DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic
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On 11 September 2025, the Monetary Board unveiled new regulations aimed at overhauling the country’s foreign exchange framework and cracking down at speculation. The government has said there is no reason for the unusual spread in selling and buying prices of the foreign currency given the steady flow of hard currency generated by remittances, free trade zone operations and tourism receipts.
The Foreign Exchange Regulation was revised to require exchange transactions of more than US$10,000 or EUR100,000 to be registered. The Central Bank has also been granted authority to impose sanctions, including ban on carrying out transactions, on those who fail to comply with the new rules.
Among the key changes, the Monetary Board raised capital requirements for entities operating as foreign exchange intermediaries. Institutions will also be subject to stricter reserve obligations and tighter limits on their net foreign currency positions.
In addition to financial criteria, the...
The routine mission from the International Monetary Fund met late last week with the leaders of the private sector — the board of directors of the National Business Council (Conep). As reported, the talks covered perspectives for investment, sustained development, and structural issues.
The Conep stressed their allegiance to sustained growth, economic confidence, and their contribution to the overall development of the Dominican Republic.
Previous meetings held by the IMF included the Ministry of Hacienda and Economy, and the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic.
Hector Valdez Albizu chaired the final meeting of the IMF visit on Friday, 12 September 2025, and the IMF delegates were said to be happy to express their take on the Dominican situation.
While the subtext of the visit was said to be “under Article IV of the IMF,” IMF has yet to post an update on the meeting on their website under this chapter.
In essence, Article IV is a two-way policy dialogue between...
The National Health Insurance (Senasa) announced it is suspending the contracts of 10 private primary care centers that serve patients under the subsidized health plan. The move, effective immediately, will shift these centers from a fixed-rate payment model to a pay-per-service system. The announcement comes as the government health insurance plan seeks to unravel much criticized contracting with private medical providers. The scheme negatively impacted the resources of the government public health system.
Previously, the government had said the finances of the entity were hurting because of the expansion of two million people in the subsidized plan. Yet, new reports indicate actions under the Santiago Hazim management, many times to favor private entities, have weakened the finances.
According to a statement from Senasa, this decision is a response to the agency’s ongoing financial struggles. Senasa’s new executive director, Edward Guzmán, stated the change aims to ensure...
Color Vision reported a technical failure with the programming. The program later aired on 10pm that evening, one hour later. Meanwhile, the program continued as usual on her YouTube channel.
The program carried her recent update on irregularities on the Senasa, the government. Piera presented controversies that she says the government needs to explain on their contracting during the administration of Santiago Hazim. Hazim was in the position since when he was appointed in August 2020 during the first government of President Luis Abinader.
The Senasa irregularities are being described as the major corruption scandal of the Abinader administration.
While the government struggles with improving the quality of education, political patronage seems to continue to prevail.
In a striking paradox, a new report by investigative journalist Nuria Piera reveals a government-funded system continued to be filled by “ghost employees” and nepotism, while the illiteracy rate among young people is on the rise.
The Ministry of Education, which shoulders the largest payroll in the state, is again at the center of this scandal. With more than 120 billion pesos allocated for teacher salaries alone, the Ministry’s budget seems to being siphoned off by individuals who are not performing their duties. The evidence is clear: entire families are on the payroll without working, terminated employees continue to collect salaries, and “ghost” consultants receive lavish wages.
This system, which appears to have been historically designed to be a haven for political patronage and nepotism, has become a hotbed of so-called “botellas”—a term for...
The 2025 Human Development Report for the Dominican Republic ranks the Dominican Republic 89th out of 193 countries. This is the same ranked reported for the DR in the 2021 and 2023 United Nations Human Development Reports.
The 2025 report highlights that the Human Development Index (HDI) has increased 32% since 1990, the year the UNDP began measuring it. This places the country in the category of “high human development.”
