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Next DR1 Daily News update: Monday, 13 May 2019
Castaños Guzmán defends decision to keep drag vote
Step back: Constitutional Court orders parties to follow their statutes
Nassef Perdomo: D’Hondt method still allocates deputy seats
Gallup-Hoy April 2019: 90% say corruption is the same or more
Gallup-Hoy: What are the top issues to voters in the DR
April 2019 Gallup poll: 68.4% say economy is bad
52.9% approval of Medina administration
IFC has US$500 million to lend for Dominican projects
DR debt is ranked in bottom third in Latin America
Scotiabank invests US$20 million after Progreso merge
Economist alerts to the dark side of easy Chinese borrowing
More agribusiness production needed, Expo Provisiones 2019 announced
Grupo Jaragua alerts to deforestation at Nalga de Maco mountain
Courses in artificial intelligence now offered at ITLA
Big hikes in JCE tariffs as of 1 June 2019
State prosecutors ready for next phase of Odebrecht trial
Feria AgroAlimentaria at the Dominican Fiesta
Gilberto Santa Rosa at the National Theater
Ana Torroja at the Renaissance Jaragua
Speed racing at the Autodromo Petronan
Next DR1 Daily News update: Monday, 13 May 2019
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 13 May 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 https://dr1.com
Castaños Guzmán defends decision to keep drag vote
The president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Julio Cesar Castaños Guzmán says that only if the National Congress amends Electoral Law 15-19 will the JCE step back from the decision of its plenary to divide the application of the “drag” vote (vote del arrastre). Castaños Guzmán said the Constitutional Court could also rule against the measure that eliminates the drag vote in 26 provinces, but keeps it for the National District, Province of Santo Domingo, Santiago, La Vega, San Cristóbal and Puerto Plata on grounds that these provinces have electoral districts.
A majority of opposition political parties had requested that voters be allowed to cast their votes directly for senators, deputies and municipal candidates.
The decision by the JCE has met with widespread opposition. The excluded provinces account for more than half of the vote.
http://hoy.com.do/diputados-opuestos-a-que-jce-fraccione-arrastre-prm-atacara/
http://hoy.com.do/voto-de-arrastre-provoca-opiniones-a-favor-y-en-contra/
http://hoy.com.do/salomon-en-la-jce/
http://hoy.com.do/penosa-linea-blanda-en-la-jce/
Step back: Constitutional Court orders parties to follow their statutes
A ruling by the Constitutional Court says that political parties need to adhere to their statutes and internal regulations. It thus annuls the disposition contained in new Political Parties Law 33-18 that had granted power to the party leadership to decide the voting list, modality and methods for the party to choose the candidates to elective positions at the presidential, legislative and municipal levels.
The law had established that a party central committee, executive commission, political commission, national committee or equivalent to one of those are the bodies be empowered to decide the modality and method for the choosing of the candidates (Paragraph III of Art. 45 of Political Parties Law 33-18).
The sentence means that the ruling PLD party needs to choose its elected candidates with its internal voting list, that President Danilo Medina himself has gone on record saying it is very outdated, or else call an extraordinary convention to reform the statutes in order to keep the chosen open primary modality. The open primary modality had been approved by the Central Committee of the ruling party in a meeting lasting only 10 minutes. Art. 43 of the PLD establishes that candidates for general elections (presidential, legislative and municipal) will be chosen with internal primaries directed by a National Electoral Commission.
The primaries are scheduled for 6 October 2019.
https://eldia.com.do/tribunal-constitucional-dispone-estatutos-establezcan-primarias/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...da-forzado-a-usar-padron-o-reunir-su-congreso
Nassef Perdomo: D’Hondt method still allocates deputy seats
Constitutional expert Nassef Perdomo writes in El Día on 8 May 2019 about an aspect of Electoral Regime Law 15-19 that has not been in the limelight but he says is just as important as “the drag vote” as it relates to senators and deputies. He says the same law allows for political parties to post a list of deputies and the deputies are allocated votes depending on their placement set by the political party leadership.
As explained, in the new Electoral Regime 15-19 law, the previous provision that called for the votes that deputies and municipal elected officers receive be accumulated for the senator of the party was eliminated with the inclusion of Art. 94, which set four levels of election – presidential, senators, deputies and municipal. But there was no provision to eliminate the allocation of deputy seats according to the D’Hondt method, a type of party-list proportional representation that still is in effect. It is a winner takes more approach.
Perdomo explained that in an electoral district where six deputies are to be chosen, each party presents the same amount of candidates. When the votes are counted, the number of seats to be allocated to each party is determined first depending on these votes. Once the seats are allocated, candidates of each party are listed according to the descending number of votes obtained. That is from more to fewer votes. Those that are first on the list are elected.
If a party was allocated, for instance, two seats, then the first two on the list are elected; if the party was allocated three seats, then the first three are elected, etc.
Perdomo explains that this system means that candidate of party A can individually receive more votes than any other candidate in his electoral district, but not be elected because the party did not do well in general.
https://eldia.com.do/un-problema-poco-discutido-de-eliminar-el-arrastre/
https://eldia.com.do/la-jce-mantien...m-anuncia-que-ira-al-tribunal-constitucional/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp3rfDWRpYc
Gallup-Hoy April 2019: 90% say corruption is the same or more
Findings from the April 2019 Gallup poll revealed that 64.4% of Dominican eligible voters consider there is more corruption than before. 25.2% say there is the same amount of corruption as before. 8.9% say there is less corruption than before. Administrative corruption is named among the top five problems that are important to voters in the poll.
