DR1 Daily News - Thursday, 25 April 2019

D

Dolores

Guest
DR1 Daily News breaks for Labor Day long weekend
Airports alert to entry of persons with measles
Imports double exports in 2018
Bad news for Dominican highway maintenance
Domestic migration adds and subtracts legislative seats for 2020
Dominican democracy threatened
Cid Latinoamérica says Medina has 51% support for reelection bid
Eduardo Sanz Lovatón protests tapping of his phone
Marie Royce of US government visits for start of Academy for Women Entrepreneurs
Diario Libre: Vladimir Guerrero, Man of the Year; Ginny Heinsen, Woman of the Year; Aysha Syed, Youth of the Year
Manuel Grullón of TPago buys 50% of Remax RD
Inacif driver trafficked in drugs part-time
Dominicans in the 26th Billboard Latin Music Awards
Book Fair opens Friday, 26 April
Karla Fatule stars in comedy at Palacio de Bellas Artes



DR1 Daily News breaks for Labor Day long weekend
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Tuesday, 30 April 2019. The DR1 News is breaking for the Labor Day Monday holiday. While Labor Day in the Dominican Republic falls on Wednesday, 1 May 2019, it will be celebrated on the previous Monday, 29 April.

Headline news over the weekend will be compiled for the Tuesday issue. Breaking news can be posted on the DR1 Forums that are open 24/7 at https://dr1.com


Airports alert to entry of persons with measles
In an attempt to prevent the spread of measles in the Dominican Republic, the Ministry of Public Health announced it has stepped up vigilance at Dominican airports, especially in regards to passengers arriving from New York. The New York governor’s office reports that as of 24 April 2019 there have been 390 confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn and Queens since October 2018. Most of the cases have involved members of the Orthodox Jewish community. As reported, the initial child with measles was unvaccinated and acquired measles on a visit to Israel, where a large outbreak of the disease is occurring.

Dr. Rafael Tejada, director of services for the Ministry of Public Health at the Las Americas International Airport, said airport staff is implementing a special protocol to watch for the disease among arriving passengers.

Measles is spread through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs. A person will be contagious four days before the rash appears and for four days after the rash appears. They are no longer contagious on the fifth day after the rash starts. Nevertheless, the virus remains active and contagious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours.

Delta, JetBlue and United Airlines fly to New York. American Airlines flies to Miami, with connecting flights to the Newark International Airport in the New York area.


Imports double exports in 2018
President Danilo Medina had named 2018 the Year for the Promotion of Exports. Nevertheless, Dominican exports will need more than a year of promotion to gain on imports. Central Bank statistics for the year reveal that for the first time imports double exports. In 2018, imports were US$20,208.9 million compared to US$10,907.6 million in exports. Petroleum products accounted for US$3,730.1 million, 18% of the total imports.

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...si-duplico-al-de-las-exportaciones-EH12621151


Bad news for Dominican highway maintenance
Financial analyst Alejandro Fernández writes in his Argentarium column in Diario Libre that for every RD$100 paid at Dominican highway tollbooths, RD$76 now goes to cover interest payments for commitments made by Fideicomiso RD Vial, the trust created by the Medina government since its start to manage the tollbooth collections.

Fernández observes the fund has borrowed more than its capacity. He writes that in the first two years of the trust, 2013-2014, US$265 million was invested in road projects, most of this borrowed money. In the last two years, these investments have dropped to US$130 million.

He writes that since its start, the trust has paid more than RD$10 billion in finance charges. He says 90% of the funds collected at the tollbooths now are allotted to cover the finance charges on the debt taken on, leaving very little to cover maintenance works of the highways or new roads.

RD Vial debt had climbed to RD$27 billion as of 2016, making it the worse performing regional highway trust.

Fernandez observes that the trust fund is just one of other “monetizations” made by the government to disguise public debt. He mentions another such monetization is how the government has handled the debt with electricity generators.

https://www.diariolibre.com/economia/blogs/argentarium/peaje-entaponado-DH12622540


Domestic migration adds and subtracts legislative seats for 2020
Changes in population distribution in the Dominican Republic means the number of deputies per province and the National District has changed. The Central Electoral Board (JCE) released yesterday the numbers of deputy seats for the 17 May 2020 election. The JCE has used the data from the 9th National Population and Housing Census carried out by the National Statistics Office (ONE). The census dates back to 2010 and established there were 9.4 million inhabitants in the Dominican Republic.

