2004 – Page 67

The price of regular unleaded gasoline dropped last Saturday, now selling for RD$93.20 per gallon down from RD$95.20. As such, premium gasoline also dropped to RD$101.60 from RD$104.10 last week. Amid reports of a scarcity, the price of diesel is up to RD$75.50. Shell stations are primarily stocking the fuel. The prices were fixed taking …

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A 20-pack of Marlboro cigarettes that previously cost RD$284.92 was increased to RD$368.50 to reflect the increase in taxes following the implementation of the new tax reform. Similarly, a 22-oz bottle of Presidente beer will now cost RD$50, while a 12-oz bottle sells for RD$30, representing increases of 22% and 20% over previous prices.

As a result of the tax reform legislation that took effect last week, Centennial, Orange, Tricom and Verizon telecommunication companies have announced a 100% increase in taxes on their clients’ billings as follows: The 12% ITBIS tax is increased to 16%. A new 10% luxury tax, as per the tax reform, is to be assessed …

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Dominican Republic’s trade with the Popular Republic of China represented more than US$150 million in 2003, according to the commercial representative Cai Weiquan, who said that this figure is up from a level of less than US$1 million in the 90s. He said that China exported US$130 million in 2003 to the DR, while the …

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Former DR Ambassador to the US Bernardo Vega writes today on the bad timing of sugar mills owners when they supported a modification of the tax reform to include a surcharge on bottled drinks that are manufactured with corn syrup instead of sugar. Vega says that the sugar industrialists should have waited until the US …

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The 15-year-old son of Chamber of Deputies leader Luis Alfredo Pacheco was injured by a bullet to his left leg, at the hands of strangers who attempted to steal a cell phone, sneakers and the Honda 90 motorcycle being driven by his friend, 23-year-old “motoconchista” Leonardo Espinal. He is reportedly recovering satisfactorily in the Plaza …

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Lawyer Roberto Alvarez writes in El Caribe newspaper today about the myths that continue to appear in the Dominican press regarding the illegal status of Dominicans in the US and the misguided notion that Dominican boat people and deportees are major instigators of crime in the DR. Alvarez is bothered by the whimsical treatment of …

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Felix Sanchez, who is Brooklyn-born of Dominican parentage, returned to Santo Domingo on Sunday to revel in the grand welcome the city, government and sports groups had prepared in his honor. As a two-time world champion, Felix Sanchez most recently took the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdle event in the Athens Olympics, netting the …

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President Leonel Fernandez requested that Congress eliminate the tax on corn syrup sweeteners established in the recently ratified Tax Reform Law 288-04. The chief executive sent the request to the Senate in a communique dated 30 September, 2004, in which he also points out his intention of correcting the eventual distortions produced by the law …

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The Dominican government has promised to pay the generators US$60 million over the next three months. Yesterday 15-20 hour blackouts were still affecting the country, although in some areas more hours of power were delivered for a slight relief. Energy sector officials Radhames Segura, Ruben Montas and Francisco Mendoza met yesterday with the heads of …

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