Osmar Benítez: Revision of DR-CAFTA has already begun
Emil Chireno calls for DR to harmonize foreign policy with the people
Recycle Puerto Plata announced
Bad flu here for Christmas
Legislators to distribute RD$100 million in rum and food for Christmas
Fenatrado dump trucks go on strike
Taino Indians had ties to Maya and Inca cultures
Caribe Tours enhances its bus fleet
US press focuses on Trump in Punta Cana
3 accused of irregular forfeiture sent to preventive custody
20-year old dies in boating accident off Las Galeras; four missing at sea
Nikol Morillo is first Masterchef Dominicana
Baseball games to resume Thursday, 20 December
Swimming events decide winner of National Sports Games
Azua, Peravia and San José de Ocoa to host 2020 Sports Games
US press focuses on Trump in Punta Cana
Michigan State University team plays baseball in Boca Chica
Osmar Benítez: Revision of DR-CAFTA has already begun
Agriculture Minister Osmar Benitez told Diario Libre that President Danilo Medina has already authorized that the country negotiate amendments to the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement. The agreement entered into force in March 2007 for the Dominican Republic. Benitez said the initial talks have already been held with the US authorities. He says the Dominican side will press to keep expiring tariffs on some farm products, arguing that the US had committed to reduce subsidies and has not done so.
On the other hand, an editorial in Diario Libre on Tuesday, 18 December 2018, says that the talks with the US are premature. Adriano Miguel Tejada writes that would not be the best moment to amend the DR-CAFTA agreement without previously consulting with Central American partners in the treaty.
Meanwhile, seven months after his appointment as agriculture minister, Benítez, best known as the private sector agriculture czar, now turned the government’s top ranking agriculture officer, says he is creating new mechanisms to protect and improve national production. Formerly, Benítez was executive president of the Agro-Industry Board (JAD) that groups the leading agri-business and farm companies in the Dominican Republic.
In the interview with Diario Libre, Benítez said that the country is also negotiating ways to expand Dominican exports to China. He said one alternative is transshipment in Panama to shorten the travel time from 25 days to 15 days for the goods to Asia. He says cacao, tobacco, cigars, cassava and its starch, pineapples, avocados and mangos could have a future in Asia. In total, he hopes to find markets for 30 Dominican farm products in Asia. He said the challenges are the logistics and the distance. Benitez says the goal is to double farm exports in the next five years. He said farm exports are now US$2 billion.
Moreover, he says his department is emphasizing security at our ports to avoid the entry of pests and diseases that could affect local produce. Benitez favors regulating imports, but not prohibiting them.
Benitez says he has dedicated much of his time to organizing the Ministry of Agriculture, putting everyone within the institution to work in a coordinated way and cutting red tape. He said wage adjustments have been made to take in account educational background but also years in service. He said regional directors have been assigned a revolving fund of RD$1 million per province for immediate needs. To spur the development of the farming sector, the government has assigned heavy equipment to the Ministry for the construction of rural roads without having to depend on the Ministry of Public Works.
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...cafta-ya-el-presidente-lo-autorizo-NC11641581
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/editorial/revisar-el-dr-cafta-CD11654035
Emil Chireno calls for DR to harmonize foreign policy with the people
International relations expert, Emil Chireno criticized the Dominican government handling of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees, two agreements promoted by the United Nations and signed in December 2018 to create new paradigms worldwide for migration. The Dominican Republic pulled out at last minute from signing these agreements.
Interviewed by Diario Libre, Chireno said that the position of the Dominican Republic to not sign the agreement is understandable, and a sovereign decision and is not what is being criticized. Instead he says those in charge of Dominican foreign policy need to be less reactive.
The director of CEG Funglode and KCNP Asesores Legales says what was wrong was the approach the country gave to the agreement and the way the government communicated with the population on the matter. In the Dominican Republic the existence of the pact was unknown until the signing was imminent. When the scope of the agreement and how it could affect the country was known, after news stories broke in the international press, the Dominican Republic would be one of several countries that pulled out at last minute.
Chireno says the country had been a participant in the negotiations of the agreement until the last moment and was one of the countries that contributed in an active way to the text. He said the abrupt change of position at the end was not well seen in international sectors.
