Next DR1 Daily News update: Monday, 18 March 2019
Most flights operate normally to Dominican Republic
UAE to assist with autism care in the Dominican Republic
Paliza: All eyes on selection of judges
Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez “apology” blasted in the media
Miriam Germán Brito responds to the “apology”
Rosario Espinal: President needs to fire Jean Alain Rodríguez to restore CNM credibility
Supreme Court of Justice sides with Attorney General in National Council of the Magistracy
Heiromy Ysaac Castro Milanés is new coordinator for Participación Ciudadana
Temps get to stay on years in government
The US Ambassador can dance!
Acropolis Mall reopens to the general public
Dream team prepares La Traviata at the National Theater
Next DR1 Daily News update: Monday, 18 March 2019
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 18 March 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. See DR1 Forum at http://www.dr1.com
Red tape in the DR cost 5.46% of GDP
The Medina administration and the business sector announced on 13 March 2019 a plan to significantly cut red tape. The comprehensive plan, RD+ Simple, seeks to reduce government regulations and procedures at 37 government entities. These regulations currently are estimated to cost citizens RD$197 billion, or 5.46% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The goal is to achieve a 70% reduction in regulatory costs at the ministries of Higher Education, Public Health, Environment, Agriculture, Public Works and the Tax Agency.
The announcement was made by Rafael Paz, director of the National Competitiveness Council during the presentation of the RD+Simple Program, the public-private initiative that seeks to raise the efficiency of public institutions and forge a more efficient and competitive country.
http://competitividad.gob.do/index....ara-reducir-costos-de-regulaciones-y-tramites
Most flights operate normally to Dominican Republic
The Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC) announced the suspension of Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 flights to the Dominican Republic. The IDAC said the measure is a follow up to the announcement by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) of the United States that the jets would be grounded for safety reasons.
The flight suspension has mainly affected American Airlines operations. Nevertheless, all Punta Cana International Airport flights are on schedule. Three of five flights from Miami to Santo Domingo are operating (987, 1072 and 1511), but two have been grounded until replacement planes can be found. These are flights 1481 and 1337 from Miami. The flights that are operating are using 737-800 jets. Flight 2365 to Santiago from Miami is on schedule. Of the two flights to Puerto Plata International, only 1349 is on schedule from Miami. The airline expects to normalize service within a week.
United Airlines flights operated as normally as they do not use the 737 Max 8 to fly to the Dominican Republic.
JetBlue, the main carrier covering the country, uses Airbuses on their routes to the Dominican Republic. American Airline lists Boeing 737 800 and 900 as their equipment and flights.
Copa flights have not been affected as the airline flies Boeing 737-800 and Embraer 190 aircraft.
It was also known that Aerolineas Argentinas flew Boeing 737 Max 8 to the Dominican Republic and its operations could be affected.
After the fatal crash of two of the brand new Boeing 737 Max 8 jets, passengers are uneasy about the safety of the airplanes. A new Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight went down over the Java Sea in October 2018, killing 189 people. The concern spread after the Ethiopian Air crash in Ethiopia killing 157 people. Both planes crashed shortly after takeoff.
Dozens of countries, including all European Union States, China, Indonesia, Singapore and Australia announced they would be grounding the airplanes.
Norwegian Air became the first airline to seek compensation from Boeing for its grounded fleet of 737 Max 8 jets.
On Wednesday, 13 March 2019, President Donald Trump announced that Boeing would ground the 737 Max 8 and Max 9 airplanes in the United States effective immediately following the lead of the other nations. Shortly before the announcement, Canada’s transport minister had said satellite-tracking data showed similarities between the two recent crashes of the jet. The data reveals there were similar “vertical fluctuations” and “oscillations.”
