DR1 Daily News - Monday, 11 March 2019

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Salaries take a big chunk of government expenditures
Dominican Republic officially recognizes Guaidó government
Jose Miguel Soto Jimenez named ambassador to United Arab Emirates
AIRD study calls for strengthening supply chain
Digesett recovers 20 stolen vehicles
Coming soon: electric taxis
Drought, insect invasion and now forest fires devastate forests
Financial fraud cases point to weaknesses in the Superintendence of Banks
A call for a bridge over Bajabonico River at El Castillo
Nuria Piera lashes out at President Danilo Medina in Miriam Germán Brito case
Carlos Salcedo: Jean Alain Rodríguez’s actions discredited National Council of the Magistracy
Opposition legislators call for interpellation of Attorney General
Attorney General Office says Rodríguez wasn't in NYC shopping, he was working
Supreme Court president says CNM will address judge Germán Brito case during Wednesday meeting
The very messy Yuniol Ramírez murder case of Yuniol Ramirez won’t disappear
Man who organized fatal voyage to Puerto Rico arrested
Severe drought continues in the northwest
Venezuelans caught stealing expensive watches in El Cibao
Juan Luis Guerra sets new record in Tenerife show


Salaries take a big chunk of government expenditures
The payment of salaries and debt was almost a third of the total government expenditures registered in January 2019, when these hit RD$14.62 billion, according to information published by the Information System on Financial Management. (SIGEF). This compares to RD$12.7 billion in January 2018, a 15% increase. In general, public expenditures totaled in January 2019 RD$53.9 billion.

Government wage spending will be significantly up as of April 2019. According to current salary levels, wages will increase by 95.4%, 10% and 5%. Debt payments were 25.4% of the total, or RD$13.7 billion. This means that for every RD$100 the government spent, RD$52.50 went to pay wages and interest on the Non-Financial Public Sector Debt.

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...presenta-casi-30-del-gasto-publico-PH12266889


Dominican Republic officially recognizes Guaidó government
The administration of President Danilo Medina has officially recognized the government of Juan Guaidó of Venezuela. Guaidó, who on 23 February 2019 proclaimed himself acting president, Guaidó has been recognized by around 50 nations worldwide. Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado advanced that the ambassador appointed by Guaidó, Eusebio Carlino Linares, would be received with full honors upon his arrival.

https://elnacional.com.do/gobierno-rd-reconoce-embajador-de-guaido/


Jose Miguel Soto Jimenez named ambassador to United Arab Emirates
Former Defense Minister Jose Miguel Soto Jiménez was appointed ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. Soto Jiménez was the Dominican ambassador to Taiwan at the time of the break in relations for the signing instead with the People’s Republic of China on 1 May 2018. At the time he received an order from the Ministry of Foreign Relations to close the mission and return to the Dominican Republic in 30 days.

Soto Jiménez was appointed to the Arabian embassy in Decree 81-19 issued on 8 March 2019.


AIRD study calls for strengthening supply chain
A recent Dominican Republic Association of Industries (AIRD) study emphasizes the importance of strengthening the productive linkages between local companies and export free zones. The consolidation of this model would support inclusive growth between the free zone companies and the rest of the economy, says the study, “Fomento de Encadenamientos Productivos en el País (Promoting Productive Chain in the Country), sponsored by the AIRD and the InterAmerican Development Bank (BID-FOMIN).

The study criticizes that free zones act as enclaves and calls for efforts to enable there be more local reliable suppliers in quality, cost and delivery for the generating of the desired productive linkages. This all requires an adequate business climate, economic and social stability.

Pavel Isa Contreras, Elka Scheker, Lynette Batista and Danny Rodríguez carried out the study for the AIRD. The study looks into the obstacles to promoting more productive chains in the Dominican Republic. Among these is a lack of trust and lack of coherence in public policies that foster capacities in local companies. Another obstacle is the present tax regime that favors the free zones importing inputs rather than sourcing locally.

Julio Virgilio Brache, vice president of the AIRD, in his opening words during the discussion on the finding of the report urged that local manufacturers receive the same tax treatment as the imports from foreign suppliers to the free zones and also to the tourism sector. The taxation schemes make it easy for major hotel chains to import their food from abroad rather than source locally. “The great challenge is that the authorities can resolve this situation to facilitate and promote linkages and make this a real state policy, to generate greater national added value," Brache stressed.

