DR1 Daily News - Thursday, 14 February 2019

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Next DR1 Daily News update: Monday, 18 February 2019
President Sergio Mattarella hosts Medina at Palazzo del Quirinale
Medina’s Surprise Visits Program takes him to IFAD Governors Council
Rome multi-utility ACEA interested in doing business in DR
DR signs extradition agreement with Italy
Central Bank announces RD$10 and RD$50 currency to be gradually replaced
CAASD reports pipeline breakdown
400 low cost condom dispensing machines at universities and malls
New electoral law prosecutor is under Attorney General
Dominican democracy is too expensive
Deputy says Germany outlawed electronic voting and DR should do the same
Taveras Guzmán to use “no reelection” as his campaign cry
Israel offers technology to protect Dominican border with Haiti
30 years sentence to man who killed neighbor in Gascue parking lot
Dominican from Moca wins a Grammy
Carnival parade at Sambil
Romantic comedy at Escenario 360
Pamel Mancebo at Studio Theater
Marielle Hazlo at Hard Rock Café Punta Cana



Next DR1 Daily News update: Monday, 18 February 2019
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 18 February 2019. The Monday issue will compile headline news for the previous Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Breaking news can be followed 24/7 in the Forums. the DR1 Forum at http://www.dr1.com


President Sergio Mattarella hosts Medina at Palazzo del Quirinale
President Danilo Medina met on Wednesday, 13 February 2019 with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Palazzo del Quirinale, the historic building in Rome that serves as current official residence of the President of Italy.

At the palace, the Italian statesman hosted a luncheon in honor of President Medina and his committee. President Medina’s official committee is made up by Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas; Presidency Minister Gustavo Montalvo; Administrative Minister of the Presidency José Ramón Peralta; Agriculture Minister Osmar Benítez; Antonio Vargas, national authorizing officer for the European Development Fund for the Dominican Republic, Dominican ambassador in Italy; Alba María (Peggy) Cabral; ambassador to the Holy See, Victor Grimaldi; Mario Arvelo Caamaño, permanent representative to United Nations agencies in Rome and president of the Global Food Safety Committee; Carlos Pared Pérez, special assistant to President Medina; and Roberto Rodríguez Marchena, spokesman for the government, among others.

For the occasion of the meeting with Mattarella, the ambassador of Italy in the Dominican Republic Andrea Canepari contributed a commentary on Dominican-Italian relations to Diario Libre where he observes:
“In fact, our economies are synergistic and I really believe that with the visit of His Excellency President Medina and the talks he will hold with the Most Excellent President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, history and the future will come together to create a picture of progress together.”

Canepari recalls that Christopher Columbus and heroe of Dominican independence and founder of the Dominican navy, Juan Bautista Cambiaso, were both from Genoa, Italy. “Italians and Dominicans together created journalism in this country, strengthened ecclesiastical institutions, brought technology for the development of livestock and agriculture, developed the tourism industry and created art,” Canepari wrote.

President Medina arrived to Rome on 12 February to participate in the 42nd International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Governors Council on 14-15 February 2019.

https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...y-ofrece-almuerzo-danilo-medina-en-el-palacio
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/en-directo/una-visita-esperanzadora-KL12080749


Medina’s Surprise Visits Program takes him to IFAD Governors Council
Permanent representative of the Dominican Republic to the Rome-based UN agencies and the chairperson of the Committee on World Food Security, ambassador Mario Arvelo highlighted the importance of President Danilo Medina’s visit to Rome to participate in the 42nd International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Governors Council on 14-15 February 2019. Arvelo highlighted the significance of the participation given the rural sustainable development program, “Surprise Visits” enacted by President Medina since his first administration began in 2012.

President Danilo Medina will be one of the keynote speakers at the IFAD meeting. Pope Francisco will also be speaking at the meeting that is to be held at the seat of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome.

