US$60 million: Cost of the 2020 National Census
DR Highway Trust begins expansion of Las Americas tollbooths
Intrant facilitates license renewal in provinces
Will truck drivers accept to drive on the right?
Random transportation strikes punishable under Traffic Law 63-17
Authorities look for croc in Sabana Perdida, ESD
Luperon mangroves and beach clean up
Teachers union gets a new president: Xiomara Guante
TSA court turns down appeal to enable Odebrecht to become state supplier
Attorney General announces construction of new Victoria Prison using Odebrecht bribes cases funds
Dominicans prefer C-sections to give birth
10-year ban for local football federation head
Play Ball!
Cabarete-boy Deury Corniel wins gold in kiteboarding in Youth Olympics
Cap Cana music bash set for 22 December
US$60 million: Cost of the 2020 National Census
The National Statistics Office (ONE) has announced it will be spending around RD$3 billion on the 2020 National Census. ONE director Alexandra Izquierdo says the preparations for the census began in 2017. Mapmakers have already visited seven provinces to validate locations for the estimated 3,400,000 households that will be surveyed. She explained the national people count every decade is a requirement of the United Nations.
http://hoy.com.do/proximo-censo-nacional-tendra-un-costo-de-60-millones-de-dolares/
DR Highway Trust begins expansion of Las Americas tollbooths
The Coordinating Office of the DR Highway Trust is increasing the lanes at the Las Americas Highway near the tollbooths to speed up the vehicular traffic. Eyla Vargas, the director general of the DR Highway Trust, explained that the expansion of the Las Americas Highway calls for the construction of three new lanes, with two dedicated to normal toll collection by hand, and one lane dedicated to EZY Pass. She added that there will be an additional lane set aside exclusively for motorcycles, bringing the total access to 14 marked lanes. During the construction some lanes will be closed and there will be manual collection of tolls.
Vargas encouraged drivers to purchase and use the time-saving Las Americas toll road Paso Rápido (EZY Pass).
https://elnacional.com.do/rdvial-amplia-estacion-de-peaje-de-la-autopista-las-americas/
Intrant facilitates license renewal in provinces
The National Traffic Institute (Intrant) announced driver license renewal and expedition services have been set up at Intrant Mobile Units at the Fire Department in Santo Domingo West and at the Municipal Offices (ayuntamiento) in Las Terrenas, Samana, among other municipalities in the country. Intrant officers will also be educating the public on the new Law 63-17 that replaces Traffic Law 241-67.
As of Monday, 22 October 2018, the mobile unit will be in Veragua, in Gaspar Hernandez and the municipal offices (ayuntamiento) in Villa Tapia until Friday 26 October. Finally, the units will offer their services at the Ayuntamiento of Villa Altagracia and the Excellence Hotel in Punta Cana at Uvero Alto, from Monday 29 October until Friday 2 November.
In order to obtain or renew driver licenses, persons must present their cédula and the receipts for payment made at the Banco do Reservas on the taxes and services needed to obtain the license.
https://intrant.gob.do/index.php/no...de-licencia-de-conducir-a-municipios-del-pais
Will truck drivers accept to drive on the right?
The director of the National Institute of Traffic and Ground Transport (Intrant), Franchesca de los Santos says they will be enforcing traffic rules that establish that trucks and other cargo vehicles need to keep to the right on multi-lane roadways. It is common to see large trucks permanently occupying the left lane on main roadways when this should be used exclusively for passing. This is just one of several other regulations the Intrant is publicizing in the agency’s push to improve road and highway safety. However, Intrant did not explain how they are going to enforce the new ruling.
The obligation to drive on the right has always been in local driving rules. When Law 241-67 was published it already specified that cargo vehicles need to drive on the right.
The announcement of the trucks and the left lane coincides with an editorial in Listin Diario, titled “The Untouchables” on the dangerous practice of truck drivers who insist on using the left lane, forcing other vehicles to pass these trucks on the right.
The editorial in the Listin Diario on 13 October 2018 stated:
"It cannot be alleged that the drivers do not know this rule. Drivers know this rule well, but they do not respect it because here no authority has been able to stop them and fine them for the infraction. These truck drivers are under the impression these traffic laws are never enforced and they are immune to any legal penalty. In truth, they have every right to feel impunity, because the lack of the intent of the government to enforce our nation’s traffic laws. Thus, truck drivers do essentially what they want, a privilege that millions of Dominican citizens do not enjoy yet as only these have reached the highest category of 'owners of the country' "..
Traffic experts have been critical of the delays in Intrant implementing rulings contained in Law 63-17 that replaced Law 241-67. The Dominican Republic is a global leader in traffic accidents in great part for the lenient application of traffic laws by local authorities.
Motorcycles are involved in 64% o the mortal accidents in the country. Sunday is the day when most accidents occur.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-pesados-tendran-que-transitar-carril-derecho
https://listindiario.com/editorial/2018/10/12/537122/los-intocables
Random transportation strikes punishable under Traffic Law 63-17
The law covering all forms of ground transportation (Law 63-17 that replaced Law 241-67) provides punishment for drivers or companies of up to 10 minimum wages (RD$60,000), the cancellation of the operation certificate for routes and even prison, if these entities carry out “surprise work stoppages” or strikes that affect public transportation. Article 146 of the law states that it is illegal to “burn tires, throw nails or any other object on the public thoroughfares to obstruct traffic”. The article adds that whomever violates this ordinance in an attempt to impede traffic will be punished with a prison sentence between one and six months and be fined up to 10 minimum wages.
