2007 – Page 17

The Government Council is meeting in Barahona today and President Fernandez will chair the meeting. On the agenda is a look at the recovery efforts after the damage caused by Tropical Storm Noel. Local farmers are waiting to hear what the government has to say about the requests for machinery to begin the next farming …

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Representatives from the Dominican Republic and Canada have begun the first of five rounds of talks aimed at reaching a Free Trade Agreement between the two nations. The talks are being held in Ottawa, according to the head of the Dominican-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Eduardo Dominguez. The FTA with Canada will be based on a …

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Resolution 02-07 from the Ministry of the Interior and Police has banned the sale of fireworks to individuals. The resolution also prohibits the sale of fireworks in stalls. Chapter V of the resolution limits sales of fireworks to professional pyrotechnical personnel who must obtain permits for any activities. All public sale of fireworks is prohibited. …

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Reconstruction of the barrios surrounding the Guajimia Creek continues with the start of construction of 1,072 low-cost apartments. President Leonel Fernandez led the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new construction is budgeted at RD$532 million and is part of a relocation program for residents living within the Guajimia flood plain. The whole project is being financed with …

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At least five of the goals set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have not been reached by the current administration. The IMF Stand-by arrangement ends on 31 January 2008. Among the issues still pending are the modifications to the Monetary and Finance Law, the lack of rules for financial intermediaries, and the fiscal surplus …

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The Santo Domingo municipality inaugurated a new children’s playground at Plaza Cristo Libre yesterday in the green area at the extreme north end of Tiradentes Avenue in La Augustianita barrio in Cristo Rey. The park includes children’s recreational equipment, is well lighted and there is plenty of seating in the 6,400 square meter area.

The National Administration and Personnel Office (ONAP) has openly questioned the feasibility of the proposed fourteenth salary that Congress could pass benefiting government employees in July 2008. The idea behind the proposal is to enable public employees to cover the costs of sending their children to school. ONAP says that there is no way to …

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Twenty four parties will be represented at next May’s Presidential elections, but there will only be voting for six candidates: Leonel Fernandez, Amable Aristy, Miguel Vargas, Eduardo Estrella, Pedro de Jesus Candelier and Trajano Santana. Few of the smaller parties have strong enough candidates to go it alone, and so they ally themselves with larger …

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A long-awaited Gallup-Hoy poll was released today showing President Leonel Fernandez (PLD) leading in the polls with 47%, Miguel Vargas (PRD) with 31% and Amable Aristy (PRSC) with 10%. 53% of Dominicans believe that one of the candidates will win in a first round vote. In the DR, 50%+1 of the vote is needed to …

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The Gallup-Hoy poll indicated that Dominicans consider that their most pressing problems are inflation and the high cost of living, unemployment, and blackouts and security problems are tied in third place as the leading priorities. Dominicans perceive that there have been improvements, nevertheless. The poll reflects significant differences between results in August 2007 and November …

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