He advocated for better communication with the Dominican people. He said foreign policy needs to respond to the citizens of the country. In the Dominican Republic opposition to both treaties was overwhelming, as reflected in the media. On 17 December 2018, Diario Libre editorial writer, Adriano Miguel Tejada summed up the fears of Dominicans in an editorial applauding the government’s decision not to sign the Global Compact for Refugees and stressing it was contrary to national interests. “And it was for a very simple reason,” wrote Tejada. “Given the state of political and environmental instability of our neighbors, all the residents in Haiti qualified as refugees according to the definition of in the pact.” Haiti has a population of 10.98 million and the Dominican Republic of 10.77 million.
http://epaper.diariolibre.com/epaper/viewer.html?publication=diariolibre&date=18_12_2018&tpuid=661
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...fugiados-sin-la-rubrica-dominicana-EC11645908
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/am/una-posicion-clara-KC11648046
https://gdc.bancentral.gov.do/Commo...a_economica_al_pacto_migratorio_propuesto.pdf
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/12/1028791
Recycle Puerto Plata announced
Puerto Plata takes the challenge of becoming the first province to recycle. The effort has the support of Puerto Plata city Mayor Walter Musa. The project is lead by Rosa Maria Garcia, Kitty Heinsen and representatives of public and private entities, church, schools and civic societies, including Mision Joven. Garcia said the project seeks to change the way people see garbage as garbage and instead that garbage be seen as material that may be transformed into reusable goods.
"Puerto Plata is a clean city and with this project we take advantage of that and go one step further to educate on the management of waste, care for our environment and avoiding the consequences that, obviously, affect and will continue to affect our environment more and more,” said Garcia. She highlighted: “That is why we put this program today in the hands of current and future generations of our country, to turn Puerto Plata into the first province that recycles in the Dominican Republic."
Heinsen said selective separation trials, environmental communication campaigns, debates, film forum, participatory cleaning of degraded areas, door-to-door awareness and programs in schools will be carried out.
Also taking leadership in the effort are business people Nelson Katulo, Lilian Russo, Jacqueline Guzmán, Elvis Peralta and Tery Correa.
Bad flu here for Christmas
The Ministry of Public Health says the winter flu is especially bad. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already had announced that the flu that came with the cold weather in January and February 2018 was the worst since the 2009 swine flu pandemic.
Dozens of persons are seeking medical help in Dominican hospitals for high fever and other flu symptoms. Bulletin 46 by the Epidemiological Unit of the Ministry of Public Health explains that during the past four weeks AH1N1 prevails, but Influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus are especially active, primarily affecting children under five years, according to local hospital records.
Prevention is best. Physicians recommend frequent washing of hands with warm water and soap after shaking hands or touching a surface that might be germ-covered. And carrying an alcohol-based sanitizer for times when one can’t get to a sink.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-y-gripe-causados-por-varios-virus-ND11652690
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold_flu_stopping_germs_work
Legislators to distribute RD$100 million in rum and food for Christmas
The Chamber of Deputies purchased RD$101.8 million in food and alcoholic beverages reportedly for distribution at the discretion of legislators during the Christmas holidays, as reported in Diario Libre. According to purchase order LPN-01-2018 of the Chamber of Deputies 3,800 boxes of rum for RD$21,971,600 were purchased to the Multiservicios Hermes.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...de-rd-100-millones-en-ron-y-comida-AC11642615
Fenatrado dump trucks go on strike
Fenatrado abruptly suspended dump truck services citing arrears in government payments. An estimated 12,000 dump truck operators announced they are on strike. The president of the National Federation of Dominican Transport (Fenatrado) said that the work stoppage started on Monday, 17 December 2018. Ricardo de los Santos said the work stoppage would be nationwide affecting only dump trucks, and not goods transport. De los Santos says the government owes them RD$600 million.
Meanwhile, the Union Empresarial Dominicana (UED) announced it has 2,500 trucks to mitigate the strike. The syndicate is made up of construction sector companies.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...rvicios-en-obras-del-estado-por-falta-de-pago
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...s-volteo-para-contrarrestar-paro-de-fenatrado
Taino Indians had ties to Maya and Inca cultures
Dominican cave specialist, Domingo Abreu Collado presented evidence that the Taino indians who inhabited the island when Christopher Columbus arrived, shared identity with Maya and Inca indians of South America. Abreu presented the evidence during the 17th Scientific Research Day held at the UASD. His presentation was on “Maya Connections to Taino Cave Art in the Dominican Republic.”
"After an individual analysis of thousands of figures and forms in the pictographic and petroglyphic evidences, located in Dominican caves, together with the verification of cave art in caves in Central America, and the search in the texts of the chroniclers who made contact with Maya, Inca and Nahua cultures in that region, has led us to the Mayan identity traces in our own rock art collections," said Abréu Collado.
He called for revisiting archaeological and anthropological studies with new perspectives and investigative practices to further confirm the linkages between the Taino and South American and Central American indian cultures.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-tainos-con-la-cultura-maya-e-inca-BC11642388
Caribe Tours enhances its bus fleet
Caribe Tours that offers commuter bus service around the country and to Haiti announced it has added 42 new buses to its fleet. The buses have capacity for 54 passengers. The company has more than 550 vehicles in service, according to company executive vice president Paul Guerrero Melo.
