2020 – Page 83

From Qatar, Dominican ambassador Federico Cuello reports on advances in conversations for the start of a direct flight from Qatar. Cuello says that His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Than wants Qatar Airlines to serve as the flight of choice to make Asian tourism a reality. Cuello explained the embassy commissioned a study with …

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For the fourth month in a row, remittances have increased by double digits compared to the same month in 2019. This is a major plus in these Covid-19 times when foreign exchange levels suffer from the collapse of the tourism industry. Tourism revenues are estimated to have declined more than US$3.5 billion from January to …

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The National Observatory for Consumer Protection has announced that it will file a recourse of the unconstitutionality regarding the government signing for public-private partnerships for water services. The Abinader government has announced it is looking into using mechanisms within the Public-Private Partnership Law 47-20 to build aqueducts. The Observatory is concerned that the recently passed …

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The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic says annual inflation is just at 3.12%, with a near 1% increase in August (0.78%). The Central Bank explained that increases in the cost of transportation, food, non-alcoholic beverages and housing had fueled the inflation rate. There were variations in health services (0.91%), diverse goods and services and …

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From April to June 2019, there were 496 traffic fatalities. For the same period this year, there were 332 fatalities. While still a stupidly high number, the 2020 tally is 164 fewer deaths compared to 2019. According to the Ground Transportation and Traffic Safety Agency (Digesett), the reason for this decrease in road deaths is …

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The former president of the Dominican Association of Public School Teachers (ADP), María Teresa Cabrera is critical of the National Council of Education (CNE) decision to appoint new regional directors. “I believe that the decision taken by the National Council of Education, is not good. It does not help the purposes of improving the quality …

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Wilson Camacho, the new head of the office of the Special Prosecutors for Administrative Corruption (Pepca), has stated that he will carry out all of the necessary investigations into government payments for the controversial RD$11.5 billion in asphalt contracts. The agreements were signed by PLD presidential candidate Gonzalo Castillo when he was minister of Public …

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As of the Ministry of Public Health’s Epidemiology Department Coronavirus Bulletin #178 the objective of 7,000 PCR tests per day had not yet been reached. 2,773 first time PCR tests are reported in the bulletin. The 24-hour positivity rate is 20.48%. The positivity rate over the past four weeks is still at 26.62%. As per …

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President Luis Abinader named Roberto Santana as honorary advisor to the Executive Branch on Security Policies and the Prison System. With Santana present at a meeting televised from the Presidential Palace, Abinader presented the new Prison Reform Plan. The plan seeks to reduce crime, improve conditions for those in jail, and create the conditions to …

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President Luis Abinader says he backs incorporating the three exceptions to the ban on abortions in the Dominican Republic. The Penal Code has been on hold for years as religious groups oppose any exceptions. TV and radio news talk host Diana Lora reported that Abinader made the remarks when hosting a special lunch for the …

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