Arvelo explained that the president of the IFAD, Gilbert F. Houngbo is receiving Medina to recognize the particularly important role the Dominican government Surprise Visits Program has represented for sustainable rural development in the Dominican Republic. IFAD sees the program as a model to replicate in the rest of the world. President Medina is scheduled to speak to the plenary of governors of the more than 190 countries that make up the organization.

"In this way, the President will reaffirm the country's commitment to the objectives of the institution that seeks to promote the development of women in farming,” said Arvelo. He also highlighted that IFAD provides financial resources and technical cooperation to promote sustainable rural development.

In Rome, Antonio Vargas, national authorizing officer for the European Development Fund, said that President Medina is the only president who faithfully applies the mission of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) that is to facilitate that people in poor rural zones can increase their income to improve their food security. He said this has been at the forefront of the 237 Surprise Visits President Medina has been carrying out during the past six years. “The numbers tell for themselves,” said the Dominican government officer. He said as the result of the program, more than 1,800 productive projects and community development projects have been financed by the RD$39.4 billion in government funds. He said that 85% of farm produce consumed in the country is produced in the country.

The council will be an opportunity to share the Dominican Surprise Visit program that turns small and medium-sized producers into agri-businessmen.

https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...acion-de-danilo-medina-para-el-fida-por-labor
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias...ielmente-la-mision-del-fida-las-cifras-hablan


Rome multi-utility ACEA interested in doing business in DR
President Danilo Medina met in Rome with chief executive of the Azienda Comunale Energia e Ambiente (ACEA), the Rome multi-utility company. Company administrator Stefano Antonio Donnarumma presented several ventures and explained the utility is interested in exploring doing business in the Dominican Republic. The Municipality of Rome owns the utility whose core business is production and distribution of electric energy and water.

President Medina arrived on 12 February 2019 to Rome to participate in the 42nd International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Governors Council on 14-15 February 2019.


DR signs extradition agreement with Italy
Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas of the Dominican Republic signed an extradition agreement and a judicial assistance agreement with Italian Justice Minister Alfonso Bonafede during his visit in Rome, Italy. Vargas Maldonado is in Italy as part of the official delegation accompanying President Danilo Medina to the 42nd International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Governors Council on 14-15 February 2019.

The agreements seek to advance collaboration of both countries to combat organized crime and drug trafficking.

The agreements were negotiated in 2018 and are part of efforts of the Italian government to reinforce collaboration with Latin America. From 2016 to 2017, the Italian authorities presented 12 requests for extradition to the Dominican Republic.

http://www.mirex.gob.do/medios/noti...as-suscribe-tratado-de-extradicion-con-italia


Central Bank announces RD$10 and RD$50 currency to be gradually replaced
The Central Bank announces that as of Friday, 15 February 2019 new RD$10 coins and new RD$50.00 bills will co-exist with currency already in circulation.

The Central Bank explains that the RD$10 coin, year 2017, will show the inscription “Dominican Pesos” under the national coat of arms, in compliance with the constitutional mandate that indicates that the national monetary unit is the Dominican Peso.

Likewise, the RD$50 bill, 2017 series, will contain the new logo for the Central Bank, accompanied by the value of the denomination in numerical characters, printed in violet lithography. This change is made in compliance with the mandate of the Monetary Board, which authorized the incorporation, beginning in 2017, of the new symbol of institutional visual identity in all denominations of banknotes.

https://www.bancentral.gov.do/a/d/4...la-moneda-de-rd1000-y-en-el-billete-de-rd5000


CAASD reports pipeline breakdown
The Santo Domingo Aqueducts and Water Sewage Corporation (CAASD) announced that a major breakdown "of great proportions" affected the main pipeline from Valdesia Dam to Santo Domingo. The leakage occurred in an aggregate construction material plant located in Batey Bienvenido in Manoguayabo, northern Santo Domingo.

