2009 – Page 272

The National Botanical Gardens is inviting orchid lovers to the 28th Orchid Exhibition & Competition. This year the exhibition is called “Oriental Fantasy.” The event will be open to the general public from Friday, 20 March through Sunday, 22 March from 8am to 6pm. For more on other upcoming events, see http://www.dr1.com/calendar  

The Santo Domingo AgroAlimentaria Fair held at the Dominican Fiesta Hotel last week exceeded the organizers’ expectations. The effective coordination work carried out by the Agribusiness Board (JAD) with the backing of the Center for Exports and Investments (CEI-RD) working through Dominican Embassies abroad and foreign embassies in the Dominican Republic succeeded in attracting several …

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According to Hacienda Minister Vicente Bengoa, the DR and Central America have yet to feel the pressures of the world economic crisis, saying that what is being seen is a deceleration of growth in the region’s economies. Bengoa explained that a recession is defined by two consecutive semesters of negative growth, while what is being …

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The promoters of the first line of the Santo Domingo Metro originally predicted 175,000 users per day, but reality has shown the demand to be about half that number. Hoy reports that average demand is 67,678 travelers, as was the average daily use from 30 January to 26 February. Hoy says that the government is …

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Former Central Bank governor Bernardo Vega is wary of the government’s announcements of new large-scale public works projects. Vega said that instead the government should embark on projects that use a large workforce. He said these so-called mega-projects usually use imported heavy machinery, as reported in El Caribe. He said that what the government should …

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The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has issued resolution 25-09 (Article 7), requiring authorized natural gas conversion workshops to issue warranties on the systems they install. The warranties will be for 25,000 kilometers and will require technicians to perform a check-up and keep a log of every check- up of the gas conversion systems. The …

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Interior and Police Minster Franklin Almeyda Rancier admits that there are too many generals in the DR and said that more should be retired. Almeyda says that instead of more generals there should be more street level cops patrolling the streets of Santo Domingo. Quoted in Listin Diario Almeyda said, “the least amount of generals, …

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The Armed Forces has dishonorably discharged Sergeant Angel Sena Perez after the sergeant punched a priest during an argument in February. According to media reports, Sena owns a “disco-light” party bus in Neyba and on the night in question priest Michel Vargas voiced concern about the noise coming from the mobile disco. Sena responded by …

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Nuria Piera has done it again, unearthing another extreme case of Dominican government corruption. On her Saturday Color Vision Channel 9 investigative journalism show, she presented the case of the director of the Land Transport Office (OTTT) Franklin Beltre who confirmed nepotism in his department. There are 19 employees with his two last names Beltre …

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Deputy Minister of Environment Eleuterio Martinez said that even if the Chamber of Deputies approves a bill legalizing the sale of areas within the National Park of the East, the Ministry would not authorize any construction within the park. Earlier, the Ministry’s director of protected areas, Manuel Mateo Feliz warned about plans to exclude areas …

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