2007 – Page 88

Even though President Leonel Fernandez had asked for today’s general strike to be called off, the Alternative Social Forum has gone ahead with the protest and is condemning the government’s attacks against the Forum’s leadership. Last night Fernandez met with union leaders and transport sector representatives who decided not to support the general strike, and …

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Luisa Fernandez Duran, executive director of the National Exportation Free Trade Zone Council (CNZFE), says that Brazilian investors are currently in the country to make contact with shoe manufacturers. Lisias Ransan CEO of the So Danca shoe company, from Brazil, has made contact with various free trade zone businesses. So Danca is a Brazilian shoe …

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The director of the Center for Exports and Investments (CEI-RD) Eddy Martinez says that the investment climate in the DR is getting better. This is in part due to the current economic stability and the increase in foreign investment, which now surpasses US$1.2 billion. Martinez says that according to the World Bank’s “Doing Business” index, …

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Agriculture Minister Salvador Jimenez explains that in the last three years the production and export of cacao has increased by 89%. The revenue from cacao exports has also increased by 101%, going from US$44.5 million to US$90 million annually. The DR is now the ninth largest cacao producer in the world and the third in …

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The Customs Department is increasing its anti-contraband measures and as a result has collected RD$5.4 billion in fines in the last three years. Offenses that are subject to fines include bringing merchandise and cash into the country illegally. People who enter the country with more than US$10,000 in cash must declare it, and failing to …

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Medicine sales fell by 50% in September. The decrease in sales is partly attributed to the confusion brought on by the government’s health plan, the SFS, and the single prescription form (receta unica), which only benefits 100 pharmacies out of the 3,100 that are registered in the country. Tony Rodriguez, president of the Association of …

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Dominican tourist officials are proposing the implementation of tourist packages to the DR using Mexico, Cuba or the US as departure points, with the aim of attracting Chinese tourists – a hitherto unexplored market – to the country. Tourism Deputy Minister Luis Simo made the proposal to Chinese representatives and explained that this type of …

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The executive director of the Senior Citizen Council (CONAPE), Nathalie Maria, says that President Leonel Fernandez has allocated RD$70 million to that sector and that as of next year senior citizen centers will be converted into health service providers (PSS) under the control of CONAPE. Maria explained that 141,000 senior citizens are covered by the …

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An IMF mission currently visiting the Dominican Republic to review the country’s Stand-by arrangement says that it will study the available information it has received about the Sun Land Corporation loan scandal to see whether or not it has violated the terms of the agreement. Diario Libre writes that it contacted IMF public relations representative …

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Interior and Police Minister Franklyn Almeyda has announced that 17 new sectors in northern Santo Domingo have been included in the Barrio Seguro security plan. Almeyda explained that the Province of Santo Domingo has the highest crime rates in the entire country and that the rate is 20.9% in Santo Domingo North. Of all the …

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