D
Dolores
Guest
Exports to start again to Japan
Help on the way for cyclists
The Latin American Liberty Forum 2019 set for 28-30 June
Appalling mathematics level results in public schools
Complaints about Chinese pipe manufacturers in the Dominican Republic
Alerting of the entry of Chagas disease from South America
Dominicans 5th in overstaying US visas
Nuria Piera: High wages in government are all in the family
Siamese twins cannot be separated
Femicides still increasing
Fire affects homes in Santiago
Doors to shut at 8:30pm sharp at the National Theater
Video on teenager’s dunk even touches LeBron James
Dominican basketball at the Lima Pan Am Games
Dominicans play Italy today in Women’s Nations League
Fernando Villalona’s “Dominicano Soy” at Hard Rock Live
Exports to start again to Japan
The Ministry of Agriculture announced the export of Dominican tropical fruits and other fresh produce to Japan. Exports were suspended since April 2015 due to the presence of the Mediterranean fruit fly. This was eradicated in July 2017.
The Ministry says pineapples, mangos, avocados and melons, coffee, tobacco and cacao will again be exported to Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fish (MAFF) has advised there is no objection to Dominican products entering Japan.
The Ministry of Agriculture says the country has the potential of exporting around US$100 million a year in farm produce to Japan.
http://hoy.com.do/republica-dominicana-volvera-a-exportar-frutas-hacia-japon/
Help on the way for cyclists in Santo Domingo
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pedestrians and cyclists make up 21% of the road accident deaths in the country. The Dominican Republic has the highest rate of road accident deaths in the world at 41.7%.
Santo Domingo is now one of four Latin American cities that are working to create safe and healthy traffic routes for cyclists. Others are Guadalajara in Mexico; Fortaleza and São Paulo in Brazil. This effort is under the Partnership for Healthy Cities promoted by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
For cyclists, the city government of Santo Domingo has created an action plan to improve their safety and improve regulations and education. There will be an increase in cycling routes as well. One of the first is already in place along the sea-fronting Malecón. Boulevard. Groupss of cyclists are also enjoying Colonial City biking tours. And companies encourage bicycle trips in the city on weekends when traffic drops to lows.
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/peaton...r-accidente-trafico-en-rd-segun-datos-de-oms/
https://partnershipforhealthycities.bloomberg.org/cities/
The Latin American Liberty Forum 2019 set for 27-28 June
Atlas Network and its Center for Latin America are proud to announce the 2019 Latin America Liberty Forum to take place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic this coming June.
Atlas Network is working with local partners, Centro Regional de Estrategias Económicas Sostenibles (CREES) and Instituto OMG in the event organization. Crees is an economic think tank and research center and Instituto OMG is a non-governmental organization that backs entrepreneurship.
Latin America Liberty Forum brings together friends of the freedom movement across Latin America to discuss challenges facing the region and to learn from one another how to most effectively advance free-market reforms.
The event will take place at the InterContinental Real Santo Domingo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Thursday, 27 June and Friday, 28 June 2019.
http://crees.org.do/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latin-america-liberty-forum-2019-tickets-54780682496
https://www.atlasnetwork.org/events/latin-america-regional-liberty-forum/
Appalling mathematics level results in public schools
Dominican teachers are failing big in teaching Dominican students to understand and love mathematics. The results of the evaluations carried out by the Ministry of Education (Minerd) reveal that the comprehension of mathematics is meager despite the doubling of government investment in public education over the past six years.
According to their studies, the number of students reaching a satisfactory level in math from the first grade to sixth grade is barely 4.1%. The 2017 assessment that was of first grade to third grade showed a 27% comprehension. It appears that as children advance, their mathematics skills decline.
The highest levels in comprehension registered by the assessment were of the Spanish Language with 27.37% of students reaching a satisfactory level. This was an improvement over the 12% of the students in first to third grade received in the 2017 evaluation.
