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During the “La Semanal con la Prensa” press conference on Monday, 28 October 2024, President Luis Abinader firmly stated that the government does not contemplate allowing regular flights to Haiti “in the near future”.
“We do not plan to change the airspace regulations with Haiti until conditions there are different,” he said, addressing ongoing security concerns that have led to restrictions on flights and cargo to the neighboring country.
This stance aligns with Resolution No. 46-2024, issued by the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) on 5 March 2024, which immediately suspended all passenger and cargo operations to and from Haiti.
Haitian Prime Minister Gary Conille refused to attend the inaugural of President Luis Abinader in August 2024 in protest of the closed airspace, as his Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy had complained at the time.
The...
President Luis Abinader said that in coming days the change in charges for senior driver’s license renewals would be revoked. Listin Diario had reported that Intrant under the new leadership of Milton Morrison had begun to charge seniors RD$1,900 per renewal every two years, compared to RD$1,900 for a four year renewal for those 18 to 64 years. The announcement was made during the La Semanal weekly press conference with the President.
Follow the story: La Semanal 28 October 2024 Listin Diario DR1 News
29 October 2024
After several organizations pointed out the irregularities, the director of the Procurement Agency (DGCP) Carlos Pimentel announced he has resigned to his new paying job, that of director of the Public Private Alliances Agency (DGAPP). He will keep only his original job at the DGCP. Pimentel has been in the position at the DGCP since August 2020.
An unusual presidential decree had named him to direct both the DGCP and the DGAPP, even after the legal advisor of the Presidency, Antoliano Peralta, sent in writing his opinion that this would create conflicts of interest. Pimentel accepted to be paid only for the new position at the DGAPP.
Now, 7 Dias online media points out Pimentel will need a new presidential decree because his job at the DGCP is honorary.
The law that created the DGAPP establishes that the director cannot hold another position in government.
Read...
The pilot test of using breathalyzers on the Av. Winston Churchill on Friday, 25 October 2024 in the evening didn’t reveal anything surprising. The Intrant says that 20% of those tested had levels of alcohol below those allowed for drivers. 10% tested in the drunk level.
In a press release, Intrant stated:“Of the 177 drivers stopped at a checkpoint on Winston Churchill Avenue in Santo Domingo, 35 tested positive for alcohol, and 16 were found to be legally intoxicated. Among those checked, 172 were operating four-wheeled vehicles while five were on motorcycles.
Intrant Executive Director Milton Morrison expressed concern over the results of this pilot operation. He stated that the high number of drivers found to be under the influence of alcohol is a cause for alarm.”
Av. Winston Churchill has several stores selling liquor to the general public. There has yet to be the political will to put a stop to the selling of alcohol to people on the road.
Read more in...
Dominican cacao exporters have gotten a break. Global demand has sent prices soaring to double what they were a year ago, Diario Libre reports. The unprecedented prices are a boost to Dominican farmers and exporters.
Diario Libre reports that the country’s 48 cocoa exporting companies shipped 61,880 metric tons of cocoa during the 2023-2024 harvest season, which ended on September 30th. These exports generated a substantial US$421.4 million in revenue, representing an 84.9% increase compared to the previous year.
There is concern, nevertheless, that the high prices for conventional cacao could impact the production of organic cacao. Some industry insiders have expressed apprehension that the higher prices for conventional cocoa might incentivize farmers to abandon organic farming practices in favor of more profitable, but less sustainable methods.
Read more in...
Although the new Constitution, proclaimed on Sunday, 27 October 2024, contains a paragraph said to have been intended to resolve impasses such as the vacancy in the Mayor’s Office of La Vega after the resignation of its mayor and vice mayor, reports continue to be published on whether the clause will help resolve the limbo. Diario Libre reports that the reform to the Dominican Constitution could have further complicated the selection of a new mayor in its issue of 29 October 2024.
The La Vega mayor position was left vacant when President Luis Abinader pulled recently elected Mayor Kevin Cruz to be his Minister of Sports in August 2024. The impasse occurred when Vice Mayor Amparo Custodio resigned.
The paragraph in the 2024 Constitution would refer to Municipal Law 176-07, on the National District and Municipalities. Law 176-07 establishes in the first paragraph of article...
The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing has seized property valued at over RD$6 million and firearms during simultaneous raids targeting a dismantled drug trafficking network, identified in July 2024 as part of Operation Rana that cracked down on the so-called La Altagracia Narcotics Network.
The operation involved a team from the Public Ministry, including prosecutors Claudio Alberto Cordero Jiménez, Hitler Stalin Sánchez, and José Manuel Calzado, along with members of the Asset Seizure and Administration Directorate and the Financial Investigation and Money Laundering Directorate (DIFLA), as well as the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD). The raids were conducted under judicial orders against the criminal organization.
The properties targeted belonged to Rigoberto Castillo Santana, who, along with José Padua...
In a pivotal ruling, three judges Gisselle Méndez, Tania Yunes and Jissel Naranjo of the First Collegiate Court of the National District confirmed the 20-year sentence to Argenis Contreras for the voluntary homicide of university professor Yuniol Ramírez, whose death occurred on 12 October 2017. Dissenting judge Tania Yunes argued that Contreras should have been convicted instead as a co-author of the crime.