The report mentions that from 2010 to 2023, the Dominican Republic achieved a 1.7% annual reduction in inequality, which is faster than the 1% average for the Latin American and Caribbean region. Since 2018, the country has shown less inequality in relation to its HDI compared to the rest of the region.
Despite the positive aggregate figures, inequality continues to be a major obstacle to national development, limiting the full and equal enjoyment of human development for all citizens.
Between 2010 and 2022, the country lost nearly 22% of its human...
With communities around the country complaining of power outages, the installation of a new power barge off the coast of Azua might be welcomed. That was not the case for the new installation in Puerto Viejo, at Playa Los Negros on the Azua coast. There are now three generating units in that space.
However, locals are complaining that the power stations are a threat to the eco-system and are a source of noise contamination for the surrounding area.
The first power-generating barge went into operation back in 2023. The Ministry of the Environment has cited the facility on one occasion for a fuel spillage. The area has been plagued with power outages for many years, and it is recognized that these power barges, with contracts through 2026, are only a temporary solution.
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Once again, there is the call to clean up the Ozama and Isabela rivers that are basically giant sewers at this time, accumulating mostly industrial waste.
However, this time it is the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, who is taking up the standard for the huge undertaking. Abinader signed Decree 531-25 that delineates the areas that are to become part of the project.
The areas will fall under the control of the Executor Unit for the Redesign of Barrios and Surroundings (URBE). The unit will have to respect the social and cultural conditions of the people who will be forced to move out from the riversides. There will be community interventions, meetings with community leaders, and solutions worked out with the residents.
This is clearly a repetition of what occurred during the removal of the Barquita barrio on the banks of the Ozama, where the population was moved to a newly created housing development appropriately named the New Barquita. Residents along...
The head of the National Health Service (SNS) that groups public hospitals, Dr. Mario Lama has reported to the Migration Policy Watchdog (OPM) that the reduction of 4,586 fewer maternity cases by Haitian women in the first eight months of 2025 has saved the SNS more than RD$4 billion. Lama also noted that the absence of Haitian patients has freed up beds and services as well as permitting greater efficiency in the nation’s public hospitals.
This recent trend that saves money for the hospitals which, in turn, allows them to keep a stock of disposable items that are often out of stock with higher numbers of maternity cases.
Lama based his numbers on estimates given to the press by former Public Health Minister, Daniel Rivera, who said that the cost of the Haitian maternity cases was between RD$10 and RD$15 billion per year.
Lama went on to say that so far in 2025, some 13,125 Haitians have given birth in Dominican facilities, over 4,000 less than in 2024. The SNS director...
The Dominican Consulate in Miami, Florida sponsored business meetings to foster increased trade between the Dominican Republic and Florida companies and ports of entry. The Consulate officials and promoters spoke of how the DR offers more than vacations, and presented options for investing in real estate, energy, transportation and trade free zones.
“The economic growth of our country is not a temporary situation; it has been sustained for 30 years. We have one of the most robust democratic systems in the region,” said Geanilda Vásquez, consul general of the Dominican Republic in Miami.
The Dominican Republic and Miami-Dade Economics and Investment Opportunities Forum was held on 3 September at the Dominican consulate in Brickell, and attracted county leaders and representatives of the Dominican community. The mission: to exchange ideas on how to bring the Dominican Republic and the United States, its main trading partner, closer together.
The Dominican Republic is...
“A Taste of Hope 2025” is the fifth fundraiser for UNICEF in the Dominican Republic.
The charitable dinner is scheduled for 16 and 17 September 2025 at the Hotel Embajador in Santo Domingo. This 2025, the event will be led by renowned chefs Carmen Angel, founder of Carmen Restaurante in Medellin, Colombia, and Saverio Stassi, executive chef of Ajualä in the Dominican Republic.
The funds raised will go directly to UNICEF’s programs in the Dominican Republic. These programs focus on critical issues like treating acute childhood malnutrition, reducing maternal and newborn mortality, improving education, protecting children from violence, and preventing child marriage and teen pregnancy.
