2005 – Page 108

The entire country was affected by a general blackout yesterday, the second of its kind in just two weeks. According to the Superintendence of Electricity, it resulted from damage to the transmission lines in Haina that caused all the generators on the interconnected electrical system to collapse. Last night approximately one quarter of the 450 …

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“Andrea: The Revenge of a Ghost”, a supernatural horror film by new-generation producers Robert and Frankeli Bencosme, is the latest Dominican film to open at local cinemas. It is supposedly based on the true story of a girl living in Moca, who takes a cross from a grave to place it on that of her …

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Dominican Miss Universe 2003 Amelia Vega has formally announced her engagement to Shalim Ortiz. Shalim is the son of Dominican TV and show business star Charityn Goico and Puerto Rican TV producer Elin Ortiz. Shalim grew up in show business in Puerto Rico and subsequently in Miami, when the family moved there. He is preparing …

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Last night, President Leonel Fernandez appointed Bernardo Santana Paez as new Chief of Police and Bautista Rojas Gomez as Minister of Public Health. Also appointed were Modesto Guzman to the Dominican Postal Institute (INPOSDOM), former Public Health Minister Sabino Baez at the Dominican Institute of Social Security (IDSS), and Leoncio Almanzar at the Corporation of …

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The government is preparing a plan to make the collection of energy bills more efficient, especially from large businesses that evade paying for the service, announced President Leonel Fernandez. The President believes that the distribution system is a key factor in tackling the problem because once a more efficient distribution system becomes available, the cost …

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President Leonel Fernandez has inaugurated the Integrated Information System of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, a system that puts all the institution’s services online. A report in Diario Libre says that the system is the biggest transformation that has taken place in the ministry, which is led by Carlos Morales Troncoso. The President stated that …

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The Department of Customs (DGA) has revealed that it collected over RD$5 billion in July. This is 25.72% more than taxes on imports collected in 2004, when RD$3.9 billion was collected. The revenue level is much more impressive when taking into account that in July 2004 a RD$45.56 to US$1 tax exchange was used on …

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Que Se Dice column in Hoy newspaper comments today that it is not just ministers who are eligible for state-funded luxury vehicles, but lower ranking officials too. The columnist points out that the “yipetocracia” has no mercy for the woes of the Dominican people, and keeps on growing, while the government’s thirst for taxes has …

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The former governor of the Central Bank, Luis Toral, has said that the government can meet its present level of spending once DR-CAFTA comes into effect, without the need for fiscal reform. Speaking at a press conference at the Barcelo Gran Hotel Lina, he said that fiscal reform could wait until 16 August 2008. He …

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Argentine Ambassador Jorge Roballo warned the DR about its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stating that the organization’s policies in his country were effective in the short term, but later went on to increase poverty and unemployment. In an interview with Listin Diario, he stated that the IMF’s economic formulas had resulted in …

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