2005 – Page 12

Half a million condoms aimed at controlling the spread of AIDS will be distributed to the public over the next few days. Diario Libre reports that the distribution will be carried out by the Presidential AIDS Council (COPRESIDA) and is being supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), according to Alberto Fiallo, who represents …

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Dominican bachata duo Monchy and Alexandra have been selected for five nominations in the Lo Nuestro Awards, to be presented in Miami next February. According to Listin Diario, another seven Dominicans have also been nominated: Juan Luis Guerra, Los Toros Band, Luny Tunes, Andy Andy, Milly Quezada, Aventura, and Top 4. The nominations were announced …

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President Leonel Fernandez instructed the National Competitiveness Council to continue work under its leadership in the tourism industry and come forth in early 2006 with the Competitiveness and Development Plan for the tourism sector. The plan is to have a focus on sustainability, social inclusion and the adoption of new trends and technologies. The National …

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Dominican President Leonel Fernandez travels to Haiti today, against a backdrop of recent tensions between Dominican and Haitians. He will meet with Haitian leader Boniface Alexandre, and other authorities, to discuss the issues surrounding the frontier, the repatriation of illegal immigrants and the alleged human rights violations against Haitian citizens in the Dominican Republic. This …

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The new taxes set forth in the latest legislation will go into effect in 20 days time, but the removal of import and other tariffs won’t happen until the DR-CAFTA accords begin to take effect. The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has 3,025 items due for tax breaks under the DR-CAFTA agreement. This situation will allow …

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Economist Bernardo Vega points out that President Fernandez had two options with the current tax situation: Plan A or Plan B. Vega says that Plan A would be to veto the legislation and thus save the IMF Stand-by accord at the expense of the DR-CAFTA agreement. However, Vega points out that in any event, most …

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Three different newspapers took three different looks as just what the proposed PRD-PRSC political alliance would do in the upcoming months. Diario Libre says that the alliance will propose Constitutional reform that would change the famous (or “infamous” as some would say) Article 55 of the Constitution that grants the President huge discretionary powers. The …

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CONEP’s Elena Viyella de Paliza, along with PRSC party leader Federico Antun and former JCE chief magistrate Ramon Morel Cerda expressed their support for the proposal put forward by Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez that would oblige government, political parties and the different economic sectors to provide follow through and continuity to the Dominican …

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Renewed Police efforts to keep the death toll down over the Christmas holidays include increased patrols along the Las Americas highway and along the busy Duarte Avenue in downtown Santo Domingo. The National Emergency Committee has announced a campaign beginning on 23 December and ending on 26 December, and repeating the program over the New …

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A rural judge (“alcalde pedaneo”) was arrested in connection with the kidnapping of Benjamin Gonzalez Reyes. According to Police, Gerardo Montilla Geronimo was one of the people who were guarding the kidnapped New York merchant. Two other men, identified in identity parades have also been arrested. Gonzalez Reyes spent two weeks in captivity as the …

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