2020 – Page 69

The Executive Branch submitted the 2021 National Budget to Congress on 1 October 2020. The budget, for the first time in history, surpasses the trillion pesos. It is for RD$1.03 trillion. There is a focus on construction, education and health sectors. The budget calls for RD$2.49 billion to increase the capacity of Line 1 of …

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President Luis Abinader published Decree 528-20 naming new ambassadors to Germany, Israel, Colombia and Guatemala. Francisco A. Caraballo is named Dominican ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany. Caraballo is a professional diplomat. At the time of his appointment, he was the Dominican permanent representative before the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, …

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New United Kingdom Ambassador Mockbul Ali Obe presented his credentials to Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez at the Ministry of Foreign Relations on 1 October 2020. Before his appointment to the Dominican Republic, he was deputy head of mission at the Bahrain Embassy. He has also served in the missions in Libya and Egypt. The Santo …

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China Ambassador Zhang Run hosted the Chamber of Deputies president, Alfredo Pacheco and former Presidents Leonel Fernández and Hipólito Mejía for the formal opening of the new offices in Piantini in the National District, as reported in Diario Libre. The People’s Republic of China is now operating out of new offices in the capital city …

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The National Police reveals major changes inside the force. As reported, there are changes in command in the most important positions. Police director, Mayor General Edward Sánchez González named General Amauri Van Troi Tejada Cruz director of the Dicrim, the crime investigations unit. Likewise, General Valentin Rosado Vicioso is the new director of the Dican, …

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Pedro Quezada, director-general of the Presidential Office of Information Technology and Communication (OPTIC), announced extending of working hours at Citizen Service Centers (Puntos GOB) as as of 5 October 2020. The announcement comes after the reduction in curfew. The new curfew allows circulation until 9pm on Monday to Friday and to 7pm on Saturday and …

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The Senate of the Republic approved this Wednesday, 30 September 2020 InterAmerican Development Bank loans for US$500 million. The funding are the Program to Strengthen Public Policy and Fiscal Management in Response to the Health and Economic Crisis Caused by COVID19 in the Dominican Republic and the Emergency Program for Macroeconomic and Fiscal Sustainability. The …

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National District Mayor Carolina Mejía road away on the first electric horse-drawn carriage now servicing the Colonial City. For the inaugural ride she was accompanied by Monika Infante, president of the Santo Domingo Tourism Cluster. The city government is participating in a program to replace the horse-drawn buggies with electric-powered ones. The Inter American Development …

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The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) with the support of the Military Security at Caucedo Port, the Armed Forces intelligence agencies of the Armed Forces and state prosecution, seized 673 packages suspect of being 701 kilos of cocaine at Caucedo Port. DNCD agents and the port’s internal security inspected dozens of containers in the cargo …

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The Ministry of Public Health’s Epidemiology Department Coronavirus Bulletin #196 reports 519 confirmed cases, up from 309 cases for the previous bulletin. The increase in PCR confirmed cases led the 24-hour positivity rate to rise to 14.44%, up from 9.15%. The 4-week positivity rate declined to 12.67%, a record low. The 4-week positivity rate was …

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