77.3% of the population called for radical or big changes in the country. 65.1% said Dominican democracy is acceptable.
The Gallup-Hoy poll was carried out from 25-29 April 2019. 1,200 eligible voters were polled.
Gallup-Hoy: What are the top issues to voters in the DR
For the April 2019 Gallup-Hoy survey, the polling company asked 1,200 eligible voters to name the most important problems facing this country today. As ranked on the list, these are:
Theft, assaults, gangs and delinquency in general 68.3%
Scarcity of jobs, unemployment 34.7%
Inflation, high cost of living 32.3%
Administrative corruption 18.9%
Health in general 10.6%
Blackouts or lack of electricity 8.8%
Economy 6.8%
Femicides, intrafamily and gender violence 5.8%
Lack of potable water 5.4%
Trafficking and consumption of narcotic drugs 4.6%
Loss of values 3.4%
Impunity, lack of justice 3.3%
High price of fuel 3.3%
Extreme poverty 2.7%
Bad government 2.3%
Politics, mishandling by politicians 2%
Mishandling by military/police 1.8%
Low wages 1.8%
Deteriorating public services 1.8%
Violence in general 1.3%
Streets in bad condition 1.2%
Haitian migration 1.2%
Garbage collection 1.2%
Public transport 1.1%
Environmental contamination 1%
Lack of leadership 1%
Foreign debt 0.9%
Lack of opportunities 0.8%
Social inequality 0.7%
Lack of money in circulation 0.6%
April 2019 Gallup poll: 68.4% say economy is bad
Most Dominicans have a negative perception of the economy, with only 13.1% giving it a positive rating, according to results of the 25-29 April 2019 Gallup-Hoy poll. This is an improvement, nevertheless over the 75% negative perception, Dominicans had when answering to the same poll in September 2018. 52.8% of the people consider the economy will have improved by the end of the second term of President Danilo Medina in August 2020.
http://hoy.com.do/encuesta-gallup-h...ente-ve-negativo-el-desempeno-de-la-economia/
http://hoy.com.do/encuesta-gallup-h...rno-de-danilo-medina-la-economia-estara-peor/
52.9% approval of Medina administration
President Danilo Medina received a 52.9% approval rate in the second half of his second term. Medina has been in government for six years and five months. 33.6% said his was a bad government and 12.7% says it has not been good but neither bad. Voters identifying themselves as members of the ruling PLD party gave Medina an 80% approval vote in the Gallup-Hoy poll.
In the same poll, 57.3% of those surveyed expressed concern over the next government year of the Medina administration.
69% of the population complained that the Medina government has not been successful combatting corruption, 61% criticized government efforts to improve citizen security and the cost of living. 50% say Medina has been successful in reducing employment and poverty. 65.9% approved advances in education.
Some 1,200 eligible voters were polled for the 25-29 April 2019 poll.
http://hoy.com.do/encuesta-gallup-hoy-danilo-medina-no-ha-sido-exitoso-lucha-corrupcion/
http://hoy.com.do/encuesta-gallup-hoy-10/
IFC has US$500 million to lend for Dominican projects
Regional director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Latin America and the Caribbean, Gabriel Goldschmidt says the organization has a line of credit for up to US$500 million for the Dominican Republic in the next four years. The IFC is the part of the World Bank Group focused on private-sector development in developing countries.
Goldschmidt was in the Dominican Republic last week to contact clients and determine how to continue contributing to the objectives and development of the Dominican Republic, as reported in Listín Diario. During his visit to the country, he met with President Danilo Medina.
IFC funds can be used for the construction of infrastructure works in a public-private partnership or through the development of purely private projects.
Goldschmidt told Listin Diario in an interview that the entity views positively the active business sector and the many public-private interactions in the Dominican economy. He mentioned the thriving financial sector and free trade zones and small and medium-sized enterprises.
"From our perspective, and even comparatively in the region, the Dominican Republic has an advantageous position in terms of the broad participation of the private sector in the economy and that means that we, as IFC in the Dominican Republic, have been able to contribute with a number of companies and sectors over the years," he said.
During the conversation, at the World Bank offices in Santo Domingo, the IFC director for the LAC region emphasized the commitment of the international financial institution with the Dominican Republic to contribute to the development of the economy, support the private sector, increase its participation in the economy and meet the sector’s needs as these arise.
In the last 20 years, the entity has provided US$1.2 billion to this country, where it has contributed with most of the banks for projects such as technological transformation; and with other companies, indirectly, such as SMEs, which are the largest contributors of jobs, explained Goldschmidt.
Taking into account IFC's reforms and demand for funds, IFC plans to finance from $250 million to $500 million over the next four years, an amount that will expand investments from US$1 billion to US$2 billion, Goldschmidt told Listín Diario.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...e-linea-de-credito-de-hasta-us-500-mm-para-rd
DR debt is ranked in bottom third in Latin America
The Dominican Republic is ranked 13th of 18 Latin American countries with the most debt, according to the World Bank. Only Panama, Peru, Chile, Guatemala and Paraguay are listed with lower debt percentage. The Dominican Republic is listed by the World Bank with a ratio of debt to GDP of 39.8%.
As reported in Diario Libre, Alessandro Legrottaglie, representative of the World Bank for the Dominican Republic, says that the debt level of the country “is one of the lowest in all the region.” He said the level is sustainable and “is not a problem for the Dominican Republic.”
