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The Dominican government is open to talks with Haiti.
Vice President Raquel Peña said recently that what the government does not find acceptable is that unilateral decisions be taken. She was referring to the impasse over the construction of a canal that would divert the waters of a 55 km river that is born in the Dominican Republic and flows for two kilometers in Haiti.
Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry insisted in his words in the United Nations General Debate last week that Haiti has the right to manage river resources. Henry said that his country “has the same right” as the Dominican Republic to “use resources in binational water.”
“[… Haiti is not at war with anyone. Haiti is a generous and united people who believe in dialogue and the possibility of fairly sharing common resources with mutual respect [….] We have no intention against our neighbors with...
President Luis Abinader returned late last week after a very busy week in New York City. As happens every year, the United Nations celebrates its General Assembly in September, and many of the world’s leaders use the platform to send out messages to their counterparts around the world. Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez accompanied Abinader.
This year was no different, and once again Abinader stressed, in his speech, that the issues in Haiti were not for the Dominican Republic alone to solve. He called on the world community, especially the United States and Canada, to come to the assistance of Haiti, and he applauded the efforts of Kenya and other nations who are committed to assist in the recovery of Haiti’s sovereignty.
It became evident that the United States was supporting the multinational effort to return control of Haitian territory to the central government...
As the shut down of the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti reaches its second week, the crossing of thousands of Haitians for bi-national market days, is no longer happening. Insteaed, many hundreds of Haitians have returned to Haiti during this time probably to avoid being deported by Migration.
However, economist Bernardo Matias told reporters from Acento.com that each day that the bi-national markets in Jimaní, Dajabón and Elías Piña are closed is costing the Dominican Republic about US$2.7 million or somewhere in the region of RD$153 million.
Haiti is an important trading partner for Dominican producers and merchants. Last week, the government of the Dominican Republic announced that it would reimburse producers of perishable goods who were losing their markets in Haiti. Matias called unsustainable the shutdown of the borders, and says the Dominican government...
The Presidency announced new ambassadors abroad after removing many appointments that had been made during the previous government.
The new named ambassadors are:Renso Antonio Herrera to the United Arab Emirates, Julio Simón Castaños Zouain to Paraguay, Ángela Marianna Vigliotta Mella to Austria, Erika Ylonca Álvarez Rodríguez to South Africa, Alejandro Arias Zarzuela to Rusia and César Florentino de Jesús Herrera to Perú, via Presidential Decree 433-23.
President Abinader also appointed Luis Kalaff as ambassador to Ecuador.
Alvaro Arvelo (Alvarito) made his final mark for which he will be remembered at the end of his long career in media with the long-lasting current El Gobierno de la Mañana radio talk show.
Known previously as a leading sports commentator, with El Gobierno de la Mañana, Arvelo would set a style for news commenting when he began using foul language in his remarks on general news. The vulgarities were probably accepted because he was highly regarded for his erudition. He was constantly described as “the human encyclopedia.” He died of a cancer he fought for years.
Read more in Spanish:
When in New York City for the 78th UN General Assembly, President Luis Abinader inaugurated the Banco de Reservas representation branch to offer financial services to Dominicans residing abroad. Banco de Reservas is a commercial bank owned by the Dominican government.
The office is at 181 Amsterdam Avenue in Washington Heights, where a large community of Dominicans resides. Another will open soon in Miami, Florida.
The Banco de Reservas had already opened a similar office in Madrid, Spain.
Read more in Spanish:
President Luis Abinader has accepted the invitation of US President Joe Biden to attend the 3 November 2023 summit with 10 other regional heads of government as part of Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, a regional initiative sponsored by the Biden administration.
The United States and partner countries including Barbados, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay will be attending.
The Biden administration describes the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity as a regional cooperation framework to promote regional competitiveness, resilience, shared prosperity, and inclusive and sustainable investment.
Dominican contemporary music legend Juan Luis Guerra launched “Mambo 23”, offering innovations in his traditional style.
The international artist explains that the new release is unlike any other. He calls it a completely innovative concept.
Listen to the release Juan Luis Guerra Listin Diario
25 September 2023
Jasson Dominguez, nicknamed “the Martian” for to his extraordinary strength and ability with a baseball bat, came on the Major League scene in a truly explosive manner. Dominguez made headlines when he hit a monstrous home run in his first turn at bat in the Major Leagues and against three-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander.
