2008 – Page 156

Superintendent of Electricity Francisco Mendez says electricity rates may have to go up. He says the higher costs and the rising subsidies to those who do not pay for the service are not sustainable by the government. He said that costs have quadrupled while the electricity rates have stayed the same. According to Mendez, the …

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Brazilian Ambassador Ronaldo Dunlop said that a Brazilian company will be installing a plant to mix ethanol with local gasoline and obtain a cheaper fuel for use in the nation’s flotilla of vehicles. The diplomat said at the Presidential Palace that during the initial stages ethanol would be imported from Brazil, but that later Brazilian …

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Duarte Province Senator Amilcar Romero is worried about the lack of financing for farmers. He called for the authorities to ease banking restrictions that impede farmers from accessing credit. A former minister of Agriculture, Romero is the president of the Permanent Senate Commission on Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Affairs. Romero said availability of financing would make …

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Industry and Commerce Minister Melanio Paredes said today the government would announce its policy regarding the sale of propane gas (LPG) at gasoline stations. The National Association of Gasoline Retailers, (Anadegas), and the National Association of Distributors of Liquid Petroleum Gas (Asonadigas) are at loggerheads regarding the gasoline retailers’ right to sell propane, previously a …

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House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) and ranking member Jim McCrery (R-LA) today introduced HR6560 to the US Congress. The legislation establishes a “2 for 1” textile and apparel allowance program to be developed and administered by the Secretary of Commerce. Under the program, when producers purchase a certain quantity of …

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The National Association of Hotels & Restaurants wants free competition for transport services. In a press release, the leading hotel organization says that the present government policies that allow for monopolies in the transport industry affect the quality of ground transport to the tourist zones. “The development of the country, the right of citizens to …

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The Chevron-Texaco Company announced Sunday that it had accepted President Leonel Fernandez’s suggestion that they initiate a dialogue with the Mediating Commission that was assigned to the case of the Association of Petroleum Transporters (ATP) and the the Autonomous Syndicate of Petroleum Transporter Chauffeurs (SACTPA). Chevron said that “as a result of the intervention of …

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Expect to pay a fee soon, if the Association of Gasoline Retailers (Anadegas) makes due on their announcement of adding a fee to credit card purchases of gasoline. Juan Ignacio Espaillat, spokesman for Anadegas said they will charge the fee to compensate for rising financial and operating costs, such as payroll, fuel costs for generators, …

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According to the Electricity Distributor EDE-Norte, there are 50 circuits in the network that are out of service. The San Felipe plant (formerly Smith & Enron) went offline and this practically turned off the lights in the whole northern part of the country. According to the El Caribe, there are 16 and 18-hour blackouts in …

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Oil prices have dropped around 20% on the world markets but fuel prices are not keeping pace. The Hydrocarbon Law is clear on the subject when it says that domestic prices will follow the prices of the international markets. Over the past 15 days, oil prices have fallen by 20% and local prices have fallen …

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