https://www.idac.gob.do/direccion-d...a-los-vuelos-de-aviones-boeing-737-max-8-y-9/
https://www.clarin.com/sociedad/acc...uira-operando-boeing-737-max_0_bYlPUtv4N.html
https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/boeing-737-max-8-ethiopia-airlines-crash/index.html
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...el-boeing-737-max-8-en-vuelos-a-rd-HI12291633
http://super7.com.do/2019/03/12/avi...s-boeing-737-max-que-vuelen-a-sus-terminales/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rmZ4r3E8_A
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/business/canada-737-max.html
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4786087/president-trump-grounds-boeing-737-max-8-9-jets
https://www.wired.com/story/boeing-737-max-8-ethiopia-crash-faa-ground-safety/
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/03/...s-after-us-grounds-boeing-737-max-8-jets.html
UAE to assist with autism care in the Dominican Republic
First Lady Cándida Montilla signed a memorandum of understanding with the Dubai Autism Center (DAC) during her visit to the United Arabian Emirates. The First Lady traveled to the UAR accompanying the Dominican delegation to the Special Olympics. The agreement signed with DAC is to support and enhance cooperation to serve individuals with autism, their families and their caregivers in the areas of advisory and professional training services.
At the DAC, the First Lady was received by Mohammed Al Emadi, director general and board member of the center.
The MoU states that the Dubai Autism Center will offer advice on the design and implementation of assessment programs provided at the three Centers for Comprehensive Care for Disability (CAID), a program operated under the Office of the First Lady in the Dominican Republic.
Paliza: All eyes on selection of judges
In an interview with Huchi Lora, senator José Ignacio Paliza (PRM-Puerto Plata) highlighted that something good has come out of the Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez controversy at the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM). He observed this is that the people are now following more closely the selection of the Supreme Court of Justice judges. Paliza said the controversy has raised citizens’ concern for “a different justice than what we have today”.
Paliza is one of two members that represent the political opposition in the CNM that is the government body in charge of choosing the judges for the Supreme Court of Justice, the Constitutional Court and the Higher Electoral Court (TSE). The CNM is engaged in the selection of at most 12 justices that need to be confirmed or new judges appointed.
On the evening of Tuesday, 12 March 2019, Paliza and fellow party member Josefa Castillo had abruptly left the press conference the National Council of the Magistracy had called where Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez was to present a public apology to Supreme Court of Justice Miriam Germán Brito for statements he had been made in violation of the ruling of the CNM in a previous session on 4 March 2019.
Paliza left the hall responding to a nudge by his colleague Josefa Castillo after instead of apologizing, that evening the Attorney General used the press conference to justify the attempted discrediting of the judge during her assessment session by the CNM. Paliza said they chose to take distance from the contents expressed by Rodríguez during the press conference.
“We have a mission to foster a better judiciary,” said Paliza in the later interview with Huchi Lora and Amelia Deschamps. “That was why we were present for that press conference,” he explained. He said by participating in the National Council of the Magistracy the two PRM members seek to contribute to the building of “a different justice, to shake the present Supreme Court of Justice”. He says greater independence and objectivity are needed.
During the Tuesday, 12 March session, the eight members of the CNM had requested that Rodríguez present the apology and announce he would abstain from deliberations relative to Germán Brito for having publicly demonstrated he lacked objectivity. He had agreed to do so, but then read from a pre-written document where he instead justified his actions on 4 March 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1OfgeeiVl0
Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez “apology” blasted in the media
The burning indignation against people who abuse power continues after Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez sought to justify his accusations to highly reputed judge Miriam Germán Brito in the press conference telecast from the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, 12 March 2019. The judge seeks to continue in the Supreme Court of Justice.
Commenting on the statements by Rodríguez, TV journalist Huchi Lora said during his El Día morning TV show that what the Attorney General had done was “put soap in the soup.” Lora explained the government seeks to use its power to dominate the judiciary. He said that Rodríguez’s actions affected “the Medina administration’s plan to not leave a single dissident standing in the Judicial Branch.”
Lora, nevertheless, was not optimistic and speculated the powers that be would remove the career judge who is the president of the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MppaJhi3b3k
http://z101digital.com/jueza-del-tc...ue-el-procurador-violo-el-reglamento-del-cnm/
http://z101digital.com/reinaldo-pre...ar-que-se-abstendria-en-evaluacion-de-miriam/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...a-reunion-del-cnm-y-que-jean-alain-no-cumplio
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-e-insiste-en-que-violo-reglamento-BA12307215
http://hoy.com.do/el-procurador-no-...-fue-justificarse-y-reiterar-sus-acusaciones/
Miriam Germán Brito responds to the “apology”
Institutions and the law is what matters most to Judge Miriam Germán Brito, who has behind her a highly respected career of 44 years in the judiciary. The Supreme Court of Justice judge, who is the president of the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, said on Wednesday, 13 March 2019 that while she could accept the “apology” from Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez in what has to do with her person, she could not accept it where it violated the due process nor put in danger her family’s safety. The “apology” was aired from the Presidential Palace on the evening of 12 March 2019, following a three-hour meeting of the National Council of the Magistracy.