Alejandro Montás, director of the CAASD, said the breakdown would affect water supply to 80 sectors in Greater Santo Domingo for a week. Among those affected will be:
María Auxiliadora, Mejoramiento Social, La Ciénaga, Los Guandules, Guachupita, 27 de Febrero, Villa María, Villa Juana, Villas Agrícolas, Villa Consuelo, Ensanche Kennedy, La Agustina, La Agustinita, Cristo Rey, La Puya, Arroyo Hondo Viejo I, II and III; Cuesta Hermosa, Cuesta Brava, Los Ríos, Los Jardines, Claret, Galá, Colinas del Seminario, Ciudad Real I and II, Villa Claudia, Villa Isabel, Villa Graciela and Carmen María.

Also Km 14 Duarte Highway, Los Cocos de Pantoja; Gascue, Ciudad Nueva, Ciudad Colonial, San Carlos, Don Bosco, Villa Francisca, Los Prados, Los Praditos, Bella Vista, Quisqueya, Naco, Piantini, Miraflores, El Millón, Ensanche Paraíso, among others.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...80-sectores-del-gran-santo-domingo-CK12093166
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...cta-linea-de-acueducto-valdesia-santo-domingo


400 low cost condom dispensing machines at universities and malls
The National AIDS/HIV Council (Conavihsida) and ProFamilia non-governmental organization announced the start of a project to install 400 condom-dispensing machines in shopping malls and universities to prevent sexually transmissible diseases, non-planned pregnancies and AIDS/HIV. The program calls for the placement of 15 million quality condoms in those machines for sale at below market prices.

The target market are youths ages 15 to 19 years in the National District, Santo Domingo, Santiago, Duarte, San Juan and Barahona, San Pedro de Macoris and La Altagracia provinces.

The executive director of Conavihsida, Víctor Terrero said that the focus is on prevention. He said: “In the past three months, 53% of the population with university studies has had a high risk relationship. Of those, 62% were women in a first relationship with their boyfriends and 31% with friends. And 50.8% were men in a first relationship with their girlfriends.”

The program will last for three years. Conavihsida will be donating in the first year, 35 condom dispensing machines, 85 in the second year and 150 in the third. Profamilia will purchase 130 of the same machines for incorporating in the program, for the total of 400 machines. The program ahs an estimated cost of US$149,000.

Magaly Caram, executive director of Profamilia, expects the program to have a positive impact on the sexual and reproductive health of university students.

https://acento.com.do/2019/salud/8651141-instalaran-maquinas-expendedoras-condones-prevenir-sida/


New electoral law prosecutor is under Attorney General
There has been widespread criticism of the creating of the position of a specialized prosecution service for electoral matters in the recently passed Electoral Regime Bill. The bill is but pending the signing and publishing by President Danilo Medina to become law in time for its implementation for the 2020 general election.

Art. 289 of the new bill establishes that the new prosecutor who is in charge of persecuting electoral crimes will be under the Public Ministry. Foundation for Institutionalism and Justice (Finjus) director Servio Tulio Castaños questioned the impartiality a prosecutor who will be under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General, who in turn is a political appointee named by the President.

Furthermore, an editorial in Diario Libre on 12 February 2019, highlights that the specialized attorney would lack the required independence so as not to be accused of partiality in the exercise of the role.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...ral-entre-expectativas-y-las-dudas-GL12089539 https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/editorial/un-natimuerto-OL12080680


Dominican democracy is too expensive
Executive editor of Diario Libre, Adriano Miguel Tejada remarks that Dominican democracy is too expensive. In his 13 February editorial, Tejada points out that the National Congress and the political parties wouldn’t resist a cost-benefit analysis.

Tejada observes that with a little less than 200 members, Congress will cost RD$7.28 billion in 2019, that is RD$100,000 a day per legislator. He says that what exactly they do in favor of the Dominican people is hard to see. Moreover, he makes the point that this high total does not include the tax exemption the legislators receive that is in the billions.