The non-financial public sector debt was at 50.4% at the close of 2018, according to the Ministry of Hacienda (Treasury).
Diario Libre reports citing Ministry of Hacienda data that the servicing of the non-financial public sector debt was US$1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2019, or US$64 million more than for the same period last year.
As of 31 March 2019, the nonfinancial public sector (NFPS) external and domestic debt totaled US$32,733.0 million, according to the Ministry of Hacienda. This amount represents 39.0% of the estimated GDP.
According to the Ministry, 65.4% of the NFPS total debt corresponds to external debt, which presented a balance of US$21,417.8 million, while the remaining 34.6% corresponds to domestic debt, which totaled RD$570,847.7 million, equivalent to US$11,315.3 million at the exchange rate of RD$/US$=50.4493. These amounts represent 25.5% and 13.5% of the estimated GDP, respectively. Of the total domestic debt, US$2,623.7 million (3.1% of GDP) corresponds to intra-governmental bonds debt issued by the Central Government for the recapitalization of the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic. The intra-governmental debt is debt contracted by one government institution with another.
Legrottaglie made the statements when visiting the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Radhamés Camacho. The meetings coincided with the visit of Gabriel Goldschmidt, regional director for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a sister organization to the World Bank. The World Bank has said it has US$500 million to lend for infrastructure and business projects in the Dominican Republic over the next four years.
https://www.creditopublico.gov.do/ingles/news/2019/20190506_PIB.htm
https://latinamericanpost.com/23949...he-countries-that-have-the-most-external-debt
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...ento-en-3-9-en-el-primer-trimestre-JF12710900
Scotiabank invests US$20 million after Progreso merge
Gonzalo Parral, general manager of Scotiabank says the company is investing US$20 million in technology to carry out the merger with the Banco Dominicano del Progreso. Parral said the merger would be completed in around 12 months. “We are investing heavily in technology to become a better bank. We want to be a digital bank, we want to be leaders to improve the customer experience,” said Parral, in a meeting with local financial writers.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...bank-invierte-mas-de-us-3000-mm-en-tecnologia
https://eldia.com.do/scotiabank-crece-11-en-utilidades-netas/
https://www.eldinero.com.do/71901/s...uevo-gerente-general-en-republica-dominicana/
Economist alerts to the dark side of easy Chinese borrowing
Economist Miguel Collado Di Franco of the Regional Center of Sustainable Economic Strategies (Centro Regional de Estrategias Economicas Sostenibles - CREES) economic research center said the Dominican government should study well the experiences of Ecuador, Kenya and Sri Lanka, who have borrowed from China. Major infrastructure works in Ecuador built with Chinese funds have been vulnerable to overruns and corruption.
The Dominican Republic and China are finalizing details for a US$600 million loan for electricity transmission with the Export-Import Bank of China (Exim) following the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2018.
http://hoy.com.do/collado-pide-rd-se-cuide-de-las-inversiones-chinas/
https://www.crees.org.do/es/artículo/diplomacia-china-deuda-y-megaproyectos
https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-ecuador-loans-china-20181210-story.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/world/americas/ecuador-china-dam.html
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-para-el-comercio-entre-china-y-al-FG11172447
https://www.caribbean-council.org/f...n-agreements-signed-china-dominican-republic/
https://www.theepochtimes.com/jamai...chinese-investment-and-influence_2671644.html
More agribusiness production needed, Expo Provisiones 2019 announced
President Danilo Medina has repeatedly said the Dominican Republic produces 85% of the food it consumes. Nevertheless, Jorge Morales, of the National Council of Supplies Trade (CNCP) says the Dominican Republic is no longer self-sufficient in traditional agricultural products produced here. According to Morales, imports have taken local producers out of business. The Dominican Republic has now become a major importer of beans, garlic, rice, dairy products, corn, oils, coffee and cassava, when in the past it was a major producer.
"We have the capacity to be a self-sufficient country, and depending on others is costing us hundreds of millions of dollars. The government has to emphasize that," Morales said, adding that because of this situation the consumer is having to pay more for these products.
In an interview at Listín Diario to announce the hosting of the Expo Provisiones 2019, he urged that the government take measures to encourage local production and increase backing to farmers. He said the country is far from being competitive in agro-industrial production. “We cannot stay behind being merely an agricultural nation.” He stressed that raw materials must be transformed to be less dependent on imports.
Expo Provisiones is organized by the National Council of Provisions in Commerce (Consejo Nacional de Provisiones en Comercio) and will take place at the Sambil Mall from 31 May to 2 June from 10am to 10pm. An estimated 100 mass consumption product companies will be participating.
https://cncp.com.do/eventos/expo-provisiones/
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...ue-se-producen-en-el-pais-se-estan-importando
https://www.metrord.do/do/noticias/...ina-dice-rd-produce-85-alimentos-consume.html
Grupo Jaragua alerts to deforestation at Nalga de Maco mountain
It has been a national park since 1995, but Grupo Jaragua environmentalists that recently visited the Nalga de Maco mountain in the Central Mountain Range say it is a certain case of mountain destruction, of “ecocide”, as reported in Listin Diario. The environmentalists shared photos of the deforestation to make way for breeding cattle, planting of beans, remains of chemicals used to prepare areas for farming. The ecologists say that the information has been shared with the Ministry of Environment, but has been ignored.
