D
Dolores
Guest
DR signs agreements with Portugal
Time is running out for Medina’s bid for reelection
No budget money being used for campaigning
Faride Raful named commentator on El Sol de la Mañana
US Representative Adriano Espaillat defends Menendez’s anti-reelection letter
Bien Común presents proposals for a better Dominican Republic
Travel on the Metro and Skylift with your bicycle
Maternal and neonatal mortality declines
Pleas to pay for school meals
BlueMax no longer available in the Dominican Republic
Five companies get millions in power company security contracts
Dominican accused of drug dealing extradited to US
Suspects in express kidnappers arrested by Police
Hairspray and Fame at newly renovated Manuel Rueda Hall
Santiago Cruz at the Gran Teatro del Cibao
Bad Bunny booked for Santo Domingo concert
DR signs agreements with Portugal
Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas was in Lisbon, Portugal 20 May 2019 on an official visit to sign memorandums of understanding and cooperation agreements with Portugal. Vargas signed for the Dominican Republic and Portuguese Foreign Relations Minister Augusto Santos Silva signed for Portugal. The agreements cover the areas of aviation services, establishment of political consulting, cooperation in health, strengthening of gender equality, academic and diplomatic collaboration.
During his stay in Portugal, Vargas requested the backing of Portugal for the Dominican Republic’s bid for being included among countries that benefit from its citizens not having to request a Schengen visa for short stay trips to the European Union. He also requested Portuguese backing for the Dominican candidacy to the pro tempore secretary position of the Conferencia Iberoamericana for 2021-2022. He also requested the opening of a Portuguese consulate in the Dominican Republic.
Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas says he invited Santos Silva to visit the Dominican Republic to sign other agreements that are pending.
http://www.mirex.gob.do/medios/noticias/canciller-miguelvargasm-suscribe-cinco-acuerdos-con-portugal
Time is running out for Medina’s bid for reelection
In 2015, Medina followers pushed through a constitutional amendment so the President could run for reelection in the 2016 election. Polls back in 2015 were favorable to his doing so. But in 2019, the situation is different. Three leading polls, Asisa Research (71%), Gallup-Hoy (68%) and Mark Penn (61%), indicate the Dominican people are against amending the Constitution for a second time so that Medina can run again. This would be the first time a President pushes through two amendments in order to enable presidential aspirations.
Time may be running out for President Danilo Medina to announce if he will seek the second reelection. Political analyst Juan Bolívar Díaz writes that in order to register the candidacy of Medina, the first step is to amend the Constitution. The 2015 Constitution bans Medina from running again in 2020. The transitory clause in the 2015 Constitution establishes: “In the case that the President of the Republic corresponding to the constitutional period 2012-2016 is the candidate to the same position for the constitutional period 2016-2020 he will not be able to run for the next period nor for any other period, nor for the vice presidency of the republic, either.”
If a constitutional amendment is achieved, then Medina needs to be registered by his party and presented as a pre-candidate by the Central Committee of the PLD. The deadline to register the pre-candidates for the primary is 23 August 2019. The primary is scheduled for 6 October 2019. Pre-candidate campaigning is officially open on 1 July 2019.
Polls show that President Danilo Medina is the highest ranked PLD politician. But his main opposition is from within the party. The president of the PLD, former President Leonel Fernández wants to return to power. The same 2015 Constitution that enabled Medina to run for President again made it possible for Fernández to run in 2020. If elected, Fernández could even aspire to a second term.
Last week, the deputies of the largest opposition party, the PRM, and those of Fernández signed a document where they pledged to oppose the constitutional amendment. PRM leaders have been traveling to Washington, D.C. to lobby for US support against a change of the Constitution.
Juan Bolívar Diaz writes in Acento: “Nobody is unaware that President Medina does not have a consensus even in his own party, much less in the rest of society, to attempt the second consecutive re-election, nor [does he have] the two thirds of the votes of the National Assembly necessary to reform the Constitution, and that to achieve them he would have to use the economic and political power of the state, to the detriment of the institutionality of the parties and of democracy itself.”
