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Danilo Medina followers campaign for reelection, US senator against changing the constitution
Dominicana at the Cannes Film Festival
Punta Cana gets mega film shooting facility
DR scores low because of weak institutionalism in PPPs
Spanish colonial times documents soon to be open to the general public in Santo Domingo
Several power plants off the grid
100 MM Investment for empty container collection program
AIRD issue call for review of severance payments
Clean country will attract tourism
CMD says HMO objections to invoices have grown by 70%
Severe drought continues to hurt much of the country
Autopsy shows Altagracia Diaz died of plastic surgery complications
Tricky travel agent now behind bars
Police accuse three of “express kidnapping”
Rubio leads Bahrain team to defeat China in Asian Athletics Championships
Danilo Medina followers campaign for reelection, US senator against changing the constitution
There has been no official government response to US Senator’s letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that was posted on the web page of the US Senate Committee for Foreign Relations. Meanwhile over the weekend, followers of President Danilo Medina carried out several large pro-reelection rallies in Greater Santo Domingo. Diario Libre reported that the Dominican government has downplayed the importance of the letter.
The letter from controversial US Senator Bob Menendez had asked the Secretary of State to use all his diplomatic resources to prevent President Danilo Medina from running for president again. Nevertheless, the letter did unleash responses in the Dominican Republic, especially from backers of President Medina, who called the request a violation of domestic affairs. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Radhames Camacho, and officials and leaders of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and the opposition Christian Social Reformist Party (PRSC) expressed their disagreement with the action. Camacho said that the issue of the presidential reelection, and of a constitutional amendment to enable President Medina to run again, is a decision for Dominicans to make. He described the US senator’s petition as foreign interference in local affairs.
Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo, who is one of the strongest supporters of an eventual reelection bid, says this is an independent country and it will do what suits the nation without external interference. "What has to happen will happen in due time. We are a republican, independent country and we will do what the people want, whatever suits the nation without interference from any internal or external agent that does not necessarily obey the best interests of the country," he said.
Speaking for the followers of President Danilo Medina, deputy Elpidio Baez said they are just waiting for Medina to give them green light to submit the constitutional amendment to enable Medina to run for President in 2020 to the National Congress. Events were held at the Palacio de los Deportes, and the sports venues in Sabana Perdida, Santo Domingo North; Las Caobas, Santo Domingo West; Los Alcarrizos and the Parque Mirador del Este.
Meanwhile, in San Cristóbal, former President Leonel Fernández carried out a rally of his followers demanding respect for the 2015 Constitution. The 2015 Constitution was amended to enable President Danilo Medina to run for reelection in 2016.
Two recent leading polls, Asisa Research (71%) and Gallup-Hoy (68.3%), indicated the Dominican people are strongly against a third reelection.
https://dr1.com/forums/showthread.p...z-letter-to-US-Secretary-of-State-Mike-Pompeo
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...eu-causa-tsunami-politico-con-tema-reeleccion
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/pres...inican-president-to-seek-third-term-in-office
Dominicana at the Cannes Film Festival
The director of the Films Agency in the Dominican Republic (DGCine), Yvette Marichal spoke of the successful participation of the Dominican Republic in the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Filmmakers from around the world are briefed on the incentives and pluses of filming in the Dominican Republic during the event that ends 25 May in Cannes, France. The Dominican Republic has its own booth at the festival. Several Dominican films are on the Cannes program.
“This is the ideal stage to promote the Dominican Republic as a film destination in the region,” said Marichal. More than 12,000 film professionals meet every year in Cannes. She says the event is an opportunity for greater exposure of the work of Dominican moviemakers, to explore new frontiers, opportunities for co-production, creation and distribution.
In addition to Marichal, other traveling as part of the official delegation are Omar de la Cruz, Carlos Cabral, Desiree Reyes, Francis Disla, Alan Nadal, Luis Arambilet, Danilo Reynoso, Lía Chapman, Luis Cepeda, Armando Guareño, Ana Iris Gómez, Pericles Mejía, Luis Rafael González, Katherine Bautista, Paula Cury Melo, Iván Bordas, Zamantha Díaz, Schisell Joaquín Mena, Marcos Moreno, Fernando Blanco, Karla Groizard and Martín Díaz Bello.
Several Dominican films will be shown at Cannes. On Saturday, at the Marché du Film, “La fiera y la fiesta” by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas was shown at Palais G.
Director Jose Maria Cabral’s “El proyeccionista” will be shown on Monday, 20 May 2019 at 3:30pm (French time) at Riviera 2.
As part of the DR Global platform, an initiative of the Global Film Festival (FCGD), the Dominican film, “Colours” is being shown. It is by director Luis Cepeda and had won the audience award during the past FCGB film festival in the Dominican Republic. The film is being shown on Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 2pm (France time) at the Palais G.
The documentary “Por si vengo al río” by Fernando Blanco is participating on Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 11:30am at the Palais H.
http://dgcine.gob.do/web/2019/05/do...tival-de-cannes-para-mercadear-sus-peliculas/
Punta Cana gets mega film shooting facility
Brooklyn-born telecom entrepreneur Louis Arriola is building a state-of-the-art film-shooting facility in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. He says he will be adding to Pinewood Studios that has already established itself in the country and has international name recognition with its operation in Juan Dolio, a beach community about a 1:30 minutes drive west from Punta Cana.
“The more that Pinewood does and the more that we do, we bring attention [from] around the world,” he said of his intention to turn the Dominican Republic into a global film production hub, as reported by Hollywood Reporter.
Arriola made a name for himself with VoIP provider LDI Networks, and then in 2015 branched out into entertainment and is producing for Netflix through his NYLA Media Group. Now NYLA has begun construction of a US$100 million, state-of-the-art film studio and a 5G network in Punta Cana, along with housing and training for entertainment tradespeople. 56-year old Arriola is working to establish Punta Cana as a competitor for production, gaming and data operations for the Caribbean and all of Latin America.
