2008 – Page 185

Nine consulates from Latin American countries have created a coalition that will provide services to the immigrant community in New York State. The coalition’s services will also extend to communities in New Jersey and Connecticut. Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and the DR have joined forces to create the “Coalition of …

Read more…

National Police Chief Major General Rafael Guillermo Guzman Fermin says that the US State Department advisory on safety issues for tourists visiting the DR is old and doesn’t reflect the current situation in the DR. Guzman says that the report is from 2005-2006 and that he recently met with members of the US Embassy in …

Read more…

Santo Domingo Attorney General Perfecto Acosta says that 50% of criminal cases in the province of Santo Domingo are drug related. The AG says that the increase in drug use is directly linked to the increase of crime in the province. He added that an analysis of the situation reveals that most thefts, attacks and …

Read more…

US federal agents are in the DR investigating money laundering involving Medicare funds. Sources say that the perpetrators of the scam defrauded the Medicare system out of millions of dollars and laundered the money through the DR. Three FBI agents as well as other enforcement officials are currently in the DR to carry out the …

Read more…

A mob in Tamboril is being blamed for the death of Martin Polanco Cruz, a fugitive of justice who had killed five people. The mob reportedly shot the man then pelted him with rocks, sticks and also stabbed him. Diario Libre reports that Polanco was seen firing shots into the air and threatening to kill …

Read more…

President Leonel Fernandez revealed yesterday evening that he has sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary General requesting the creation of a “solidarity fund” to finance the economies of developing countries that are being hard hit by increasing petroleum and food prices. The Chief Executive told reporters from Listin Diario that he sent Ban …

Read more…

Industry and Commerce Minister Melanio Paredes has ordered an audit of the transport unions that benefit from the use of government subsidized diesel fuel. Special attention is being given the National Confederation of Unified Transporters (CNTU), headed by Ramon Perez Figuereo. According to Hoy newspaper, Paredes said that Perez Figuereo is “suspected of not giving …

Read more…

Paino Abreu Collado, the administrator of the Agriculture Bank, told reporters that his institution had made loans worth more than RD$600 million to finance greenhouses in several parts of the country. Of a total of RD$623.2 million, RD$490 million have gone to build the greenhouses and RD$133 million to finance the crops. Areas such as …

Read more…

The national debt climbed by 3.3% during the first quarter of 2008, according to figures from the Ministry of Hacienda. The absolute increase equaled US$280 million. The national debt amounts to 20.8% of the GDP for 2008 and is made up of US$7.757 billion in non-financial public sector debt and US$1.091 billion in debt from …

Read more…

The National Council for the Promotion and Support of Micro and Medium-scale Business (Promipyme) finances RD$140 million each month. The figures were given to Diario Libre reporters by the executive director, Juan Rodriguez Melendez, after a meeting between sector representatives and President Fernandez in the Presidential Palace in Santo Domingo. Rodriguez Melendez said that he …

Read more…