DR1 - Daily Dominican Republic News
Dominican Republic News & Travel Information Service
Fernandez on temporary mediation lull
The government of the Dominican Republic regretted on Tuesday, 9 March Venezuela's "concern and discomfort" with the mediation process initiated by President Leonel Fernandez to defuse the tension between Venezuela and Colombia, as reported in El Tiempo newspaper of Venezuela. In a subsequent press release, President Fernandez would express his "unconditional willingness" to work for regional unity.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations issued a note indicating that the government deeply regrets any concern or discomfort that the agenda promoted by President Fernandez may have inadvertently caused in the government of Venezuela. "We reiterate, that if you were to consider this necessary and convenient, we are at your disposition, unconditionally, to serve the cause of the unity of the peoples of Latina America and the Caribbean that, in essence, was always the dream of the Liberator, Simon Bolivar", explains the note from the Dominican government.
On Monday, the Dominican government received a protest note that expressed "concern" and discomfort" with the mediation process initiated by President Fernandez.
Regional heads of government during the Rio Summit held in February in Mexico had delegated in Fernandez mediating between Alvaro Uribe of Colombia and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.
The government of Fernandez has benefitted from billions in financing under the PetroCaribe fuel agreement, and was until recently the lead regional spokesman for the return to power of deposed Manuel Zelaya in Honduras. Following the election of Pedro Lobos in Honduras, Fernandez participated in the negotiations of a deal whereby Zelaya would come to live in exile in the DR. Fernandez would travel to Honduras for the inaugural of Lobos.
After that decision, the Venezuelan government petroleum firm would call off the purchase of 49% of shares of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery, and relations between Fernandez and Chavez seemed to chill off.
El Nuevo Diario reports that Fernandez told news commentator Huchi Lora of CDN radio show that Chavez knew all about the efforts he was making on behalf of Mexico and Brazil, in accordance with the mission he was given during the Rio Group Summit in February in Mexico. Lora said on his CDN radio show that Fernandez, who had visited him at the hospital where he was interned for health problems, told him that he felt badly when he heard that Chavez said he knew nothing about the talks that were taking place. Lora said "he (Fernandez) carried out this mission because they asked him to, and he did not ask for it, and he feels bad because they have said that there were not consulted when both of them (Uribe and Chavez) had told him yes".
Parlacen accepts Fernandez proposal
The Central American Parliament (Parlacen) voted to unanimously accept the proposal made by Dominican President Leonel Fernandez to tax deposits in tax havens and off-shore banks. The plan is to generate resources to fight poverty and aid development in poor countries. The initiative was included in a resolution presented by the Dominican representative in Parlacen, the former senator Sucre Antonio Munoz Acosta.
Breastfeeding Haitians helps her own baby
When Sonia Marmolejos breastfed Haitian babies victims of the 12 January earthquake at the Dario Contreras Trauma Hospital in Santo Domingo, she never expected she would have found the way to help one of her own children.
Despite living in Barahona, 3 hours away, Marmolejos generously gave her milk to the Haitian babies hospitalized in Santo Domingo as her own contribution to victims of the Haiti earthquake. Her story was carried in the Listin Diario, turning her into a celebrity.
Listin Diario reported in a follow up story that President Leonel Fernandez invited her to Congress on 27 of February when he gave his state of the nation address and told her to ask for whatever she needed. She asked for medical help for her own baby that suffers from chronic osteomyelitis.
Now Listin Diario reports that with the help of the Presidency, she will be able to travel to Miami. There specialists will treat her daughter.
Sonia Marmolejos works as promoter in the Unit of Primary Attention in Barahona. There she makes RD$1,200 a month. She has five children with another marriage and one with her 23-year old husband Jose Elias Sanchez.
She says she never expected to receive anything in return for breastfeeding the Haitian children.
A ban on copper exports
Rafael Camilo, director of the Customs Department (DGA) announced the temporary ban of all copper exports. The order comes as a way to put a halt to the constant theft of telecom and electricity wiring and cables and other copper materials. These thefts are affecting telephone and electric service nationwide.