The province of Santo Domingo gained 3 seats for electoral district 3 and one for electoral district 4. La Altagracia province increased from four to five legislators.

Eight provinces have lost at least a deputy for the 2020 election. These are Monte Plata, Barahona, Espaillat (Moca), San Juan de la Maguana, Duarte (San Francisco de Macorís), San Pedro de Macorís, La Vega and San Cristóbal.

The Electoral Law sets a fixed number of deputies at 178, but the positions are distributed depending on domestic migration, or the number of people who have moved into a province from another province or the National District, minus the people who moved out of that province or the National District.

https://eldia.com.do/jce-distribuye-por-circunscripcion-escanos-con-miras-a-elecciones-2020/
https://n.com.do/2019/04/24/jce-eli...ncias-y-8-demarcaciones-perderan-un-diputado/


Dominican democracy threatened
Civic organizations, opposition parties and opinion makers went public on Wednesday, 24 April 2019 to protest anti-democratic actions taken by the Medina administration in different branches of government. The pace of the measures has picked up as the nation awaits for President Danilo Medina to announce whether he will push forward an amendment to the 2015 Constitution to enable him to run for a third consecutive term.

A group of 36 civic organizations expressed their concern at “the avalanche of abuses of power” that are being committed, and that is attributed to the government and high-ranking officers of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). The organizations say that as the 2020 general election gets closer, authoritarian excesses have multiplied and this is causing much damage to Dominican democracy. The organizations distributed a document summarizing the recent abuses.

The protest coincides with the recent publication of the United Nations Development Programme report on the Quality of Democracy in the Dominican Republic. The report looks into the political rights and electoral system, fundamental rights, rule of law, quality of government, quality of life, social and economic equity, and democratic political culture. In its conclusions, the report alerts there is great institutional weakness and stagnation of institutional reforms. It is critical of the checks and balances of the judicial and legislative branches with regards to the executive branch. The report highlights the low regional score of the country in regards to the independence of the judiciary, struggle against corruption and accountability of government officers. It also highlights the country is among the 40 most unsafe countries in the world.

The report also focuses on what it describes as the wide margin of discretion exercised by the Executive Branch that negatively affects the rule of law in the country. This predominance of the Executive Branch is felt in the declining trust in institutions such as the Judicial Branch, Legislative Branch and the National Police.

The same report, nevertheless, highlights the high level of participation of Dominican citizens in organized civic organizations, ranking third among 27 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Writing in Diario Libre, José Luis Taveras says the UNDP Quality of Democracy Report reveals “a true crisis in the political and social system” in the Dominican Republic. Taveras says the report looks into how democracy improved in the second half of the 90s to then enter into a period of decline as of 2010. He looks into how in the past two months actions to intimidate citizens have escalated. He mentions the Attorney General Office tapping the phones of judges and politicians, the president of the Senate calling for the interpellation of electoral judges for exercising their roles; a blatant campaign to promote reelection that is banned in the Constitution; the abusive exercise of authority to intimidate or annual dissidence.

Taveras concludes: “The idea behind these actions is to corner a fearful society. It looks like the government has achieved this and I fear for what may come. According to the UNDP Report, we are 20th of 23 countries in press censorship in 2017. A weak democracy with a strong government is disturbing. Today we ask if we have or not a dictator, tomorrow it will be if we can call ourselves a nation or not. Reelection or an agenda for impunity (for the effects, the same thing) cannot be above the future. Don’t push so hard. Watch out!”

http://hoy.com.do/organizaciones-advierten-avalancha-de-abusos-de-poder/
https://acento.com.do/2019/politica...l-pais-ante-una-avalancha-de-abusos-de-poder/
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...emocracia-sigue-debil-en-republica-dominicana
https://acento.com.do/2019/opinion/editorial/8675066-esta-muriendo-nuestra-democracia/
Read the UNDP report at:
https://dr1.com/informe_calidad_demoratica.pdf
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/en-directo/dictadura-FH12622869
http://hoy.com.do/bajo-la-dictadura-4/


Cid Latinoamérica says Medina has 51% support for reelection bid
The polling company CID Latinoamérica reports that 51% of Dominicans polled say they are in favor of the reelection of President Danilo Medina. The company polled 1,195 eligible voters from 11-24 April 2019. Medina has an approval rating of 61%, according to the same poll.

