2007 – Page 27

Last night President Leonel Fernandez announced a temporary subsidy of RD$31.79 per gallon of diesel fuel for unionized public transport and cargo vehicles. The subsidy is part of decree 677-07 and grants the subsidies to transport and cargo unions. The subsidy will last for three months. Industry and Commerce Minister Melanio Paredes explained that once …

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Young Entrepreneurs Association (ANJE) president Joel Santos feels that the government shouldn’t subsidize the fuel used by transporters because this just creates another distortion in the fuel market. Santos, quoted in Hoy, says he understands the current situation with international fuel prices, but says that the government is in no position to provide a subsidy. …

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The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has inaugurated the first Specialized Late Registration Unit in Salcedo where 902 under-16s and 4,000 adults who were not previously registered will be able to secure their first birth certificates and cedulas. The mobile unit will be located on Doroteo Tapia street, opposite the Banco Agricola. The unit is equipped …

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The Ministry of Education has received RD$250 million as part of a special fund for rehabilitating schools affected by flooding and housing flood victims in the wake of Tropical Storm Noel. In December the Ministry will receive another RD$100 million which is to be used for the rehabilitation work. In January the Ministry will receive …

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The Dominican Republic is one of the Latin American countries that will fail to meet the Millennium Development goals in the area of education, according to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UNESCO says that the DR is lagging behind in education quality, and that the adult literacy rate in the DR …

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Pharmaceutical businessman Hochi Vega is complaining that 90% of medicines bought by the government for its health plans are imported. He says that most of these pharmaceuticals come from Asian countries and details about their manufacture are unknown. Vega says that Dominican inspectors have not traveled to India or China to inspect the conditions in …

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Listin Diario reports that a study conducted in three Dominican provinces reveals that 71% of the population understands that “macuteo” – Spanish for small bribes – takes place in the Attorney General’s office and that corruption and extortion practices are commonplace. The study reveals the perception that criminal files are deliberately stored incorrectly so that …

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Presidential urban affairs advisor Pablo Yarull is proposing that all high-ranking government officials, including the President and vice president, take a 50% pay cut in their Christmas bonus. The money would be used to help the families affected by Tropical Storm Noel. Yarull said that this deduction would be a one-off and would only affect …

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Doctors at Plaza de la Salud have completed the nation’s first successful kidney transplant from a deceased donor. The recipient was Milagros Contreras, a 40-year old teacher who was suffering from chronic kidney disease. Hoy writes that the teacher from Elias Pina had been having problems for a year and a half, forcing her to …

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The media communications commission at the Chamber of Deputies has rejected a proposed bill that sought to ban bikini-clad women from appearing on television. Elpidio Baez says that the bill, although rejected, was positive because it highlighted the issue and says that the media outlets in the country are being irresponsible in this regard. Baez …

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