Students tested with 15.63% reaching a satisfactory level in Natural Sciences.
Students at private elementary schools did better than students at public schools. At these, students from higher socio-economic groups outperformed students in lower socio-economic groups.
Students in extended school day programs slightly outperformed those who attended schools with classes just in the morning or the afternoon.
For the 2019 assessments, 159,000 students of sixth grade were tested, compared to 177,000 third graders that were tested in 2017. This includes public and private school students.
The Ministry of Education is hosting the 21st Central American and Caribbean Mathematics Olympiads this coming 14-22 June 2019.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...el-en-matematicas-a-medida-que-pasan-de-curso
http://www.ministeriodeeducacion.go...impacto-economico-social-en-zonas-vulnerables
Complaints about Chinese pipe manufacturers in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic Association of Industries (AIRD), the umbrella organization with the highest representation of manufacturing industries in the country, has called the attention of the authorities to what it describes as unfair competition from five Chinese manufacturing companies that are not complying with the 80/20 rule in respect of Dominican employees nor with manufacturing protocols.
AIRD president Celso Juan Marranzini and Circe Almánzar, executive vice president, and directors of the Dominican Associations of Plastics Industries (Adiplast) raised the complaint during an interview with the Listin Diario. They said the Chinese companies are manufacturing plastic pipes without adhering to the required regulations and that violate quality standards in the construction sector. They also complained the companies are violating the 80% locals and 20% Labor Code rule for employing foreigners. They say these companies employ large number of Chinese workers.
Marranzini and directors of Adiplast called on the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) to audit the companies as some are operating without complying either with registration requirements. They alerted the violations in manufacturing standards could cause significant flows in public works carried out with the products.
The industry representatives also complained the present tax regime favors imports versus local production. They say the red tape and inspections penalize manufacturers. Importers, they say, are not subject to the same scrutiny.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...-piden-fiscalizar-negocios-chinos-de-tuberias
Alerting of the entry of Chagas disease from South America
Cardiologist Iván González Vidal is concerned that the recent increase in immigration from Colombia and Venezuela could have brought with it the Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) that causes severe heart damage. The condition is endemic in South and Central America.
The disease is caused by a parasite, carried by a bug, and it can be transmitted by oral contact, blood transfusions or via food. The condition can result in acute inflammatory skin changes (chagomas) and may eventually cause infection and inflammation of many other body tissues, especially those of the heart and intestinal tract.
Dr. González said that the damage is seen more frequently in young people. Dr. González says he has checked with the blood banks in the country, but none are testing for Chagas yet.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...rte-posible-presencia-de-enfermedad-de-chagas
Dominicans 5th in overstaying US visas
According to data from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Dominican Republic is ranked first in the Caribbean and Central American region and fifth in the Latin America and the Caribbean region visa overstays.
The DHS ‘Fiscal Year 2018 Entry/Exit Overstay Report’ reports on 666,582 visa overstays during the period October 2017 to September 2018 for people from all around the world. This is all foreign nationals who enter the US legally using a temporary visitor, student or business visa or as part of the visa waiver program. An overstay is defined as a non-immigrant who was lawfully admitted into the US for an authorized period, but stayed in the country beyond his or her authorized admission period.
The regional top ten countries in overstays were Brazil (36,289), Venezuela (35,931), Colombia (21,917), Dominican Republic (14,641), Jamaica (10,626), Argentina (8,185), Ecuador (6,997), Haiti (6,917), Guatemala (5,839), Honduras (4,143).
42,000 Caribbean nationals from across the region overstayed their non-immigrant visas of the 666,582 overstays from around the world.
https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0417_fy18-entry-and-exit-overstay-report.pdf
Nuria Piera: High wages in government run in the family
Investigative journalist Nuria Piera has joined many who have expressed frustration at the good fortune of thousands of relatives of high up government officers who also have been hired in very well paid government jobs. Government jobs today are of the best paid in the country. Well paid jobs such as these are very scarce in the private sector.