The 2015 Constitutional bans Medina from running for President. Medina supporters are lobbying for a constitutional amendment to enable the President to seek a third consecutive term.

The Cid Latinoamérica poll reveals that if Medina were not the chosen candidate for the ruling PLD party, then Vice President Margarita Cedeño (former President Leonel Fernández’s wife) has the strongest backing for the candidacy. The poll says that Medina or Cedeño would defeat former President Leonel Fernandez in a PLD primary. As reported, 60% favor Medina being the candidate, compared to 27% that back Fernández being the candidate. The primary is scheduled for 6 October 2019.

Luis Abinader is singled out as the favorite to run for the leading opposition party, PRM.

According to the poll carried out by CID Latinoamérica, 56% of those polled say the country is on the right path under President Medina.

As of 23 April 2019, Cid Latinoamérica was not included in the list of companies that have applied to be recognized by the Central Electoral Board (JCE) to publish electoral and political results.

In March 2019, Asisa Research Group released findings of its 15-17 March 2019 poll, in which 73% of those polled rejected amending the 2015 Constitution to enable the second reelection of President Danilo Medina. 23% favored doing this. 4% did not respond to the question. The same poll indicated that 54% felt that the country was going in the wrong direction, with 42% saying it was going in the right direction and 6% did not answer.

Pending is the publication of the leading polls by Penn Schoen Berland, Gallup-Hoy, and Sigma Dos.

In an August 2018 poll, Penn Schoen revealed that the popularity of President Danilo Medina again dropped. It was then at 51%, down from 69% in October 2017 and 82% in January 2016.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...es-danilo-margarita-seria-favorita-OE12618886
https://eldia.com.do/51-favorece-reeleccion-de-danilo-medina-segun-encuesta-cid-latinoamerica/
https://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/174835-DR1-Daily-News-Wednesday-27-March-2019
https://acento.com.do/2018/actualid...-penn-presidente-medina-baja-tasa-aceptacion/


Eduardo Sanz Lovatón protests tapping of his phone
Opposition party leader Eduardo Sanz Lovatón requested an explanation from the Attorney General Office (PGR) regarding the tapping of his mobile phone. Sanz said he had accompanied former senators Andrés Bautista, Alfredo Pacheco and Jesús “Chu” Vásquez when these were investigated by prosecutors. He explained he acted as a lawyer, friend of the fellow party members and PRM leader. He said that eventually Bautista, Pacheco and Vásquez would choose other lawyers to be their legal counsel in the Odebrecht bribe case more than a year ago. He questions the reasons for the tapping of his phone.

He said that he has learned that Judge Francisco Ortega, who is hearing the Odebrecht bribes case in the Dominican Republic, had authorized the tapping of his mobile. He said he has asked for a certification from the telecom company to prove that his mobile had been tapped, and why the tap was authorized by the judge. He said the telephone has always been in his name and does not understand the reason why the tapping would have been authorized.

Sanz Lovatón is secretary of finances of the leading opposition party, and the political director of the campaign of Luis Abinader.

PRM deputy Faride Raful complained that the Attorney General Office also requested the tapping of the phone of Emmanuel Bautista, son of the former president of the Senate Andres Bautista.

The president of the PRM party, Senator José Ignacio Paliza, complained that the tapping of telephones is evidence that Dominican democracy is sick.

