2000 – Page 88

Less than a day after her inaugural as Vice-President, Milagros Ortiz Bosch took over as Secretary of Education. She arrived at the Education ministry at 11:00 and was greeted by around of applause from staff as well as PRD Party faithful who were already clogging the building lobby in pursuit of jobs. Outgoing Secretary, Ligia …

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The country?s net international reserves dropped by 47.5% in the past six months. The period December, 1999 to June 30 of the current year saw a reduction from US$547 million to US$287 million. The information is found in the ?January-June 2000 Economic Report? researched and published by the Central Bank. This represents a loss of …

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Minutes after his inaugural as 46th President of the Republic, Hipolito Mejia affirmed that he would personally instigate proceedings against any official of his administration suspected of corruption. He promised to impose "true morality" in public administration, eliminating, all "lies, duplicity, fraud and trickery." He will govern, he said, from a crystal palace, transparent in …

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Hipolito Mejia found a time yesterday to attend to his first two presidential acts. Sandwiched between a High Mass in the Cathedral, a wreath laying at the ‘Altar of the Fatherland,’ official luncheons, receptions, receiving lines, and other formalities, Mejia issued his first decree. He stripped their titles from some 300 cabinet officers, sub-cabinet officers, …

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Some $500 million in loans and grants from foreign governments and international agencies is awaiting congressional approval, according to Rafael Albuquerque, senate president. Speaking at yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony of Hipolito Mejia and Milagros Ortiz Bosch, the legislator said that approval of the loans and grants would be the first priority of the new legislative season, …

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The president of Taiwan affirmed that his government will continue to provide economic aid to, and will encourage continued investment in, the DR. Lien Shui-Bian, leading his country’s delegation to Hipolito Mejia’s inauguration, stated that the friendship between the two countries is well-established and that Mejia ­ who has visited the Asian nation a dozen …

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The DR’s new First Lady hosted a luncheon for the spouses of visiting dignitaries that featured a special show of fashions by Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta. Doña Rosa de Mejia’s first official act was to receive the wives of the Presidents of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Taiwan and Haiti, as well as the wives …

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The new legislative season got started yesterday with the election of this session’s leadership. Two hours before the swearing-in of Hipolito Mejia and Milagros Ortiz Bosch, the Chamber of Deputies re-elected Rafaela Albuquerque as speaker. The Senate, for its part, re-elected Ramon Alburquerque (no relation) as presiding officer. Seniority plays no part in determining these …

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Packing winds of 75 miles an hour, tropical storm Alberto seems to be following a plodding path toward the Caribbean, although forecasters say a turn toward the West-Northwest is expected within the next 24 hours. This would take it away from the Caribbean. The center of the tropical storm was located near latitude 32.9 northlongitude …

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President Leonel Fernández gave a 36-minute speech last night in the presence of his government collaborators at the National Palace. From being praised for the economic bonanza of the DR, the government has been under major criticism as the time for the new government to move in comes nearer. The high petroleum bill of the …

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