DR1 Daily News to return next Monday
President Medina: Hope and optimism for 2019
President Medina creates Santiago West!
Presidency advances to boost tourism development in Pedernales
Work advances on Monte Plata mega church
DR leads in growth in Latin America
Qatar and DR sign sports agreement
More soldiers sent to the border with Haiti
Haitian farm hands settle in Valle Nuevo
Asonahores and Asoleste withdraw from land use case
17 deaths over Christmas holidays
Cracking down on motorcyclist racing
People want to know where the money from traffic fines is going
Trending topic over the holidays: Bad senator, bad senator
Father delivers child for sex with aging Canadian?
Los Toros take the lead in baseball championship
DR1 Daily News to return next Monday
Happy New Year! This 2 January 2019 DR1 daily news digest is a compilation of news from the days of 24 December 2018 through 1 January 2019. The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 7 January 2019. That Monday issue will be a compilation of happenings over the Three Kings Day holiday period that marks the end of the Christmas-time holidays in the Dominican Republic. DR1’s Monday, 7 January 2019 compilation will feature a summary of news from the previous days. From then on the news schedule returns to the regular Monday to Thursday schedule of news summaries.
Breaking news can always be followed 24/7 in the Forums. Or check out DR1 Calendar for a list of what’s happening in different venues around the country for the holidays. The best in the New Year!
See the DR1 Forum at https://www.dr1.com
See DR1 Calendar at https://www.dr1.com/calendar
President Medina: Hope and optimism for 2019
President Danilo Medina in his New Year’s message called for the Dominican people to be hopeful and optimistic in carrying out plans and goals for the New Year. “2019 will be a positive year for the country,” he wrote to the Dominican people. He spoke in his name, that of his family and that of the government.
"Let's keep alive the faith that 2019 will be a positive year for the country in economic and social terms; a year in which violence disappears from our panorama giving rise to greater respect, harmony and solidarity among all citizens," he stated.
Danilo Medina also advocated that this hope be accompanied by the confidence and optimism necessary to inspire the work of each day, with the firm purpose of improving ourselves as individuals and as citizens.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...o-nuevo-al-pueblo-dominicano-invita-acompanar
President Medina creates Santiago West!
President Danilo Medina backed politicians who sought to divide the city of Santiago into two municipalities under two city governments. Medina and signed Law 65-18 that creates Santiago Oeste (Santiago West). The bill had met with widespread opposition by business, community, development, religious entities and the incumbent Santiago mayor that criticized the split saying it is uncalled for in regional plans and will just create more wasteful spending and would not contribute to problem solving. The law says that the new authorities for the municipal district are to be elected in the 2020 general election.
Recently, Santiago city mayor Abel Martinez had expressed he was backing the aspirations of former President Leonel Fernandez to run for a return to the presidency in 2020. Fernandez is seen as President Danilo Medina’s main obstacle in the case he decides to seek a third term.
Areas that will now fall in the new municipal district are:
La Parada 7, San Miguel, El Progreso; Cienfuegos Central, La Emboscada, Monte Rico, Nuevo Milenio, Brisa del Canal II, Barrio Duarte I, Barrio Duarte II, Barrio Duarte III, Los Rieles, La Paz, Ingenio Abajo, Pinar del Río, Mejía, San Lorenzo, Cerro de San Lorenzo, El Nazareno, Llanos del Ingenio. Also Ingenio Arriba, Reparto Villa Fe, La Unión, La Unión II, Monte Rico apartment buildings, Mella II, Cerro de Don Juan, La Torre del Mella I, Mella I apartments, Villa de San Lorenzo, El Fondo de la Botella, Monte Bonito, El Semillero I. Don Jaime, Alegría, Sector Ocho, El Tabaco, San Antonio, ensanche San Lorenzo, Valle Bonito, Alto Bonito, among others.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...leva-seccion-ingenio-abajo-distrito-municipal
Presidency advances to boost tourism development in Pedernales
Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo celebrated the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice that returns to the government lands that had been irregularly titled in the pristine beach area of Bahia de las Aguilas, in Pedernales. The ruling is expected to be followed by government announcements in tourism development of the southwestern area.
Montalvo said the recent ruling means that 362 million square meters that had been fraudulently allotted to individuals have been returned to the state. The appropriations had affected protected areas within the Parque Nacional Jaragua. The case was begun in 1997, by the late lawyer Piky Lora, who demanded the state recover the property, starting a legal process that took 21 years to conclude in favor of the state. Lawyer Laura Acosta Lora would continue the case after her mother died, overcoming major obstacles.
