2008News

The Metro rides

President Leonel Fernandez rode the Santo Domingo Metro during celebrations for the country’s 164th independence day. Defiant arguments and doubts about the Metro took a back seat as many Dominicans marveled at the hi-tech mass transit system. Hoy reports that many Dominicans took to the streets and even the rooftops to watch the Metro go …
2008News

Fernandez speaks

“We are better off now than we were four years ago,” President Leonel Fernandez told Dominicans during his address to the nation from Congress on the occasion of the DR’s 164th Independence Day celebrations. Fernandez highlighted public works completed by the current administration and commented on the International Monetary Fund’s congratulations for “helping restore confidence, …
2008News

Comments on Fernandez’s speech

The Alternative Social Forum described President Leonel Fernandez’s speech to the National Assembly yesterday as “superficial progress” that has no relation to the reality experienced by millions of poor Dominicans. These comments were made by Rhomer Castanos, national director of the Forum. Castanos said that Fernandez continued with his neo-liberal political slant by failing to …
2008News

What citizens want

Fancy Metros and costly celebrations are good short-term fixes, but ask Dominicans what they want and most will tell you they’d like increased investment in health and education. This is supported by a Gallup-Hoy poll, which indicates that 60% of the public would like to see more money invested in health while 58% said they …
2008News

Armed Forces promotions

Yesterday, President Leonel Fernandez promoted 7,348 members of the Armed Forces, including 606 high-ranking officials, 2,241 subordinates and 4,501 recruits. The collective promotion, which is accompanied by considerable pay increases, is considered the largest in Dominican history. It includes the promotion of 21 National Army and Air Force brigadier generals and six Navy rear admirals. …
2008News

H5N2 again

H5N2 a.k.a. bird flu is back, this time in Pedernales. Agriculture Minister Salvador Jimenez has confirmed the re-emergence of the bird flu, although it is the first reported case in the DR in almost two months. Jimenez says that the case was detected as a result of vigilance on the part of the authorities. He …