2008 – Page 291

Dominican yachtsman Raul Aguayo has won one of the coveted slots open to teams representing the American continent in the Beijing Summer Olympics. At an event organized by the Dominican Sailing Federation to honor the best sailors of 2007, Aguayo said that he would make his best effort to bring a medal back to the …

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Disney’s High School Musical, the Ice Tour, will be in Santo Domingo at the Palacio de los Deportes arena of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center to delight young crowds in mid June. The Ice Tour is a one-and-only live fusion of songs, dance and team-spirited fun inspired by the smash hit Disney Channel Original …

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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 …

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“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, …

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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 …

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President Leonel Fernandez maintains a comfortable 52% lead over PRD opposition candidate Miguel Vargas Maldonado, who has 35% of voter preference (up from 31.1% in November 2007), according to the most recent Gallup-Hoy poll. The 52% lead (up from 46.7% in November 2007) would be enough for President Fernandez to win in a first round, …

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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 …

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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. …

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The Dominican Medical Association (CMD), at the very least, will have the opportunity to discuss their concerns and demands with public health officials at noon today. The meeting is the outcome of the 24-hour strike held last week by public hospital doctors and by threats by CMD head Waldo Ariel Suero that longer and more …

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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 …

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