The new buses are of the Marcopolo brand, year 2019, model New G7 and are of the most advanced in service in Latin America and the Caribbean, says the company executive. He says the new buses have seats for persons with special needs and are equipped with an anti-rollover protection system. The buses offer wi-fi service, chargers for mobile devices and are equipped with modern bathrooms. The company transports around 16 milion persons a year.
US press focuses on Trump in Punta Cana
ABC News has published reports that Trump is behind new property sales in Cap Cana, in southern Punta Cana. ABC recalls that when the Trump Organization left the Dominican Republic after the economy crashed ten years ago, their plans for dozens of luxury estates in a Trump-branded development appeared to leave with them. “Buyers who staked millions on lots for their dream homes were left empty handed. The Trump team sued the developers, alleging fraud. And the billboards bearing the Trump name came down,” says ABC News.
But ABC says that now there are signs that the Trump brand may be returning to the area. Critics are sounding alarms about the potential conflicts of interest for the incumbent president of the United States.
Reports are published in ABC News and also in Newsweek, citing a recent investigation by the organization Global Witness.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tru...dominican-republic-igniting/story?id=59859696
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-dominican-republic-constitution-1261426
3 accused of irregular forfeiture sent to preventive custody
Santo Domingo West prosecutors ordered three months preventive custody for three of four men accused of an attempt of illegal forfeiture against the construction material manufacturer, Tavares Industrial on Thursday, 13 December 2018. Those that will need to stand trial are Osvaldo De León García, Venezuelan José Rafael Riera Castellano and Luilli Yovani Reyes. A fourth suspect, Francisco Miliano Reyes, will have his case heard on 18 December 2018. The company is located on Avenida Los Beisbolistas, Manoguayabo in Herrera. Others who participated in the forfeiture fled on foot from the scene after two police officers arrived. The Police recovered a Lexus SUV and a truck of the company that had been assaulted by the vandals at the company.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez said his office would employ strict measures against any attempts for irregular forfeitures to end the harmful practice. Rodriguez praised the fast acting of prosecutor Eduard Lopez who just hours after the event occurred and following the uploading of a video showing the action was able to locate the assailants and arrest these.
http://eldia.com.do/tres-meses-de-p...ntentar-embargo-ilegal-en-tavares-industrial/
http://eldia.com.do/procurador-advi...n-para-quienes-ejecuten-embargos-irregulares/
20-year old dies in boating accident off Las Galeras; four missing at sea
Dominican Armada units continue to search for survivors of the capsizing of a makeshift boat near Las Galeras in which 11 persons attempted to reach Puerto Rico. The survivors reported the recovery of drowning victim Yafreisys Alexandra Mora Castillo, a 20-year old native of La Romana, where she was a promising singer.
Five of the rescued were found dehydrated on Boca del Diablo beach front in Samana, from where they were taken to the local hospital. Among those rescued are 34-year old José Luis Vásquez; 23 year old Justino Balbuena; 21 year old Thalía Rubio Ayala,; 26-year old Yesenia Díaz; and 24-year old Manuel Maldonado, identified as the boyfriend of the late Mora Castillo.
After receiving medical attention and after being interviewed by the Navy’s M2 intelligence unit, the survivors were allowed to return to their communities by instructions of Armada Vice Admiral Emilio Recio Segura.
Four other boat passengers are missing. Two other survivors of the accident, identified as “Daniel” and “El Rori” were believed to be the organizers of the illegal boat trip. Daniel and El Rori , The two, who are natives of Sabana de la Mar, from where the boat had departed, reportedly managed to swim to safety.
https://elnacional.com.do/buscan-sobrevivientes-naufragio-de-samana/
Nikol Morillo is first Masterchef Dominicana
A 22-year old from the mountain town of Constanza, Nikol Morillo was chosen the first Dominican MasterChef. The reality show has been televised on Telesistema, Channel 11 for the past three months. She lived with her grandparents until she was nine when she traveled to Italy to live with her mom en Schio. She lived in Italy for 13 years getting to know Italian cooking. When she returned to the country and her grandfather died, she decided to stay. Morillo has a vocation to spread the news about Dominican cooking.
She was voted Master Chef Dominican Republic during the final held on Sunday, 16 December 2018. She competed against Gina Vicini and Manuel Busby, finalists from a group of 18 who competed in the regular rounds. The judges were Leandro Diaz, Ines Paez (Chef Tita) and Severio Stassi and Mildred Queiroz as show host.
