2007 – Page 6

The Attorney General’s office has announced that it will construct a new jail in Guatapanal, south of Santiago. AG Radhames Jimenez explained that the new RD$300 million jail would replace the Rafey jail that was partially destroyed by TS Olga and the flooding of the Yaque del Norte River. Jimenez added that the land for …

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The authorities began distributing subsidized fuel to drivers yesterday. The subsidized fuel will benefit a total of 4,000 selected trucking transporters and 30,000 selected passenger transporters. Diario Libre writes that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is distributing the fuel to gas stations controlled by the transport cartels through the Pelicano Company. Industry and Commerce …

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Beginning tonight the alcohol decree, which limits the sale of alcohol throughout the DR, will be lifted allowing alcohol to be sold at the discretion of club and bar owners. The decree will be back in effect on 1 January 2008. The lifting of the decree is welcome news for some bar and club owners …

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The Juan Luis Guerra Foundation has handed out food, medicine and toys to people affected by TS Noel and Olga. The supplies were donated by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin and were handed out in Las Canitas area of Santo Domingo as well as the Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital. Listin Diario reports that the …

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It took a shot from Joel Guzman to keep the Estrellas tied in fourth place during this year’s final push towards the playoffs. Guzman hit a grand slam in the sixth inning yesterday to help the Estrellas to an 11-5 victory over the Azucareros. In other baseball news, the Gigantes kept their tight grip on …

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President Leonel Fernandez’s main objective as he heads to the PetroCaribe summit in Cienfuegos, Cuba is to ratify the PetroCaribe agreement with Venezuela. He is traveling to Cuba today, to attend the 15-nation PetroCaribe summit. The ratification of the agreement would prevent what Fernandez called “the other storm,” referring to the skyrocketing prices of petroleum …

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President Leonel Fernandez made the ceremonial shoveling gesture, officially starting the construction of 330 new homes for families affected by Tropical Storms Olga and Noel in Bonao. Of the 330 homes, 202 will be built in Bonao while 80 will be built in Piedra Blanca and 50 in Maimon. Fernandez said that the government would …

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Education Minister Alejandrina German is not optimistic that her budget allocation will be increased. She is lobbying for a total of RD$33 billion. Hacienda Minister Vicente Bengoa is blaming the International Monetary Fund for the education budget restrictions. The Ministry of Education was allocated RD$31.5 billion in the 2008 budget, up from its 2007 budget …

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The first round of trade negotiations with Canada took place with officials discussing an increase in cooperation between both countries and the increase in Canadian aid in the area of private sector development. As reported in Listin Diario, Foreign Relations Minster Carlos Morales Troncoso and chief negotiator Juan Guiliani Cury explained that the FTA would …

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The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has ordered the preparation of 5,200 Christmas gift baskets at a cost of RD$23 million, according to a report in Diario Libre. At the same time, the JCE is requesting that the government increase its budgetary allocation. The JCE chose three companies for the preparation of the baskets that usually …

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