2009 – Page 22

President Leonel Fernandez has told journalists covering his trip to France that President Nicolas Sarkozy is interested in helping finance the second line of the Santo Domingo Metro project. Fernandez is also hoping that France will help with the financing of the Santo Domingo-Santiago train line. Fernandez says that Alstom Transport, Alstom Compagnie Internationale de …

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President Leonel Fernandez attended a breakfast meeting hosted by the French Business Movement (MEDEF) that is predicting a second wave of French investments in the DR and the Caribbean in areas of tourism, energy, railroads, technology, banking, perfumery and telecommunications. The first wave brought tourism investments in Samana, Accor, Carrefour, Orange and Alstom. President Fernandez …

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Speaking in an interview on Radio France Internationale (RFI) President Leonel Fernandez spoke about the “rumors” that some in the international community would like to solve Haiti’s problems by unifying the two countries. In his radio interview Fernandez said the proposal has never been made to him, but if it were made, “of course I …

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The Ministry of Hacienda will be contracting loans with international commercial banks for US$1.272 million in 2010. According to the 2010 National Budget sent by the Presidency to Congress, 14 loans need to be approved, 13 of which will finance infrastructure works and one would be used to equip the Border Control Force (Cesfront). The …

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The government finished the first three quarters of the year with a budget deficit of RD$17. 4 billion. This was in large part due to an 8% increase in government current spending in relation to revenues. During the period between January and September 2009 the government had revenues of RD$187.7 billion, but spent RD$205.1 billion. …

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Building more classrooms lags behind what was planned because the government has failed to disburse money that had been budgeted for construction in 2009, according to Listin Diario. Francisco Gonzalez, director of school infrastructure said that his department had estimated classroom construction and repair needs at RD$15.5 billion. Acknowledging budgetary problems, the Ministry of Education …

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As a result of the holiday “13th salary” an extra RD$16.5 billion will be circulating in the DR as of 8 December – RD$10.5 billion from the private sector and RD$6 billion from government. The influx of Christmas wage money is expected to boost sales and the government gets a good share of it back …

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The Dominican government has agreed to extradite Haitian national Amaral Duclona to France. Duclona is accused of a series of crimes, including the murder of a French honorary consul in Haiti Paul Henri Mourral in 2004. The Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice ordered the extradition of Haitian Amaral Duclona to France yesterday. …

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District Prosecutor for the National District Alejandro Moscoso Segarra says that officials have found no proof that Sobeida Felix (Feliz) or Jose A. Figueroa are still in the country. The couple sought on drug-related charges disappeared into thin air over a month ago, on two separate occasions. It had been rumored that Felix might still …

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An editorial in today’s Clave newspaper says it seems unlikely that the authorities are letting on all they know in the case of Sobeida Felix Morel, a fugitive from justice. The newspaper says that the country deserves a better explanation about her disappearance. It comments that her protector, known drug trafficker Jose Figueroa Agosto is …

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