He highlighted that Dominican free zones purchased US$4 billion in inputs last year, but of this only 20% was on the local market. Brache considers there is the potential that US$3.2 billion be bought locally.
Brache encouraged Dominican manufacturers to visualize productive linkages as a clear strategy that favors their efficiency and promotes long-term business partnerships, which can result in large manufacturing capacity and the opening of doors to new markets.

https://acento.com.do/2019/economia...tencialidades-encadenamientos-productivos-rd/
https://www.eldinero.com.do/79305/e...lidades-de-encadenamientos-productivos-en-rd/
http://competitividad.gob.do/index....greement-to-generate-greater-productive-chain


Digesett recovers 20 stolen vehicles
The Traffic Safety Agency (Digesett) has reported the recovery of 20 vehicles that were stolen and altered somewhat to avoid recovery. In some case, the chassis was altered. Among the vehicles recovered are 15 motorcycles, three Daihatsu HiJet, a Nissan sedan and a Toyota.

A Digesett press release said that five of the motorcycles had been retained as a result of violations of Law 63-17 (the old 241 traffic law, much reformed), and these were returned to their rightful owners who had previously reported their loss to the authorities.

The five four-wheel vehicles were sent to the Justice Department in order to investigate whether their documents or chassis ID numbers had been altered. The remaining ten motorcycles are still at Digesett undergoing investigation as to their real owners, since some of them have not been reported as stolen or missing.

http://digesett.gob.do/index.php/no...ecuperar-vehiculos-robados-y-con-alteraciones


Coming soon: electric taxis
The Central Nacional de Transportistas Unificados (CNTU) is the first transport company to announce it will be investing in a fleet of electric cars for taxi service and school transport. The president of the CNTU, William Pérez Figuereo said the company is working with Zero Emision RD that promotes electric cars in the country. He said the CNTU would import 3,000 electric cars from Korea. He says the company expects to replace at least 20% of their fleet, around 110,000 vehicles, in a five year span.

Pérez Figuereo expects to pass on a 30% savings in fares to consumers. As reported in El Dia, electric cars only pay 50% of the import taxes. Likewise, car owners will benefit from a 70% savings on operational costs.

Zero Emision RD president, Charles Sanchez says that the vehicles will cost US$18,000 to US$25,000 and the purchase also benefits from the trust fund for their import created by the government’s Transport and Transit Institute (Intrant).

CNTU will be importing buses and taxi vehicles to be used on the Los Alcarrizos, Km. 9, Bonao to Santo Domingo routes. They will also serve passengers demanding the service at supermarkets and mega stores in Santo Domingo.

CNTU says there are already 20 charge points for the vehicles in Santo Domingo, the Cibao and the East. These feed off solar energy so are not a burden for the national power grid.

https://eldia.com.do/cntu-usara-carros-electricos-para-servicio-de-transporte-de-pasajeros/


Drought, insect invasion and now forest fires devastate forests
The forests of the Central Mountain Range, often a verdant backdrop to most vistas, are now spotted brown with the onset of an Ips (beetle) invasion, as reported previously. Recent reports say that over 400,000 trees have been affected.

Several month of drought have seriously weakened the forests’ ability to withstand the onslaught. Making matters worse, now forest fires are raging in the area of Jarabacoa in the Cieneguita Hills. Brigades from Jarabacoa, Buena Vista, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, and soldiers from the Army are trying to control the fire. This is the second fire within a week, but the previous event was quickly controlled.

Atmospheric temperature models from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) do not present a very good outlook for the near future, making the mountains highly susceptible to fire.

However, some rains have fallen in parts of the Cibao, lowering the risks somewhat, but not by any means ending the drought.

https://elnacional.com.do/incendio-forestal-afecta-zona-montanosa/
https://eldia.com.do/las-vacas-linieras-en-vez-de-leche-dan-pena-por-falta-de-agua-y-comida/


Financial fraud cases point to weaknesses in the Superintendence of Banks
The many cases of financial fraud uncovered over recent years have brought under suspicion the effectiveness of the controls exercised by the Superintendence of Banks and its complacency with financial company management irregularities. Lawyer Cesar Amadeo Peralta said that the big losers of the hanky-panky financial operations are the depositors. The expert called for better handling of the credit institutions. He recommended the creating of a Special Prosecutor for Financial Crimes to expedite these cases. He also called for the amendment of the Monetary and Financial Law. Peralta says that two-books systems, forged financial statements and presenting of unreal balances by the financial entities are all common operational schemes that have been used by the bankrupt entities.

https://elcaribe.com.do/2019/03/09/...tividad-controles-superintendencia-de-bancos/


A call for a bridge over Bajabonico River at El Castillo
The representatives of important entities in the area of Luperon, La Isabela, and La Isabela Historica (El Castillo) are calling on the government to finish a bridge started over 26 years ago by the late President Joaquin Balaguer. The bridge would allow tourists much easier access to the historical site. La Isabela is the site of the first European settlement in the Americas. Tours headed to La Ensenada and Punta Rucia beaches then could easily include El Castillo in the itinerary.