Díaz recalls that the risks are high for President Danilo Medina, both for himself and the party if he were to attempt to do “what has never been done”, to take from the successful campaign slogan with which he ran for President in 2012. Diaz observes that deputies of his own party, Juan Comprés, Carlos Quiñonez, and Demóstenes Martínez have reminded Medina that he himself had drafted the temporary clause that bans him from running in 2020 and the never again clause.
https://acento.com.do/2019/politica...s-limitaciones-analisis-de-juan-bolivar-diaz/
No budget money being used for campaigning
Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero has assured that not one peso has been spent nor will be spent from the National Budget for any events in support of the re-election campaign being run by members of the government. However, he defended the right of those people to support to work of the government of Danilo Medina such as the simultaneous events showing support for the current President that took place last Sunday, 19 May 2019.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...-del-presupuesto-para-actos-de-apoyo-a-danilo
Faride Raful named commentator on El Sol de la Mañana
Deputy Faride Raful (PRM-National District) was named to the El Sol de la Mañana morning talk show on 106.5 FM. Julio Martínez Pozo said that Raful would join the talk show on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Faride aspires to be the PRM National District senator candidate. For years, the El Sol de la Mañana TV show has maintained a very strong pro-Medina government slant.
http://hoy.com.do/video-faride-rafu...a-senaduria-del-distrito-nacional-por-el-prm/
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/video-...ntegra-a-programa-radial-el-sol-de-la-manana/
US Representative Adriano Espaillat defends Menendez’s anti-reelection letter
US Congressman Adriano Espaillat has gone on record saying that the letter US Senator Bob Menendez sent to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking him to use “all diplomatic tools” to prevent a second re-election of the president of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina. Dominican-born Espaillat said that Menéndez has a say and everyone should have a say.
He explained that the Dominican Constitution is a sacred document that embodies the laws of the nation and the aspirations of a people, so it must always be respected.
https://almomento.net/eu-congresist...-injerencia-carta-menendez-contra-reeleccion/
https://dr1.com/forums/showthread.p...z-letter-to-US-Secretary-of-State-Mike-Pompeo
Bien Común presents proposals for a better Dominican Republic
The civil society group Collective Good (Bien Común) is suggesting that the composition of the National Council of the Magistracy, the organization that chooses the higher court judges, be changed. The recommendation is part of a list of 20 made by the group. Others include removing political hierarchical members from the high courts and increasing to 3% of GDP the government investment in public health. The proposals were made on 19 May 2019 during an event held at the Club Mauricio Báez in Santo Domingo.
Other proposals are the progressive increase in the taxes paid by those with more income, wage increases, more credit for productive activities, auditing the public debt, and the total restructuring of the state.
The movement calls for all forces to join to defeat the ruling PLD in the 2020 general elections.
https://www.facebook.com/BienComunRD/
https://eldia.com.do/bien-comun-lanza-programa-politico/
Travel on the Metro and Skylift with your bicycle
The Santo Domingo Metro Office (OPRET) announced that bicycles will be allowed for transport on weekends and holidays on the Santo Domingo Metro and the Santo Domingo Skylift. The schedule for this is on Saturdays as of 10am and on Sundays and holidays from the start of the service in the morning. Those traveling with a bicycle need to follow certain instructions, such as validating the metro card on the easy access gate using the contact button and waiting for staff assistance prior to boarding the metro or skylift. Only those older than 12 years can board with bicycles.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...sportar-bicicleta-en-el-metro-y-el-teleferico
Maternal and neonatal mortality declines
The National Health Service (SNS) reports that the indicators of maternal and neonatal mortality in public hospitals continue to decline. As of April 2019, there has been a decrease of 31% in the neonatal deaths compared to last year over the same time period and a decrease of 14% in maternal deaths.
The director of the SNS, Chanel Rosa Chupany explained that public hospitals have notified 842 neonatal deaths in the first four months of 2018 and this year there have been 579.
The Enriquillo area in the southwest has reported the greatest decline in deaths. The area is made up of the provinces of Barahona, Pedernales, Bahoruco and Independencia. There were 57 neonatal deaths in the first four months of 2018 and 20 in 2019, for a 70% reduction.
