2010 – Page 59

Trade negotiator Hugo Rivera Fernandez told El Caribe that the DR is worse off in trade with the US compared to before the signing of the DR-CAFTA agreement, primarily for a lack of political vision, not the trade agreement in itself. He said taxation has prevailed over creating a climate to stimulate production in the …

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The DR Industries Association is hard at work helping set up a chocolate cluster to strengthen the sector. Ricardo Munne, coordinator of the Cacao Cluster, said that chocolate exports were up from October 2009 and September 2010, and he was hopeful the upward trend would continue. “The private sector is doing its bit. We are …

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There will be a Supermercado Nacional in Punta Cana come December. Residents in the eastern region will now be able to shop at two of the leading Dominican supermarket chains. The new branch of Nacional will open at the former location of the Punta Cana bowling lanes in the Puntacana Village. Pola is opening up …

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Baltimore Orioles player Julio Lugo has won his case against a Dominican businessman who he accused of a real estate scam. The 34d Collegiate Court of the National District sentenced Edwin Baquero Alvarez to 10 years in jail and RD$100 million in damages. Baquero was found guilty of using forged documents to scam Lugo out …

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The investigation into the death of 31-year old prosecutor Giselle Odaliza Reyes revealed that her bodyguard, police sergeant Augusto Luciano Familia is the main suspect, as reported in El Caribe. Investigators said that Familia was incoherent in his responses to questioning. The pair had gone out to buy pizzas and the officer returned alone to …

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A leading member of the ruling PLD party, former deputy Rafael Antonio (Cheche) Luna was killed on Sunday after being hit at high speed by a passing SUV. Considered to be one of the founders of the PLD, at the moment of his death he was campaigning for pre-candidate Danilo Medina in Puerto Plata. Medina …

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Dominicans Alfred Horford, Charlie Villanueva, Trevor Ariza and Francisco Garcia are on the rosters of NBA teams in the 2010-2011 season that starts today in the US. Horford is in his third season with the Atlanta Hawks. Villanueva plays with the Detroit Pistons. Trevor Ariza is on the New Orleans Team and Francisco Garcia is …

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2010 has been an intense year with several big name concerts. In 2011 the DR will continue to be a main stop on tours by international music stars. Shakira and Justin Bieber are two who are booked for the DR. For this year, Californian rock group Maroon 5, known for Songs About Jane (2002), It …

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The governor of the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic confirmed that the International Monetary Fund has approved the Letter of Intent (LOI) that covers the second and third review of the Stand-by Arrangement signed last November. According to Listin Diario, Hector Valdez Albizu also announced that the Dominican economy grew by 7.6% during the …

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The Central Bank reports that the rate of inflation for the first three quarters of the year stands at 4.24%. Year-on-year inflation was 5.70%, with transportation being the biggest contributor to rising costs. Food, beverages and tobacco follow. The government now has a new item called the accumulated underlying inflation, which is described as the …

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