Likewise, the bridge would also make it easier for local farmers and cattlemen to get their products to market.

Currently, there are only two bridges over the Bajabonico River: one is the main highway bridge at Imbert, built after flooding from a hurricane wiped out the much lower original structure; the other is a steel bridge at El Estrecho that was built several years ago by Estrella construction company. Both are a long way from El Castillo.

https://eldia.com.do/entidades-piden-construccion-de-puente-que-une-la-isabela-con-luperon/


Nuria Piera lashes out at President Danilo Medina in Miriam Germán Brito case
Investigative journalist Nuria Piera said the Monday, 4 March 2019 assessment by Attorney General of Supreme Court of Justice judge Miriam Germán Brito has become a “failed political maneuver.” She criticized President Danilo Medina for not putting a stop to the statements by Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez when these were blatantly in violation to the National Council of the Magistracy ruling.

In addition to the violation of the ruling of the National Council of the Magistracy, the evidence presented in the assessment, including the anonymous letters, was later determined to be based on espionage and lies, said Piera during her recent TV presentation.

Piera speculated that President Danilo Medina, who presides the National Council of the Magistracy, did not act to put a stop to the questioning by Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez because the play had his backing.

In his comments after the interrogation by questioning by Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez, President Danilo Medina remarked that the judge [Miriam German Brito] could choose to not respond to any of the accusations and that the matter would be studied by the plenary of the Council.

“How can we ask the President to suspend the attorney general, I would ask him to suspend himself,” said Piera.

Expressing her indignation, Piera said: “The ostrich egg that your government has laid is too close to you. Silence makes you more suspicious.”

She concluded saying the President was responsible by action or omission.

In her statements, Piera also criticized that the president of the Supreme Court of Justice Mariano Germán remained mute despite the violation. The assessment by Attorney General Rodríguez was only objected to by the two opposition jurors, Jose Ignacio Paliza and Josefa Castillo of the PRM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDJ0DBv-t4o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0_sGCPp6rw


Carlos Salcedo: Jean Alain Rodríguez’s actions discredited National Council of the Magistracy
In an op-ed commentary in El Día on Friday, 8 March 2019, lawyer Carlos Salcedo said that the use of espionage and anonymous letters Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez “irresponsibly defamed” Supreme Court of Justice judge Miriam Germán Brito, who seeks to continue five more years at the court.

In the commentary, Salcedo says that the worst was that none of the members of the National Council of Magistracy ordered a stop to the “unchecked and unfair” questioning by Rodríguez. He said that the action, instead of discrediting the highly reputed judge, has elevated her status among Dominicans.

Salcedo advocated for the firing of the Attorney General and his removal from the National Council of the Magistracy to restore its credibility.

https://eldia.com.do/la-suerte-del-procurador-esta-echada/


Opposition legislators call for interpellation of Attorney General
Opposition party PRM legislators deposited in the Chamber of Deputies a request for the interpellation of Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez after his questioning of Judge Miriam Germán Brito during the assessments for Supreme Court of Justice on Monday, 4 March 2019. The questioning by Rodríguez was met with major rejection after the later violated the rulings for the assessment and based his questioning on two anonymous letters and based his allegations against her continuing in the post on statements made by a judge whose visa to travel to the United States has been revoked.

The deputies Faride Raful, Francisco Paulino, Robinson Díaz, Elías Báez, Gloria Reyes and Agustín Burgos requested that Rodríguez be summoned for questioning at the Chamber of Deputies.

The interpellation also seeks that the attorney general respond to the taping of the telephone number of judge Germán Brito.

The ruling PLD party majority Chamber of Deputy has majority in the Chamber of Deputies and the president of the Chamber of Deputies is known for his very close ties to President Danilo Medina.

https://listindiario.com/la-republi...dos-interpelacion-contra-jean-alain-rodriguez
https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2019/03/07/556389/pinchar-telefono-lleva-un-proceso


Attorney General Office says Rodríguez wasn't in NYC shopping, he was working
The Attorney General Office issued a press release on Sunday, 10 March 2019 showing a photo of Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez in a meeting in New York City with the New York Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill. Over the weekend, a photo had circulated on social media whereby Rodríguez was seen shopping in a men’s store in New York City.

