DR1 Daily News - Tuesday, 15 October 2019

D

Dolores

Guest
City government installs surveillance videos in parks
Slow renewal of vehicular driving permits
JCE accepts to audit automated voting system
Is the automated voting system trustworthy?
Conep calls for prudence and transparency
Presidency reaction to the speech of Fernandez
Guillermo Moreno: It's the institutions
Millions unclaimed in pension funds
Italian found dead in Boca Chica
Major cocaine haul
Dominican Republic plays Montserrat in CONCACAF Nations Cup League
Los Hermanos Rosario at Jet Set



City government installs cameras in parks
National District Mayor David Collado initiated the placement of cameras and lighting in six city parks and squares. Claro telecom company is one of the sponsors of the program. Collado was at La Lira Park on Av. Abraham Lincoln on Monday, 14 October 2019 to mark the start of the new program. In addition, the city government is improving the lighting in the parks to enhance citizen security.

"It is the first time that a municipal government has implemented this type of measure. This responds to a vision of a different city, to get involved and create our control mechanisms as a contribution to citizen security," said Collado. The program complements the surveillance systems already installed by private businesses and the central government under the 911 System.

"We have worked tirelessly to recover public spaces and places of recreation for the citizens. "We have done nothing if we renovate, illuminate and recreate these places, and the children, youth and adults who visit them cannot enjoy full freedom," said the mayor.

https://hoy.com.do/adn-instala-videovigilancia-en-parques-y-plazas-ciudad-de-sd/


Slow renewal of vehicular driving permits
The vehicle taxation stickers (marbete) have been available for nearly a month, but according to the Tax Agency (DGII) only 14.81% have been renewed. The DGII is hoping to raise more than RD$2.25 billion from the sale of the marbetes for 1,374,321 vehicles, a 2% increase over the vehicle numbers last year.

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...e-vehicular-ha-renovado-el-marbete-AA14722507


JCE accepts to audit automated voting system
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) announced it would contract an international company to verify the automated voting system used for the 6 October PLD primary. The announcement comes after former President Leonel Fernández insisted on the request and presented new evidence of tampering on Monday, 14 October 2019.

Fernández has requested that the audit be carried out by a special mission under the supervision of the Organization of American States (OAS), the United States government and the European Union. He rejected that the JCE select the auditing outfit.

Orlando Jorge Mera, Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) delegate, told Hoy newspaper that the president of the JCE had told him the audit could cost US$10 million.

El Dia reports on the rising cost of democracy in the Dominican Republic. The editorialist complains: "We have spent a fortune to purchase new equipment for the elections… Our political class has not matured and will make the people pay for the broken dishes. The mess should be paid by them."

https://hoy.com.do/auditoria-al-software-voto-automatizado-costaria-us10-mm/
https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2019/10/15/586924/jce-auditara-y-leonel-pone-requisitos
https://n.com.do/2019/10/14/leonel-...-si-hay-organismos-internacionales-presentes/
https://eldia.com.do/democracia-encarecida-2/


Is the automated voting system trustworthy?
The credibility of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) continues to be challenged. On Monday, 14 October 2019, former President Leonel Fernandez shared more details on the suspect tampering with the automated voting system and the vulnerabilities of the system. The JCE had said the 6 October primary would serve to test the computerized voting system in time for the 2020 municipal, congressional and presidential election. The response of the JCE to challenge of fraud was to carry out a manual vote count that coincided with the automated vote with a difference of four votes and confirmed the victory of government-backed Gonzalo Castillo. The JCE, then on Tuesday, 15 October, would announce an international firm would be hired to carry out a forensic technical audit of the system.

Former President Leonel Fernández had demanded a technical forensic audit of the 6 October vote and transmission of results. On the morning of Monday 14 October 2019, Fernández, wearing a purple cap reading Bosch (the founder of the PLD party was Juan Bosch), spoke out to say he would continue to demand a technical forensic audit to the PLD primary through legal methods and international channels. "I am not here to demand that my win be recognized. I am here to defend democracy in the Dominican Republic."

Previously, at 7am on the same Monday morning, Fernández delivered a speech sharing new evidence his followers had found from the review of the data on the election transmitted on 6 October 2019. He said IT technicians had detected manipulation of the data from 875 voting tables. He revealed a long series of attempts at fraud, starting in July of this year when a fire affected the installations of the JCE. Fernandez said the fire was a cover-up to gain access to the voting machines and set up what was necessary to intercept the data.