The announcement came after a meeting Camilo had with Celso Marranzini, executive vice-president of the Dominican Electricity Company (CDEEE); Yoneidi Castillo, the executive director of the Dominican Association of Telecommunications Enterprises (Adomtel); Oscar Pena, president of Codetel-Claro; Ryan Larrauri, the president of Tricom; Claudia Garcia, the vice-president for legal affairs for Viva; and Jonathan Gonzalez, the director of security for Orange Dominicana.
Camilo also ordered that charges be filed against companies that export stolen metals.
Telephone and electricity companies have for years complained they lose millions every year due to the theft of the wirings that cause interruptions of these services. They attribute the robberies to organized gangs.
Marranzini, the CDEEE vice-president, reported yearly losses from the theft of cables that vary between RD$200 million and RD$300 million.
Camilo said that at least 500 containers being held at the Caucedo Multimodal Port and other places. These containers are suspect of being loaded with thousands of tons of stolen copper.
Camilo expressed the will to organize the whole scrap metal market and that of copper, too. He said until this situation is well organized, and as long as he is responsible for the control of the docks in the DR, "not one pound of copper will be leaving the country".
For years now, the DR has been a major exporter of copper and metal, especially to the Asian market. There are 38 companies that purchase and export metal scraps.
Fernandez Mirabal: revise Barrick contract
Months after it was fast-tracked in Congress, Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal now suggests the government revise the contract with Barrick Gold (Pueblo Viejo Dominicana Corporation) for exploiting gold deposits in Sanchez Ramirez province.
Fernandez Mirabal agreed with those who argue that Barrick Gold should assume more of the responsibility for the environmental clean up, than the Placer Dome-revised contract now stipulates. Fernandez says that "he who eats the meat must also eat the bones."
Community leaders have been demanding a revision on grounds that the operation of the mining company will not bring the expected relief to the environmental contamination in the province.
Fernandez said that Barrick Gold has yet to start its operations and isn't polluting the environment in the northeastern province. He said the contamination stems from the open pits that remain from the previous Rosario Dominicana Pueblo Viejo mining operations, when this was operated by the Dominican government itself.
The mining company published paid advertisements in the press today saying that the contract with the Dominican state was discussed by both parties for 22 months and endorsed by the Central Bank, the Ministry of Industry & Commerce and Rosario Dominicana and almost unanimously approved by the National Congress. The company argues that once the US$3 billion investment is recovered and there is a 10% yield, the Dominican government will receive a participation of 28.75% of the net profit in addition to a 3.2% bonus and 25% income tax.
More Ladom intoxication cases
The Ministry of Education announced that it has four cases of school milk produced by Lacteos Dominicanos (Ladom) under investigation for intoxications. The most recent intoxication occurred on Monday in Tamayo, Bahoruco, where 11 children were affected by the Ladom chocolate milk drink. Samples were taken and results would be made known in 7 days, says the Ministry. Other cases are two children at the Piky Lora school in Santo Domingo (2 February), 2 at the Pablo Barinas school in San Cristobal (1 March).
It said that lab tests of the samples that caused intoxication of 40 children in Bonao (Maimon) on 25 February did not show a level of bacteria that in the milk drink. He said the Ministry awaits results of sample studies sent to a lab abroad.
Paredes told the press that the milk with chocolate flavor produced by Ladom will be replaced by juice, while the studies sent abroad are waited. He said that the chocolate drink produced by Ladom has caused four cases of intoxication between February and March.
PC says institutions violate purchasing law
The civic movement "Citizen Participation" did two studies that revealed that 42% of the public institutions do not follow government procurement procedures in accordance with Law 340-06, as reported in Hoy. The studies, that had funding from USAID, reveal that among the institutions in violation are the Supervisory Office of Public Works of the Presidency, the ministries of Agriculture, Sports, Environment and Foreign Relations.
Santiago Sosa, the general coordinator for the PC, said that institutions that follow the law most closely are the Supreme Court, the General Prosecutor Office and Promese. The Chamber of Deputies and the Ministry of Health partially complied with the law.
Of the 28 government institutions that were requested to respond to the survey, only 10 responded.
Sosa did say that there has been a substantial improvement in the purchasing and contracting processes for most government agencies.