Arriola explained to Hollywood Reporter that vertical integration is the name of the game for the company, which is designing its IP to exist across multiple platforms, from games to movies and series, and to stream at least in part through Arriola’s telecom venture and in-the-works 5G network.
Arriola’s telecom business is doing well in the Dominican Republic. He says he chose the Dominican Republic as homebase because of tax incentives and because of the homegrown talent.
The 26-acre film studio will be located on a 80-acre lot. The company is building a two-lane highway across the land to be able to have trucks go up and down the highway to Verón. As part of the complex is the construction of 2,100 homes to sell to workers of Verón at low cost. He says they expect to be up and running in the first quarter of 2020.
He explained the plans are for two types of projects: lower-budget, local-language films for the Latin American market and higher-budget features for the international market. He says there has been a shift in Spanish-language TV from soap operas to a different type of storytelling or Lifetime Channel-type movies. Higher budget productions would be US projects to be filmed in the DR for international release.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/n...ican-republic-a-global-production-hub-1211894
DR scores low in PPPs because of weak institutionalism
IDB report on public-private partnerships puts DR in 16th place of 21 countries. Ancor Suarez, from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, acknowledges that advances in the Dominican Republic due to basing its regulatory processes on best practices in the region bode well for the country. Nevertheless, a recent IDB and The Economist report, Infrascope Index 2019, shows the country has to do much more. The Dominican Republic is ranked in 16th place of the 21 countries that were looked at with regards to public-private partnerships (PPPs).
The DR scored 55 points, placing only above the Bahamas, Paraguay, Argentina, Barbados and Venezuela. The best PPP practices in the region happen in Chile, Colombia, Peru and Jamaica, which all scored between 79 and 76 points, according to the report.
The Infrascope Index is a benchmarking tool that evaluates the capacity of countries to implement sustainable and efficient PPPs in key infrastructure sectors, principally transport, electricity, water and solid waste management. It aims to help policymakers identify the challenges to private-sector participation in infrastructure that, if overcome, could unlock the power of PPPs and support the broader development agenda.
The index rests on five points to evaluate PPPs in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): the impact of regulations, the institutional framework, the maturity, the investment climate and financing with regard to the possibilities of developing public-private partnerships.
In the Dominican case, the lowest grade involved institutionalism, in which only 11 points were awarded. This category examines the design and the responsibilities of the institutions charged with preparing, awarding and supervising PPPs.
At the present time, the Dominican Republic lacks legislation to regulate this type of partnership, so there is no legal framework, although contracts of this type can be signed.
The Economist noted in the report that there are doubts regarding the interactions that existing government policies could have on concessions in the current legislation on PPPs now in the National Congress. There are also obstacles in the use of money from pension funds, which by the usual norms are only invested in products quoted on the stock market, while in some countries they can be used to finance projects contracted through the PPPs. In the Dominican Republic, the majority of the pension funds are invested in government financial instruments.
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...lugar-16-de-21-en-entorno-para-app-EM12788149
https://www.iadb.org/en/ove/feature/public-private-partnerships-idb
https://www.iadb.org/en/ove/feature/public-private-partnerships-idb
https://infrascope.eiu.com/
Spanish colonial times documents soon to be open to the general public in Santo Domingo
The National General Archives (Archivo General de la Nación – AGN) received the first of thousands of valuable historic documents on the early Spanish colonization days that had been stored at the Archivo General de las Indias and other historic archives in Spain. Roberto Cassá, director of the AGN, received the documentation for the AGN.
Also present was Dominican Ambassador in Spain, Olivo Rodriguez Hertas, and Jose Marmol, communications director for Grupo Popular, the bank group that will be funding the effort with a EUR325,000 donation. As part of the initiative, thousands of documents will e-digitalized as they arrive at the local national archives. The digitalization opens these historic documents for public research.
Cassá said that the donation of the documents opens the doors for Dominicans to study early Dominican history. “It is something transcendental that opens our history to the past, to the possibility of systemic research of the past,” he said as reported in Diario Libre. In the past, to study this period, historians needed to travel to Spain to research the original documents.
Several power plants off the grid
Recent blackouts are attributed to several power plants being off the grid. A report in Diario Libre explains that CESPM (former Cogentrix) with 100 MW, Itabo II with 132 MW, AES Andres with 197 MW and San Pedro Bio-energy with 30 MW were not generating last week, detracting 459 megawatts from the grid.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...an-sectores-del-gran-santo-domingo-FN12797310
100 MM Investment for empty container collection program
The Ministry of Agriculture, two associations and the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) launched on 17 May 2019 the program "Campo Limpio RD", with an investment of RD$100 million to regulate and establish implementation mechanisms for the collection and final disposal of empty containers of pesticides and related products. Also participating in the signing of the agreement were executives from CropLife Latin America, which provides technical support and training to associations on the proper use of waste from empty materials. The agreement also includes an awareness and training program for producers and personnel involved in the use of the products.
Agriculture Minister Osmar Benítez and the presidents of the National Associations of Importers of Agricultural Products (Animpa), Ricardo Billini, and of Manufacturers, Representatives and Importers of Products for the Protection of Crops (Afipa), Henry Monsanto Domínguez, and the president of the JAD, Luis Bonilla, signed an agreement to this end. Representatives of international organizations such as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and Regional International Organization for Plant Protection and Animal Help (OIRSA) attended the activity, which was carried out in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Benítez said that the government, through the Agriculture Ministry, seeks to strengthen the health and safety of food as the first pillar of its commitment to society to increase participation in the supply of food consumed by the people and promote greater volume and value of agricultural and agro-industrial exports.
