1998 – Page 81

The president of the Dominican Olympic Committee reiterated that the Pan American Games will cost the DR about RD$800 million. He said that when visiting José Ramón Fernández, president of the Olympic Committee of Cuba spoke of US$120-US$140 million, or over RD$2,000 million, he was referring to countries that did not have sports installations. Fernández …

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Paolo Oberti, representative of the United Nations Development Program in the Dominican Republic, said that the government will begin to implement a 15-year plan to convert the riversides of the Ozama and Isabela rivers in Santo Domingo into an "ecological corridor". The first phase of the plan calls for the relocation of 3,000 families from …

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The vice governor of the Central Bank, Luis Manuel Piantini said on TV last week that the DR is the only Latin American country to show a major improvement of its US$ reserve position and foreign debt. Piantini explained that the foreign debt has been reduced US$1,100 since year 1994. The foreign debt declined from …

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Andres Martínez, director of the Direccion de Transito Terrestre, the Dominican government department that issues drivers’ licenses, said that by year’s end drivers’ licenses may be obtained in 20 minutes time. He explained that computers are being installed and the department automated at a cost of RD$20 million. The department’s computers will communicate directly with …

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Hector Galván, a Dominican consul based at the New York City consulate, explained that Dominican residents abroad will be able to benefit from the special program, Viviendas para los Dominicanos Residentes en el Exterior (Invidorex). The program will make it easy for Dominicans who live abroad to purchase their future home in the DR. He …

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In a speech to the nation last week in response to a request from the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic that the President explain where he stands on his possible re-election, President Leonel Fernández gave the impression that presidential re-election was not an issue. Presidential re-election was banned in the constitutional reform of …

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The Ministry of Public Works officially began the construction of the Autovía del Este, a 56-kilometer project expected to cost over RD$679 million. Once completed, the highway will shorten the time it takes to travel between Santo Domingo and La Romana from two hours to 40 minutes. The highway should be completed by August 1999. …

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According to a report in El Siglo, Dominican exports will generate US$4,631 million, placing the DR among the leading five exporters of the region, according to statistics of the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The growth of Dominican exports in 1998 compared to 1997 will be 11.2%. Last year, the DR …

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Technicians from the DR and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) are meeting in Santo Domingo this week for the seventh and final round of negotaitions leading to the signing of a free trade agreement between the English-speaking Caribbean and the Dominican Republic. The free trade agreement will create a trading block of 20 million consumers. Frederic …

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Jesuit priest and economist Jose Luis Alemán denounced that in the government there is a mafia of engineers and politicians that spend large sums of money on public works without any justification. He said the government maintains a domestic debt of RD$26,000 million that needs to be paid. He spoke during the seminar where the …

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