Moreover, he writes that the Central Electoral Board (JCE) will spend RD$7 billion in this pre-electoral year. And political parties are now asking for more for the “new digital game” that is called primaries.

He highlights that the RD$600 million cost allotted this year to the Superior Electoral Board (TSA), should be added on to the high cost of democracy. Its limited range of action puts its use in doubt, he observes.
Furthermore, Tejada says these numbers exclude the biggest expense of all that is the millions that go for political patronage jobs, the ‘botellas’ and ‘nominillas’ “and whatever the politicians can invent to fleece the state.” He says the system has to start acting rationally or there will come a political change with unpredictable consequences.

https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/am/una-democracia-demasiado-cara-FE12077570


Deputy says Germany outlawed electronic voting and DR should do the same
Parlacen deputy, Ramon Emilio Goris Taveras, who is also secretary general of the minority party, the Partido Humanista Dominicano (PHD), called for generalized opposition to the bid for electronic voting sought by the Central Electoral Board (JCE), the state organization in charge of organization the 2020 general election.

Goris Taveras says these machines are not trustworthy. "Computerized devices do not offer a minimum audit guarantee in computer software," he said. He noted that developed countries such as Germany "have discontinued this system of electronic voting and transmission of results."

The deputy and leader of the PHD says that the greatest reference of technological advances, the American Bill Gates, argues that the last thing to use in elections would be information technology.

Goris Taveras insisted that the parties Revolucionario Moderno (PRM), Opción Democrática (OD) and Alianza País (Al Pais) should not accept the application of electronic voting in the simultaneous primaries to choose their candidates for the 2020 elections set for 6 October 2019.

http://hoy.com.do/dirigente-del-par...-electronico-en-primarias-por-poco-confiable/
https://www.ndi.org/e-voting-guide/examples/constitutionality-of-electronic-voting-germany


Taveras Guzmán to use “no reelection” as his campaign cry
Formerly president of the National Herrera Industries Association, Antonio Taveras Guzman launched his national campaign for a shot at a candidacy in the 2020 general election. He began symbolically, taking off in his campaign bus from the Puerta de la Misericordia, the historic gates to the Colonial City where the Dominican nationality was proclaimed on 27 February 1844.

Taveras has plans to visit the main provinces in the country to encourage citizens to unit against re-election and the damages this has historically caused to the Dominican people. His first stop will be in Espaillat province. His parents are from Moca. Next he will tour Hermanas Mirabal and San Francisco de Macoris provinces in the northeast.

He said: “The people have awakened and will mobilize in the streets of the whole country against the current regime of corruption and impunity. We are millions who think and feel the same. We are ready to tell Danilo Medina and all his partners "no to reelection", because re-election means the continuity of robbery, crime, insecurity and the fear of walking freely through our streets and public spaces.”

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...politico-con-un-no-a-la-reeleccion-KL12088165


Israel offers technology to protect Dominican border with Haiti
In an interview with El Dia on 13 February 2019, the Israeli ambassador in the Dominican Republic, Daniel Biran offered Israeli assistance and experience for the Dominican-Haitian border control. “We have all kinds of technologies and alternatives for the border,” he stated. He mentioned the use of drones and satellite surveillance, among options that could be used to eradicate contraband and illegal migration. He said given that the border is 376 km long, a large and long-term project would be needed.

"Although the conditions of the State of Israel and those of here are not the same, I believe that we can contribute our experience, since each country has the obligation to protect its limits," he stressed.

Ambassador Biran also offered Israeli technology for agriculture production in difficult natural conditions. He spoke of interest of Israeli in backing bilateral commerce that now is one-sided inclined heavily in favor of Israel.

He also said that Israel could contribute to reduce traffic accidents in the country with the installation of sensory devices in vehicles to control speed.

https://eldia.com.do/israel-ofrece-brindar-tecnologia-para-proteger-la-frontera-haiti-rd/


30 years sentence to man who killed neighbor in Gascue parking lot
Presiding judge Arlin Ventura of the Third Collegiate Court of the National District found Sonaría Labrada Amor guilty of killing by gunshot his neighbor Johnny Perez Cepeda. He received the maximum sentence of 30 years at the Najayo jail. Labrada was also ordered to pay RD$2 million in compensation to the widow and her children.