Afipa president Henry Monsanto reported that the agreement includes the construction of 10 large collection centers and another 100 mini centers in different parts of the country.
He said that the Campo Limpio program will train thousands of people, including farmers, in good agricultural practices to ensure safety in agricultural production.
Meanwhile, Animpa president Billini said that "the public and private sectors have agreed to work for the good of the environment, rivers, seas, people and our future generations. This country and the world are affected by the excessive use of plastic.”
Benitez announced that Agriculture will build the first center for collecting empty containers of the 10 covered by the agreement. It instructed the Vice Minister of Extension, Leandro Mercedes, to begin construction of the center as quickly as possible to put it into operation so that it begins to meet the obligation of farmers to triple wash empty containers of agrochemicals and to take them to the collection centers that will be throughout the country.
http://hoy.com.do/invertiran-100-mm-programa-recoleccion-de-envases-vacios-2/
http://afipard.org/campo-limpio/
AIRD issue call for review of severance payments
The President and executive vice-president of the Industrial Association of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) are calling for the review of the costs and effects of the current severance payment policies (cesantias) of workers. Their position is that an important part of this worker’s right is already covered by the Social Security Law and this is a heavy burden on companies.
The executives, Juan Celso Marranzini and Circe Almanzar, recognized that the severance payment is an acquired right of the worker and that the AIRD is not arguing for the elimination of it nor are they using such a threat as a bargaining chip in their efforts to lower costs. They said that costs can be reduced by improving competitiveness.
What the executives do want is a review of the true costs and effects of the separation payments, taking into consideration the fact that an important part of the reason for their existence is compensated by social security contributions made by industries.
The AIRD leaders also recognized the gap between the levels of economic growth in the DR and salaries for workers. They said that the much-discussed reclassification of the different commercial entities has to be the first step for any modification of the minimum salary.
Talking with noted journalist Huchi Lora, they noted that there is also a gap between what workers are earning and what is being reported to the treasury of Social Security. They called for an exchange of information to eliminate this gap.
https://elnacional.com.do/insisten-se-revise-costo-y-alcance-de-la-cesantia/
Clean country will attract tourism
Panelists from the forum sponsored by Dominicana Limpia called for a state-sponsored pact for complete management of solid wastes. They argue developing a reputation as a clean country is essential for the tourism industry.
They proposed an alliance between the government, the people and the private sector that would foster the needed changes and get rid of the around 360 open-air landfills and garbage dumps throughout the country. They also proposed, as part of the International Recycling Day, to take economic advantage of the solid waste.
During Recycling Week, sponsored by the Dominican Municipal League that groups city governments around the country, speakers stressed the importance for all Dominicans to be a part of the process to clean up the island. Jorge Luis Bisonó, the coordinator for Dominicana Limpia, noted that their efforts have achieved more than 200 “clean spots” in as many schools, and they have trained some 40,000 persons. They have also been able to get heavy machinery to work on the various landfills as well as deliver some 394 clean-up kits to different municipalities.
Bisonó noted that part of the goals of these efforts is to make the country more attractive to visitors and help achieve the goal of 10,000,000 tourists in one year. He went on to note that in places like Verón, in the Punta Cana area, there are both beautiful beaches and open-air garbage dumps. Dominicana Limpia is working with the authorities to improve waste disposal in the area.
Roberto Peguero, an official with the Ministry of Public Health, noted the issues surrounding untreated refuse and the health problems this produces. Johnny Jones, the secretary general of the Dominican Municipal League, called for the Congress to pass a law on solid waste management. He recalled how in Japan, after any sporting event, the venue was as clean as before, since each person removed any waste that they had produced.
Dominicana Limpia is a major backer of the Puerto Plata landfill proposed by Puerto Plata Mayor Walter Musa that has been objected by neighborhood organizations and civil society in the northern province.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...mpieza-es-vital-para-traer-turismo-JN12790119
CMD says HMO objections to invoices have grown by 70%
The president of the Dominican Medical Guild (CMD), Dr. Wilson Roa, said that just 14 days after the signing of an agreement between the CMD and the group of Health Risk Administrators, the local equivalent to an HMO, objections to medical invoices for services in private clinics and hospitals have increased by 70%. Roa noted that the review of such objections was part of the agreement, and this new action by the auditors of the Dominican Association of Health Risk Administrators (ADARS) could lead to new conflicts.
Dr. Roa told reporters that now the auditors are saying that they do not understand the writing on the invoices for services rendered, and place an objection because of this. While he said this issue might not spark a strike, but the medical professional has the right to decide whether or not to practice medicine through the intermediation of a local ARS.
The CMD boss said that this was an alert to verify just what was happening and that if the situation is not cleared up within 30 days, the CMD would meet, together with the private clinics, to decide what measures to take.
https://eldia.com.do/colegio-medico-denuncia-las-ars-aumentaron-en-un-70-las-glosas-medicas/
Severe drought continues to hurt much of the country
The damages caused by the current drought throughout much of the Cibao Valley, especially in northwestern provinces (La Línea Noroeste) that include Valverde, Santiago Rodriguez, Montecristi and Santiago provinces, is hurting not only agriculture and livestock but in many of the towns and villages people are struggling to obtain drinking water.
Sporadic showers have not made an impact on the situation and the rivers are drying up. The report that milk producers are going bankrupt is only part of the story. In the provincial capital of Sabaneta, in Santiago Rodriguez province, the local manager for the National Water Institute (INAPA) told reporters that the current situation is “critical.” Curiously, the official noted that a micro-generating facility installed by the Rural and Suburban Electrification Unit (URES), upstream from the local aqueduct is part of the problem since it reduces the flow of water to a very bare minimum.
The National Water Watch at the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) notes that since last May 2018, the country has been suffering from an extended reduction in rainfall.