Montalvo said that the Supreme Court ruling now opens doors for the development of the properties.
Meanwhile, environmental activist Yolanda Leon of Grupo Jaragua observed: "We hope that this ruling motivates, finally, the expropriation of the two illegal occupations that exist in Playa de la Cueva, outside the park and with excellent conditions, and that is what international investors want. We are concerned that these two occupations (Ecos del Mar and Rancho Typical Bahia de las Aguilas) have continued to expand and consolidate in recent years, and apparently have good sponsors, " she told Diario Libre.
Andrés Marranzini, executive vice president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores) told Diario Libre reporters that Bahía de las Águilas is a privileged area in the world where, necessarily, sustainable tourism must be carried out. He expects the government will make known details of the negotiations ongoing for developments.
Meanwhile, Marino Jose Vilomar of the Pedernales tourism cluster said that the government is giving ambiguous signals. He told Diario Libre that the area needs to be developed as a low-density tourism zone so as not to affect the vulnerable environment. But he said he is equally concerned about the Medina administration’s openness to mining exploitation in the area. He said in November 2018 by Presidential Decree 430-18 an area close to Bahia de las Aguilas was declared the Avila Fiscal Reserve for Mining Exploitation despite being inside the Jaragua Biosphere Reserve.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...guilas-como-victoria-de-todos-los-dominicanos
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...ron-primero-a-bahia-de-las-aguilas-IC11757861
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...zona-de-la-provincia-de-pedernales-GG11422206
Work advances on Monte Plata mega church
On Saturday, 29 December 2018, President Danilo Medina visited the construction site of the Santuario Santo Cristo de los Milagros, a mega church the Medina administration is funding in Bayaguana, Monte Plata province. This is a follow up to a visit he made about a year ago.
The church will have seated capacity for 1,800. It is built by the Office of Supervisory Engineers of Public Works (OISOE), the Presidency construction agency.
The sanctuary is described as one of the few Christocentric sanctuaries in Latin America. It will focus on Jesus Christ’s life, the post-Jesus era and the Catholic Church, as has explained Senator Charlie Mariotti, one of the main promoters of the center in government. It will have market areas for arts and crafts, food producers and bicycle paths.
The promoters of the new religious facility intend it to become a major religious tourism attraction in the country. Monte Plata shares a border with the provinces of Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris), Sanchez Ramirez (Cotui), Hato Mayor, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo, San Cristobal and Monseñor Nouel (Bonao). The senator expects the sanctuary to have an impact on religious fervor and the economy. It is estimated to cost upwards of RD$300 million, including access roads.
http://hoy.com.do/danilo-medina-supervisa-construccion-de-santuario-en-municipio-bayaguana/
DR leads in growth in Latin America
The Central Bank has released a report with a glowing picture of the Dominican economy for 2018. Central Bank Governor Hector Valdez Albizu noted that the results of the latest figures show that the DR is the leading economy in Latin America as far as growth is concerned.
The Central Bank says the economy should close at around 7% GDP growth. The aforementioned value, estimated by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), is higher than the original estimated goal of five percent growth.
Dynamic sectors of the economy leading the growth are communications (11%), construction (10.6%), export free zones (9.1%), health (8.8%), commerce 8.5%, financial services (7.9%), sector that is most driving the expansion of the economy with 12% followed by construction with (10.6%), commerce (8.9%) and farming (6.5%), warehousing and transport (6.5%), domestic manufacturing (6%), energy and water (5.7%), hotels & restaurants (5.6%), among others.
Peso depreciation was kept under control with the exchange rate of 50.12 pesos for one dollar comparative to the estimated 50.17 to the dollar. Inflation is expected to end the year at 1.3%.
The Central Bank reports that Gross International Reserves (hard currencies), as of 26 December 2018 were US$7.2 billion, which equals about four months worth of imports.
Central Bank governor Valdez Albizu presented the report at an assembly of the top ranking officers of the bank. He detailed that according to preliminary numbers from the Monthly Economic Activity Index, the growth is the result of the 6.9% performance from January through September and a 7.1% performance in the last quarter of the year. The report noted that communications, construction and the free zones were all double-digit contributors to the growth, but health, commerce and financial services were all above the 7% level.
Another look at the economic performance by Pavel Isa Contreras is a bit more somber, but still highlights the solid GDP performance of the economy. Isa Contreras said growth had been forecasted to be between an optimistic 5.5% and a less positive 5.0% for the year, back in January. Isa Contreras says that a GDP growth of 6.5% is most likely. He sees just an 11.1% jobless rate among the economically active population. This is a continuation of a downward trend that began in 2014.