Other areas with a significant reduction in neonatal deaths are the Valdesia region (San Cristóbal, Peravia and Ocoa) with 44%, the Metropolitan region (Santo Domingo, Monte Plata and the National District) with 38%, the Northcentral region (Puerto Plata, Espaillat and Santiago) with 29% and the Cibao West region (Monte Cristi, Valverde, Dajabón and Santiago Rodríguez) with 28%.
Meanwhile, maternal mortality has decreased by 14% across the country during the first four months of this year compared with the same time period last year. Last year there were 45 deaths in the first four months, and this year 35.
Looking at maternal mortality, Valdesia had the biggest reduction with 61%, followed by the region of El Valle (Azua, San Juan and Elías Piña) with 53%, Northeast (Hermanas Mirabal, María Trinidad Sánchez, Duarte and Samaná) 52% and East (Hato Mayor, El Seibo, La Romana, Altagracia and San Pedro de Macorís) with 47%.
Chanel Rosa said that next week the directors of heads of obstetric services in the maternity hospitals will meet to present the advances in the implementation of plans to improve the rate of neonatal and maternal deaths. The meeting has sponsorship from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
https://eldia.com.do/mortalidad-neonatal-ha-reducido-un-31-y-mortalidad-materna-un-14/
Pleas to pay for school meals
The president of the National Federation of Shopkeepers and Businesses in the Dominican Republic (FENACERD), Manuel Ortiz Tejada, has complained that the government via the National Institute of Student Welfare (INABIE) owes more than RD$5 billion to the suppliers of extended school day public school meals. He said that the suppliers of the food are on the brink of collapse due to the debt and that they cannot pay their own suppliers.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...del-desayuno-escolar-superan-rd-5000-millones
BlueMax no longer available in the Dominican Republic
BlueMax film streaming facility through Amazon Fire Stick is no longer available in the Dominican Republic. Telecom companies Claro and Altice, that offer paid cable TV services, had complained to the Dominican Telecom Institute (Indotel) about the illegalities of the streaming service. The companies complained BlueMax was unfair competition because it did not have to pay distribution rights as they do.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...ambia-nombre-de-sus-cuentas-en-redes-sociales
Five companies get millions in power company security contracts
TV investigative reporter Nuria Piera has presented findings of irregularities in the process of tendering to choose security services to the government-owned electricity distributors. She said that Edesur, EdeEste and EdeNorte have spent a billion pesos on security and surveillance. She said by far, the beneficiaries are five companies that have benefited from what she calls “unfair competition.”
She said that just for security, this year EdeNorte has paid RD$192.3 million to two companies, who provided 464 security guards and 18 vehicles. EdeSur has contracts with four companies since 2017, costing upwards of RD$403,742,378 over three years and EdeEste, last April, awarded contracts to two companies for RD$359,281,396.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIVWEWjlOAw
https://almomento.net/nuria-denuncia-serias-irregularidades-en-licitacion-companias-seguridad-edes/
Dominican accused of drug dealing extradited to US
Officials of the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) and members of the Public Prosecution Service have handed over a Dominican accused of drug dealing in the United States to US Marshals Service agents. 44-year old José Rafael Hidalgo Herrera (Pete) was extradited on Sunday, 19 May 2019, to the United States to answer charges in a Pennsylvania court of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms of cocaine. He was escorted by the federal agents onto a commercial flight to Atlanta leaving from Las Americas International Airport.
Hidalgo Herrera had been arrested in January 2019 in the Los Rios sector of the National District.
Over the last few weeks the Dominican authorities have been following up on more than 20 foreigners and Dominicans with international arrest warrants for murder, homicide and other crimes.
https://eldia.com.do/extraditan-dominicano-a-estados-unidos-por-narcotrafico/
Suspects in express kidnappers arrested by Police
The National Police says that three members of a violent band of criminals, who carry firearms and carry out assaults in the National District, were arrested in the case of two 21-year old men that were abducted on the early morning of Sunday, 19 May 2019.