Piera reported on her Saturday, 26 May 2019 TV show on the many families that have successfully placed relatives in government. For many with family ties, the government job is their first. Piera has shared information that many receive pay for jobs abroad when they are known to be living in the Dominican Republic.
Leading the bunch with many employed in government is the Pared Pérez family, that includes personal assistant to President Danilo Medina Carlos Pared Pérez, National District senator Reinaldo Pared Pérez and director of the National Investigations Department (DNI) Sigfrido Pared Pérez. Piera presents this family as probably the one with most members employed by the government.
Piera mentions two government-employed that are very close to President Danilo Medina. These are President Danilo Medina’s son-in-law Angel Eduardo Contreras Ojen, who married his daughter Candi Sibeli, who is the risk assessment director at the Superintendency of Banks with a wage of RD$394,721. His father, Duarte Rafael Contreras, was appointed general director of the Livestock Division at the Ministry of Agriculture in 2018, making RD$200,000.
The son of the president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Julio César Castaños Guzmán, is deputy director of the National Elections Department at the JCE, making RD$150,125. Another son, Julio Simón, has been Dominican ambassador to Switzerland since 2015. He receives US$10,400 a month, including spending expenditures.
Altagracia Graciano is another judge at the JCE and all her children work for the state. These include Vanesa Mercedes Graciano who is supervisor of the issuing of IDs for the JCE in Milano, Italy, where she makes EUR2,500. Her son Carlos Andrés is supervisor of human resources at the Customs Agency making RD$47,250, and her other son Juan Manuel is counselor minister at the UN mission in New York with a pay of US$5,000 a month, including expenses.
José Tomás Pérez is Dominican ambassador to the United States and his son José Tomás Pérez Gatreaux is alternate ambassador in the United Kingdom where he makes US$7,000 a month. In 2012 he was vice consul in Barcelona, where he was paid US$1,750.
Roberto Rodríguez Marchena, spokesman for the Medina administration, has a sister working at the Ministry of Education making RD$189,000. His wife, Rosa Rita Alvarez, directs the Fundación Reservas del País, a government entity that lends to small business. Their daughter is a division director at the Superintendence of Banks with a wage of RD$394,000.
Félix (Felucho) Jiménez is president of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery. One son, Juan Ernesto Jiménez Olivier is employed in the Stock Market Superintendence making RD$440,000 and his other son Juan Ariel Jiménez is deputy minister of the Presidency, making RD$260,000.
The TV show is a follow up to the investigations carried out by Eduardo Sanchez Tolentino of somospueblo.com that also reveals thousands of relatives to top administration officers in highly paid government jobs.
https://n.com.do/2019/05/27/los-par...s-con-mas-cargos-y-familiares-en-el-gobierno/
https://somospueblo.com/superintend...-cobran-mas-de-rd1-2-millones-en-el-gobierno/
Siamese twins cannot be separated
According to pediatric surgeon, Dr. Cristina Paulino, the Siamese twins born last Friday, 24 May 2019 at the country’s leading public hospital in Santo Domingo cannot be separated because they share too many organs.
The baby girls are currently in the intensive care unit at the Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia Maternity Hospital and are joined at the chest. While each has a stomach, the babies share their intestines. The twins were born via C-section at 38 weeks, and have only one vulva, no anus and although they have two hearts, they have only one aorta.
The 32-year-old mother of the girls is currently recovering from the operation.
The previous birth of Siamese twins was in February 2016 and the two girls were successfully separated in New York in January 2017.
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/autori...dad-de-la-altagracia-no-pueden-ser-separadas/
Femicides still increasing
According to data from the Attorney General’s Office, during the first three months of the year, there have been 20 femicides in the country. This is two more than for the same period last year, or an 11.11% increase. In the first three months of this year, there were 35 murders of women, compared to 29 in the same period in 2018.