Regarding inflation and the exchange rate, Isa Contreras says that with the available data, he feels that inflation will not top 2% for the year.
Isa Contreras says that his analysis shows that there are three areas that contributed to the stable economy outcome: the tumble in oil prices since October; the containment by the Central Bank of the exchange rates that in turn allowed for the slow inflation and lesser devaluation of the Dominican peso and the Central Bank’s restrictive monetary policy. This is something Isa Contreras attributes to the tight reins the bank has on liquidity, as seen in the M1 (money in circulation) that in October was some RD$15 billion less than in June.
However, as an astute observer, the economist notes that a lot of all of this is due to maneuvers by the Central Bank involving more debt. The total debt of the Central Bank was pegged at RD$559 billion, more than RD$78.6 billion more than in 2017 and RD$85.7 billion more than in September of this year. As a result, interest rates are up.
https://www.bancentral.gov.do/a/d/4188-economia-dominicana-crece-70-en-el-ano-2018
Qatar and DR sign sports agreement
The Ministry of Foreign Relations signed a memorandum of understanding with the State of Qatar for cooperation in sports. Acting charge d’affaires at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the Dominican Republic, Khalid Mohammed Al Sharshani, signed for Qatar and Sports Minister Danilo Diaz for the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo.
https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/a...blic-sign-MoU-for-cooperation-in-sports-field
More soldiers sent to the border with Haiti
Presidents Trump and Medina have something in common: both have deployed thousands of troops on their country’s border. President Danilo Medina has authorized the stationing of 7,000 Dominican military personnel on the border with Haiti in an effort to halt illegal immigration. Some 600 new troops were dispatched to the border along with helicopters, speedboats to patrol the coastlines, 15 sturdy, off-road motorcycles to patrol the most remote areas, and all-terrain vehicles.
As reported by the government, the new deployment of military personnel supplements the 6,400 armed service men and women already stationed along the Haitian border since early March 2018. The plan called “The Joint Interagency Task Force ‘Frontier Fence’ is charged with stemming the illegal flow of persons, firearms, controlled substances and contraband across the border.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...os-acantonados-en-la-zona-frontera-MF11726659
Haitian farm hands settle in Valle Nuevo
Listin Diario and Diario Libre have carried reports over the Christmas holidays on the continuing presence of Haitian farm workers in the protected Constanza province mountain areas. The Ministry of Environment under former head, Francisco Dominguez Brito had ordered an end to farming in the area on grounds that it is an importance source of water for the country.
The investigative reports say that despite the past order, the new authorities under Environment Minister Angel Estevez are not following up on the eviction and farming control in the area. Listin Diario says that in the area of La Curva de El Convento has been taken over by the Haitian farm hands, replacing the Dominicans who left when farming was banned. The Ministry of Environment under Angel Estevez insists that the Haitian farmer settlements are located outside of the vulnerable areas.
Diario Libre focused also on how the bad farming practices are affecting the river levels in the same Constanza province area.
https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2018/12/29/547473/los-haitianos-ni-nos-quitan-ni-nos-dan
http://hoy.com.do/medio-ambiente-asegura-haitianos-estan-fuera-parque/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...s-se-instalan-en-zonas-cercanas-a-valle-nuevo
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-intermitente-ahora-es-una-letrina-EP11699418
Asonahores and Asoleste withdraw from land use case
The National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) and the Association of Hotels of the East (Asoleste) announced they would withdraw from legal actions taken against the abrupt government change in the land use regulations in the eastern tourism region. The hotel people protested the unilateral actions taken to allow high rises in Punta Cana beach areas. The associations say the decision is to facilitate dialogue with the government and the Ministry of Tourism on the change in the land use regulations for the eastern region of the country. The tourism associations had filed a case against the Ministry of Tourism with the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) for violations of government procedures in the change of the land use rules.
"It is important to point out that Asonahores and Asoleste, throughout their history, have shown that they prefer dialogue as a way to find a solution to the differences that may arise with the authorities in the areas of tourism development," reads the press release announcing the end to legal actions.
In the press release, the associations reaffirmed their concern of the possible impacts of the change and its effect on the sustainability of the area that until recently had focused on low rise and low density development making it the most successful tourism development in the Caribbean and Central America in recent years.
The press release stated that a meeting is scheduled for January 2019 at the Ministry of Tourism to continue the talks.
