2008 – Page 123

Wonder why traffic jams are so bad in Santo Domingo? Although there is no definitive answer it can be said that the poor condition of the city’s roads has a lot to do with congestion, as reported in Listin Diario. Holes are scattered across many of the busiest roads in the city causing drivers to …

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PLD member and Dominican Civil Aviation Institute director Jose Tomas Perez has been invited to attend the Democratic National Convention being held at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Perez is the only Dominican invited to the event. This is the second time he has been invited to the DNC. He attended Al Gore’s 2000 …

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So far this year, travel to the Dominican Republic is up 5.21%, but figures from July show that the upward trend in visitors could be reversed. Diario Libre reports that after 11 consecutive months of increases in arrivals, July shows a 2.17% decline. In July 2008, 3227,277 foreign travelers arrived, compared to 334,473 in July …

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The Santo Domingo-Mayaguez Ferry will not operate between 15 September and 5 October due to scheduled remodeling and maintenance work. Ferries del Caribe president Nestor Gonzalez said that the ship would sail from Santo Domingo to Mayaguez, Puerto Rico for the last time on 14 September. Gonzalez says that it is usual for ships to …

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United States FBI agents, working with the Dominican authorities, have begun the second stage of their investigation into the Benitez brothers and their links to a US$100 million Medicare fraud case. FBI officials are currently in Bavaro and Higuey confiscating properties owned and operated by the brothers. So far they have seized a two-story house, …

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True to his word, Dominican boxer Felix Diaz is going for gold. Diaz promised that he would try his best for a gold medal and barring a total collapse he could bring the country its second gold medal. Previous to his Friday night fight in Beijing, Diaz was assured a bronze medal. This would have …

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On occasion of the start of another four years of the Fernandez administration, President Leonel Fernandez confirmed several key officers in their posts. Yesterday he issued decrees confirming the Governor of the Central Bank Hector Valdez Albizu, the director of Customs Department Miguel Cocco, the director of the Tax Department Juan Hernandez and the president …

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Former Education Minister Alejandrina German has accepted to be Minister of Women after rumors circulated that she was unhappy with her appointment. At a press conference, German said she took the post to comply with President Leonel Fernandez’s wish. German’s appointment has been controversial. Several women’s group contested the appointment. In related news, former Vice …

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Santiago senator Francisco Dominguez Brito criticized yesterday in the Senate that government authorities are indifferent in complying with the laws of state, as reported in Hoy. He said this can be sometimes explained by clientelism or submissiveness. He criticized that neither the Controller of the Republic nor the Chamber of Accounts, the body that audits …

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National District Mayor Roberto Salcedo, Santo Domingo East Mayor Juan de los Santos, Santo Domingo North Mayor Jesus Feliz and Navy Chief Vice Admiral Julio Cesar Ventura Bayonet have agreed to work together to clean up the contamination in the Ozama and Isabela rivers. Salcedo explained that the Navy will assess the situation to determine …

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