2009 – Page 266

The Administrative Chamber of the Central Electoral Board reveals that 6,262,000 Dominican citizens are on the voter list for the municipal and legislative election in May 2010. He says that 131,191 new voters will be registered.

Public hospital doctors went on strike again yesterday as part of their campaign to pressure the government to increase their wages and to express displeasure at the Congressional rejection of a pay proposal earlier this week. Although doctors and nurses were absent from hospitals, emergency patients were able to receive treatment. This is just a …

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Dr. Luis Ernesto Feliz Baez, director of the National Department for the Control of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (DIGECITTS), is concerned that young Dominicans are becoming sexually active too early. He quotes a Program for the Education of Sexual Effects (PEAS) survey that reveals that 20% of 7th and 8th graders had already engaged in sexual …

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Customs (DGA) and Public Health officials continued their seizures of illegal medicines in Moca yesterday. During the operation, 67 pharmacies that operated illegally were searched . Around 500 sacks of medicines were removed with little or no confrontations reported with locals. During previous raids, storeowners and residents caused commotions in reaction to the news that …

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Yesterday, 1,990 transport police officers (PMT) who up till now weren’t members of any of the DR’s public institutions were officially assigned to the National Police Department. The officers will now receive full medical benefits, pensions, funeral services, life insurance, financing for vehicles, access to scholarships and will have the ability to obtain loans, if …

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The National District Attorney General’s office is warning businesses that Law 48-00, which prohibits smoking in enclosed spaces, will be enforced by officials and bars caught allowing smoking will be closed. Owners will also pay a fine for every infraction cited. As with many laws, this one has been on the books for several years, …

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The war of words took an ugly turn yesterday after PRD president Ramon Alburquerque called Interior and Police Minister Franklin Almeyda “mentally retarded.” Alburquerque’s words were in response to Almeyda’s accusations on Wednesday that the PRD “is looking for trouble,” repeating his accusation that the party is behind the disturbances that so far have led …

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Mario Fernandez Savinon, president of the Chamber of Deputies Environmental Commission, is warning Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal to take back his statement that Fernandez Savinon is a “liar.” If Fernandez Mirabal doesn’t apologize, Savinon will file defamation charges against the Minister. Savinon says he has proof to substantiate his claims. The deputies had …

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Domingo Antonio Ortega, one of the men accused in connection with the Parmalat robbery, has turned himself in to the authorities. Diario Libre reports that Ortega handed himself over to the public relations department of the National Police. Ortega says that he is innocent but realized he was a suspect after watching TV and reading …

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The City of Puerto Plata has declared a day of mourning for today in memory of seven people who were killed in a traffic accident yesterday. A bus belonging to the Transporte Acosta company, used for transporting hotel employees, crashed into market vendors on Calle General Antonio Imbert Barrera in Puerto Plata yesterday. The Hyundai …

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