2007 – Page 63

Speaking yesterday, President Leonel Fernandez revealed the existence of an addendum between the government and the Sun Land Corporation that reduces the amount of works being built with the US$130 million Sun Land loan from 11 to 5. The addendum also extends the period, until 15 July 2008, in which the works are to be …

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The Ministry of Labor has announced the official schedule for holidays in the Dominican Republic in 2008. Next year there will be six long weekends. Law 139-97 establishes that holidays falling on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday will be celebrated on the following Monday, with the exception of certain dates. For the Ministry calendar, …

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According to the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) Dominicans use more than one billion cell phone minutes per month and is one of the countries in the Americas with the highest number of calls – both incoming and outgoing – to the US. Indotel director Jose Rafael Vargas made these comments during the launch of new …

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Oscar Pena Chacon, president of Codetel, says that during this year alone the country’s largest telecommunications company has invested RD$8 billion in remodeling and renovations in order to provide a better service. Pena made his comments during a ceremony inaugurating a new customer service office at the company’s corporate building on John F. Kennedy Avenue. …

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The National Social Security Council (CNSS) has approved an infractions and sanctions ruling for the SFS, the government’s health plan. Hoy writes that immediately after it was announced, the Dominican Medical Association (CMD) said it was not acceptable. The CMD says it has own set of rules. Enriquillo Matos, head of the CMD, said that …

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The Bahrain News Agency reports that the Middle Eastern Kingdom of Bahrain and the DR have decided to form ambassadorial-level diplomatic ties, effective 22 October. The announcement came in a joint statement signed in New York by Bahrain’s United Nations Ambassador Tawfiq Mansoor and an unnamed deputy Dominican permanent representative at the UN. The news …

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Gay McDougall, who is visiting the Dominican Republic to verify the existence or non-existence of racism in the country has told the press that she was surprised at yesterday’s Senate resolution describing her visit here as part of an international conspiracy against the Dominican Republic. She and her colleague, Senegalese Doudou Diene, explained that they …

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The Catholic Church is on the offensive with its desire to discourage Congress from the decriminalization of abortion in its revision of the Penal Code. The Church has rallied students at Catholic schools to protest and took a large group of children to the Congress yesterday. Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez boarded a helicopter …

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Pope Benedict XVI has given his blessing to the Dominican public after meeting with Senate President Reinaldo Pared Perez and his wife Ingrid Mendoza de Pared. Pared is in Europe meeting with political officials from several countries in order to discuss topics of interest concerning the DR.

Santo Domingo is the site of several gastronomic events as October comes to an end. There is the Macadamia Festival at the Melia Santo Domingo on the Malecon, at its Cafe Casabe, right off the lobby. 37 delicacies, including salads, soups, main dishes, and desserts have been created by Mexican chef Oscar Orbe using Dominican …

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