Luis Cuevas, the head of the Operating Systems Division at INDRHI, said that they have been watching the development of the drought and currently the nation’s reservoirs are at a critical stage, with Sabaneta, Moncion, and Sabana Yegua the most serious cases. Levels are so low that the reservoirs will need at least two months of good rains in order to return to normal.
And according to the recent report by Luis Felipe Jerez, from the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), rains will be between 40% and 45% below normal for the coming months. He said that the recent rains, the product of a low-pressure trough passing over the island, will do little to mitigate the drought.
https://elcaribe.com.do/2019/05/16/...ia-agudiza-escasez-de-agua-en-linea-noroeste/
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...tan-meses-de-lluvia-para-recuperar-las-presas
Autopsy shows Altagracia Diaz died of plastic surgery complications
Public Health Minister Rafael Sanchez Cardenas went on record on Friday, 17 May 2019, saying that despite plastic surgeon Dr. Hector Cabral saying he did not get to operate on the patient, the autopsy of 51-year old Altagracia Diaz shows that she died of a pulmonary fat embolism, or a killer clot in the lungs, during a liposuction operation (at the International Center of Advanced Plastic Surgery (Centro Internacional de Cirugia Plastica Avanzada - CIPLA).
Sanchez Cardenas said that on Tuesday he would announce measures to be taken in this case. He said an inspection of the clinic revealed that 12 operating rooms were in operation, when the Ministry of Public Health had only authorized four.
He also said that he would meet with the Dominican Society of Plastic Surgery (Sodocipre) to establish protocol amendments and strengthening of the guidelines for the plastic surgeon operations. The physician, Dr. Cabral, is not a member of Sodocipre.
A preliminary report submitted to the Minister recommends increasing requirements for certifications and accreditations with greater technical rigor.
http://actualidaddominicana.com/ind...r-embolismo-segun-autopsia&Itemid=785&lang=es
http://actualidaddominicana.com/ind...obre-la-muerte-de-paciente&Itemid=785&lang=es
https://elnacional.com.do/salud-pub...es-sobre-muerte-de-mujer-en-clinica-estetica/
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-cual-murio-madre-de-yatnna-rivera-JL12800119
Tricky travel agent now behind bars
Heidy Solano Ceballos is now behind bars after the authorities finally caught up with her after several months of investigations. She is accused of hoodwinking more than 200 parishioners who “in good faith” paid for hotel reservations that were never made. The police moved on this case after some 34 complaints were filed in West Santo Domingo. Her scheme was to pose as a tour operator who visited different parishes in Santo Domingo and West Santo Domingo to offer her services for reservations needed for family retreats or group outings.
One of the major cases deals with the complaints were those filed by priests Andres Solano and Ramon Antonio Araujo of the San Francisco and Lord’s Resurrection parishes in Las Palmas and Buenos Aires in Herrera. The priests and some 200 parishioners were bilked by Solano Ceballos and her Destinos Travel agency. According to the priests, she was contacted to reserve 75 rooms in Punta Cana for a family retreat and they paid RD$616,000. Solano Ceballos then disappeared.
The authorities are preparing the case for trial, but they are unsure whether it will be in the National District or in West Santo Domingo judicial district.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...mas-de-200-amparada-en-la-buena-fe-CN12797621
Police accuse three of “express kidnapping”
The Police arrested three men suspect in the case of the express kidnapping of two 20-year old youths around 2am on Sunday, 19 May 2019 after leaving the home of psychiatrist Dr. Hector Guerrero Heredia in the Evaristo Morales neighborhood, Santo Domingo. The youths are friends of his son.
The abducted youths were beaten and forced to deliver cash from ATM machines and later were dragged along the reefs of the Malecon, beside the sea. The mother of one of the youths said on social media that they were able to escape and save their lives. They called 911 and were taken to the Dario Contreras Trauma Hospital and then to Cedimat.
Police spokesman Frank Duran says that the three men were arrested in a “colmado” food and liquor store on the road to Yamasá. The Police said the men transported themselves in a white Hyundai Sonata with temporary license plate X444066 that they have been identified as the vehicle used for the crime.
At the time, Dr. Guerrero was abroad in a conference, but he said he followed up with the case and the Police. Guerrero is a public figure who is part of the Z101 medical talk show.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-tiene-presos-a-tres-que-secuestraron-jovenes
https://www.diariolibre.com/portada...-golpeados-era-a-matarlos-que-iban-IL12808404
https://eldia.com.do/desconocidos-raptan-golpean-y-abandonan-a-dos-jovenes-en-el-malecon/
Rubio leads Bahrain team to defeat China in Asian Athletics Championships
Dominican athletics coach Jose (Ludwig) Rubio was contracted to train the sprint team of Bahrain. Rubio became world renown after his pupil, Luguelin Santos, won the gold medal in the Summer Youth Olympics in 2010 and the silver medal in the 400-meter dash in the London Olympics, becoming at 18 the youngest-ever Olympic medalist in the event.
Rubio did the job again. At the end of the Asian Athletics Championships (Doha, Qatar from 21-24 April 2019), the Bahrain speed team under Rubio won first place, defeating China. 43 nations competed in the event. Bahrein was first with 11 gold medals, 7 silver and 4 bronze (22). China was next with 9 gold, 13 silver and 7 bronze for 29 medals, and Japan third with 4 gold, 4 silver and 9 bronze, or 18 medals. Rubio has worked for the Bahrain Athletics Federation since November 2017
As reported, it is the first time that China lost the championship. “Expectations were met 100%,” said Rubio. The idea was to defeat China, and we did it, he said. “We defeated the monster,” he said. Qatar is a country of 1,425,171 inhabitants.
