2008 – Page 80

Bani judge Bartolome Michel Castillo Sanchez has banned former Bani prosecutor Victor Cordero Jimenez from leaving the country while the case against him is heard. Furthermore, he was ordered to appear in court once every 30 days. Cordero is accused of aggression and making death threats against Bani journalist Manuel Guillermo Mejia, who had questioned …

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Thousands marched in southwestern San Jose de Ocoa over the weekend in support of Senator Wilton Guerrero and his claim that the Dominican authorities are in complicity with drug dealers. Guerrero said that when it comes to prostitution, violence, drug dealing and crime, many people do not hear or see, but only because they do …

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Coast Guard Cutter Key Largo repatriated 146 Dominican migrants to La Romana on Friday, following their at-sea interception by Caribbean Border Inter-agency Group (CBIG) agencies patrolling Caribbean waters last Wednesday. Coast Guard law enforcement personnel detained 11 Dominicans of the 157 migrants aboard a small craft known as a ‘yola’ approximately 20 nautical miles north …

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The Meteorological Department is forecasting rainstorms all throughout this week. Two tropical waves are reportedly affecting the area, one of which could develop into a tropical storm. The storm will approach the Dominican coast by Tuesday or Wednesday bringing more intense rains than the first tropical wave. The potential tropical storm will affect weather in …

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President Leonel Fernandez inaugurated the remodeled Palace of Fine Arts at Maximo Gomez Avenue yesterday. The government says it invested RD$700 million in the remodeling of the 52-year old complex dedicated to the fine arts. The Supervisory Office of Public Works of the Presidency was responsible for the improvements.

Congressional spokesmen say that non-governmental organizations, universities and citizens in general will have 15 days to present observations to the bi-chamber congressional commission that has been entrusted with drafting the revised Constitution that would be submitted to the vote of senators and deputies. President Leonel Fernandez last month submitted his proposal for constitutional reform whereby …

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During the first six months of this year the current account deficit of the balance of payments increased 534% when compared to the same period in 2007, as reported in El Caribe. The current account deficit went from US$496 million from January to June 2007 to US$2.65 billion during the same period in 2008. Rising …

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It now costs much more to break Traffic Law No. 241. Metropolitan Transport Authority officers are now levying penalties that cost around the double what they did previously, as reported in El Caribe. As of 7 October, fines are regularly RD$1,000 (up from RD$530) and RD$1,667 (up from RD$884). For instance now it costs RD$1,000 …

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Results of a nationwide evaluation shows the need for major changes in how Dominicans are taught. Forty-thousand first-year students at 16 universities were evaluated for the POMA/Ministry of Higher Learning (SEESCYT) study. The students showed below average problem-solving skills, but acceptable scores in language and reasoning skills. Students at the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo …

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The Tourism Promotion Council (Confotur) of the Ministry of Tourism has met twice this month, with another session pending for the end of the month. The meetings are to decide on tourism development projects that had been submitted months ago. Manuel Quiterio Cedeno writes in El Caribe that many cases date back to 2006, while …

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