2004 – Page 123

For the eighth time in 21 months, the startup of the Family Health Care plans has been delayed. The ambitious undertaking that would guarantee universal health care for all workers in the DR is contained within the new scheme of Social Security that will cover over 2 million workers. According to El Caribe, the Social …

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The 20-hour blackouts that much of the country is experiencing have caused consumers to change their eating habits for fear of losing money and to protect their own health. Meanwhile, the electricity generation was attaining only 619MW as of 4pm yesterday ? a record deficit of 827MW ? and bringing the whole country close to …

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With reports circulating that movie crews had to disinfect cells being used for a new film before shooting could start, a report today on illnesses inside prison walls has surfaced in El Caribe. After two years of work in the penitentiaries, Dr Miladys Confesor has reached the following conclusion: ?The principal problem is the crowded …

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Albert Pujols, already an All-Star and a major league wunderkind, had a super day yesterday, hitting five-for-five including three homeruns and single-handedly dismantling a 7-1 Chicago advantage to carry his St Louis Cards to an 11-8 victory. Pujols said, ?This was a day I?ll never forget!? He joined Miguel Tejada (Baltimore Oriols), David Ortiz (Boston …

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President Hipolito Mejia has disengaged himself from discussions regarding the tax reform bill. Speaking from San Francisco de Macoris, Mejia said that, while he is open to dialogue, the ball is now in Fernandez?s court. The outgoing President said he would not participate in any of the negotiations regarding the controversial bill. ?Leonel is the …

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With one month to go before the end of the incumbent administration, President Hipolito Mejia granted pensions to several of his officials. These include Public Health Minister Jose Rodriguez Soldevila, who is assigned a RD$46,216 monthly paycheck for his years in public service. Likewise, Attorney General Victor Cespedes Martinez, a virtual newcomer to government service, …

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Diario Libre speculates today on whether the record number of generals appointed by President Hipolito Mejia during his government will be retired when the PRD administration leaves office. The newspaper says that as of April of this year, the country had 191 generals and 29 major generals. At least 20 of them, it estimates, will …

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President Hipolito Mejia?s close aide, Hernani Salazar, who has been supervisor of public works during the Mejia administration, overseeing million-peso budgets, and was one of the key promoters of Mejia?s failed re-election campaign, would like to be the next senator for the province of Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris). The next congressional elections are to …

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Foreign Relations Minister Francisco Guerrero Prats said that the incoming authorities will have to request special funds to pay the Dominican diplomatic corps? final months? wages. He said the ministry had reduced the payroll by 20% when it let 97 foreign-service employees go in January in order to confront a budget compromised by the peso?s …

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Telephone service was suspended at the Education Ministry last Thursday, marking the second time this year the ministry has been left incommunicado. Previously, the government department headed by Milagros Ortiz Bosch had its lines cut for non-payment. Service was restored several weeks later in June after a payment agreement was worked out. Hoy newspaper says …

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