2003 – Page 300

President Mejia economic advisor Andy Dauhajre, who was responsible for the placement of the US$1.1 billion in sovereign bonds for the Mejia administration, now comes out in the open saying he does not agree with fellow governmental economic advisor Carlos Despradel?s plans. As reported in Diario Libre, he spoke up on his TV show Trialogo …

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Businessmen Domingo Espinal Collado and Miguel Nu?ez, of the Asociacion Dominicana de Almacenistas Importadores (Asodai) complained to Hoy about the high cost the Monetary Board?s new strategy measures has for local businesses. They say that floating interest rates have soared to 52 percent for loans to small and medium sized enterprises. Loans greater than RD$1 …

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Former President Leonel Fernandez (PLD), while campaigning in the Northeast, accused the government of breeding pessimism among Dominicans. He said the political patronage and populist style of the PRD government has resulted in government overspending to pay high wages to PRD party members to the general detriment of the economy.  ?If the problem has a …

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With the Mejia government?s popularity at an all-time low, and the population reeling from a 40-percent depreciation of the peso that has led to major price increases, Attorney General Victor Manuel Cedespedes told Listin Diario that his office will order arrests this week of individuals accused of corruption. Cespedes, who has been on the job …

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Journalist Francisco Alvarez Castellanos writes in Hoy newspaper about the new Pegasus statue displayed at the San Isidro Air Force Base. President Mejia rides Pegasus sporting his chacabana. The item has turned into the talk of the town.  True, President Mejia has been a strong supporter of the military, but the Pegasus legend? Alvarez says …

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PRD-La Vega deputy Radhames Ramos Garcia turned himself in on Saturday and is being detained at the Palacio de Justicia in the Ciudad Nueva section of Santo Domingo. He was being sought by the judiciary for using his former status as consul in Cap Haitien to smuggle Chinese citizens into the Dominican Republic. Ramos Garcia …

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The Senate selected lawyers Roberto Rosario Marte, his replacement Cesar Antonio Guzman (both proposed by the PLD), and Jose Luis Tavares Tavares and his substitute Francisco Bautista Medina (both proposed by the PRD) to complete the total of nine judges appointed to the restructured Central Electoral Board (JCE). Rosario has been identified as a member …

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AES Ede Este cut power service to the state television station, Radio Television Dominicana. The TV station was operating over the weekend using its alternate power plants. Ramon Colombo, director of the station, said that the budget was approved by the President but the money to pay the service was not disbursed.

The Asociacion Nacional de Distribuidoras de Gasolina (ANADEGAS), the largest petrol retailers association, announced its 486 stations would stop placing orders as of midnight. The retailers are imploring the government to increase their profit margins. Shell, Isla, Texaco and Esso petrol distribution companies own a large number of stations that will continue to sell petrol, …

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Attorney General Victor Cespedes, new on the job since 9 January, met last week with the director of prisons and security chiefs of 33 jails. He told the press that recent prison statistics show that of the 16, 664 inmates in Dominican jails, only 5,164 have actually been convicted by a court for their crimes. …

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