https://www.diariolibre.com/deportes/olimpismo/rubio-deja-su-sello-en-campeonatos-de-asia-NL12800519
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Asian_Athletics_Championships#Medal_table
Dominicana at the Cannes Film Festival
Punta Cana gets mega film shooting facility
DR scores low because of weak institutionalism in PPPs
Spanish colonial times documents soon to be open to the general public in Santo Domingo
Several power plants off the grid
100 MM Investment for empty container collection program
AIRD issue call for review of severance payments
Clean country will attract tourism
CMD says HMO objections to invoices have grown by 70%
Severe drought continues to hurt much of the country
Autopsy shows Altagracia Diaz died of plastic surgery complications
Tricky travel agent now behind bars
Police accuse three of “express kidnapping”
Rubio leads Bahrain team to defeat China in Asian Athletics Championships
Danilo Medina followers campaign for reelection, US senator against changing the constitution
There has been no official government response to US Senator’s letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that was posted on the web page of the US Senate Committee for Foreign Relations. Meanwhile over the weekend, followers of President Danilo Medina carried out several large pro-reelection rallies in Greater Santo Domingo. Diario Libre reported that the Dominican government has downplayed the importance of the letter.
The letter from controversial US Senator Bob Menendez had asked the Secretary of State to use all his diplomatic resources to prevent President Danilo Medina from running for president again. Nevertheless, the letter did unleash responses in the Dominican Republic, especially from backers of President Medina, who called the request a violation of domestic affairs. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Radhames Camacho, and officials and leaders of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and the opposition Christian Social Reformist Party (PRSC) expressed their disagreement with the action. Camacho said that the issue of the presidential reelection, and of a constitutional amendment to enable President Medina to run again, is a decision for Dominicans to make. He described the US senator’s petition as foreign interference in local affairs.
Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo, who is one of the strongest supporters of an eventual reelection bid, says this is an independent country and it will do what suits the nation without external interference. "What has to happen will happen in due time. We are a republican, independent country and we will do what the people want, whatever suits the nation without interference from any internal or external agent that does not necessarily obey the best interests of the country," he said.
Speaking for the followers of President Danilo Medina, deputy Elpidio Baez said they are just waiting for Medina to give them green light to submit the constitutional amendment to enable Medina to run for President in 2020 to the National Congress. Events were held at the Palacio de los Deportes, and the sports venues in Sabana Perdida, Santo Domingo North; Las Caobas, Santo Domingo West; Los Alcarrizos and the Parque Mirador del Este.
Meanwhile, in San Cristóbal, former President Leonel Fernández carried out a rally of his followers demanding respect for the 2015 Constitution. The 2015 Constitution was amended to enable President Danilo Medina to run for reelection in 2016.
Two recent leading polls, Asisa Research (71%) and Gallup-Hoy (68.3%), indicated the Dominican people are strongly against a third reelection.
https://dr1.com/forums/showthread.p...z-letter-to-US-Secretary-of-State-Mike-Pompeo
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...eu-causa-tsunami-politico-con-tema-reeleccion
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/pres...inican-president-to-seek-third-term-in-office
Dominicana at the Cannes Film Festival
The director of the Films Agency in the Dominican Republic (DGCine), Yvette Marichal spoke of the successful participation of the Dominican Republic in the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Filmmakers from around the world are briefed on the incentives and pluses of filming in the Dominican Republic during the event that ends 25 May in Cannes, France. The Dominican Republic has its own booth at the festival. Several Dominican films are on the Cannes program.
“This is the ideal stage to promote the Dominican Republic as a film destination in the region,” said Marichal. More than 12,000 film professionals meet every year in Cannes. She says the event is an opportunity for greater exposure of the work of Dominican moviemakers, to explore new frontiers, opportunities for co-production, creation and distribution.
In addition to Marichal, other traveling as part of the official delegation are Omar de la Cruz, Carlos Cabral, Desiree Reyes, Francis Disla, Alan Nadal, Luis Arambilet, Danilo Reynoso, Lía Chapman, Luis Cepeda, Armando Guareño, Ana Iris Gómez, Pericles Mejía, Luis Rafael González, Katherine Bautista, Paula Cury Melo, Iván Bordas, Zamantha Díaz, Schisell Joaquín Mena, Marcos Moreno, Fernando Blanco, Karla Groizard and Martín Díaz Bello.
Several Dominican films will be shown at Cannes. On Saturday, at the Marché du Film, “La fiera y la fiesta” by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas was shown at Palais G.
Director Jose Maria Cabral’s “El proyeccionista” will be shown on Monday, 20 May 2019 at 3:30pm (French time) at Riviera 2.
As part of the DR Global platform, an initiative of the Global Film Festival (FCGD), the Dominican film, “Colours” is being shown. It is by director Luis Cepeda and had won the audience award during the past FCGB film festival in the Dominican Republic. The film is being shown on Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 2pm (France time) at the Palais G.
The documentary “Por si vengo al río” by Fernando Blanco is participating on Tuesday, 21 May 2019 at 11:30am at the Palais H.
http://dgcine.gob.do/web/2019/05/do...tival-de-cannes-para-mercadear-sus-peliculas/
Punta Cana gets mega film shooting facility
Brooklyn-born telecom entrepreneur Louis Arriola is building a state-of-the-art film-shooting facility in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. He says he will be adding to Pinewood Studios that has already established itself in the country and has international name recognition with its operation in Juan Dolio, a beach community about a 1:30 minutes drive west from Punta Cana.
“The more that Pinewood does and the more that we do, we bring attention [from] around the world,” he said of his intention to turn the Dominican Republic into a global film production hub, as reported by Hollywood Reporter.
Arriola made a name for himself with VoIP provider LDI Networks, and then in 2015 branched out into entertainment and is producing for Netflix through his NYLA Media Group. Now NYLA has begun construction of a US$100 million, state-of-the-art film studio and a 5G network in Punta Cana, along with housing and training for entertainment tradespeople. 56-year old Arriola is working to establish Punta Cana as a competitor for production, gaming and data operations for the Caribbean and all of Latin America.