He did not stop hitting until he suffered a lesion in his right elbow. As a result, he was evaluated by the physicians of the New York Yankees, and the result was that he needed to undergo a procedure known as “Tommy John” surgery.
Now decades old, this surgery was first performed on left-handed pitcher Tommy John of the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 1974. The injury to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) of the elbow is repaired using a ligament from another part of the body, such as below the knee or from...
The Dominican Republic’s women’s volleyball team (Las Reinas del Caribe) defeated China in Ningbo, China to become one of the first to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Team Dominican Republic accumulated a 6-1 win-loss record and 17 points in Group A in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament – Road to Paris. The tournament is taking place 16 September to 8 October 2023 in different venues.
Dominican Republic played in the Pool A competitions of the Paris Olympics women’s volleyball qualifiers that concluded on Sunday, 24 September 2023, with the Dominican Republic and Serbia securing direct berths to Paris 2024.
It is the fourth time the Dominican team has made the Olympic 12-team tournament. The DR also participated in Athens 2004, London 2012 (making the quarterfinals) and Tokyo 2020. To win, the DR defeated Serbia 3-1, Netherlands 3-2 and China 3-1.
Read...
The Export and Investment Center of the Dominican Republic (ProDominicana) and the Ministry of Foreign Relations (Mirex) hosted a government and business delegation from the city of Shanghai, China. The Chinese came to explore business opportunities in the country.
The business people seek to sell more Chinese goods. Pro Dominicana is interested in placing more Dominican products in the Shanghai market.
The meeting was headed by the executive director of ProDominicana, Biviana Riveiro Disla, and Ambassador Reinaldo Rafael Espinal, director of Relations with Asia of MIREX, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Álvarez.
The mission was introduced to agriculture, real estate developments, tourism, export free zone and others.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Shanghai Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Export and Investment Center of the Dominican Republic (ProDominicana) to promote bilateral trade...
President Luis Abinader explained during the General Debate of the United Nations on 20 September 2023 the threats the diverting of a river canal in Haiti represents for the environment and the population of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The river begins in Loma de Cabrera, Dajabón province and flows northward for 55 km, entering for around two kilometers into Haitian territory and then continuing through Dominican territory until its waters flow into Manzanilla Bay. The river waters are key for farms in the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic on Friday, 15 September 2023 closed entry from Haiti by land, air and sea after the Haitian government allowed the resuming of the construction of the canal that violates the 1929 Peace and Perpetual Friendship and Arbitration Treaty on river water use by both countries.
President Abinader stressed the diverting of the...
Thousands of Haitians have been leaving for Haiti through the one way doors habilitated for their return. Many of these are merchants who live off bilateral trade. The shutdown of the border gates for land, air and maritime traffic has resulted in their loss of business. The merchants are not allowed to return to Haiti with goods for sale in Haiti.
Meanwhile, the local migration authorities continue to deport undocumented Haitians. Many of the undocumented are choosing to return to Haiti to avoid deportation.
The Dominican Republic has served as a social pressure release valve for Haiti, given that thousands were allowed to enter three times a week to carry out trade and work in the Dominican Republic and return to Haiti at their discretion.
First Lady Raquel Arbaje met on Wednesday, 20 September 2023 with her United States counterpart Jill Biden, in an event organized within the framework of the 78th United Nations Assembly, currently being held in New York City.
During the meeting, in which other first ladies and wives of heads of state participated, experiences were shared about the initiatives that each develops in their respective countries.
The encounter of First Lady Raquel Arbaje and US First Lady Jill Biden took place at the event hosted by the US First Lady for visiting counterparts at the Smithsonian Design Museum. First Lady Arbaje said the event was a space to unite wills for the benefit of the countries and to strengthen friendship and cooperation ties, the Presidency reports.
First Lady Raquel Arbaje accompanies President Luis Abinader, who participates in the United Nations...
With the shutdown of the border with Haiti, the Abinader administration has been assisting with finding markets for the production of perishables that would have been exported to Haiti.
The National Institute for Student Welfare (Inabie) announced it would acquire a considerable share of the eggs and poultry that would have been exported.
Víctor Castro, director of Inabie has doubled the eggs consumed in school lunches.
Castro explained that on any day that eggs are served in a school lunch, two million are used. He said the measure seeks to reduce the impact on producers following orders of President Abinader.
The Abinader administration officials have met with merchants in border provinces that are affected by the stoppage of trade at the border to mitigate their losses. Likewise, the social programs of the Presidency are buying food products that would...