The Nalga de Maco is a source of the important rivers Joca, La Cidra, El Valle and Artibonito.
https://listindiario.com/vida-verde/2019/05/09/564556/print
Courses in artificial intelligence now offered at ITLA
The Las Americas Institute of Technology (ITLA) opened its Artificial Intelligence Center for training in robotics. The center is preparing programs to promote the development of intelligent systems. Rector José Armando Tavarez and vice rector Aniberky Mateo made the presentation at the university, which is located in the municipality of Boca Chica, near the Las Americas International Airport.
Rina Familia is the coordinator for the Centro de Inteligencia Artificial.
The use of artificial intelligence is gaining, with many manufacturing plants in free zones already installing it for increased profitability.
The center opens with course starting 6 July 2019.
https://www.itla.edu.do/inteligencia
Big hikes in JCE tariffs as of 1 June 2019
If you need services from the JCE, go now. Rates will be going up considerably as of 1 June 2019. In some cases, fees will double. The JCE announced the increase in order to balance its budget. A story in Diario Libre gives some advances on the new rates.
See the tariffs that are in effect now.
https://jce.gob.do/Registro-Civil/Tasas
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...servicios-por-problemas-economicos-CM12691751
https://elnacional.com.do/jce-sube-precios-servicios-civiles-hasta-un-500/
State prosecutors ready for next phase of Odebrecht trial
State prosecutors asked for the commencement of substantive proceedings against the seven accused by the Attorney General Office of accepting US$92 million in bribes from the Odebrecht construction firm. The Attorney General has signed an agreement with Odebrecht in which the latter agreed to pay a US$184 million fine over an eight-year period for its part in the bribery scheme.
Judge Francisco Ortega Polanco says he will announce on 21 June 2019 his decision as to whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to be heard or orders the case to be closed. Defense lawyers have argued the prosecutors have not presented evidence that can be used against their defendants in a court case.
The Supreme Court of Justice case is preparing the case against the seven. These are former Odebrecht representative Ángel Rondón Rijo, former Minister of Public Works Víctor Díaz Rúa, legal counsel to Díaz Rua, Conrado Enrique Pittaluga Arzeno, former senators Porfirio Andrés Bautista García and Jesús Antonio Vásquez Martínez, senator Tommy Alberto Galán Grullón, former National Aqueduct (Inapa) director Juan Roberto Rodríguez Hernández, is being heard by the Supreme Court of Justice.
The case resumes after the SCJ did not accept a recusal of the judge petitioned by the lawyers of Conrado Pittaluga on 22 April 2019. The lawyers petitioned the recusal after the judge refused a request to order the telecom company to share information on the taping of a telephone of one of the sons of the accused who is part of his defense counsel.
In the past two weeks, the main defendant in the case, Rondón, has been active in local radio and TV talk shows presenting his position that there is no evidence for the case to be tried. He argues that it is just politics.
Rondón says he was never a middleman for Odebecht. He has said the payments he has received were for his services as the Brazilian construction company’s representative in the country. The US Department of the Treasury in 2017 ordered the removal of the US visa and blocking of property of Rondón and several relatives for serious corruption as under the Global Magnitsky Executive Order recourse.
http://z101digital.com/mp-sobre-caso-odebrecht-todos-absolutamente-todos-deben-ir-a-juicio-de-fondo/
http://z101digital.com/juez-ortega-reanuda-manana-audiencia-contra-imputados-por-caso-odebrecht/
https://do.usembassy.gov/united-states-government-takes-actions-related-human-rights-corruption/
https://www.treasury.gov/resource-c...ment/Pages/20171221.aspx#.WjvSeRrsOV4.twitter
https://colorvision.com.do/este-sabado-exclusiva-con-angel-rondon-enfasis-0600pm/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...l-juicio-preliminar-por-sobornos-de-odebrecht
https://www.haciendonoticias.com/in...ion-juez-caso-odebrecht-juicio-o-no-ha-lugar/
Feria AgroAlimentaria at the Dominican Fiesta
With the participation of 180 international buyers and 250 Dominican agribusiness companies, the VII Feria Internacional AgroAlimentaria 2019 opened at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel in Santo Domingo. The event was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Osmar Benítez, the director of the Center for Export and Investment, Marius de León and businessman George Mansfield of the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD). The event is scheduled from Wednesday, 8 May to Sunday, 12 May.
http://hoy.com.do/inician-agroalimentaria-con-mas-de-180-compradores/
Gilberto Santa Rosa at the National Theater
Puerto Rican bandleader and salsa singer Gilberto Santa Rosa (The Gentleman of Salsa) is performing on 24-25 May 2019 at the National Theater in Santo Domingo. This is part of his “Amor de los Amores Tour 2019”. Tickets are for sale at CCN Servicios, Supermercados Nacional, Jumbo stores. And online at Uepa Tickets.
Listen to his music at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qwEqJy6W0s
Ana Torroja at the Renaissance Jaragua
Spanish singer Ana Torroja is booked for a performance on 8 June 2019 at the Teatro La Fiesta of the Jaragua Renaissance Hotel in Santo Domingo. Torroja was the lead singer of the pop trio Mecano, considered one of the most popular pop bands from Spain during the 1980s and 1990s. Mecano split in 1998 when she embarked on a solo career.
Listen to her music at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwGG5fX7bxY
Speed racing at the Autodromo Petronan
More than 100 speed racers will be racing their cars at the Las Americas Expressway Petronan racetrack. Coming for the event on Sunday, 11 May 2019, are six car racers from Puerto Rico. The event, the 10th Caribbean Shootout Cometa is the most important drag race of the year.
