2020 – Page 54

The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) reported seizing two suitcases with 10 packages of a white powder suspect to be cocaine weighing 95 lbs on board a Caribe Tours bus. A canine unit sniffed out the drugs when the bus stopped at the military checkpoint at Copey in Montecristi. The drugs were inside 10 packages …

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Public Health Minister Plutarco Arias and his wife are hospitalized at the Unión Médica del Norte in Santiago. Dr. Arias is the founding partner of the leading Santiago private clinic. Early on, the Unión Médica championed the treating of Covid-19 virus in the Cibao provinces. Dr. Veronica Lockward, medical director for the clinic, said Dr. …

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The Ministry of Public Health’s Epidemiology Department Coronavirus Bulletin #217 reports 425 new PCR confirmed cases. The number might well include the case of Public Health Minister Plutarco Arias. On Wednesday, 21 October 2020 it was reported he had tested positive. 3,304 first PCR tests were carried out in time for the deadline of Bulletin …

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Senator Faride Raful (National District-PRM) announced on 21 October 2020 she would not cash in on the senatorial social assistance fund, better known as “the little barrel” (el barrilito). As a Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) deputy, and when campaigning for senator, Raful had been critical of the slush fund that awards more than RD$1 million …

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Freight truck traffic through the border crossing point at Dajabón was affected yesterday after Haitian authorities prevented the cargo trucks’ regular passage. As reported in Listin Diario, on Wednesday, 21 October 2020, there were several violent incidents at the border after the Haitian authorities disallowed the passage of trucks loaded with merchandise from the Dominican …

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New French ambassador Eric Fournier presented his credentials to Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez on Wednesday, 21 October 2020 at the Ministry of Foreign Relations. There were talks on the consolidation of bilateral relations and initiatives in cooperation and trade during the meeting. The Ministry of Foreign Relations explains that before his appointment to the Dominican …

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The Procurement Agency says it is analyzing the complaint by José Martínez Brito, who claims that a company allegedly owned by a nephew of Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez, has been irregularly favored by catering contracts at the ministry since August. In a video published in social networks, Martinez Brito stated that Roberto Alvarez was named …

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The Attorney General Office (PGR) is investigating the definitive filing of the Odebrecht US$92 million bribes case under the past administration. The Attorney General Office now under Miriam Germán Brito summoned Appeals Court prosecutor Narciso Escaño Martínez to explain the filing reasons. It is now known that Escaño took the action with his boss, former …

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The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) office in the Dominican Republic issued a statement congratulating the Central Electoral Board (JCE) for issuing Resolution 74-2020 that authorizes issuing identity cards to all minors, from the age of 12. The cards need to be requested by the minor accompanied by the parent. “With this resolution we advance …

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Attorney General Miriam Germán said on Tuesday, 20 October 2020 that it takes time to prepare duly documented prosecution cases. She said sending someone to prison is not a decision that should be taken lightly. “To order imprisonment there has to be serious grounds,” she said after signing an agreement to prosecute corruption at the …

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