2008 – Page 361

Outstanding pitching by major league right-hander Ervin Santana shackled the Gigantes del Cibao and gave the Tigres del Licey a 4-0 victory. The win puts Licey into second place of the round robin section of the 2007-2008 Dominican Winter League Tournament. The Aguilas Cibaenas fell to tournament leaders the Estrellas Orientales 8-2 in a game …

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Despite the fact that the Ministry of Education had ordered all students back to school on Monday 7th, there was minimal attendance at schools. Hoy reports that public schools in Villa Juana and Villa Consuelo, for example, canceled classes after only 15% of pupils showed up, while just 15 of the Republica de Argentina School’s …

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Interior and Police Minister Franklin Almeyda Rancier has confirmed that the 2008 budget includes a salary increase for police officers and his ministry’s officials. Almeyda didn’t reveal the percentage increase of salaries, although he did explain that employees would get paid and receive the benefits provided by the ministry. Currently, auxiliary police officers receive RD$3,000 …

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State-run Electricity Company (CDEEE) vice president Radhames Segura has expressed pessimism about the energy situation the DR during 2008. Segura said that increasing fuel prices are to blame for this outlook. Segura explained that for every dollar that fuel prices go up energy distributors must find a further US$12 million to purchase the same amount …

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Civil engineer and consultant on energy matters Bernardo Castellanos has written to Hoy explaining why electricity in the DR is so expensive. He says that included in the power rates is a US$0.09 intermediation (VAD) cost per kWh. This has increased from US$0.03 in 2004 and US$0.08 in 2005, even before the increase in fuel …

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City Councilors in San Cristobal are denying accusations by Mayor Jose Montas that they had agreed to give themselves a 49% pay increase equivalent to RD$151,905 per month in so-called “per diems.” City council leader Leonardo Reynoso said that the councilors’ salaries were only increased to RD$96,000, of which RD$20,000 are taken out in the …

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The Dominican capital markets exchange ended 2007 with a total trade value of RD$15.4 billion, representing a total increase of 821% compared to 2006 when total trade was valued at RD$1.7 billion. General manager Darys Estrella Mordan told Hoy that 2007 had been a spectacular year for the exchange. Estrella also said that the shared …

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A group of 24 Finnish medical students and engineers, accompanied by four professionals in their fields finally completed a trip of a lifetime. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, who made the trip 78 years earlier, the crew of 28 arrived in the DR on 1 January 2008 aboard the Goleta Helena. The trip …

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A new Dominican gang is now fighting over control for streets in the Spanish capital, according to El Dia. The paper reports that “Los Trinitarios” have split from the DDP (Dominicans Don’t Play) gang and use the slogan “Dios, Patria y Libertad,” as their gang tagline. Gang members reportedly greet each other with the words …

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Former President Salvador Jorge Blanco was taken out of intensive care at CEDIMAT yesterday. Hoy writes that Jorge Blanco’s situation has been listed as stable, although there are no indications of when he will leave the hospital. The former president was taken to the hospital on Sunday suffering from an infection in his left leg …

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