17 deaths over Christmas holidays
The Center for Emergency Operations said 17 persons died over the Christmas holidays (24, 25 December 2018) in traffic accidents, of which in 16 of these a motorcyclist was involved. This is similar to the 15 deaths reported in 2017. The Center for Emergency Operations coordinated a major national effort for road safety over the holidays. With the participation of 39,233 people including volunteers, paramedics, medics, military and rescue specialists that worked from Sunday, 23 December through Christmas Day.
https://elnacional.com.do/mueren-16-personas-en-accidentes-motos-durante-las-fiestas/
http://coe.gob.do
Cracking down on motorcyclist racing
Will the Military and Police Commission of the Ministry of Public Works (MOPC) take action and arrest the motorcyclists that have converted national roads and highways into race tracks? The rash youths racing their motorcycles have caused numerous deaths and injuries.
Armada captain Luis Manuel Feliz Jose said the authorities have confiscated over the holidays the motorcycles of several youth who were racing on the La Romana by-pass road in the opposite direction. A statement from the MOPC says that in most traffic accidents there is a motorcyclist involved. It highlights how the races are a “headache” for the authorities and on how in the most spectacular and instantaneous ways the young lose their lives. He said that drivers constantly have to take extreme precautions to ensure that these suicide motorcyclists do not crash their vehicles.
https://www.metrord.do/do/destacado...rculen-via-contraria-participen-carreras.html
People want to know where the money from traffic fines is going
The transportation secretary of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Mario Diaz demanded to know just what the government is doing with the money it collects from traffic fines. He called for Franchesca de los Santos, the head of the National Traffic Institute (Intrant), to explain where the money is used.
He noted that the Law 63-17 allots 75% of the funds generated by traffic fines to the Attorney General’s Office, and the remaining 25% to fund Intrant.
Despite the passing of the new transit and traffic law in 2017, the Intrant has yet to file the draft for the implementation of the ruling that would put in effect the new regulations contemplated in the law. As a result, most of the efforts of the new agency are still in the planning stage.
https://elnacional.com.do/demandan-...de-fondos-generados-por-multas-a-conductores/
Trending topic over the holidays: Bad senator, bad senator
A YouTube video circulated on social media putting in evidence how the ruling party PLD senator for Samana, 75-year old Prim Pujals got involved in a heated discussion with a yet unnamed citizen who called out Pujals for butting into a line at a bank. The long-term legislator and politician called the person who had complained “a damn N – word.” The discussion came about because Pujals did not want to stand in line to be served.
The heated exchange was captured on video. In it, the individual tells the legislator “you can be whoever you are”, adding “we all have rights.” Several of the people who made videos of the heated exchange told reporters that the confrontation came about because Pujals cut into the line at the bank, without waiting his turn. They told the man: “You are a piece of s---,; do you have a gun in order to kill me, you damned N-----!”
The man told the senator: “You can be whoever you are, we all have rights, (…) of course I will video it, you are not seeing what you are doing.” Others in the line said “this is right, tape it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38mKhxKGA2w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MpXG2NN03k
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-ciudadano-por-la-fila-de-un-banco-GD11740879
Father delivers child for sex with aging Canadian?
The Police identified as Yvon Joseph Ghislain Gaudet, a 69-year old man arrested for allegedly attempting to have sexual relations with a seven year old child in Sosua, Puerto Plata. The elderly man had obtained the consent of the father of the little girl. The father of the child has not been named by the Police to protect the identity of the child but is also under arrest.
The Police said the arrest took place at a hotel located on Calle Guatemala in Batey Sosua. As reported by the Police, the father delivered the child to the elderly’s hotel room.
https://elnacional.com.do/apresan-c...-de-siete-anos-padre-menor-habria-consentido/
http://www.policianacional.gob.do/n...laciones-sexuales-con-una-nina-de-siete-anos/
Los Toros take the lead in baseball championship
The Dominican Professional Winter Baseball Championship resumes today after the New Year holiday break. The Toros del Este are in the lead after winning five of their first seven games played of the 18-game round robin to decide the playoff teams. Over the holidays, the many fans of the Tigres del Licey watched how their team did exactly the opposite with five losses and only two wins.
The Leones del Escogido are in second place, with 4 wins and 3 losses, and the Estrellas Orientales have three wins and four losses.
The series continues on Wednesday, 2 January through 14 January 2019 with matches at the Santo Domingo, La Romana and San Pedro de Macoris ball parks.
The semifinal round is formatted as “all against all,” in which the four teams play a total of 18 games, six against each of the rivals. The two teams with the best record during the round robin face off in the finals. If before the 18 games are completed two teams qualify for the finals, the round robin 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 to be played in Venezuela from 2 to 8 February 2019.
http://www.lidom.com/home/calendario/
President Medina: Hope and optimism for 2019
President Medina creates Santiago West!