Rodríguez had not been available to answer to criticism over his controversial assessment of Supreme Court of Justice judge Miriam Germán Brito. He left the country when criticism to his effectiveness as Attorney General was at an all time high. Critics highlighted the prosecutor had violated the ruling for the assessment when he presented anonymous letters as evidence of irregularities in assets of the judge, and a letter from a judge whose visa has been removed by the United States, also as evidence of reasons why the highly reputed judge should not continue in her post.

The Attorney General Office press release explained that Jean Alain Rodríguez had been in New York for meetings with the federal prosecutor to discuss national security matters. The Attorney General Office said he held meetings with United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman to discuss combating corruption, people smuggling and organized crime.
The Attorney General Office press release says that Rodriguez also met with Angel M. Melendez, the special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York City; New York Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill; Joseph Resnick and NY Police chief of intelligence Thomas Galati.

https://listindiario.com/la-republi...eguridad-nacional-y-el-comisionado-de-policia
https://elnacional.com.do/especulan-con-salida-procurador/
http://pgr.gob.do/2019/03/10/jean-r...rocurador-general-del-distrito-de-nueva-york/


Supreme Court president says CNM will address judge Germán Brito case during Wednesday meeting
The president of the Supreme Court of Justice remained mute when the ruling for the assessment of judges was openly violated by Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez during the latter’s participation in the Monday, 4 March 2019 session. Several days later, Supreme Court of Justice president Mariano Germán Mejía would announce that the matter would be discussed in the Wednesday, 13 March session of the National Council of the Magistracy.

Germán Mejía said his opinion would be given behind the closed doors of the council. “As president of the Supreme Court of Justice and as a person who respects our institutions, I deeply lament what has happened and our position will be presented during the next meeting of the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM). The CNM is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the recusal of Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez as a Supreme Court of Justice juror and that he may not have a vote in her bid to continue as a Supreme Court of Justice judge.

El Dia reported that in addition to the recusal, judge Miriam Germán Brito also sent a letter to the president of the Supreme Court of Justice on the allowing of the violation. El Dia publishes on 11 March the key accusations by Rodríguez and evidence disputing these.

See the questioning at minute 17:45 minutes, and Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez assessment as of 52:40 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1GK6pmTjtc
https://eldia.com.do/scj-llevara-al-cnm-una-posicion-sobre-conflicto-jueza-procurador/


The very messy Yuniol Ramírez murder case won’t disappear
The Justice Department (Public Ministry) has filed, as they had promised last week, the formal accusations against persons indicted in the murder case of Yuniol Ramírez, the lawyer who leaked the corruption in OMSA to the press and is suspect to have been killed for his efforts. The indictments do not include the former director of the Metropolitan Office of Bus Service (OMSA), Manuel Rivas.

The prosecutor for the case, Rosalba Ramos, the District Attorney for the National District, told reporters that the Justice Department had determined that Argenis Contreras and Yuniol Ramírez had a “parallel relationship” whereby the authorities were able to hear how Contreras, the defendant, provided the victim with privileged information regarding the negotiations taking place with the accused in the OMSA case and the most convenient method for obtaining money, as he, Contreras, was the assistant to Rivas.”

The DA also said that they could prove that the defendant Argenis Contreras González, met Yuniol Ramírez several times at the Professor’s Club of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), according to the security tapes of the club. The Justice Department says that its investigation did not establish any ties between Manuel Rivas and the murder victim, but they did find evidence sufficient to indict him on charges of criminal association, bribery, corruption, fraud against the state, corruption in duplicity of payments, the same as in the processes of urgency (in violation of the protocols for public tenders) and criminal association to ‘knowingly issuing an unfair decision”, to cheat and embezzle the Dominican state.

Regarding the case of Faustino Rosario Díaz, the former financial director of OMSA, the DA said that he is being accused of criminal association, corruption on fraud charges related to purchases made directly and without contracts, double billing of many of these purchases, illicit enrichment from corrupt practices and money laundering.

Eddy Rafael Santana Zorilla has been charged with bribery, violation of commerce and investment laws against the Dominican state. In addition to Argenis Contreras, who is in the United States fighting his extradition, there are several others accused of criminal association, murder, and hiding the body of the victim.

