2008 – Page 29

President Leonel Fernandez has led an awards ceremony for 445 outstanding students from poor families who received scholarships funded by corporate donors and supported by several national universities. The scholarship program is supported by business leaders Manuel Estrella, Jose Luis Corripio, Juan Vicini, Juan Ramon Gomez and Ramon Brea, among others. The universities supporting the …

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During the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) luncheon yesterday, US Ambassador Robert Fannin addressed the increased perception of corruption in the DR by its citizens. He said nevertheless, that recent cases of prison terms for those involved in the Baninter, Bancredito and Plan Renove cases are incentives for campaigners for the rule of law regime …

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In their session on Wednesday, the Congressional Joint Commission on Energy analyzed the legal mechanisms that will enable Congress to undertake a revision of the electricity contracts with the generators and energy distributors underwritten by the state. Senator Juan Orlando Mercedes Sena, the president of the Senate Energy Commission, said that the legislators would study …

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In an interview with Hoy newspaper former Foreign Minister Hugo Tolentino Dipp said that is easy to prove that most of the higher- ranking officials in the ruling PLD party are multi-millionaires. “One only has to research the financial worth of these people 10 years ago and what they have today,” he commented. Tolentino Dipp …

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Many are rejecting Resolution 01-09 issued by the Ministry of the Interior and Police that bans the carrying of firearms by the civilian population during December, and threatens to revoke gun licenses (and confiscate the weapons) in cases of violation. Diario Libre reports that rice farmers were among the first to complain. Oliverio Espaillat Bencosme, …

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The beach is said to be severely polluted, but 144 turtles laid their eggs at Guibia Beach in Santo Domingo. The Ministry of Environment said that 144 “tortuga carey” or Eretmochelys imbricada turtles have now hatched on the beach, on Santo Domingo’s Malecon beachfront avenue. Experts have been monitoring the eggs since they were laid …

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The Dominican Association of Teachers (ADP), comprising public school teachers and the autonomous pro-education NGO, Action for Basic Education (Educa), have backed Education Minister Melanio Paredes’s appeal for more resources for his department in 2009. The Executive Branch is considering allocating all government departments the same amount in 2009 as in 2008. The president of …

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A lot of pain, discomfort and a sad state of worry is what people on low incomes face after suffering an accident and ending up in the Dario Contreras Hospital. If they do not have the resources to buy the required materials and medicines that are generally scarce in the hospital, they have to remain …

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Haydee Rainieri says the National Association of Hotels & Restaurants that she presides backs the construction of the Coral Highway that would cut traveling time from San Pedro de Macoris to the east. She described the current roads leading to the Punta Cana area as “hellish”. We all agree that not just the Coral Highway …

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National Business Council (CONEP) president Lisandro Macarrulla said yesterday that the nation’s economy could not stand a 40% wage increase for workers. Macarrulla confirmed the resumption of talks with labor representatives. According to Hoy newspaper, Macarrulla did not offer a figure that business feels would be a fair general wage increase. He did say that …

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