The government has announced it will not be facilitating the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Stadium for shows and mega events until the completion of the summer Central American and Caribbean Games. The exceptions will be the use of the stadium for the Batalla de la Fe, a mega event organized by the evangelical churches and for the Bad Bunny concert. In both cases, only the stands will be used and there will be no ground seating or standing tickets to be sold.
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The Dominican senior women’s volleyball team is in Guadalajara, Mexico for the start of the Norceca Final Six Volleyball Championship.
This is the fifth edition of the Final Six, where the Dominican Republic’s Reinas del Caribe will face off against the United States, Canada, Cuba, Puerto Rico and host Mexico. The opening match is on Monday, 15 September at the Unidad Deportiva López Mateos.
The prestigious tournament serves as part of the qualification pathway for both the 2026 Norceca Women’s Pan American Cup and the 2026 Norceca Women’s Continental Championship.
The Dominican Republic enters the competition as the defending champion, having captured the title three times (2021, 2022, 2024). The United States won the crown in 2023.
The competition format includes a round-robin preliminary phase, with the top four teams advancing to the crossover semifinals (2nd vs 3rd and 1st vs 4th) on 20n September. The fifth- and sixth-place teams will meet on the final day to...
The New York Mets reported on how Juan Soto has set a new record for the New York Mets, when batting his 40th home run, on Saturday 13 September 2025.
With his Saturday home run in the seventh inning, he became the first player in team history to compile at least 40 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season. He set the record in the game the MetMets lost 3-2 to the Rangers on Saturday.
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Dominican Republic’s Paris Olympics gold medalist Marileidy Paulino moved to the semifinals in the World Athletics meet in Tokyo, Japan. Paulino qualified with a 49.85 time. The finals will be on 18 September 2025.
Paulino is performing in the Tokyo Olympic Stadium where in 2021 she won her first Olympic medal, a silver, competing in the 400m to an empty stadium.
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Top officials from the Dominican Republic’s Central Bank, Treasury, and Banking Superintendence met with leaders of the country’s financial sector to review the national economy. The meeting, which included Governor of the Central Bank Héctor Valdez Albizu, Treasury Minister Magín Díaz, and Banking Superintendent Alejandro Fernández, sought to review the economy’s performance and establish a unified approach to maintaining macroeconomic stability.
The meeting comes amid public concern over the recent dip of the Dominican peso against the US dollar. Valdez Albizu assured the public that the fluctuation is caused by a seasonal effect. He explained that there are no macroeconomic factors to justify the recent volatility, pointing to the annual surge in demand for US dollars in September as companies restock inventories for end-of-year sales.
Meanwhile, the fluctuation is a positive for tourist spending, exporters and buying power of remittances sent from abroad.
Valdez...
The Economic and Social Council (CES) has presented President Luis Abinader with its final report with recommendations on how to deal with the Haitian crisis and its implications for the Dominican Republic. The consolidated document, the result of a six-table dialogue involving a wide range of national sectors, was handed over at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, 9 September 2025.
The report, titled Final Consolidated Report of the Dialogue on the Haitian Crisis and its Implications for the Dominican Republic, emerged from discussions among representatives from the social, labor, business, and organized civil society sectors, as well as delegates from the President’s office and the three former Presidents.
Rafael Toribio, president of the CES, led the delegation that formally delivered a physical copy and a USB drive containing the report and the final minutes of the six...
The Ministry of Education (Minerd) is dramatically expanding its “English for a Better Life” program, aiming to benefit hundreds of thousands of students with critical language skills. The initiative, which includes a new digital platform for self-study, will be implemented in 321 new schools this year, bringing the total to 465.
This expansion is projected to provide language training to an additional 150,000 students, raising the total number of participants to 200,000. The program was first launched last year, reaching 50,000 high school seniors in 144 schools across the country. Its core objective is to equip students with the English proficiency needed to enhance their academic and professional opportunities after graduation.