Morillo won a RD$50,000 gift certificates for purchases in La Sirena stores, 12 months training in Culinary Arts, an paid internship at Pat’e palo restaurant for a year, the online publication of her recipes, and the award. She also wins a new car from Grupo Viamar and gasoline for six months.
See from minute 30 in the YouTube video below.
https://masterchefrd.com
http://hoy.com.do/nikol-morillo-es-la-primera-masterchef-dominicana/
https://www.instagram.com/makinglovewithfood/
https://www.diariolibre.com/revista...ra-masterchef-republica-dominicana-OC11648215
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTXT_rn41Tw
Baseball games to resume Thursday, 20 December
The Dominican Winter Professional Baseball League announced that the round robin to narrow the field to the two teams that will compete for the 2018-2019 championship will start on Thursday, 20 December 2018. Games will continue on Friday, 21 December and Saturday, 22 December. The league then goes on break from Sunday, 23 December, through Wednesday, 26 December. Games resume on Thursday, 27 December.
Estrellas Orientales, Tigres del Licey, Leones del Escogido and Toros del Este will battle it out through the end of January in a the semifinal round formatted as “all against all,” in which the four teams play a total of 18 games, six against each of the rivals. The best two qualify at the end of the tournament. If before the 18 games are completed two teams classify, the round would end at that moment and 48 hours later the final series the tournament would begin.
The winner of the Dominican Professional Baseball Winter Championship then goes on to battle the best teams from Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series scheduled for Venezuela from 2 to 8 February 2019.
Swimming events decide winner of National Sports Games
Swimming made all the difference and the National District kept the pendant as champion of the National Sports Games. The swimming events took place at the La Vega Olympic pool. The better swimmers enabled the National District and Province of Santo Domingo to defeat the East Region that had been leading the competitions.
The Metropolitan Zones (National District and Santo Domingo province) thus won the 14th National Sports Games Hermanas Mirabal 2018 that took place in the central and northcentral part of the country from 5 to 16 December 2018.
The standing of the regions was:
Metropolitan Zone: 229 medals (81 gold medals, 72 silver and 76 bronze)
East Zone: 207 medals (79 gold, 75 silver and 53 bronze)
North Zone: 204 medals (49 gold, 71 silver and 84 bronze)
South Zone: 145 medals (38 gold, 42 silver, 65 bronze)
Hermanas Mirabal Zone 153 medals (38 gold, 31 silver, 84 bronze)
New York Zone: 17 medals (8 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze)
European Zone: 14 medals (5 gold, 3 silver, six bronze)
Puerto Rico-Florida Zone: 10 medals (3 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze).
https://elnacional.com.do/la-zona-metropolitana-repunta-y-gana-juegos/
Azua, Peravia and San José de Ocoa to host 2020 Sports Games
The South Zone is celebrating having been chosen by the government to host the 15th National Sports Games scheduled for 2020. The tournament that gathers the best in Dominican athletes under 23 years old will next take place in venues in the provinces of Azua, San Jose de Ocoa and Baní (Peravia) in the southcentral region.
On Sunday, 16 December 2018, on occasion of the closing of the 14th Games that took place in venues in the central and north central region, President Danilo Medina issued Decree 447-18 appointing the southcentral region to host the next games. As reported, key persons lobbying for the south region were the president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, Luis Mejia, who is from Baní. Also senators Wilton Guerrero, Rafael Calderon and Pedro Alegría of Peravia, Azua and San Jose de Ocoa, respectively. Also Azua Mayor Rafael Hidalgo.
http://eldia.com.do/alcalde-de-azua...poner-sede-juegos-nacionales-2020-sea-el-sur/
Michigan State University team plays baseball in Boca Chica
Spartan team members representing MSU baseball played their first game on Sunday, 16 December 2018, taking on the Dominican Republic Air Force at Pimentel Academy Field in Boca Chica. The game ended with a 5-5 tie because of time constraints.
MSU team head coach Jake Boss Jr. said: “One of the main reasons that we wanted to come down here was to give our guys the experience of seeing another culture and seeing some history,” Boss said. “For a lot of our guys, this is their first time out of the country, so to get a chance to see buildings that are over 500 years old and hear stories how they were the first buildings and streets in the Americas is a really important educational piece for our guys as we get to experience this down here.”
Upon returning to the hotel, the Spartans had more DR cuisine for dinner and then had a mental skills session with David Franco, a mental skills coach with the Seattle Mariners organization, reports MSU university.