Activist Cinthya Velasco, for the Women and Health Collective, said that this increase is a consequence of the lack of mechanisms available to protect women and that the efforts to date have been insufficient.
The DR is ranked third in Latin America and the Caribbean in femicides, according to a report by the Center for Gender Studies of the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC) and Profamilia civil society group. The study reveals that in 2017, there were 59,391 complaints for domestic violence and 5,808 for sexual crimes. In 80% of the femicide cases, there had been a previous complaint.
The same year there were 17,148 orders of protection issued, 117 femicides with 46.1% of the women who died separated at the moment of their deaths and 30 of the aggressors had a history of violence.
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/pgr-pais-registra-20-feminicidios-en-el-primer-trimestre-de-este-ano/
Fire affects homes in Santiago
On Monday, 27 May 2019, a fire affected six homes and an ironwork workshop in the El Ejido sector of Santiago. Firefighters suspect a short circuit caused the blaze.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...s-viviendas-en-el-sector-el-ejido-de-santiago
Doors to shut at 8:30pm sharp at the National Theater
Niní Cáffaro, the director of the National Theater, is again enforcing the order to lock the doors to the halls on time. Listín Diario reports that after complaints that people were still arriving at a performance well into the start of the show, he ordered staff not to allow those who were late to enter until the intermission. On Saturday, 25 May 2019, many theater-goers complained after they were left out. Everyone had a valid excuse… the traffic jams, getting late out of work, the beauty parlor…
https://listindiario.com/entretenim...tro-nacional-cierra-puertas-y-ellas-se-quejan
Video on teenager’s dunk even touches LeBron James
Reports are that even LeBron James has offered to help out a young Dominican street basketball player after a video showed how talented he is, even when playing barefoot.
A video showing 13-year old skinny Ronaldy Velez ditching his flipflops before landing a shot and then celebrating his prowess has touched the hearts of many around the world.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...nd-sneakers-young-boy-Dominican-Republic.html
Dominican basketball at the Lima Pan Am Games
In the draw for the men’s basketball tournament at the 31 July to 4 August Lima 2019 Pan Am Games, the Dominican Republic (ranked 6th in the Americas) entered into Group B and will first play teams from Mexico (4th), Argentina (2nd ) and Uruguay (9th). Puerto Rico (5th), the United States (1st), US Virgin Islands (11th) and Venezuela (7th) will face off in Group A.
Some of the best men’s and women’s basketball players from across the continent will compete for the gold medals in Eduardo Dibos Coliseum.
The Dominican men’s basketball team is ranked 18th in the world.
http://www.fiba.basketball/rankingmen/
http://www.panamsports.org/sport-events/lima-2019-pan-american-games/
http://www.panamsports.org/news-sport/stage-is-set-for-basketball-at-lima-2019/
Dominicans play Italy today in Women’s Nations League
The Dominican senior women’s volleyball team, that in the first round of the FIVB Nations League defeated 5th ranked Russia and 4th ranked Brazil, will match team Italy in the second round taking place in Conegliano Veneto, Italy. The game is set for Tuesday, 28 May 2019 at 2pm Dominican Republic time.
The Dominican Republic team is ranked 10th in the world and Italy is ranked 8th.
The DR team (The Caribbean Queens) ended the first round ranked 7th among the 16 participating teams.
https://www.volleyball.world/en/vnl...4.1559044249-1791822030.1558527289#/d20190528
Fernando Villalona’s “Dominicano Soy” at Hard Rock Live
Merengue and bolero singer Fernando Villalona is booked to present his concert “Dominicano Soy” at the Hard Rock Live of Blue Mall in Santo Domingo. The show will be on Wednesday, 19 June 2019 at 10pm. Thursday, 20 June is a religious holiday in the Dominican Republic, celebrating Corpus Christi.
Tickets are for sale online at Uepa Tickets starting at general admission RD$1,950. Tickets are also for sale at CCN Servicios at Supermercados Nacional and Jumbo stores.