Presidency advances to boost tourism development in Pedernales
Work advances on Monte Plata mega church
DR leads in growth in Latin America
Qatar and DR sign sports agreement
More soldiers sent to the border with Haiti
Haitian farm hands settle in Valle Nuevo
Asonahores and Asoleste withdraw from land use case
17 deaths over Christmas holidays
Cracking down on motorcyclist racing
People want to know where the money from traffic fines is going
Trending topic over the holidays: Bad senator, bad senator
Father delivers child for sex with aging Canadian?
Los Toros take the lead in baseball championship
DR1 Daily News to return next Monday
Happy New Year! This 2 January 2019 DR1 daily news digest is a compilation of news from the days of 24 December 2018 through 1 January 2019. The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 7 January 2019. That Monday issue will be a compilation of happenings over the Three Kings Day holiday period that marks the end of the Christmas-time holidays in the Dominican Republic. DR1’s Monday, 7 January 2019 compilation will feature a summary of news from the previous days. From then on the news schedule returns to the regular Monday to Thursday schedule of news summaries.
Breaking news can always be followed 24/7 in the Forums. Or check out DR1 Calendar for a list of what’s happening in different venues around the country for the holidays. The best in the New Year!
See the DR1 Forum at https://www.dr1.com
See DR1 Calendar at https://www.dr1.com/calendar
President Medina: Hope and optimism for 2019
President Danilo Medina in his New Year’s message called for the Dominican people to be hopeful and optimistic in carrying out plans and goals for the New Year. “2019 will be a positive year for the country,” he wrote to the Dominican people. He spoke in his name, that of his family and that of the government.
"Let's keep alive the faith that 2019 will be a positive year for the country in economic and social terms; a year in which violence disappears from our panorama giving rise to greater respect, harmony and solidarity among all citizens," he stated.
Danilo Medina also advocated that this hope be accompanied by the confidence and optimism necessary to inspire the work of each day, with the firm purpose of improving ourselves as individuals and as citizens.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...o-nuevo-al-pueblo-dominicano-invita-acompanar
President Medina creates Santiago West!
President Danilo Medina backed politicians who sought to divide the city of Santiago into two municipalities under two city governments. Medina and signed Law 65-18 that creates Santiago Oeste (Santiago West). The bill had met with widespread opposition by business, community, development, religious entities and the incumbent Santiago mayor that criticized the split saying it is uncalled for in regional plans and will just create more wasteful spending and would not contribute to problem solving. The law says that the new authorities for the municipal district are to be elected in the 2020 general election.
Recently, Santiago city mayor Abel Martinez had expressed he was backing the aspirations of former President Leonel Fernandez to run for a return to the presidency in 2020. Fernandez is seen as President Danilo Medina’s main obstacle in the case he decides to seek a third term.
Areas that will now fall in the new municipal district are:
La Parada 7, San Miguel, El Progreso; Cienfuegos Central, La Emboscada, Monte Rico, Nuevo Milenio, Brisa del Canal II, Barrio Duarte I, Barrio Duarte II, Barrio Duarte III, Los Rieles, La Paz, Ingenio Abajo, Pinar del Río, Mejía, San Lorenzo, Cerro de San Lorenzo, El Nazareno, Llanos del Ingenio. Also Ingenio Arriba, Reparto Villa Fe, La Unión, La Unión II, Monte Rico apartment buildings, Mella II, Cerro de Don Juan, La Torre del Mella I, Mella I apartments, Villa de San Lorenzo, El Fondo de la Botella, Monte Bonito, El Semillero I. Don Jaime, Alegría, Sector Ocho, El Tabaco, San Antonio, ensanche San Lorenzo, Valle Bonito, Alto Bonito, among others.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...leva-seccion-ingenio-abajo-distrito-municipal
Presidency advances to boost tourism development in Pedernales
Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo celebrated the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice that returns to the government lands that had been irregularly titled in the pristine beach area of Bahia de las Aguilas, in Pedernales. The ruling is expected to be followed by government announcements in tourism development of the southwestern area.
Montalvo said the recent ruling means that 362 million square meters that had been fraudulently allotted to individuals have been returned to the state. The appropriations had affected protected areas within the Parque Nacional Jaragua. The case was begun in 1997, by the late lawyer Piky Lora, who demanded the state recover the property, starting a legal process that took 21 years to conclude in favor of the state. Lawyer Laura Acosta Lora would continue the case after her mother died, overcoming major obstacles.
