2001 – Page 48

Frederic Emam-Zade, chief economist of the Fundacion Global Economia y Desarrollo (a think tank headed by former President Leonel Fernandez), says the economy will become the major issue of the 2002 and 2004 elections. He urges the government to reduce the tax burden so the economy can return to its previous growth levels and the …

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President Hipolito Mejia has announced the release of RD$25 million plus RD$16 million a month to build sports facilities in Monte Plata province for the National Sports Games in 2002. The construction of major sporting facilities in the province has been criticized because in the past, venues became run down from lack of maintenance. Sports …

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Teofilo Tabar, director of Income Tax, confirmed that his department has embargoed the bank accounts of the power distributors. The Tax Department is demanding that the distributors pay the 1.5% tax on gross sales. AES said their accounts have not been embargoed. The other companies are Union Fenosa affiliates Edesur and Edenorte.

The Departamento de Prevencion de la Corrupcion (Depreco), a department of the Attorney General’s office, has requested former President Leonel Fernandez and 15 of his officers appear for questioning. It is in regards to an audit that showed incorrect procedures in the management of RD$1.4 billion in funds deposited in a construction account from January …

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El Siglo newspaper reports that the presence of the outspoken Carlos Andres Perez in the DR is causing problems for Dominican diplomacy. The former Venezuelan statesman who now lives in the DR does not miss any opportunity to criticize the Hugo Chavez government in Venezuela. Chavez tried to overthrow Perez, when the latter was in …

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The Central Electoral Board (JCE), the government department in charge of birth registrations, has declared the birth certificate that states Danny Almonte was born in 1989 as invalid. The department says the original birth certificate made in 1994 is the valid one. It puts his birth year at 1987, making him 14. The JCE said …

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Minister of Education Milagros Ortiz Bosch said that the start of the school year will be used by the government to bolster programs to reduce poverty. She said her department will distribute 200,000 school uniforms, an equal number of shoes, 10 million textbooks, 25,000 bicycles and will issue a monthly expenditures card of RD$300 to …

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The National Council of the Magistracy will meet on 13 September, convened by President Hipolito Mejia. Guido Gomez Mazara, legal advisor to the President, said the three new judges on the Supreme Court will be chosen with transparency. Diario Libre explains that the PRSC allied with the PRD, giving the ruling party dominance in the …

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Commuters who have to drive through the Navarette crossing from Santiago to Puerto Plata find it hard to understand why the government is taking so long to finish the expansion of the highway. It was begun three years ago and is proceeding at an unusually slow pace for the past year. Nevertheless, the Minister of …

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