The “English for a Better Life” program is a key part of the current administration’s 2025-2028 goals, and a central pillar of Minister of...
In a landmark ruling, the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic has declared a law regulating the use of public force in embargo proceedings unconstitutional. The decision, which follows a direct action of unconstitutionality, puts an end to a legal framework that had been widely criticized for enabling abuse. Yet, the ruling says that Congress needs to pass a new law, and thus the old law will still be in effect for two years.
The court’s decision, outlined in Sentence TC/0743/25, found that Law No. 396-19 violated several key constitutional principles. The law had empowered the Public Ministry to authorize and direct the use of public force for seizing movable and immovable property, a role the court determined was unconstitutional.
According to the ruling, the law was fundamentally flawed for two main reasons. First, it failed to follow the proper legislative procedure...
Childhood obesity has surpassed being underweight as the leading form of malnutrition globally for the first time, according to the release of the Child Nutrition Report 2025 by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
In the Dominican Republic, the 2019 Enhogar MICS survey had already found that 8% of children under five are overweight. The report also highlights a low rate of exclusive breastfeeding, with only 16% of infants receiving breast milk for their first six months, a number that, despite a slight improvement from 4.7% in 2014, remains critically low.
“In the country, malnutrition manifests as both stunted growth and childhood obesity,” said Anyoli Sanabria, Unicef’s interim representative in the Dominican Republic. “There is an urgent need for comprehensive policies that ensure healthy and affordable food.”
The study points to unhealthy food environments that...
Leonardo de Jesus Reyes Madera of the National Office for Seismic Assessment and Infrastructure and Building Vulnerabilities (Onesvie) said that the final technical report prepared by his office on the collapse of the roof of the JetSet Club in Santo Domingo would be made available this week. During an interview on Esta Noche con Mariasela, he said the conclusions in the final report are the same as in the preliminary report that was released in June 2025. The preliminary report had revealed that the overload of the roof had caused the 8 April 2025 tragedy. At least 236 persons died in the tragedy.
The final report includes the technical simulation that recreates the collapse.
The preliminary report was prepared by Leonardo de Jesus Reyes Madera, and Maximo Jose Corominas Quezada (Presoled SRL) and California-based Eduardo A. Fierro (BFP Engineers). The three...
In a first time, Mariasela Alvarez interviews First Lady Raquel Arbaje who shared with TV viewers her originality, sincerity and humility style. The First Lady spoke of her support to her husband.
Known for her accessibility, authenticity and spontaneity, First Lady Raquel Arbaje spoke of how she has always been an advocate that there is a need to communicate more about what is being accomplished in the Luis Abinader administration.
She spoke of why she signed a letter protesting a Penal Code passed in the Chamber of Deputies that earned the rejection of the president of the Chamber of Deputies. The First Lady said she is a devote Catholic, but acted in her condition as a citizen and president of the children’s cabinet in government.
Follow the interview: Esta Noche con Mariasela — Raquel Arbaje interview ...
On 9 September 2025, large numbers of people across the Dominican Republic received a test message, part of the new public warning program. The test program has been set up for Claro telecom Android phones.
The Dominican government has activated the first phase of its new National Alert System, a technological tool designed to send immediate and geolocated emergency messages to mobile phones across the country.
A technical test was conducted on Tuesday, 9 September 2025 to customers of the Claro Dominicana network and using Cell Broadcast (CB) technology. This system, unlike traditional SMS messages, guarantees a real-time alert by sending notifications directly to mobile devices in specific risk areas.
Cell broadcast is described as a public warning technology used to send mass alerts to mobile phones in a specific geographical area, even during...
An extensive feature in El Dia, known for its crime reporting, reveals that it appears that Dominican drug traffickers prefer to be extradited to the United States to face trial there and negotiate a plea bargain to avoid asset seizure. They then return to the Dominican Republic to enjoy their assets.
