2009 – Page 304

Work began yesterday on the second phase of the Samana Highway network, with a US$160 million budget financed via a 30-year concession. The Dominican state is providing the funds for the asphalt. Public Works Minister Victor Diaz Rua announced the start of construction of the roadway called the “Atlantic Tourist Boulevard”, a 123.64km stretch that …

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Diario Libre journalist Niza Campos reports today that the new Samana-Santo Domingo toll road that generates over RD$749.5 million a year in tolls is unsafe. She points to the lack of illumination as one of the problems. She complains of the high cost of using the road that cuts the distance to travel to Samana …

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While many are saying that the parking meters are unconstitutional and demand that the city end the contract to regulate their use, others defend them as a solution to the city-center parking problem. Journalists, lawyers and people from other towns who visit the city on a daily basis complain of the fines that are imposed …

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The Ministry of Culture, National Housing Bank (BNV), the city council have launched a clean up operation in Santo Domingo’s Colonial City. The facelift has a budget of RD$400,000. As reported in Diario Libre, sites that will benefit range from the San Francisco monastery ruins to Parque Duarte and the Mercedes Church. Deputy Minister of …

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The general manager of the Banco Agricola, Paino Abreu Collado is discouraged by the fact that young professionals are not making the most of the low-cost financing available as part of the National Program for Incubating Companies (Proincube). He said that over the last year they have only approved RD$2.5 million in projects. The interest …

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Wages at the Ministry of Environment (SEMARENA) have been adjusted to income levels comparable to other ministries, according to a report in Hoy. Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez will now receive RD$200,000 a month, up from RD$85,000, and his deputy ministers will each go from RD$60,000 to RD$175,000. The wage increases went into effect in …

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Vice President Rafael Alburquerque is meeting with National Summit organizing commission members and all the participating work group coordinators to draw up the first draft of a report to be handed to the President today. The meeting was held in the Presidential Palace, with Antonio Isa Conde, one of the summit organizing commission members. Isa …

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The proposal to tax interest earned on deposits to pay for a salary increase for doctors and health care personnel received a broad-based rejection yesterday from economists, government officials as well as from Congress. Spokesperson for the PRSC deputies Ramon Rogelio Genao categorically rejected any measure that would increase expenses for citizens, according to reports …

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Liquid petroleum gas was still scarce at most propane filling stations yesterday, despite some three million gallons being dispatched at the Dominican National Refinery (Refidomsa) on Tuesday night. Refidomsa spokesman Alfredo Freites told Diario Libre that fuel started to be dispatched as of 7pm Tuesday evening, and he said he thought that the shortage would …

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In separate announcements, both Banco Popular and the Popular Savings and Loan Association (APAP) say they have decided to reduce interest rates on new loans, bringing the total to five banks taking the same decision over the last few days. In its press release, the BPD said that personal loans would go down from 36% …

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