There are more than 2.5 million vehicles
There is an explanation for the nation's growing traffic problem: too many vehicles. The total number of motor vehicles in the Dominican Republic reached 2,570,220 at the end of 2009. This represents a 5.1% increase in spite of the drop in the number of vehicles that entered the country in relation to the previous year.
The Director General of Internal Taxes (DGII) emphasized that of the total number of vehicles, 48.7% are motorcycles, followed by privately-owned automobiles with 25.1%, cargo vehicles with 12% and 13.3% distributed between SUVs, buses, heavy machinery, dump trucks and other types of vehicles.
In 2009, a total of 125,653 new vehicles were registered, while in 2008 there were 205,197 new vehicles registered. The year-to-year decrease was 79,544 vehicles.
In 2009 the total number of motorcycles registered was 1,252,713. New motorcycle registrations made up just 1.3% of the total number. Of the rest, 40.3% were for motorcycles manufactured between 2001 and 2008, and with 59.7% of the motorcycles registered made before 2001.
The data is contained in the Yearly Statistical Bulletin on the Total Number of Vehicles in the Dominican Republic, edited by the DGII and recently available to the public on the website: www.dgii.gov.do/estadisticas.
The report prepared by the Department of Economic Studies contains the statistics and transactions carried out by the taxpayers.
Two random heroes honored
Bon Group (Helados Bon) honored Deivy Rancisco Celestino Adames (34 years) and Manaury Mejia (24 years) were honored by the Bon Group (Helados Bon) for risking their lives to save others at a company event in the name of excellence at Casa San Pablo yesterday.
Celestino Adames was hired as a translator by Australian journalists that would travel to Haiti. A week later he would return to his barrio of El Ensueno in Santiago, known worldwide as the hero who saved the life of an 18-month old infant. On 14 January, two days after the earthquake, the Australian journalists and several neighbors from Petionville heard the cries of a baby whose parents had died under the rubble, following a replica earthquake. Celestino dug under the rubble to save the baby. His effort was carried by CNN on world TV. "We began to move the pieces, it took 45 minutes to get her out of there, but we did it. She came out safe and sound," he recalls.
Manaury Mejia is the young 24-year old that dove into the sea to help victims of the 26-passenger bus accident that killed 11 persons on 12 February 2010 when the driver suffered a heart attack and the bus fell into the sea. He said he was an eyewitness of the accident. He said there were many people at the accident site, but none dared dive in to help rescue the victims. "I had mixed feelings", he says. "Once I jumped in I wanted to go back." He said he almost drowned but was able to save three persons. "The three are alive. I was an angel sent from God", he said. He told the story of how his motorcycle was stolen while he was rescuing victims, but he got a new motorcycle when his story was told on Z-101 radio talk show. He says he dreams of being a singer, and hopes to launch himself with the boost of the recognition he has received after his effort.
FDC warns of RD$25 sugar
The Dominican Merchant Federation (FDC) warned yesterday that a pound of brown sugar could soon cost RD$25.00 because the producers are not supplying the domestic market and the government is going to collect all its taxes on the 70,000 tons that are going to be imported. The FDC predicted that the price of brown sugar that is currently sold at RD$12 the pound would go to RD$20.00 a pound in the next few days because of the 70% reduction in the local supply. The federation said that this was due to the fact that the price for sugar on the preferential market was US$0.43 cents or RD$16.00 per pound. The FDC said that the government price-control authorities had only authorized a price increase from RD$9.40 a pound to RD$10.80 per pound.
Two old folks caught selling drugs
70 year old Liliana Martinez and 65-year old Felipe Martinez Martinez were arrested yesterday by the National Department of Drug Control (DNCD) when caught red-handed selling drugs in Capotillo and Villa Consuelo. The woman was found to be carrying 60 doses of crack cocaine, and the man was carrying a large amount of the marijuana, which was sent on Tuesday to the forensic laboratory to be analyzed. The two old folks will be sent up on charges to the District Attorney for the National District.
The arrest of the 70-year old woman took place at Respaldo Jose Marti Street, next to the Monte de Sion Market in Capotillo, while the 65-year old man was surprised on Baltasar de los Reyes Street at the corner of Ana Valverde in front of the Perdomo Market in Villa Consuelo.
