2009 – Page 143

Central Bank governor Hector Valdez Albizu has announced that as of 1 August the Central Bank website would provide new information that will provide a better understanding of the Dominican economy. According to Valdez, the bank’s website will provide information on sector balances, analytical panoramas and new definitions on the monetary base and monetary aggregates. …

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In response to all the protest marches and other public manifestations of unrest, the government has promised to invest RD$1,785,277,649 in the provinces of San Cristobal and El Seibo over the next few months. Diario Libre said that the announcement by the Presidential Press Office came just hours after the end of a meeting between …

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Secretary of the Presidency Cesar Pina Toribio has defended the sale of 49% of the shares of the Dominican Oil Refinery (Refidomsa) to the Venezuelan state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). Pina Toribio said that the Dominican state was sovereign and had chosen the Venezuelan petroleum company as its partner in Refidomsa. “The Dominican government does …

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Economist Isidoro Santana has questioned the government’s free spending on current expenditures of near RD$16 billion a month, when income is at RD$19 billion. He criticized the government for irrational spending of taxpayer money. He told Hoy that current spending has been increasing, while the government has overlooked productive activities. Economist Bernardo Fuente criticized the …

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The audit carried out at the Central Electoral Board (JCE) by the Chamber of Accounts, covering government bookkeeping through 2008, revealed that more than RD$30 million was paid for military security services and the purchase of fuel during the presidential elections without invoices or documents recording how or what the money was spent on. There …

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Doctors, nurses and other public health sector professionals gave massive support to the first day of the three-day strike. This was most noticeable in the consultation rooms and waiting rooms at the main public health facilities and the Dominican Social Security Institute that were nearly deserted yesterday. As is the custom when there are labor …

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The General Hospital volunteers at the Plaza de la Salud have inaugurated the new “Consuelo Du-Breil de Bonetti” pediatric oncological unit aimed at providing integrated health care for children affected by cancer in the DR. Speaking at the opening ceremony held yesterday, volunteers president Dr. Julio Amado Castanos Guzman said that this is the first …

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The increase in the minimum salary ordered by the National Committee on Salaries (CNS) goes into effect as of today. Workers in the private, non-sectored, work force will receive the wage increase, which is retroactive to 1 June 2009. The increase enters into effect with the definitive publication of Resolution 1-2009 that establishes a 15% …

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The Customs Department (DGA) is opening a new office in Santiago, the country’s second largest city, tomorrow. The DGA is hoping that the new office will lead to the decentralization of the DGA, which is based in Santo Domingo. The inauguration event is due to start at 5pm with the participation of Hacienda Minister Vicente …

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After a break lasting several months, the Dominican Medical Association (CMD) has resumed striking to pressure the government to increase wages for public hospital staff. The CMD has gone on a three-day strike as of Wednesday at 6am. Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez encouraged citizens to go to hospitals, saying service would continue as …

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