2004 – Page 17

A new species of plant life has been discovered in the DR, furthering the richness of our local flora. The plant is new to scientists and is so distinct from existing species that it has earned its own name, Salcedo Mirabaliarum, in honor of the province where it was discovered and local heroines, the Mirabal …

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President Leonel Fernandez was scheduled to visit the New York Stock Exchange this morning in the company of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as reported in El Caribe. As part of his official visit, Fernandez met with directors of New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service yesterday, and signed a cooperative teachers’ training agreement between the …

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The National Council of Business (CONEP) disagrees with the government’s agreement with the IMF to leave its payroll at October levels, viewing it as excessive. The government payroll cost taxpayers RD$2.18 billion in October, an amount that was already RD$92.7 million more than what was spent in September. The business sector requested that the government …

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Central Bank international reserves reached US$567.9 million in November, according to the institution. As reported in Diario Libre, the reserve level is much greater than what the IMF had requested for 2004 and 2005. The newspaper reports that gross international reserves had risen and represented US$1.01 billion last month. The letter of intent to the …

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Education is a supposed priority for the Fernandez government, but, according to a report in the Listin Diario, the budget assigned to the Ministry of Education may not attest to that. Government funding of educational programs accounts for only 8% of the total budget, while years ago it was nearer the 16% that is called …

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The Senate approved yesterday a first reading on the bill that would abolish the 25% tax on corn syrup imports. The surcharge was ratified after the country had signed a free trade agreement with the United States, an issue that has caused a lot of fallout. The United States Trade Representative Office opposes the surtax …

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Diario Libre reports today that Dominican taxpayers support known and unknown non-governmental agencies to the tune of RD$1.05 billion a year. The newspaper says the government recognizes 3,366 of these organizations in the 2005 budget, which would signify one NGO per every 2,400 inhabitants. The budgeted amount to NGOs was increased by RD$132 million over …

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La Vega’s municipal government is an example to follow nationwide, as its mayor, Fabio Ruiz, announced that the initiation of studies to implement the first garbage classification system in the country, in which different colored containers would be used for different types of garbage. The city government already boasts a new fleet of three garbage …

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The study that caused a clash between former Vice-Presidente Milagros Ortiz Bosch and the president of the PRD, Vicente Sanchez Baret, who disagreed over whether the findings should be released, has now been made public. As reported in the Listin Diario, former Culture Minister Tony Raful read during a press conference that 68% of PRD …

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Hatuey de Camps and his minority faction within the PRD do not support the implementation of the Law of Primaries that was hastily passed by Congress after the PRD lost its bid for re-election in May 2004. De Camps particularly rejected the implementation of the law by the present judges. “If the law is discussed, …

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