He said that he had proof of the altering of the results that were transmitted by the JCE from the voting centers. He said that the hacking attacks were launched from a hotel in Punta Cana, a villa in Casa de Campo and Santo Domingo, near the location of the offices of one of the companies owned by today PLD presidential candidate Gonzalo Castillo at the junction of Abraham Lincoln and José Amado Soler.

In an interview on La Super 7 radio talk show La Cuestion with Diana Lora and Patricia Solano, technical specialist Cesar Fernández of the Leonel Fernández team said that a wide diversity of fraud methods were used to manipulate information, but these were initially not enough for a Castillo win. The IT specialist said the supporters of Castillo were obliged to resort to use the direct transmission of votes to generate the needed votes for the Castillo win. He said after the vote close at 4pm, in southern voting tables votes were irregularly registered electronically every 50 seconds. The IT technician says that if the vulnerabilities of the system are not resolved now, the powers that be will impose their candidates in the 2020 general election.

The JCE has reported a win for government-backed Gonzalo Castillo with 911,324 votes or 48.72% to 884,630 votes of Leonel Fernandez with 47.29%.

https://eldia.com.do/leonel-fernandez-afirma-que-las-primarias-fueron-un-crimen-bochornoso/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOFcTnX-GRc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YxjQ1ZdFqE
https://hoy.com.do/documento-vea-aqui-el-discurso-completo-del-expresidente-leonel-fernandez/
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...s-venimos-a-defender-la-democracia-ED14719951
https://domiplay.net/podcast/la-cuestion-radio/super-7/13-00-2019-10-14-Mon
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...cratica-solo-queda-el-camino-de-la-revolucion
https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/en-directo/una-revolucion-democratica-CC14703441
https://eldia.com.do/leonel-fernandez-afirma-que-las-primarias-fueron-un-crimen-bochornoso/
https://eldia.com.do/leonel-afirma-incendio-almacen-jce-fue-para-accesar-a-equipos/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...ernandez-deja-en-suspenso-su-futuro-en-el-pld
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrbPW_HaCSk
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-desde-casa-de-campo-para-fraude-en-primarias
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-cana-la-lincoln-y-una-villa-en-casa-de-campo
https://eldia.com.do/nooruddin-confirma-hizo-analisis-a-peticion-de-leonel/


Conep calls for prudence and transparency
On Sunday, 13 October 2019, the National Business Council (Conep), the leading Dominican business organization, published a document calling for the strengthening of democratic institutions. Conep groups more than 40 business associations. The Conep statement indicated that the challenges arising from the implementation of the new legal regulation of parties and the electoral system require a broad climate of confidence in the ongoing processes.

The business organization appealed to Dominican society as a whole and especially to its politicians to act with prudence and responsibility, in strict compliance with the law and due respect for the legal system.

The business community values and backs the work of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) as the administrator of this process, affirming that the actions it has undertaken contribute to the transparency of the electoral system.

https://www.conep.org.do/comunicados/conep-llama-la-prudencia-para-generar-confianza
https://hoy.com.do/conep-pide-cordura-actores-politicos-y-toda-sociedad/


Presidency reaction to the speech of Fernandez
The director of Communications for the Presidency, Roberto Rodríguez Marchena says that the president of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Leonel Fer n'ández needs to decide whether he is going to remain within the party or move on. Speaking on the Matinal program of Telemicro, Rodríguez said that Fernández's attitude is obtuse and that the country had moved on from the night of the primaries. He stated that regardless of what Fernández might do, the PLD is stronger than ever.

https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...uerzas-para-lo-que-el-decida-hacer-FC14705572
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrbPW_HaCSk


Guillermo Moreno: It's the institutions
In an op-ed contribution to Diario Libre, former National District prosecutor, university law dean and Al Pais presidential candidate Guillermo Moreno writes on how the absence of strong institutions is the main weakness in the Dominican Republic. "In a country where there is no free, transparent and legal exercise of the vote, anything can happen."

Moreno insists the central crisis affecting the country is the "total absence of institutions." "The lack of an independent Judicial Branch deprives us of an impartial and reliable arbitrator in the application of the law....," he writes.

