1999 – Page 196

The chief of the European Union’s (EU) diplomatic delegation to the DR, Roger Leenders, said yesterday that the EU is donating 42 million European Currency Units (ECUs) – equivalent to about US$46 million or RD$736 million at current exchange rates – to help the DR modernize government administration and the nation’s health delivery system. The …

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The Legal Adviser for the Directorate-General of Customs, Dr. Daniel Jerez Rivera, revealed yesterday that his department has detected the importation into the DR in the last two years of over 2,000 cars stolen in the U.S. Most of the vehicles are sports utility vehicles ("jeepetas") or cars of the BMW, Mercedes Benz, Lexus, Honda …

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The Administrator of the Dominican Electricity Corporation (CDE), Radham?s Segura, assured Dominicans yesterday that CDE will not raise its tariffs because of the spike in international oil prices in recent days. While he acknowledged that higher world prices for crude will eventually affect CDE’s production costs, this will not be passed on to the Dominican …

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The Inter-American Press Society (SIP) released this week its latest report on freedom of the press in Latin America and the Caribbean. The section on the DR is very short, simply noting no complaints about limits on freedom of expression in the DR and no attacks or pressures on reporters. It does mention in passing …

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The turbulent strike in Licey del Medio was called off last night by its organizers after the intervention and mediation of Archbishop Juan Antonio Flores Santana. The National Police (PN) commander in the region agreed to release most of the people detained by police during the strike and to pull out the police cordon from …

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The rector of the Central University of the East (UCE), Senator Jos? Hazim Frappier (PRSC-San Pedro de Macor?s), offered reporters yesterday his explanations of why the UCE Board has decided to close its provincial extension campuses in El?as Pi?a, Las Matas de Farf?n, Monte Plata and Dajab?n. He attributed the move to (1) a lack …

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Foreign Minister Eduardo Latorre yesterday called for a strategic trade alliance between the DR, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the members of the Central American Community (CCA) to confront jointly emerging trade challenges. Latorre promoted the idea at the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of CARICOM, CCA and the DR being held this week in Georgetown, Guyana. …

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A delegation of European diplomats went to the Senate yesterday to try to persuade Senate President Ram?n Alburquerque (Dominican Revolutionary Party-Monte Plata) and members of the Senate Finance Committee to stop blocking Senate approval of international loans and project contracts. Senator Alburquerque has put a hold on Senate action on these measures since January 26th, …

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According to reports given at the International Convention of Mining Investors held in Toronto, Canada, fields in the DR’s Monte Plata Province have veins with enough gold and zinc to be profitable to mine commercially. Octavio L?pez, Director of Mining in the DR, reported to the convention that a study conducted recently at the San …

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According to an internal report prepared by its own Statistics Department, the State Sugar Council (CEA) has been a spectacular economic failure in its 34 years of existence. The report, leaked to the news daily El Siglo, shows that out of 33 sugar harvests since the CEA was created in 1965, only 11 have shown …

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