2009 – Page 83

Golf is hard enough when you have two legs, but imagine if you only had one. This is the reality of Dominican Manuel de los Santos, who is taking the golf world by storm, despite the fact he has a real handicap. The 25-year old rising star had his leg amputated after a car accident …

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Tired of your cell phone company, but want to keep your number? Well as of today Dominicans will have the option of number portability. The program is expected to bolster quality and competition between the 17 telecommunications providers in the DR. Customers will be able to pay RD$80 to move companies and the changeover should …

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The new Constitution agreed on by the PRD and PLD majority in Congress and the party leaderships includes a clause eliminating Dominican citizens’ right to protest against violations of the Constitution or the violation of rules or judicial acts. The change was made on the grounds that citizens “do not have a true judicial or …

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Diario Libre editor Adriano Miguel Tejada believes that institutional progress should be kept out of political deals, but writes about a recently approved change that he says represents a setback for justice in the DR. He claims that the new Constitution has taken a retrograde step when it comes to state prosecution. The political party …

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New VP, same old problems. Celso Marranzini’s appointment as the new head of the State-Owned Electricity Companies (CDEEE) was hailed as a new chapter in the electricity sector’s history. However, little has changed for the consumer. Yesterday was one of the worst days ever, with energy deficiencies hitting 41%. Listin Diario reports that at one …

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Hoy reports that the Armed Forces Ministry is launching a new military mission to the Macasias area in Elias Pina province, and to Mencia and Aguas Negras in Pedernales, to “contain the Haitian invasion”. News reports have been carrying stories about Haitian migrants who are rapidly destroying the forests along the border. Armed Forces Minister …

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With the results from 87% of all voting centers counted and reported, the PRD’s Convention Committee has confirmed the previous results, giving Orlando Jorge Mera (60%) and Geanilda Vasquez (48%) the PRD party secretariat posts. Mera and Vasquez beat challengers Guido Gomez Mazara and Tony Pena Guaba. Gomez, however, is claiming he was the victim …

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No, Dominicans are not tired of fun late night parties, but rather of the nepotism and party politics that have come to define the nation’s political system. Outspoken Central Electoral Board (JCE) judge Aura Celeste Fernandez says that the levels of clientelism in DR politics were of great concern. She said that it takes time …

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South America’s richest man is commending the strength of the DR’s economy and the way the government has handled it. Venezuelan magnate Gustavo Cisneros also commented that the DR’s current troubles with the tourism sector are linked to the current global financial difficulties and that tourism should pick up once the world economy starts to …

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The animals from the small zoo located on the farm of wanted Puerto Rican drug kingpin Jose Figueroa have been sent to the National Zoo. The animals were seized and taken into the care of the local authorities. The farm and zoo property is at 25th kilometer of the Duarte highway. It was raided by …

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