2004 – Page 190

Verizon announced yesterday that rate increases will go into effect on 20 May, as reported in Hoy newspaper. Local calls costing RD$0.72 per minute will rise to RD$0.90 and local long-distance calls will rise from RD$2.95 to RD$3.10. The most significant increase will be the per-minute cost to Cuba, rising from RD$15.95 per minute to …

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Juan Felipe Mendoza, the vice-president of the renamed Bancredito bank (now Banco Leon under new ownership), visited Judge Anisska Serra de la Mota yesterday at 7:45am, and remained until 3pm at the court for questioning, after which he was free to leave. Mendoza had declined previous requests for him to appear for investigational purposes and …

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An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale struck Santiago yesterday at 12:15pm, according to the National Emergency Committee (COE). El Caribe reports say that students and residents panicked, in light of the 6.1 earthquake that tore through the area last 22 September, however no damage was reported. Hoy newspaper says that on Sunday another …

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San Francisco de Macoris, a northeastern city, has declared this coming Sunday a day of clean air, reports El Caribe newspaper. No motorized vehicles will be used in the city unless absolutely necessary. The Northeastern Catholic University, along with the Bishop of San Francisco de Macoris, is coordinating the event, the second of its kind …

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The Presidential candidates of the three leading political parties met on Friday at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and signed a pact whereby they pledged to discourage violence in the electoral campaign, respectfully accept the results on 16 May and to strengthen the nation?s democracy. President Hipolito Mejia signed on behalf of …

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Political violence broke out again this past weekend in a number of confusing incidents that sometimes involved party loyalists. The clashes occurred in Piedra Blanca, about half an hour north of Santo Domingo, and in the densely populated San Carlos sector of the capital city. In the first incident, three of the President?s military escorts …

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According to a report in El Nacional newspaper, Santiago Murray, the leader of the OAS electoral observer group, says there is little possibility of electoral fraud, and that these fears are dissipating slowly. This is what Murray told PLD leaders Cesar Pina Toribio and Temistocles Montas when they expressed their reservations and observations as to …

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The Central Electoral Board (JCE) recorded disappointing numbers yesterday for its announced dry run to verify voter registration cards and polling places saw less than a 3% turnout. Extremely few people appeared at the polling stations to see if they were registered properly. According to JCE Judge Rafaelina Peralta, not even 3% of voters showed …

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In a scenario very similar to that in the United States, El Caribe shows how the Presidential candidates are concentrating their efforts on those areas that will ultimately decide the outcome of the election. The regions of the Central Cibao Valley (Santiago, Moca, La Vega and San Francisco de Macoris), Puerto Plata, San Cristobal, San …

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On Friday, 16 April, the Paris Club announced it had settled an agreement with the Dominican Republic to reschedule US$193 million of the DR?s bilateral foreign debt. The agreement would consolidate around US$155 million of maturities that fall due between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2004, and US$38 million of arrears due to Paris …

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