Yuniol Ramirez was a lawyer and professor at the state university UASD. His corpse was found tied by a chain to a block in a stream in Hato Nuevo, Santo Domingo West.
In the verdict, the judges said that it was determined that Yuniol Ramirez and Argenis Contreras were the only persons in the interior of the vehicle when Ramirez received the bullet that caused his death.
The judges sentenced Argenis Contreras as the material author of the kidnapping and homicide...
In a daring act that has shocked the community of La Isabela in Puerto Plata, a Haitian man managed to steal a Dominican National Police pick-up patrol truck. The unnamed thief led authorities on a high-speed chase for over 18 kilometers before being apprehended, 7 Dias reports.
According to local reports, the Haitian’s unusual behavior caught the attention of residents who noticed the police truck being driven by a lone, civilian-clad individual. Alarmed citizens immediately alerted authorities, who launched a pursuit that ended in the La Jaiba community.
The unidentified suspect was taken into custody and transported to Puerto Plata to face legal charges. Meanwhile, the police officers responsible for the stolen vehicle are expected to face disciplinary action for their negligence.
Read more in...
The Caribbean region is now in the last month of the Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season that runs from June to November every year.
As the 2024 hurricane season comes to a close, chances have jumped to 40% that an area in the southwestern Caribbean may strengthen and become Tropical Storm Patty.
Weather forecasters are monitoring the area. The United States’ National Hurricane Center says there is a medium chance that a tropical system could develop there within the next seven days. It’s still too early to know where it’s ultimately headed.
On Sunday, 27 October 2024, Mike Fisher of DR1 Weather posted on the DR1 Forums calling for people to start watching the system developing in the southwestern Caribbean. It is what is known as a “left- handed storm,” he said, referring to the rarity of a storm blowing in from the West.
Eyes are on this...
St Regis Cap Cana / Provaltur
The St. Regis Cap Cana is set for opening 14 March 2025 on the southern stretch of the Punta Cana beach resorts stretch. The hotel is already taking reservations.
The hotel is described as St. Regis Hotels & Resorts’ one and only hotel in the Dominican Republic. St. Regis is a luxury brand of Marriott International.
The hotel was designed by Toronto-based Chapi Chapo Design, a architectural and design firm.
The St. Regis Cap Cana will feature 200 guestrooms and 36 suites, many with swim-out access. Among its standout offerings is the two-bedroom, 6,500-square-foot Presidential Suite, complete with a separate living area and ocean-view balcony.
The hotel will have a spa with 13 treatment rooms, exclusive beach access, four swimming pools, a fitness center, and the signature St. Regis Butler Service.
Guests will have access to the Jack...
Liceo Leovigildo Mauricio Linares / Presidency
President Luis Abinader was in Miches, on the northern stretch of the East Coast beach strip, to oversee the advances in several new hotels in the area. Miches is about 120 km from the Punta Cana International Airport. It is being developed as the newest beach destination.
President Abinader for the start of construction of the La Quinta Miches hotel that is now offering 79 rooms and versatile meeting areas, catering to both families and long-stay visitors.
La Quinta Miches marks the completion of the initial phase of the La Quinta hotel chain nationwide. Forthcoming will be the La Quinta Puerto Plata and La Quinta San Francisco de Macorís next year. This hotel model is planned to expand to other provinces nationwide, with a total of 22 similar projects, according to Edward de Valle, CEO of the Grupo de...
A combination of visa flexibility and very competitive air fares (Arajet, Wingo, Avianca and others) has turned the Colombia – Dominican travel option into a winner. The airlines also offer one-way fares that enable travelers to fly into one Colombian city and depart by another.
The boom in Colombia-Dominican travel is attributed to the interest in both Dominicans traveling to Colombia for shopping, restaurant and cultural travel, and Colombians coming to enjoy the resorts of the Dominican Republic and cultural and shopping attractions.
On 24 October 2024, Minister of Tourism David Collado was in Colombia to promote the Dominican destination.
Collado highlighted that the Dominican Republic welcomed 257,716 Colombian tourists in 2022. The total increased to 306,000 in 2023. “To date, and thanks to you, 264,000 Colombians have arrived in our country, and we are going to...
Ivonne Ferreras, a journalist with the digital news media Panorama, was awarded the Grand Prize of the Epifanio Lantigua National Tourism Journalism Award by the Dominican Association of Tourism Press (Adompretur). Ferreras’ winning entry was a comprehensive report titled “Sargassum: An Environmental Plague that Threatens Coastal Areas and Impacts Tourism”.
The ceremony, held at the Santo Domingo Sheraton Hotel and presided over by Adompretur President Yenny Polanco Lovera, also recognized other outstanding journalists in various categories. Luisa Blanco of Hoy newspaper won in the Print Media category for her series on the “Splendor and Appeal of the Colonial City.”
In other categories, Alexander Martínez of the “Rutas y Rincones” program took home the prize for Television or YouTube Reporting, while Eliezer Tapia of El Nacional won in the Photography category...
