"Contrapunto," the commentary program Jose Israel Cuello produced for Radio Television Dominicana, Channel 4, was ousted from that station last week. Its producer announced it is relocating to Channel 53, a cable television channel. The contract was suspended for a violation of the stipulation that the program cannot air messages that may damage the reputation of people and institutions that consequently can harm the image of the state television station. El Siglo newspaper says that the boot came after Cuello commented that two foreign companies that had recently began operating in the Dominican Republic had been exempted from paying the 1.5% tax on gross sales. He said the government decided to exempt them after the companies presented documents that proved they would be operating with losses for their first four or five years and would later decide whether they would stay or leave.
