2008 – Page 166

Officials say that 102 new OMSA buses will arrive in the DR by late August or early September. The government had delayed its payment arrangements with Mercedes Benz-Brazil so they were not shipped to the DR as planned. Last week Hacienda Minister Vicente Bengoa announced that the government had approved a line of credit which …

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The Chamber of Deputies will do its bit to help conserve energy. Chamber president Julio Cesar Valentin announced that new sensors will be used to regulate the use of water as well as replacing light bulbs as ways of reducing fuel consumption. Valentin said that there was a plan to power the Chamber with solar …

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PRSC spokesman at the Chamber of Deputies Ramon Rogelio Genao has submitted a bill aimed at reducing the maximum salary of public officials to RD$300,000 within the next 24 months. Genao submitted his bill to the Chamber yesterday so it could be put on the agenda for today’s session. Genao says that this administration must …

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The Dominican Republic has Latin America’s highest tourism receipts per GDP. According to the Latin Business Chronicle (LBC), 11.1% of the country’s GDP comes from tourism. Costa Rica with 7.5% and Panama with 6.0% are two other countries with high tourism revenues. The report by LBC reveals that Panama has experienced the largest increase in …

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Representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the small-scale business sector represented by the Dominican Confederation of the Small and Medium-Sized Companies (Codopyme) and legislators reached an agreement yesterday to pass the small business bill. Industry & Commerce Minister Melanio Paredes and the board of Copdopyme visited the presidents of the Senate and Chamber …

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The ambassador in charge of Consular Affairs in the United States State Department, Janice L. Jacobs, acknowledged the contributions of Dominican immigrants to the United States, while expressing concern about continued illegal immigration. Jacobs, who was recently sworn in to her new post, said that immigration was a major issue for US citizens and the …

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According to the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), unemployment, the lack of development policies and a lack of institutional cooperation are the reasons for the high poverty levels in communities near the Dominican border with Haiti. The report indicates that the lack of a planning process and the absence of efficiency in implementing programs that …

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Ramon Baez Figueroa and Marcos Baez Cocco, who were sentenced to 10 years in jail each for their roles in the Baninter banking scandal, entered Najayo jail last night at 8:45pm. El Caribe quotes Baez Figueroa as saying “it’s over now,” as he arrived at Najayo with family members and lawyers. Prison director Jose Sandoval …

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Minor riots and protests are continuing in some areas of Santiago as citizens continue to press the authorities to normalize water services, increase power services and fix the streets in their neighborhoods. Listin Diario writes that the day started normally yesterday with a peaceful march by residents of the Hato del Yaque, Villa Bao, Villa …

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Family members of four men shot and killed by police on Tuesday in the Villa Duarte area of Santo Domingo East say that police used excessive force and are accusing them of executing the men. Family members say the police shot the four men even after they came out with their hands up. Carmen Batista …

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