Those arrested are José Luis de la Cruz Rincón (El Negro), Wilfredo Alexander Valerio de los Santos (Beibi), and Alexander Ortiz Carmona (Escopeta), who live in Los Rieles, kilometer 20 of the Yamasá Highway in Santo Domingo North.
They were identified by the two young men who were assaulted and robbed and beaten after leaving a gathering with friends shortly before 3am at José A. Brea Peña Street in the Evaristo Morales neighborhood in Santo Domingo. The 21-year olds had their cell phones taken and RD$1,000 in cash they had on them.
The young men, who have preferred to remain anonymous, were then forced at gunpoint to get into the assailants’ vehicle, and taken to ATM machines to retrieve cash. When it was evident the young men did not meet their assailants’ expectations for cash, they were taken to the Caribbean Sea cliffs off the Malecon.
The Police says it has identified two other men, Juan Manuel Selmo Ortiz and Enmanuel Feliz (Bebo) that are also arrested after investigations advanced. As reported in Diario Libre, the Police says that the first three and the second two men were part of a criminal gang that had committed other express kidnappings. DJ Ray-R (Ray Ricardo) went public on social media saying he too had been a victim of a similar assault, involving a white Sonata and a rifle. On Monday, 20 May, he presented a formal complaint at the Police headquarters. The Police say a sixth man is fugitive. The Police suspect he has the rifle that was used in the crimes.
http://hoy.com.do/esto-es-lo-nuevo-...on-golpearon-y-dejaron-abandonados-a-jovenes/
https://eldia.com.do/policia-apresa...-asalto-a-dos-jovenes-en-el-evaristo-morales/
Hairspray and Fame at newly renovated Manuel Rueda Hall
Dominican versions of the musicals Hairspray JR and FAME will be staged by students of the JAM Academy for the reopening of the Manuel Rueda hall at the Edificio de las Escuelas de Arte Dramático, on the Av. César Nicolás Penson, adjacent to the National Music Conservatory. Elizabeth Lenhart, producer and director of JAM Academy, made the announcement. Hairspray JR will be on 8 and 9 June with shows at 11:30am and 5:30pm. Fame will be on 15 and 16 June at 3:30 and 8:30pm.
The key roles for Hairspray will be with Sofia Aguayo (Tracy Turnblad); Alejandro González (Link Larkin); Gabriella Bonnarelli (Penny Pingleton); José Alejandro Quintana (Seaweed Stubbs); Alvaro Logroño (Corny Collins); Mía Batista (Amber Von Tussle); Sabina Camblor (Velma Von Tussle); Lucía Bisonó (Edna Turnblad); María Victoria Domínguez (Wilbur Turnblad); Valeria Cepeda y Grethel Nova (Little Inés); Miranda Estrella Cáffaro (Prudy Pingleton); Cynthia Céspedes Brens and Karla Oviedo (Motormouth Maybelle).
The main roles for Fame will be with Caterina Abel (Carmen Diaz); Simón López (Schlomo Metzenbaum); Megan Sánchez (Serena Katz); Rafael Ravelo (Nick Piazza); José Ernesto Lagombra (Tyrone Jackson); Joanna Geraldes (Iris Kelly); Cynthia Céspedes (Mabel Washington); Edwin Polanco (Joe Vegas); Catherine Collie (Sra. Sherman); Paula Ruiz (Sra. Bell); Karla Oviedo (Sra. Sheinkopf); Jan Luis Pereyra (Sr. Meyers); Rosa Ramírez (Grace Lamb) and Dylan Castillo (Goody King).
Tickets for the shows are for sale on Uepatickets, and cost RD$1,850 and RD$1,500.
Santiago Cruz at the Gran Teatro del Cibao
Colombian singer songwriter Santiago Cruz is booked for a 24 May 2019 concert at 8:30pm at the Gran Teatro del Cibao. Admission to be the performance of the Tour Elemental 2019 online cost RD$6,495 to RD$4,875. Tickets are for sale online at Uepa Tickets. Tickets are also available at CCN Servicios, Supermercados Nacional, Jumbo stores.
Bad Bunny booked for Santo Domingo concert
25-year old Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton singer Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) is booked for a 15 June 2019 concert at the Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo.
