2008 – Page 353

The National Council for Business (CONEP) has announced that it would prefer the government to sign a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund so that the economic resources of the state are not used for campaign purposes. A press release from Conep said that “Unfortunately, we all know how politics works in the Dominican …

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Hoy newspaper’s Coctelera page two column speculates that the real reason behind the Haitian ban on chicken and eggs imports from the DR is the Haitian authorities’ interest in getting concessions out of the Dominican government. The Haitian authorities know that the government is under pressure from the country’s poultry exporters who are seeing millions …

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The old bridge that connects Ramon Santana with San Pedro de Macoris collapsed and fell into the river when a large truck hauling sugar cane attempted to cross. The bridge, built in 1915, had been repaired two years ago. Some 17 small communities were cut off from San Pedro as a result of its collapse. …

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Dominican born authors Junot Diaz and Julia Alvarez are among the nominees for the US National Book Critics Circle awards that were announced yesterday. Junot Diaz received widespread acclaim for his novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” and Julia Alvarez was nominated for her biographical work “Once Upon a Quinceanera”. For the full …

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The Tigres del Licey shut out the Gigantes del Cibao 7-0, and will thereby enjoy the home-field advantage for the final playoffs of the Dominican Winter League Championship. The Aguilas Cibaenas scored their second come-from-behind victory of the season, defeating the Estrellas Orientales 7-6 in the Tetelo Vargas Stadium in San Pedro de Macoris. The …

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The first International Energy Week began yesterday in Santo Domingo with lectures and exhibits at the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel and President Leonel Fernandez in attendance. The conference presents a range of possible solutions to the current energy situation, with a focus on alternative fuels and renewable energy resources as a way of meeting the challenges …

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President Leonel Fernandez announced at the International Energy Week opening that the country would have its first 40 natural gas Linea Clave distribution and conversion stations within the next 60 days. These centers will be opened in Santo Domingo and Santiago first, and later in the year in Bonao, La Vega, Puerto Plata, Sanchez, Samana, …

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Education Minister Alejandrina German says that illiteracy in the DR has declined to 10.8%, down from 13%, in the last 10 years making her confident that the DR would reach the Millennium Development Goals in time. The Goals seek to eliminate illiteracy by 2015, but the Minister is confident that this could be achieved by …

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Thousands of Dominicans made their way to civil registries and Central Electoral Board (JCE) offices yesterday in order to get their cedula identity cards or change their voting precinct. The increased activity was due to fact that yesterday was the last day citizens could change the details on their cedulas before the 2008 elections. Listin …

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Senate president Reinaldo Pared Perez has admitted that he might have been too hard on Chamber of Deputies president Julio Cesar Valentin after Valentin and other deputies accused senators of sponsoring lucrative and illegal non-governmental organizations. Pared said he apologized not because President Leonel Fernandez had told him to, but because it was sensible to …

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