2008

DR1 daily news digest will not be published through Tuesday, 6 January on the occasion of the New Year and Three Kings holidays in the Dominican Republic. Take note that 31 December has the character of a national partying day and Monday, 5 January is the official holiday celebrating Three Kings Day. Headline news will …

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The DR’s equivalent of New York’s Times Square New Year celebration is the Brugal-sponsored live bash at Avenida del Puerto. Starting at 10pm, leading Dominican bands will perform, including Hector Acosta (El Torito), Jose Alberto (El Canario), Tono Rosario, Rubby Perez, Jose Pena Suazo, Frank Reyes and El Chaval de la Bachata. Other parties are …

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Prince Albert II of Monaco was in the Dominican Republic to lend his name to the re-launch of the Punta Perla development in the Cabeza de Toro area of Punta Cana. Punta Perla is marketed as a luxury development featuring high-rise condominiums, beach and golf villas and 3.5kms of beachfront. The property extends over 10.2 …

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The Chamber of Deputies has now approved the 2009 budget for RD$329.9 billion. All is left is for President Leonel Fernandez to sign the budget into law. Hoy reports that the Chamber approved the budget without any modifications to the version originally approved by the Senate. The budget includes an addendum that replaces the US$1.9 …

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The growth sectors in the Dominican Republic, according to a Central Bank report in 2008 were communications, banking, energy, tobacco and alcoholic beverages, construction and sugar, as reported in Hoy. The telecoms sector showed a growth of 15.7% of GDP this year. This growth is attributed to the increase in cell phones, up 19.6% during …

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The National Drug Control Department (DNCD) seized 3,779 kilos of drugs in 2008, with most of the drugs seized in the provinces of La Romana and Santo Domingo East. Between August and September alone the DNCD impounded 418 kilos and of the 3,779 kilos, 927 kilos were of cocaine. The DNCD has also seized 17,000 …

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AES Dominicana and Marti Petroleum Group (Marti PG) have signed an agreement for the construction of what would be the largest and most modern fuel terminal in the DR, as reported in El Caribe. The proposed Caucedo Petroleum Terminal would involve a US$50 million investment. Carlos Jose Marti, spokesman for Marti PG, said that the …

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Villa Mella, a.k.a. Villa Metro, is the starting point of the DR’s largest public works project, but as the trains of technology and development pass overhead residents in many neighborhoods feel they have been forgotten by the development. Residents in the Vista Bella, Remanso, Carlos Alvarez, Maranon, Villa Linda, Barrio Nuevo, El Eden Segundo, Casa …

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UASD students have encountered yet another hurdle as they try to register for the 2009 semester. According to technicians at the UASD hackers have set up a false UASD web page (www.uasd.com.do), which includes a similar design to the UASD’s official site. The page was subsequently removed. The official web site is www.uasd.edu.do. University officials …

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Members of the public and private sector are expressing surprise and anger at the pardon granted to former Baninter manager Vivian Lubrano. Though initially the anger was directed at the fact that Lubrano had not served the minimum percentage of her sentence and that the Pardons Committee was not informed of the decision before the …

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