The Jewel Palm Beach Punta Cana in Cabeza de Toro Beach near the Punta Cana International Airport will be renovated and branded as the Hyatt Palm Beach.
The Punta Cana beach strip hotel was purchased by the Grupo Anacaona after receiving financing from the Grupo BHD. The transaction involves US$78.8 million for the purchase, renovations and rebranding to Hyatt Vivid Palm Beach. The hotel will be fitted and targeted exclusively for adults.
Read more in Spanish:
New direct Sunwing flights into La Romana International from Montreal, Canada will provide easy access for travelers to the varied accommodations in the Bayahibe-Dominicus beach area and to Casa de Campo, the premier resort and residential community that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this 2024.
The new flights will operate three times each week from Montreal International Airport (YUL) to La Romana International Airport (LRM).
The Canadian airline also promotes its winter season flights connecting Toronto and La Romana, too. Attractive package deals are also offered.
Sunwing Weekly departures from Quebec City, Canada starting 1 November 2024.
President Luis Abinader received and enacted the Constitution passed by the National Congress on 26 October 2024. This time, the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) is majority in both houses and determined the changes.
President Abinader highlighted during the ceremony that his term ends in August 2028. He becomes the President to earliest firmly announce he will not seek new office. It had become a custom for Dominican President’s to change or attempt to change the Constitution to be able to run again. Abinader has argued he has instated “padlocks” to impede this happening again. This occurred in the cases of Presidents Joaquin Balaguer, Leonel Fernandez, Hipólito Mejía and Danilo Medina.
On Saturday and Sunday, 25 and 26 October 2024, the senators and deputies were convened into the National Assembly for the passing of 10 amended articles...
2024 CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS AND TRANSITORY CLAUSES
(DR1 English Version, 28 October 2024)
SECTION I: THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIESArticle 81 – Representation and Composition: The Chamber of Deputies shall be composed as follows:
158 deputies elected by territorial constituency, representing the National District and the provinces, distributed in proportion to the registered electoral population according to the Central Electoral Board (JCE), with a minimum of two representatives per province;Five deputies elected at the national level through a cumulative voting system, preferably from parties, alliances, or coalitions that have not secured seats but have received at least one percent (1%) of valid votes cast. The law will determine their distribution;Seven deputies elected to represent the Dominican community abroad. The law will establish their method of...
Ambiguity in Constitution could improve or worsen the situation of the La Vega mayor, according to a story published in N Digital.
The recently passed 2024 Constitution addresses the situation of who will replace the former mayor of La Vega Kevin Cruz, who had taken office on 24 April 2024 but on 16 August 2024 was named Minister of Sports. The problem is that the deputy mayor also resigned, resulting in a legal void.
In a would-be attempt to resolve the situation, the Abinader administration took advantage of the constitutional reform to pass a clause apparently intended to deal with the situation of the La Vega mayor. The clause in Art. 274 establishes a would-be mechanism to facilitate the naming of a new mayor.
The vacancy occurred when the deputy mayor refused to replace resigning Kelvin Cruz on grounds she was of a political party...
The recent appointment of the current director of the Procurement Agency (DGCP), Carlos Pimentel as the director of the Public-Private Alliances Agency (DGAPP) has created a controversy.
Carlos Pimentel has been the director of DGCP since the start of the Abinader administration.
On 23 October 2024, the Presidency announced Pimentel was named to the new Public-Private Alliances director position, but also allowed to stay as director of the Procurement Agency. It was determined he will not receive the pay for staying on at the DGCP.
The law that creates the DGAPP clearly establishes that the incumbent cannot hold another position that is not that of a professor.
Likewise, another controversial issue is that the director of the DGCP is on the board for decision-making of the public-private alliances, with voice and vote. The director of the DGAPP only has voice in the choice of...
The new measure of the National Transit Institute (Intrant) that requires people 65+ to renew their driver’s license every two years and not four years as everyone else has met with lots of opposition. Listin Diario was the first to report on the change that doubles the cost of the driver’s license for those 65+. The charge is the same, but the license is only renewed for two years.
Those against say the measure is discriminatory and thus violates the Constitution. The argument is that already the renewal incorporates measures to determine if the person is fight to drive, including eye sight tests. Others say that the accident rate of persons in that age group are much less than those in the younger age brackets.
The director of Intrant, Milton Morrison has defended the measure.
This regulation, which is not new, is outlined in Article 21 of...
The governor of the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, Hector Valdez Albizu, spent last week in Washington, DC attending the yearly meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Speaking during the plenary session at the IMF, Valdez Albizu noted that the Dominican economy was well and that Gross Domestic Product growth was very close to 5%, and the inflation rate was within the projected 4% (+/-1%), thus providing the Central Bank with the opportunity to have a more flexible monetary policy.
Valdez Albizu also held meetings with the top officials of the World Bank, where he again went over the performance of the local economy. There were also various meetings with officers of the InterAmerican Development Bank (IADB), and notable participation in the events organized by the Bank of America, PIMCO and Bank Trust, the Central Bank reported...
