2004 – Page 165

A statement to AP reporters made by US Undersecretary of Treasury for International Affairs John Taylor that the US would provide technical assistance to the Dominican government to dollarize the economy has brought the topic back to the forefront in the Dominican Republic. Taylor has debated that the high costs of discretionary monetary policy in …

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Latin American economics analyst for Goldman Sachs, Geoff Gottlieb focuses on the uncertainties yet to be defined as the Dominican Republic starts a three-month transition period between the Mejia administration and the incoming Fernandez administration. In the 21 May focus on the Dominican Republic issued after the election of former President Leonel Fernandez, Gottlieb wonders, …

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Ana Mitila Lora writes in today?s Listin Diario on the background of the First Lady-elect Margarita Cedeno. She comments that it will be the first time the Dominican Republic has a professional first lady. With a doctorate in law, Cedeno was the deputy legal advisor to President Leonel Fernandez during his first administration. She was …

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Adriano Miguel Tejada, the editor of Diario Libre newspaper, writes today that what clinched the victory of Leonel Fernandez in the recent election was that President Mejia did not respect the dignity of the Dominican people. ?People can tolerate all sins, as long as their dignity is respected,? he writes. Whereas he said a Balaguer …

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The dean of the PUCMM Law School, Flavio Dario Espinal, analyzes the reasons behind President Hipolito Mejia?s defeat in the 2004 Presidential election. While highlighting that the supporters of Mejia lost their sense of reality and political perspective after a majority win in elections of 2000 and 2002, Espinal believes the Mejia?s followers were convinced …

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He made headlines as the ?chimi colonel? after being expelled from the National Police in April 2002 for abusing his power. Police Colonel Juan Francisco Rodriguez Ruiz was dismissed when he arrested a vendor at an Elvis hamburger stand on Avenida Tiradentes who refused to sell to the colonel before clients who were before him …

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Lovers of jazz take note: the annual Casa de Teatro jazz festival has begun with its Thursday night jazz sessions. The festival opened last night with the presentation of the Magic Malik Orchestra from France. Performances will continue as follows: 27 and 29 May:  Luther College Jazz Band of Iowa (directed by Dominican musician Juan Guzman …

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The PRD-majority Senate yesterday approved the bill that incorporates major changes in the Sectoral Protected Areas Bill. The proposal now passes on to the Executive Branch for its conversion into law. The removal of large areas of interest to tourism and mining developers from the protected status allowed to national park lands has had the …

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The Mejia administration received 24% more in revenues for the January-April period than anticipated in the National Budget. So far, the government has collected RD$50 billion, said Central Bank Deputy Governor Felix Calvo to the press, as reported in Diario Libre. The Central Bank official said the Mejia administration would maintain the subsidy on the …

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El Dia newspaper reports today that the Mejia administration spent RD$80 billion in the first five months of the year between current and capital expenditures ? equal to two thirds of the National Budget. For this period, RD$44 billion had been allotted to government expenditures. El Dia points out that the additional money was spent …

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