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) announced suspending services to the general public at its offices in the Centro de los Heroes (La Feria) from 21 September through 2 October 2023. The JCE offices in the Centro de los Heroes will be dedicated to the delivery of credentials to the members of the polling stations that will work in the primaries of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) that are scheduled for 1 October 2023.
The electoral body informed that besides the delivery of credentials for the process of holding the primaries, the offices will proceed to install devices for the digitalization, scanning and transmission of the votes during the primaries.
Training of facilitators will also take place at the La Feria premise. The primaries also serve as pilot programs to prepare JCE staff for the municipal election in February and the...
The Dominican Airlines Association (ADLA) is against the new US and Dominican aviation agreement pending congressional approval, as reported in Listin Diario.
Other sources indicate the treaty includes clauses whereby the Dominican Republic would have to accept any airline and would be responsible for passengers affected when the airline cannot deliver as contracted.
ADLA is looking out for its business interests. Omar Chahin, president of ADLA says it would be detrimental to Dominican airlines if the country does not previously pass an equitable tax incentive law.
The Dominican Airlines Association says the government first needs to approve a tax incentive law promoting national aviation development before signing on to the Open Skies Treaty with the United States bill as presented to Congress.
In a statement, ADLA recognized the support received from President...
The theme for the 2023 United Nations General Assembly’s General Debate is “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: Accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all.”
Each head of government that chooses to participate in the General Debate receives a 15-minute turn. The General Debate is one of the UN’s most anticipated annual events and offers a platform for leaders to address issues of international concern through their short speeches.
Since his first year in government, President Abinader has used his time at the General Debate to speak up for international community involvement in Haiti. Over the years, the critical situation in Haiti has continued to worsen, with the Dominican Republic carrying a heavy burden in social services such as education and...
United States President Joe Biden called for the United Nations to approve a security support mission to Haiti, a country controlled by violent gangs.
During his remarks as part of the General Debate of the 78th United Nations General Assembly, the US President urged the United Nations Security Council to “authorize this mission now.” China and Russia have said they will not vote for an intervention.
President Luis Abinader is scheduled to speak around 3pm on 20 September 2023. He is expected to address the recent impasse with the diverting of shared river waters in violation of a 1929 treaty.
President Luis Abinader held a bilateral meeting with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto on 19 September 2023 as part of his 78th United Nations General Assembly agenda. At the end of the meeting, Abinader spoke of the African country as a new friend of the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Presidency reported that President Abinader said the meeting with the Kenyan president benefits the whole world.
Both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations and the Framework Cooperation Agreement during the meeting.
The foreign ministers of the Dominican Republic and Kenya, Roberto Álvarez and Alfred Mutua, respectively, signed the agreements.
The meeting took place behind closed doors at the offices of the Permanent Mission of Kenya in New York City.
President Abinader was also accompanied by the Dominican ambassador to the United...
President Luis Abinader met on Tuesday, 19 September 2023 with the Commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB), Rob Manfred in New York City in an effort to strengthen ties, and discuss important issues related to the baseball industry in the Dominican Republic.
MLB Deputy Commissioner Dan Hallem; the MLB vice president Jorge Pérez-Díaz; the director of the Office in the Dominican Republic, Yerik Pérez, and the Investigations manager Nelson Tejada accompanied Commissioner Manfred during the meeting with President Abinader.
The Presidency reported that the meeting served as a space to focus on key issues, reaffirm the Dominican government’s commitment to support the development and growth of baseball in the country and strengthen the relationship with the MLB.
President Abinader expressed his interest in continuing to collaborate with the MLB to...
The Ministry of Public Health continues to urge Dominicans to prevent the breeding of mosquitos and to avoid being bitten now that there is an outbreak in the country. The outbreak is attributed to the unusually hot and rainy months. The outbreak is expected to peak in September. Medics say preventive measures should be in place all year round. Moreover, the Ministry of Public Health urges people to see a doctor early to discard a dengue fever before the virus worsens. Symptoms of weakness and vomiting are signs that the person should be immediately taken to see a doctor.
This year, the virus has mostly affected children. Listin Diario reports that 53 children are hospitalized at the Robert Reid Cabral public hospital in southern Santo Domingo and another 78 at the Hugo Mendoza public hospital in northern Santo Domingo.
Read more in...
The Superior Administrative Court (TSA) ruled in favor of the Ministry of Education (Minerd) and empowered the Ministry to publish textbooks for public school children.
