2014 – Page 35

According to Deputy Demostenes Martinez, Chamber of Deputies Justice Committee chairman, an illegal organized structure that he described as a “mafia” is bringing women into the country to give birth in Dominican hospitals. Most are taken to the Cabral y Baez Public Hospital in Santiago. He quotes hospital director Rolando Baez and the head of …

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According to a source at the National Department of Investigations (DNI), the recent arson attack on the Santo Domingo Metro has taken a new turn as the man accused of the crime, 21-year old Franck Kelin Holguin Medina, has apparently confessed that he was paid to carry out the attack by a leading member of …

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Oxfam’s director in the Dominican Republic, Rosa Canete Alonso says that 50% of the country’s wealth is concentrated among the 20% richest, and that social inequality is on the increase. Speaking at Oxfam headquarters in Santo Domingo yesterday, Tuesday 18 November 2014, Canete revealed data from a new study called “Even It Up: Time to …

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A major fire has caused major damages at the Cibao Stadium, home of the Aguilas baseball team in Santiago. The fire is believed to have started in the offices at the stadium at around 7am this morning, Wednesday 19 November 2014, before spreading to other parts of the stadium, including the second and third level …

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The executive editor of Diario Libre writes that young people should become entrepreneurs because these days, fewer jobs are to be found. In his page two editorial today, Wednesday 19 November 2014, Adriano Miguel Tejada encourages young people to seek economic independence and concludes: “The era of the job has ended.” He says the newspaper …

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The Ministry of Interior and Police says that more than 97,000 foreigners have applied to legalize their status under the National Foreigner Legalization Plan. Of this total, 107 people of 15 nationalities have completed the process and obtained their residence cards. The process began in June 2014 and will continue through May 2015. A total …

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Representatives from the Ground Transport Office (OTTT) met with the transporters’ unions on Friday, 14 November 2014, but no agreement for fare cuts was reached. Early last week, Hector Mojica of OTTT announced fare cuts of RD$5 on urban routes and between RD$10 and RD$40 on intercity routes. However, when transporters refused to reduce their …

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The pension plan companies are reaping yields worth triple what they are paying their clients, as reported in Diario Libre. As of September, the AFPs had profited by 35.20% while the average yield paid to contributors to the system has been 12.27%. In their third quarterly report, the Superintendence of Pensions (SIPEN) said that together …

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Environment Ministry’s environmental policy coordinator Domingo Contreras says that the recycling business in the Dominican Republic is worth more than US$100 million a year, as reported in Diario Libre. He said that this is peanuts compared to the potential of recycling, which he estimated at US$600 million a year. Contreras said that more and more …

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The president of the Association of Industries of Herrera and the Province of Santo Domingo (AEIH) Victor Castro has criticized the exclusion of representatives of the small business sector in the ongoing labor talks, as reported in Diario Libre. AEIH says that small and medium-sized business employs 97% of workers in the DR. “The business …

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