1999 – Page 192

According to figures released yesterday by the Dominican Export Center (CEDOPEX), exports from Dominican free trade zones (FTZs, known in the DR as "zonas francas") rose over 27%, while non-FTZ exports fell 14.18%. The DR exported US$3,823.8 million in 1998, US$3,059 million of it from FTZs (80%) and US$764.5 million from so-called "national exports" (exports …

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Industry and Commerce Minister Luis Manuel Bonetti said yesterday that the FTZs generate about RD$6 billion paid in salaries per year to some 195,000 employees. FTZs generate more than US$825 million a year. In the 1996-98 period (i.e., since President Fern?ndez took office), the FTZs have grown 14%, with 60 new companies and 30,000 new …

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In a lunch with economics reporters, officials of the Dominican Telephone Company (CODETEL) warned that extraordinarily high rate tax burden of the nation’s telecommunications sector may retard the DR’s growth rate. They urged that telecom services have a tax burden similar to that of other industries, and not be required to bear more than its …

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The entire compliment of Navy personnel stationed at Nagua, including its commander, have been placed under arrest and moved to 27 de Febrero Naval Base pending an investigation into the so-called "toll" incident. Rear Admiral Juan Tom?s D?az Polanco has been put in charge of a commission of inquiry to investigate the facts of the …

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Sammy Sosa was elected Athlete of the Year by the Santo Domingo Association of Sports Reporters (ACD).

The RD$68 million 27 de Febrero Boulevard or the Paseo de las Artes was formally inaugurated yesterday in an event presided over by President Leonel Fern?ndez, Santo Domingo Mayor Johnny Ventura and Minister of Public Works Diandino Pe?a. Pe?a said that the city now has its own open air museum of Dominican works of art. …

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This long weekend is the peak holiday season for Dominicans and several institutions are joining forces to prevent accidents and tragic happenings. For instance, the Ministry of Public Works has banned the transit of heavy trucks on highways as of Wednesday, 31 March through Sunday 4 April. The Ministry of Tourism has closed several beaches …

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The political secretary of the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano, engineer Federico Ant?n Batlle criticized that most of the government funds are dedicated to current expenses (salaries), leaving little for public works. He said that the government only invested 13% of the total budget in public works and most of these were projects in the capital …

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Daily newspapers carried over the weekend the story of the death of a traveler and injuries of eight others on an illegal boat trip from Nagua on the Northeast Coast to Puerto Rico. Some 100-120 persons would have made the trip. News stories say that two Navy men, stationed in Nagua, shot at the boat …

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Secretary of the Presidency, Danilo Medina alerted that the DR will be affected by the 2.7% cut in the world production of petroleum announced by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Prices are expected to go up as a result of the reduction in production of 2,104 million barrels a day. He explained that …

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