Spokesperson for the DNCD, Roberto Lebron said the DNCD acted after receiving leads that these persons were selling drugs.
Torre Atiemar linked to drug trafficking
The online news portal 7dias.com.do reports that the police chief owned an apartment in the 21-floor Torre Atiemar on Av. Pedro Henriquez Urena, La Esperilla neighborhood, now linked to a Spanish drug trafficker and money launderer. The portal also reveals that financing for the luxury high rise came from the Dominican government commercial bank, Banco de Reservas.
The government bank Banco de Reservas was responsible for 100% of financing of the Torre Atiemar, now said to belong to Spanish drug trafficker Arturo del Tiempo Marques. The bank accepted deposits in Switzerland as a guarantee for the loan.
President Leonel Fernandez was present in 2005 at the groundbreaking ceremony in for the construction. 7dias.com.do says that the building was thus financed with local savings, and was not an example of foreign investment, as President Fernandez had highlighted on the occasion of start of construction.
The news portal reports that private banks had rejected to finance the tower, after a background search showed ties of the Spaniard to Mario Conde, in jail for bank fraud in Spain.
7dias.com.do reports that Arturo del Tiempo Marques is in jail in Barcelona, while his son, Arturo del Tiempo Manzarbeitia, who is vice president of the Dominican construction company, is under arrest in Madrid. He was arrested as a suspect in the shipment of 1,200 kilos of cocaine that arrived from the DR to Spain. The freight container had the drugs hidden under marble that supposedly was a remnant of the construction of Atiemar Tower.
Torre Atiemar company vice president Tiempo Manzarbeitia and his sister Isabel left the country shortly after the shipment. Isabel was in charge of local relations, such as those with the Banco de Reservas, as reported in 7dias.com.do
In Santo Domingo, Tiempo Manzarbeitia lived in a tower at Av Bolivar facing the Conservatory Music, in the same building where the authorities had ssearched for fugitive drug baron Jose Figueroa Agosto and where they arrested a lawyer that subsequently was released.
The online portal says that most of those who purchased at the Torre Atiemar received financing from the Banco de Reservas through their real estate division. The building is 98% finished. Reportedly, Del Tiempo Marquez has 5 apartments, his son Arturo owns two and his daughter Isabel, one. It mentions that the other apartments were sold to known persons, including one of these to the chief of the Police.
Hoy newspaper reports that the authorities have been mute on the case.
http://www.7dias.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=70648
http://www.z101fm.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12543...
Figueroa Agosto's backing in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican press is carrying reports on the higher up Puerto Rican government officers with ties to fugitive drug baron Jose Figueroa Agosto. According to El Tiempo, congressman Antonio Silva, former mayor of Bayamon Ramon Luis Rivera, Bayamon mayor Ramon Luis Rivera Cruz, and former congressman Carlos Lopez Nieves defended their efforts to secure a government pardon for Figueroa Agosto. Also speaking up in his favor were former mayor of Toa Baya Angel Rodriguez and former congressman Manuel Marrero Hueca. All these sent letters to Governor Pedro Rossello seeking the pardon.
In 1995, Figueroa Agosto was sentenced to 209 years in jail for the kidnapping and murder of Edgar Martine (Nandy El Gruero) who he accused of stealing a cocaine shipment property of a Colombian cartel.
Rossello did not pardon Figueroa, and in 1999 he escaped to the DR after presenting a false release order at the jail.
El Tiempo reports how subsequently he lived for 10 years in the DR where, according to the authorities, he organized an empire for the importing of cocaine from Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico to the DR, the US and Puerto Rico.
According to El Nuevo Dia, the Puerto Rican authorities consider him the leading drug trafficker in the region and that he is hiding in Puerto Rico, where he escaped to when local authorities sought to capture him.
The newspaper comments that the father of Figueroa Agosto is a PNP activist in Puerto Rico and used his political contacts to favor of his son.
http://www.elnuevodia.com/politicosayudaronaciegas-683505.html
The Tonton Simeon family
Diario Libre reports today on the pleas made by neighbors of the Callejon 213 of Jose Tapia Brea street in Quisqueya neighborhood for the deporting of the Tonton Simeon family, known for their drug trafficking activities. On Sunday, 7 March, the National Drug Control Department (DNCD) arrested two girls, 10 and 11 years old, members of the family, for selling marijuana right on the street. In 2008, another family member aged 14 had been arrested for the same crime. The newspaper reports that Elena Tonton Simeon has been arrested on 8 occasions by the DNCD. One unnamed neighbor urged that Migration deport the entire family. He said they sell drugs right in front of everyone, to the indifference of the authorities. Their home is a known drug-selling point, he said.
