2008 – Page 95

Another controversial measure in the proposed constitutional reform that is certain to generate heated debate in Congress focuses on Dominican nationality issues. The reform proposed by President Leonel Fernandez would grant Dominican nationality to people born here, but with new exceptions. Offspring of foreign services personnel, or foreigners in transit or illegally residing here would …

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The Executive Branch has awarded businessman Juan Bautista Vicini, president of the board of directors of the Vicini Group with the Duarte, Sanchez and Mella medal, in the Great Silver Cross. President Leonel Fernandez and Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso presented the award on behalf of the government. During the same event, the Dominican …

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Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez visited Santiago yesterday to personally pull down the fencing around a green area next to the Military Club at the entrance of Santiago that had been handed over shortly before the 2008 election by Elias Wessin Chavez, director of the Bienes Nacionales, the department in charge of government assets. Wessin …

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Dominican Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez and Haitian Environmental Minister Jean Marie Claude Germaine have signed an environmental cooperation agreement with a focus on border areas. The agreement seeks to strengthen relations between the neighboring nations, as well as promoting collective environmental awareness of the sustainability of natural resources. The agreement will support reforestation through …

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The government hopes that the allocation of the 28-km San Cristobal-Bani highway expansion project to Malespin Constructora and Constructora JM, with technical supervision by Compania Tecnoamerica (Pedro Delgado Malagon) will be the answer to the completion of this road that had been entrusted to Grupo Modesto, then taken over by the Supervisory Office of Public …

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The Superintendent of Electricity Francisco Mendez confirmed that an estimated 500,000 homes or businesses do not have electricity meters, and in cases where these are billed, an estimate of consumption is made, as reported in El Caribe. Francisco Mendez, interviewed on El Bulevar TV show by Pablo McKinney said that nevertheless, the Electricity Law establishes …

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Central Bank president Hector Valdez Albizu met with commercial banks yesterday to discuss the effect of rising interest rates on banks’ portfolio. He said that borrower delinquency between January and August of this year was at 4.1%, which is similar to averages between December 2006 and August 2008.

Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) Director General Henry Gill is in the DR today speaking on the much-debated Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Cariforum (the Dominican Republic and Caricom). Gill, a key figure in the negotiation process, highlighted the innovative nature of the agreement and detailed how criticisms of the agreement have …

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According to Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) Director General Henry Gill and regional observers alike, the DR was extremely efficient in the EPA negotiating process. The country was a willing participant in the process and made many more concessions at key points during the negotiation process. Gill commented that the DR had liberalized 5% of …

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Journalists Nuria Piera and Huchi Lora have received widespread national support from fellow media and citizen groups, after a court granted permission for the authorities to search their offices for archived tapes and other information of interest to Ladom dairy company, which has sued them. The journalists say that this material would be used in …

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