During the “apology”, Rodríguez instead reaffirmed the accusations he had made against the judge in the 4 March public hearing where her performance as a Supreme Court of Justice was being evaluated. Experts say the depositions presented violated the National Council of the Magistracy ruling.
Judge Germán Brito in her statement also criticized that Attorney General’s subordinate Bolívar Sánchez, in his explanations on the reasons for the taping of her phone and covert surveillance actions, had released to the public her domicile and telephone, putting in danger her family. Germán Brito has an autistic son, a daughter and a grandchild. Rodríguez in his accusations had said that the evidence he presented was the result of surveillance actions.
Judge Germán Brito criticized Rodríguez’s allegations that she had put a “luxury villa” in San José de Ocoa in the name of her son, without investigating that her son and his sister had inherited the house from their late father. Attorney General Rodríguez also based allegations on the written evidence presented by a judge whose travel visa was removed by the United States government.
Judge Miriam Germán Brito has invited to a full investigation into all the allegations made by the Attorney General on 4 March 2019. The media has for the most part presented evidence the allegations were but fake news.
"I do not consider myself exempt from being questioned, but I understand that there are established forms and procedures for such questions. While I understand that Judge Rodriguez did well to abstain and apologize for his actions, it is difficult to accept an apology that justifies the actions for which he is apologizing, and one where he repeats the same actions," said the judge in statements to the media.
During her participation at the opening of a Dominican Intellectual Property Association seminar at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), lawyer and university professor Mary Fernandez had also expressed her concern last week about the violation of the privacy of Judge Miriam Germán Brito, to whom she said all her rights had been violated in the National Council of the Magistracy, when after the presentation by the Attorney General on 4 March 2019, the judge’s telephone number, her home address and that of her family were exposed, leaving her unprotected before organized crime. As president of the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, the judge handles difficult organized crime cases.
https://elnacional.com.do/miriam-re...urador-dice-pgr-puso-en-peligro-su-seguridad/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TZ81LjeZMw
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...a-reunion-del-cnm-y-que-jean-alain-no-cumplio
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-e-insiste-en-que-violo-reglamento-BA12307215
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-a-los-cuestionamientos-le-hizo-el-procurador
https://acento.com.do/2019/actualid...cupacion-la-vida-miriam-german-brito-familia/
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/video-...-violacion-reglamento-cnm-no-admite-disculpa/
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-e-insiste-en-que-violo-reglamento-BA12307215
Rosario Espinal: President needs to fire Jean Alain Rodríguez to restore CNM credibility
What he read was not an apology but a justification of what he had done on Monday, 4 March 2019, said political analyst, Rosario Espinal, in her comments on Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez’s remarks during a press conference that followed a three-hour meeting of the National Council of the Magistracy. Espinal spoke when interviewed by Edith Febles for the program “La Cosa Como Es.”
Espinal said that what is due is that President Danilo Medina fire Rodríguez as his Attorney General. She says “the mess” now sullies President Danilo Medina himself, as he is the president of the National Council of the Magistracy.
Espinal speculated that President Medina may not have done so already because he cannot find a replacement or that he believes that public opinion is not important and should be ignored.
She said the President has to act to restore the credibility to the National Council of Magistracy that now needs to move on with the hearings to choose replacements for the openings in the Supreme Court of Justice. There are some 88 aspirants after two women judges resigned discouraged that President Danilo Medina, as president of the CNM allowed the blatant violation of the ruling on Monday, 4 March 2019. There are 12 positions that need to be filled in the Supreme Court of Justice.
The next meeting of the National Council of the Magistracy is set for Friday, 15 March 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iosTaCPfWlM
Supreme Court of Justice sides with Attorney General in National Council of the Magistracy
The president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Mariano Germán Mejía has remained mute after the outrage following the accusations made by Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez to Supreme Court of Justice Miriam German Brito, who aspires to continue in her post. The accusations by Rodríguez were made during the televised judge’s assessment on 4 March and reaffirmed during a press conference on 12 March 2019. Germán Mejía has been widely criticized for not interrupting Rodríguez when the later violated the ruling. The media would later provide evidence that the accusations presented were fake news.
