2020 – Page 14

Energy and Mines Minister Antonio Almonte told Listin Diario that audits underway at the three government power utilities reveal major irregularities. Almonte says a “two-headed octopus” was profiteering from family ties to win generous government contracts with the utilities. He made the observation coinciding with the recent sending to preventive custody of several government officials, …

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The National Comptroller Office says the past practice of government departments acknowledging debts and extending contracts violates the law. The announcement is part of the reorganization and new controls implemented to reduce wasteful spending and make the government more efficient. Resolution 2020-0012 signed by Controller Luis Rafael Delgado Sánchez says the practice is prohibited by …

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The National Aquarium program for the welfare of manatees in the Dominican Republic last year released a rescued manatee named Remi to a protected cove in southeastern Bayahibe. Now, the aquarium specialists say that three others – Juanita, Pepe and Lupita — that had been rescued and protected at the National Aquarium will also be …

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The retrial of the US$92 million Odebrecht bribes case is postponed for Monday, 21 December 2020 to give time for Brazilian witness, lawyer Mauricio Dantas Bezerra to appear in person. Dantas Bezerra had requested to participate in the trial via Zoom, yet this was not accepted by the defendants. In 2016, in a New York …

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The Puerto Plata section of the Dominican Council for Fishing and Aquaculture (Codopesca) seized 600 lbs of parrotfish. The capture, sale and consumption of the species is banned. The fresh fish were donated to the food bank of the government welfare agency, Progresando con Solidaridad (ProSoli). The Navy also participated in the confiscating of the …

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Chilly weather and rain is forecast for the north coast, central mountain areas and the northern border provinces with Haiti. The chilly weather will continue through the weekend. Temperatures in the early morning are forecast to drop to as low as 19C in Greater Santo Domingo and La Romana, 17C in Santiago, 18C in Puerto …

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The city government reported a major land sinkage at the abandoned construction site of a 10-floor commercial-residential building in Gazue. The building site faces the Centro Médico Gazcue on Av. Leopoldo Navarro near Av. Bolivar. The ground collapse occurred at around 4am. A Honda Civic and a Honda Fit sunk with the collapsed ground. The …

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Seven persons were hospitalized on Wednesday, 9 December 2020 after a woman driver lost control of her vehicle. The vehicle rammed into the Centro de Salud Fundación Siglo XII, a hospital in Los Guaricanos in Santo Domingo North municipality The severely injured were taken to the Ney Arias Trauma Hospital, and two children to the …

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Public Health Minister Plutarco Arias highlighted in a press conference on 9 December 2020 that 75% of people testing positive in the Dominican Republic are asymptomatic. Arrivals from abroad are increasing as tourism picks up and for the Christmas holidays. There is the real possibility that travelers who do not show symptoms may infect their …

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President Luis Abinader is taking steps so that transparency be the best weapon to fight corruption. Likewise, the President announced on Wednesday, 9 December 2020 new actions to improve government legislation to recover assets stolen from the state and to reduce the possibility of corruption in his own government. The announcements coincide with the International …

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