El Dia explains that despite the Dominican Republic’s Asset Forfeiture Law, enacted by the Executive Branch in 2022, the government has yet to draft the regulatory framework that would implement the law.
El Dia reports that while the Asset Forfeiture Law remains in legal limbo with its regulations still pending, drug traffickers who are wanted for prosecution find it more beneficial to face justice in the United States. Once they serve their sentence or reach a plea agreement with US authorities, they can return to the Dominican Republic and retain the wealth and property they...
A convicted former ambassador has been granted permission to teach emerging lawyers. A judge in San Cristóbal has granted a work permit to Donni Mayobanex Santana Cuevas, a former Dominican ambassador who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the sexual assault of his stepdaughter. The recent judicial order allows him to work as a professor at the National School of the Dominican Bar Association (CARD), N Digital reports.
The judge, José Manuel Arias of the Second Chamber of the Execution of the Sentence, issued the authorization, which had been sought in June. Juan Pérez Roa, the vice president of CARD, acted as a guarantor for Santana Cuevas.
The permit requires Santana Cuevas to teach at the CARD National School from Monday to Friday. On weekends and holidays, he is to remain under house arrest at a residence in the National District.
Santana Cuevas has served...
Reports are that former Tampa Rays star slugger Wander Franco was admitted to a mental health clinic. Police spokesman Diego Pesqueira said the request came from Franco’s family. Recently, Franco had made headlines accusing a hotel in Sosua of having stolen RD$1 million that he had left in the room.
Wander Franco was having one of the most successful careers and leading the Tampa Rays when in 2024 he became involved in a sex scandal with a minor. The court finally levied him with a two-year suspended sentence, but his baseball career in MLB seems to be ruled out.
On Tuesday, 9 September, Juan Soto of the New York Mets became the first player to reach the 30 home run and 30 bases stolen mark in the 2025 Major League Baseball season. He did the steal against catcher JT Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies. Soto’s record is now 38-30.
He became the fifth Met in the 30-30 club, joining Darryl Strawberry, Howard Johnson (three times), David Wright and Francisco Lindor as the only Mets to produce a season of at least 30 homers and 30 stolen bases.
Wikipedia highlights that In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of 48 batters who have collected 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a single season.[1][2] Baseball Digest called the 30–30 club “the most celebrated feat that can be achieved by a player who has both power and speed.”[2][3] Six members have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Diario Libre...
In a special event set for the Centro Cultural Taíno Casa del Cordón, renowned composer, conductor, and pianist José Antonio Molina will share his insights into the profound power of music. The conversation, titled “The Depths of Music: Between Creation and Interpretation,” will take place on Thursday, 11 September 2025 at 7pm and is open to the general public with no charge.
The open air patio where the talks are held is relatively small, so getting there early is essential to get a seat. The Thursday talk is one of several memorable talks coordinated by architect José Enrique Delmonte, who is the cultural advisor of the Centro Cultural Taino.
Molina, who serves as the long-standing director of the National Symphony Orchestra, is a celebrated figure in Dominican and international music. During the event, he will discuss how each performance is more than just a show—it’s an...
One of the most popular events of the year is the Festival del Chocolate organized by Dominican cacao producers, this 2025 from 8 to 14 September. The event is held at different venues with a wide variety of events, but the main center is Agora Mall, the capital city’s leading shopping mall that opens its first floor to the chocolate lovers event from 12 to 14 September. This is an opportunity to experience the scents, tastings, cooking sessions and general talks by chocolate connoisseurs.
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The United States Federal Aviation Administration has extended the ban prohibiting certain US flights over parts of Haiti through 7 March 2026. The FAA issued the updated security NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) due to what the agency calls “safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing instability.”
