2003 – Page 261

Susan Whelan, Canadian minister for International Cooperation, today announced that Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will contribute 17.8 million Canadian dollars to fund two initiatives that will provide significant assistance to the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The announcement coincides with the visit of Prime Minister Jean Chr?tien to the Dominican Republic. The …

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In an interview with El Caribe newspaper, Danilo Rosario, director of both the Center for the Promotion of Exports (Cedopex) and the Office for the Promotion of Investments (OPI), announced the formation of the Center for Export and Investment. The new government office would be the product of a merger between the two promotion centers. …

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President Hip?lito Mej?a has promoted Superintendent of Banks Alberto Atallah to the position of Administrative Secretary of the Presidency. Atallah was removed from the Superintendence of Banks after that institution failed to exercise its supervisory role in ensuring that all banks adhere to the banking law, specifically in the case of Baninter. Despite weeks of …

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President Hip?lito Mej?a appointed former president of the Governmental Commission of Power, George Reynoso, as his new Superintendent of Power, to replace engineer Julio Cross. During his tenure as superintendent, Cross had often confronted the power companies, obliging them to comply with the Electricity Law in areas unfavorable to the companies but beneficial to consumers, …

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Colonel Pedro Julio (Pepe) Goico, former security chief of President Hip?lito Mej?a, was appointed deputy commander of the Sixth Brigade of the Army, based in San Pedro de Macoris as reported in the List?n Diario. When originally appointed to the key security position in the Mej?a administration, Goico was free on bail after being indicted …

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Journalist Juan Bolivar D?az writes in Hoy newspaper?s Sunday edition that these are tough times for responsible journalists. He mentions the case of Baninter as having an effect on the devaluation of the peso and highlights that already the government has had to come to the rescue of the institution with RD$10 billion (from September …

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The Association of Industries of Haina urged the government not to use the loans recently passed by Congress, as they have hidden costs as they force companies to make purchases of inputs abroad. Rafa?l Alvarez Crespo and Jorge Abbott, president and advisor to the Association, told Hoy newspaper that there needs to be more transparency …

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The Export-Import Bank increased its financing activity level by about 10% for Fiscal 2002. Total financing (loans, guarantees, and insurance) was up to $10.1 billion from $9.2 billion previously, with the number of transactions edging up to 2,516 from 2,358, according to the bank. The Dominican Republic was one of the very few countries that …

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List?n Diario reports that fiscal revenues for the first quarter of the year are down RD$1 billion. The decline is attributed to the 10% surcharge on most imports instated by the government precisely to reduce imports and control the run on the Dominican peso. The new car dealers association (ACOFAVE) says member sales are down …

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Current 400-meter hurdles world champion, F?lix S?nchez promised President Hip?lito Mej?a he would give his all to win a gold medal for the country in this event in the Santo Domingo Pan American Games. S?nchez visited Mej?a at the Juan Dolio beach house and announced that he would not participate in the International Associations of …

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