Monday’s action included a split squad game, with part of the team taking on a team from the Dominican Republic Navy, while another team taking on Tabaqueros. MSU will then have some time at the beach in the afternoon, before attending a Dominican Republic Winter League game in the evening.
http://www.wkar.org/post/spartan-baseball-dominican-republic#stream/0
Emil Chireno calls for DR to harmonize foreign policy with the people
Recycle Puerto Plata announced
Bad flu here for Christmas
Legislators to distribute RD$100 million in rum and food for Christmas
Fenatrado dump trucks go on strike
Taino Indians had ties to Maya and Inca cultures
Caribe Tours enhances its bus fleet
US press focuses on Trump in Punta Cana
3 accused of irregular forfeiture sent to preventive custody
20-year old dies in boating accident off Las Galeras; four missing at sea
Nikol Morillo is first Masterchef Dominicana
Baseball games to resume Thursday, 20 December
Swimming events decide winner of National Sports Games
Azua, Peravia and San José de Ocoa to host 2020 Sports Games
US press focuses on Trump in Punta Cana
Michigan State University team plays baseball in Boca Chica
Osmar Benítez: Revision of DR-CAFTA has already begun
Agriculture Minister Osmar Benitez told Diario Libre that President Danilo Medina has already authorized that the country negotiate amendments to the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement. The agreement entered into force in March 2007 for the Dominican Republic. Benitez said the initial talks have already been held with the US authorities. He says the Dominican side will press to keep expiring tariffs on some farm products, arguing that the US had committed to reduce subsidies and has not done so.
On the other hand, an editorial in Diario Libre on Tuesday, 18 December 2018, says that the talks with the US are premature. Adriano Miguel Tejada writes that would not be the best moment to amend the DR-CAFTA agreement without previously consulting with Central American partners in the treaty.
Meanwhile, seven months after his appointment as agriculture minister, Benítez, best known as the private sector agriculture czar, now turned the government’s top ranking agriculture officer, says he is creating new mechanisms to protect and improve national production. Formerly, Benítez was executive president of the Agro-Industry Board (JAD) that groups the leading agri-business and farm companies in the Dominican Republic.
In the interview with Diario Libre, Benítez said that the country is also negotiating ways to expand Dominican exports to China. He said one alternative is transshipment in Panama to shorten the travel time from 25 days to 15 days for the goods to Asia. He says cacao, tobacco, cigars, cassava and its starch, pineapples, avocados and mangos could have a future in Asia. In total, he hopes to find markets for 30 Dominican farm products in Asia. He said the challenges are the logistics and the distance. Benitez says the goal is to double farm exports in the next five years. He said farm exports are now US$2 billion.
Moreover, he says his department is emphasizing security at our ports to avoid the entry of pests and diseases that could affect local produce. Benitez favors regulating imports, but not prohibiting them.
Benitez says he has dedicated much of his time to organizing the Ministry of Agriculture, putting everyone within the institution to work in a coordinated way and cutting red tape. He said wage adjustments have been made to take in account educational background but also years in service. He said regional directors have been assigned a revolving fund of RD$1 million per province for immediate needs. To spur the development of the farming sector, the government has assigned heavy equipment to the Ministry for the construction of rural roads without having to depend on the Ministry of Public Works.
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...cafta-ya-el-presidente-lo-autorizo-NC11641581
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/editorial/revisar-el-dr-cafta-CD11654035
Emil Chireno calls for DR to harmonize foreign policy with the people
International relations expert, Emil Chireno criticized the Dominican government handling of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees, two agreements promoted by the United Nations and signed in December 2018 to create new paradigms worldwide for migration. The Dominican Republic pulled out at last minute from signing these agreements.
Interviewed by Diario Libre, Chireno said that the position of the Dominican Republic to not sign the agreement is understandable, and a sovereign decision and is not what is being criticized. Instead he says those in charge of Dominican foreign policy need to be less reactive.
The director of CEG Funglode and KCNP Asesores Legales says what was wrong was the approach the country gave to the agreement and the way the government communicated with the population on the matter. In the Dominican Republic the existence of the pact was unknown until the signing was imminent. When the scope of the agreement and how it could affect the country was known, after news stories broke in the international press, the Dominican Republic would be one of several countries that pulled out at last minute.
Chireno says the country had been a participant in the negotiations of the agreement until the last moment and was one of the countries that contributed in an active way to the text. He said the abrupt change of position at the end was not well seen in international sectors.
