2005 – Page 80

El Dia newspaper is asking the government to clarify the Petrocaribe deal. The editorial points out that a questionable aspect of the Petrocaribe agreement is the issue of the 40% of the petroleum fuel that Venezuela will finance. The editorialist points out that the consumer is paying a price in gas stations that already covers …

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In its editorial today, El Dia newspaper mentions that deputy Victor Bisono (PRSC Santo Domingo) has criticized the fact that in transporting fuel from Venezuela, the DR loses around US$1.5 million a month. Diario Libre also carries a brief on the subject, mentioning that transport of crude from Venezuela is costing between US$230,000 and US$240,000 …

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Ambassador Clara Quinones, advisor to the minister of Foreign Relations, has responded to comments circulated on the internet by Guyanese national and former diplomat Sir Ronald Sanders. Sanders addressed a suggestion about the DR joining the Caribbean Community and its Common Market (Caricom), which was made by Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso. She comments …

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The newly created Superior Police Board (CSP) has integrated the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET) and the Tourist Police into its rank and file. According to El Caribe, these two units, created and trained for very specific jobs (traffic control and taking care of tourists) will now also be used for crime prevention. According to the …

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Temistocles Montas, the President’s chief economic advisor, continues to argue that if Congress does not approve the fiscal reform package, the future is dark for the Dominican Republic. Appearing before the leaders of the Chamber of Deputies, Montas, Taxes Department director Juan Hernandez and Customs director Miguel Cocco told the deputies that they are looking …

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The nation’s leading cartoonist, Harold Priego, has made popular the cartoon character of the Gato Publico, a fat cat that is a play of words. It refers to the “gasto publico”, public spending that has been fattened with surpluses in government payroll, government advisors, perks like travel and luxury vehicles for government employees, non-tendered bids, …

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Deputies introduced yesterday bills in Congress yesterday for the creation of five new provinces, as reported in Diario Libre. These would be the provinces of Haina, Constanza, Esperanza, Villa Riva and Santo Domingo Oriental. The bills presented by Juan Benito Reyes (PRD), Ramon Rogelio Genao and Mario Fernandez (PRSC) and Marcelino Dominguez (PRSD).

The Attorney General of the Dominican Republic, Francisco Dominguez Brito, told reporters that he would request the arrest, and detention of the Civil Registry officials, city councilmen or any other person involved in the passport scandal. Several of these officials have been accused of providing official and diplomatic passports to people that were never supposed …

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The Director General of Customs Miguel Cocco, and the representatives of DHL, UPS and FedEx reached an agreement whereby the three couriers agreed to abide by the Decree 402-05 that regulates courier operations in the Dominican Republic. There are currently 16 courier companies operating in the DR, according to association spokesperson Griselda Hernandez. Decree 402-05 …

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MEDEF, the French Businessmen’s Movement, visited the Dominican Republic last week and met with a group of government economists and private business representatives. The businessmen came to check out the investment climate in the DR. 40 French businesses and institutions were part of the mission that was coordinated by the Dominican ambassador in Paris, Guillermo …

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