2001 – Page 150

El Caribe newspaper publishes that the US has requested the Dominican government name Puerto Rican lawyer Hans H. Hertell as the new US ambassador to the DR. Charles Manatt, another political appointee, left in March after a short term as ambassador. Hertell is recognized as a leading Republican Party fund-raiser. He was born in Puerto …

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The Listin Diario reports today on the impasse between SL Services Inc./CSX and the Port Authority and the Dominican Association of Shippers. The newspaper’s sources say that the CSX Crusader freighter was prevented from docking at Haina port on 9 April in order to pressure SL Services to negotiate with sectors that feel they are …

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President Hipolito Mejia confirmed Mexico’s interest in getting the DR’s support for its aspiration to a seat on the United Nations Security Council. President Mejia said he would speak with President Vicente Fox on the matter when they meet in Quebec for the Free Trade Summit of the Americas on 22 and 23 April. President …

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Senator Darío Gomez (Santiago Rodirugez-PRD) said yesterday that President Mejia should require the resignation of his entire cabinet to restore the people’s confidence in the government. Hours earlier, economist Felix Calvo, director of the State Enterprises Corporation (CORDE), urged that President Mejia request the resignation of his economic team to restructure it free from political …

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The Direccion General de Impuestos Internos, the local income tax department, announced the application of a rule that establishes that companies and business owners with income of less than RD$6 million a year need to pay a monthly tax on income generated in the DR. Companies or business people making RD$0 to RD$2 million a …

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In 1997 the political parties approved a change to the electoral law that authorized the absentee vote of Dominicans. El Caribe newspaper today looks into the organizational problems given the large numbers of Dominicans who live abroad. It is estimated that Dominicans residing abroad could represent 8% of the total vote count, thus absentee Dominicans …

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An apparent conflict of interests may immerse the DR in an international conflict. The Dominican Port Authority confirmed yesterday that the reason it did not allow the freighter SL Service Inc.’s CSX Crusader to dock in Haina was that the ship did not present a cargo manifest 48 hours in advance and did not deliver …

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Yesterday, Senator Rafael Abinader and advisor Manuel Casals Victoria delivered to Attorney General Virgilio Bello Rosa the case against former President Leonel Fernandez and those who participated in the privatization of the Dominican Electricity Corporation. Fernandez is accused of defrauding the Dominican state of RD$40,000 million. The PLD senators question the qualifications of those who …

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President Hipolito Mejia decorated world-renowned musician, composer and music arranger Jose Antonio Molina at the National Palace yesterday. Molina received the decoration in the company of his parents Josefina Miniño, recognized for her efforts in support of Dominican folk dancing, and Papa Molina, one of the most outstanding Dominican band leaders of all time. During …

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