A report in El Caribe newspaper states that between the generation stations and the electricity distributors there is a loss of over 40% of the energy produced. According to a note from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, for every 100 units of energy (gigawatts or kilowatts, it makes no difference) some 44% is lost in transmission from the generating station to the electricity distribution companies (EDEs).
The note says that this represents a monetary loss of over US$700 million so far this year.
Common sense indicates that this loss cannot be covered unless the EDEs charge more per kilowatt-hour (Kw/h), because they “bought” 100 units but only received 56, and they have to pay for the 100 that they ordered. It is a loss-loss situation.
The article also explains that there is about a 6% loss in collection of electricity bills in the country. Obviously, this is a...
After some 17 years in the discussion, trial, and training of personnel, breathalyzers were in use in the Dominican Republic over the past weekend.
Media reports indicate that previous attempts at the implementation of the use of these instruments failed for any number of reasons: poor equipment, improperly trained personnel, and violent resistance from the general public as well as legal issues.
Way back in 2007, the Ministry of the Interior and Police had announced the acquisition of some 1,200 breathalyzers and 120,000 disposable mouthpieces as part of a program to check drunk driving. The news articles at the time also noted that the Ministry was acquiring a good supply of pepper-spray as a deterrent against major conflicts between the police and drivers. However, the program never got off the ground.
A few years later, in 2013, the agency called AMET (Metropolitan...
The Dominican Republic is the latest nation to sign the Artemis Accords. This October 2024, the DR joined 43 other countries in the commitment to advance principles for the safe, transparent, and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond with NASA.
The US space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced: “NASA is proud to welcome the Dominican Republic signing of the Artemis Accords as we expand the peaceful exploration of space to all nations,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The Dominican Republic has made important strides toward a shared future in space and is now helping guide space exploration for the Artemis Generation.”
Sonia Guzmán, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United States, signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country on 4 October 2024. The DR subsequently participated in a...
As was expected, the membership of the former ruling Dominican Liberation Party(PLD) voted to re-elect former President Danilo Medina to preside that organization for the next four years. The re-election comes at a time when several within the party have been urging for renovation. Medina has been the strongman in the party since he split with former party president and former President Leonel Fernandez over the candidacy for the party in the 2020 presidential elections. Fernandez would split and form his Fuerza del Pueblo, that in the 2024 elections moved up to second place in voter preference.
The PLD went from being the leading political force in the country, winning the elections in 1996-2000, 2004-2008, 2008-2012, 2012-2016 and 2016-2020, to the country’s third place in the 2024 general elections. The PLD received 1.8 million votes compared to 2.7 million of...
On Wednesday, 23 October 2024 many government agencies carried out an earthquake drill. Several schools joined in the practice drill. Just hours later there was a 3.8 tremor that made the earlier practice all the more important as buildings were evacuated as per the protocol.
Just a week or so before, on 14 October, there was a significant shake, as a 4.4 quake hit the eastern portion of the Cibao and was felt as far away as Santiago, and Santo Domingo.
A total of 22 small and medium seismic movements were recorded in just 48 hours last week. The events were recorded at the Seismic Department at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD).
The Blue Mall shopping center on Av. Winston Churchill was evacuated on Sunday, 27 October 2024 after reports of a fire around 11:46am. The firefighters were promptly on site and discovered that the blaze had originated in the power plant mechanical room, specifically in the filters area. The fire was promptly extinguished and the situation placed under control. The management had applied the protocols and evacuated the mall. Subsequently, the management determined the mall would remain shutdown for the remaining of Sunday. Only the JW Marriott continued in operation at the plaza. The Blue Mall management expressed its appreciation to the Firefighters and the 911 System for rapid response.
The mall was scheduled to reopen on Monday, 28 October and operate normally from 10am to 9pm.
Read more in...
The Cibao Football Club managed to pull off a victory in the last minute of their match with Real Hope, the semi-finalist from Group A of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup Championship.
The team from Cap Haitian was the ‘home’ team in last Wednesday’s match at the Track and Field football stadium on the campus of the PUCMM in Santiago. At the four minute mark, Cibao scored on an excellent play off a corner kick with Jean Carlos Lopez netting the header. However, just a few minutes later, a flagrant foul in the Cibao goal area gave Real Hope a penalty kick that was not wasted, and the game was 1-1 into half time.
The torrential rains did not seem to dampen the enthusiasm of the hundreds of spectators that came to cheer for their teams. As the rains diminished, the second half began, and the action was intense with excellent play on both sides.
About ten minutes into the second half...
President Luis Abinader and members of the National Congress will enact the 2024 Constitution during an event programmed to be held at the congressional headquarters on Sunday, 27 October 2024. The presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies have convened the National Constitutional Revisory Assembly to meet on Saturday and Sunday, 26 and 27 October.
President Abinader announced during his weekly La Semanal press conference on Monday, 21 October 2024 that he would be at the National Congress to sign the amendments to the Constitution that passed last week in Congress.
The National Congress has yet to release to the public the complete listing of the new amendments to the 2015 Constitution, including the transitory clauses.
The ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) had the absolute majority in both houses of Congress to pass the amendments.
Read more in...
A coalition of opposition parties is demanding extraordinary elections be held to choose the new mayor of La Vega. La Vega was left without its mayor who had just been in office since April 2024 when President Luis Abinader named him his Minister of Sports and the deputy mayor resigned.
The new election is unlikely. An amendment was included in the 2024 Constitution that will allow the President to name the missing mayor by presidential decree.
Read more in Spanish:
President Luis Abinader has appointed Carlos Pimentel as the new executive director of the Public-Private Partnerships Agency (DGAPP) by Executive Decree No. 614-24.
Pimentel will concurrently maintain his position as the head of the Public Procurement Agency (DGCP) but will now serve in that role on an honorary basis. The consolidation of these roles aims to streamline and enhance transparency in public procurement processes, particularly those involving public-private partnerships.
Pimentel is ordered to draft a comprehensive proposal for the structural and regulatory reorganization of both the DGCP and the DGAPP must be submitted to the Executive Branch within a 12 month period. The goal of this proposal is to optimize operational and regulatory processes, aligning both institutions with the strategic objectives of the Dominican state to ensure the effectiveness, transparency...
Elías Báez de los Santos / Noticias SIN
President Luis Abinader has issued Decree 615-24, appointing Elías Báez De Los Santos as the new director general of the Information and Defense of Affiliates Agency (DIDA), the consumer agency regarding social security benefits.
Báez De Los Santos, a lawyer and politician, previously served as a labor penal inspector and public prosecutor in the province of Santo Domingo. He was also a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2016 to 2024.
The same decree confirms Henry Sahdalá Dumit as Treasurer of Social Security.
Read more in Spanish:
The Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday, 23 October 2024 unanimously passed a bill that toughens penalties for human trafficking in the country. The bill had already passed in the Senate.
The new legislation imposes harsher sentences, including up to 30 years in prison, for those who traffic in minors, people with disabilities, the mentally ill, or other vulnerable individuals.
The bill, which was sent by the Senate with amendments to Law 137-03, aims to strengthen the fight against human trafficking.
This law, in effect since 2003, originally stipulated a maximum penalty of five years for this crime. However, with the new changes, more severe sanctions are included to ensure greater protection for victims and to punish perpetrators more harshly.
The modifications include expanding articles 3 and 7 and adding several paragraphs that specify the new penalties...
The Specialized Border Security Corps (Cesfront) in a joint operation with the Dominican Republic Army (ERD) apprehended 36 Haitian nationals in irregular migratory status. Of these, 32 were found traveling on a public transportation bus in Dajabón.
Intelligence units from Cesfront and the 10th Infantry Battalion, acting on a tip, detained the 32 undocumented Haitians, including 25 men and 7 women, who had entered the country through the Sabana de Los Miches sector of Dajabón.
Additionally, a Hyundai Universe bus, part of a public transportation route and driven by a man identified as Felbri Sánchez, was intercepted on the La Fe-Kilometer 4 stretch of the Manolo Aurelio Tavares Justo highway in Dajabón. The bus was subsequently transferred to the Cesfront Border Operations Base in Dajabón. Inside, authorities discovered four Haitian nationals in irregular...
Military personnel are being busted for human smuggling after years of the authorities looking the other way.
Three Dominican soldiers have been sentenced to three months in prison for accepting bribes to smuggle Haitian migrants into the country.
The soldiers, Hansel Pérez García, Andro Américo Medina Guzmán, and Yunior Manuel Novas Cuevas, were stationed at the La Cadena checkpoint in the Carrizal-Elías Piña section. They were caught on surveillance footage accepting payments to allow Haitian nationals with irregular immigration status to cross the border.
The military personnel will serve their sentences at the Elías Piña Correctional and Rehabilitation Center.
This is not the first time Pérez García has been involved in such activities. According to press reports, he was implicated in a similar incident last June.
In recent weeks...
Construction of the perimeter fence along the Dominican-Haitian border in Pedernales advanced, now under a new Minister of Defense. According to recent updates from the Ministry of Defense, another 3 km are about to be completed. The 3km are part of the first phase of the perimetral fence, built to bolster border control and security, is to have 52 km. Media reports indicate around 30 km will have been completed. The fence is erected in areas that are most vulnerable to crossings. The Dominican border with Haiti has around 391 km.
The Ministry of Defense says that the most recent section of over 3 km was built between Paso Sena and the municipality of Pedernales. It will end at the mouth of a local stream and the beaches bordering Haiti.
The Dominican government is investing billions into the construction of tourism facilities and hotels in Pedernales.
The...
The Chamber of Deputies approved US$625 million in loans for the Executive Branch during the session of Wednesday, 23 October 2024. The use of the funds is contemplated in the 2025 National Budget.
The funds will be allocated to various government initiatives, primarily focused on addressing climate change and improving the nation’s electrical grid.
The approved loans are:
• US$300 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): Contract No. 5806/OC-DR was signed on 12 December 2023 and will be used for the Climate Action Program for Sustainable Economic Growth.
