2008 – Page 244

President Leonel Fernandez, after individual meetings, says he has reached a deal with the nation’s supermarket owners and wholesalers in order to keep food prices down. The specific deals were not disclosed, but price cuts are expected in the next few days. According to the Listin Diario, the government would pick up the difference between …

Read more…

After much delay, Santo Domingo’s Barrio Chino was inaugurated at a special ceremony last night, which was led by President Leonel Fernandez and his wife Margarita Cedeno. According to estimates, the project cost the government RD$267 million. The ceremony also included the participation of members of the Chinese-Dominican community as well as local business owners. …

Read more…

The food price phenomenon is global with price increases felt in developed and lesser developed nations. But World Food Program (WFP) country representative Pavel Isa Contreras says that the DR is one of the least vulnerable countries in terms of food price increases. He explained that Dominicans still produce 80% of the foods consumed locally. …

Read more…

The indiscriminate promotion of military to the rank of generals has brought instability to the organization and lead to a model of inefficiency and unconstitutionality. Random ascension of military personnel in the DR has become common that a low ranking officer can be on the career track to general in just a few years. According …

Read more…

The Dominican Medical Association (CMD) held its fourth strike in as many months and has promised that it will strike once again next Friday. The strike affects the poor that use public hospital services. The striking physicians only attended emergency cases. CMD president Waldo Ariel Suero called the strike was a success. The doctors have …

Read more…

USAID and the Dominican Customs Department (DGA) have signed a cooperation agreement that will allow for an increase transparency at Customs offices. USAID director Richard Goughnour said that the pilot program has been in place since February at the Puerto Multimodal Caucedo. He explained that the DR was chosen for this program because the DGA …

Read more…

51% of Dominican businesses gave their workers wage increases between November 2007 and March 2008. On average the increases were about 12%. There were some increases as high as 95% and as low as 1.5%. In comparison to the 2006-2007 period this increase is 6% lower when 57.9% of companies gave their workers raises. Reasons …

Read more…

The 2008 Caribbean Animal Welfare Conference will take place between April 21 and 24 April for expert and peer-to-peer training. The conference, at the Hotel Melia, will cover critical issues in animal welfare, such as disaster preparedness, organizational development, animal welfare education and marine species protection. More than 140 individuals from 70 organizations and governments …

Read more…

The Third Chamber of the Penal Chamber at the National District Appeals Court upheld the 10-year prison sentences for former Baninter president Ramon Baez Figueroa and bank advisor Luis Alvarez Renta. Baez was also charged with money laundering for his involvement in the 2003 banking scandal that bankrupt that financial institution and sent the Dominican …

Read more…

On his way to 500 career homeruns, Dominican slugger Manny Ramirez is passing some exclusive company. The Washington Heights raised player hit his 494th and 495th career dingers of Yankee pitcher Mike Mussina and led the BoSox to the 7-5 drubbing of the hated NY Yankees. With his massive bombs Ramirez passed Fred McGriff and …

Read more…