2004 – Page 246

Members of the ruling PRD party’s rival factions remain entrenched in their positions today. The President’s camp, the PPH, is hoping for an agreement with those opposed to the President’s re-election, according to leading activist Eligio Jaquez. During a statement in which he announced that the President would set up his campaign headquarters next week, …

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The proposed reform to electoral law that has already compounded the divisions in the ruling PRD party now threatens to divide those who had been championing it. The Ley de Lemas, or Preferential Presidential Vote, is being pushed through the legislative process by the PPH, the PRD faction promoting President Hipolito Mejia’s re-election ambitions. The …

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The violent clashes between protestors, police and government supporters in Haiti reached the border town of Ouanaminthe (known by Dominicans as “Juana Mendez”) this week. Jesuit organization Solidaridad Fronteriza, which works with refugees, has denounced alleged persecution and repression of government opponents in the neighboring country. The Dominican military has increased its vigilance in the …

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An international team of specialist surgeons is in the country to perform a unique operation on little Rebeca Martinez, who was born seven weeks ago with an additional undeveloped head. There has only been one comparable case in medical history, and the US$100,000 surgery is being funded by charity organization Cure International combined with some …

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Venezuela’s Tigres de Aragua defeated the local Tigres del Licey 5-3, thanks to the excellent pitching of Ricardo Palma and Luis Serrano. The DR had won its previous three games. The DR tonight squares off at 8pm with Puerto Rico, which has lost all its games in the series, including a 6-5 loss against Mexico …

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The prolonged electricity cuts are forcing some businesses to trim their working hours and send employees home early. The lengthy interruptions in power supply mean that most backup systems like inverters and generators are pushed beyond their limits. Supply is reportedly at well under 50% of normal capacity. Generating company Ege Haina yesterday produced just …

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El Caribe reports that the delays in repairing the Duarte Bridge have caused the cost of the work to rise to RD$874 million. This is RD$256 million more than the cost of the new Juan Bosch bridge that was erected parallel to Duarte Bridge. In 1998, the bridge repair was entrusted to the Conde Mouchel …

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The latest on the controversial electoral reform bill — Ley de Lemas, or Preferential Presidential Vote Bill– is that Chief Justice Jorge Subero Isa will today examine a bid by Senate leader Jesus Vasquez to have it declared unconstitutional. The bill, which has passed a first reading in the Senate where it arrived after being …

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Resistance to the proposed law continues to echo from beyond the political and judicial institutions. Religious leader Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado also called on those responsible for promoting the Ley de Lemas to engage in “reflection about the possible complications” the proposed law would cause in the electoral system. Private business association CONEP leader Elena …

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Vice President and PRD pre-Presidential hopeful Milagros Ortiz Bosch met with President Hipolito Mejia at the Presidential Palace yesterday, where, according to Ortiz Bosch, education was the main subject of discussion. While the VP also doubles as Education Minister, she has delegated her ministerial duties while engaging in her political campaign. Speaking after the two-hour …

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