In an interview with Patricia Solano and Diana Lora, on La Cuestión on 107.7FM radio, Josefa Castillo, one of two opposition party members in the National Council of the Magistracy, said that when the recusal of Rodríguez was discussed internally at the Council on 12 March 2019, Germán Mejía alleged there were judicial reasons why the removal of Rodríguez from the deliberations regarding judge Miriam Germán Brito did not proceed and that there had not been a violation of the ruling. A majority of legal specialists, nevertheless, conclude there was a violation of the ruling that requires that accusations be presented to an aspirant seven days prior. The ruling also bans the presentation of anonymous accusations during the public hearing.
Furthermore, Germán Mejía did not participate in the press conference during which the Attorney General had committed to present an apology to the judge and announce he would abstain from participating in the deliberations regarding judge Germán Brito.
Rodríguez instead would announce he would remove himself from the deliberations on the judge, but then read on for several minutes from a prepared document whereby he defended the accusations he had made on Monday, 4 March.
Germán Mejía has said he does not aspire to continue in the Supreme Court of Justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iosTaCPfWlM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TZ81LjeZMw
http://hoy.com.do/lo-que-dijo-reina...araciones-del-procurador-sobre-miriam-german/
Heiromy Ysaac Castro Milanés is new coordinator for Participación Ciudadana
The board of the civic watchdog organization, Participación Ciudadana named Heiromy Ysaac Castro Milanés the spokesman and general coordinator for the organization for 2019-2020.
Castro is an economist with a masters in business administration and postgraduate studies in finance. He has served as professor since 1995 at the UCSD, UASD and PUCMM universities. He is the co-author of two books on asset laundering and transnational crime.
https://elnacional.com.do/consejo-de-pc-escoge-un-nuevo-coordinador/
Temps get to stay on years in government
Hundreds of thousands of government employees are appointed to temporary jobs and end up staying 28 times more than allowed by law. Investigative journalist Alicia Ortega reported that the government is blatantly violating its own public service law. She reported on employees hired in 17 government departments and found temp workers that had 14 years on the job when the law establishes temp workers can only be hired for six months.
https://elinformeconaliciaortega.co...-temporales-duran-anos-en-violacion-a-la-ley/
The US ambassador can dance!
The US Embassy has sponsored street dancing programs in the Dominican Republic. And now new US Ambassador Robin Bernstein is captured in a video skillfully improvising with young dancers from the Next Level Academy. The video shows off the street dancing skills of the ambassador.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...rnstein-sorprende-street-dancers-con-su-baile
Acropolis Mall reopens to the general public
After firemen were able to extinguish a major fire that broke out on the second floor of the Av. Winston Churchill shopping mall, Acropolis management announced it had reopened on Wednesday to the general public. Reporters say, nevertheless, that reporters were not allowed access to the area where the fire began. The fire began at around 3:30pm on Tuesday, 12 March 2019 and was put out by 6pm. There were no injuries.
https://elnacional.com.do/centro-acropolis-reanuda-labores-tras-el-incendio/
Dream team prepares La Traviata at the National Theater
A Dominican version of Giuseppe Verdi’s three-act opera “La Traviata” is scheduled to be presented by Opera RD on 10, 12 and 14 April 2019 at the National Theater. The Dominican version is set in Santo Domingo in the mid-50s.
A dream team of leading Dominican artistic producers will bring the classic opera to new audiences. The musical direction is by Maestro José Antonio Molina, production by Fidel López, costumes by Leonel Lirio, choreography by Carlos Veitia and the stage is by Eduardo Villanueva.
The lyrical performances will be by a stellar line up that includes Maria Karatsava, Nathalie Pena-Comas, David Astorga, Pedro Carrillo, Glemmer Perez, Pura Tyson, Sibelle Marquez, Sayli Perez, Eduardo Mejía, Kenny Gomez, Alberto Duran and Edison Feliz.
Based on a novel and play by Alexandre Dumas, “La Traviata” tells the story of a turbulent romance that faces resistance from family, social, and class barriers and chronic health problems.
