2013 – Page 231

The Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico David E. Bernier Rivera is expected in Santo Domingo today, Monday 6 May for an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, especially in agriculture, energy, environment and services. Bernier will be meeting with President Danilo Medina and Minister of Foreign Relations Carlos Morales Troncoso. …

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President Danilo Medina traveled tos Isla Margarita on Sunday, 5 May to attend the Seventh Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Petrocaribe oil alliance, called by President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela. Medina had just returned from attending the SICA Summit in Costa Rica, together with Central American leaders and President Barack Obama …

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Key topics for discussion by the Central American, Dominican Republic and US Presidents during the Central American Integration System (SICA) summit included cooperation beyond security, the fight against drug trafficking and how to make better use of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA). US President Barack Obama and the heads of state …

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Although the Public Sector Salary Regulation Bill is still under observation by the Executive Branch, after it was vetoed by former President Leonel Fernandez shortly before the end of his term, several ministers have raised their own salaries according to the terms set out in the legislative proposal. The Ministry of Public Administration has approved …

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The president and vice-president of the mining conglomerate Barrick Gold will arrive in the country from Canada today, Monday 6 May, to deal with the government’s demands for a new export agreement for the metals from the Pueblo Viejo mine in Cotui. According to El Caribe, the visit by the top Barrick Gold executives is …

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The 2013 Santo Domingo International Book Fair ended last night, Sunday 5 May with the Minister of Culture awarding prizes to some of the outstanding exhibitors and proclaiming “Mission Accomplished!” This year’s Special Guest Country was Ecuador. The closing ceremony was held in the Juan Bosch Auditorium of the Pedro Henriquez Urena National Library, and …

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The presence of students from Haiti at Dominican universities is increasing by the day. According to El Caribe, citing figures from the Central Bank, they pay some US$120 million in tuition and fees every year. Student number estimates vary wildly, from some 12,000 according to some publications to the 1,917 officially registered by the Ministry …

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The Association of Housing Builders and Promoters (Acoprovi) says that the government needs to speed up the process of the social bonus, since there is a demand for 143,000 housing units, but over 75,000 of the applicants do not qualify for bank financing, so the guidelines need to be modified. The association called for modifying …

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New bank services that allow customers who have lost their access to credit because of past debt can now participate in recovery programs offered by the BHD and Banco Leon, according to a report in Diario Libre. BHD has announced that as of 23 April it is offering Re-Comienzo, or Re-Start, a program that awards …

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Former President Hipolito Mejia said yesterday, Sunday 5 May, that a “reengagement of relations,” had taken place at a meeting with PRD president Miguel Vargas held last Friday, 3 May. He made it clear, however, that no agreement had been reached, but that the ice had been broken in order to begin conversations between the …

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