He advocated for better communication with the Dominican people. He said foreign policy needs to respond to the citizens of the country. In the Dominican Republic opposition to both treaties was overwhelming, as reflected in the media. On 17 December 2018, Diario Libre editorial writer, Adriano Miguel Tejada summed up the fears of Dominicans in an editorial applauding the government’s decision not to sign the Global Compact for Refugees and stressing it was contrary to national interests. “And it was for a very simple reason,” wrote Tejada. “Given the state of political and environmental instability of our neighbors, all the residents in Haiti qualified as refugees according to the definition of in the pact.” Haiti has a population of 10.98 million and the Dominican Republic of 10.77 million.
http://epaper.diariolibre.com/epaper/viewer.html?publication=diariolibre&date=18_12_2018&tpuid=661
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...fugiados-sin-la-rubrica-dominicana-EC11645908
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/am/una-posicion-clara-KC11648046
https://gdc.bancentral.gov.do/Commo...a_economica_al_pacto_migratorio_propuesto.pdf
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/12/1028791
Recycle Puerto Plata announced
Puerto Plata takes the challenge of becoming the first province to recycle. The effort has the support of Puerto Plata city Mayor Walter Musa. The project is lead by Rosa Maria Garcia, Kitty Heinsen and representatives of public and private entities, church, schools and civic societies, including Mision Joven. Garcia said the project seeks to change the way people see garbage as garbage and instead that garbage be seen as material that may be transformed into reusable goods.
"Puerto Plata is a clean city and with this project we take advantage of that and go one step further to educate on the management of waste, care for our environment and avoiding the consequences that, obviously, affect and will continue to affect our environment more and more,” said Garcia. She highlighted: “That is why we put this program today in the hands of current and future generations of our country, to turn Puerto Plata into the first province that recycles in the Dominican Republic."
Heinsen said selective separation trials, environmental communication campaigns, debates, film forum, participatory cleaning of degraded areas, door-to-door awareness and programs in schools will be carried out.
Also taking leadership in the effort are business people Nelson Katulo, Lilian Russo, Jacqueline Guzmán, Elvis Peralta and Tery Correa.
Bad flu here for Christmas
The Ministry of Public Health says the winter flu is especially bad. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already had announced that the flu that came with the cold weather in January and February 2018 was the worst since the 2009 swine flu pandemic.
Dozens of persons are seeking medical help in Dominican hospitals for high fever and other flu symptoms. Bulletin 46 by the Epidemiological Unit of the Ministry of Public Health explains that during the past four weeks AH1N1 prevails, but Influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus are especially active, primarily affecting children under five years, according to local hospital records.
Prevention is best. Physicians recommend frequent washing of hands with warm water and soap after shaking hands or touching a surface that might be germ-covered. And carrying an alcohol-based sanitizer for times when one can’t get to a sink.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-y-gripe-causados-por-varios-virus-ND11652690
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold_flu_stopping_germs_work
Legislators to distribute RD$100 million in rum and food for Christmas
The Chamber of Deputies purchased RD$101.8 million in food and alcoholic beverages reportedly for distribution at the discretion of legislators during the Christmas holidays, as reported in Diario Libre. According to purchase order LPN-01-2018 of the Chamber of Deputies 3,800 boxes of rum for RD$21,971,600 were purchased to the Multiservicios Hermes.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...de-rd-100-millones-en-ron-y-comida-AC11642615
Fenatrado dump trucks go on strike
Fenatrado abruptly suspended dump truck services citing arrears in government payments. An estimated 12,000 dump truck operators announced they are on strike. The president of the National Federation of Dominican Transport (Fenatrado) said that the work stoppage started on Monday, 17 December 2018. Ricardo de los Santos said the work stoppage would be nationwide affecting only dump trucks, and not goods transport. De los Santos says the government owes them RD$600 million.
Meanwhile, the Union Empresarial Dominicana (UED) announced it has 2,500 trucks to mitigate the strike. The syndicate is made up of construction sector companies.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...rvicios-en-obras-del-estado-por-falta-de-pago
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...s-volteo-para-contrarrestar-paro-de-fenatrado
Taino Indians had ties to Maya and Inca cultures
Dominican cave specialist, Domingo Abreu Collado presented evidence that the Taino indians who inhabited the island when Christopher Columbus arrived, shared identity with Maya and Inca indians of South America. Abreu presented the evidence during the 17th Scientific Research Day held at the UASD. His presentation was on “Maya Connections to Taino Cave Art in the Dominican Republic.”
"After an individual analysis of thousands of figures and forms in the pictographic and petroglyphic evidences, located in Dominican caves, together with the verification of cave art in caves in Central America, and the search in the texts of the chroniclers who made contact with Maya, Inca and Nahua cultures in that region, has led us to the Mayan identity traces in our own rock art collections," said Abréu Collado.
He called for revisiting archaeological and anthropological studies with new perspectives and investigative practices to further confirm the linkages between the Taino and South American and Central American indian cultures.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-tainos-con-la-cultura-maya-e-inca-BC11642388
Caribe Tours enhances its bus fleet
Caribe Tours that offers commuter bus service around the country and to Haiti announced it has added 42 new buses to its fleet. The buses have capacity for 54 passengers. The company has more than 550 vehicles in service, according to company executive vice president Paul Guerrero Melo.