Castaños Guzmán defends decision to keep drag vote
Step back: Constitutional Court orders parties to follow their statutes
Nassef Perdomo: D’Hondt method still allocates deputy seats
Gallup-Hoy April 2019: 90% say corruption is the same or more
Gallup-Hoy: What are the top issues to voters in the DR
April 2019 Gallup poll: 68.4% say economy is bad
52.9% approval of Medina administration
IFC has US$500 million to lend for Dominican projects
DR debt is ranked in bottom third in Latin America
Scotiabank invests US$20 million after Progreso merge
Economist alerts to the dark side of easy Chinese borrowing
More agribusiness production needed, Expo Provisiones 2019 announced
Grupo Jaragua alerts to deforestation at Nalga de Maco mountain
Courses in artificial intelligence now offered at ITLA
Big hikes in JCE tariffs as of 1 June 2019
State prosecutors ready for next phase of Odebrecht trial
Feria AgroAlimentaria at the Dominican Fiesta
Gilberto Santa Rosa at the National Theater
Ana Torroja at the Renaissance Jaragua
Speed racing at the Autodromo Petronan
Next DR1 Daily News update: Monday, 13 May 2019
The next DR1 Daily News update will be published on Monday, 13 May 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 https://dr1.com
Castaños Guzmán defends decision to keep drag vote
The president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Julio Cesar Castaños Guzmán says that only if the National Congress amends Electoral Law 15-19 will the JCE step back from the decision of its plenary to divide the application of the “drag” vote (vote del arrastre). Castaños Guzmán said the Constitutional Court could also rule against the measure that eliminates the drag vote in 26 provinces, but keeps it for the National District, Province of Santo Domingo, Santiago, La Vega, San Cristóbal and Puerto Plata on grounds that these provinces have electoral districts.
A majority of opposition political parties had requested that voters be allowed to cast their votes directly for senators, deputies and municipal candidates.
The decision by the JCE has met with widespread opposition. The excluded provinces account for more than half of the vote.
http://hoy.com.do/diputados-opuestos-a-que-jce-fraccione-arrastre-prm-atacara/
http://hoy.com.do/voto-de-arrastre-provoca-opiniones-a-favor-y-en-contra/
http://hoy.com.do/salomon-en-la-jce/
http://hoy.com.do/penosa-linea-blanda-en-la-jce/
Step back: Constitutional Court orders parties to follow their statutes
A ruling by the Constitutional Court says that political parties need to adhere to their statutes and internal regulations. It thus annuls the disposition contained in new Political Parties Law 33-18 that had granted power to the party leadership to decide the voting list, modality and methods for the party to choose the candidates to elective positions at the presidential, legislative and municipal levels.
The law had established that a party central committee, executive commission, political commission, national committee or equivalent to one of those are the bodies be empowered to decide the modality and method for the choosing of the candidates (Paragraph III of Art. 45 of Political Parties Law 33-18).
The sentence means that the ruling PLD party needs to choose its elected candidates with its internal voting list, that President Danilo Medina himself has gone on record saying it is very outdated, or else call an extraordinary convention to reform the statutes in order to keep the chosen open primary modality. The open primary modality had been approved by the Central Committee of the ruling party in a meeting lasting only 10 minutes. Art. 43 of the PLD establishes that candidates for general elections (presidential, legislative and municipal) will be chosen with internal primaries directed by a National Electoral Commission.
The primaries are scheduled for 6 October 2019.
https://eldia.com.do/tribunal-constitucional-dispone-estatutos-establezcan-primarias/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...da-forzado-a-usar-padron-o-reunir-su-congreso
Nassef Perdomo: D’Hondt method still allocates deputy seats
Constitutional expert Nassef Perdomo writes in El Día on 8 May 2019 about an aspect of Electoral Regime Law 15-19 that has not been in the limelight but he says is just as important as “the drag vote” as it relates to senators and deputies. He says the same law allows for political parties to post a list of deputies and the deputies are allocated votes depending on their placement set by the political party leadership.
As explained, in the new Electoral Regime 15-19 law, the previous provision that called for the votes that deputies and municipal elected officers receive be accumulated for the senator of the party was eliminated with the inclusion of Art. 94, which set four levels of election – presidential, senators, deputies and municipal. But there was no provision to eliminate the allocation of deputy seats according to the D’Hondt method, a type of party-list proportional representation that still is in effect. It is a winner takes more approach.
Perdomo explained that in an electoral district where six deputies are to be chosen, each party presents the same amount of candidates. When the votes are counted, the number of seats to be allocated to each party is determined first depending on these votes. Once the seats are allocated, candidates of each party are listed according to the descending number of votes obtained. That is from more to fewer votes. Those that are first on the list are elected.
If a party was allocated, for instance, two seats, then the first two on the list are elected; if the party was allocated three seats, then the first three are elected, etc.
Perdomo explains that this system means that candidate of party A can individually receive more votes than any other candidate in his electoral district, but not be elected because the party did not do well in general.
https://eldia.com.do/un-problema-poco-discutido-de-eliminar-el-arrastre/
https://eldia.com.do/la-jce-mantien...m-anuncia-que-ira-al-tribunal-constitucional/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp3rfDWRpYc
Gallup-Hoy April 2019: 90% say corruption is the same or more
Findings from the April 2019 Gallup poll revealed that 64.4% of Dominican eligible voters consider there is more corruption than before. 25.2% say there is the same amount of corruption as before. 8.9% say there is less corruption than before. Administrative corruption is named among the top five problems that are important to voters in the poll.
