2007 – Page 290

According to the Central Bank report the unemployment rate has decreased to 16%, down 0.4% from April 2006. These figures come as a result of the creation of 61,818 new jobs. The same Central Bank report points to a 10.7% growth rate at the close of 2006. This is one of the highest rates of …

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Central Electoral Board (JCE) president Julio Cesar Castanos Guzman has announced that he would not be accepting the controversial RD$66,000 incentive payment. Castanos has sent a letter to his fellow judges saying that the incentives have divided the JCE and that it affected their credibility with the public. “Leaving aside the legalities, I personally have …

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State-Run Electricity Companies (CDEEE) head Radhames Segura says that the DR has fulfilled all the necessary requirements for the country to access US$100 million in World Bank funding that will directed towards the energy sector. Segura says that the country received US$50 million last December but no date has been set for the rest of …

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Union leaders and business heads have yet to come to an agreement on a workers’ salary increase. The business sector is offering a 9.3% salary increase while labor representatives are asking for a 25% raise for all workers who earn up to RD$30,000. Business leaders say that they based their offer on the Consumer Price …

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The sales of rum in the country decreased by 15.9% in January compared to January 2006 and 34.5% compared to January 2004, according to figures released by Brugal & Co., the largest rum producer in the DR. Diario Libre writes that the company would be experiencing serious financial problems because of the recent fiscal reform …

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The Executive Branch has authorized the necessary measures to be taken before the National Congress so that an extra RD$696 million can be transferred to the city halls’ budgets. This money is in addition to the RD$804 million that was approved last Thursday. In total, the government is giving the municipalities RD$1.5 billion in funds.

The government does not have money for the construction of the Bani aqueduct, and will need to borrow the funds. The aqueduct is estimated to cost US$80 million. As reported in Listin Diario, a borrowing ceiling imposed by the Stand-by Arrangement with the IMF obliges the government to postpone this decision, as the government has …

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The Ministry of Foreign Relations has announced that it will use diplomatic channels to reply to Spanish Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Almudena Mazarrasa’s critical comments. Mazarrasa stirred controversy late last week when she commented on what she described as the lack of judicial security and public safety, and the high levels of corruption in …

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Taiwanese ambassador to the DR Eduardo Cheng has donated baseball and table tennis equipment to SEDFIR on behalf of his country, as well as four lawnmowers that will be used to cut the grass at several baseball facilities. Sports Minister Felipe Payano accepted the donations on behalf of the Dominican public. Payano says that this …

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The sale of sexual stimulants continues to grow and pills for male impotency have now become recreational drugs in the DR, according to the president of the Pharmacy Owners’ Association, Tony Rodriguez. Rodriguez is questioning the fact that pills like these are sold openly in bars, nightclubs and convenience stores. He says that not only …

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