2003 – Page 55

Although the Public Works Ministry says that the dredging of parts of the Boca Chica beach area is not harmful to the ecology, the Environment Ministry has ordered a stop to the activity. According to the Diario Libre, several people have been jailed for financing the project and Hoy newspaper says that the Attorney General …

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The United States returned 64 convicted criminals to the Dominican Republic after having served their jail sentences. The Listin Diario reported that the 64 were residents of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and New Jersey. They had all been convicted of felonies and their return brings the total number of such cases to 3,165 so …

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Over the weekend and in today’s El Caribe, reports emerged that a multinational drug company is testing an anti-diarrhoea vaccine in countries that include the Dominican Republic. The tests are being conducted by Glaxo Smith Kline Biologicals and seek to test the efficiency of the vaccine against the human rotavirus, which has caused millions of …

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Marlins pitcher Josh Beckett and two Dominicans are credited with the Florida Marlins win of the World Series in Game 6 on Saturday over the favorite New York Yankees in the Yankee Stadium of the Bronx. Second baseman Luis Castillo’s single with two men on bases in the 5th inning led the Marlins to lead …

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President Hipolito Mejia, speaking yesterday at a political rally in Villa Duarte, called on his followers to close their ears to the polls. He said these are merely “interpretations to try to drive us nuts.” President Mejia spoke to his supporters at the event, where the television crew’s equipment provided the only lighting, as the …

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It appears the government convinced Reformista deputies to vote for the RD$5.1-billion domestic bonds that would it asked to be issued to refinance public debt with the Banco de Reservas, the private banking sector and the state-run Banco Agricola. The bill’s approval had been delayed as PLD deputies felt it was unclear where the money …

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The Chamber of Deputies continues to approve pensions despite the financial authorities’ warning that there are no funds to pay them. The deputies place an average of 10 pension petitions on their agenda every day.

Senator Ramon Alburquerque (PRD-Monte Plata) called the bill for the placement of sovereign bonds in international capital markets for US$255 million for the construction of the Coral Highway linking La Romana to Punta Cana a “crime” to defraud the Dominican people. According to him, this would represent the most expensive 73 kilometers ever built in …

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Economist Eduardo Tejera viewed the increase in the exchange commission from 4.75% to 10% as a desperate act of the government and the Central Bank. He said the measure violates the Monetary Law that calls for a gradual reduction of the exchange rate and that yesterday’s announcement signifies that the private sector alone will pay …

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Anibal de Castro, the Diario Libre’s executive editor, writes today on Page 2 of that newspaper about how the current government appears not to have a belt, and that it could be in danger of losing its pants or letting them fall so low that it verges on indecency. “Since the government never tightens its …

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