2007 – Page 148

In today’s page two editorial in Diario Libre, editor Ines Aizpun writes about the possibility of a new political option that could break down the inertia in the political system, “what even President Leonel Fernandez recently described as particracy, or the dictatorship of the mediocrity of the party members and their followers.” She goes on …

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Vice President Rafael Alburquerque has called PRD presidential candidate Miguel Vargas Maldonado “ignorant” because he apparently wasn’t aware of the law that created the controversial Dominican Social Security System, as reported in Hoy. The Vice President said that Vargas needed to learn that the DSS is not funded by the state, rather by the employees …

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The business sector has voiced its dissatisfaction and surprise at the modifications to the Social Security Law that the Executive Branch sent to the Chamber of Deputies for prompt approval. Diario Libre reports that in a letter written to the Chamber of Deputies, AIRD, COPARDOM, ANJE, ADOZONA, AIREN and ASONAHORES and 32 other private business …

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Judge Aura Celeste Fernandez’s proposal to modify the Central Electoral Board (JCE) rules would ban Dominican Presidents from inaugurating public works during the official three-month electoral campaign period. Presidents seeking re-election have traditionally campaigned by inaugurating public works during the final stretch of the campaign. Judge Fernandez’s also proposes to create a new and all-encompassing …

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The Ministry of Interior and Police announces that firearm owners whose permits have expired can normalize their status by paying the taxes and operational expenses at any Banco de Reservas branch, as of 6 August. The permits with one year of expiration (15,261 users) only need to pay for one year. Permits lasting for two …

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Beginning today all events held at the state UASD University will be monitored 24-hours a day by a new security system. The security system records the movements of people and vehicles around the campus and images are relayed to a special center where they are kept for a month. Dean Roberto Reyna said that the …

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The Santo Domingo East Prosecutor’s office closed down the Research Department at the controversial Medifarm Laboratories yesterday. Judge Jose Duverge Medina ordered the laboratory to be closed for violation of human testing procedures following the announcement of an alleged discovery of a cure for AIDS. Lab owner Dr. Jose Ramon Baez Acosta experimented with the …

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The Taiwanese ambassador to the DR, Eduardo Chen, has donated 30 bicycles to the Dominican Postal Institute (IMPOSDOM). IMPOSDOM director Modesto Guzman accepted the donations on behalf of the DR. The bikes are worth RD$60,000. Guzman thanked the Taiwanese ambassador for his contribution to the restructuring efforts under way at the post office.

Scouts in the DR and around the world are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Boy Scouts movement. Groups in Santo Domingo, Santiago, San Pedro de Macoris, Puerto Plata and Moca celebrated the event. Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scout movement at Brownsea Island in England on 1 August 1907. The Scouts first …

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Reggaeton superstar Daddy Yankee gave the fans at the patron saint’s day celebrations in Matanzas, Bani a show they are sure never to forget. Yankee, who is in the country shooting his latest music video and supporting his Daddy House children’s foundation, showed up on stage during a performance by Dominican rapper El Lapiz Conciente. …

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