• US$100 million from the French Development Agency (AFD): Credit agreement CDO 1107 01 k had been signed on 30 April 2024 and will provide budgetary support for the Climate Action Program for Sustainable Economic Growth.
• US$225 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and...
A story in Listin Diario reveals that those over 65 years in the Dominican Republic need to renew their driver’s license every two or one year. The renewals are required to ensure that the health condition of the driver is adequate. But Listin Diario reports the renewals cost the same as the four-year renewals for those under 65 years.
Listin Diario says the extra charge would be in violation of the Constitution and calls for the reduction in the cost of the renewal for the elderly.
The renewal service is a private concession.
Read more in Spanish:
Laura Peña Izquierdo, president of the Dominican Republic Employers’ Confederation (Copardom), has voiced deep concern over the nation’s alarmingly high traffic fatality rate. According to World of Statistics, the Dominican Republic ranks first globally, with a staggering 65 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
The Dominican government has been reticent in contracting technology that would automatically penalize drivers that violate the law. About a decade ago, the government of South Korea offered a technological solution that would remove human discretion from the applying of the fines.
Peña Izquierdo is general manager of her insurance brokerage firm, Peña Izquierdo, Corredores de Seguros and a past president of the Dominican Association of Insurance Brokers.
Peña Izquierdo raised this pressing issue during the opening ceremony of Copardom’s 22nd Congress on Occupational Risk...
A pilot breathalyzer checkpoint will be implemented this Friday, 25 October 2024, from 9pm to 4am in the National District.
The National Institute of Transit and Land Transport (Intrant) and the Traffic and Land Transport Security Agency (Digesett) will once again implement the use of breathalyzers to prevent intoxicated drivers from being on the roads.
Approximately 40 Digesett agents have been trained by an international specialist in the use of Alco-Sensor VXL, Point of Arrest, and Alco-Sensor FST instruments, used to measure blood alcohol levels.
Intrant executive director, Milton Morrison, stated that the implementation of breathalyzers aims to prevent traffic accidents and save lives. Morrison added that this initiative comes at a time when meetings are being held with various stakeholders to agree on a comprehensive National Road Safety...
Authorities in Azua province have cracked down on several late-night establishments, closing down several businesses that served alcoholic beverages. The joint operation was carried out by various law enforcement agencies, including the Ministry of Interior and Police, the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD), the National Police, and the Public Ministry. The initiative is part of the new program underway by the Ministry of Interior and Police that calls for businesses to operate with less negative impact on the peace in the community.
Among the businesses affected by the closures was D’ Peter Super Frías, owned by Santiago Sención in the municipal district of Villarpando. This establishment was temporarily shut down for violating Article 1 of Law 241-68 and Law 63-17 of the General Directorate of Traffic Safety and Land Transportation (Digesett)...
SISALRIL’s staff participating in the earthquake drill / Sisalril Official Website
The Center for Emergency Operations (COE) reported that more than 2.5 million Dominicans, most government employees, participated in a nationwide earthquake drill on Wednesday, 23 October 2024. The annual drill, now in its fourth year, is part of ongoing efforts to improve disaster preparedness. It tests emergency response protocols and evaluates the country’s readiness for a major earthquake.
“To provide a better response to a large-scale earthquake, it is essential to educate citizens from a young age on how to act in the event of such a catastrophic event,” the COE director stated. Several schools carried out the earthquake drill on that day, working with guidelines provided by the COE.
Employees from various government agencies housed in the...
Dominican ambassador Federico Cuello Camilo received the World Citizen Award in Seoul, South Korea on occasion of the celebration of the 79th International Day of the United Nations. He received the award from Dr. Young Hoon Kwaak, who is the president of the UN Korean Association and of the World Citizen Organization (WCO).
The World Citizens Organization (WCO) is a global civil society promoting glocalization among Silk Road cities.
The dean of ambassadors in South Korea, Chafik Rachadi of Morocco also received the award.
Julia Sánchez and Rubén Silié / N Digital
Julia Sánchez is the new United Nations Resident Coordinator for the Dominican Republic. She formally presented her credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, 23 October 2024. She is appointed as the Dominican Republic celebrates 50 years working with the United Nations Development Program.
Sánchez, a Peruvian national, was received by Deputy Minister of Multilateral Foreign Policy Rubén Silié on behalf of Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez.
“The United Nations system has been an active and very supportive companion for us,” Silié remarked. “I always say that the development and institutional modernization of the Dominican Republic owes much to the support we have received from the UN through its agencies, funds, and programs.”
For her part, Sánchez expressed her enthusiasm for taking on the role of...
Dr. José Brea del Castillo / Hoy
Health officials are urging all Dominicans to get vaccinated against the influenza virus as cases continue to rise. Dr. José Brea del Castillo, president of the Dominican Society of Vaccinology, stressed the importance of vaccination, especially given the potential severity of the flu.
“The flu can be deadly,” warned Dr. Brea del Castillo. “It’s crucial to get vaccinated, especially now that we’re seeing an uptick in cases in the region, including the United States and Canada. With the influx of tourists, the risk of a local outbreak is heightened.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 10% and 15% of the population is affected by the flu each year. Complications from the flu can include pneumonia, requiring hospitalization or even intensive care.
