2008 – Page 223

As President Fernandez’s 16 August inaugural speech approaches, the rumor mill is once more gathering pace, and this time the target is the Dominican Supreme Court. Lobbyists for potential candidates for the post of Chief Justice are becoming more active as two possibilities come to the forefront: Either the National Council of Magistrates is called …

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Both the PRD and the PRSC parties have come out and said that the constitutional reforms proposed by President Fernandez should not be undertaken at the present time. The party spokespersons say that the conditions needed for educating the public about the scope of the reforms do not exist. Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado, the coordinator …

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The new style system of prisons currently caters for some 2,000 inmates across the country. There has been some resistance to the new programs, aimed at rehabilitating the ‘inmates’ (no longer called ‘prisoners’) through education programs. Even some of the ‘inmates’ themselves have resisted being transferred to the new locales. This resistance is because the …

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At least half of the bureaucrats in the government have not filed the obligatory declaration of their property and net worth. Investigative reporter Minerva Isa filed a report in Hoy newspaper that says that, “some 1,500 state employees were supposed to file their declaration of wealth and have not done it.” In fact Isa says …

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Orange Dominicana has explained that its telephone service was interrupted on 3 and 4 May due to a lightening strike that provoked a major system failure. According to Orange spokesperson Jeanette Rodriguez, the blackout occurred in the middle of the thunderstorms that accompanied the tornado that hit several places in the Cibao Valley. According to …

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The Las Americas Technological Institute (ITLA) is offering 400 scholarships for globally recognized hi-tech degrees. ITLA director Jose A. Tavarez pointed out that the scholarships are for both boys and girls. The scholarships cover room and board at the Pan American Village, and classes begin in August. The program is covered by the Academic Excellence …

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President Leonel Fernandez will be attending the World Food Summit organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome on 3, 4 and 5 June. He will travel with First Lady Margarita Cedeno, Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso, Agriculture Minister Salvador (Chio) Jimenez, Administrative Minister of the Presidency Luis Manuel Bonetti and …

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The director of Santo Domingo Metro, engineer Diandino Pena announced the first Santo Domingo Metro line will be in operation in Santo Domingo at the end of November or start of December. He said they are at present working on organizing bus feeder lines for the metro. In an interview with Listin Diario, he highlighted …

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Industry and Commerce Minister Melanio Paredes said yesterday that the government would only maintain the propane gas (GLP) subsidy for household use supplies. Paredes said that the GLP will be distributed through the Unique Beneficiary System (SUIBEN) that identifies poor families in the DR. Many vehicles have converted to GLP, but the government says only …

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Consultant Federico A. Martinez is calling on the government to set an example to citizens. Martinez, as reported in Hoy, says that the government can’t maintain the current job perk that enables government employees to buy large gas-guzzling SUVs at a time when fuel prices are hitting record highs. The large number of government officers …

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