2007 – Page 53

Treasury Minister Vicente Bengoa says that the government has a RD$1 billion fund at its disposal to tackle the problems caused by Hurricane Noel. In mid-September this year, the government approved a supplement to the National Budget, authorizing RD$2 billion for a fund for national disasters. The funds were set aside from a surplus in …

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In the wake of Tropical Storm Noel, the Customs Department (DGA) moved up to 1 November the start of the annual Christmas time tax exemption for returning Dominicans to bring gifts for their families and friends. The measure will be effective from 1 November 2007 through 7 January 2008 and this time around applies to …

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The first relief airplane has arrived in the DR. A Panamanian Red Cross plane landed in the DR yesterday carrying 100,000 pounds of supplies to help the victims of TS Noel. The shipment has a total value of US$150,000 and consists of cooking tools, disposable diapers, powdered milk, meats, medicines, mattresses, mosquito nets and blankets. …

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Venezuelan ambassador Francisco Belisario Landis said that five Venezuelan engineers, with experience in road and bridge building would be arriving in the DR tomorrow to help Dominican authorities in repair efforts. The ambassador said that the engineers would assess the situation with officials from the Ministry of Public Works. The officials were expected to arrive …

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Adding to the relief efforts, four of the nation’s transport unions, Conatra, Mochatran, CNTU and Fenatrado, made their way to the Presidential Palace to meet with President Leonel Fernandez and offered logistical support in the shape of 5,000 trucks and 100,000 cars and minibuses to help those in need.

Industry and Commerce Minister Melanio Paredes has guaranteed that there are enough propane and diesel fuel stocks for the next fifteen days, even though Noel has damaged installations at the Dominican refinery in Nizao. Paredes explained that there is a tank containing 120,000 barrels of regular diesel and 50,000 barrels of premium diesel and 12 …

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As a result of crop damage, the prices of some basic food products have increased. Diario Libre reports that in some cases the price of cassava or plantains is up by about 30%. Supermarkets did not advertise their usual midweek fresh fruit and vegetables specials as delivery trucks have only just begun to arrive from …

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Phone services are bank in all parts of the DR, according to Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) head Jose Rafael Vargas. Vargas said that service was restored to the southern provinces, which were among the regions worst affected by Noel. Vargas said that the leading telecommunications company Codetel had erected a temporary phone tower, since the …

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The state university UASD will remain closed until Tuesday. Hoy writes that in cooperation with the Center for Emergency Operations, the UASD is one of nine universities whose students and professors from around the country will help in relief efforts in the aftermath of flooding caused by Tropical Storm Noel. The universities will help in …

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The total number of deaths as a result of TS Noel has now risen to 73, while 43 people are reported missing and 62 communities are still cut off. In all 64,096 people have been evacuated from their homes, while 16,024 homes have been affected and of those 686 have been completely destroyed. Of those …

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