“Even healthy individuals can experience severe symptoms,” Dr. Brea del...
City Councilor Alexander Germoso / Noticias SIN
City councilor Alexander Germoso has accused the Santiago City Council of skipping the rules when approving financial transactions during a regular session on Tuesday, 22 October 2024, as reported in Noticias SIN.
Germoso, a member of the Opción Democrática party, denounced that the city council that is dominated by the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and its allies, had approved a RD$100 million investment certificate without the necessary technical and feasibility assessments from the city’s financial manager or comptroller, nor the approval of the Municipal Monitoring Committee.
The councilor further asserted that the Santiago City Council had irregularly approved a financing agreement with the National Council for the Promotion and Support of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (Promipyme). This...
A baseball game between the Aguilas Cibaeñas and the Estrellas Orientales had to be suspended in Santiago, after heavy rains caused flooding in the Cibao Ballpark.
The National Weather Institute (Indomet) reports that a pre-frontal trough positioned over the country, combined with a tropical wave moving south of the Dominican Republic, is generating cloud formations that will produce light to moderate rainfall, with occasional thunderstorms, in coastal and northeastern areas from early morning. Provinces such as La Altagracia, La Romana, San Pedro de Macorís, the National District, San Cristóbal, Barahona, Hato Mayor, and Duarte are expected to experience these weather conditions.
As the day progresses, these showers will extend inland, bringing moderate to heavy downpours, accompanied by lightning and strong winds, to the northern, northwestern, and border...
The European Union delegation in the Dominican Republic presents its European Film Festival from 25 October to 3 November 2024. Films are shown at the Museum of Dominican Man and on 26 October at the Fortaleza Ozama in the Colonial city.
Among the films are: Ramona, Interdit, Io Sto Bene, Marathon, Talking about the Weather, Karaoke, Primadonna, Grandpa’s Demons.
The shows will be at 4 and 7pm on Sunday and at 7pm on the other days. Admission is free.
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Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez condemned as “foolish” the request for the Dominican government to cease repatriations of undocumented Haitians amid rising insecurity in Haiti, highlighted by a recent massacre of over 115 individuals in Pont-Sondé in the capital city.
He mentioned that control of gangs in Haiti is on the rise and has increased to 85% of the capital city. He emphasized the potential risks of this violence spilling over into the Dominican Republic. He said that security is first in the interest of the Dominican Republic at a time when there is a situation of “unstopping massive flow” of migrants from Haiti. He said there is the concern that the criminal organizations would cross to our side of the border.
Speaking at a quarterly meeting focused on the Haitian crisis, Álvarez stated: “The Dominican government cannot accept this reckless call to halt...
The director general of the Migration Agency (DGM), Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, has acknowledged that the illegal entry of Haitians into Dominican territory is fueled by a lucrative business involving various sectors, Diario Libre reports.
During a visit on 22 October 2024 to the border provinces of Elías Piña and Dajabón on Tuesday, Lee Ballester condemned those who traffic in undocumented migrants, describing their actions as a betrayal of the nation.
“We can’t just point the finger at the military,” the visibly upset official stated. “There are other players involved who are profiting from this situation. There are recruiters, vehicles, transportation, lodging, and even motorcycle taxis. Many people in these areas are involved in this activity,” he said as reported in Diario Libre.
The Vice Admiral called for a collective effort to...
The people smuggling networks respond to the demand for the service. Haitians cross the border given the insecurity, lack of jobs and social services in Haiti. In the DR, they find work and bring their families, where these receive medical and education services for free. The networks help the undocumented migrants to bypass the law.
Business leaders have put forth a series of proposals aimed at improving the hiring process for foreign workers and enhancing cross-border trade between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Among the suggestions are the establishment of clear protocols for hiring foreign labor, the implementation of biometric systems to ensure the safe entry of workers, and the strict enforcement of the Foreigner’s Border Resident Card as stipulated by Migration Law 285-04.
Additionally, business leaders have called for the reactivation of the Dominican-Haitian...
In a rare interview, Wilfredo Lozano, director of the National Migration Institute, has called on Haitians to stop playing the victim in the ongoing migration crisis and to start taking responsibility for their actions. Lozano argued that a more proactive approach is needed from Haitians themselves. The Haitian government has demanded the Dominican government put a stop to deportations that have been resumed as the situation in Haiti has been worsening, impacting local security.
“We must accept that deportation is just one tool among many to address the widespread issue of undocumented and irregular migration. Deportation alone will not solve the problem,” Lozano stated during a recent interview on the morning show El Despertador.
Lozano emphasized the need for a comprehensive plan that includes documentation, border control, and agreements with businesses to ensure...
The Chamber of Deputies agreed to withdraw the controversial tax reform bill at the request of President Luis Abinader. The decision follows widespread public opposition to the proposed legislation.
