2008 – Page 240

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce and its Foreign Trade Department (Dicoex) are holding a workshop on “Opportunities and Challenges for Small and Medium-sized Companies (PYMES) within the framework of DR-CAFTA”. International trade consultant Vilma Arbaje will be discussing the DR and its international trade agreements, access for goods under DR-CAFTA, opportunities and challenges for …

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An obscure law establishes that people on government payrolls who do not actually work in a job in the department that pays them can be fined and sent to jail. El Nacional newspaper has dug up Law 2429 of 5 July 1950, dating back to the Trujillo regime. The law comes at a time when …

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Writing in today’s El Caribe, electricity expert Luis Arthur comments on the burden of political patronage on the power situation. He mentions that the CDEEE, the body left after the government privatized electricity distribution, could run on 30 employees or less, and certainly does not need the 1,317 people on its payroll. According to Arthur, …

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Flying to the DR anytime soon? When packing for your trip, only take the essentials. El Caribe, quoting an article in the New York Times, writes that five of the six major airline carriers will begin charging passengers US$25 extra for a second suitcase as of 1 May. El Caribe says that this extra charge …

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An 88-year old woman was said to have won the RD$18 million Loto prize last 28 March. The lucky event has apparently touched off a family dispute with one branch accusing the other of kidnapping the lucky winner. Other family members denied the accusation, telling El Caribe reporters that the dispute was between the lucky …

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Aneudy Polo Jose was freed by a magistrate of the Court of Instruction in La Romana at 7:30 in the evening and was dead by 3:30 the following morning. The 22-year old man was shot as he and an accomplice tried to rob a money exchange establishment. Polo Jose, a.k.a. Timaca, was released on bail …

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The police found eight homemade bombs, a pistol and two pounds of fencing staples in a partially built house in Bonao. The house, located on Cayo Baez Street in the city, was searched and the police found ten homemade devices, as well as an M-16 assault rifle, an Uzi assault rifle, several pistols and other …

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Thievery has become a very serious issue in the plantain fields of the Dominican Republic. According to Hoy newspaper, as much as 50% of the plantain harvest has been stolen in some areas. One leading farmer, Santiago Espaillat, says that plantains are easy to steal since they are visible and often isolated from watchful eyes. …

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A low-pressure zone located to the northeast of the country has forced the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) to issue red and green alerts for the northern and eastern regions. This comes just two days after a series of tornadoes caused damage in La Vega, San Pedro de Macoris, San Francisco de Macoris and areas near …

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La Cadena is advertising carrots for RD$5.95lb, broccoli for RD$9.95lb, sweet potatoes for RD$11.95lb, carrots, cucumbers RD$6.95lb, and cantaloupe RD$35.95ea. Nacional supermarket is advertising 40% off first of the season mangos, plus 20% off other fruits and vegetables. Fresh pork chops for RD$68.95lb, red beans for RD$57/2lbs., Milex powdered milk RD$574.95/2500gr can, and Sosua butter …

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