The newspaper reports that Jacqueline, Joseline, Johnny are family members with known DNCD files.
One neighbor, Alfredo Rosario urged Migration to deport the family. As reported, the family arrived in 1999 and by 2000 had established their drug point, for sale of cocaine and marijuana.
The neighbors complain they are arrested, but go in and out of jail with much ease. The neighbors said the family has threatened anyone who dares denounce them.
The newspaper does not name the country where they would be deported.
Drug trafficking accomplices still at work
Peravia senator Wilton Guerrero complained that there are still "big fish" with ties to drug trafficking floating in the military and police ranks. He said that drug traffickers enjoyed 10 years of impunity until the arrival of Major General Rolando Rosado Mateo to the DNCD. He said that operations have gone underground after Rosado was given the command of the drug enforcement agency.
As reported in Hoy, Guerrero said that the case of former army captain Quirino Ernesto Paulino Castillo, who is tried in a New York City court, cannot be traced only to a simple army captain. He said drug trafficking has penetrated the military ranks. He said that the delays in the solving of the subsequent Paya killing of seven drug traffickers is proof there are powerful sectors that are resisting and impeding the solving of the crime.
Senator Guerrero also asked for an explanation why the chief of the southcentral region for the Polcie, General Tomas Holguin de la Paz was placed in retirement. He described him as an exemplary and honest officer, committed with the struggle against crime. He said Holguin had brought peace to the region. He said that while Holguin is retired from the force, there continue to be many active military with commitments to crime.
Guerrero complained that the Puerto Rican drug baron Jose David Figueroa Agosto network is intact, as reported in Hoy.
Following the Paya killing in August 2008, Guerrero became the first to come forth and complain that complicity of government and military authorities had spurred the penetration of drug trafficking.
Fanjuls were victim of Beverly Hills robbery
The Los Angeles times reports that ultra-wealthy sugar magnate Jose "Pepe" Fanjul and his wife Emilio (Casa de Campo) were victims of the jewelry robbery at the Four Seasons hotel near Beverly Hills. Police say a man dressed in a tuxedo - to appear as one of the hotel's workers - is suspect of the robbery. The couple was in town to celebrate the Academy Awards. As reported, the slick robber talked his way into their room under the guise of doing repair work. He is suspect to be behind a string of high-profile burglaries in Southern California, police say.
http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/billionaire-burglar-strikes/#more
Rosario brothers & Philarmonic Orchestra
Merengue artist Rafa Rosario and his brothers will be at the National Theater stage this coming 16-17 July. Amaury Sanchez is producing the Concierto Sinfonico, in which the Santo Domingo Philarmonic Orchestra will also participate. The idea for the presentation of the show came when two years ago in a show with Juan Luis Guerra, Johnny Ventura, Eddy Herrera, Rubby Perez and Hector Acosta among others they celebrated the 30 years of the organization at the National Theater.
For more on upcoming events, see http://www.dr1.com/calendar
|
DominicanToday.com
The first online newspaper in english language of the Dominican Republic.
Batey Relief takes dental, medical care for Haiti’s quake victims
Anse-a-Pitre, HAITI. – As part of its continuing disaster relief intervention in Haiti, the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) is dispatching on March 27th a team of 20 dental and medical specialists from the United States to far-reached earthquake-affected border commune of Anse-a-Pitre to deliver much needed dental and medical care to children and their families living in impoverished conditions.
Jehovah’s Witnesses offer free Bible instruction in English
Santo Domingo – There is now help available for English speakers with a spiritual inclination here in Santo Domingo. Starting January 3, 2010 and continuing every Sunday thereafter, Christian meetings are held in English at the “Salon del Reino de los Testigos de Jehová,” #33 Avenida Francia on the corner of Galvan, in the Gascue sector of Santo Domingo.
