2004 – Page 3

There are Federal Charges pending against the former army captain in New York, according to the Diario Libre. The newspaper says that federal agents made their case before a Federal Court in the Southern District of New York three days after the arrest of Paulino in the Dominican Republic. Now the agents are doing the …

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Several pop concerts and major celebrations that were counting on a massive public demand for good music had to be cancelled for lack of ticket sales. Observers said that the economy and poor publicity were the causes for canceling the concert in the Color Vision amphitheater that was to include Aventura, Milly Quezada, Pavel Nunez …

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Today, 28 December, is called the Day of the Innocent Butterflies in the Dominican Republic and it is the day people play practical jokes on each other, some of good taste and others perhaps not so good. Usually, someone will phone and say that something has happened to some member of the family. Or that …

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The Estrellas Orientales from San Pedro de Macoris have made the round robin play-offs, thanks in part to a defeat of the Leones of Escogido by the Aguilas Cibaenas in the tenth inning of last night’s game at the Quisqueya Baseball Stadium, the Estrellas are now statistically assured of their participation in the final round …

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The Technical Secretary of the Presidency reported that the IMF’s board has placed the DR standby agreement on its agenda for 21 January. Temistocles Montas said that for this to happen, however, Congress must have approved the 2005 budget by 7 January. The legislators have postponed study of the budget for next year. Montas said …

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In the past two months the government has reduced its spending by RD$3 billion, in absolute terms, according to Finance Minister Vicente Bengoa. He attributed the savings to the appreciation of the peso and a general reduction in official spending. Bengoa told Hoy newspaper that the positive outcome has caused the IMF technicians to investigate …

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Finance Minister Vicente Bengoa reported that budgetary surpluses will be allotted to pay the internal public debt, or the so called quasi-fiscal debt, as established by Decree 1524-04. The practice in the past was for the President to have discretionary powers over the surplus. Bengoa says that this time around the government has agreed with …

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Deputies have been convened today to review the elimination of the 25% corn syrup tax, a major point of contention for the passage of the US-DR free trade agreement through the US Congress. The DR Senate approved the bill as presented by President Leonel Fernandez shortly before Christmas, after the government committed to submit an …

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The Dominican Association of Sweets Manufacturers maintains that with the issuing of Decree 15-04 on 15 November, the government is effectively doing away with the window that had been left open for local industries using sugar as an input material to compete. The new decree incorporates an article that forces customs to dispatch sugar only …

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Finance Minister Vicente Bengoa said that a decree issued by President Leonel Fernandez that eliminates the requirement that Honduran cigarettes entering the DR be stamped in order to resolve the conflict with British Tobacco. The company had pointed out that the precondition was in violation of trade agreements in effect. Bengoa said that a judgment …

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