Traffic regulations in the Dominican Republic also provide sanctions for drivers or operators or companies that increase fares without a previous authorization from Intrant. However, to date, Intrant, in spite of announcing that it has punished drivers who have incurred in this infraction, has failed to mete out punishment to violators of this ordinance.
During recent transportation interruptions, some of the motorcycle taxis were charging between 100 and 300 pesos to take persons to their place of work. The traffic law also provides sanctions for those motorcycle taxis that carry more than one passenger or children under eight years of age.
https://elnacional.com.do/leyes-penalizan-los-paros-sorpresa-en-transporte-publico/
Authorities look for croc in Sabana Perdida, East Santo Domingo
Technicians from the Ministry of the Environment are on the lookout for the American crocodile that is known to live in a creek in the area of Barrio Nuevo, in Sabana Perdida, over in East Santo Domingo. The authorities reported that traps were laid but the wily crocodile has so far avoided capture.
Nelson Garcia is one of the technicians heading the operation. He told the press over the weekend that this crocodile is a protected species and is mostly found in Enriquillo Lake, in the southwest. It is a species in danger of extinction.
It is not known how the crocodile relocated to Santo Domingo. But now residents told reporters they live in fear of being attacked by the crocodile, because it has been seen wandering the streets in the barrio. The crocodile is between three and 4m long and usually scurries back to its safe place in the dirty creek under a large concrete slab.
Many of the locals have encountered the crocodile, like Julia Martinez who said that one time the crocodile appeared right in front of her house. Sightings of the crocodile are more frequent in the morning or after heavy rains.
One morning late last week, a team from El Nacional newspaper visited the creek where the reptile lives and noticed that very early at least four children between the ages of eight and 12 were waiting for the crocodile to come out to watch it around 9am. Residents avoid the area at night, and all the families that live nearby close their doors early in the evening and place pieces of sheet metal in the alleyways so that the crocodile doesn’t enter yards or empty lots.
Some of the neighbors reported losing chickens they raise for their own consumption. They suspect the crocodile. Julio Perez, the president of a local boxing club said that he hoped that the authorities capture the animal soon so that his students will pay attention to their sport and not be so interested in observing and taking photos of the creature.
The existence of this neighborhood crocodile became known throughout the area because some residents loaded videos on social media, and now the area is a local tourist attraction.
https://elnacional.com.do/presencia-cocodrilo-crea-panico-en-sabana-perdida/
https://elnacional.com.do/sigue-busqueda-de-cocodrillo-en-sde/
Luperon mangroves and beach clean up
Tons of garbage have been removed from the mangrove areas in the wildlife refuge surrounding Luperon Bay, Puerto Plata province. The solid waste cleanup work is being carried out by personnel from the Ministry of Environment that is working hard inside the mangroves to clean out all the plastic bottles and other refuse that endanger the delicate ecosystem. In just one small area of less than 55 tareas by 185 tareas (1 tarea=629 square meters) over 185 very large garbage bags were filled with inorganic residue such as plastic bottles and cups and polyurethane plates and cans and plastic bags.
The refuse was carried to the mangroves around beautiful Luperon Bay by a number of streams that empty into the bay. The unsightly accumulation of trash is evidence of the reckless behavior of the residents in near-by communities who discard rubbish without being concerned of the consequences of their actions. Environmental expert Pablo Rodriguez explained that the mangroves are the most important vegetation surrounding Luperon Bay.
The protected area covers 258 km² and is an important habitant for terrestrial marine flora and fauna. Mangroves also provide a barrier against coastal erosion and act as a filter for nutrients and salts. It is estimated that two thirds of the fish in the world depend on mangroves in one or more of their life cycles since they also provide spawning areas and food for many species of birds and reptiles together with mollusks.
Employees of Fundacion Grupo M were in Luperon Beach to contribute to the clean up as part of the company’s Olitas Verdes and Limestone Park initiatives.
http://eldia.com.do/ministerio-de-m...limpieza-de-manglares-en-la-bahia-de-luperon/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/10/15/edicion-impresa/grupo-m-limpia-manglares-en-luperon/
Teachers union gets a new president: Xiomara Guante
The Dominican Public Teachers Association (ADP) held nationwide elections on Wednesday, 10 October 2018. The newly elected president of the association is Xiomara Guante.
Guante, a mother of three, represented public teachers affiliated to the PRM (Partido Revolucionario Moderno), the country’s main opposition party. She is a graduate of the state UASD university in Education, with a specialty in applied linguistics, and a masters in social sciences research. At the time of her election, she was employed as a teacher at the Escuela Pública Otilia Peláez, in Santo Domingo North municipality.
Guante defeated ruling PLD party candidate, Eduardo Hidalgo, who sought reelection.
Prior to her election, Guante was not well known outside of the public school teachers circle.
