2001 – Page 71

The Central Bank says its plan to considerably reduce the amount of deposit certificates it issues has been successful. The deposit certificates had been issued by the Fernandez government to reduce liquidity in the economy and compensate for inadequate management of government spending. The competition of the Central Bank with the commercial banks kept interest …

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El Siglo newspaper reports that the central government has increased its spending by RD$7.1 billion in its first 11 months in power. According to the Budget Office, government spending reached RD$50.7 billion during the first 11 months. This is up from RD$43.6 billion for the August 1999-June 2000 period. The government collected RD$50.3 billion during …

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The Executive Branch has published a Gaceta Oficial (official gazette) compiling the 373 laws that have been passed during the Mejia administration. The bulletin also includes 1,679 decrees. But decrees that were modified after they were passed do not appear in the gazette, such as the ones regarding the time change and gaming restrictions.

Julio Ortega, who for years represented the Dominican Republic in negotiations regarding the San Jose Agreement with Mexico, suggests that the Dominican government no longer purchase fuel from Mexico. In a write up in the Listin Diario, Ortega says that it is unlikely the DR will ever be able to take advantage of the soft …

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Health researcher Reynaldo Peguero is warning about the futility of the government’s multi-million dollar plan to build more public hospitals. In Listin Diario newspaper, Peguero, an epidemiologist, says research shows the construction of more hospitals will not improve health services in the DR. He points out that a John Hopkins University study done in the …

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A thunderstorm yesterday causing flooding, toppling of road signs and major traffic bottlenecks in Santo Domingo. Wind gusts of 100 kms. per hour were felt in Santo Domingo from 4 to 6 pm. The storm caused the closure of Las Americas International Airport from 4:10 to 4:35 pm. Radhames Lora Salcedo, director of Civil Defense …

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Nelson Rosario, spokesman for the National Police, explained yesterday the motive behind the murder of 58-year old Rafael Orlando Batista, a community leader and businessman who went missing Wednesday, 25 July and was found dead on Sunday, 29 July.An accomplice in the murder, 24-year old Joan Fabian Santos, revealed that he participated in the murder …

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