2001 – Page 69

The Dominican Association of Gasoline Stations, Anadegas, will no longer accept credit cards for gasoline and diesel at gas stations. The organization says that the fees charged by the credit card companies are too high. They say the companies were charging them RD$0.95 per gallon of gasoline sold.

Telecentro, Channel 13 has announced it will produce a Dominican version of the successful US TV show, “Survivors.” The local version, “Operacion Hispaniola” will air from mid-September to mid-December. The channel is looking for 16 participants who will be grouped into two “tribes” of four men and four women each and will have to survive …

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Shakira, the Colombian pop star, vacationed at Punta Cana Resort and Club for four days. She was resting after completing her new CD in English. During her stay she visited the nearby Corales Golf and Marina resort of the Punta Cana hotel group.

Juan Morel, executive director of the Association of Vehicle Concessionaires (ACOFAVE), has criticized that the GATT valuation will mean 10-30% increases in the local prices of utility vehicles. He forecast luxury vehicles could suffer 120% increases. Car sales are down 50% following a boom in sales last year as consumers rushed to beat the car …

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Calls made from residential and business phones to Codetel mobile phones now cost more. As of 1 August, the company has increased cellular phone charges by 18%. The minute now costs RD$2.95. The company said the adjustment was made to compensate for cost increases. Codetel is the leading vendor of mobile phones in the DR. …

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The Price Control Department of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has given gas stations eight days to resume posting their prices. This practice was discontinued when a new petroleum law instituted weekly gasoline and diesel price changes.

The Minister of Foreign Relations Hugo Tolentino Dipp said the Dominican government is investigating the Dominican consulate in Hong Kong after several Chinese citizens were uncovered arriving with fake visas. El Siglo reports on a US Embassy document that says an average of 40 Chinese citizens a month have entered the DR with fake documents …

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The Police have announced the arrest of four men who are accused of having phoned car importer Avelino Abreu to demand a ransom of RD$1 million for the company’s legal advisor Rafael Batista Fernandez. Batista had been missing since Wednesday. At the time of the phone call, his original kidnappers had already murdered him. The …

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The Inter-American Development Bank has announced the approval of a US$200 million loan (RD$3,332 million) to the Dominican Republic to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public spending in priority social sectors, particularly education and health. The money will support the efforts of the government to introduce policy reforms that will strengthen the institutional framework …

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The president of the Dominican Chamber of Construction, Diego de Moya Canaan, has forecast a new boom in construction as of next year. He said that after suffering a 20% decline in the first half of this year, the industry is showing signs of revving up again. De Moya made the comments while announcing the …

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