Montalvo said that the Supreme Court ruling now opens doors for the development of the properties.
Meanwhile, environmental activist Yolanda Leon of Grupo Jaragua observed: "We hope that this ruling motivates, finally, the expropriation of the two illegal occupations that exist in Playa de la Cueva, outside the park and with excellent conditions, and that is what international investors want. We are concerned that these two occupations (Ecos del Mar and Rancho Typical Bahia de las Aguilas) have continued to expand and consolidate in recent years, and apparently have good sponsors, " she told Diario Libre.
Andrés Marranzini, executive vice president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores) told Diario Libre reporters that Bahía de las Águilas is a privileged area in the world where, necessarily, sustainable tourism must be carried out. He expects the government will make known details of the negotiations ongoing for developments.
Meanwhile, Marino Jose Vilomar of the Pedernales tourism cluster said that the government is giving ambiguous signals. He told Diario Libre that the area needs to be developed as a low-density tourism zone so as not to affect the vulnerable environment. But he said he is equally concerned about the Medina administration’s openness to mining exploitation in the area. He said in November 2018 by Presidential Decree 430-18 an area close to Bahia de las Aguilas was declared the Avila Fiscal Reserve for Mining Exploitation despite being inside the Jaragua Biosphere Reserve.
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...guilas-como-victoria-de-todos-los-dominicanos
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...ron-primero-a-bahia-de-las-aguilas-IC11757861
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...zona-de-la-provincia-de-pedernales-GG11422206
Work advances on Monte Plata mega church
On Saturday, 29 December 2018, President Danilo Medina visited the construction site of the Santuario Santo Cristo de los Milagros, a mega church the Medina administration is funding in Bayaguana, Monte Plata province. This is a follow up to a visit he made about a year ago.
The church will have seated capacity for 1,800. It is built by the Office of Supervisory Engineers of Public Works (OISOE), the Presidency construction agency.
The sanctuary is described as one of the few Christocentric sanctuaries in Latin America. It will focus on Jesus Christ’s life, the post-Jesus era and the Catholic Church, as has explained Senator Charlie Mariotti, one of the main promoters of the center in government. It will have market areas for arts and crafts, food producers and bicycle paths.
The promoters of the new religious facility intend it to become a major religious tourism attraction in the country. Monte Plata shares a border with the provinces of Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris), Sanchez Ramirez (Cotui), Hato Mayor, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo, San Cristobal and Monseñor Nouel (Bonao). The senator expects the sanctuary to have an impact on religious fervor and the economy. It is estimated to cost upwards of RD$300 million, including access roads.
http://hoy.com.do/danilo-medina-supervisa-construccion-de-santuario-en-municipio-bayaguana/
DR leads in growth in Latin America
The Central Bank has released a report with a glowing picture of the Dominican economy for 2018. Central Bank Governor Hector Valdez Albizu noted that the results of the latest figures show that the DR is the leading economy in Latin America as far as growth is concerned.
The Central Bank says the economy should close at around 7% GDP growth. The aforementioned value, estimated by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), is higher than the original estimated goal of five percent growth.
Dynamic sectors of the economy leading the growth are communications (11%), construction (10.6%), export free zones (9.1%), health (8.8%), commerce 8.5%, financial services (7.9%), sector that is most driving the expansion of the economy with 12% followed by construction with (10.6%), commerce (8.9%) and farming (6.5%), warehousing and transport (6.5%), domestic manufacturing (6%), energy and water (5.7%), hotels & restaurants (5.6%), among others.
Peso depreciation was kept under control with the exchange rate of 50.12 pesos for one dollar comparative to the estimated 50.17 to the dollar. Inflation is expected to end the year at 1.3%.
The Central Bank reports that Gross International Reserves (hard currencies), as of 26 December 2018 were US$7.2 billion, which equals about four months worth of imports.
Central Bank governor Valdez Albizu presented the report at an assembly of the top ranking officers of the bank. He detailed that according to preliminary numbers from the Monthly Economic Activity Index, the growth is the result of the 6.9% performance from January through September and a 7.1% performance in the last quarter of the year. The report noted that communications, construction and the free zones were all double-digit contributors to the growth, but health, commerce and financial services were all above the 7% level.
Another look at the economic performance by Pavel Isa Contreras is a bit more somber, but still highlights the solid GDP performance of the economy. Isa Contreras said growth had been forecasted to be between an optimistic 5.5% and a less positive 5.0% for the year, back in January. Isa Contreras says that a GDP growth of 6.5% is most likely. He sees just an 11.1% jobless rate among the economically active population. This is a continuation of a downward trend that began in 2014.
