2012 – Page 121

As he leaves the Presidency of the Republic today, Thursday 16 August 2012, after eight consecutive years in power, Leonel Fernandez’s political image has been strengthened, according to some analysts. The President’s current image is far removed from its level in 2000 when he took off the presidential sash and placed it on the shoulders …

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The government has recognized the extraordinary efforts of gymnast Yamilet Pena and judo athlete Maria Garcia in the London Olympics by giving them each an apartment. Pena placed sixth in the Olympics in vault. Upon receiving the keys to the apartment, Pena said: “I deliver this key to my mother, who deserves it most.” She …

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On 16 August 1863, Gregorio Luperon launched the Dominican campaign to recover the nation’s sovereignty. The action took place in Capotillo, near the border with Haiti, in the province of Dajabon. Spain had tried to recover her colonial empire, which at the time consisted of Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean, with the addition …

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There are 609,525 people on the public payroll. The government is the leading employer, with hundreds of thousands of new employees added to the government payroll during the past eight years of the Fernandez administration. Taxpayers have to cover the RD$9.23 billion cost of the payroll, despite the fact that most of the employees provide …

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In today’s Diario Libre, Alejandro Fernandez writes about the poor yield of government banks that compete in the market with private banks. He comments that the worst case involves Banco Nacional de la Vivienda. The bank reports profits that have declined on average 32% from June 2004 to 2012, or from RD$372 million at the …

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A panel of economists, including Fernando Alvarez Bogaert, Miguel Ceara Hatton and Ernesto Selman took a look at the economic situation facing incoming President Danilo Medina during the Corripio Media Group luncheon yesterday, Wednesday 15 August. They said that this was an economy with a fiscal deficit that will round out the year at RD$120 …

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Three Santo Domingo Metro stations will be equipped with wi-fi Internet access and fixed terminals, which will benefit riders of the city’s fast transit system. The news was released with a joint statement from the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) and the Transport Reorganization Office (Opret). The pilot project will provide free broadband access at three …

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Incoming President Danilo Medina will open the new school year with 2,531,866 students on Monday, 20 August. There are great public expectations, according to El Nuevo Diario, focused on his pledge to fulfill the Constitutional requirement to assign 4% of the GDP to Education. As a candidate, Medina swore that he would get this funding …

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The Department for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (formerly Depreco and now DPCA) has provisionally ordered the accusation of alleged acts of corruption against Senator Felix Bautista to be filed away with all judicial consequences. DPCA director Hotoniel Bonilla said in a note sent by a court bailiff (Number 1150-12) to former presidential candidate for …

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The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) has issued a forecast for rains for the next two days due to the influence of a weak tropical wave. They said that the wave was located to the south of Puerto Rico and was moving westwards at 37 kilometers per hour. Rains are expected in Santo Domingo and the …

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