77.3% of the population called for radical or big changes in the country. 65.1% said Dominican democracy is acceptable.
The Gallup-Hoy poll was carried out from 25-29 April 2019. 1,200 eligible voters were polled.
Gallup-Hoy: What are the top issues to voters in the DR
For the April 2019 Gallup-Hoy survey, the polling company asked 1,200 eligible voters to name the most important problems facing this country today. As ranked on the list, these are:
Theft, assaults, gangs and delinquency in general 68.3%
Scarcity of jobs, unemployment 34.7%
Inflation, high cost of living 32.3%
Administrative corruption 18.9%
Health in general 10.6%
Blackouts or lack of electricity 8.8%
Economy 6.8%
Femicides, intrafamily and gender violence 5.8%
Lack of potable water 5.4%
Trafficking and consumption of narcotic drugs 4.6%
Loss of values 3.4%
Impunity, lack of justice 3.3%
High price of fuel 3.3%
Extreme poverty 2.7%
Bad government 2.3%
Politics, mishandling by politicians 2%
Mishandling by military/police 1.8%
Low wages 1.8%
Deteriorating public services 1.8%
Violence in general 1.3%
Streets in bad condition 1.2%
Haitian migration 1.2%
Garbage collection 1.2%
Public transport 1.1%
Environmental contamination 1%
Lack of leadership 1%
Foreign debt 0.9%
Lack of opportunities 0.8%
Social inequality 0.7%
Lack of money in circulation 0.6%
April 2019 Gallup poll: 68.4% say economy is bad
Most Dominicans have a negative perception of the economy, with only 13.1% giving it a positive rating, according to results of the 25-29 April 2019 Gallup-Hoy poll. This is an improvement, nevertheless over the 75% negative perception, Dominicans had when answering to the same poll in September 2018. 52.8% of the people consider the economy will have improved by the end of the second term of President Danilo Medina in August 2020.
http://hoy.com.do/encuesta-gallup-h...ente-ve-negativo-el-desempeno-de-la-economia/
http://hoy.com.do/encuesta-gallup-h...rno-de-danilo-medina-la-economia-estara-peor/
52.9% approval of Medina administration
President Danilo Medina received a 52.9% approval rate in the second half of his second term. Medina has been in government for six years and five months. 33.6% said his was a bad government and 12.7% says it has not been good but neither bad. Voters identifying themselves as members of the ruling PLD party gave Medina an 80% approval vote in the Gallup-Hoy poll.
In the same poll, 57.3% of those surveyed expressed concern over the next government year of the Medina administration.
69% of the population complained that the Medina government has not been successful combatting corruption, 61% criticized government efforts to improve citizen security and the cost of living. 50% say Medina has been successful in reducing employment and poverty. 65.9% approved advances in education.
Some 1,200 eligible voters were polled for the 25-29 April 2019 poll.
http://hoy.com.do/encuesta-gallup-hoy-danilo-medina-no-ha-sido-exitoso-lucha-corrupcion/
http://hoy.com.do/encuesta-gallup-hoy-10/
IFC has US$500 million to lend for Dominican projects
Regional director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Latin America and the Caribbean, Gabriel Goldschmidt says the organization has a line of credit for up to US$500 million for the Dominican Republic in the next four years. The IFC is the part of the World Bank Group focused on private-sector development in developing countries.
Goldschmidt was in the Dominican Republic last week to contact clients and determine how to continue contributing to the objectives and development of the Dominican Republic, as reported in Listín Diario. During his visit to the country, he met with President Danilo Medina.
IFC funds can be used for the construction of infrastructure works in a public-private partnership or through the development of purely private projects.
Goldschmidt told Listin Diario in an interview that the entity views positively the active business sector and the many public-private interactions in the Dominican economy. He mentioned the thriving financial sector and free trade zones and small and medium-sized enterprises.
"From our perspective, and even comparatively in the region, the Dominican Republic has an advantageous position in terms of the broad participation of the private sector in the economy and that means that we, as IFC in the Dominican Republic, have been able to contribute with a number of companies and sectors over the years," he said.
During the conversation, at the World Bank offices in Santo Domingo, the IFC director for the LAC region emphasized the commitment of the international financial institution with the Dominican Republic to contribute to the development of the economy, support the private sector, increase its participation in the economy and meet the sector’s needs as these arise.
In the last 20 years, the entity has provided US$1.2 billion to this country, where it has contributed with most of the banks for projects such as technological transformation; and with other companies, indirectly, such as SMEs, which are the largest contributors of jobs, explained Goldschmidt.
Taking into account IFC's reforms and demand for funds, IFC plans to finance from $250 million to $500 million over the next four years, an amount that will expand investments from US$1 billion to US$2 billion, Goldschmidt told Listín Diario.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...e-linea-de-credito-de-hasta-us-500-mm-para-rd
DR debt is ranked in bottom third in Latin America
The Dominican Republic is ranked 13th of 18 Latin American countries with the most debt, according to the World Bank. Only Panama, Peru, Chile, Guatemala and Paraguay are listed with lower debt percentage. The Dominican Republic is listed by the World Bank with a ratio of debt to GDP of 39.8%.
As reported in Diario Libre, Alessandro Legrottaglie, representative of the World Bank for the Dominican Republic, says that the debt level of the country “is one of the lowest in all the region.” He said the level is sustainable and “is not a problem for the Dominican Republic.”
