2005 – Page 244

The National Association of Hotels (Asonahores) announced its support to Environment Minister Max Puig and his announcement that the ministry is drafting a new Sectorial Protected Areas Bill that would be sent to Congress. The ministry seeks an instrument that would preserve national parks while at the same time would stimulate public and private investment …

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The Ministry of Culture has taken over from the Ministry of Tourism the responsibility to organize the 2005 Carnival Parade of Santo Domingo, scheduled for 6 March along the Malecon. The ministry is investing RD$6 million in the organization. The Santo Domingo carnival gathers the best carnival groups from all around the country for a …

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National Symphony Orchestra long time mentor, conductor and director, 77 year old Maestro Carlos Piantini won the El Soberano, the most coveted of awards last night during the Casandra Awards ceremony. The Casandra Awards honored 30 categories of the best in Dominican performing arts and show business at the grand gala at the National Theater. …

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The issuing of savings certificates has become the main instrument used by the Central Bank and monetary authorities to remove money from circulation, to control inflation and stabilize the exchange rate. Statistics indicate that the amount of financial papers in circulation (zero coupon financial certificates) grew by 10.4% between December 2004 and early February 2005. …

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The Dominican Republic can’t continue along “the spiral of financing consumption with debt (external) that pays interest and with capital (foreign investment) that generates remittances of dividends, putting at risk the flow of future hard currency.” Economist Jose Luis De Ramon makes the point in his new book “Volver a Crecer” (Return to growth). De …

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The announcement of the metro mega-project has certainly stirred up debate on urban development. El Caribe newspaper reports that community leaders are baptizing such a project as a “Wall of Shame”. Alexis Pena (Coordinadora de Organizaciones Barriales Don Bosco), one of the community leaders, says that there are other challenges that are “cheaper and more …

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Engineer Ramon Perez Martinez, who as an engineer for Harris Consulting, worked on the design of the Medellin, Colombia metro, says that experiences in other countries ? Colombia, Venezuela and Puerto Rico ? clearly indicate that the metro will not cost what its promoter, Metro Minister Diandino Pena is announcing. “We are talking here that …

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The Association of Beer Producers (ADOFACE) revealed that its members paid RD$689 million in selective consumer taxes in January. This is a record setting figure. In 2004 the figure was RD$398 million, so the new figures are a 73% increase. In total, the state collected RD$926.76 million for alcohol taxes on rums and beers sold …

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On Saturday, former President Hipolito Mejia, speaking in San Francisco de Macoris, before a select audience of about 150 PRD members, and standing in the back yard of former Presidential Minister and head of the Renove Program, Siquio Ng de la Rosa, said that the current PLD government had “burned itself out” with its economic …

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Quirino Paulino Castillo cried when he was sentenced to be extradited to the United States. “Dear God, have pity on me,” he exclaimed. The former army captain and accused drug trafficker had earlier said good-bye to his family and friends after he heard the sentence from Supreme Court secretary Esperanza Pichardo. The sentence had 43 …

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