2009 – Page 177

Politician Hector Rodriguez Pimentel, a PRSC party protege of the Fernandez government who heads the state Hydraulic Resources Institute (INDRHI), is at the center of a major press scandal. On her Monday El Informe show investigative journalist Alicia Ortega of Channel 7 revealed a series of major overvaluations, up to 200-1,000% in works costing hundreds …

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A woman who suffered from emphysema is down as the second victim of the AH1N1 flu virus in the DR. The first victim was a pregnant teenage girl who suffered from chronic tuberculosis. The latest casualty is an unnamed 50-year old resident of Higuey, confirmed Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez. There have been 108 cases …

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According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, under the London School of Business and the Babson College report that entrepreneurship in the DR is at 20.4% in 2008, one of the highest in the GEM’s 43-country ranking. In 2007, the level was 16.8%. As reported in Listin Diario, a fifth of Dominicans has started a business …

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The level of credit card arrears increased from 13.5% to 14.8% in the past nine months, general manager of the TransUnions (former Cicla) credit bureau, Jeffrey Poyo told El Dia. He said that 85% of credit card users are up to date with their payments, despite the current economic problems. Poyo made these comments when …

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A tropical wave moving north from the Lesser Antilles will bring an increase in rain storms in the next 24-48 hours, says the weather department. The rainstorms will be heavy in the northwest and southwestern provinces of Monte Cristi, Dajabon, Elias Pina, Santiago Rodriguez and San Juan de la Maguana. A heatwave is affecting life …

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Summer is special as Casa de Teatro welcomes leading jazz performers for its Annual Summer Jazz Festival, with Thursday performances in June and July. Tomorrow, Thursday 25 June, Rafael Mirabal and Sistema Temperado (DR) are onstage. The festival continues with Patricia Pereyra (DR) on 2 July, Bryan Lynch (USA) on 4 July, Ossia Saxophons (France) …

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President Leonel Fernandez has published Law 179-09 that allows parents to make their unemployed children’s school tuition tax deductible. The law permits deductions for grade school and university studies. It requires the tuition to be documented with Tax Department (DGII) authorization numbers (NCF) by the educational institution and should be no more than 10% of …

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The National District municipal authorities (ADN) will try to put a new set of zoning regulations into effect, aimed at controlling land use, building heights, property demarcation, parking and sidewalks. In the announcement made yesterday, Mayor Roberto Salcedo said he was submitting a set of regulations called Zoning Indicators on Densities to the City Council. …

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Leading labor expert, Vice President Rafael Alburquerque warned on Monday that according to the Labor Code the legal minimum wage has to be revised every two years. He said that this is why there could be no more delays and stalemates in the negotiations between labor and management. He is optimistic that an agreement can …

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Tourist arrivals to the Dominican Republic were 2.41% higher in May 2009 compared to the same month in 2008. This good news comes after ten consecutive months of lower numbers, according to data published by the Central Bank on their website. In May this year, 6,972 more tourists arrived here than in the same month …

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