Arriola explained to Hollywood Reporter that vertical integration is the name of the game for the company, which is designing its IP to exist across multiple platforms, from games to movies and series, and to stream at least in part through Arriola’s telecom venture and in-the-works 5G network.
Arriola’s telecom business is doing well in the Dominican Republic. He says he chose the Dominican Republic as homebase because of tax incentives and because of the homegrown talent.
The 26-acre film studio will be located on a 80-acre lot. The company is building a two-lane highway across the land to be able to have trucks go up and down the highway to Verón. As part of the complex is the construction of 2,100 homes to sell to workers of Verón at low cost. He says they expect to be up and running in the first quarter of 2020.
He explained the plans are for two types of projects: lower-budget, local-language films for the Latin American market and higher-budget features for the international market. He says there has been a shift in Spanish-language TV from soap operas to a different type of storytelling or Lifetime Channel-type movies. Higher budget productions would be US projects to be filmed in the DR for international release.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/n...ican-republic-a-global-production-hub-1211894
DR scores low in PPPs because of weak institutionalism
IDB report on public-private partnerships puts DR in 16th place of 21 countries. Ancor Suarez, from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, acknowledges that advances in the Dominican Republic due to basing its regulatory processes on best practices in the region bode well for the country. Nevertheless, a recent IDB and The Economist report, Infrascope Index 2019, shows the country has to do much more. The Dominican Republic is ranked in 16th place of the 21 countries that were looked at with regards to public-private partnerships (PPPs).
The DR scored 55 points, placing only above the Bahamas, Paraguay, Argentina, Barbados and Venezuela. The best PPP practices in the region happen in Chile, Colombia, Peru and Jamaica, which all scored between 79 and 76 points, according to the report.
The Infrascope Index is a benchmarking tool that evaluates the capacity of countries to implement sustainable and efficient PPPs in key infrastructure sectors, principally transport, electricity, water and solid waste management. It aims to help policymakers identify the challenges to private-sector participation in infrastructure that, if overcome, could unlock the power of PPPs and support the broader development agenda.
The index rests on five points to evaluate PPPs in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): the impact of regulations, the institutional framework, the maturity, the investment climate and financing with regard to the possibilities of developing public-private partnerships.
In the Dominican case, the lowest grade involved institutionalism, in which only 11 points were awarded. This category examines the design and the responsibilities of the institutions charged with preparing, awarding and supervising PPPs.
At the present time, the Dominican Republic lacks legislation to regulate this type of partnership, so there is no legal framework, although contracts of this type can be signed.
The Economist noted in the report that there are doubts regarding the interactions that existing government policies could have on concessions in the current legislation on PPPs now in the National Congress. There are also obstacles in the use of money from pension funds, which by the usual norms are only invested in products quoted on the stock market, while in some countries they can be used to finance projects contracted through the PPPs. In the Dominican Republic, the majority of the pension funds are invested in government financial instruments.
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...lugar-16-de-21-en-entorno-para-app-EM12788149
https://www.iadb.org/en/ove/feature/public-private-partnerships-idb
https://www.iadb.org/en/ove/feature/public-private-partnerships-idb
https://infrascope.eiu.com/
Spanish colonial times documents soon to be open to the general public in Santo Domingo
The National General Archives (Archivo General de la Nación – AGN) received the first of thousands of valuable historic documents on the early Spanish colonization days that had been stored at the Archivo General de las Indias and other historic archives in Spain. Roberto Cassá, director of the AGN, received the documentation for the AGN.
Also present was Dominican Ambassador in Spain, Olivo Rodriguez Hertas, and Jose Marmol, communications director for Grupo Popular, the bank group that will be funding the effort with a EUR325,000 donation. As part of the initiative, thousands of documents will e-digitalized as they arrive at the local national archives. The digitalization opens these historic documents for public research.
Cassá said that the donation of the documents opens the doors for Dominicans to study early Dominican history. “It is something transcendental that opens our history to the past, to the possibility of systemic research of the past,” he said as reported in Diario Libre. In the past, to study this period, historians needed to travel to Spain to research the original documents.
Several power plants off the grid
Recent blackouts are attributed to several power plants being off the grid. A report in Diario Libre explains that CESPM (former Cogentrix) with 100 MW, Itabo II with 132 MW, AES Andres with 197 MW and San Pedro Bio-energy with 30 MW were not generating last week, detracting 459 megawatts from the grid.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...an-sectores-del-gran-santo-domingo-FN12797310
100 MM Investment for empty container collection program
The Ministry of Agriculture, two associations and the Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) launched on 17 May 2019 the program "Campo Limpio RD", with an investment of RD$100 million to regulate and establish implementation mechanisms for the collection and final disposal of empty containers of pesticides and related products. Also participating in the signing of the agreement were executives from CropLife Latin America, which provides technical support and training to associations on the proper use of waste from empty materials. The agreement also includes an awareness and training program for producers and personnel involved in the use of the products.
Agriculture Minister Osmar Benítez and the presidents of the National Associations of Importers of Agricultural Products (Animpa), Ricardo Billini, and of Manufacturers, Representatives and Importers of Products for the Protection of Crops (Afipa), Henry Monsanto Domínguez, and the president of the JAD, Luis Bonilla, signed an agreement to this end. Representatives of international organizations such as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and Regional International Organization for Plant Protection and Animal Help (OIRSA) attended the activity, which was carried out in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Benítez said that the government, through the Agriculture Ministry, seeks to strengthen the health and safety of food as the first pillar of its commitment to society to increase participation in the supply of food consumed by the people and promote greater volume and value of agricultural and agro-industrial exports.
