2006 – Page 80

According to President Leonel Fernandez, the proposed constituent assembly is not a convenient method for reforming the nation’s constitution, as it would be highly laborious. Under tight security measures, the President addressed the nation from the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo (UASD)’s Aula Magna last night, in the presence of politicians, business representatives, public officials, …

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Looks like the constitution isn’t the only thing that’s being reformed. El Caribe newspaper is reporting that the Penal Code (CPP) will also be reformed in the hope of fixing some flaws in the system. The National Commission for the Execution of Procedural Reforms (CONAEJ) has contracted the services of Chileans Hugo Rojas and Rafael …

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Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso met with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Cairo yesterday. The pair discussed the Dominican government’s decision to strengthen ties with Egypt and expand relations with other Arab nations. The Egyptian Minister accepted an invitation to come to the Dominican Republic on an official visit. Morales said that …

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Secretary of Industry and Commerce Francisco Javier Garcia is traveling to Washington today to speak with American lawmakers about the final steps needed to complete the Dominican Republic ‘s entry into the DR-CAFTA agreement. Garcia and his delegation will meet with Tom Shannon, under-Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere at the State Department, and …

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Hoy newspaper is reporting that the Puerto Rican Metro loses US$95 million annually; this is according to figures published in the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia. The annual cost of the PR Metro is US$106 million, while revenues only total US$11 million. The paper reports that the US$2 billion project, the most expensive in …

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The Commercial Banking Association reports that financial indicators demonstrate that the banks operating in the country have shown positive growth during the first semester of the year, up from last year’s numbers. The value of deposits, loans and capital payments by the bank is higher than the figures from December 31st last year. Capital payments …

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Officials have announced new security measures at the National Palace, including the surveillance and monitoring of entrances through large screens. The electric gates that allow entrance to the National Palace will now be operated with fingerprint technology. In addition, the ID cards used by employees and media personnel will be encoded. As a final measure, …

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The diesel shortage in many gas stations continued yesterday after the supply of normal gasoline returned to normal. Listin Diario reports that according to the president of the Gasoline Retailers Association, Juan Ignacio Espaillat, Shell, Esso, Texaco, Nativa, Isla and Coastal are setting priorities and are providing all the fuel required for 75% of their …

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Thousands of people lined up at different centers issuing the motor vehicle license plate renewal stickers, after the Tax Department announced that there would be no extension of today’s deadline. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET) will impound vehicles circulating without the sticker and the owner will have to pay towing expenses.

The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel), in a letter to El Caribe newspaper, is reporting that cell phone thefts have declined by 50% over the last few months, from 20,000 reports to 10,000 reports. Indotel has also informed that 25% of businesses that activate cell phones haven’t registered with the proper authorities. Indotel President Jose …

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