2009 – Page 11

The government has promised the nation 95% energy generation during the holiday season. Nonetheless, continual blackouts are adding to the frustration of many Dominicans. Diario Libre reports that yesterday half the country was blacked out after AES Andres and San Felipe went offline, as well as other smaller plants. Officials have kept singing the same …

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The DR’s Ministry of Environment will present its Biological Corridor Project at this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference, being held in Copenhagen between 7 and 18 December. The Corridor project is a joint initiative with Cuba and Haiti. It is aimed at increasing awareness of environmental issues in all three countries through shared cultural …

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Dominican officials are urging Dominicans who are living abroad to register and get their cedula situations cleared up before Wednesday, if they intend to vote during the March 2010 Congressional elections. The Office for Expatriate Voters (OPREE) says their offices will be open until midnight Wednesday so that as many Dominicans abroad as possible can …

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Trade to the Caribbean is on a steady rise. Economist Roberto Despradel recalls that the country’s first free trade agreement, signed with the Caribbean Common Market (Caricom) went into effect in 2001. This brought together 12 mostly island-states like Jamaica and Trinidad, and countries in continental South America such as Suriname and Guyana, as well …

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Hoy is reporting that Dominican authorities at the Money Laundering section of the Prosecutor General’s Office were on the tail of Spanish fugitive Ricardo Diez Conde at least two months ago, and were on the verge of arresting him, but he was tipped off and managed to escape. According to Judge German Miranda Villalona, the …

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A total of 1,800 people were killed in violent incidents in the DR in 2009. Of these, 287 deaths were attributed to trigger-happy cops who have come under scrutiny for their “shoot first, don’t ask questions later” approach to fighting crime. However, although deaths are high, the Prosecutor General’s Office says that violent deaths are …

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Drug enforcement officials are announcing the seizure of 62 kilos of cocaine at the Punta Cana International Airport. The drugs were separated into 52 different packets, and have been initially traced to Venezuela. The drugs came in on a private flight to Punta Cana, which was piloted by two Venezuelans and had three passengers on …

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The daughter of murdered TV personality and comedian Milton Pelaez, Mary Pelaez Frappier, is being investigated by Dominican narcotics officials for alleged links with fugitive Puerto Rican drug trafficker Jose Figueroa. Officials are accusing Pelaez of being the front woman for Figueroa and seized an apartment in Cabarete allegedly owned by Figueroa, but registered in …

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Fausto Antonio Leonardo Henriquez’s poem “Gemidos del Ciervo Herido” has been awarded the XXIX Fernando Rieloc Mystical Poetry World Prize. Leonardo’s poem was one of 12 finalists from 6 countries, selected from among 207 works submitted from 20 countries. The awards ceremony took place at the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See in Rome, with …

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Two 31-year old Dominicans, Zoe Saldana in the lead female role (Neytiri) and Michelle Rodriguez star in the new epic action adventure fantasy “Avatar,” directed by James Cameron, of Titanic fame. The film tells the story of a reluctant hero who embarks on a journey of redemption, discovery and unexpected love. The film, which premiered …

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