2008 – Page 228

Supermercados Bravo is advertising plantains at RD$7.95ea, limes for RD$9.95lb, passion fruit for RD$24.95lb, imported pork fillet for RD$89.95lb, and Welch’s juice for RD$99.95/64oz. Super Pola has its usual 35% off on fruits and vegetables. Nacional supermarkets have 40% off garlic and onions, and 20% off all other fruits and vegetables. Also chicken thighs for …

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The Central Electoral Board has tested the scanners that will be used for the first time in this election to expedite the vote count. The scanners will make it possible for results to be transmitted electronically from polling stations to JCE headquarters in Santo Domingo. The first tests of the scanners, with data sent from …

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Voters under the age of 35 make up 43% of all eligible voters in the DR (5,764,986 in total). A full 34% (1,948,016) of people registered to vote listed studying as their occupation or reflecting the fact they have not changed their occupation to reflect the fact that they have graduated. Today’s Listin Diario reports …

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At least 2,075,181 votes are needed in order to win the election on 16 May, according to a report in Diario Libre. One of the candidates needs to obtain 50%+1 of the vote to avoid having to hold a run-off election in June. In 2004, President Leonel Fernandez received 2,063,871 votes, or 57.1% of the …

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The organizers of the National Book Fair have announced that it will be extended through Friday, 9 May, five days longer than originally planned. Fair organizers report that around four million people have visited the fair this year due to the Ministry of Education authorizing students from public schools from all around the country to …

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Diandino Pena, director of the Transport Reorganization Office (OPRET), also known as the Metro Office, says that the metro has been using power from one of its nine plants that generate 2.5 megawatts each and that are being alternated during the test phase. Pena was disputing claims by geologist Osiris de Leon who told Listin …

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The ruling that would open the way for the implementation of Renewable Energy Law 57-07 is on hold at the Presidential Legal Advisor’s office. El Caribe reports that several major renewable energy projects have not been able to fully take off because of the delays in approving the ruling. Among the projects mentioned are Globasol, …

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The CNTU transport union has announced a new public transport project, the “Taxi Popular”. These 1,000 taxis will run on natural gas and will only transport three passengers at a time. Fares will cost RD$40 per person. Listin Diario reports that 200 of these taxi units are already in the DR. CNTU president Ramon Perez …

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Listin Diario is reporting that the deficit for the energy distributors will balloon to US$818.9 million by the end of 2008, according to the Action Plan for the Recovery of the Energy Sector 2008. This deficit is up 54% from 2007 when the deficit was US$380.7 million. Spending for the distributors is estimated at US$1.89 …

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As much as 18% of children in the DR suffer from asthma and 17% of adults are also afflicted with the condition, according to a report in Diario Libre. DL writes that asthma is one of the main reasons for emergency room visits by children. Worldwide, 300 million people suffer from the respiratory ailment.