2009 – Page 70

The family of a Dominican teenager has pressed charges against PRD deputy Julio Romero. Romero is accused of having sexual relations with the young woman when she was still under-age and is said to be the father of her 5-month old baby. Diario Libre says that Romero seduced the minor with the promise of a …

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It’s the training tool for many of tomorrow’s best baseball stars. A broomstick, a water bottle cap and a lot of time on your hands, and you get the Dominican street game of “Vitillas.” A long time favorite of Dominican children and adults, vitillas is similar to baseball, in that the offensive player must hit …

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His time has come. This is the moment Pedro Martinez worked so hard for and the former Cy Young Award winner and future Hall of Famer will have one more chance to shine and add to his stellar baseball legacy. Martinez, who has come back from major injury plagued seasons, has proven that he still …

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Fans of the classic English electronic dance music duo the Pet Shop Boys who were looking forward to seeing them perform in the DR will either have to enjoy their music on CD or fly to another country to catch their show. The Pet Shop Boys 28 October concert in Santo Domingo has been officially …

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The Executive Branch has signed the protection of 37 new areas into law, bringing the total of protected areas in the DR to 123. A special ceremony celebrating decree 571-09 will take place on Friday when officials will inaugurate the Aniana Vargas Park in the Hatillo sector of San Cristobal. The new protected areas include …

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Monday’s impasse at the Revisory Assembly was enough to get PRD president Miguel Vargas Maldonado off his horse and into the trenches in a bid to rescue the “pact” he signed with President Leonel Fernandez. During Monday’s Assembly session PLD and PRSC members united and voted against the proposal under discussion, which, if passed, would …

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The gravy train made another stop at Congress yesterday, as legislators approved a series of loans in dollars and euros totaling US$82.3 million. The funds will be used for government and public works projects. One of the loans is worth US$48,743,918, and will be used for the Corredor Duarte highway project being built in Santo …

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The Ministry of Hacienda will submit a bill to Congress for the modification of the 2009 budget, including an extra US$137 million for paying the government’s US$566 million debt to the energy generators. Minister of Hacienda Vicente Bengoa said that the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank are in the process of auditing the …

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The Chamber of Deputies is considering a new bill that would oblige foreigners and Dominicans to pay for using the country’s public beaches. Foreigners would be charged RD$35 per day and Dominicans RD$17.50 of beach use. The funds would be used to clean up and maintain the nation’s beaches. The bill, proposed by PRD deputy …

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Paying customers will be relieved to hear that electricity rates will remain fixed until the end of the year, according to Energy Superintendent Francisco Mendez. Although the price of electricity in the DR is still among the highest in the region and the service is unreliable at best, a freeze in the rates could come …

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