Time is running out for Medina’s bid for reelection
No budget money being used for campaigning
Faride Raful named commentator on El Sol de la Mañana
US Representative Adriano Espaillat defends Menendez’s anti-reelection letter
Bien Común presents proposals for a better Dominican Republic
Travel on the Metro and Skylift with your bicycle
Maternal and neonatal mortality declines
Pleas to pay for school meals
BlueMax no longer available in the Dominican Republic
Five companies get millions in power company security contracts
Dominican accused of drug dealing extradited to US
Suspects in express kidnappers arrested by Police
Hairspray and Fame at newly renovated Manuel Rueda Hall
Santiago Cruz at the Gran Teatro del Cibao
Bad Bunny booked for Santo Domingo concert
DR signs agreements with Portugal
Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas was in Lisbon, Portugal 20 May 2019 on an official visit to sign memorandums of understanding and cooperation agreements with Portugal. Vargas signed for the Dominican Republic and Portuguese Foreign Relations Minister Augusto Santos Silva signed for Portugal. The agreements cover the areas of aviation services, establishment of political consulting, cooperation in health, strengthening of gender equality, academic and diplomatic collaboration.
During his stay in Portugal, Vargas requested the backing of Portugal for the Dominican Republic’s bid for being included among countries that benefit from its citizens not having to request a Schengen visa for short stay trips to the European Union. He also requested Portuguese backing for the Dominican candidacy to the pro tempore secretary position of the Conferencia Iberoamericana for 2021-2022. He also requested the opening of a Portuguese consulate in the Dominican Republic.
Foreign Relations Minister Miguel Vargas says he invited Santos Silva to visit the Dominican Republic to sign other agreements that are pending.
http://www.mirex.gob.do/medios/noticias/canciller-miguelvargasm-suscribe-cinco-acuerdos-con-portugal
Time is running out for Medina’s bid for reelection
In 2015, Medina followers pushed through a constitutional amendment so the President could run for reelection in the 2016 election. Polls back in 2015 were favorable to his doing so. But in 2019, the situation is different. Three leading polls, Asisa Research (71%), Gallup-Hoy (68%) and Mark Penn (61%), indicate the Dominican people are against amending the Constitution for a second time so that Medina can run again. This would be the first time a President pushes through two amendments in order to enable presidential aspirations.
Time may be running out for President Danilo Medina to announce if he will seek the second reelection. Political analyst Juan Bolívar Díaz writes that in order to register the candidacy of Medina, the first step is to amend the Constitution. The 2015 Constitution bans Medina from running again in 2020. The transitory clause in the 2015 Constitution establishes: “In the case that the President of the Republic corresponding to the constitutional period 2012-2016 is the candidate to the same position for the constitutional period 2016-2020 he will not be able to run for the next period nor for any other period, nor for the vice presidency of the republic, either.”
If a constitutional amendment is achieved, then Medina needs to be registered by his party and presented as a pre-candidate by the Central Committee of the PLD. The deadline to register the pre-candidates for the primary is 23 August 2019. The primary is scheduled for 6 October 2019. Pre-candidate campaigning is officially open on 1 July 2019.
Polls show that President Danilo Medina is the highest ranked PLD politician. But his main opposition is from within the party. The president of the PLD, former President Leonel Fernández wants to return to power. The same 2015 Constitution that enabled Medina to run for President again made it possible for Fernández to run in 2020. If elected, Fernández could even aspire to a second term.
Last week, the deputies of the largest opposition party, the PRM, and those of Fernández signed a document where they pledged to oppose the constitutional amendment. PRM leaders have been traveling to Washington, D.C. to lobby for US support against a change of the Constitution.
Juan Bolívar Diaz writes in Acento: “Nobody is unaware that President Medina does not have a consensus even in his own party, much less in the rest of society, to attempt the second consecutive re-election, nor [does he have] the two thirds of the votes of the National Assembly necessary to reform the Constitution, and that to achieve them he would have to use the economic and political power of the state, to the detriment of the institutionality of the parties and of democracy itself.”