He recalls how this dates back to when former President Leonel Fernandez imposed his Supreme Court of Justice, placing a lawyer of his law firm, Mariano Germán to preside the court, and excluding from the court judges who had voted against him in the Sunland corruption case. He says this practice was repeated when President Danilo Medina recently placed his partisan Luis Henry Molina to preside the court, and excluded judge Miriam Germán and others, due to their independent decisions.

He remarks on how political patronage decides in Congress and argues that the present Central Electoral Board (JCE) lacks the will, character and authority to guarantee a fair election.

"The PLD has imposed a dictatorship of the party that allows who controls the state, using public resources, to reproduce itself in power and its leadership to be illicitly enriched with an absolute impunity. In its almost 20 years of government, the PLD has taken charge of reversing the democratic advances that since 1961 have been won by the Dominican people with many struggles and sacrifices," he writes.

He urges an end to PLD government to at the same time guarantee real separation of government branches, independent judiciary and electoral body.

https://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/en-directo/una-revolucion-democratica-CC14703441


Millions unclaimed in pension funds
Almost RD$1.74 million belonging to around 55,900 people who have died is held in their accounts of the Pension Fund Administrators (AFP). Relatives have not claimed the funds.

Since last July 2019, when the Pension Fund Superintendence (Sipen) published the list of the accounts of the deceased, family members of only 2,100 of these claimed the pension funds money for a total of RD$226.4 million.

The regulations establish that the unclaimed monies stay in the accounts, generating interest until the heirs claim the money. The methods of claiming the money depend on if the relative died after or before retirement.

https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...-fallecidos-en-fondos-de-pensiones-LC14705178


Italian found dead in Boca Chica
A 70-year old Italian man was found dead in Boca Chica with his hands and his feet tied. The body was found naked, on the bed, in the rented apartment 205 of the Condo Adrina apartment, located on 20 December Street in Boca Chica. The name of the deceased is Testoni Pietron. Forensic and police reports say it appears the man was strangled.

The corpse was discovered around 9 pm on Sunday night, 13 October 2019 by other foreigners staying in the same apartment building.

The police are looking for two women and a man who were seen leaving his apartment.

The body was sent to the Institute of Forensic Science for an autopsy.

https://hoy.com.do/hallan-muerto-a-un-italiano-en-condominio-en-boca-chica/


Major cocaine haul
The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) has confiscated 599 kilos of white powder suspect to be cocaine, found on the high seas, and arrested three Dominicans. The raid happened in front of the Caucedo Port, around 38 nautical miles to the south of Santo Domingo.

The drugs were being smuggled on a speedboat with Colombian registration. The arrest took place when the drugs were being transferred to another boat. The boats were taken to Sans Souci Port and are under the custody of the Dominican Armada and the DNCD agents.

http://dncd.gob.do/index.php/notici...e-la-dncd-la-fard-ard-y-el-ministerio-publico


Dominican Republic plays Montserrat in CONCACAF Nations Cup League
The Dominican Republic's national team is hosting Montserrat on Tuesday, 15 October 2019 in the CONCACAF Nations Cup League B. The competition offers a qualifying spot for the 2021 Gold Cup. The DR recently defeated St. Lucia.

Montserrat had defeated the Dominican team 2-1 during the game played in Montserrat on 7 September 2019. Afterward, the Dominican team rebounded and defeated El Salvador 1-0 for the first time at the Cibao FC Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros.

The game against Montserrat will be played at 7:15pm at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Center at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center.

The DR is in second place in the table of CONCACAF Nations League B, behind El Salvador. Then Montserrat and St. Lucia.

https://www.concacafnationsleague.c...goal-helps-montserrat-edge-dominican-republic
https://www.concacafnationsleague.com/


Los Hermanos Rosario at Jet Set
Los Hermanos Rosario is one of the most popular Dominican merengue bands. They are booked to perform at the Jet Set Club on Av. Independencia in Santo Domingo on Monday, 21 October 2019. They will be performing with Puerto Rican merengue, bolero and tropical music singer, Manny Manuel. Reservations 809 535-4145 or tickets online at Uepa Tickets. General admission is RD$2,165.

https://www.uepatickets.com/Tickets.aspx?id=11020