The non-financial public sector debt was at 50.4% at the close of 2018, according to the Ministry of Hacienda (Treasury).
Diario Libre reports citing Ministry of Hacienda data that the servicing of the non-financial public sector debt was US$1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2019, or US$64 million more than for the same period last year.
As of 31 March 2019, the nonfinancial public sector (NFPS) external and domestic debt totaled US$32,733.0 million, according to the Ministry of Hacienda. This amount represents 39.0% of the estimated GDP.
According to the Ministry, 65.4% of the NFPS total debt corresponds to external debt, which presented a balance of US$21,417.8 million, while the remaining 34.6% corresponds to domestic debt, which totaled RD$570,847.7 million, equivalent to US$11,315.3 million at the exchange rate of RD$/US$=50.4493. These amounts represent 25.5% and 13.5% of the estimated GDP, respectively. Of the total domestic debt, US$2,623.7 million (3.1% of GDP) corresponds to intra-governmental bonds debt issued by the Central Government for the recapitalization of the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic. The intra-governmental debt is debt contracted by one government institution with another.
Legrottaglie made the statements when visiting the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Radhamés Camacho. The meetings coincided with the visit of Gabriel Goldschmidt, regional director for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a sister organization to the World Bank. The World Bank has said it has US$500 million to lend for infrastructure and business projects in the Dominican Republic over the next four years.
https://www.creditopublico.gov.do/ingles/news/2019/20190506_PIB.htm
https://latinamericanpost.com/23949...he-countries-that-have-the-most-external-debt
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...ento-en-3-9-en-el-primer-trimestre-JF12710900
Scotiabank invests US$20 million after Progreso merge
Gonzalo Parral, general manager of Scotiabank says the company is investing US$20 million in technology to carry out the merger with the Banco Dominicano del Progreso. Parral said the merger would be completed in around 12 months. “We are investing heavily in technology to become a better bank. We want to be a digital bank, we want to be leaders to improve the customer experience,” said Parral, in a meeting with local financial writers.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...bank-invierte-mas-de-us-3000-mm-en-tecnologia
https://eldia.com.do/scotiabank-crece-11-en-utilidades-netas/
https://www.eldinero.com.do/71901/s...uevo-gerente-general-en-republica-dominicana/
Economist alerts to the dark side of easy Chinese borrowing
Economist Miguel Collado Di Franco of the Regional Center of Sustainable Economic Strategies (Centro Regional de Estrategias Economicas Sostenibles - CREES) economic research center said the Dominican government should study well the experiences of Ecuador, Kenya and Sri Lanka, who have borrowed from China. Major infrastructure works in Ecuador built with Chinese funds have been vulnerable to overruns and corruption.
The Dominican Republic and China are finalizing details for a US$600 million loan for electricity transmission with the Export-Import Bank of China (Exim) following the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2018.
http://hoy.com.do/collado-pide-rd-se-cuide-de-las-inversiones-chinas/
https://www.crees.org.do/es/artículo/diplomacia-china-deuda-y-megaproyectos
https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-ecuador-loans-china-20181210-story.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/world/americas/ecuador-china-dam.html
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-para-el-comercio-entre-china-y-al-FG11172447
https://www.caribbean-council.org/f...n-agreements-signed-china-dominican-republic/
https://www.theepochtimes.com/jamai...chinese-investment-and-influence_2671644.html
More agribusiness production needed, Expo Provisiones 2019 announced
President Danilo Medina has repeatedly said the Dominican Republic produces 85% of the food it consumes. Nevertheless, Jorge Morales, of the National Council of Supplies Trade (CNCP) says the Dominican Republic is no longer self-sufficient in traditional agricultural products produced here. According to Morales, imports have taken local producers out of business. The Dominican Republic has now become a major importer of beans, garlic, rice, dairy products, corn, oils, coffee and cassava, when in the past it was a major producer.
"We have the capacity to be a self-sufficient country, and depending on others is costing us hundreds of millions of dollars. The government has to emphasize that," Morales said, adding that because of this situation the consumer is having to pay more for these products.
In an interview at Listín Diario to announce the hosting of the Expo Provisiones 2019, he urged that the government take measures to encourage local production and increase backing to farmers. He said the country is far from being competitive in agro-industrial production. “We cannot stay behind being merely an agricultural nation.” He stressed that raw materials must be transformed to be less dependent on imports.
Expo Provisiones is organized by the National Council of Provisions in Commerce (Consejo Nacional de Provisiones en Comercio) and will take place at the Sambil Mall from 31 May to 2 June from 10am to 10pm. An estimated 100 mass consumption product companies will be participating.
https://cncp.com.do/eventos/expo-provisiones/
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...ue-se-producen-en-el-pais-se-estan-importando
https://www.metrord.do/do/noticias/...ina-dice-rd-produce-85-alimentos-consume.html
Grupo Jaragua alerts to deforestation at Nalga de Maco mountain
It has been a national park since 1995, but Grupo Jaragua environmentalists that recently visited the Nalga de Maco mountain in the Central Mountain Range say it is a certain case of mountain destruction, of “ecocide”, as reported in Listin Diario. The environmentalists shared photos of the deforestation to make way for breeding cattle, planting of beans, remains of chemicals used to prepare areas for farming. The ecologists say that the information has been shared with the Ministry of Environment, but has been ignored.
