2001 – Page 96

Former general manager of Dominicana Airlines, Hugo Bueno Pascal writes in Hoy newspaper that politics has kept Dominican airlines from flying to the US. He questions the US$15 million waste of money spent on a United Nations ICAO program to revert the ban for Dominican airlines to fly to the US. The money was spent …

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The Ministry of Environment has proceeded judicially against 35 companies accused of contaminating the environment. Sonia Vargas, assistant to the Attorney General of the Environment said that the department is studying another 160 cases. Vargas said that any company that contaminates the environment is subject to receive the full force of the law, regardless of …

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The Chamber of Deputies passed the Electricity Bill with modifications. The bill thus now returns to the Senate where the changes will be studied. The bill was deposited in the National Congress on 22 May 1993 and is still being debated, with the interested parties lobbying for advantages. Listin Diario reports that among the modifications …

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The Chamber of Deputies passed the first reading of the bill that would divide the National District (Santo Domingo) into the province of Santo Domingo, with four municipalities (Santo Domingo Este, Santo Domingo Oeste, Santo Domingo Norte and Boca Chica). To ensure the quorum, the Listin Diario reported that the government authorized the use of …

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Senator Jose Antonio Najri (PRD-Santo Domingo) is promoting a bill that would oblige government officers to provide requested information to journalists in a maximum of three days. The bill would penalize resistance to do so with three minimum salaries or prison of 30-60 days. The bill also incorporates a clause whereby newspapers would have to …

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El Caribe newspaper reports that President Mejia’s decision to verbally authorize the National Commission for Trade Negotiations (CNNC) of the Ministry of Foreign Relations as the body in charge of trade negotiations is not enough. Maritza Amalia Guerrero, of the CNNC says the dispute between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of …

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The Senate approved a loan for US$19.1 million for the equipping of the firemen of Santo Domingo.

Business spokesmen, civil society, politicians and economists that have opposed the issuing of US$500 million in sovereign bonds did not show up at the public hearings called by the Senate yesterday. El Caribe newspaper pointed out that the session was used by different entities to promote other sources of funds, such as that of Asper …

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The Special Commission for the Reform of the Constitution unanimously approved a proposal to reform the Constitution by way of a Constitutional Assembly. The commission that was appointed by the President to make suggestions for constitutional reform said a work group would study the percentage of participation the civil society should have in the Assembly. …

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