Several lawyers stated in an interview with El Dia that the wiretapping of the telephones of defense lawyers by prosecutors is illegal.

https://listindiario.com/la-republi...hijo-de-andres-bautista-denuncia-faride-raful
http://hoy.com.do/lista-de-intercep...pertenecian-a-otras-personas-sigue-creciendo/
http://z101digital.com/sanz-lovaton...-explicacion-sobre-intervencion-a-su-celular/
http://z101digital.com/procuraduria-afirma-solo-realiza-interceptaciones-telefonicas-autorizadas/
https://eldia.com.do/sanz-lovaton-v...privacidad-y-la-intimidad-de-los-dominicanos/
https://eldia.com.do/paliza-interce...ifestacion-de-que-la-democracia-esta-enferma/
https://www.elcaribe.com.do/2019/04...se-movilizara-por-pinches-telefonos-miembros/
https://eldia.com.do/juristas-afirman-es-ilegal-intervenir-telefonos-de-abogados-defensores/


Marie Royce of US government visits for start of Academy for Women Entrepreneurs
The US Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce is here this week. During her visit, she is scheduled to meet with several government officers and graduates of US educational programs. She is here to participate in the launching of the US Embassy-backed Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), a new US Department of State initiative to support women entrepreneurs globally.

Through the academy, 36 participants from Santo Domingo aged 18-35 will receive personalized business mentorship, as well as professional knowledge, tools and networks, in order to turn their ideas into successful businesses.

During her visit, accompanied by US Ambassador Robin Bernstein, she toured the Santo Domingo cathedral accompanied by Santo Domingo Archbishop Francisco Ozoria for a tour of the Santo Domingo Cathedral. The US Embassy reported that Royce was able to observe the conservation works that had been completed thanks to the US State Department’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.

Royce in her capacity oversees a wide range of educational, professional, cultural and exports exchanges on behalf of the US government.

https://do.usembassy.gov/united-states-embassy-launches-academy-for-women-entrepreneurs/
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/280673.htm
https://eca.state.gov/cultural-heritage-center/ambassadors-fund-cultural-preservation


Diario Libre: Vladimir Guerrero, Man of the Year; Ginny Heinsen, Woman of the Year; Aysha Syed, Youth of the Year
The third Dominican baseball player to be inducted to the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame, Vladimir Guerrero was voted Man of the Year by Diario Libre readers. Recycling evangelist Ginny Heinsen was named Woman of the Year. Violinist Aysha Syed became the first time winner of the Youth of the Year award of the leading Dominican daily. The awards are in their 13th year.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...mujer-y-joven-del-ano-diario-libre-CH12624420


Manuel Grullón of TPago buys 50% of Remax RD
Businessman Manuel Grullón Hernández will preside over Remax RD, the leading real estate company. As reported in Diario Libre, the businessman acquired 50% of the shares of Remax RD. He is the son of Manuel Alejandro Grullón, the chairman of Banco Popular Dominicano, the largest private bank in the Dominican Republic.

On Tuesday, 23 April 2019, Grullón Hernández signed an agreement with Mélido Marte, regional director for Remax RD. Marte says this agreement is a new stage for the franchise in the country. Grullón is the chief officer for the TPago electronic payment service.

In a press release, Marte said the collaboration will bring innovation, an increase in productivity and professionalism to the country, in these times of technological transformation of the real estate industry business models.

"It is time to strengthen the institutional strengthening of Re/Max RD, with the main objective of raising the potential of our brand to continue leading the marketing of real estate in the country,” he stated.

https://www.diariolibre.com/economia/empresario-manuel-grullon-h-presidira-remax-rd-ME12613438


Inacif driver trafficked in drugs part-time
Prosecutors announced the arrest of a chauffeur of the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (Inacif) for being part of a criminal ring dedicated to weapons and drugs trafficking and in money laundering. Inacif driver Divari Nicolás Correa Rodríguez was arrested together with Jaime Mármol Medina in an inspection of a home in Cerro Alto, Santiago, by Police and prosecutors, according to a PGR press release.

On-site, the law enforcement officers seized 11 firearms, more than 2,000 bullets and 29 packages of a substance thought to be cocaine. Among the firearms were Uzi submachine guns. The prosecutors will request pre-trial custody measures.

http://pgr.gob.do/2019/04/24/minist...das-al-trafico-de-armas-y-drogas-en-santiago/


Dominicans in the 26th Billboard Latin Music Awards
The 26th Billboard Latin Music Awards presented by Billboard magazine will be aired from Las Vegas, Nevada, this Thursday, 25 April 2019. They can be watched on local TV on TeleAntillas (Channel 2) at 9pm. The show also will air live on Telemundo. Puerto Rican star Ozuna, who performed on Easter Saturday at the Altos de Chavon Amphitheater in La Romana, leads the list of finalists with 23 nods in 15 categories.

