2007 – Page 137

The Chamber of Deputies has approved a legislative package submitted by Senator Francisco Dominguez Brito that calls for school texts to remain fixed for a four-year period before any changes take place. Publishers will be responsible for ensuring that they provide the necessary textbooks each year. The bill grants the National Education Council the authority …

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The Ministry of Agriculture is negotiating with an international financial institution to secure funding for a billion pesos worth of greenhouses. The greenhouses will be used for food production. Vice Minister for Agricultural Production Antonio Manuel Camilo, told El Caribe that some of the greenhouses would be used in the coop programs sponsored by the …

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Obviously the tragic events in Minneapolis, Minnesota have turned local observers’ attention to local spans. Listin Diario carries three stories on bridges in today’s edition. The first one concerns the bridge over the Haina River that has been abandoned since its construction began nine years ago. The bridge at Palave, in western Santo Domingo is …

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The Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) proclaimed its candidate for the May 2008 presidential election yesterday. The event took place at the Palacio de los Deportes in the Juan Pablo Duarte Sports Center. During the event, PRSC candidate Amable Aristy Castro promised a government for the poor. Aristy Castro made headlines during his campaign after …

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The most recent poll on Dominican politics carried out by CIES International, the Florida-based public opinion polls and marketing research organization that follows Latin American affairs, has found that Eduardo Estrella’s resignation from the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) has slightly changed the political landscape. The CIES International poll conducted from 1 to 3 August …

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A recent study by the Juan Montalvo Center for Social Studies reveals that the government’s social programs are duplicated by various agencies. The study, by development and social policy experts Rosa Canete and Olaya Dotel, seems to indicate that despite the existence of the Price Stabilization Institute (INESPRE) and the Presidential Plan to Fight Poverty, …

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A study by the Juan Montalvo Center for Social Studies reveals that about 70% of the Dominican working population receives 34% of total earnings while 30% receives 62% of all earnings. Felipe de los Santos, an economic analyst, revealed that the working population – salaried or independent workers, professionals and management – average just RD$12,435 …

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The Dominican Republic exports US$147 million in goods to Haiti, and this trade has grown by 18.8% in 2006. This makes Haiti the DR’s third largest trading partner. However, these figures do not take into account the more informal trade that takes place across the border, a sum that many say at least duplicates the …

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El Mundo del Juguete, Jugueton and La Isla stores have told Listin Diario that they would remove any Mattel and Fisher-Price toys that could be on the list of toys manufactured in China with paint containing lead. Jose Fragoso of Jugueton told the newspaper that they have returned a shipment of the toys. He said …

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The director of Armed Forces intelligence, Valentin Jaquez told reporters that a special commando unit has been formed to monitor the country’s ports for the export of stolen metal, especially stolen electric cables. The J-2 for the Armed Forces said that the unit, which will be led by an army general, would be responsible for …

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