Díaz recalls that the risks are high for President Danilo Medina, both for himself and the party if he were to attempt to do “what has never been done”, to take from the successful campaign slogan with which he ran for President in 2012. Diaz observes that deputies of his own party, Juan Comprés, Carlos Quiñonez, and Demóstenes Martínez have reminded Medina that he himself had drafted the temporary clause that bans him from running in 2020 and the never again clause.
https://acento.com.do/2019/politica...s-limitaciones-analisis-de-juan-bolivar-diaz/
No budget money being used for campaigning
Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero has assured that not one peso has been spent nor will be spent from the National Budget for any events in support of the re-election campaign being run by members of the government. However, he defended the right of those people to support to work of the government of Danilo Medina such as the simultaneous events showing support for the current President that took place last Sunday, 19 May 2019.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...-del-presupuesto-para-actos-de-apoyo-a-danilo
Faride Raful named commentator on El Sol de la Mañana
Deputy Faride Raful (PRM-National District) was named to the El Sol de la Mañana morning talk show on 106.5 FM. Julio Martínez Pozo said that Raful would join the talk show on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Faride aspires to be the PRM National District senator candidate. For years, the El Sol de la Mañana TV show has maintained a very strong pro-Medina government slant.
http://hoy.com.do/video-faride-rafu...a-senaduria-del-distrito-nacional-por-el-prm/
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/video-...ntegra-a-programa-radial-el-sol-de-la-manana/
US Representative Adriano Espaillat defends Menendez’s anti-reelection letter
US Congressman Adriano Espaillat has gone on record saying that the letter US Senator Bob Menendez sent to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking him to use “all diplomatic tools” to prevent a second re-election of the president of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina. Dominican-born Espaillat said that Menéndez has a say and everyone should have a say.
He explained that the Dominican Constitution is a sacred document that embodies the laws of the nation and the aspirations of a people, so it must always be respected.
https://almomento.net/eu-congresist...-injerencia-carta-menendez-contra-reeleccion/
https://dr1.com/forums/showthread.p...z-letter-to-US-Secretary-of-State-Mike-Pompeo
Bien Común presents proposals for a better Dominican Republic
The civil society group Collective Good (Bien Común) is suggesting that the composition of the National Council of the Magistracy, the organization that chooses the higher court judges, be changed. The recommendation is part of a list of 20 made by the group. Others include removing political hierarchical members from the high courts and increasing to 3% of GDP the government investment in public health. The proposals were made on 19 May 2019 during an event held at the Club Mauricio Báez in Santo Domingo.
Other proposals are the progressive increase in the taxes paid by those with more income, wage increases, more credit for productive activities, auditing the public debt, and the total restructuring of the state.
The movement calls for all forces to join to defeat the ruling PLD in the 2020 general elections.
https://www.facebook.com/BienComunRD/
https://eldia.com.do/bien-comun-lanza-programa-politico/
Travel on the Metro and Skylift with your bicycle
The Santo Domingo Metro Office (OPRET) announced that bicycles will be allowed for transport on weekends and holidays on the Santo Domingo Metro and the Santo Domingo Skylift. The schedule for this is on Saturdays as of 10am and on Sundays and holidays from the start of the service in the morning. Those traveling with a bicycle need to follow certain instructions, such as validating the metro card on the easy access gate using the contact button and waiting for staff assistance prior to boarding the metro or skylift. Only those older than 12 years can board with bicycles.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...sportar-bicicleta-en-el-metro-y-el-teleferico
Maternal and neonatal mortality declines
The National Health Service (SNS) reports that the indicators of maternal and neonatal mortality in public hospitals continue to decline. As of April 2019, there has been a decrease of 31% in the neonatal deaths compared to last year over the same time period and a decrease of 14% in maternal deaths.
The director of the SNS, Chanel Rosa Chupany explained that public hospitals have notified 842 neonatal deaths in the first four months of 2018 and this year there have been 579.
The Enriquillo area in the southwest has reported the greatest decline in deaths. The area is made up of the provinces of Barahona, Pedernales, Bahoruco and Independencia. There were 57 neonatal deaths in the first four months of 2018 and 20 in 2019, for a 70% reduction.