Help on the way for cyclists
The Latin American Liberty Forum 2019 set for 28-30 June
Appalling mathematics level results in public schools
Complaints about Chinese pipe manufacturers in the Dominican Republic
Alerting of the entry of Chagas disease from South America
Dominicans 5th in overstaying US visas
Nuria Piera: High wages in government are all in the family
Siamese twins cannot be separated
Femicides still increasing
Fire affects homes in Santiago
Doors to shut at 8:30pm sharp at the National Theater
Video on teenager’s dunk even touches LeBron James
Dominican basketball at the Lima Pan Am Games
Dominicans play Italy today in Women’s Nations League
Fernando Villalona’s “Dominicano Soy” at Hard Rock Live
Exports to start again to Japan
The Ministry of Agriculture announced the export of Dominican tropical fruits and other fresh produce to Japan. Exports were suspended since April 2015 due to the presence of the Mediterranean fruit fly. This was eradicated in July 2017.
The Ministry says pineapples, mangos, avocados and melons, coffee, tobacco and cacao will again be exported to Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Fish (MAFF) has advised there is no objection to Dominican products entering Japan.
The Ministry of Agriculture says the country has the potential of exporting around US$100 million a year in farm produce to Japan.
http://hoy.com.do/republica-dominicana-volvera-a-exportar-frutas-hacia-japon/
Help on the way for cyclists in Santo Domingo
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pedestrians and cyclists make up 21% of the road accident deaths in the country. The Dominican Republic has the highest rate of road accident deaths in the world at 41.7%.
Santo Domingo is now one of four Latin American cities that are working to create safe and healthy traffic routes for cyclists. Others are Guadalajara in Mexico; Fortaleza and São Paulo in Brazil. This effort is under the Partnership for Healthy Cities promoted by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
For cyclists, the city government of Santo Domingo has created an action plan to improve their safety and improve regulations and education. There will be an increase in cycling routes as well. One of the first is already in place along the sea-fronting Malecón. Boulevard. Groupss of cyclists are also enjoying Colonial City biking tours. And companies encourage bicycle trips in the city on weekends when traffic drops to lows.
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/peaton...r-accidente-trafico-en-rd-segun-datos-de-oms/
https://partnershipforhealthycities.bloomberg.org/cities/
The Latin American Liberty Forum 2019 set for 27-28 June
Atlas Network and its Center for Latin America are proud to announce the 2019 Latin America Liberty Forum to take place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic this coming June.
Atlas Network is working with local partners, Centro Regional de Estrategias Económicas Sostenibles (CREES) and Instituto OMG in the event organization. Crees is an economic think tank and research center and Instituto OMG is a non-governmental organization that backs entrepreneurship.
Latin America Liberty Forum brings together friends of the freedom movement across Latin America to discuss challenges facing the region and to learn from one another how to most effectively advance free-market reforms.
The event will take place at the InterContinental Real Santo Domingo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Thursday, 27 June and Friday, 28 June 2019.
http://crees.org.do/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latin-america-liberty-forum-2019-tickets-54780682496
https://www.atlasnetwork.org/events/latin-america-regional-liberty-forum/
Appalling mathematics level results in public schools
Dominican teachers are failing big in teaching Dominican students to understand and love mathematics. The results of the evaluations carried out by the Ministry of Education (Minerd) reveal that the comprehension of mathematics is meager despite the doubling of government investment in public education over the past six years.
According to their studies, the number of students reaching a satisfactory level in math from the first grade to sixth grade is barely 4.1%. The 2017 assessment that was of first grade to third grade showed a 27% comprehension. It appears that as children advance, their mathematics skills decline.
The highest levels in comprehension registered by the assessment were of the Spanish Language with 27.37% of students reaching a satisfactory level. This was an improvement over the 12% of the students in first to third grade received in the 2017 evaluation.
Students tested with 15.63% reaching a satisfactory level in Natural Sciences.
