2006 – Page 51

Electrical engineer Luis Arthur warns that the cost of continuing with the Metro is way beyond the cost of admitting its untimely construction and stopping now. The builders have started construction works at different points across the 14 kilometer route, giving the impression that to stop it now would be impossible as the city would …

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The Chamber of Deputies has approved a 60-day extension of the current session in order to ponder the pending legislation, including DR-CAFTA, receive the 2007 Budget Proposal and the controversial “fiscal corrections” program. The deputies sent the legislation that will allow DR-CAFTA to come into effect for study by a special commission, which has to …

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Over the last two years, the Dominican Armed Forces have discharged 7,181 members for serious offenses including drug trafficking, contraband, robbery, assaults, kidnapping, illegal immigration, counterfeiting and other crimes. The number averages out to nearly 300 discharges each month, or ten per day. The group includes 200 high-ranking officers. The statistics do not specify whether …

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Dozens of hospitals in the northern Dominican Republic are being hit by a 24- hour strike by doctors, who are demanding increased wages and a better supply of medicines. They are also protesting against the practices of charging patients at public hospitals and of hiring doctors without going through the required processes. According to Oscar …

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The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL) describes the latest report on stolen cell phones as “alarming.” According to INDOTEL, an average of 600 cell phones were stolen each day during October. The head of the institute asked for cooperation from the media, and asked citizens to report all stolen cell phones. Companies that service cell phones …

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The nation’s oldest university is set for a meeting of the professors’ and employees’ unions. The unions meet today to discuss their strategy to get the administration to annul a contract with a local health insurance provider. University Dean Roberto Reyna said that the institution would not yield to the pressures being exerted by the …

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In a move that caught most political observers by surprise, Danilo Medina, one of President Leonel Fernandez’s closest advisors, resigned his post as Presidential Minister (secretario de la presidencia) yesterday. Speaking at a press conference at the Hotel Embajador, Medina told reporters that he was resigning his post – that combines attributes of the chief …

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Although the number varies across the media, a quake measuring 5.0 – 5.2 on the Richter Scale shook up most of the Cibao Valley and parts of the north coast yesterday morning. So far, there have been no reports of injuries or structural damage due to the shock, which was classified as “superficial” or close …

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The Cap Cana tourist project has successfully placed a US$250 million bond issue on the international bond market. The bonds are seven-year, 9.62% paper. This is the first time that a Dominican entity has been able to place bonds at an interest rate below 10%. The money will be used to pay off the US$62.3 …

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Make plans for attending the opening of the V Santo Domingo International Theater Festival that kicks off with a not-to-be missed performance of the Franco-Chilean production, “Roman Photo” (La Gran Reyneta directed by Jean Courcoult, director of the famed Royal de Luxe theater company) at 7 pm at the Plaza de Espana in front of …

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