1999 – Page 174

The chief of the National Police, Major General Pedro Jesus Candelier Tejada cancelled the entire staff of the La Victoria Jail for complicity with the inmates. He is charging several of the officers for granting privileges, such as alcoholic beverage consumption and use of cellulars, and permitting narcotics drugs sales within the jail. The Attorney …

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The city government of Santo Domingo announced the installation of 150 new traffic lights. The Ayuntamiento says they have purchased Israeli-made lights that are resistant to the winds of hurricanes. Total cost is RD$56 million. Last year, Hurricane Georges damaged 90% of the city’s traffic lights. The new traffic lights will be used on the …

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The US Army began the construction of eight two or three room schools in the province of Monte Plata. Some 3,500 US military will participate in the construction works. This is part of the US army training program. The construction has been named operation named Caribbean Castles and calls for a donation of US$10 million. …

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The Dominican boxing team returned home yesterday after an excellent performance in the Pan American Games trials held in Puerto Rico. Eleven of 12 Dominican boxers qualified to participate in the boxing tournament of the Pan Am Games scheduled for Winnipeg, Canada, this coming 23 July. They competed against the best boxers from 12 nations …

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The eighth session of the political dialogue started by President Leonel Fernández spent much of its time discussing who might be nominated to an expanded Central Elections Board (JCE). The three major political parties ­ the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD, which controls Congress) and the Reformist-Social Christian Party (PRSC) …

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The Public Works Minister, Diandino Peña, told a luncheon with the Corripio Communications Group that 61% of the RD$8.5 billion priority public works program President Fernández has announced for the rest of his term of office is earmarked for programs benefiting provinces. [The Corripio Group includes the daily newspapers Hoy and El Nacional and the …

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President Fernández will inaugurate the Second International Book Fair tonight at 7 pm on the grounds of the National Conservatory in Santo Domingo. This year’s fair is dedicated to National Poet Pedro Mir and to Mexico as special guest country. Mir, 85 years old and sick with chronic respiratory troubles, will be unable to attend …

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The Chamber of Deputies yesterday gave preliminary approval to a bill that would set a zero tariff for all textbooks and books considered to be scientific in nature. Approved in first reading, the bill had been introduced by PRD Deputies Ivelisse Prats de Pérez and Hugo Tolentino Dipp, both representing the DN. It now goes …

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The PRSC leaders sanctioned by their party on Monday for participating in the PLD-led government have unanimously refused to leave their posts and to recognize the suspension of their party functions. Alfredo Mota Ruiz, civil assistant to President Fernández, Arístides Fernández Zuco, governor of Las Américas International Airport, Vitelio Mejía, director of the Civil Aviation …

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After a small circulation weekly published a report claiming that a member of Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s security detail defected this last weekend during the Caribbean Summit, Santo Domingo has been abuzz with speculation about the possible repercussions for U.S.-Dominican and Cuban-Dominican relations. The weekly claimed that one of Fidel’s security officers presented himself to …

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