2005 – Page 164

Tens of thousands of words were written about the trial of Marino Vinicio Castillo. Castillo was being sued by former Mejia official and current senator Hernani Salazar for defamation of character. Eighteen witnesses testified on everything from helicopters to airfields and multiuse buildings. Judge Esther Agelan Casasnovas ruled that they contributed little to the process. …

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The case of accused drug trafficker Quirino Paulino Castillo just gets larger and larger. The El Caribe carries a headline that reports more extraditions in the case, this time involving former police lieutenant colonel Lidio Nin Terrero and the brothers Luis David and Jean Paul Ulloa. The Ulloas, naturalized United States citizens, who were arrested …

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Adriano Miguel Tejada of Diario Libre writes today an editorial commenting on Judge Esther Agelan Casasnovas’ decision to acquit lawyer Marino Vinicio (Vincho) Castillo from penal charges for violation of the freedom of expression law but at the same time rule that he pay a hefty compensation fee to former supervisor of public works of …

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18-year old guitarist Javier Rosario won the Berklee School of Music Michel Camilo scholarship that will cover tuition and expenses for four years (over US$132,000) for a Dominican student. Larry Monroe, vice president of the school, also announced that they were so impressed with the talent of the 20 finalists of 35 who applied for …

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Central Bank governor Hector Valdez Albizu believes that the current lowest interest rates on record will foster economic growth. This statement was made during Valdez’s participation in a televised meeting with President Leonel Fernandez for the new Agenda Presidencial Sunday TV program, as reported in Clave Digital. Valdez said that the current passive interest rate …

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Franco Uccelli, reporting for the Bear Stearns brokerage firm, reports that the completion of the first review under the country’s current stand-by agreement with the IMF will be delayed until late July. He explains that while a government delegation traveled to Washington last week in hopes of completing the review, the delegation “quickly realized that …

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The director of the Tax Department (DGII) said yesterday that there would not be any further tax amnesty or special treatment of tax evaders in the interest of getting all to pay their share. Juan Hernandez stated the government “could not continue to favor those who don’t abide (by the law)”. Hernandez was speaking at …

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The Department of Taxes (DGII) received RD$7.7 billion in May, representing a 54.25% increase in comparison to May 2004 when it reaped RD$4.04 billion. This is 16.4% more than it had estimated to receive. Income tax paid was up 74%, rising from RD$2.07 billion in 2004 to RD$3.6 billion in May 2005. Property taxes were …

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The Department of Transit of the Ministry of Public Works has announced that it has re-opened for renewals and issuing of first driver’s licenses. The good news is that the process is going to be 60% swifter; the bad news is that the cost of the service has doubled. Public Works Minister Freddy Perez announced …

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With tax reform on the drawing table and the Tax Department more aggressive in collecting taxes, another news story points to a major open faucet in questionable use of taxpayer money. Reportedly, non-governmental organizations have not fulfilled the law that requires them to send budgetary statements to the Chamber of Accounts once a month for …

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