Labrada shot his neighbor whom he accused of parking his vehicle impeding him from leaving his house located at Calle Carrera, Ensanche Lugo in Gascue. Neighbors testified the two had had several heated discussions and legal encounters for different personal problems.

https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-vecino-por-discusion-de-un-parqueo-en-gascue


Dominican from Moca wins a Grammy
"All the Sounds" won a Grammy Award for Best Children's Album on Sunday, 10 February 2019. Turns out that the lead singer is a US-born daughter of a Dominican mom and Puerto Rican father. Lucy Kalantari is the lead vocalist of the winning music group, Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats.

Kalantari spent much of her childhood in Moca where she began her musical training. She grew up in Moca until she was 15, but when her parents divorced the family moved to the United States with the father.

Group members are six-year old Darius (cello and responder), Linus Wyrsch (clarinet, responder), Larry Cook (bass, responder), Rich Kulsar (drums, responder), Denise Barbarita (recording & mixing engineer) and Mr. Opera Man (Opera in Bunny Hop).
All the Sounds had already won 2018 Parents' Choice Silver Honor Award and had been named “Best New Latin Kids Music” by Billboard, 2018.

https://lucykalantari.com/home/blog/we-won-a-grammy-whaaaa
https://www.diariolibre.com/revista...rigen-mocano-ganadora-de-un-grammy-ML12089603


Carnival parade at Sambil
This Saturday, 16 February 2019, carnival characters will be parading through the halls of the Sambil shopping mall on Av. John F. Kennedy from 6pm. The “Tu País es Primero” show is presented by the Comparsas Kanibarú.


Romantic comedy at Escenario 360
Patricia Muñoz and Juan Manuel Rodríguez, directed by Germana Quintana, star in “Yes, I Accept” (Sí, acepto) at the Escenario 360 of the Galeria 360 mall on Av. John F. Kennedy on 14 and 15 February 2019. The plot is about a couple where he wants to get married and she is concerned getting married could ruin their relationship. Tickets are RD$300 and are for sale at the box office of Escenario 360.


Pamel Mancebo at Studio Theater
Pamel Mancebo is booked for Friday, 15 February and Saturday, 16 February at the Studio Theater of Acropolis Mall on Av. Winston Churchill. The Pamel Unplugged concert is going for RD$1,085 that includes the three productions by the romantic singer and songwriter. Tickets are available at Uepa Tickets online and at the Supermercados Nacional and Jumbo stores.


Marielle Hazlo at Hard Rock Café Punta Cana
24-year old Marielle Hazlo (Marielle Hazoury Lora) is performing this Saturday, 16 February at Hard Rock Café Punta Cana. Born in Miami, USA, Marielle is a singer and composer who got her start studying piano and guitar in Santo Domingo. At 16 years old, she was the Dominican opening in a concert with Colombian pop star Juanes.

Marielle studied performance and theater at Suffolk University in Boston and took acting classes at the New York Film Academy. She launched her first album, “Estando Contigo” in 2015 and made the No. 1 in urban genre in Colombia, and entered new Latin markets of Peru and Ecuador. This would be followed by “Nadie Mas que Tu,” a pop fusion album with Caribbean touches that reached the top music charts in Colombia.

In her performance at the Hard Rock Café Punta Cana, Marielle will be singing from her second album produced by Master Chris.

The Hard Rock Café Punta Cana is located in Blue Mall Punta Cana at the intersection of Boulevard Turístico del Este and Carretera Juanillo.

https://www.agenciajaque.com/artistas/biografia-marielle/

Check out more events for Valentine’s Day at http://www.dr1.com/calendar