2004 – Page 262

The electoral reform bill presently under study in the Chamber of Deputies would allow those who oppose President Mejia’s PRD candidacy to also run on the PRD ticket. But political observers say that if the leading three contenders – Milagros Ortiz Bosch, Rafael Subervi Bonilla and Enmanuel Esquea – go along with the bill they …

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As reported in Hoy, Enmanuel Esquea Guerrero has requested that the Supreme Court of Justice study the petition made by the three pre-candidates opposing the Mejia re-election effort, so that they may still run in the 16 May election. The three want to choose among themselves a political candidate to be registered with the Central …

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Ramon Perez Figuereo, a notorious merchant of strike organization in the Dominican Republic, is back at it. Like many others, the transport union leader lost credibility after the government met the price of many with the offer of very advantageous finance programs for the renovation of their member public transport vehicular fleets. Now Perez Figuereo …

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The daughter of Armed Forces Minister Jose Soto Jimenez declared that a bag containing her jewellery as part of her travel luggage was stolen. Claudin Soto Thormann had arrived from Madrid, Spain, on board an Iberia flight. She said her lost gems are worth more than half a million pesos and that she noticed they …

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The Diario Libre reports that legendary Army Colonel Pedro de Jesus (Pepe) Goico worked side by side with Army chief Radahmes Zorrilla Ozuna in the morale-boosting given to the 150 men who leave tonight for Iraq as part of the Quisqueya Task Force. These soldiers will replace the first group that returned on Sunday. Diario …

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All the newspapers herald the safe return of a contingent of 150 Dominican troops who returned home from Iraq over the weekend. They are due to be replaced by an equivalent number in the coming days. The soldiers are reported to have completed their six-month tour of duty in the Middle Eastern country, where they …

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The tax department (DGII) announced that monthly wages of up to RD$16,455 will not be assessed income tax. This is retroactive to 1 January 2004 and reflects the official 42.5% inflation rate announced by the Central Bank this month and the year-end figure at the official market of RD$35 to US$1. The Listin Diario points …

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Diario Libre devotes a full page to an analysis of the abysmal state of Dominican household economics. The “canasta familiar,” or the amount of money needed to buy the most basic household products each month, is now calculated at RD$5,380. In 1999, the family basket was worth about half that amount at RD$2,528. If inflation …

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Two of Saturday’s principal newspapers featured headlines telling of gasoline prices and their new, unheard-of levels. Premium gasoline hit RD$92.40 a gallon, while regular was quoted at RD$83.95. A gallon of diesel was going for RD$66.05. These prices reflect a RD$20.92 rise in premium since the first of the year, RD$19.86 for regular and RD$18.65 …

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The United States asked the Dominican Republic to remove all tariffs for what is called the “Dominican Flag” or “la bandera dominicana”, in other words, rice, beans and chicken, by 2005. These products, together with onions, sugar, milk and garlic, are included in the products to be protected by the Technical Rectification of the World …

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