Other areas with a significant reduction in neonatal deaths are the Valdesia region (San Cristóbal, Peravia and Ocoa) with 44%, the Metropolitan region (Santo Domingo, Monte Plata and the National District) with 38%, the Northcentral region (Puerto Plata, Espaillat and Santiago) with 29% and the Cibao West region (Monte Cristi, Valverde, Dajabón and Santiago Rodríguez) with 28%.
Meanwhile, maternal mortality has decreased by 14% across the country during the first four months of this year compared with the same time period last year. Last year there were 45 deaths in the first four months, and this year 35.
Looking at maternal mortality, Valdesia had the biggest reduction with 61%, followed by the region of El Valle (Azua, San Juan and Elías Piña) with 53%, Northeast (Hermanas Mirabal, María Trinidad Sánchez, Duarte and Samaná) 52% and East (Hato Mayor, El Seibo, La Romana, Altagracia and San Pedro de Macorís) with 47%.
Chanel Rosa said that next week the directors of heads of obstetric services in the maternity hospitals will meet to present the advances in the implementation of plans to improve the rate of neonatal and maternal deaths. The meeting has sponsorship from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
https://eldia.com.do/mortalidad-neonatal-ha-reducido-un-31-y-mortalidad-materna-un-14/
Pleas to pay for school meals
The president of the National Federation of Shopkeepers and Businesses in the Dominican Republic (FENACERD), Manuel Ortiz Tejada, has complained that the government via the National Institute of Student Welfare (INABIE) owes more than RD$5 billion to the suppliers of extended school day public school meals. He said that the suppliers of the food are on the brink of collapse due to the debt and that they cannot pay their own suppliers.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...del-desayuno-escolar-superan-rd-5000-millones
BlueMax no longer available in the Dominican Republic
BlueMax film streaming facility through Amazon Fire Stick is no longer available in the Dominican Republic. Telecom companies Claro and Altice, that offer paid cable TV services, had complained to the Dominican Telecom Institute (Indotel) about the illegalities of the streaming service. The companies complained BlueMax was unfair competition because it did not have to pay distribution rights as they do.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...ambia-nombre-de-sus-cuentas-en-redes-sociales
Five companies get millions in power company security contracts
TV investigative reporter Nuria Piera has presented findings of irregularities in the process of tendering to choose security services to the government-owned electricity distributors. She said that Edesur, EdeEste and EdeNorte have spent a billion pesos on security and surveillance. She said by far, the beneficiaries are five companies that have benefited from what she calls “unfair competition.”
She said that just for security, this year EdeNorte has paid RD$192.3 million to two companies, who provided 464 security guards and 18 vehicles. EdeSur has contracts with four companies since 2017, costing upwards of RD$403,742,378 over three years and EdeEste, last April, awarded contracts to two companies for RD$359,281,396.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIVWEWjlOAw
https://almomento.net/nuria-denuncia-serias-irregularidades-en-licitacion-companias-seguridad-edes/
Dominican accused of drug dealing extradited to US
Officials of the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) and members of the Public Prosecution Service have handed over a Dominican accused of drug dealing in the United States to US Marshals Service agents. 44-year old José Rafael Hidalgo Herrera (Pete) was extradited on Sunday, 19 May 2019, to the United States to answer charges in a Pennsylvania court of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms of cocaine. He was escorted by the federal agents onto a commercial flight to Atlanta leaving from Las Americas International Airport.
Hidalgo Herrera had been arrested in January 2019 in the Los Rios sector of the National District.
Over the last few weeks the Dominican authorities have been following up on more than 20 foreigners and Dominicans with international arrest warrants for murder, homicide and other crimes.
https://eldia.com.do/extraditan-dominicano-a-estados-unidos-por-narcotrafico/
Suspects in express kidnappers arrested by Police
The National Police says that three members of a violent band of criminals, who carry firearms and carry out assaults in the National District, were arrested in the case of two 21-year old men that were abducted on the early morning of Sunday, 19 May 2019.
