2003 – Page 236

Santo Domingo National District Mayor Roberto Salcedo says he will not tolerate ?blackmail? tactics regarding the suspension of operations by ProAseo, the private waste-disposal company contracted to collect and dispose of the city’s domestic refuse. More than 200 collection trucks remain in their depots and the city faces the unpleasant prospect of domestic refuse accumulating …

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Jacinto Peynado said yesterday in a TV interview that the Proyecto Presidencial Hip?lito (PPH), which is the sector within the PRD supporting the re-election of President Mej?a, that the faction would invest RD$60 million to support their PRSC candidate in that party?s primaries. Nevertheless, Peynado said that this money would not alter the results of …

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Several vehicles parked in the Hotel Hispaniola were broken into on Tuesday night. The hotel is home to a number of provincial senators and it appears that their vehicles had been purposefully targeted. PRD Senator of Valverde, C?sar Augusto (Yayo) Mat?as, had his SUV’s rear window broken and two Uzi submachine guns and a briefcase …

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Thousands of fans arrived at Quisqueya Stadium in Santo Domingo, only to be told that Colombian pop star Shakira was suffering from the flu. Doctors treating Shakira are confident that she will be well enough to perform tonight (Thursday) and the disappointed fans were assured their tickets would be valid for the re-scheduled event.

Yesterday?s meetings of government officials, including President Hip?lito Mej?a and Vice President Milagro Ortiz Bosch, and the educational, industrial, commercial and financial leaders of the Dominican Republic produced a series of accords that will enable the country to face the very likely war in Iraq. Among these accords are changes to government transportation, including the …

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Oil prices fell 9.33% yesterday, going down to US$31.67 a barrel. According to articles published recently in the Listin Diario and Hoy papers, for every dollar that the price of oil goes up, there is a simultaneous 1.65% increase in the electricity rates. Therefore, the latest drop of US$3.26 per barrel of oil should produce …

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Eight of the nine judges on the Central Electoral Board (JCE) have affirmed that clean elections will be held, and that from today onward, the signature of the chief judge, Ramon Morel Cerda, will not appear on any checks or other documents requiring disbursement of funds. ?The Board cannot be paralyzed. We have responsibilities to …

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The Center for the Promotion of Exports (CEDOPEX) reports that exports were up 14.3% in January, with a value of US$209.5 million, compared to US$183.3 million in January 2002. Free trade zone exports stood at US$152.9 million, up from US$142.4 million in 2002.

The Monetary Board announced that it will postpone the enforcement of a ruling that would remove currency notes that have been written on, torn or generally deteriorated from circulation. For the decision, the board cited the need for austerity given the difficult times. The board explains that to implement the removal of the bills, the …

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The propane gas and Civil Aviation Board scandals are still making news, and Monsignor Agripino Nu?ez Collado, the country?s leading civil society arbitrator, is not happy as to how some of the procedures are being carried out. Yesterday, the Special Instruction Judge of the Supreme Court, Dulce Maria Rodriguez de Goris, questioned Angel Lockward, the …

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