The new restrictions, effective from 5 September 2025 to 7 March 2026, ban US air carriers, commercial operators, and all US-registered civil aircraft from flying at or below 9,999 feet in specific areas of Haitian airspace. The restricted zones include the territory and airspace south of 19°10’N and north of 18°20’N, between the Haiti/Dominican Republic border and 073°20’W, and an additional area within a 10-nautical-mile radius of 19°28’11″N, 072°35’11″W.
The prohibition, designated as KICZ A0008/25, does not apply to foreign air carriers operating US-registered aircraft...
President Luis Abinader said during his weekly Monday press conference on 8 September 2025, that it is a fact that the Kenyan forces will not continue in Haiti. He cited as his source, Kenyan President William Ruto.
Abinader said that the objectives of the Kenya mission were never met. He acknowledged the funds for the proposed force of 2,500 were never provided. The mission ended up being of 800 men and most were dedicated to protect key institutions and entities in Haiti.
President Abinader said that the United States has stated it is backing different policies and strategies for Haiti.
Abinader said that he would once again speak at the United Nations General Assembly this September to advocate for more support for Haiti and to criticize the international abandonment of Haiti. He said the current situation puts the greatest burden on the Dominican Republic...
A recent feature in BBC explains how crime has surged in Turks and Caicos, the country, aside from the Dominican Republic, closest to Haiti. Like the Dominican Republic, Turks & Caicos has benefited from low cost labor of Haitians, but the migration has also come with a high price of increase in crime.
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Investigative reports carried out by Nuria Piera and Julissa Cespedes (CDN) have brought forward complaints of major corruption at the state health insurance plan, Senasa, when under former executive director Santiago Hazim. During his weekly press conference on Monday, 8 September 2025, President Luis Abinader confirmed the situation, explaining that it was the government that had requested an investigation in November 2024.
For months, there have been rumors, the state health plan was being decapitalized.
Hazim was replaced at Senasa on 17 August 2025 after a five-year term. He was replaced by Edward Guzmán Padilla.
The Ministry of Housing and Buildings has now issued orders for several commercial megastores in Greater Santo Domingo citing significant structural and safety risks. The action was taken through the Vice Ministry of Standards, Regulations and Procedures.
As per the names and photos the mega stores are not of known local store chains. The names seem to reflect these are of the kind set up by Chinese investors to sell bargain-priced goods. The constructions seem to follow a very similar construction model.
For years, local businesses have been protesting the lack of action by the Ministry of Housing and Buildings regarding the construction violations by the mega stores. Now, after these are built, Mived is acting and announcing the “temporary closures.”
Among the establishments shut down were prominent Chinese retailers including Suplax, Plaza Hope, Central Depot...
When former Attorney General Miriam German Brito retired from the position after almost five years on the tough job, she did not retire from government. She was named vice president of the board of directors at the National Petroleum Refinery. The former general manager of the government’s commercial bank, Banco de Reservas, Samuel Pereyra was named to head the National Petroleum Refinery.
The board positions usually come with high wages.
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Just before his start of his first government in August 2020, Luis Abinader was a vocal critic of the Fonper, or the Patrimonial Fund of Reformed Enterprises, denouncing it as a hive of corruption. He vowed to eliminate the institution, which he claimed “has generated innumerable cases of corruption,” and redirect its funds. Yet, five years into the Abinader presidency, the Fonper remains operational with a budget that surpasses many key government agencies.
Listin Diario reports that despite these controversies and President Abinader’s earlier promises, the Fonper has continued to function, its future uncertain.
Fonper was created by Law 124-01 to manage the state’s shares in capitalized or reformed companies, and use the assets for development and poverty reduction.
However, under the leadership of Fernando Rosa, husband of Carmen Magalys Medina Sanchez, sister of then...
With his home run on 7 September 2025, Juan Soto needs just to hit two more home runs to reach the 40 home run mark for a second consecutive season. In the 2024/25 season he hit 41 home runs. His 41 home runs tied him for fourth in MLB.