The ruling also rejects the implementation of ordinances 26-2017, 01-2022 and 03-2021, which, according to the publishing house, Casa Duarte, oblige the Ministry of Education to public bidding processes to offer textbooks.
The presidency of the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) rejected the request for a precautionary measure that would have temporarily suspended Ordinance 03-2022 issued by the National Council of Education (CNE) that created the Publishing Department at the Ministry of Education and entrusted the unit with the responsibility to publish textbooks and educational materials.
The court, presided by Judge Diomede Y. Villalona G., issued ruling 0030-01-2023-SSMC-00069 against the publisher...
The Dominican Republic is in fourth place in the standings of the Olympic Qualifier for the Paris 2024 with the participation of 24 of the world’s best women volleyball teams and six slots to the Paris Olympic Games up for grabs.
With pools in China, Japan and Poland, the Road to Paris Volleyball Qualifiers are taking place from 16-24 September 2023. Two national teams in each of the three pools will book their spots at next year’s Paris Olympic Games.
The DR has won three games and lost one, the same as China and Netherlands, two teams that scored more points. Canada is ranked 5th, Czechia 6th, Ukraine 7th and Mexico 8th in the 16-24 September tournament.
Team DR (ranked 10th by FIVB) is playing in Group A of the Road to Paris Volleyball Qualifiers against Serbia (ranked 2nd), China (ranked 6th), the Netherlands (ranked 9th), Canada (ranked 11th), Czechia (ranked...
The 36th World Boxing Organization Congress will be held in Punta Cana at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace Hotel from 9 to 13 October 2023. Some 80 countries are expected. The event has the support of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (Miderec).
Read more in Spanish:
President Luis Abinader is in New York City to attend the UN General Assembly and took time to speak to Columbia University students. The President explained that the security of Dominicans is his main concern, even above economic interests, when referring to the recent conflict with Haiti. The DR has officially protested that Haitians divert the waters of a river born in the Dominican Republic. The Masacre/Dajabón river runs for 55 km of which two km pass through Haitian territory.
The Haitians defend their right to divert the course of the waters. The Dominican government has closed trade and migration between both countries to protest the actions that violate treaties between the two countries. The stand of the Dominican Republic is not to sick down for talks until the diverting of the river waters is stopped.
Likewise, the President said that the...
The Santo Domingo Metro office (Opret) issued a preliminary report on the Saturday, 16 September 2023 frontal collision of two trains. Opret says the accident was due to several violations in the operation protocols made by one of the conductors.
In a statement, Opret said their personnel and specialized international technicians participated in the presenting of the preliminary findings on the occurrence that left nine injured. The investigation continues with the participation of government security investigations to define what happened and why. Two persons were hospitalized to ensure they did not suffer serious injuries and then these were sent home. The train cars suffered damages. The service was resumed shortly.
The preliminary Opret report states: “The investigation so far indicates several violations by the driver of the established operating protocols, which in a short time...
The National Council of the Judiciary is preparing to meet to choose five new Constitutional Court judges whose terms are soon to expire.
Five new judges, including the president of the Constitutional Court, need to be chosen this December 2023. The Constitutional Court is the highest echelon for justice in the Dominican Republic.
The term of first president of the Constitutional Court, Milton Ray Guevara expires this December 2023, when he completes his 12-year term. The terms also expire for four other judges, reports Diario Libre.
Rafael Díaz Filpo, Lino Vásquez Samuel, Víctor Joaquín Castellanos Pizano and Justo Pedro Castellanos Khoury are the judges that need to be replaced by the National Council of the Judiciary (CNM).
The organization appointed the judges on 21 December 2011. They are the last ones who still remain in the TC of the first...
On Monday, 18 September 2023, a Dajabón judge ordered three months of preventive detention against six men. Prosecutors accuse these of the murder of four members of a family in Dajabon province. One family member survived the assault on their family home.
The court imposed the coercive measures on Pacheco Beltrán, Adonis José Morillo or Adogny José Morillo Rodríguez, Frandy Luimenez and Haitian nationals Henrinose Jickel, Wesin Yan and Olux Maxos, who together with Delicier Watson (deceased) teamed up for an assault to the family home of the Hernandez Cabreja family. In the incident, Ramón Eugenio Medina Hernández (Papito), Carmelina Antonia Cabreja Ramos, Cristopher Daniel Medina Cabreja and Charlo Veloz Quesada were killed. Cristhian de Jesús López Cabreja survived a head gun wound.
Prosecutors Daniel Estrella and Evelin González, in charge of...
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