2005 – Page 3

The government is enjoying a cash bonanza as a result of record import and export tax collections, as reported in Hoy newspaper. Customs director Miguel Cocco says that these collections have surpassed the amounts projected as part of the stand-by arrangement with the International Monetary Fund. He said that collections have reached RD$36.7 billion – …

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According to the Commercial Bank Association’s Quarterly Bulletin, this sector’s assets have increased to RD$290.3 billion from January to September 2005, as reported by El Caribe. This amount represents an absolute increase of RD$36.6 billion and a relative increase of 14.43% compared to 2004. This growth has permitted the satisfactory recovery of intermediation in economic …

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The government opened the Los Alcarrizos crossing to traffic in time for the Christmas holiday on Friday, 23 December. The four-lane overpass is 1,200 meters long and 19 meters wide and is said to have cost RD$550 million. An estimated 80,000 vehicles cross over that point each day. Construction on the overpass began at the …

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Engineer Jose Modesto, president of Grupo Modesto has announced that work is progressing on the 28-km San Cristobal highway expansion to add a lane in each direction, and space for two more lanes in the future. A 12.5km bypass highway is being built so that through traffic can avoid the city of Bani. He announced …

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Clave Digital reports that the Ministry of Public Works has budgeted RD$$108.5 million for repairing a 1.5km stretch of Ave. Gustavo Mejia Ricart between Nunez de Caceres and Luperon Avenues, that is said to be in good condition. The online publication highlights that the amount budgeted exceeds the RD$91 million allotted for repaving streets in …

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The Ministry of Public Works has warned that unscrupulous people are charging more than RD$2,000 for fake driver’s licenses. Deputy Minister Mario Holguin, who is in charge of the Transit Department, asked citizens not to let themselves be swindled as the false document is not valid, and will be seized by authorities as soon as …

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More than 120 firefighters worked throughout the Christmas holiday to control a fire believed to have been caused by a bonfire left behind by men hunting wild pigs in the Pelempito area of Pedernales. The firefighters’ work was made harder by the drought that is affecting the area. Environment Minister Max Puig said that the …

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A woman from Villa Mella has given birth to sextuplets in Plaza de la Salud. Maxima Perez, who suffers from sickle-cell anemia and already has a five-year-old girl, gave birth by Caesarian section to three boys and three girls at 1 pm on Monday, 26 December. Diario Libre reports that the babies are one and …

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The final Christmas report from the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) indicates that 26 people died during the 23-25 December Christmas holiday. This is down from 33 deaths over the same period in 2004. 359 were reported injured (last year there were 350 injuries reported). Of the total, 324 were injured in traffic accidents and …

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DR1 Daily News will be taking a break for the Christmas holidays. There will be no news updates on Thursday, 22 December through Monday, 26 December. A Tuesday, 27 December edition will summarize news happenings over those days. DR1 Forums, nevertheless, will continue open to postings 24/7. Any breaking news can be posted there at …

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