2005 – Page 217

The man responsible for the development of the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) into a highly respected transit force in its first years, Hamlet Hermann proposed yesterday that the government undertake seven projects to resolve the north-south transport problems of the city of Santo Domingo instead of the construction of a first metro line. Hermann has …

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Jack T. Allison, executive director of the Puerto Rico Transportation Authority Transportation, said in Santo Domingo during his participation in the metro workshop called by the Dominican College of Engineers (CODIA) on experiences in other countries, that in Puerto Rico the construction of a 17-kms urban train is part of a major effort to recreate …

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While the Mejia administration borrowed a US$10 million loan (later expanded to US$76 million) to purchase eight Bell OH-58 helicopters these have been of no use to fight the forest fires in the central mountain range. A simple accessory, known as Bambi Buckets, has been lacking, as Diario Libre reports today. The Bambi buckets are …

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Germania Perez, who is in charge of the forestry in Villa Altagracia says that they found tires amidst the burned forests in the Loma del Novillero, as reported in the Listin Diario newspaper today. She says this makes them believe that vandals could have caused some of the fires.

The Customs department has released information on a gang that allegedly imported at least 533 luxury vehicles free of taxes during the past administration. The cars were imported with the complicity of 28 employees and 12 outsiders. The case was sent to justice. Deputy director of Customs said that the importers evaded RD$128 million in …

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The director of Customs, Miguel Cocco announced the cancellation of several Customs employees and the suspension of military that have been detected involved in cases of extortion at the Las Americas International Airport. Cocco showed journalists photographs of employees caught when introducing money into their pockets. The photographs are from actual videos.

The Listin Diario focuses today on the scant use of the mega installations built for the 2003 Pan American Sports Games at the Mirador del Este Sports Park. Then president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, Dr Jose Joaquin Puello insisted, when convincing the Mejia government to host the games, that the celebration of the games …

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The opposition party-majority Senate approved bond issues for RD$6.39 billion yesterday. It also authorized the government to renegotiate the terms of the two sovereign bond issues that total US$1.1 billion. Another domestic bond issue was postponed until some of the terms could be defined. The bond issues that were approved included RD$2.33 billion to provide …

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Beat Siegenthaler of Commerzbank Emerging Strategy Team says that after the passage of the bill the way will be clear for the government to announce the terms of the debt swap. He expects the announcement to be made shortly “as the government is keen to do so before the next Paris Club meeting in mid-April …

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The devastating fires that are consuming the forest reserves of the Central Mountains are about 50% contained according to the Venezuelan officers that are manning the two helicopters that are dropping water on the blazes. From La Cienaga, near Jarabacoa, the Venezuelan volunteers are working long hours, flying their large Cougar helicopters to and fro, …

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