Some political analysts are using the results of the nationwide ADP election to make forecasts for the upcoming 2020 general election, especially since the Dominican Republic does not have midterm elections for municipal and congressional office. The observers see the Public School Teachers Association polling, which incorporates every public school teacher in the entire Dominican Republic among its rank and file, as somewhat of a “midterm” election.
However, president-elect professor Guante says that she will not take the PRM flag into her office. She highlighted her goal is to raise the quality of public education. Guante said that her ample victory is firmly rooted in the institution and belongs to the ADP members, to education and to democracy. She highlighted she would also work to improve living conditions and working conditions for Dominican teachers.
According to the second bulletin released by the Voting Commission of the ADP, Guante held a 15% margin over her closest competitor.
Of course, some leading PLD officials were quick to point out that the PRM victory in these elections of the Dominican Teaches Association are not really a defeat for the government. Alejandrina German, who heads the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology and who is also a member of the high-ranking Political Committee of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), told reporters from the Diario Libre that the victory by Xiomara Guante in the ADP elections was not a harbinger for the defeat of the PLD in 2020. She said: “I don’t think that this (the ADP election) has anything to do as a test of strength, because the PLD continues to be the strongest party in the Dominican Republic.” She explained that members of the ADP frown upon having leaders connected to the government (PLD) in leadership positions. German says it is better that the leadership belong to the opposition.”
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/guante-dice-dejara-fuera-de-la-adp-bandera-prm-JA11009462
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...adp-se-replique-en-elecciones-2020-GB11010024
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...n-es-xiomara-guante-la-nueva-cabeza-de-la-adp
TSA court turns down appeal to enable Odebrecht to become state supplier
The Superior Administrative Tribunal (TSA) said that it could not decide by means of an appeal whether to order the rehabilitation or not of the Odebrecht company as a state provider. The First Chamber of the TSA said that the appeal filed by Odebrecht against Resolution 08 -2017 by the Public Contracts Agency that had requested Odebrecht at least be provisionally allowed to supply the government again. The suspension was put in place after Odebrecht admitted to having paid US$92 million in bribes to be favored with several public works projects. The suspension, nevertheless, did not affect Odebrecht construction works at the Punta Catalina power plant, the largest Odebrecht contract in the country.
The TSA is the government agency that reviews the transparency and integrity of government procedures. The TSA decided unanimously that the way for Odebrecht to reclaim its rights as a supplier is through administrative litigation, not an appeal, thereby accepting the decision and conditions established by the Procurement Agency, the Ministry of Hacienda, the Dominican state and the Attorney General. The Brazilian company had argued that their rights were being violated because they have already admitted to the illicit deeds and had reached an agreement with the Justice Department in which they committed to and fulfilled a payment of double the amount of the bribes.
The Public Procurement Agency told the judges that the agreement reached cannot constitute in any manner a conclusive act, since the criminal process has been suspended until the conditions established in the agreement are completely complied with. The Public Procurement Agency has argued in addition that the Attorney General has not sent them any communications regarding the judicial status of this case.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...debrecht-como-proveedor-del-estado-AA11007043
Attorney General announces construction of new Victoria Prison using Odebrecht bribes cases funds
The Attorney General of the Dominican Republic, Jean Alain Rodriguez, announced late last week that with some government funding as well as the cash from payments received from Odebrecht and Embraer as compensation in government bribery cases, the Justice Department would build a new prison to replace La Victoria in Guerra together with the facility in San Luis used for preventive custody.
According to Rodriguez this is only part of a program to provide more humane treatment throughout the penitentiary system. The jails have a budget of around US$170 million, says the Attorney General. Odebrecht has agreed to pay the Dominican government US$184 million after admitting in a New York City court that the company paid US$92 million in bribes in order to obtain some very lucrative contracts for public works in the Dominican Republic. Embraer, the company that manufactured and sold the Super Tucanos aircraft to the Dominican Air Force, reimbursed the government to the tune of US$7.0 million in order to be excluded from the judicial case unfolding over corruption in the purchase of these aircraft.
The Attorney General reported that the projects should be completed by April 2020, a month before the 2020 general election.
La Victoria prison was designed to hold 1,200 inmates but currently has a prison population of over 9,000. The new prison complex will be built in the area of Las Parras in Guerra, in East Santo Domingo and will have a capacity for 8592 men and 665 women. Construction companies will use the prison labor to build the jail. The new facility will have its own hospital, the first one of its kind in the Dominican Republic.
The Attorney General also announced the construction of juvenile detention centers in Barahona and La Romana.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-de-casos-odebrecht-y-super-tucano-KB10998211
Dominicans prefer C-sections to give birth
The Dominican Republic is the global leader in C-sections, with the World Health Organization reporting in 2015 that 56% of all births were by C-section. The number is expected to be even higher this year. In the Dominican Republic, C-sections appear to be the birth procedure of choice, rather than the exception. The study revealed back then that 42% of all births in public hospitals were by C-section, while 87% of births in private clinics were by C-section.
In most countries abroad, C-sections are traditionally reserved for circumstances that include prolonged labor, placenta abnormalities, cord prolapse, distress of the fetus, certain diseases and if the baby is in an abnormal position. Globally, medical professionals estimate that these conditions occur in 10 to 15% of births.
