2021 – Page 168

The Dominican government extended its free Covid-19 travel insurance program to tourists for another month. The program will now end on 12 June 2021. This program covers tourists that book into participating hotels and resorts in the country. The insurance cover hospitalization, medicines, transportation (ambulances) and hotel expenses incurred during a hospital stay. It even …

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The government is cracking down on the sale of alcoholic beverages on tours and the beaches. Most of this action comes as another two dozen persons died last month from imbibing adulterated alcohol that had been laced with methanol. The toll of deaths is way past 300 victims this year. The Tourism Ministry issued Resolution …

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Recently the International Monetary Fund, as well as Administrative Minister of the Presidency Jose Ignacio Paliza have talked about the inevitability of a major tax reform for the Dominican Republic. Tax reform in this country is equal to an increase in taxes. It needs to pass in Congress in 2021 to be applied in 2022. …

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Interior Minister Jesus (Chu) Vasquez told reporters that he has discovered several issues or irregularities within some of the programs underway at the ministry. One of these is the construction of the National Ballistics Lab (which cost US$22.0 million). He said that he has handed the case over to lawyers who handle recovery of state …

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The Abinader administration continues the purge of foreign service staff. Decrees 251-21 and 272-21 issued late last week canceled another 35 appointments of minister councilors, councilors and military attachés abroad. Reports are that some of the persons had been appointed as far back as 1999. Read more in Spanish:Listin Diario 17 May 2021

President Luis Abinader issued Decree No. 320-21 publishing the Regulations for the Application of Law 225-20 on Integral Management and Co-Processing of Solid Waste. The regulations are the guidelines for the application of Law 225-20 passed on 2 October 2020. The law covers the comprehensive management of waste and has provisions for the reduction, reuse …

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Operation Smile will carry out its 28th medical mission to the Dominican Republic. Local and foreign doctors will operate on 25 children with cleft palates and harelips. These children, pre-selected by Dominican specialists, will receive free surgery and after-care at the Dr. Salvador B. Gutierrez Public Hospital in Santo Domingo, a teaching hospital. Possible candidates …

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The SwissAir and Lufthansa Group affiliate, Edelweiss Airlines, will once again bring passengers from Zurich to Puerto Plata, starting 2 July 2021. The airline currently serves Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and other destinations in the Caribbean and Central America. The flights will arrive on Fridays, direct from Zurich. A spokesperson for the airline …

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A 4.8 magnitude earthquake was mostly felt in the Cibao central region. The earthquake caused damages on the Constanza-Casabito mountain road. Traffic was reopened on the Casabito-Constanza mountain road after landslides affected the curvy mountain road. The Ministry of Public Works’ Road Maintenance Department worked with heavy equipment to restore the road and facilitate traffic. …

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The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) announced the confiscating of 450 packages of a white powder suspect to be cocaine at Caucedo Multimodal Port on Saturday, 15 May 2021. The drugs were in freight containers of animal feed in transit to Europe. There are no arrests in the case yet. The 450 packages of the …

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