Regarding inflation and the exchange rate, Isa Contreras says that with the available data, he feels that inflation will not top 2% for the year.
Isa Contreras says that his analysis shows that there are three areas that contributed to the stable economy outcome: the tumble in oil prices since October; the containment by the Central Bank of the exchange rates that in turn allowed for the slow inflation and lesser devaluation of the Dominican peso and the Central Bank’s restrictive monetary policy. This is something Isa Contreras attributes to the tight reins the bank has on liquidity, as seen in the M1 (money in circulation) that in October was some RD$15 billion less than in June.
However, as an astute observer, the economist notes that a lot of all of this is due to maneuvers by the Central Bank involving more debt. The total debt of the Central Bank was pegged at RD$559 billion, more than RD$78.6 billion more than in 2017 and RD$85.7 billion more than in September of this year. As a result, interest rates are up.
https://www.bancentral.gov.do/a/d/4188-economia-dominicana-crece-70-en-el-ano-2018
Qatar and DR sign sports agreement
The Ministry of Foreign Relations signed a memorandum of understanding with the State of Qatar for cooperation in sports. Acting charge d’affaires at the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the Dominican Republic, Khalid Mohammed Al Sharshani, signed for Qatar and Sports Minister Danilo Diaz for the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo.
https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/a...blic-sign-MoU-for-cooperation-in-sports-field
More soldiers sent to the border with Haiti
Presidents Trump and Medina have something in common: both have deployed thousands of troops on their country’s border. President Danilo Medina has authorized the stationing of 7,000 Dominican military personnel on the border with Haiti in an effort to halt illegal immigration. Some 600 new troops were dispatched to the border along with helicopters, speedboats to patrol the coastlines, 15 sturdy, off-road motorcycles to patrol the most remote areas, and all-terrain vehicles.
As reported by the government, the new deployment of military personnel supplements the 6,400 armed service men and women already stationed along the Haitian border since early March 2018. The plan called “The Joint Interagency Task Force ‘Frontier Fence’ is charged with stemming the illegal flow of persons, firearms, controlled substances and contraband across the border.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...os-acantonados-en-la-zona-frontera-MF11726659
Haitian farm hands settle in Valle Nuevo
Listin Diario and Diario Libre have carried reports over the Christmas holidays on the continuing presence of Haitian farm workers in the protected Constanza province mountain areas. The Ministry of Environment under former head, Francisco Dominguez Brito had ordered an end to farming in the area on grounds that it is an importance source of water for the country.
The investigative reports say that despite the past order, the new authorities under Environment Minister Angel Estevez are not following up on the eviction and farming control in the area. Listin Diario says that in the area of La Curva de El Convento has been taken over by the Haitian farm hands, replacing the Dominicans who left when farming was banned. The Ministry of Environment under Angel Estevez insists that the Haitian farmer settlements are located outside of the vulnerable areas.
Diario Libre focused also on how the bad farming practices are affecting the river levels in the same Constanza province area.
https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2018/12/29/547473/los-haitianos-ni-nos-quitan-ni-nos-dan
http://hoy.com.do/medio-ambiente-asegura-haitianos-estan-fuera-parque/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...s-se-instalan-en-zonas-cercanas-a-valle-nuevo
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-intermitente-ahora-es-una-letrina-EP11699418
Asonahores and Asoleste withdraw from land use case
The National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) and the Association of Hotels of the East (Asoleste) announced they would withdraw from legal actions taken against the abrupt government change in the land use regulations in the eastern tourism region. The hotel people protested the unilateral actions taken to allow high rises in Punta Cana beach areas. The associations say the decision is to facilitate dialogue with the government and the Ministry of Tourism on the change in the land use regulations for the eastern region of the country. The tourism associations had filed a case against the Ministry of Tourism with the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) for violations of government procedures in the change of the land use rules.
"It is important to point out that Asonahores and Asoleste, throughout their history, have shown that they prefer dialogue as a way to find a solution to the differences that may arise with the authorities in the areas of tourism development," reads the press release announcing the end to legal actions.
In the press release, the associations reaffirmed their concern of the possible impacts of the change and its effect on the sustainability of the area that until recently had focused on low rise and low density development making it the most successful tourism development in the Caribbean and Central America in recent years.
The press release stated that a meeting is scheduled for January 2019 at the Ministry of Tourism to continue the talks.