Autohaus presents its racing team
Santo Domingo.- The Mazda - Mcdonald’s – Coastal - Auto Haus Racing team, and its new auto Mazda 6 Tindol Motorsport, was presented to the press last night, and will be competing in the Nacional Motorsport Prize in the category DTS.
Quick guys, fast girls on motorcycles this weekend
Santo Domingo.- The radio station Fuego 90 is sponsoring a motorcycle race on Sunday, in the Mobil 1 raceway on the Las Americans highway.
Dominican, Canadian leaders meet, dodge sticky gold mine issue
Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez Canada Governor General Michaëlle Jean met in the National Palace on Wednesday ,where the two leaders spoke about important regional topics.
Cable theft prompts Dominican Republic ban on scrap metal exports
SANTO DOMINGO. - The Customs Agency suspended copper exports until the scrap metals market is regularized, a measure taken to prevent the theft of cables which has led to hundreds of millions of pesos in losses to the telecoms and the State-owned power companies.
Dominican business leaders say pact boosts trade with British Commonwealth
Santo Domingo.- The bi-national chambers of commerce of the Commonwealth of Countries in Dominican Republic signed an agreement on Monday to jointly promote bilateral relations with nations which have burgeoning trade a population of more that two billion people.
AES Dominicana plants supply 53.4% of Dominican Republic’s energy
Santo Domingo.- The power company AES Dominicana and the AES group on Tuesday said it contributes 53.4% of all the energy currently placed in the National Interconnected Electrical System (SENI).
Government distinguishes 10 women
Santo Domingo. - President Leonel Fernandez yesterday bestowed the Woman’s Medal of Merit on 10 women who stand out for their contributions to the country’s development in diverse areas, in an event held out in the National Palace, to mark International Woman’s Day.
Treasurer denies politicking with US$1.0B in proposed bonds
Santo Domingo. - The Government’s US$1.0 billion in proposed bonds are included in the RD$115.0 billion in financing in this year’s budget, affirmed the Treasury Minister yesterday.
Cocaine bust n Spain prompts searches in exclusive sectors
Santo Domingo.- The National District Office of the Prosecutor and the Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) conducted at least six searches, including the the luxury condo tower Atiemar, of the upscale sector La Esperilla, looking for evidence leading to the traffickers who shipped 1,200 kilos of cocaine from Dominican Republic, seized in Spain last week.
Dominican generals on “lists” of U.S. authorities
Santo Domingo.- The United States will reportedly question Prisons director, retied general Manuel de Jesus Perez, for the hundreds of phone calls on drug trafficking operations allegedly made from Dominican jails, as the alleged involvement of some of the country’s generals in drug trafficking now focuses on “lists.”
Dominican President’s efforts to end Chavez -Uribe tiff fizzle
Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Government yesterday said Venezuela president Hugo Chavez, would come to the country to seek, together with Dominican par Leonel Fernandez, a solution to that nation’s conflict with Colombia.
Slippery fugitive Figueroa is worth US$80M, Dominican authorities say
Santo Domingo.- The fugitive Jose Figueroa Agosto had properties worth 80 million dollars, Dominican authorities told Puerto Rico news source end.com, based in San Juan and included farms, apartments and vehicles. It says he had become the Pablo Escobar of the Caribbean.
Dominican Republic February prices climb 0.14%, paced by foods
Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s Central Bank said consumer prices in February climbed 0.14% compared with January, which takes the accumulated inflation rate in the first two months to 1.45 percent.
Residents say Dominican Government officials own condos in tower under probe (UPDATE)
Santo Domingo.-National District prosecutor Alejandro Moscoso said Wednesday afternoon that the owners of the 1,200 kilos of cocaine seized last week in the port of Valencia, Arturo del Tiempo and Núñez Cebria, are now being held in a Barcelona jail.
Police Chief taps a new top traffic cops
SANTO DOMINGO. – Police chief Rafael Guzmán on Wednesday designated Assistant chief Henry Peralta interim director of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (Amet).
Dominican Republic’s most wanted had Puerto Rican politicos in his pocket
Santo Domingo.- None of the politicians of the city of BayamĂłn who in the mid 1990s asked then governor Pedro RossellĂł to pardon the convict Jose Figueroa Agosto sought to learn of the serious crimes he committed, said yesterday one of those implicated.
