2008 – Page 332

This year’s campaign season has been ripe with accusations of corruption by politicians in present or past office. Now, the Central Electoral Board (JCE) president Julio Cesar Castanos Guzman says he will take the lead to convince politicians to tone down the negative exchanges that could lead to violent confrontations that have marked the 2008 …

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And the name-calling continues. In this week’s set of political slanging matches, PRD head of communications Carlos Gabriel Garcia called Interior and Police Minister Franklin Almeyda a “baboso” (slobberer). Garcia’s comments came in response to Almeyda’s accusations that PRD presidential candidate Miguel Vargas Maldonado had obtained his wealth through a series of illegal activities. He …

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In the last nine presidential election campaigns, between 1986 and 2006, some 100 people have been killed and close to 400 injured as a result of the political violence that accompanies campaigning. The historical fanaticism that characterizes Dominican politics, coupled with the low quality of this year’s political campaigns has many, both in the public …

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Today’s Diario Libre editorial criticizes the Central Electoral Board’s decision to purchase 32 power generators and hundreds of scanners for use on Election Day, 16 May. The editorialist points out that the investment is enormous, there is a risk of obsolescence, and the equipment will be only used once every two years at most. It …

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By the end of the week the DR will have completed the four requirements set forth by Haitian President Rene Preval to revoke a Haitian ban on Dominican egg and chicken exports. Agricultural Minister Salvador Jimenez said that technicians from the International Epizootias Organization (OI) would be in the DR on Wednesday to verify that …

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El Caribe writes that Dominican chicken and egg producers are losing RD$5 million on a daily basis since Haiti imposed a ban on Dominican chicken and egg imports. The prolonged Haitian ban has led to uproar, both in the DR and Haiti, and as a result the bi-national market was closed on Monday in protest …

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The International Monetary Fund recommends that the DR control spending during the election period in its statement upon conclusion of the 36-month Stand-by Arrangement. “Maintaining fiscal consolidation and single-digit inflation during the upcoming electoral period will require control of public spending, and readiness to tighten monetary policy promptly should the need arise”, states the IMF. …

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Energy distribution companies EdeEste, EdeSur and EdeNorte have reached a 90% collection rate level in areas that are not part of the Blackout Reduction Program (PRA), according to a press release issued by the Dominican Corporation of State-run Electricity Companies (CDEEE) based on the Cash Recovery Index (CRI) implemented by the National Energy Commission. The …

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National District Mayor Roberto Salcedo has received 24 garbage compactor vehicles donated to the city by several Japanese municipalities. So far, Japan has donated 30 trucks to help the National District improve its city maintenance and beautification programs. The vehicles, which have the capacity to collect between 2.5 and 5 tons of trash, were donated …

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Plaza Lama supermarket is advertising imported potatoes for RD$9.95lb, Bugalu tomatoes for RD$13.95lb, grapefruit for RD$3.95 per unit, tangerines for RD$5.95lb, bell peppers for RD$22.95lb, and carrots for RD$8.95lb. Jumbo supermarket is advertising RD$6.95 per unit for plantains, RD$15.95 a bag of six grapefruit, RD$9.75lb of local potatoes, RD$4.95lb of celery, RD$5.95lb eggplants, RD$6.95lb tangerines …

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