2005 – Page 100

The PRD has instructed its lawmakers to ratify the DR-CAFTA agreement at today’s session in the Senate. According to a report in El Caribe, PRD Secretary General Orlando Jorge Mera explained that the party had taken the decision at a meeting last Wednesday, 24 August 2005, in coordination with Senate president Andres Bautista, and the …

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The president of the Dominican Free Zone Association (ADOZONA), Arturo Peguero, said yesterday that more than 32,000 workers have been laid off this year, and that 48 free trade zone companies are currently registered as inactive. According to a report in Diario Libre, he said many of the closed companies have made severance payments to …

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The Santiago Association of Free Zone Industries has signed an agreement with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for the installation of a national center for the development of textile products. El Caribe reports that the project requires a RD$25 million investment and will provide state-of-the-art technology for the country’s textile industry. The agreement …

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Minister of Industry and Commerce Francisco Javier Castillo announced that prices of premium and regular gasoline would decrease by over RD$5 per gallon at midnight. The price of diesel could drop by almost RD$1 per gallon and propane gas may rise by several cents. Diario Libre reports that this decrease in fuel prices is justified …

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Arturo Villanueva, vice president of hoteliers association ASONAHORES, said yesterday that if the Dominican tourist industry does not receive the same tax conditions as its competitors in the region, it would lose some of its market share. He said that 70% of hotel rooms in the country are managed by foreign companies that may consider …

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The Participacion Ciudadana (PC) civil society movement asked the Central Electoral Board (JCE) yesterday to shorten the electoral campaign periods, in order to reduce costs. As reported in El Caribe, PC Executive Director Javier Cabreja suggested that the JCE bring the political parties together to propose that they delay the launch of the campaign until …

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The government of Haiti summoned its ambassador to the Dominican Republic yesterday after three Haitian migrants were beaten and burned to death in an attack that increased the tension between the two countries, as reported by EFE press agency. Immigrants Pierre Willy, Dominique Gilberto and Paul Cinius were attacked on 16 August 2005 in a …

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Attorney General, Francisco Dominguez Brito, ordered all the District Attorneys in the country to act immediately to vacate private properties taken over by squatters. The AG said that squatters cannot be given time to claim rights because the violation of private property is a serious problem in this country. That is why the justice department …

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During the first five days of the application of the security plan in Capotillo, the Police have arrested 89 persons, 75 of them during raids. According to police reports, 13 were kept in prison because they were driving motorcycles without documents or were carrying knives. The remainder was freed when it was determined they were …

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Leading transport union director, Antonio Marte, denied having a personal fortune of RD$145 million as reported by the Justice Department during a hearing in the Plan Renove court case. The president of CONATRA said the information was distorted because accounts that are used to collect payments from beneficiaries of the Plan Renove are being assigned …

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