In the Dominican Republic, nevertheless, doctors are increasingly recommending C-sections. As a result, young physicians are losing confidence in their ability to assist in vaginal births. Moreover, women have also increasingly requested the C-sections due to prior negative experiences with natural births, fear of labor pain or damage to their bodies or concerns about future sexual function.
However, recent studies confirm that there are no benefits of employing the procedure without a medical justification and indeed women and babies can die from complications from C-sections, especially when a medical facility is under-resourced and staff is under-trained.
New studies organized for the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics World Congress presented recently in Brazil indicate that the use of C-sections is highest in the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Egypt, Turkey and Venezuela, accounting for more than half of all births there. Rates of C-sections have increased the most sharply in South Asia, where they accounted for 7% of births in 2000. Since then, the rate in Asia has risen to more than 18 percent of births in 2015.
The findings of the compilations of research indicate that C-sections continue to be overused in North America, where rates grew from 24% to 32% during that time; in Western Europe, with rates of 20% in 2000 and 26% in 2015; and in Latin America and the Caribbean, where rates jumped 32% to 44%.
Low- and middle-income countries saw the greatest disparity the use of C-sections, where wealthy women were six times more likely to have one than the poorest of those populations. The procedure is 1.6 times more likely to take place in a private institution rather than a public one, perhaps due to persistent shortages of staff and facilities in rural and vulnerable regions.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-co...ean-births-nearly-doubled-globally-since-2000
https://greatlakesledger.com/2018/10/13/study-finds-births-through-c-section-doubled-since-2000/
https://elnacional.com.do/rd-lider-mundial-nacimientos-cesareas/
10-year ban for local football federation head
The International Football Federation (FIFA) ethics committee has banned the president of the Dominican football federation, Osiris Guzmán, for 10 years after reviewing the findings of a formal investigation of a bribery case involving Guzman. He was also penalized with a fine of 51,000 Swiss francs. The announcement was published on 12 October 2018. FIFA charges that Guzman accepted gifts and entered into conflicts of interest.
The president of the Dominican football federation (Fedofutbol), Osiris Guzmán was already on a provisional ban that prevented him from participating in World Cup Games and the 2026 World Cup hosting vote in Russia. Guzmán had served a 15-day ban in 2011 in fallout from a FIFA election bribery investigation. Guzman has said he will appeal.
Guzmán has presided the local soccer federation for over 25 years. Local elections are set for December 2018.
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/10/12/sports/soccer/ap-soc-fifa-official-banned.html
https://www.wbtw.com/sports/fifa-bans-dominican-republic-official-in-bribery-case/1519343405
https://listindiario.com/el-deporte...an-apelara-sancion-la-califica-de-muy-injusta
Play Ball!
The Dominican Professional Winter Baseball Championship began on Saturday, 13 October 2018, with games held in the ballparks in Santo Domingo, Santiago and San Pedro de Macoris. The tournament this year is dedicated to Hall of Fame member, Vladimir Guerrero.
Fans can now take Omsa buses that will travel five key city routes in Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago to ensure they safely arrive at home, despite the late hours the games may end at. In San Pedro de Macoris, the buses will offer two routes, one in La Romana and one in San Francisco for bargain fares of RD$15.
In the Saturday opening game, the Aguilas defeated the Licey 2-0 at the Estadio Cibao to the delight of home Santiago fans. In other opening games, the Leones del Escogido defeated the Gigantes del Cibao 2-1, and the Toros del Este defeated the Estrellas Orientales 7-3.
This year there will be daytime games, starting at 2:30pm on Saturdays when the local team is home team during the regular season. The tournament encompasses 150 games, with each of the five teams playing 25 games as home team. The regular season ends on 17 December, and the semi-final round robin starts on 21 December through 26 January 2019.
See the games schedules at:
http://www.lidom.com/home/calendario/
http://estadisticas.lidom.com/Estadisticas/Inicio
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/10...icos-la-salida-de-los-juegos-pelota-invernal/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/10...al/se-inicia-la-fiesta-de-la-pelota-invernal/
Cabarete-boy Deury Corniel wins gold in kiteboarding in Youth Olympics
Deury Corniel won the Dominican Republic’s first Olympic gold medal in sailing in the Youth Olympic Sailing in Argentina. He was competing in the Sailing Men’s Kiteboarding IKA Twin Tip of the Youth Olympics in Argentina. He attributed his win to “training a lot.” Corniel lives and trains in Cabarete Beach, Puerto Plata.
http://sailingtv.ro/video/786/deury-corniel-day-3-youth-olympic-games-buenos-aires-2018
Cap Cana music bash set for 22 December
Electric Paradise announces that J Balvin, Ozuna, Cardi B, Major Lazer & More are on the lineup for the 22 December 2018 event that features performers in a variety of genres – urban, electronic, indie, pop and scene. Other performers are Andino, Bedouin, Blond:ish, Disclosure, Don Diablo, Foster the People, Hyper, Jack Novak, Kshmr, Lauren Lane, Riccie Oriach, Seth Troxler, The Knocks, and Wiz Khalifa.
The Electric Music & Arts Festival is sponsored by Dominican Presidente beer. It is in its 4th year in Cap Cana, Punta Cana. In addition, street chefs will be offering delicious food to the participants.
https://electricparadise.com/2018/
DR Highway Trust begins expansion of Las Americas tollbooths
Intrant facilitates license renewal in provinces
Will truck drivers accept to drive on the right?