Most flights operate normally to Dominican Republic
UAE to assist with autism care in the Dominican Republic
Paliza: All eyes on selection of judges
Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez “apology” blasted in the media
Miriam Germán Brito responds to the “apology”
Rosario Espinal: President needs to fire Jean Alain Rodríguez to restore CNM credibility
Supreme Court of Justice sides with Attorney General in National Council of the Magistracy
Heiromy Ysaac Castro Milanés is new coordinator for Participación Ciudadana
Temps get to stay on years in government
The US Ambassador can dance!
Acropolis Mall reopens to the general public
Dream team prepares La Traviata at the National Theater
Next DR1 Daily News update: Monday, 18 March 2019
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 18 March 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. See DR1 Forum at http://www.dr1.com
Red tape in the DR cost 5.46% of GDP
The Medina administration and the business sector announced on 13 March 2019 a plan to significantly cut red tape. The comprehensive plan, RD+ Simple, seeks to reduce government regulations and procedures at 37 government entities. These regulations currently are estimated to cost citizens RD$197 billion, or 5.46% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The goal is to achieve a 70% reduction in regulatory costs at the ministries of Higher Education, Public Health, Environment, Agriculture, Public Works and the Tax Agency.
The announcement was made by Rafael Paz, director of the National Competitiveness Council during the presentation of the RD+Simple Program, the public-private initiative that seeks to raise the efficiency of public institutions and forge a more efficient and competitive country.
http://competitividad.gob.do/index....ara-reducir-costos-de-regulaciones-y-tramites
Most flights operate normally to Dominican Republic
The Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC) announced the suspension of Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 flights to the Dominican Republic. The IDAC said the measure is a follow up to the announcement by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) of the United States that the jets would be grounded for safety reasons.
The flight suspension has mainly affected American Airlines operations. Nevertheless, all Punta Cana International Airport flights are on schedule. Three of five flights from Miami to Santo Domingo are operating (987, 1072 and 1511), but two have been grounded until replacement planes can be found. These are flights 1481 and 1337 from Miami. The flights that are operating are using 737-800 jets. Flight 2365 to Santiago from Miami is on schedule. Of the two flights to Puerto Plata International, only 1349 is on schedule from Miami. The airline expects to normalize service within a week.
United Airlines flights operated as normally as they do not use the 737 Max 8 to fly to the Dominican Republic.
JetBlue, the main carrier covering the country, uses Airbuses on their routes to the Dominican Republic. American Airline lists Boeing 737 800 and 900 as their equipment and flights.
Copa flights have not been affected as the airline flies Boeing 737-800 and Embraer 190 aircraft.
It was also known that Aerolineas Argentinas flew Boeing 737 Max 8 to the Dominican Republic and its operations could be affected.
After the fatal crash of two of the brand new Boeing 737 Max 8 jets, passengers are uneasy about the safety of the airplanes. A new Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight went down over the Java Sea in October 2018, killing 189 people. The concern spread after the Ethiopian Air crash in Ethiopia killing 157 people. Both planes crashed shortly after takeoff.
Dozens of countries, including all European Union States, China, Indonesia, Singapore and Australia announced they would be grounding the airplanes.
Norwegian Air became the first airline to seek compensation from Boeing for its grounded fleet of 737 Max 8 jets.
On Wednesday, 13 March 2019, President Donald Trump announced that Boeing would ground the 737 Max 8 and Max 9 airplanes in the United States effective immediately following the lead of the other nations. Shortly before the announcement, Canada’s transport minister had said satellite-tracking data showed similarities between the two recent crashes of the jet. The data reveals there were similar “vertical fluctuations” and “oscillations.”
