2008 – Page 212

As usual, private schools in the Dominican Republic have announced increases in tuition fees for the 2007-2008 school year, some as high as 100%. The president of the Public and Private School Parents Federation, Juan Avila said that 20% of Catholic schools had announced increases and 50% of the other private educational centers had done …

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The Dominican Olympic Committee honored the best athletes of the year yesterday. For the first time the Athlete of the Year Award was shared by six leading athletes – Yuderkis Contreras in weight lifting, Gabriel Mercedes, taekwondo, Wendy Cruz, cycling, Luis Lin Ju, table tennis, Heidi Rodriguez and Dionisio Gustavo, karate. The winners by sport …

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Super Pola (La Sirena) is offering 35% off fruits and vegetables. La Cadena supermarket is advertising green bell peppers for RD$14.95lb, green bananas for RD$2.95ea, Tommy Adkins mangos for RD$5.95ea, green apples for RD$34.95lb, and limes for RD$14.95lb. Super Lama has 30% reductions in its meat and seafood department. Supermercados Nacional is advertising 40% off …

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The directors of the Emergency Operations Center (COE) and the National Meteorological Office (Onamet) have issued a Green Alert for 21 of the country’s 32 provinces. This means that there is a good chance of heavy rains and resulting flooding and landslides. Green Alerts warn citizens to take precautions. In this case, a tropical wave …

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President Leonel Fernandez has been chosen as Vice President of the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) World Food Summit taking place in Rome, Italy. Mexican Ambassador to the FAO Jorge Chen nominated Fernandez on behalf of the Caribbean and Latin American Group of Countries (GRULAC). Fernandez received unanimous support from the 33 GRULAC member …

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The Dominican Republic could soon have a free trade agreement in place with South America, now that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has formally invited the Central American Integration System (SICA) to join the South American trading bloc MERCOSUR. Da Silva made his invitation during the II SICA-Brazil Business Forum. The Brazilian President …

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Growth continues at an impressive rate at the Dominican Stock Exchange (BVRD), as the institution achieves its potential as a leading source of financing for business. Trading leaped to $13,930,111,262 for the first five months of the year, for a 607% growth compared to the same period last year. In only five months, the BVRD …

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The government is asking the transport unions to come to the negotiating table instead of indiscriminately raising bus fares. Vice President Rafael Alburquerque repeated his pleas to the bus unions to get back to talks. Ignacio Ditren, acting as spokesperson for the OMSA bus company, said that a meeting will be set up in order …

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During the first five months of the year the Customs department (DGA) has seized almost US$4 million in undeclared or illegal cash and has seized more than US$8 million in the last 17 months, according to a DGA report published in the local media. The busts have been made with cooperation of national and international …

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The Dam Management Committee meets at the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDHRI) headquarters today to discuss returning responsibility for dam management to INDHRI. The Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company currently has the last word on the management of the dams. As the DR enters this year’s hurricane season, discussions over control of the dam is …

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