2004 – Page 162

Hoy newspaper speculates that the reason why the last 39 Dominican soldiers en route home from Iraq are stranded on the small island of Santa Ana, Portugal is because the Armed Forces Ministry lacks the funds to pay for their return tickets. The newspaper says the ministry should start a national drive to raise the …

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With three months to go before the end of his term, President Hipolito Mejia has appointed a new general consul in New York City. Radhames Abreu, the husband of leading PRD leading pollster and full-time re-election political advisor Ana Maria Acevedo, will hold the position from 25 May through 16 August 2004, or until replaced …

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Hoy newspaper spotlights today the name change of the highest peak in the Caribbean, from Pico Duarte to Pico Trujillo, as part of the changes contained in the Sectoral Protected Areas Bill. The bill, while highly controversial for the modifications it makes to the National Park lands, was approved by the PRD-majority Congress, with the …

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While President Hipolito Mejia has stated that he ?is still the President? regarding the signing of the revisions to the Sectoral Protected Areas Bill, he is delegating his responsibilities for the tax reform bill to the next government. This is despite the fact the Mejia government pledged to the IMF it would submit the bill …

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Franco Uccelli of Bear Stearns reports that governmental non-compliance with particular fiscal targets of the IMF standby agreement has led to the delayed completion of the scheduled April-May IMF review and the US$62-million disbursement. ?For all intents and purposes, the standby agreement with the IMF is at the moment on standby,? writes Uccelli in his …

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Finance Minister Rafael Calderon announced the formation of an Executive Office for Transition at the Presidential Palace, where members of the Governmental Transition Team will meet with a transition team appointed by President-elect Leonel Fernandez. Those representing the current government will be led by Rafael Subervi Bonilla, the former vice-presidential candidate; Secretary of the Presidency …

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President-elect Leonel Fernandez said that the government is not planning a dollarization of the local economy. ?That is absolutely not in our plans. We are not contemplating dollarizing the Dominican economy, but rather strengthening the Domincian peso. That is what this first phase calls for,? said Fernandez, as reported in Hoy newspaper. Economists at the …

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President-elect Leonel Fernandez will be in New Jersey to participate in the Thursday, 27 May commencement ceremony of Stevens Institute of Technology. He has been invited to speak at the graduation ceremony of 350 undergraduate students. During the ceremony, Fernandez will also receive an honorary degree. The invitation stems from Fernandez? support for the Stevens …

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Dominican contemporary music star, Juan Luis Guerra?s office has confirmed that Karen Records has authorized him to produce his new CD under the Univision Music Group label. The deal authorizes the release and distribution of his new production, ?Para Ti,? under the new label.  

After a week of light rains, a very powerful tropical wave hit the Dominican Republic over the weekend and sent torrential rains to the already swollen rivers and streams. In the cities there was major flooding in streets, keeping most people at home. According to the National Emergency Commission (CNE) Bulletin No. 3, nine people …

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