Afipa president Henry Monsanto reported that the agreement includes the construction of 10 large collection centers and another 100 mini centers in different parts of the country.
He said that the Campo Limpio program will train thousands of people, including farmers, in good agricultural practices to ensure safety in agricultural production.
Meanwhile, Animpa president Billini said that "the public and private sectors have agreed to work for the good of the environment, rivers, seas, people and our future generations. This country and the world are affected by the excessive use of plastic.”
Benitez announced that Agriculture will build the first center for collecting empty containers of the 10 covered by the agreement. It instructed the Vice Minister of Extension, Leandro Mercedes, to begin construction of the center as quickly as possible to put it into operation so that it begins to meet the obligation of farmers to triple wash empty containers of agrochemicals and to take them to the collection centers that will be throughout the country.
http://hoy.com.do/invertiran-100-mm-programa-recoleccion-de-envases-vacios-2/
http://afipard.org/campo-limpio/
AIRD issue call for review of severance payments
The President and executive vice-president of the Industrial Association of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) are calling for the review of the costs and effects of the current severance payment policies (cesantias) of workers. Their position is that an important part of this worker’s right is already covered by the Social Security Law and this is a heavy burden on companies.
The executives, Juan Celso Marranzini and Circe Almanzar, recognized that the severance payment is an acquired right of the worker and that the AIRD is not arguing for the elimination of it nor are they using such a threat as a bargaining chip in their efforts to lower costs. They said that costs can be reduced by improving competitiveness.
What the executives do want is a review of the true costs and effects of the separation payments, taking into consideration the fact that an important part of the reason for their existence is compensated by social security contributions made by industries.
The AIRD leaders also recognized the gap between the levels of economic growth in the DR and salaries for workers. They said that the much-discussed reclassification of the different commercial entities has to be the first step for any modification of the minimum salary.
Talking with noted journalist Huchi Lora, they noted that there is also a gap between what workers are earning and what is being reported to the treasury of Social Security. They called for an exchange of information to eliminate this gap.
https://elnacional.com.do/insisten-se-revise-costo-y-alcance-de-la-cesantia/
Clean country will attract tourism
Panelists from the forum sponsored by Dominicana Limpia called for a state-sponsored pact for complete management of solid wastes. They argue developing a reputation as a clean country is essential for the tourism industry.
They proposed an alliance between the government, the people and the private sector that would foster the needed changes and get rid of the around 360 open-air landfills and garbage dumps throughout the country. They also proposed, as part of the International Recycling Day, to take economic advantage of the solid waste.
During Recycling Week, sponsored by the Dominican Municipal League that groups city governments around the country, speakers stressed the importance for all Dominicans to be a part of the process to clean up the island. Jorge Luis Bisonó, the coordinator for Dominicana Limpia, noted that their efforts have achieved more than 200 “clean spots” in as many schools, and they have trained some 40,000 persons. They have also been able to get heavy machinery to work on the various landfills as well as deliver some 394 clean-up kits to different municipalities.
Bisonó noted that part of the goals of these efforts is to make the country more attractive to visitors and help achieve the goal of 10,000,000 tourists in one year. He went on to note that in places like Verón, in the Punta Cana area, there are both beautiful beaches and open-air garbage dumps. Dominicana Limpia is working with the authorities to improve waste disposal in the area.
Roberto Peguero, an official with the Ministry of Public Health, noted the issues surrounding untreated refuse and the health problems this produces. Johnny Jones, the secretary general of the Dominican Municipal League, called for the Congress to pass a law on solid waste management. He recalled how in Japan, after any sporting event, the venue was as clean as before, since each person removed any waste that they had produced.
Dominicana Limpia is a major backer of the Puerto Plata landfill proposed by Puerto Plata Mayor Walter Musa that has been objected by neighborhood organizations and civil society in the northern province.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...mpieza-es-vital-para-traer-turismo-JN12790119
CMD says HMO objections to invoices have grown by 70%
The president of the Dominican Medical Guild (CMD), Dr. Wilson Roa, said that just 14 days after the signing of an agreement between the CMD and the group of Health Risk Administrators, the local equivalent to an HMO, objections to medical invoices for services in private clinics and hospitals have increased by 70%. Roa noted that the review of such objections was part of the agreement, and this new action by the auditors of the Dominican Association of Health Risk Administrators (ADARS) could lead to new conflicts.
Dr. Roa told reporters that now the auditors are saying that they do not understand the writing on the invoices for services rendered, and place an objection because of this. While he said this issue might not spark a strike, but the medical professional has the right to decide whether or not to practice medicine through the intermediation of a local ARS.
The CMD boss said that this was an alert to verify just what was happening and that if the situation is not cleared up within 30 days, the CMD would meet, together with the private clinics, to decide what measures to take.
https://eldia.com.do/colegio-medico-denuncia-las-ars-aumentaron-en-un-70-las-glosas-medicas/
Severe drought continues to hurt much of the country
The damages caused by the current drought throughout much of the Cibao Valley, especially in northwestern provinces (La Línea Noroeste) that include Valverde, Santiago Rodriguez, Montecristi and Santiago provinces, is hurting not only agriculture and livestock but in many of the towns and villages people are struggling to obtain drinking water.
Sporadic showers have not made an impact on the situation and the rivers are drying up. The report that milk producers are going bankrupt is only part of the story. In the provincial capital of Sabaneta, in Santiago Rodriguez province, the local manager for the National Water Institute (INAPA) told reporters that the current situation is “critical.” Curiously, the official noted that a micro-generating facility installed by the Rural and Suburban Electrification Unit (URES), upstream from the local aqueduct is part of the problem since it reduces the flow of water to a very bare minimum.
The National Water Watch at the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) notes that since last May 2018, the country has been suffering from an extended reduction in rainfall.