Romeo Santos is nominated in the categories of Tour of the Year, Tropical Song of the Year (“Sobredosis” and “Centavito”), Tropical Artist of the Year (“Solo”), Top Latin Albums Artist, Male, Streaming Song (“El Farsante”).
Prince Royce is nominated in the Tropical Artist, Solo category. Natty Natasha is nominated for New Artist of the Year and Hot Latin Songs Artist, Female, of the year.

Cardi B is nominated to Crossover Artist of the Year and to Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal for her collaboration “Taki Taki” with DJ Snake also featuring Selena Gomez and Ozuna.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/...rd-latin-music-awards-finalists-complete-list


Book Fair opens Friday, 26 April
The nine-day long 22nd International Santo Domingo Book Fair opens on Friday. This year it is taking over the Colonial City, with bookstands and events on city streets, plazas, cultural centers and businesses throughout. The Ministry of Culture that organizes the annual cultural event says that some 642 activities have been scheduled. The inauguration of the book fair is scheduled for Friday, 26 April at the main hall of the National Theater. President Danilo Medina and Culture Minister Eduardo Selman will be presiding over the event. The book fair will last from 26 April to 5 May 2019.

Among the activities is the launching of 38 books, recognition of nine writers, 39 conferences by local and international intellectuals. This year the book fair is dedicated to Dominican author Virgilio Diaz Grullón and Puerto Rico is the guest country.

This year an exhibition of 14 works of art by artists from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are on exhibition at the Quinta Dominica on the Calle Billini from 27 April through the closing on 5 May. The “Polifonía” was curated by Carlos Acero Ruiz and organized by Abdías Méndez Robles, Antonio Cortés and Juan Mayí. The artists are Rosa Tavárez, Laura Rodríguez, July Monción, Juan Mayí, Abdías Méndez Robles, Antonio Cortés, José Pelletier, Romaguera, Leonardo Durán, Luis Alejandro, Héctor Rafael, Hilario Olivo, Edwin Maurás and Inés Tolentino.

New on the program this year are movie showings. The Films Agency (DGCine) and the Cinemateca Dominicana announced the presentation of the films from 26 April to 5 May at the Centro Cultural Banreservas, Embassy of France, Cinema Boreal and the Centro Cultural de España in the Colonial City.

On the program are the films: “La guagua aérea” (1993), “El caballero Don Quijote” (2002) and “Silencio en la nieve” (2011). On occasion of Puerto Rico being guest country of the book fair, the Puerto Rican films “El cacique” (1959), “Vida y asunción de Lupe Vélez” (1966) and The Bell (1992) will be shown.

See the schedule at: https://dr1.com/programa_general_filsd_2019.pdf
https://noticiassin.com/feria-del-libro-expone-obras-de-artistas-locales-y-de-puerto-rico/
https://almomento.net/dgcine-y-cinemateca-proyectaran-filmes-en-feria-internacional-del-libro/


Karla Fatule stars in comedy at Palacio de Bellas Artes
Singer and actor Karla Fatule has the lead role as María Casado in the Spanish comedy-musical “La Llamada” that opens at the Palacio de Bellas Artes on 16 May. Also staring are singers-actors Junior Lomba, Carolina Rivas, Gracielina Olivero, José Llano, Laura Lebrón, Máximo Martínez and Natalie Borsos.

In the past, Fatule has held lead roles in “Dreamgirls” in 2011, “Willie 3d” and “Saturday Night Live” in 2015, and “Baño de damas” in 2017.

The performance is directed by María Castillo. Junior Basurto Lomba directs the four-musician band. Costumes, scenography and choreography are by Enmanuel Caamaño, Ángela Bernal and Natalie Borsos, respectively.

“La llamada” is a Spanish musical by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo. It is described as a comedy on faith, friendship, first love, the search for identity, electro-latino and Whitney Houston. It was voted the best-staged drama by Spanish newspaper El Pais readers, and also won 13 Broadway World awards since when it first opened in 2013.

https://www.lallamadaelmusical.es/el-musical-la-llamada/
https://listindiario.com/entretenimiento/2019/04/24/562562/karla-fatule-asume-un-rol-protagonico
 
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