Random transportation strikes punishable under Traffic Law 63-17
Authorities look for croc in Sabana Perdida, ESD
Luperon mangroves and beach clean up
Teachers union gets a new president: Xiomara Guante
TSA court turns down appeal to enable Odebrecht to become state supplier
Attorney General announces construction of new Victoria Prison using Odebrecht bribes cases funds
Dominicans prefer C-sections to give birth
10-year ban for local football federation head
Play Ball!
Cabarete-boy Deury Corniel wins gold in kiteboarding in Youth Olympics
Cap Cana music bash set for 22 December
US$60 million: Cost of the 2020 National Census
The National Statistics Office (ONE) has announced it will be spending around RD$3 billion on the 2020 National Census. ONE director Alexandra Izquierdo says the preparations for the census began in 2017. Mapmakers have already visited seven provinces to validate locations for the estimated 3,400,000 households that will be surveyed. She explained the national people count every decade is a requirement of the United Nations.
http://hoy.com.do/proximo-censo-nacional-tendra-un-costo-de-60-millones-de-dolares/
DR Highway Trust begins expansion of Las Americas tollbooths
The Coordinating Office of the DR Highway Trust is increasing the lanes at the Las Americas Highway near the tollbooths to speed up the vehicular traffic. Eyla Vargas, the director general of the DR Highway Trust, explained that the expansion of the Las Americas Highway calls for the construction of three new lanes, with two dedicated to normal toll collection by hand, and one lane dedicated to EZY Pass. She added that there will be an additional lane set aside exclusively for motorcycles, bringing the total access to 14 marked lanes. During the construction some lanes will be closed and there will be manual collection of tolls.
Vargas encouraged drivers to purchase and use the time-saving Las Americas toll road Paso Rápido (EZY Pass).
https://elnacional.com.do/rdvial-amplia-estacion-de-peaje-de-la-autopista-las-americas/
Intrant facilitates license renewal in provinces
The National Traffic Institute (Intrant) announced driver license renewal and expedition services have been set up at Intrant Mobile Units at the Fire Department in Santo Domingo West and at the Municipal Offices (ayuntamiento) in Las Terrenas, Samana, among other municipalities in the country. Intrant officers will also be educating the public on the new Law 63-17 that replaces Traffic Law 241-67.
As of Monday, 22 October 2018, the mobile unit will be in Veragua, in Gaspar Hernandez and the municipal offices (ayuntamiento) in Villa Tapia until Friday 26 October. Finally, the units will offer their services at the Ayuntamiento of Villa Altagracia and the Excellence Hotel in Punta Cana at Uvero Alto, from Monday 29 October until Friday 2 November.
In order to obtain or renew driver licenses, persons must present their cédula and the receipts for payment made at the Banco do Reservas on the taxes and services needed to obtain the license.
https://intrant.gob.do/index.php/no...de-licencia-de-conducir-a-municipios-del-pais
Will truck drivers accept to drive on the right?
The director of the National Institute of Traffic and Ground Transport (Intrant), Franchesca de los Santos says they will be enforcing traffic rules that establish that trucks and other cargo vehicles need to keep to the right on multi-lane roadways. It is common to see large trucks permanently occupying the left lane on main roadways when this should be used exclusively for passing. This is just one of several other regulations the Intrant is publicizing in the agency’s push to improve road and highway safety. However, Intrant did not explain how they are going to enforce the new ruling.
The obligation to drive on the right has always been in local driving rules. When Law 241-67 was published it already specified that cargo vehicles need to drive on the right.
The announcement of the trucks and the left lane coincides with an editorial in Listin Diario, titled “The Untouchables” on the dangerous practice of truck drivers who insist on using the left lane, forcing other vehicles to pass these trucks on the right.
The editorial in the Listin Diario on 13 October 2018 stated:
"It cannot be alleged that the drivers do not know this rule. Drivers know this rule well, but they do not respect it because here no authority has been able to stop them and fine them for the infraction. These truck drivers are under the impression these traffic laws are never enforced and they are immune to any legal penalty. In truth, they have every right to feel impunity, because the lack of the intent of the government to enforce our nation’s traffic laws. Thus, truck drivers do essentially what they want, a privilege that millions of Dominican citizens do not enjoy yet as only these have reached the highest category of 'owners of the country' "..
Traffic experts have been critical of the delays in Intrant implementing rulings contained in Law 63-17 that replaced Law 241-67. The Dominican Republic is a global leader in traffic accidents in great part for the lenient application of traffic laws by local authorities.
Motorcycles are involved in 64% o the mortal accidents in the country. Sunday is the day when most accidents occur.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-pesados-tendran-que-transitar-carril-derecho
https://listindiario.com/editorial/2018/10/12/537122/los-intocables
Random transportation strikes punishable under Traffic Law 63-17
The law covering all forms of ground transportation (Law 63-17 that replaced Law 241-67) provides punishment for drivers or companies of up to 10 minimum wages (RD$60,000), the cancellation of the operation certificate for routes and even prison, if these entities carry out “surprise work stoppages” or strikes that affect public transportation. Article 146 of the law states that it is illegal to “burn tires, throw nails or any other object on the public thoroughfares to obstruct traffic”. The article adds that whomever violates this ordinance in an attempt to impede traffic will be punished with a prison sentence between one and six months and be fined up to 10 minimum wages.