The judiciary now has ten days to assign preliminary hearings in order to decide whether the case will move on to a full trial.

But that is not all. Because of the very charged political implications of this case, with the top positions in the OMSA bus agency held by high up members of the ruling PLD, the family of the victim has come out with charges that the Justice Department has left out Rivas from complicity in the murder because of his close ties with the PLD. The declaration by lawyers representing the family told reporters that the District Attorney is trying to remove Rivas, the OMSA director, Faustino Rosario, the financial director and Eddy Rafael Zorilla from accusations of homicide and full involvement in the case. ”What the DA did was, by order of the Attorney General, try to exonerate her political comrade, removing him from complicity in the murder, so he can be freed, because with these accusations of “knowingly issuing an unfair decision”, the most he can get is a one year jail sentence.” This compares to a usual 20-30 years sentences for murder.

Finally, the case files for the corruption case will once again change jurisdictions, because judges in the National District determined that they cannot hear the case because the crime took place in West Santo Domingo. This is because the District Attorney for the National District did not include Manuel Rivas, or Faustino Rosario in the murder indictment she presented to the court, but rather issued indictments for various types of corruption to the other two men that puts the focus on western Santo Domingo, where the offices of the OMSA bus agency are located.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...on-contra-9-en-caso-yuniol-ramirez-DG12271174
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...n-a-la-fiscalia-con-otra-acusacion-PG12272728
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...volveria-a-cambiar-de-jurisdiccion-PG12273837


Man who organized fatal voyage to Puerto Rico arrested
The alleged organizer of illegal boat trips to Puerto Rico, a native of Hato Mayor, was arrested late last week as he tried to leave the country by way of Punta Cana. He is accused of organizing an illegal boat trip that ended in the confirmed death of three persons and others are still unaccounted for, even two years later. Two teenaged sisters and a young man perished in the accident, and others are still missing.

Hector Julio Rosario Diaz (Chogula) allegedly organized the illegal trip in an open, home-built boat to Puerto Rico in February 2017. The boat capsized off the coast of Miches with 17 persons on board. Rosario Diaz was arrested after immigration inspectors noted him acting suspiciously. He had been a fugitive from justice for nearly two years.

The arrest was carried out by members of the Dominican armada, together with personnel from the Migration Agency and the office of the Special Prosecutor for Human Trafficking. Rosario Díaz was headed to Bogotá, Colombia.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...res-jovenes-y-otros-desaparecieron-EG12272341


Severe drought continues in the northwest
Cattle ranchers say the drought affecting the northwest is the most severe in 60 years, affecting the provinces of Montecristi, Dajabón, Santiago Rodríguez and Valverde. It has affected the farms and environment, and the people say all they can do is pray.

Some farms have benefited from the trucked water sent in by the government. The cattle farmers say they are losing their cattle every day to the drought, and fear worsening of the situation as the cooler days of winter give way to warmer Easter and the summer months.

As reported in Diario Libre, Pedro José de Jesús Marrero (Chichito), of the Asociación de Ganaderos de la comunidad La Horca, of Las Matas de Santa Cruz said he had prepared by planting corn to feed his cattle, but this has not been sufficient. He is hoping on Ministry of Agriculture will deliver molasses to feed the cattle.

Reports are of major losses in the tobacco, rice, banana farms due to the drought.

Urban areas are also affected and many are having to purchase tanked water at RD$2,000-RD$2,500 for a cistern truckload.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...a-noroeste-en-espera-de-un-milagro-IH12267168


Venezuelans caught stealing expensive watches in Cibao provinces
The Police reported on new robberies by suspect Venezuelans of expensive watches. The Police said 26-year old José M. Rodríguez González and 24-year old Rainiel L. Piñango Mendoza, both from Venezuela were arrested. Two unnamed Dominicans are also under arrest for investigation in the case of the robbery of a Cartier, Hublot and Rolex luxury watches.

http://www.policianacional.gob.do/n...ostosos-y-otras-pertenencias-mediante-asalto/


Juan Luis Guerra sets new record in Tenerife carnival show
More than 400,000 persons reportedly attended the free concert by Dominican Juan Luis Guerra during the Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain carnival. Spanish media say the town collapsed for the closing concert of the popular carnival. The city government had not expected such a turnout. The town has a population of 200,000.

https://www.laopinion.es/carnavales/2019/02/13/juan-luis-guerra-actuara-gratis/953130.html
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/...-guerra-colapsan-santa-cruz-tenerife/5048588/