2005 – Page 151

Diario Libre reports on the court hearing held in room 15B of the US Southern District Federal Court in New York, where five more Dominicans are facing charges in connection with the Quirino Ernesto Paulino Castillo case. Judge Kimba Wood heard the pleas by twins Luis David and Jean Paul Ulloa, as well as Juan …

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Diario Libre reports that the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) has arrested a 19 year old Haitian, Laurel Boursiquot, with 14 packs of cocaine, totaling 15 kilos 480 grams. He had been under surveillance by the narcotics agents. The origin of the cocaine is being investigated.

The World Bank has rejected funding the proposed two coal-fired 600-megawatt plants the government had planned to install as part of its solution to the power crisis. As reported in Diario Libre, the government was to make the investment that would later be reimbursed to the government by the private operator once the plants entered …

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President Leonel Fernandez has convened the National Council on Migration for a meeting on Monday, 18 July to define immigration policies. According to the Interior and Police Minister Franklin Almeyda, the discussions will examine the provisos of Law 285-04. Almeyda and other immigration authorities met for several hours with the President yesterday. According to the …

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The Dominican government, through CDEEE administrator Radhames Segura, announced yesterday that it was trying to obtain two 600 megawatt, coal-fired generators from General Electric and the Skoda Corporation in the United States. This announcement follows President Fernandez’ announcement last week that the DR was looking at coal-fired generation as a possible short-term solution to the …

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Presidential economic advisor Julio Ortega Tous has announced that the monetary authorities are carrying out a full-scale audit of the banks involved in the 2003 economic crisis that forced the Dominican Republic to seek help from the IMF. Ortega called the banking crisis “the product of the former administration’s erratic and poorly handled economic policies, …

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New York investment bankers, Bear Stearns says that the Dominican government has a real chance of reaching the end of 2005 with a fiscal deficit of between 3.0% and 3.5% of GDP, and this will exceed the 3.9% target set out by the International Monetary Fund in the Letter of Intent. This, according to Franco …

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With divided opinions abounding, deputy Nelson Rodriguez (PRD) is proposing that alcoholic beverage consumption be banned at places like corner stores, kiosks, local markets known as “colmadones” or “ventorillos” and the shops at gasoline stations. While some of the deputies feel that the sale of such beverages should be controlled, others feel that such legislation …

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More than 20 business associations are pushing US President George W. Bush to renegotiate the DR-CAFTA agreement or forget about its approval this year. During a press conference that took place in Washington DC yesterday, representatives of a number of associations, together with both Democrat and Republican legislators asked Bush to withdraw the proposed legislation. …

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Industry and Commerce Minister Francisco Javier Garcia has announced that investors from the United States were looking into the leasing or purchase of some of the country’s old sugar mills. According to the minister, the investors are going to put the mills back into production at a level that has not been seen in 20 …

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