1996 – Page 10

The Leonel Fernández government has begun making payments to contractors that are expected to complete public works begun under the Balaguer government. The Listin Diario reported that some RD$160 million was disbursed to some 800 public works contractors throughout the country. Money will also be provided to initiate new public works, including RD$70 million for …

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President Leonel Fernandez met with New York businessman Donald Trump at his Trump Tower offices in New York. Manuel Jiménez, reporting for Hoy, said that Mr Trump would consider investing large sums in the D.R. According to those present, he told President Fernandez that he has heard a lot about the country. They met by …

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The Ministry for Foreign Relations has unified the rates charged for documents issued by Dominican consulates. There have been complaints on innumerable occasions from Dominicans living overseas about the high charges levied by some consuls. Consular posts have traditionally been political favors and consuls have been allowed to pocket the larger share of payments received. …

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The minister of public health, Erasmo Vasquez, told the press last week that his department will have a budget of more than RD$7,000 million in order to provide health services to the entire population. He said that he is in favor of people with low incomes paying small amounts for such services and that his …

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The National Agriculture Council unanimously approved the restructuring of the official farming sector and created a technical committee to continue discussions. The committee joins all the government and private sectors that define official agricultural policies. They also decided to reactivate the regional and provincial agriculture councils.

President Leonel Fernandez has appointed Natacha Sanchez as the new artistic director of the National Theatre. She replaces Sylvia Troncoso, who has been one of the most successful artistic directors the theater has had.

Last week, The Central Bank announced that the accumulated inflation rate to September, measured by the variation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) against the figure for December 1995, reached 1.86%, being less than that registered in the same period for 1995, which was 7.21%. The annual inflation rate, measured by the variation of the …

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According to the British magazine The Economist, the country’s exports will grow by the end of the year to US$900 million. The Economist says that this growth will depend on minerals, coffee, and tobacco exports.

Since their start, the free zones have generated US$1,470 million and created 160,000 jobs, according to by Luis Manuel Bonetti, Minister for Commerce and Industry. He also said that there are 35 free zones in the country, of which 17 are in private hands, 14 government ownership, and two with mixed private and public capital.

The President of the Asociación de Bancos Comerciales de la República Dominicana (ABCRD), José Manuel López Valdés, declared that the interest rate for loans has decreased by 2%, after the Central Banks (CB) decision to free RD$1,738.2 million from the commercial banks statutory reserves, and thus increase the supply of money. He said that previously …

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