2025 – Page 43

First Lady Raquel Arbaje, along with her daughters Graciela, Esther, and Adriana, is among more than 1,000 individuals who have signed an open letter rejecting the current draft of the Dominican Republic’s proposed Penal Code reform. The letter, addressed directly to President Luis Abinader, warns that the legislation represents a “serious setback” for human rights …

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President Luis Abinader announced on 23 July 2025 the Republic of Ideas initiative, a nationwide contest aimed at encouraging Dominicans both at home and abroad to submit creative, innovative, and feasible proposals to help drive inclusive and sustainable development. Government officials are joined by academic leaders, young changemakers, and civil society representatives at the unveiling. …

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South Africa is looking for investors as it works out its problems in dealing with the high cost of extraction to exploit its Steenkampskraal mine known for deposits of rare earth elements and described as located “in the middle of nowhere.” Meanwhile, Minister of Industry & Commerce Victor (Ito) Bisono met with South African Minister …

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Economist Ellen Perez Ducy writes a second part in her analysis for Diario Libre on DR-CAFTA now that the Trump Administration has levied a 10% tariff on the Dominican Republic, an outright change of the trading rules with the Caribbean and Central America. In her analysis, “The Myth of Exports (Part II): The DR-CAFTA Paradox,” …

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If conditions for living and working in Haiti would improve, Haitians would no longer need to migrate. Meanwhile, to detain the mass flux of Haitians looking for what their country is not providing in security, jobs and social services, the Dominican government has poured over RD800 million (approximately US$13.6 million) into bolstering its deportation efforts …

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Tensions are rising over the rice surplus. The opposition says the stockpiles are of imported rice. Agriculture Minister Limber Cruz during the 21 July 2025 press conference of President Luis Abinader had stated that this year the country had not imported rice, and that the rice inventories were of rice imported in 2024. Moreover, Agriculture …

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It would be hard to find someone so dedicated to a cause as retired general Juan Manuel Mendez Garcia, the head of the Center for Emergency Operations (COE). Mendez Garcia was just honored for his 20 years as the head of the Dominican agency charged with handling all of the emergency situations that occur on …

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Senior citizens in the Dominican Republic remember studying with the books of their elder brothers and sisters. Textbooks were passed on in the families, with considerable savings for the parents. The work assignments were in separate notebooks. But then, publishing companies invented the textbooks that incorporated workbooks. And the Ministry of Education approved these. This …

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The government seems to be saying “tough luck” to the Botanical Gardens neighbors. Now, while an official announcement has been made that the Botanical Gardens grounds inside their fence will be sparred from the impact of the announced major Av. Republica de Colombia roadworks, the neighboring communities and those who benefit from the greenery on …

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What is quite logically the nation’s biggest private sector single employer, much like Walmart in the United States, the Grupo Ramos has announced in Santiago de los Caballeros that it intends to expand its current 84 stores to more than 200 stores by 2030. Such entities as Sirena Market (former Pola), Multicentro La Sirena, Multiplaza …

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