https://www.idac.gob.do/direccion-d...a-los-vuelos-de-aviones-boeing-737-max-8-y-9/
https://www.clarin.com/sociedad/acc...uira-operando-boeing-737-max_0_bYlPUtv4N.html
https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/boeing-737-max-8-ethiopia-airlines-crash/index.html
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...el-boeing-737-max-8-en-vuelos-a-rd-HI12291633
http://super7.com.do/2019/03/12/avi...s-boeing-737-max-que-vuelen-a-sus-terminales/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rmZ4r3E8_A
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/business/canada-737-max.html
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4786087/president-trump-grounds-boeing-737-max-8-9-jets
https://www.wired.com/story/boeing-737-max-8-ethiopia-crash-faa-ground-safety/
https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/03/...s-after-us-grounds-boeing-737-max-8-jets.html
UAE to assist with autism care in the Dominican Republic
First Lady Cándida Montilla signed a memorandum of understanding with the Dubai Autism Center (DAC) during her visit to the United Arabian Emirates. The First Lady traveled to the UAR accompanying the Dominican delegation to the Special Olympics. The agreement signed with DAC is to support and enhance cooperation to serve individuals with autism, their families and their caregivers in the areas of advisory and professional training services.
At the DAC, the First Lady was received by Mohammed Al Emadi, director general and board member of the center.
The MoU states that the Dubai Autism Center will offer advice on the design and implementation of assessment programs provided at the three Centers for Comprehensive Care for Disability (CAID), a program operated under the Office of the First Lady in the Dominican Republic.
Paliza: All eyes on selection of judges
In an interview with Huchi Lora, senator José Ignacio Paliza (PRM-Puerto Plata) highlighted that something good has come out of the Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez controversy at the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM). He observed this is that the people are now following more closely the selection of the Supreme Court of Justice judges. Paliza said the controversy has raised citizens’ concern for “a different justice than what we have today”.
Paliza is one of two members that represent the political opposition in the CNM that is the government body in charge of choosing the judges for the Supreme Court of Justice, the Constitutional Court and the Higher Electoral Court (TSE). The CNM is engaged in the selection of at most 12 justices that need to be confirmed or new judges appointed.
On the evening of Tuesday, 12 March 2019, Paliza and fellow party member Josefa Castillo had abruptly left the press conference the National Council of the Magistracy had called where Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez was to present a public apology to Supreme Court of Justice Miriam Germán Brito for statements he had been made in violation of the ruling of the CNM in a previous session on 4 March 2019.
Paliza left the hall responding to a nudge by his colleague Josefa Castillo after instead of apologizing, that evening the Attorney General used the press conference to justify the attempted discrediting of the judge during her assessment session by the CNM. Paliza said they chose to take distance from the contents expressed by Rodríguez during the press conference.
“We have a mission to foster a better judiciary,” said Paliza in the later interview with Huchi Lora and Amelia Deschamps. “That was why we were present for that press conference,” he explained. He said by participating in the National Council of the Magistracy the two PRM members seek to contribute to the building of “a different justice, to shake the present Supreme Court of Justice”. He says greater independence and objectivity are needed.
During the Tuesday, 12 March session, the eight members of the CNM had requested that Rodríguez present the apology and announce he would abstain from deliberations relative to Germán Brito for having publicly demonstrated he lacked objectivity. He had agreed to do so, but then read from a pre-written document where he instead justified his actions on 4 March 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1OfgeeiVl0
Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez “apology” blasted in the media
The burning indignation against people who abuse power continues after Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez sought to justify his accusations to highly reputed judge Miriam Germán Brito in the press conference telecast from the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, 12 March 2019. The judge seeks to continue in the Supreme Court of Justice.
Commenting on the statements by Rodríguez, TV journalist Huchi Lora said during his El Día morning TV show that what the Attorney General had done was “put soap in the soup.” Lora explained the government seeks to use its power to dominate the judiciary. He said that Rodríguez’s actions affected “the Medina administration’s plan to not leave a single dissident standing in the Judicial Branch.”
Lora, nevertheless, was not optimistic and speculated the powers that be would remove the career judge who is the president of the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MppaJhi3b3k
http://z101digital.com/jueza-del-tc...ue-el-procurador-violo-el-reglamento-del-cnm/
http://z101digital.com/reinaldo-pre...ar-que-se-abstendria-en-evaluacion-de-miriam/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...a-reunion-del-cnm-y-que-jean-alain-no-cumplio
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-e-insiste-en-que-violo-reglamento-BA12307215
http://hoy.com.do/el-procurador-no-...-fue-justificarse-y-reiterar-sus-acusaciones/
Miriam Germán Brito responds to the “apology”
Institutions and the law is what matters most to Judge Miriam Germán Brito, who has behind her a highly respected career of 44 years in the judiciary. The Supreme Court of Justice judge, who is the president of the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, said on Wednesday, 13 March 2019 that while she could accept the “apology” from Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez in what has to do with her person, she could not accept it where it violated the due process nor put in danger her family’s safety. The “apology” was aired from the Presidential Palace on the evening of 12 March 2019, following a three-hour meeting of the National Council of the Magistracy.