Students at private elementary schools did better than students at public schools. At these, students from higher socio-economic groups outperformed students in lower socio-economic groups.
Students in extended school day programs slightly outperformed those who attended schools with classes just in the morning or the afternoon.
For the 2019 assessments, 159,000 students of sixth grade were tested, compared to 177,000 third graders that were tested in 2017. This includes public and private school students.
The Ministry of Education is hosting the 21st Central American and Caribbean Mathematics Olympiads this coming 14-22 June 2019.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...el-en-matematicas-a-medida-que-pasan-de-curso
http://www.ministeriodeeducacion.go...impacto-economico-social-en-zonas-vulnerables
Complaints about Chinese pipe manufacturers in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic Association of Industries (AIRD), the umbrella organization with the highest representation of manufacturing industries in the country, has called the attention of the authorities to what it describes as unfair competition from five Chinese manufacturing companies that are not complying with the 80/20 rule in respect of Dominican employees nor with manufacturing protocols.
AIRD president Celso Juan Marranzini and Circe Almánzar, executive vice president, and directors of the Dominican Associations of Plastics Industries (Adiplast) raised the complaint during an interview with the Listin Diario. They said the Chinese companies are manufacturing plastic pipes without adhering to the required regulations and that violate quality standards in the construction sector. They also complained the companies are violating the 80% locals and 20% Labor Code rule for employing foreigners. They say these companies employ large number of Chinese workers.
Marranzini and directors of Adiplast called on the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) to audit the companies as some are operating without complying either with registration requirements. They alerted the violations in manufacturing standards could cause significant flows in public works carried out with the products.
The industry representatives also complained the present tax regime favors imports versus local production. They say the red tape and inspections penalize manufacturers. Importers, they say, are not subject to the same scrutiny.
https://listindiario.com/economia/2...-piden-fiscalizar-negocios-chinos-de-tuberias
Alerting of the entry of Chagas disease from South America
Cardiologist Iván González Vidal is concerned that the recent increase in immigration from Colombia and Venezuela could have brought with it the Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) that causes severe heart damage. The condition is endemic in South and Central America.
The disease is caused by a parasite, carried by a bug, and it can be transmitted by oral contact, blood transfusions or via food. The condition can result in acute inflammatory skin changes (chagomas) and may eventually cause infection and inflammation of many other body tissues, especially those of the heart and intestinal tract.
Dr. González said that the damage is seen more frequently in young people. Dr. González says he has checked with the blood banks in the country, but none are testing for Chagas yet.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...rte-posible-presencia-de-enfermedad-de-chagas
Dominicans 5th in overstaying US visas
According to data from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Dominican Republic is ranked first in the Caribbean and Central American region and fifth in the Latin America and the Caribbean region visa overstays.
The DHS ‘Fiscal Year 2018 Entry/Exit Overstay Report’ reports on 666,582 visa overstays during the period October 2017 to September 2018 for people from all around the world. This is all foreign nationals who enter the US legally using a temporary visitor, student or business visa or as part of the visa waiver program. An overstay is defined as a non-immigrant who was lawfully admitted into the US for an authorized period, but stayed in the country beyond his or her authorized admission period.
The regional top ten countries in overstays were Brazil (36,289), Venezuela (35,931), Colombia (21,917), Dominican Republic (14,641), Jamaica (10,626), Argentina (8,185), Ecuador (6,997), Haiti (6,917), Guatemala (5,839), Honduras (4,143).
42,000 Caribbean nationals from across the region overstayed their non-immigrant visas of the 666,582 overstays from around the world.
https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0417_fy18-entry-and-exit-overstay-report.pdf
Nuria Piera: High wages in government run in the family
Investigative journalist Nuria Piera has joined many who have expressed frustration at the good fortune of thousands of relatives of high up government officers who also have been hired in very well paid government jobs. Government jobs today are of the best paid in the country. Well paid jobs such as these are very scarce in the private sector.