17 deaths over Christmas holidays
The Center for Emergency Operations said 17 persons died over the Christmas holidays (24, 25 December 2018) in traffic accidents, of which in 16 of these a motorcyclist was involved. This is similar to the 15 deaths reported in 2017. The Center for Emergency Operations coordinated a major national effort for road safety over the holidays. With the participation of 39,233 people including volunteers, paramedics, medics, military and rescue specialists that worked from Sunday, 23 December through Christmas Day.
https://elnacional.com.do/mueren-16-personas-en-accidentes-motos-durante-las-fiestas/
http://coe.gob.do
Cracking down on motorcyclist racing
Will the Military and Police Commission of the Ministry of Public Works (MOPC) take action and arrest the motorcyclists that have converted national roads and highways into race tracks? The rash youths racing their motorcycles have caused numerous deaths and injuries.
Armada captain Luis Manuel Feliz Jose said the authorities have confiscated over the holidays the motorcycles of several youth who were racing on the La Romana by-pass road in the opposite direction. A statement from the MOPC says that in most traffic accidents there is a motorcyclist involved. It highlights how the races are a “headache” for the authorities and on how in the most spectacular and instantaneous ways the young lose their lives. He said that drivers constantly have to take extreme precautions to ensure that these suicide motorcyclists do not crash their vehicles.
https://www.metrord.do/do/destacado...rculen-via-contraria-participen-carreras.html
People want to know where the money from traffic fines is going
The transportation secretary of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Mario Diaz demanded to know just what the government is doing with the money it collects from traffic fines. He called for Franchesca de los Santos, the head of the National Traffic Institute (Intrant), to explain where the money is used.
He noted that the Law 63-17 allots 75% of the funds generated by traffic fines to the Attorney General’s Office, and the remaining 25% to fund Intrant.
Despite the passing of the new transit and traffic law in 2017, the Intrant has yet to file the draft for the implementation of the ruling that would put in effect the new regulations contemplated in the law. As a result, most of the efforts of the new agency are still in the planning stage.
https://elnacional.com.do/demandan-...de-fondos-generados-por-multas-a-conductores/
Trending topic over the holidays: Bad senator, bad senator
A YouTube video circulated on social media putting in evidence how the ruling party PLD senator for Samana, 75-year old Prim Pujals got involved in a heated discussion with a yet unnamed citizen who called out Pujals for butting into a line at a bank. The long-term legislator and politician called the person who had complained “a damn N – word.” The discussion came about because Pujals did not want to stand in line to be served.
The heated exchange was captured on video. In it, the individual tells the legislator “you can be whoever you are”, adding “we all have rights.” Several of the people who made videos of the heated exchange told reporters that the confrontation came about because Pujals cut into the line at the bank, without waiting his turn. They told the man: “You are a piece of s---,; do you have a gun in order to kill me, you damned N-----!”
The man told the senator: “You can be whoever you are, we all have rights, (…) of course I will video it, you are not seeing what you are doing.” Others in the line said “this is right, tape it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38mKhxKGA2w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MpXG2NN03k
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-ciudadano-por-la-fila-de-un-banco-GD11740879
Father delivers child for sex with aging Canadian?
The Police identified as Yvon Joseph Ghislain Gaudet, a 69-year old man arrested for allegedly attempting to have sexual relations with a seven year old child in Sosua, Puerto Plata. The elderly man had obtained the consent of the father of the little girl. The father of the child has not been named by the Police to protect the identity of the child but is also under arrest.
The Police said the arrest took place at a hotel located on Calle Guatemala in Batey Sosua. As reported by the Police, the father delivered the child to the elderly’s hotel room.
https://elnacional.com.do/apresan-c...-de-siete-anos-padre-menor-habria-consentido/
http://www.policianacional.gob.do/n...laciones-sexuales-con-una-nina-de-siete-anos/
Los Toros take the lead in baseball championship
The Dominican Professional Winter Baseball Championship resumes today after the New Year holiday break. The Toros del Este are in the lead after winning five of their first seven games played of the 18-game round robin to decide the playoff teams. Over the holidays, the many fans of the Tigres del Licey watched how their team did exactly the opposite with five losses and only two wins.
The Leones del Escogido are in second place, with 4 wins and 3 losses, and the Estrellas Orientales have three wins and four losses.
The series continues on Wednesday, 2 January through 14 January 2019 with matches at the Santo Domingo, La Romana and San Pedro de Macoris ball parks.
The semifinal round is formatted as “all against all,” in which the four teams play a total of 18 games, six against each of the rivals. The two teams with the best record during the round robin face off in the finals. If before the 18 games are completed two teams qualify for the finals, the round robin 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 to be played in Venezuela from 2 to 8 February 2019.
http://www.lidom.com/home/calendario/