The new buses are of the Marcopolo brand, year 2019, model New G7 and are of the most advanced in service in Latin America and the Caribbean, says the company executive. He says the new buses have seats for persons with special needs and are equipped with an anti-rollover protection system. The buses offer wi-fi service, chargers for mobile devices and are equipped with modern bathrooms. The company transports around 16 milion persons a year.
US press focuses on Trump in Punta Cana
ABC News has published reports that Trump is behind new property sales in Cap Cana, in southern Punta Cana. ABC recalls that when the Trump Organization left the Dominican Republic after the economy crashed ten years ago, their plans for dozens of luxury estates in a Trump-branded development appeared to leave with them. “Buyers who staked millions on lots for their dream homes were left empty handed. The Trump team sued the developers, alleging fraud. And the billboards bearing the Trump name came down,” says ABC News.
But ABC says that now there are signs that the Trump brand may be returning to the area. Critics are sounding alarms about the potential conflicts of interest for the incumbent president of the United States.
Reports are published in ABC News and also in Newsweek, citing a recent investigation by the organization Global Witness.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tru...dominican-republic-igniting/story?id=59859696
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-dominican-republic-constitution-1261426
3 accused of irregular forfeiture sent to preventive custody
Santo Domingo West prosecutors ordered three months preventive custody for three of four men accused of an attempt of illegal forfeiture against the construction material manufacturer, Tavares Industrial on Thursday, 13 December 2018. Those that will need to stand trial are Osvaldo De León García, Venezuelan José Rafael Riera Castellano and Luilli Yovani Reyes. A fourth suspect, Francisco Miliano Reyes, will have his case heard on 18 December 2018. The company is located on Avenida Los Beisbolistas, Manoguayabo in Herrera. Others who participated in the forfeiture fled on foot from the scene after two police officers arrived. The Police recovered a Lexus SUV and a truck of the company that had been assaulted by the vandals at the company.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez said his office would employ strict measures against any attempts for irregular forfeitures to end the harmful practice. Rodriguez praised the fast acting of prosecutor Eduard Lopez who just hours after the event occurred and following the uploading of a video showing the action was able to locate the assailants and arrest these.
http://eldia.com.do/tres-meses-de-p...ntentar-embargo-ilegal-en-tavares-industrial/
http://eldia.com.do/procurador-advi...n-para-quienes-ejecuten-embargos-irregulares/
20-year old dies in boating accident off Las Galeras; four missing at sea
Dominican Armada units continue to search for survivors of the capsizing of a makeshift boat near Las Galeras in which 11 persons attempted to reach Puerto Rico. The survivors reported the recovery of drowning victim Yafreisys Alexandra Mora Castillo, a 20-year old native of La Romana, where she was a promising singer.
Five of the rescued were found dehydrated on Boca del Diablo beach front in Samana, from where they were taken to the local hospital. Among those rescued are 34-year old José Luis Vásquez; 23 year old Justino Balbuena; 21 year old Thalía Rubio Ayala,; 26-year old Yesenia Díaz; and 24-year old Manuel Maldonado, identified as the boyfriend of the late Mora Castillo.
After receiving medical attention and after being interviewed by the Navy’s M2 intelligence unit, the survivors were allowed to return to their communities by instructions of Armada Vice Admiral Emilio Recio Segura.
Four other boat passengers are missing. Two other survivors of the accident, identified as “Daniel” and “El Rori” were believed to be the organizers of the illegal boat trip. Daniel and El Rori , The two, who are natives of Sabana de la Mar, from where the boat had departed, reportedly managed to swim to safety.
https://elnacional.com.do/buscan-sobrevivientes-naufragio-de-samana/
Nikol Morillo is first Masterchef Dominicana
A 22-year old from the mountain town of Constanza, Nikol Morillo was chosen the first Dominican MasterChef. The reality show has been televised on Telesistema, Channel 11 for the past three months. She lived with her grandparents until she was nine when she traveled to Italy to live with her mom en Schio. She lived in Italy for 13 years getting to know Italian cooking. When she returned to the country and her grandfather died, she decided to stay. Morillo has a vocation to spread the news about Dominican cooking.
She was voted Master Chef Dominican Republic during the final held on Sunday, 16 December 2018. She competed against Gina Vicini and Manuel Busby, finalists from a group of 18 who competed in the regular rounds. The judges were Leandro Diaz, Ines Paez (Chef Tita) and Severio Stassi and Mildred Queiroz as show host.