During the “apology”, Rodríguez instead reaffirmed the accusations he had made against the judge in the 4 March public hearing where her performance as a Supreme Court of Justice was being evaluated. Experts say the depositions presented violated the National Council of the Magistracy ruling.
Judge Germán Brito in her statement also criticized that Attorney General’s subordinate Bolívar Sánchez, in his explanations on the reasons for the taping of her phone and covert surveillance actions, had released to the public her domicile and telephone, putting in danger her family. Germán Brito has an autistic son, a daughter and a grandchild. Rodríguez in his accusations had said that the evidence he presented was the result of surveillance actions.
Judge Germán Brito criticized Rodríguez’s allegations that she had put a “luxury villa” in San José de Ocoa in the name of her son, without investigating that her son and his sister had inherited the house from their late father. Attorney General Rodríguez also based allegations on the written evidence presented by a judge whose travel visa was removed by the United States government.
Judge Miriam Germán Brito has invited to a full investigation into all the allegations made by the Attorney General on 4 March 2019. The media has for the most part presented evidence the allegations were but fake news.
"I do not consider myself exempt from being questioned, but I understand that there are established forms and procedures for such questions. While I understand that Judge Rodriguez did well to abstain and apologize for his actions, it is difficult to accept an apology that justifies the actions for which he is apologizing, and one where he repeats the same actions," said the judge in statements to the media.
During her participation at the opening of a Dominican Intellectual Property Association seminar at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), lawyer and university professor Mary Fernandez had also expressed her concern last week about the violation of the privacy of Judge Miriam Germán Brito, to whom she said all her rights had been violated in the National Council of the Magistracy, when after the presentation by the Attorney General on 4 March 2019, the judge’s telephone number, her home address and that of her family were exposed, leaving her unprotected before organized crime. As president of the Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, the judge handles difficult organized crime cases.
https://elnacional.com.do/miriam-re...urador-dice-pgr-puso-en-peligro-su-seguridad/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TZ81LjeZMw
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...a-reunion-del-cnm-y-que-jean-alain-no-cumplio
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-e-insiste-en-que-violo-reglamento-BA12307215
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-a-los-cuestionamientos-le-hizo-el-procurador
https://acento.com.do/2019/actualid...cupacion-la-vida-miriam-german-brito-familia/
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/video-...-violacion-reglamento-cnm-no-admite-disculpa/
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-e-insiste-en-que-violo-reglamento-BA12307215
Rosario Espinal: President needs to fire Jean Alain Rodríguez to restore CNM credibility
What he read was not an apology but a justification of what he had done on Monday, 4 March 2019, said political analyst, Rosario Espinal, in her comments on Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez’s remarks during a press conference that followed a three-hour meeting of the National Council of the Magistracy. Espinal spoke when interviewed by Edith Febles for the program “La Cosa Como Es.”
Espinal said that what is due is that President Danilo Medina fire Rodríguez as his Attorney General. She says “the mess” now sullies President Danilo Medina himself, as he is the president of the National Council of the Magistracy.
Espinal speculated that President Medina may not have done so already because he cannot find a replacement or that he believes that public opinion is not important and should be ignored.
She said the President has to act to restore the credibility to the National Council of Magistracy that now needs to move on with the hearings to choose replacements for the openings in the Supreme Court of Justice. There are some 88 aspirants after two women judges resigned discouraged that President Danilo Medina, as president of the CNM allowed the blatant violation of the ruling on Monday, 4 March 2019. There are 12 positions that need to be filled in the Supreme Court of Justice.
The next meeting of the National Council of the Magistracy is set for Friday, 15 March 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iosTaCPfWlM
Supreme Court of Justice sides with Attorney General in National Council of the Magistracy
The president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Mariano Germán Mejía has remained mute after the outrage following the accusations made by Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez to Supreme Court of Justice Miriam German Brito, who aspires to continue in her post. The accusations by Rodríguez were made during the televised judge’s assessment on 4 March and reaffirmed during a press conference on 12 March 2019. Germán Mejía has been widely criticized for not interrupting Rodríguez when the later violated the ruling. The media would later provide evidence that the accusations presented were fake news.