Luis Cuevas, the head of the Operating Systems Division at INDRHI, said that they have been watching the development of the drought and currently the nation’s reservoirs are at a critical stage, with Sabaneta, Moncion, and Sabana Yegua the most serious cases. Levels are so low that the reservoirs will need at least two months of good rains in order to return to normal.
And according to the recent report by Luis Felipe Jerez, from the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), rains will be between 40% and 45% below normal for the coming months. He said that the recent rains, the product of a low-pressure trough passing over the island, will do little to mitigate the drought.
https://elcaribe.com.do/2019/05/16/...ia-agudiza-escasez-de-agua-en-linea-noroeste/
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...tan-meses-de-lluvia-para-recuperar-las-presas
Autopsy shows Altagracia Diaz died of plastic surgery complications
Public Health Minister Rafael Sanchez Cardenas went on record on Friday, 17 May 2019, saying that despite plastic surgeon Dr. Hector Cabral saying he did not get to operate on the patient, the autopsy of 51-year old Altagracia Diaz shows that she died of a pulmonary fat embolism, or a killer clot in the lungs, during a liposuction operation (at the International Center of Advanced Plastic Surgery (Centro Internacional de Cirugia Plastica Avanzada - CIPLA).
Sanchez Cardenas said that on Tuesday he would announce measures to be taken in this case. He said an inspection of the clinic revealed that 12 operating rooms were in operation, when the Ministry of Public Health had only authorized four.
He also said that he would meet with the Dominican Society of Plastic Surgery (Sodocipre) to establish protocol amendments and strengthening of the guidelines for the plastic surgeon operations. The physician, Dr. Cabral, is not a member of Sodocipre.
A preliminary report submitted to the Minister recommends increasing requirements for certifications and accreditations with greater technical rigor.
http://actualidaddominicana.com/ind...r-embolismo-segun-autopsia&Itemid=785&lang=es
http://actualidaddominicana.com/ind...obre-la-muerte-de-paciente&Itemid=785&lang=es
https://elnacional.com.do/salud-pub...es-sobre-muerte-de-mujer-en-clinica-estetica/
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...-cual-murio-madre-de-yatnna-rivera-JL12800119
Tricky travel agent now behind bars
Heidy Solano Ceballos is now behind bars after the authorities finally caught up with her after several months of investigations. She is accused of hoodwinking more than 200 parishioners who “in good faith” paid for hotel reservations that were never made. The police moved on this case after some 34 complaints were filed in West Santo Domingo. Her scheme was to pose as a tour operator who visited different parishes in Santo Domingo and West Santo Domingo to offer her services for reservations needed for family retreats or group outings.
One of the major cases deals with the complaints were those filed by priests Andres Solano and Ramon Antonio Araujo of the San Francisco and Lord’s Resurrection parishes in Las Palmas and Buenos Aires in Herrera. The priests and some 200 parishioners were bilked by Solano Ceballos and her Destinos Travel agency. According to the priests, she was contacted to reserve 75 rooms in Punta Cana for a family retreat and they paid RD$616,000. Solano Ceballos then disappeared.
The authorities are preparing the case for trial, but they are unsure whether it will be in the National District or in West Santo Domingo judicial district.
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...mas-de-200-amparada-en-la-buena-fe-CN12797621
Police accuse three of “express kidnapping”
The Police arrested three men suspect in the case of the express kidnapping of two 20-year old youths around 2am on Sunday, 19 May 2019 after leaving the home of psychiatrist Dr. Hector Guerrero Heredia in the Evaristo Morales neighborhood, Santo Domingo. The youths are friends of his son.
The abducted youths were beaten and forced to deliver cash from ATM machines and later were dragged along the reefs of the Malecon, beside the sea. The mother of one of the youths said on social media that they were able to escape and save their lives. They called 911 and were taken to the Dario Contreras Trauma Hospital and then to Cedimat.
Police spokesman Frank Duran says that the three men were arrested in a “colmado” food and liquor store on the road to Yamasá. The Police said the men transported themselves in a white Hyundai Sonata with temporary license plate X444066 that they have been identified as the vehicle used for the crime.
At the time, Dr. Guerrero was abroad in a conference, but he said he followed up with the case and the Police. Guerrero is a public figure who is part of the Z101 medical talk show.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-tiene-presos-a-tres-que-secuestraron-jovenes
https://www.diariolibre.com/portada...-golpeados-era-a-matarlos-que-iban-IL12808404
https://eldia.com.do/desconocidos-raptan-golpean-y-abandonan-a-dos-jovenes-en-el-malecon/
Rubio leads Bahrain team to defeat China in Asian Athletics Championships
Dominican athletics coach Jose (Ludwig) Rubio was contracted to train the sprint team of Bahrain. Rubio became world renown after his pupil, Luguelin Santos, won the gold medal in the Summer Youth Olympics in 2010 and the silver medal in the 400-meter dash in the London Olympics, becoming at 18 the youngest-ever Olympic medalist in the event.
Rubio did the job again. At the end of the Asian Athletics Championships (Doha, Qatar from 21-24 April 2019), the Bahrain speed team under Rubio won first place, defeating China. 43 nations competed in the event. Bahrein was first with 11 gold medals, 7 silver and 4 bronze (22). China was next with 9 gold, 13 silver and 7 bronze for 29 medals, and Japan third with 4 gold, 4 silver and 9 bronze, or 18 medals. Rubio has worked for the Bahrain Athletics Federation since November 2017
As reported, it is the first time that China lost the championship. “Expectations were met 100%,” said Rubio. The idea was to defeat China, and we did it, he said. “We defeated the monster,” he said. Qatar is a country of 1,425,171 inhabitants.
https://www.diariolibre.com/deportes/olimpismo/rubio-deja-su-sello-en-campeonatos-de-asia-NL12800519
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Asian_Athletics_Championships#Medal_table