Morillo won a RD$50,000 gift certificates for purchases in La Sirena stores, 12 months training in Culinary Arts, an paid internship at Pat’e palo restaurant for a year, the online publication of her recipes, and the award. She also wins a new car from Grupo Viamar and gasoline for six months.
See from minute 30 in the YouTube video below.
https://masterchefrd.com
http://hoy.com.do/nikol-morillo-es-la-primera-masterchef-dominicana/
https://www.instagram.com/makinglovewithfood/
https://www.diariolibre.com/revista...ra-masterchef-republica-dominicana-OC11648215
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTXT_rn41Tw
Baseball games to resume Thursday, 20 December
The Dominican Winter Professional Baseball League announced that the round robin to narrow the field to the two teams that will compete for the 2018-2019 championship will start on Thursday, 20 December 2018. Games will continue on Friday, 21 December and Saturday, 22 December. The league then goes on break from Sunday, 23 December, through Wednesday, 26 December. Games resume on Thursday, 27 December.
Estrellas Orientales, Tigres del Licey, Leones del Escogido and Toros del Este will battle it out through the end of January in a the semifinal round formatted as “all against all,” in which the four teams play a total of 18 games, six against each of the rivals. The best two qualify at the end of the tournament. If before the 18 games are completed two teams classify, the round would end at that moment and 48 hours later the final series the tournament would begin.
The winner of the Dominican Professional Baseball Winter Championship then goes on to battle the best teams from Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series scheduled for Venezuela from 2 to 8 February 2019.
Swimming events decide winner of National Sports Games
Swimming made all the difference and the National District kept the pendant as champion of the National Sports Games. The swimming events took place at the La Vega Olympic pool. The better swimmers enabled the National District and Province of Santo Domingo to defeat the East Region that had been leading the competitions.
The Metropolitan Zones (National District and Santo Domingo province) thus won the 14th National Sports Games Hermanas Mirabal 2018 that took place in the central and northcentral part of the country from 5 to 16 December 2018.
The standing of the regions was:
Metropolitan Zone: 229 medals (81 gold medals, 72 silver and 76 bronze)
East Zone: 207 medals (79 gold, 75 silver and 53 bronze)
North Zone: 204 medals (49 gold, 71 silver and 84 bronze)
South Zone: 145 medals (38 gold, 42 silver, 65 bronze)
Hermanas Mirabal Zone 153 medals (38 gold, 31 silver, 84 bronze)
New York Zone: 17 medals (8 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze)
European Zone: 14 medals (5 gold, 3 silver, six bronze)
Puerto Rico-Florida Zone: 10 medals (3 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze).
https://elnacional.com.do/la-zona-metropolitana-repunta-y-gana-juegos/
Azua, Peravia and San José de Ocoa to host 2020 Sports Games
The South Zone is celebrating having been chosen by the government to host the 15th National Sports Games scheduled for 2020. The tournament that gathers the best in Dominican athletes under 23 years old will next take place in venues in the provinces of Azua, San Jose de Ocoa and Baní (Peravia) in the southcentral region.
On Sunday, 16 December 2018, on occasion of the closing of the 14th Games that took place in venues in the central and north central region, President Danilo Medina issued Decree 447-18 appointing the southcentral region to host the next games. As reported, key persons lobbying for the south region were the president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, Luis Mejia, who is from Baní. Also senators Wilton Guerrero, Rafael Calderon and Pedro Alegría of Peravia, Azua and San Jose de Ocoa, respectively. Also Azua Mayor Rafael Hidalgo.
http://eldia.com.do/alcalde-de-azua...poner-sede-juegos-nacionales-2020-sea-el-sur/
Michigan State University team plays baseball in Boca Chica
Spartan team members representing MSU baseball played their first game on Sunday, 16 December 2018, taking on the Dominican Republic Air Force at Pimentel Academy Field in Boca Chica. The game ended with a 5-5 tie because of time constraints.
MSU team head coach Jake Boss Jr. said: “One of the main reasons that we wanted to come down here was to give our guys the experience of seeing another culture and seeing some history,” Boss said. “For a lot of our guys, this is their first time out of the country, so to get a chance to see buildings that are over 500 years old and hear stories how they were the first buildings and streets in the Americas is a really important educational piece for our guys as we get to experience this down here.”
Upon returning to the hotel, the Spartans had more DR cuisine for dinner and then had a mental skills session with David Franco, a mental skills coach with the Seattle Mariners organization, reports MSU university.
Monday’s action included a split squad game, with part of the team taking on a team from the Dominican Republic Navy, while another team taking on Tabaqueros. MSU will then have some time at the beach in the afternoon, before attending a Dominican Republic Winter League game in the evening.
http://www.wkar.org/post/spartan-baseball-dominican-republic#stream/0