2008 – Page 197

President Leonel Fernandez has issued the Renewable Energy Ruling yesterday, on the occasion of Environment Day. The ruling applies to Law 57-07 on renewable energy. Reports are that RD$3 billion in renewable energy programs were waitlisted for incentives contained in the ruling.

President Leonel Fernandez has sent a bill to Congress that seeks to strengthen free zone industry competitiveness. The bill calls for 100% exemptions on income tax, ITBIS value added tax and luxury tax. Free zone companies would also be exempt from paying taxes on telecommunications, and on imports of inputs, machinery and vehicles.

Congress passed an amendment in the DR-CAFTA trade agreement that will allow the DR to use Mexican fabrics in the production and export of clothes and textiles. Luisa Fernandez Duran, director of the National Free Trade Export Council (CNZFE), said that the amendment was agreed on 30 May. The amendment, 204-08, is relative to the …

Read more…

Fernando Capellan, president of the Dominican Association of Free Zones, and president of Grupo M, the largest apparel company in the DR, highlighted the company’s contribution to the economy yesterday. He stressed that manufacturing free zone companies’ exports make up 70% of the country’s total exports. He said that the apparel sector within the free …

Read more…

The absence of diplomatic relations with China is making it difficult for the DR to take advantage of the size, strength and diversity of the Chinese economy. According to a report in the Listin Diario, it’s like turning your back on the most diverse and fastest growing economy in the world. Listin writes that in …

Read more…

Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez and Airport Department director Andres Van Der Horst concur that the profitability problems affecting the airlines and leading to cuts in flights and frequencies to the DR has a direct effect on remittances, agriculture and tourism. They said that the government is exploring the possibility of cutting taxes on aviation fuel …

Read more…

Dominican Travel Writers Association president Manuel Quiterio Cedeno says that while the Dominican government cannot do anything about international oil prices, it can cut its own taxes. He says that from May 2004 to May 2008, the tax on avtur has increased 901%, and the cost of fuel is up 104%. An analysis of avtur …

Read more…

Ernesto Gonzalez has announced that the Ferry del Caribe will have its own terminal at the Sans Souci tourist port. Gonzalez, president of the company, said that in order for the Ferry to have its own terminal, President Leonel Fernandez, through decree 193-07, set aside 29,353m2 at the port. Gonzalez thanked Fernandez for providing an …

Read more…

Speaking for the Catholic Church Conference of the Episcopate at the Santo Domingo Cathedral yesterday, Monsignor Ramon Benito Angeles called on the authorities to make major changes in what he described as “their negligent and complacent approach” towards environmental predators. He said there is a lack of prevention, controls and authority when it comes to …

Read more…

Yesterday’s doctors’ strike featured emotional confrontations between doctors, public officials and patients who just wanted treatment. In San Cristobal and Bani members of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD) and patients got into a war of words as patients pleaded for basic assistance. Hoy reports that CMD president Waldo Ariel Suero and Public Health Ministry regional …

Read more…