In an interview with Patricia Solano and Diana Lora, on La Cuestión on 107.7FM radio, Josefa Castillo, one of two opposition party members in the National Council of the Magistracy, said that when the recusal of Rodríguez was discussed internally at the Council on 12 March 2019, Germán Mejía alleged there were judicial reasons why the removal of Rodríguez from the deliberations regarding judge Miriam Germán Brito did not proceed and that there had not been a violation of the ruling. A majority of legal specialists, nevertheless, conclude there was a violation of the ruling that requires that accusations be presented to an aspirant seven days prior. The ruling also bans the presentation of anonymous accusations during the public hearing.
Furthermore, Germán Mejía did not participate in the press conference during which the Attorney General had committed to present an apology to the judge and announce he would abstain from participating in the deliberations regarding judge Germán Brito.
Rodríguez instead would announce he would remove himself from the deliberations on the judge, but then read on for several minutes from a prepared document whereby he defended the accusations he had made on Monday, 4 March.
Germán Mejía has said he does not aspire to continue in the Supreme Court of Justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iosTaCPfWlM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TZ81LjeZMw
http://hoy.com.do/lo-que-dijo-reina...araciones-del-procurador-sobre-miriam-german/
Heiromy Ysaac Castro Milanés is new coordinator for Participación Ciudadana
The board of the civic watchdog organization, Participación Ciudadana named Heiromy Ysaac Castro Milanés the spokesman and general coordinator for the organization for 2019-2020.
Castro is an economist with a masters in business administration and postgraduate studies in finance. He has served as professor since 1995 at the UCSD, UASD and PUCMM universities. He is the co-author of two books on asset laundering and transnational crime.
https://elnacional.com.do/consejo-de-pc-escoge-un-nuevo-coordinador/
Temps get to stay on years in government
Hundreds of thousands of government employees are appointed to temporary jobs and end up staying 28 times more than allowed by law. Investigative journalist Alicia Ortega reported that the government is blatantly violating its own public service law. She reported on employees hired in 17 government departments and found temp workers that had 14 years on the job when the law establishes temp workers can only be hired for six months.
https://elinformeconaliciaortega.co...-temporales-duran-anos-en-violacion-a-la-ley/
The US ambassador can dance!
The US Embassy has sponsored street dancing programs in the Dominican Republic. And now new US Ambassador Robin Bernstein is captured in a video skillfully improvising with young dancers from the Next Level Academy. The video shows off the street dancing skills of the ambassador.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...rnstein-sorprende-street-dancers-con-su-baile
Acropolis Mall reopens to the general public
After firemen were able to extinguish a major fire that broke out on the second floor of the Av. Winston Churchill shopping mall, Acropolis management announced it had reopened on Wednesday to the general public. Reporters say, nevertheless, that reporters were not allowed access to the area where the fire began. The fire began at around 3:30pm on Tuesday, 12 March 2019 and was put out by 6pm. There were no injuries.
https://elnacional.com.do/centro-acropolis-reanuda-labores-tras-el-incendio/
Dream team prepares La Traviata at the National Theater
A Dominican version of Giuseppe Verdi’s three-act opera “La Traviata” is scheduled to be presented by Opera RD on 10, 12 and 14 April 2019 at the National Theater. The Dominican version is set in Santo Domingo in the mid-50s.
A dream team of leading Dominican artistic producers will bring the classic opera to new audiences. The musical direction is by Maestro José Antonio Molina, production by Fidel López, costumes by Leonel Lirio, choreography by Carlos Veitia and the stage is by Eduardo Villanueva.
The lyrical performances will be by a stellar line up that includes Maria Karatsava, Nathalie Pena-Comas, David Astorga, Pedro Carrillo, Glemmer Perez, Pura Tyson, Sibelle Marquez, Sayli Perez, Eduardo Mejía, Kenny Gomez, Alberto Duran and Edison Feliz.
Based on a novel and play by Alexandre Dumas, “La Traviata” tells the story of a turbulent romance that faces resistance from family, social, and class barriers and chronic health problems.
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