The government’s spokesperson, Homero Figueroa, has suggested that the general public may not have fully appreciated the positive aspects of the proposed tax reform. However, the widespread opposition ultimately led the administration to reconsider its position. Figueroa explained on the El Sol de la Mañana morning talk show that the surveys carried out by the Presidency showed overwhelming rejection. He said the government understood if the debates would have been extended this would impact living in the country. He said the focus in the country would have become “monothematic” and thus the decision to pull the bill.
In an official communication delivered by the government’s legal...
Former Dominican Republic Economy Minister Juan Ariel Jiménez has proposed a targeted crackdown on tax evasion as the primary solution to the country’s fiscal challenges, arguing that this approach is more effective than imposing additional burdens on the middle class.
The today Harvard University professor cited Costa Rica as an example, noting that if the Dominican Republic could achieve a similar level of tax collection efficiency on the General Sales Tax (ITBIS), it could boost government income by 1.7% of GDP—a figure that exceeds the revenue target of many proposed tax reforms.
“To achieve this, we need a combination of technology, improvements in tax administration, and a bit of creativity,” Jiménez stated.
He also suggested local authorities study the cases of Peru, Australia and Brazil.
He mentioned that Peru merged its tax and customs authorities in 2002...
The Center for Emergency Operations (COE) will be conducting its fourth National Earthquake Evacuation Drill on Wednesday, 23 October 2024. The drill is set to begin at 10am and aims to prepare the Dominican population for a potential earthquake and refine emergency response protocols.
Various government agencies and institutions will participate in the drill, with the central event taking place at the Juan Pablo Duarte Government Office Building.
COE Director Juan Manuel Méndez García encouraged public participation in the drill, urging citizens to practice their family emergency plans and evacuation routes at home, work, schools, and other public spaces.
“We invite everyone to join us in this drill and practice your emergency plan,” said Méndez García. “By participating, you’ll be better prepared to respond to a real earthquake.”
Read more in...
Historian Bernardo Vega has detailed the fascinating journey of a rare Taino cotton icon (cemi) that has survived since the 14th and 15th centuries and is set to be exhibited at the Museum of Dominican Man for six months next year. The artifact, currently housed at the University of Turin Museum, is the only one of its kind in the world.
Vega told Noticias SIN that the icon had made its way to Italy a long time ago but was misplaced as part of a collection of Peruvian artifacts.
Vega first stumbled upon a photograph of the cemi while conducting research at the British Museum in London. Intrigued by the image, he embarked on a years-long quest to track down the artifact’s whereabouts.
“In the late 19th Century, during the presidency of Ulises Heureaux, a cotton cemi containing a human skull was discovered in the Bahoruco Peninsula,” Vega told Noticias SIN. He noted that...
Francisco Domínguez Brito / El Día
Francisco Domínguez Brito, a member of the Political Committee of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), has officially registered his candidacy for the party’s presidential nomination. He will compete against former President Danilo Medina (2012-2016, 2016-2020), who wants to continue to preside the former ruling political party. The PLD is now ranked third, behind the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), the Fuerza del Pueblo of former PLD leader, Leonel Fernandez (President of the Republic from 1996-2000, 2004-2008 and 2008-2012).
The former senator and Minister of Environment expressed his commitment to a fair and constructive competition within the party. “We expect a united and strong PLD, renewed and ready to win back the trust of the Dominican people for the good of the nation,” Dominguez Brito has stated.
In addition to...
A court has ruled that a massive land sale in the Los Tres Brazos neighborhood of Santo Domingo East was illegal. The decision comes as a victory for local residents who have long contested the sale of the property.
In a landmark ruling issued on 14 October 2024, the Third Chamber of the Original Jurisdiction Land Court of the National District declared null and void a 2010 agreement between the Dominican Corporation of State-Owned Enterprises (Corde) and Inversiones Fernández Parache & Asociados, S.R.L. (Infepa). The deal involved the sale of approximately four million square meters of land.
The court’s decision, case number 0313-2024-S-00140, found that the sale violated Dominican law. As a result, the court ordered the cancellation of the land title issued to Inversiones Fernández Parache & Asociados, S.R.L. for a specific parcel of land within the disputed area...
Jorge López, the driver involved in a fatal accident that claimed the lives of popular content creator Dioelmi Cabrera, known as “El de lo Video,” and his wife, Johanna Vélez, has been sentenced to three months of house arrest and barred from leaving the country.
The ruling was handed down by the San Cristóbal Traffic Court.
The Cabrera family’s legal representative has already announced plans to appeal the decision, expressing disagreement with the court’s ruling.
The tragic deaths of Cabrera and Vélez have sent shockwaves through the San Cristóbal community and the digital world. The young couple was struck and killed by a jeep when riding a scooter.
Host country, the Dominican Republic’s U17 women’s team did not pass to the second round in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup taking place at stadiums in Santo Domingo and Santiago.
The Dominican team had lost to Ecuador, tied with New Zealand and lost to Nigeria. It was the Dominican Republic’s first women’s participation in a World Cup. The DR came in third place in Pool A that ended with Nigeria, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and New Zealand. Nigeria and Ecuador moved to the second phase.
The event continues through 3 November 2024.
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