The Nalga de Maco is a source of the important rivers Joca, La Cidra, El Valle and Artibonito.
https://listindiario.com/vida-verde/2019/05/09/564556/print
Courses in artificial intelligence now offered at ITLA
The Las Americas Institute of Technology (ITLA) opened its Artificial Intelligence Center for training in robotics. The center is preparing programs to promote the development of intelligent systems. Rector José Armando Tavarez and vice rector Aniberky Mateo made the presentation at the university, which is located in the municipality of Boca Chica, near the Las Americas International Airport.
Rina Familia is the coordinator for the Centro de Inteligencia Artificial.
The use of artificial intelligence is gaining, with many manufacturing plants in free zones already installing it for increased profitability.
The center opens with course starting 6 July 2019.
https://www.itla.edu.do/inteligencia
Big hikes in JCE tariffs as of 1 June 2019
If you need services from the JCE, go now. Rates will be going up considerably as of 1 June 2019. In some cases, fees will double. The JCE announced the increase in order to balance its budget. A story in Diario Libre gives some advances on the new rates.
See the tariffs that are in effect now.
https://jce.gob.do/Registro-Civil/Tasas
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...servicios-por-problemas-economicos-CM12691751
https://elnacional.com.do/jce-sube-precios-servicios-civiles-hasta-un-500/
State prosecutors ready for next phase of Odebrecht trial
State prosecutors asked for the commencement of substantive proceedings against the seven accused by the Attorney General Office of accepting US$92 million in bribes from the Odebrecht construction firm. The Attorney General has signed an agreement with Odebrecht in which the latter agreed to pay a US$184 million fine over an eight-year period for its part in the bribery scheme.
Judge Francisco Ortega Polanco says he will announce on 21 June 2019 his decision as to whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to be heard or orders the case to be closed. Defense lawyers have argued the prosecutors have not presented evidence that can be used against their defendants in a court case.
The Supreme Court of Justice case is preparing the case against the seven. These are former Odebrecht representative Ángel Rondón Rijo, former Minister of Public Works Víctor Díaz Rúa, legal counsel to Díaz Rua, Conrado Enrique Pittaluga Arzeno, former senators Porfirio Andrés Bautista García and Jesús Antonio Vásquez Martínez, senator Tommy Alberto Galán Grullón, former National Aqueduct (Inapa) director Juan Roberto Rodríguez Hernández, is being heard by the Supreme Court of Justice.
The case resumes after the SCJ did not accept a recusal of the judge petitioned by the lawyers of Conrado Pittaluga on 22 April 2019. The lawyers petitioned the recusal after the judge refused a request to order the telecom company to share information on the taping of a telephone of one of the sons of the accused who is part of his defense counsel.
In the past two weeks, the main defendant in the case, Rondón, has been active in local radio and TV talk shows presenting his position that there is no evidence for the case to be tried. He argues that it is just politics.
Rondón says he was never a middleman for Odebecht. He has said the payments he has received were for his services as the Brazilian construction company’s representative in the country. The US Department of the Treasury in 2017 ordered the removal of the US visa and blocking of property of Rondón and several relatives for serious corruption as under the Global Magnitsky Executive Order recourse.
http://z101digital.com/mp-sobre-caso-odebrecht-todos-absolutamente-todos-deben-ir-a-juicio-de-fondo/
http://z101digital.com/juez-ortega-reanuda-manana-audiencia-contra-imputados-por-caso-odebrecht/
https://do.usembassy.gov/united-states-government-takes-actions-related-human-rights-corruption/
https://www.treasury.gov/resource-c...ment/Pages/20171221.aspx#.WjvSeRrsOV4.twitter
https://colorvision.com.do/este-sabado-exclusiva-con-angel-rondon-enfasis-0600pm/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...l-juicio-preliminar-por-sobornos-de-odebrecht
https://www.haciendonoticias.com/in...ion-juez-caso-odebrecht-juicio-o-no-ha-lugar/
Feria AgroAlimentaria at the Dominican Fiesta
With the participation of 180 international buyers and 250 Dominican agribusiness companies, the VII Feria Internacional AgroAlimentaria 2019 opened at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel in Santo Domingo. The event was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Osmar Benítez, the director of the Center for Export and Investment, Marius de León and businessman George Mansfield of the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD). The event is scheduled from Wednesday, 8 May to Sunday, 12 May.
http://hoy.com.do/inician-agroalimentaria-con-mas-de-180-compradores/
Gilberto Santa Rosa at the National Theater
Puerto Rican bandleader and salsa singer Gilberto Santa Rosa (The Gentleman of Salsa) is performing on 24-25 May 2019 at the National Theater in Santo Domingo. This is part of his “Amor de los Amores Tour 2019”. Tickets are for sale at CCN Servicios, Supermercados Nacional, Jumbo stores. And online at Uepa Tickets.
Listen to his music at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qwEqJy6W0s
Ana Torroja at the Renaissance Jaragua
Spanish singer Ana Torroja is booked for a performance on 8 June 2019 at the Teatro La Fiesta of the Jaragua Renaissance Hotel in Santo Domingo. Torroja was the lead singer of the pop trio Mecano, considered one of the most popular pop bands from Spain during the 1980s and 1990s. Mecano split in 1998 when she embarked on a solo career.
Listen to her music at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwGG5fX7bxY
Speed racing at the Autodromo Petronan
More than 100 speed racers will be racing their cars at the Las Americas Expressway Petronan racetrack. Coming for the event on Sunday, 11 May 2019, are six car racers from Puerto Rico. The event, the 10th Caribbean Shootout Cometa is the most important drag race of the year.
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