Traffic regulations in the Dominican Republic also provide sanctions for drivers or operators or companies that increase fares without a previous authorization from Intrant. However, to date, Intrant, in spite of announcing that it has punished drivers who have incurred in this infraction, has failed to mete out punishment to violators of this ordinance.
During recent transportation interruptions, some of the motorcycle taxis were charging between 100 and 300 pesos to take persons to their place of work. The traffic law also provides sanctions for those motorcycle taxis that carry more than one passenger or children under eight years of age.
https://elnacional.com.do/leyes-penalizan-los-paros-sorpresa-en-transporte-publico/
Authorities look for croc in Sabana Perdida, East Santo Domingo
Technicians from the Ministry of the Environment are on the lookout for the American crocodile that is known to live in a creek in the area of Barrio Nuevo, in Sabana Perdida, over in East Santo Domingo. The authorities reported that traps were laid but the wily crocodile has so far avoided capture.
Nelson Garcia is one of the technicians heading the operation. He told the press over the weekend that this crocodile is a protected species and is mostly found in Enriquillo Lake, in the southwest. It is a species in danger of extinction.
It is not known how the crocodile relocated to Santo Domingo. But now residents told reporters they live in fear of being attacked by the crocodile, because it has been seen wandering the streets in the barrio. The crocodile is between three and 4m long and usually scurries back to its safe place in the dirty creek under a large concrete slab.
Many of the locals have encountered the crocodile, like Julia Martinez who said that one time the crocodile appeared right in front of her house. Sightings of the crocodile are more frequent in the morning or after heavy rains.
One morning late last week, a team from El Nacional newspaper visited the creek where the reptile lives and noticed that very early at least four children between the ages of eight and 12 were waiting for the crocodile to come out to watch it around 9am. Residents avoid the area at night, and all the families that live nearby close their doors early in the evening and place pieces of sheet metal in the alleyways so that the crocodile doesn’t enter yards or empty lots.
Some of the neighbors reported losing chickens they raise for their own consumption. They suspect the crocodile. Julio Perez, the president of a local boxing club said that he hoped that the authorities capture the animal soon so that his students will pay attention to their sport and not be so interested in observing and taking photos of the creature.
The existence of this neighborhood crocodile became known throughout the area because some residents loaded videos on social media, and now the area is a local tourist attraction.
https://elnacional.com.do/presencia-cocodrilo-crea-panico-en-sabana-perdida/
https://elnacional.com.do/sigue-busqueda-de-cocodrillo-en-sde/
Luperon mangroves and beach clean up
Tons of garbage have been removed from the mangrove areas in the wildlife refuge surrounding Luperon Bay, Puerto Plata province. The solid waste cleanup work is being carried out by personnel from the Ministry of Environment that is working hard inside the mangroves to clean out all the plastic bottles and other refuse that endanger the delicate ecosystem. In just one small area of less than 55 tareas by 185 tareas (1 tarea=629 square meters) over 185 very large garbage bags were filled with inorganic residue such as plastic bottles and cups and polyurethane plates and cans and plastic bags.
The refuse was carried to the mangroves around beautiful Luperon Bay by a number of streams that empty into the bay. The unsightly accumulation of trash is evidence of the reckless behavior of the residents in near-by communities who discard rubbish without being concerned of the consequences of their actions. Environmental expert Pablo Rodriguez explained that the mangroves are the most important vegetation surrounding Luperon Bay.
The protected area covers 258 km² and is an important habitant for terrestrial marine flora and fauna. Mangroves also provide a barrier against coastal erosion and act as a filter for nutrients and salts. It is estimated that two thirds of the fish in the world depend on mangroves in one or more of their life cycles since they also provide spawning areas and food for many species of birds and reptiles together with mollusks.
Employees of Fundacion Grupo M were in Luperon Beach to contribute to the clean up as part of the company’s Olitas Verdes and Limestone Park initiatives.
http://eldia.com.do/ministerio-de-m...limpieza-de-manglares-en-la-bahia-de-luperon/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/10/15/edicion-impresa/grupo-m-limpia-manglares-en-luperon/
Teachers union gets a new president: Xiomara Guante
The Dominican Public Teachers Association (ADP) held nationwide elections on Wednesday, 10 October 2018. The newly elected president of the association is Xiomara Guante.
Guante, a mother of three, represented public teachers affiliated to the PRM (Partido Revolucionario Moderno), the country’s main opposition party. She is a graduate of the state UASD university in Education, with a specialty in applied linguistics, and a masters in social sciences research. At the time of her election, she was employed as a teacher at the Escuela Pública Otilia Peláez, in Santo Domingo North municipality.
Guante defeated ruling PLD party candidate, Eduardo Hidalgo, who sought reelection.
Prior to her election, Guante was not well known outside of the public school teachers circle.