Piera reported on her Saturday, 26 May 2019 TV show on the many families that have successfully placed relatives in government. For many with family ties, the government job is their first. Piera has shared information that many receive pay for jobs abroad when they are known to be living in the Dominican Republic.
Leading the bunch with many employed in government is the Pared Pérez family, that includes personal assistant to President Danilo Medina Carlos Pared Pérez, National District senator Reinaldo Pared Pérez and director of the National Investigations Department (DNI) Sigfrido Pared Pérez. Piera presents this family as probably the one with most members employed by the government.
Piera mentions two government-employed that are very close to President Danilo Medina. These are President Danilo Medina’s son-in-law Angel Eduardo Contreras Ojen, who married his daughter Candi Sibeli, who is the risk assessment director at the Superintendency of Banks with a wage of RD$394,721. His father, Duarte Rafael Contreras, was appointed general director of the Livestock Division at the Ministry of Agriculture in 2018, making RD$200,000.
The son of the president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Julio César Castaños Guzmán, is deputy director of the National Elections Department at the JCE, making RD$150,125. Another son, Julio Simón, has been Dominican ambassador to Switzerland since 2015. He receives US$10,400 a month, including spending expenditures.
Altagracia Graciano is another judge at the JCE and all her children work for the state. These include Vanesa Mercedes Graciano who is supervisor of the issuing of IDs for the JCE in Milano, Italy, where she makes EUR2,500. Her son Carlos Andrés is supervisor of human resources at the Customs Agency making RD$47,250, and her other son Juan Manuel is counselor minister at the UN mission in New York with a pay of US$5,000 a month, including expenses.
José Tomás Pérez is Dominican ambassador to the United States and his son José Tomás Pérez Gatreaux is alternate ambassador in the United Kingdom where he makes US$7,000 a month. In 2012 he was vice consul in Barcelona, where he was paid US$1,750.
Roberto Rodríguez Marchena, spokesman for the Medina administration, has a sister working at the Ministry of Education making RD$189,000. His wife, Rosa Rita Alvarez, directs the Fundación Reservas del País, a government entity that lends to small business. Their daughter is a division director at the Superintendence of Banks with a wage of RD$394,000.
Félix (Felucho) Jiménez is president of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery. One son, Juan Ernesto Jiménez Olivier is employed in the Stock Market Superintendence making RD$440,000 and his other son Juan Ariel Jiménez is deputy minister of the Presidency, making RD$260,000.
The TV show is a follow up to the investigations carried out by Eduardo Sanchez Tolentino of somospueblo.com that also reveals thousands of relatives to top administration officers in highly paid government jobs.
https://n.com.do/2019/05/27/los-par...s-con-mas-cargos-y-familiares-en-el-gobierno/
https://somospueblo.com/superintend...-cobran-mas-de-rd1-2-millones-en-el-gobierno/
Siamese twins cannot be separated
According to pediatric surgeon, Dr. Cristina Paulino, the Siamese twins born last Friday, 24 May 2019 at the country’s leading public hospital in Santo Domingo cannot be separated because they share too many organs.
The baby girls are currently in the intensive care unit at the Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia Maternity Hospital and are joined at the chest. While each has a stomach, the babies share their intestines. The twins were born via C-section at 38 weeks, and have only one vulva, no anus and although they have two hearts, they have only one aorta.
The 32-year-old mother of the girls is currently recovering from the operation.
The previous birth of Siamese twins was in February 2016 and the two girls were successfully separated in New York in January 2017.
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/autori...dad-de-la-altagracia-no-pueden-ser-separadas/
Femicides still increasing
According to data from the Attorney General’s Office, during the first three months of the year, there have been 20 femicides in the country. This is two more than for the same period last year, or an 11.11% increase. In the first three months of this year, there were 35 murders of women, compared to 29 in the same period in 2018.