A feature in MLB News says that Soto is on pace for 42 home runs, which would set a career high for the Dominican slugger.
MLB highlights how after a slow start with the Mets, Soto is also on the pace for his first 30-30 season.
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The Dominican Republic welcomed over eight million visitors in the first eight months of the year, continuing a strong trend of growth for the country’s tourism industry.
A total of 8,005,227 tourists and cruise passengers arrived between January and August 2025, a 2.8% increase from the 7,790,809 who visited during the same period in 2024. The figures, released by the Ministry of Tourism, show a 2% rise in air arrivals (6,085,053) and a 5% jump in sea arrivals (1,920,204).
Tourism Minister David Collado presented the results at a press conference, highlighting the achievement as a new record for the nation.
While August arrivals were strong at 707,175 tourists and 100,238 cruise passengers, they did represent a slight 0.7% decrease compared to August of last year. This dip was primarily attributed to minor declines from the country’s top two source markets...
President Luis Abinader inaugurated a new road between Villa Elisa in Montecristi province and Punta Rucia in Puerto Plata province on Saturday, 6 September 2025. The new, 23.2 km road was said to cost taxpayers RD$1.224 billion. It gives easy access from Santiago to one of the most beautiful beaches on the north shore, La Ensenada.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Villa Elisa road was just a part of the president’s very active weekend where schools and a bridge in the town of Imbert, new Infotep classrooms and workshops in Puerto Plata, and an outdoor concert by the National Philharmonic Orchestra.
The road from Villa Elisa, located on the highway between Santiago and Montecristi, and Punta Rucia, located at the very western tip of Puerto Plata province, provides much-needed access to that area. Previously, a four wheel-drive vehicle was the preferred...
Hotel Santo Domingo / El Digital
President Luis Abinader announced the acquisition of prime land for a major new convention and exhibition center in Santo Domingo, a project that officials say will be a game-changer for the capital’s tourism industry. The new facility, to be built on the site of the former Hotel Santo Domingo, is expected to create new economic, commercial, and employment opportunities for Dominicans.
At the announcement event, President Abinader expressed confidence that the project would be a success, not just for Santo Domingo but for the entire country. “This success won’t just be for the city of Santo Domingo, where it will have immediate effects, but also for the entire country,” he said.
The President also praised Tourism Minister David Collado and the Santo Domingo Hotel Association for the efforts in pushing forward the project.
Tourism...
President Luis Abinader inaugurated on Sunday, 31 August 2025 the first large-scale Wastewater Treatment Plant (PTAR) in Cabo Rojo, marking a major milestone in the development of the Pedernales tourism project.
The plant, which represents an investment of approximately RD$1.3 billion, is the first major environmental infrastructure completed as part of the government’s ambitious tourism initiative in the region. It underscores a commitment to sustainable development, coming online even before the opening of any hotel rooms in the area.
The project was executed by the Pro-Pedernales Trust Fund, and includes not only the treatment facility but also an integrated system of sewage networks, wastewater collection, and water distribution. These systems are designed to support the planned tourism infrastructure, which will eventually include hotels, a port, an...
We are now three-quarters of the way through 2025, and we can look forward to 2026 and do some planning. For the rest of 2025, there are three more holidays and one long weekend. On Wednesday 24 September, the nation celebrates Our Lady of Mercy, and, since it is a religious holiday, it is not moved. This is the day when many faithful make a pilgrimage to the Santo Cerro in La Vega.
Next, comes Thursday, 6 November, the day commemorating the first constitution back in 1844. This celebration is moved to Monday, 10 November 2025.
The last holiday of 2025 is Christmas Day, Thursday, 25 December. Since it falls on a Thursday, expect work outside of Christmas-related to stop on Tuesday, 23 December as people will be busy preparing for the long Christmas holidays. In the Dominican Republic, the 24th is the day when most families gather and the 23rd is the day when most preparations...
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