After Chavez’s snub, Dominican leader gets Uribe’s thanks
Bogota. - The Government of Colombia expressed its gratitude to Dominican Republic chief executive Leonel Fernandez, for his mediation to ease the strained relations between Bogota and Caracas.
Signed pact seeks a transparent nation
SANTO DOMINGO. - The National Ethics and Anticorruption Commission (CNECC) and the Santo Domingo Technological Institute (INTEC), signed an agreement on Tuesday, to promote ethical values in the academic sphere, aimed at students of the different universities.
|
DominicanToday.com - Tourism News
The first online newspaper in english language of the Dominican Republic.
Study: Tropicalia project stresses environment protection, community integration
MICHES, Dominican Republic.- The Tropicalia tourism project, which the Gustavo Cisneros Organization affirms is ecologically responsible, luxurious, low density and sustainable, hosted a gathering in the Miches City council, to evaluate its environmental impact.
Desalia 2010 brings La Oreja de Van Gogh to Punta Cana
Punta Cana.– Spanish pop band La Oreja de Van Gogh will be the main attraction of Desalia 2010, the mega party that Barcelo Rum celebrates every year at Cabeza de Toro beach in Punta Cana.Desalia, which is considered to be the most important party of the
American Airlines to resume service to Haiti, adds new Dominican routes
FORT WORTH, Texas.- American Airlines will resume service into Port-au-Prince, Haiti, beginning Friday, Feb. 19. The first flight will depart from American's hub at Miami International Airport at 6:40 a.m. EST, arriving at Port-au-Prince at 8:35 a.m. EST. This flight marks the first commercial passenger aircraft into Haiti since the earthquake that devastated the country on Jan. 12.
Dominican town views Cisneros’ US$2.0B tourism project
MICHES, Dominican Republic.- Tropicalia, a sustainable, ecologically responsible, high luxury and low density tourism project of the Cisneros Organization in Dominican Republic, was presented to the community Miches in its first town hall meeting.
Elliot companies file US$120M countersuit in Florida
Kuret says wretched roads hobble Dominican tourism industry
SANTO DOMINGO. - The hotels and restaurants grouped in Asonahores decry the wretched condition of the country’s highways, which they affirm considerably harms the tourism industry.
Hoteliers, restaurateurs again warn of the Malecon’s perils
Santo Domingo.- The hoteliers and restaurateurs grouped in Asonahores and the Santo Domingo Hotels Association reiterated their concern with what they call lack of security and poor lighting in the capital's seaside boulevard Malecon.
Seminar births more formulas to jumpstart the South’s lagging tourism
SANTO DOMINGO.- A mere 2% of the tourists choose to visit the country’s South region, according to tour operator Linnette Arbaje, who stressed the need to diversify the tourism offer and use the virtually virgin zone to spearhead that policy.
Constanza’s Valle Nuevo National Park has a visitor center
Constanza, Dominican Republic.- Environment Minister Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal and Valle Nuevo National Park director Rosa Bonetti de Santana inaugurated the park Visitors’ Center, located in La Piramide, Constanza.
Dominican Republic’s whale watching season kicks off with more species
SANTO DOMINGO.- Around 15,000 foreign tourists and new species have visited the Marine Mammal Sanctuary in Samaná (Dominican northeast) since January 15, in the current humpback whale watching season, the Environment Ministry said today.
Worldwide tourism contributes to global agenda
Johannesburg / Madrid.- Global challenges such as the recent economic crisis and the climate imperatives can only be addressed in a global cooperative manner such as the UN or the G-20, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai in his opening remarks at the Tourism Ministers Meeting (T20) on Travel and tourism: stimuli for the global economy.
Dominican Republic wants Italians to again top tourist arrivals
Milan.- The Minister of Tourism signed agreements to bolster cooperation with major Italian tour operators and airlines, to strengthen and expand the diversity of the Dominican Republic destination in that European nation.
Master of the Ocean 2010 starts Tuesday in Cabarete
Cabarete.– The Olympics of the ocean, the ultimate watersports triathlon, comes
|
|
|