Some political analysts are using the results of the nationwide ADP election to make forecasts for the upcoming 2020 general election, especially since the Dominican Republic does not have midterm elections for municipal and congressional office. The observers see the Public School Teachers Association polling, which incorporates every public school teacher in the entire Dominican Republic among its rank and file, as somewhat of a “midterm” election.
However, president-elect professor Guante says that she will not take the PRM flag into her office. She highlighted her goal is to raise the quality of public education. Guante said that her ample victory is firmly rooted in the institution and belongs to the ADP members, to education and to democracy. She highlighted she would also work to improve living conditions and working conditions for Dominican teachers.
According to the second bulletin released by the Voting Commission of the ADP, Guante held a 15% margin over her closest competitor.
Of course, some leading PLD officials were quick to point out that the PRM victory in these elections of the Dominican Teaches Association are not really a defeat for the government. Alejandrina German, who heads the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology and who is also a member of the high-ranking Political Committee of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), told reporters from the Diario Libre that the victory by Xiomara Guante in the ADP elections was not a harbinger for the defeat of the PLD in 2020. She said: “I don’t think that this (the ADP election) has anything to do as a test of strength, because the PLD continues to be the strongest party in the Dominican Republic.” She explained that members of the ADP frown upon having leaders connected to the government (PLD) in leadership positions. German says it is better that the leadership belong to the opposition.”
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/guante-dice-dejara-fuera-de-la-adp-bandera-prm-JA11009462
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...adp-se-replique-en-elecciones-2020-GB11010024
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...n-es-xiomara-guante-la-nueva-cabeza-de-la-adp
TSA court turns down appeal to enable Odebrecht to become state supplier
The Superior Administrative Tribunal (TSA) said that it could not decide by means of an appeal whether to order the rehabilitation or not of the Odebrecht company as a state provider. The First Chamber of the TSA said that the appeal filed by Odebrecht against Resolution 08 -2017 by the Public Contracts Agency that had requested Odebrecht at least be provisionally allowed to supply the government again. The suspension was put in place after Odebrecht admitted to having paid US$92 million in bribes to be favored with several public works projects. The suspension, nevertheless, did not affect Odebrecht construction works at the Punta Catalina power plant, the largest Odebrecht contract in the country.
The TSA is the government agency that reviews the transparency and integrity of government procedures. The TSA decided unanimously that the way for Odebrecht to reclaim its rights as a supplier is through administrative litigation, not an appeal, thereby accepting the decision and conditions established by the Procurement Agency, the Ministry of Hacienda, the Dominican state and the Attorney General. The Brazilian company had argued that their rights were being violated because they have already admitted to the illicit deeds and had reached an agreement with the Justice Department in which they committed to and fulfilled a payment of double the amount of the bribes.
The Public Procurement Agency told the judges that the agreement reached cannot constitute in any manner a conclusive act, since the criminal process has been suspended until the conditions established in the agreement are completely complied with. The Public Procurement Agency has argued in addition that the Attorney General has not sent them any communications regarding the judicial status of this case.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...debrecht-como-proveedor-del-estado-AA11007043
Attorney General announces construction of new Victoria Prison using Odebrecht bribes cases funds
The Attorney General of the Dominican Republic, Jean Alain Rodriguez, announced late last week that with some government funding as well as the cash from payments received from Odebrecht and Embraer as compensation in government bribery cases, the Justice Department would build a new prison to replace La Victoria in Guerra together with the facility in San Luis used for preventive custody.
According to Rodriguez this is only part of a program to provide more humane treatment throughout the penitentiary system. The jails have a budget of around US$170 million, says the Attorney General. Odebrecht has agreed to pay the Dominican government US$184 million after admitting in a New York City court that the company paid US$92 million in bribes in order to obtain some very lucrative contracts for public works in the Dominican Republic. Embraer, the company that manufactured and sold the Super Tucanos aircraft to the Dominican Air Force, reimbursed the government to the tune of US$7.0 million in order to be excluded from the judicial case unfolding over corruption in the purchase of these aircraft.
The Attorney General reported that the projects should be completed by April 2020, a month before the 2020 general election.
La Victoria prison was designed to hold 1,200 inmates but currently has a prison population of over 9,000. The new prison complex will be built in the area of Las Parras in Guerra, in East Santo Domingo and will have a capacity for 8592 men and 665 women. Construction companies will use the prison labor to build the jail. The new facility will have its own hospital, the first one of its kind in the Dominican Republic.
The Attorney General also announced the construction of juvenile detention centers in Barahona and La Romana.
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-de-casos-odebrecht-y-super-tucano-KB10998211
Dominicans prefer C-sections to give birth
The Dominican Republic is the global leader in C-sections, with the World Health Organization reporting in 2015 that 56% of all births were by C-section. The number is expected to be even higher this year. In the Dominican Republic, C-sections appear to be the birth procedure of choice, rather than the exception. The study revealed back then that 42% of all births in public hospitals were by C-section, while 87% of births in private clinics were by C-section.
In most countries abroad, C-sections are traditionally reserved for circumstances that include prolonged labor, placenta abnormalities, cord prolapse, distress of the fetus, certain diseases and if the baby is in an abnormal position. Globally, medical professionals estimate that these conditions occur in 10 to 15% of births.