Activist Cinthya Velasco, for the Women and Health Collective, said that this increase is a consequence of the lack of mechanisms available to protect women and that the efforts to date have been insufficient.
The DR is ranked third in Latin America and the Caribbean in femicides, according to a report by the Center for Gender Studies of the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC) and Profamilia civil society group. The study reveals that in 2017, there were 59,391 complaints for domestic violence and 5,808 for sexual crimes. In 80% of the femicide cases, there had been a previous complaint.
The same year there were 17,148 orders of protection issued, 117 femicides with 46.1% of the women who died separated at the moment of their deaths and 30 of the aggressors had a history of violence.
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/pgr-pais-registra-20-feminicidios-en-el-primer-trimestre-de-este-ano/
Fire affects homes in Santiago
On Monday, 27 May 2019, a fire affected six homes and an ironwork workshop in the El Ejido sector of Santiago. Firefighters suspect a short circuit caused the blaze.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...s-viviendas-en-el-sector-el-ejido-de-santiago
Doors to shut at 8:30pm sharp at the National Theater
Niní Cáffaro, the director of the National Theater, is again enforcing the order to lock the doors to the halls on time. Listín Diario reports that after complaints that people were still arriving at a performance well into the start of the show, he ordered staff not to allow those who were late to enter until the intermission. On Saturday, 25 May 2019, many theater-goers complained after they were left out. Everyone had a valid excuse… the traffic jams, getting late out of work, the beauty parlor…
https://listindiario.com/entretenim...tro-nacional-cierra-puertas-y-ellas-se-quejan
Video on teenager’s dunk even touches LeBron James
Reports are that even LeBron James has offered to help out a young Dominican street basketball player after a video showed how talented he is, even when playing barefoot.
A video showing 13-year old skinny Ronaldy Velez ditching his flipflops before landing a shot and then celebrating his prowess has touched the hearts of many around the world.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...nd-sneakers-young-boy-Dominican-Republic.html
Dominican basketball at the Lima Pan Am Games
In the draw for the men’s basketball tournament at the 31 July to 4 August Lima 2019 Pan Am Games, the Dominican Republic (ranked 6th in the Americas) entered into Group B and will first play teams from Mexico (4th), Argentina (2nd ) and Uruguay (9th). Puerto Rico (5th), the United States (1st), US Virgin Islands (11th) and Venezuela (7th) will face off in Group A.
Some of the best men’s and women’s basketball players from across the continent will compete for the gold medals in Eduardo Dibos Coliseum.
The Dominican men’s basketball team is ranked 18th in the world.
http://www.fiba.basketball/rankingmen/
http://www.panamsports.org/sport-events/lima-2019-pan-american-games/
http://www.panamsports.org/news-sport/stage-is-set-for-basketball-at-lima-2019/
Dominicans play Italy today in Women’s Nations League
The Dominican senior women’s volleyball team, that in the first round of the FIVB Nations League defeated 5th ranked Russia and 4th ranked Brazil, will match team Italy in the second round taking place in Conegliano Veneto, Italy. The game is set for Tuesday, 28 May 2019 at 2pm Dominican Republic time.
The Dominican Republic team is ranked 10th in the world and Italy is ranked 8th.
The DR team (The Caribbean Queens) ended the first round ranked 7th among the 16 participating teams.
https://www.volleyball.world/en/vnl...4.1559044249-1791822030.1558527289#/d20190528
Fernando Villalona’s “Dominicano Soy” at Hard Rock Live
Merengue and bolero singer Fernando Villalona is booked to present his concert “Dominicano Soy” at the Hard Rock Live of Blue Mall in Santo Domingo. The show will be on Wednesday, 19 June 2019 at 10pm. Thursday, 20 June is a religious holiday in the Dominican Republic, celebrating Corpus Christi.
Tickets are for sale online at Uepa Tickets starting at general admission RD$1,950. Tickets are also for sale at CCN Servicios at Supermercados Nacional and Jumbo stores.