Those arrested are José Luis de la Cruz Rincón (El Negro), Wilfredo Alexander Valerio de los Santos (Beibi), and Alexander Ortiz Carmona (Escopeta), who live in Los Rieles, kilometer 20 of the Yamasá Highway in Santo Domingo North.
They were identified by the two young men who were assaulted and robbed and beaten after leaving a gathering with friends shortly before 3am at José A. Brea Peña Street in the Evaristo Morales neighborhood in Santo Domingo. The 21-year olds had their cell phones taken and RD$1,000 in cash they had on them.
The young men, who have preferred to remain anonymous, were then forced at gunpoint to get into the assailants’ vehicle, and taken to ATM machines to retrieve cash. When it was evident the young men did not meet their assailants’ expectations for cash, they were taken to the Caribbean Sea cliffs off the Malecon.
The Police says it has identified two other men, Juan Manuel Selmo Ortiz and Enmanuel Feliz (Bebo) that are also arrested after investigations advanced. As reported in Diario Libre, the Police says that the first three and the second two men were part of a criminal gang that had committed other express kidnappings. DJ Ray-R (Ray Ricardo) went public on social media saying he too had been a victim of a similar assault, involving a white Sonata and a rifle. On Monday, 20 May, he presented a formal complaint at the Police headquarters. The Police say a sixth man is fugitive. The Police suspect he has the rifle that was used in the crimes.
http://hoy.com.do/esto-es-lo-nuevo-...on-golpearon-y-dejaron-abandonados-a-jovenes/
https://eldia.com.do/policia-apresa...-asalto-a-dos-jovenes-en-el-evaristo-morales/
Hairspray and Fame at newly renovated Manuel Rueda Hall
Dominican versions of the musicals Hairspray JR and FAME will be staged by students of the JAM Academy for the reopening of the Manuel Rueda hall at the Edificio de las Escuelas de Arte Dramático, on the Av. César Nicolás Penson, adjacent to the National Music Conservatory. Elizabeth Lenhart, producer and director of JAM Academy, made the announcement. Hairspray JR will be on 8 and 9 June with shows at 11:30am and 5:30pm. Fame will be on 15 and 16 June at 3:30 and 8:30pm.
The key roles for Hairspray will be with Sofia Aguayo (Tracy Turnblad); Alejandro González (Link Larkin); Gabriella Bonnarelli (Penny Pingleton); José Alejandro Quintana (Seaweed Stubbs); Alvaro Logroño (Corny Collins); Mía Batista (Amber Von Tussle); Sabina Camblor (Velma Von Tussle); Lucía Bisonó (Edna Turnblad); María Victoria Domínguez (Wilbur Turnblad); Valeria Cepeda y Grethel Nova (Little Inés); Miranda Estrella Cáffaro (Prudy Pingleton); Cynthia Céspedes Brens and Karla Oviedo (Motormouth Maybelle).
The main roles for Fame will be with Caterina Abel (Carmen Diaz); Simón López (Schlomo Metzenbaum); Megan Sánchez (Serena Katz); Rafael Ravelo (Nick Piazza); José Ernesto Lagombra (Tyrone Jackson); Joanna Geraldes (Iris Kelly); Cynthia Céspedes (Mabel Washington); Edwin Polanco (Joe Vegas); Catherine Collie (Sra. Sherman); Paula Ruiz (Sra. Bell); Karla Oviedo (Sra. Sheinkopf); Jan Luis Pereyra (Sr. Meyers); Rosa Ramírez (Grace Lamb) and Dylan Castillo (Goody King).
Tickets for the shows are for sale on Uepatickets, and cost RD$1,850 and RD$1,500.
Santiago Cruz at the Gran Teatro del Cibao
Colombian singer songwriter Santiago Cruz is booked for a 24 May 2019 concert at 8:30pm at the Gran Teatro del Cibao. Admission to be the performance of the Tour Elemental 2019 online cost RD$6,495 to RD$4,875. Tickets are for sale online at Uepa Tickets. Tickets are also available at CCN Servicios, Supermercados Nacional, Jumbo stores.
Bad Bunny booked for Santo Domingo concert
25-year old Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton singer Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) is booked for a 15 June 2019 concert at the Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo.