2004 – Page 101

The Fernandez administration will be divided into three bodies ? economic, social and institutional. As reported in Hoy newspaper Presidential Secretary Danilo Medina said that in grouping the cabinet into these three areas, the government departments should run more efficiently.

President Leonel Fernandez has appointed the National District prosecutors, naming Jose Manuel Hernandez to the National District, Perfecto Acosta to the province of Santo Domingo and Leonel Sosa as the prosecutor for the Court of Appeals of Santo Domingo. Yesterday, Fernandez appointed Jose Francisco Pena Guaba as director of the Institute of Price Stabilization (INESPRE), …

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President Leonel Fernandez appointed Luis Inchausti, formerly of the controversial PEME program, as a government minister sans portfolio. At the end of the previous PLD government, Inchausti was jailed for his involvement in the program that handled RD$1.3 billion without adequate controls. Fernandez justified the welfare program as a decision ?to pay or to kill,? …

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Former Vice-President Jaime David Fernandez explained to El Caribe newspaper why neither he nor his followers have been appointed to government seats. Fernandez, who aspired to the PLD presidential candidacy in 2000 and lost out to Danilo Medina, said that the inaugural of a new President is ?like a wedding, and I am neither the …

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The tax reform bill goes back to square one, again, today. Alfredo Pacheco, the Chamber of Deputies president, said the bill would be studied by the deputies today and may be given priority so that it is approved immediately and passed on to the Senate, as reported in El Caribe. The legislation, which was compiled …

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Former Vice-President Jacinto Peynado was buried yesterday at the Cristo Redentor Cemetery. At the Presidential Palace, President Leonel Fernandez and Vice-President Rafael Alburquerque stood guard. Also present at the Presidential Palace were figures such as composer Juan Luis Guerra and Baseball Hall of Farmer Juan Marichal. At the Cristo Redentor Cemetery the deceased politician was …

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The nation celebrated the point-by-point battle of the Dominican women?s volleyball team versus the United States, as televised yesterday from Athens. It was a stellar night for 25-year-old Milagros Cabral, who scored a match-record 21 points, piloting the team spirit that clinched the match. As reported by the US Volleyball website, going into Wednesday?s match …

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Presidents Luis Lula da Silva (Brazil), Jorge Batlle (Uruguay), Abel Pacheco (Costa Rica), Ricardo Maduro (Honduras), Oscar Berger (Guatemala) and Boniface Alexandre (Haiti), who had come for the inaugural, joined President Leonel Fernandez on his first day on the job and met for three hours at the Presidential Palace. In the Declaration of Santo Domingo …

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President Leonel Fernandez expressed his support to the Free Trade Agreement signed with the United States during the past administration. Fernandez highlighted that free trade manufacturing zones in the Dominican Republic had thrived thanks to the Caribbean Basin Initiative, precursor of the FTA. Fernandez acknowledged that while the CBI promoted trade, it did so in …

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Finance Secretary Vicente Bengoa said yesterday that the government is studying mechanisms whereby domestic and foreign investors would advance funds for 3 to 5 years that would be used in future investments, via the Central Bank or the Banco de Reservas, to cover the savings certificates issued by the Central Bank. He expects most of …

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