In the Dominican Republic, nevertheless, doctors are increasingly recommending C-sections. As a result, young physicians are losing confidence in their ability to assist in vaginal births. Moreover, women have also increasingly requested the C-sections due to prior negative experiences with natural births, fear of labor pain or damage to their bodies or concerns about future sexual function.
However, recent studies confirm that there are no benefits of employing the procedure without a medical justification and indeed women and babies can die from complications from C-sections, especially when a medical facility is under-resourced and staff is under-trained.
New studies organized for the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics World Congress presented recently in Brazil indicate that the use of C-sections is highest in the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Egypt, Turkey and Venezuela, accounting for more than half of all births there. Rates of C-sections have increased the most sharply in South Asia, where they accounted for 7% of births in 2000. Since then, the rate in Asia has risen to more than 18 percent of births in 2015.
The findings of the compilations of research indicate that C-sections continue to be overused in North America, where rates grew from 24% to 32% during that time; in Western Europe, with rates of 20% in 2000 and 26% in 2015; and in Latin America and the Caribbean, where rates jumped 32% to 44%.
Low- and middle-income countries saw the greatest disparity the use of C-sections, where wealthy women were six times more likely to have one than the poorest of those populations. The procedure is 1.6 times more likely to take place in a private institution rather than a public one, perhaps due to persistent shortages of staff and facilities in rural and vulnerable regions.
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-co...ean-births-nearly-doubled-globally-since-2000
https://greatlakesledger.com/2018/10/13/study-finds-births-through-c-section-doubled-since-2000/
https://elnacional.com.do/rd-lider-mundial-nacimientos-cesareas/
10-year ban for local football federation head
The International Football Federation (FIFA) ethics committee has banned the president of the Dominican football federation, Osiris Guzmán, for 10 years after reviewing the findings of a formal investigation of a bribery case involving Guzman. He was also penalized with a fine of 51,000 Swiss francs. The announcement was published on 12 October 2018. FIFA charges that Guzman accepted gifts and entered into conflicts of interest.
The president of the Dominican football federation (Fedofutbol), Osiris Guzmán was already on a provisional ban that prevented him from participating in World Cup Games and the 2026 World Cup hosting vote in Russia. Guzmán had served a 15-day ban in 2011 in fallout from a FIFA election bribery investigation. Guzman has said he will appeal.
Guzmán has presided the local soccer federation for over 25 years. Local elections are set for December 2018.
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/10/12/sports/soccer/ap-soc-fifa-official-banned.html
https://www.wbtw.com/sports/fifa-bans-dominican-republic-official-in-bribery-case/1519343405
https://listindiario.com/el-deporte...an-apelara-sancion-la-califica-de-muy-injusta
Play Ball!
The Dominican Professional Winter Baseball Championship began on Saturday, 13 October 2018, with games held in the ballparks in Santo Domingo, Santiago and San Pedro de Macoris. The tournament this year is dedicated to Hall of Fame member, Vladimir Guerrero.
Fans can now take Omsa buses that will travel five key city routes in Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago to ensure they safely arrive at home, despite the late hours the games may end at. In San Pedro de Macoris, the buses will offer two routes, one in La Romana and one in San Francisco for bargain fares of RD$15.
In the Saturday opening game, the Aguilas defeated the Licey 2-0 at the Estadio Cibao to the delight of home Santiago fans. In other opening games, the Leones del Escogido defeated the Gigantes del Cibao 2-1, and the Toros del Este defeated the Estrellas Orientales 7-3.
This year there will be daytime games, starting at 2:30pm on Saturdays when the local team is home team during the regular season. The tournament encompasses 150 games, with each of the five teams playing 25 games as home team. The regular season ends on 17 December, and the semi-final round robin starts on 21 December through 26 January 2019.
See the games schedules at:
http://www.lidom.com/home/calendario/
http://estadisticas.lidom.com/Estadisticas/Inicio
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/10...icos-la-salida-de-los-juegos-pelota-invernal/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2018/10...al/se-inicia-la-fiesta-de-la-pelota-invernal/
Cabarete-boy Deury Corniel wins gold in kiteboarding in Youth Olympics
Deury Corniel won the Dominican Republic’s first Olympic gold medal in sailing in the Youth Olympic Sailing in Argentina. He was competing in the Sailing Men’s Kiteboarding IKA Twin Tip of the Youth Olympics in Argentina. He attributed his win to “training a lot.” Corniel lives and trains in Cabarete Beach, Puerto Plata.
http://sailingtv.ro/video/786/deury-corniel-day-3-youth-olympic-games-buenos-aires-2018
Cap Cana music bash set for 22 December
Electric Paradise announces that J Balvin, Ozuna, Cardi B, Major Lazer & More are on the lineup for the 22 December 2018 event that features performers in a variety of genres – urban, electronic, indie, pop and scene. Other performers are Andino, Bedouin, Blond:ish, Disclosure, Don Diablo, Foster the People, Hyper, Jack Novak, Kshmr, Lauren Lane, Riccie Oriach, Seth Troxler, The Knocks, and Wiz Khalifa.
The Electric Music & Arts Festival is sponsored by Dominican Presidente beer. It is in its 4th year in Cap Cana, Punta Cana. In addition, street chefs will be offering delicious food to the participants.
https://electricparadise.com/2018/