2001 – Page 8

Security staff at Las Americas International Airport confiscated 51,000 contraband watches yesterday. Chief of security Colonel Nelson Jose Florentino said authorities at the airport suspect the watches were illegally brought into the country to avoid paying taxes. The cargo arrived from Panama on a Copa airline flight in nine boxes that were found inside containers …

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Mary home decorations and furniture store. 19 October-3 November. Up to 50% off. Studio Hb, Boss. One week left. 40% off. Marcel’s shoe store. Through 11 November. Codetel. Calls to US and Puerto Rico RD$3.99 a minute from 10 pm to 6 am from home phones. Tommy Hilfiger store at Plaza Central. 50% off. Caribu …

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Dominican athlete Claudine Garcia Albizu is ranked seventh in world women’s professional racquetball (see http://www.ladiesproracquetball.com/rankings.htm). She leaves today for the US to participate in several major tournaments in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Memphis, Tennessee; Saskatoon, Canada and Denver, Colorado. So far she has placed among the top eight in all professional events she has participated in. …

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The Washington Post dedicates a feature in its Sunday newspaper to Michele Jimenez, a 22-year old Dominican danger who is now a principal dancer of the Washington Ballet. The dancer stars in the company’s new production of "Carmen," which Artistic Director Septime Webre has choreographed especially for her. Jimenez was discovered by Lorraine Spiegler, of …

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Economist and executive director of the government’s External Financing Unit, Andrés Dauhajre, has announced the number of construction projects that will receive sovereign bonds funding in each province: National District: 41 projects San Cristóbal: 35 Santiago: 27 La Vega: 26 Azua: 23 Monte Plata: 18 La Altagracia: 17 San Juan and Puerto Plata: 16 Sánchez …

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Officials and employees of the Interior and Police Ministry who say they were fired by the new minister, Pedro Franco Badía, have given him 48 hours to give them back their jobs. They warn that if he doesn’t, they will submit him to the PRD’s political committee and ask him to be expelled. The former …

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Santo Domingo’s Mayor Johnny Venture announced yesterday (Sunday) that he will run again for mayor in the elections slated for next May. His first campaign promise was a “Reurbanization Program for the National District” which would provide houses to residents in marginalized neighborhoods of the capital. Hoy reports that Ventura cited among his past successes: …

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The Haitian government has agreed to hand over to the Dominican authorities three people accused of being involved in the kidnapping of businessman Miguel de Moya last June. The accused, Juan Miguel Santos, his wife Carmen Dolores Burgos and Nereyda González are now in the Petionville jail. The Dominican ambassador to Haiti says Haitian President …

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The new home of the Supreme Court, which is 88% completed, has been abandoned by construction teams and is being used as a “public urinal and flop house” according to El Siglo. The newspaper reports that work on the site has stopped due to a lack of funding. The court house was budgeted at RD$534.75 …

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The Dominican Consul to the US, Luis Eludis Pérez, says many Dominican parents living in the US are sending their children to the DR for fear of anthrax. He said, “Dominicans here are still terrorized by what happened to the towers and believe the worst is yet to come; they are afraid their children could …

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