2007 – Page 338

Press reports say that the US government is pressuring the Dominican government to remove Dominicans with US residency who are serving as consuls in several US cities, as this is in violation of international law. This is a long standing practice of the Dominican government that appoints Dominicans living abroad to these revenue-producing posts. The …

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Due to taxes to be imposed on beer producers as part of the fiscal reform, the consumer now has to deal with a RD$10-RD$20 price increase on Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana beer. Since Tuesday, the price of a 12oz Presidente beer has gone up from its recommended price of RD$35 to RD$45, while the Bohemia brand …

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Dominicans ate more chicken than ever before in December. According to Diario Libre, Dominicans ate more than 18 million chickens in the month of December, and this is due to an increase in chicken production that reduced the cost of chicken to the consumer. Between January and November 2006, 145 million were eaten, a monthly …

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Wesli Steven Perez Adon has been certified as the first baby of 2007. Wesli was born 10 seconds into the New Year, 12:00:10, at the San Lorenzo Maternity Hospital in Los Minas. The bouncing baby boy weighs in at six and a half pounds and was pronounced to be in good health.

Despite the enforcement of the law forbidding consumption of alcoholic beverages in vehicles, drive-through alcohol venues will remain open. Owners say that the enforcement of the law, which also affects passengers, will reduce revenues by 90%, but that they would find ways to stay open. One place, El Trompo, will now open earlier and will …

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The Customs Department (DGA) has discovered a shipment of household appliances and other merchandise that was being imported into the country without paying the proper taxes. The shipment had a total taxable value of RD$106 million. The shipments were found in the ports at Haina Oriental and Boca Chica. Luis Sanchez, sub director of operations …

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The Santo Domingo Attorney General’s office has dropped money laundering charges against Antonio Flete Lima and Lourdes Ivelisse Machuca Castillo so that the pair may be extradited to the United States. The US government had asked for their extradition on 31 October 2003 so that they could be tried for money laundering and cocaine distribution. …

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Gobierno de la Manana morning radio talk show’s Julio Martinez Pozo called in on the Attorney General’s office yesterday and presented evidence that a government official had hired a man to murder him. Martinez was promptly led to Attorney General Radhames Pena’s office to discuss the issue. Martinez says that he provided detailed names of …

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Listin Diario reports that six Panamanian sailors have been left ashore in Puerto Plata by their ship, the Charlot. The lawyer for the six, Erick Urena, says that the men were contracted in Panama to deliver wood and sand to islands in the Bahamas on 23 December 2006. They claim that they entered port in …

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Major League Baseball wants to make it as easy as possible for foreign talent to make it to the Big Show, and that’s why MLB, according to Diario Libre, is launching a campaign for the State Department to allow baseball players to apply for a different visa to play in the United States. Currently, baseball …

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