundered a considerable amount of money and was sought for bank fraud; Slovenian Hari Presetnik, sought for bank fraud, Mexican drug trafficker Antonio Avalos Valencia. All reported with long stays in the country.
Another case was the use of the country as a base by accomplices of former El Salvador President Elías Antonio Saca (2004-2008) to launder around US$300 million from corrupt actions in El Salvador.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-y-delincuentes-entraron-sin-estorbos-al-pais
https://fuegoalalata.do/2018/09/14/puerto-plata-fue-un-punto-de-reunion-de-terroristas-del-9-11/
Government continues rounding up illegal aliens
In a broad sweep through many areas of the entire country government immigration officials continued to round up illegal foreigners, and in this last sweep more than 1000 persons were taken into custody during operations. According to most sources the majority of the persons detained were Haitians and Venezuelans. In provinces such as Espaillat, La Vega, Santiago, Hermanas Mirabal, the Altagracia, Peravia, and Greater Santo Domingo, inspectors from the Migration Agency (DGM) worked in rural areas, along streets and avenues, at construction sites and recreational areas in search of these illegal residents. The inspectors are provided with equipment connected to the computer center at the DGM to verify the legality of the documents presented by the foreigners. In this latest sweep more than 1,000 illegal aliens were taken into custody.
http://elnacional.com.do/detienen-mas-de-mil-extranjeros-indocumentados/
Police identify Ciao restaurant assailants as Venezuelans
The National Police have identified a gang of Venezuelan criminals as the perpetrators of the assault on the upscale Ciao restaurant in the Naco section of Santo Domingo. Most of the booty consisted of Rolex and Cartier watches and rings belonging to the patrons. According to police spokesman Frank Felix Durand Mejia, the gang has been identified, however, the leader of the gang reportedly took a flight to Venezuela the same day. Some of the gang members had previously been indicted in 2016 on similar charges of assault with deadly weapons and robbery, but they were apparently free on bail.
The police were able to identify the gang after investigating the motorcycle used by two of the men who committed the robbery. This motorcycle apparently slid to the pavement and forced the occupants to flee on foot and get in another vehicle that was waiting for them. The gang’s leader, Jonnan Casanova Andrade, had paid three persons RD$1,000 each to get the motorcycle used in the robbery. Casanova
Andrade fled on COPA flight 257 to Venezuela.
As reported, the gang would identify the victims in a shopping mall and follow these to assault them in a place where the victims would be most vulnerable.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...en-naco-uno-viajo-ayer-a-venezuela-GO10782411
https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2018/09/14/533127/ladron-de-relojes-huyo-a-venezuela
https://acento.com.do/2018/actualid...elictiva-responsable-asalto-restaurante-ciao/
http://hoy.com.do/la-policia-identi...saltado-en-restaurante-ciao-de-la-tiradentes/
A powerful editorial by Adriano Miguel Tejada
On Friday, 14 September 2018, the executive editor of the nation’s largest newspaper, Adriano Miguel Tejada, voiced in his AM editorial concerns about when the country will rise to the exemplary justice in Central America. He uses the catchy “pa’cuando” (when will it be) phrase made popular in the JLo song.
“An example… And here, when will it be? The editorial begins with a description of a photograph of former President Elías Antonio Saca in prison garb after being sentenced for corruption in office, along with several of his ministers. The former President was sentenced to five years in prison on the first charge and another five years for money laundering, and he was ordered to pay a fine of US$260 million. Also convicted were former assistant to the president, Pablo Gomez together with former ministers of Communications and Youth.
“Central America has provided an example for the application of justice without prejudice of who is affected. Former presidents in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and now El Salvador have been convicted. At the same time in Panama a former President is now on trial. However, to the contrary, in our country the dominant thesis is that “Presidents are not to be touched,” as if corruption was a disease that can be fought from the outside,” he writes.
“Why can’t a former President be put on trial? Supposedly, the person who was invested with the highest honor a country can bestow upon a citizen should behave at the level of his duty, which includes the careful and faithful administration of public funds and not to use his position for personal benefit. There is no argument that can counter the ideal of equal treatment of all before the law. Until we eradicate this culture of fraud, it will be impossible to end corruption in our country,” he concludes.
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/am/un-ejemplo-y-aqui-pa-cuando-MO10789216
DR defeats Chile, but loses to Venezuela in FIBA World Cup Americas Quailfier
With a fifth win, the Dominican national basketball team had held tight to their chance of a slot for the Americas in the FIBA Basketball World Cup by defeating Chile 71-46 at the Palacio de los Deportes in Santo Domingo. But then on Sunday, 16 September, playing Venezuela at the Forum de Valencia Arena, the Dominican team couldn’t pull together enough and lost 79-78 in overtime.
In Group F, the DR is now behind Canada, Venezuela and Brazil, and ahead of the US Virgin Islands and Chile. The DR’s now only chance is to be the fourth best of both Group E and F, to make the seven that move ahead in the qualifier for the Americas for China 2019 FIBA World Championships. The three best teams of Groups E and F, plus the fourth best of both groups, will make up the seven.
FIBA described the game as “one of the most exciting games of the Americas Qualifiers.” It highlighted it was the first Americas Qualifier game needed extra time. For the Dominican Republic, Víctor Liz played phenomenally, contributing 25 points; Eulis Báez added 17. FIBA reported that despite the outcome, the Dominican team was in control during a great part of the encounter since the middle of the first quarter is now with a mark of 5-3, or are fourth in their group. The Dominicans have lost three of their past four games after beginning the Qualifiers with 4-0.
The DR has pending playing Venezuela again on 21 February 2019 and Brazil on 24 February 2019.
http://www.fiba.basketball/basketba...alive-with-an-important-victory-against-chile
http://www.fiba.basketball/basketba...minican-republic-and-continue-to-lead-group-f