DECEMBER 2007

Dominican business leaders slam « discriminatory » gas subsidy

The government’s plan to subsidize diesel for public transport and cargo vehicles

SANTO DOMINGO - The government’s plan to subsidize diesel for public transport and cargo vehicles, while welcomed by the transport sector has been criticized by business leaders, who describe the measure as discriminatory and politically motivated.

These were the views of the National Gasoline Retailers Association leader Juan Ignacio Espaillat and former National Private Business Council head Elena Viyella de Paliza, who said that the subsidy was contradictory and discriminatory, which could become a source of tremendous administrative corruption.

Freddy Méndez, president of the Bus Owners’ Union said that the subsidy should be analyzed to determine whether or not it was needed, while transport leader Juan Hubieres suggested that it could be applied according to route and not by organization or union.

Santo Domingo Live, 01.12.07

American Airlines denies fair rise, less seats for Dominican fliers

American Airlines added one or two flights daily in December

American Airlines has neither reduced its New York-Santo Domingo flights nor raised the cost of its airfares, said the company’s operations director in Dominican Republic and its operations manager in the Las Americas International Airport. Priscila Pichardo, the airline’s operations director in five Dominican airports, and Sergio Marmol, manager in the Las Americas terminal, said American Airlines continues with its usual three daily flights between Santo Domingo and New York. They said American Airlines added one or two flights daily in December to meet the demand for seats.

The executives said so far there are plans to increase the number of daily flights since they haven’t received information in that regard from American Airlines’ main executives.

Pichardo and Marmol, asked by the newspaper El Nacional about the denunciation by David Rivas, vice president of New York’s Dominican-American Travel Agents Association, of an increase in airfares, denied the allegation, though noted that prices could vary according to high and low seasons.

Rivas said the carrier had lowered the number seats to Santo Domingo, prompting costlier airfares.

Santo Domingo Live, 03.12.07

Sale operations for more than 1,000 million RD $

Autoferia Popular

The Dominican Popular Bank announced the approval of 1,000 million RD $ in personal loans within the framework of the 14th of the « Popualr Fair of Car », which finished on Sunday evening.
This information was offered by the director of the personal loans, Kennedy Román, who affirmed that they exceeded the hopes of this banking organization and of the importers of vehicles.

He indicated that they sold 1200 vehicles, which shows the success of « Autoferia Popular », that it estimates to be reinforced every year.

The organizers of the « Autoferia Popular » estimated an assistance of approximately 300 thousand people, visitors who moved in Torre Popular to appreciate the various brands of showed vehicles.
« Autoferia Popular » gathered 21 importers of vehicles with 24 various brands.

There is a group of people who already took along his vehicles to the house said Román, who indicated that other customers did not even wait until he supplements their documentation.
The 14th version was also a space for the families, who not only could benefit from the vehicles in exhibition but also of the companies of meal and communications which were present on the spot of the event.

« Autoferia Popular » was inaugurated last Thursday and finished on Sunday evening.

Santo Domingo Live, 03.12.07

Roncierto Brugal, the mega party in the Malecón

Bachata, Merengue and Salsa

Dominican and tourists will again celebrate the new year while dancing to the big popular festival which will be organized in the Malecón of Santo Domingo.

Roncierto Brugal 2008, eighth version of this spectacular artistic event, will bring together this year the largest stars of merengue, bachata and salsa, in thanks of the Brugal company to its faithful consumers !

Los Hermanos Rosario, Héctor Acosta, Fernando Villalona, Rubby Pérez, Joe Veras, Sexappell and Yoskar Sarante, will be the artists who one after the others will interpret the best of their repertory in front of thousands of spectators who will be able to dance in front of the gigantic scene.

The scene of the Park Eugenio María de Hostos is the selected place to celebrate the new year night on December 31 and to welcome the year 2008, with the 8th edition of Roncierto Brugal.

The event will be transmitted in all the country by Telecentro 13, and in the world by satellite.

Santo Domingo Live, 05.12.07

The cars for the Subway of Santo Domingo could arrive at the end of this year

The startup of the Subway is awaited for September 2008

The trains of the Subway of Santo Domingo were embarked towards the Dominican Republic and could arrive before January first, informed Alstom, the French company which manufactures them.

On May 31, 2006, OPRET signed a contract with Alstom for the construction of 19 trains for the line 1 of the new Subway network.

The three cars of the first train left the factory of Alstom of Santa Perpetua de Mogoda on December 11, by road, in special trucks for the port of Tarragona, where they will embark for the country.

It is hoped that the boat will arrive to Saint-Domingue at the end of the year, and the startup of the Subway is awaited for September 2008.

The industrial center of Alstom takes care of the design, manufacture and of the startup of these trains based on the Metrópolis platform of the company.

Every unit is made up of three cars - two cars engine with control desk and an intermediate car.

However, the train is technically prepared to be able to incorporate in the future, one, two or three additional cars.

The current capacity of the train is for 64 sited and up to 617 standing up passengers.

The two end cars have a space of easy access reserved for people with reduced mobility.

The intermediate car, according to the specifications of the customer, was designed like a sector of great capacity (multipurpose zone).

The trains are equipped with the video monitoring systems, of information to the passenger, air conditioning and smoke detection.

Santo Domingo Live, 13.12.07

Cruiser Season Santo Domingo

800 Dominicans are passengers

The gigantic ship « Legend of the Seas », from the « Royal » cruisers company, made a call in Santo Domingo Port, charged with thousands of tourists, in its trip on Caribbean region.

Around 800 Dominicans are passengers of the boat which touches several CaribbeanIslands ports, after leaving its centre in the North American city of Miami, Florida.

Santo Domingo Live, 17.12.07

Dominican president wishes peace, lights Palace Christmas tree

To consolidate the democratic state

SANTO DOMINGO - President Leonel Fernandez sent a message of peace, harmony and prosperity to the Dominican people, to mark the start of the Christmas festivities.

The chief executive wishes that 2008 allows each Dominican, each man and woman of this country, to continue advancing in the crystallization of their aspirations and their dreams.

He said next year, 2008, is an electoral year in the Dominican Republic and the Dominican nation will go to the polls, but that participation of our nation in the ballot boxes will be always for reinforcing and consolidating the democratic state that we live in our country.

Fernandez spoke after lighting a Christmas tree in the National Palace’s frontal esplanade, to officially begin the 2007 Christmas celebrations, accompanied by his wife Margarita and daughter Yolanda America.

Santo Domingo Live, 06.12.07

The ADN opens the « Plaza Cristo Libre » park

In the year 2008 the same will happen in the George Washington avenue and its « Malecón Libre ».

The city council of the National District inaugurated yesterday the park « Plaza Cristo Libre », in the green area of the North end of the Tiradentes avenue, in the district La Agustinita, of Cristo Rey.

The space will count with areas for infantile games, relaxation and sports, with one « cicloruta » (bicycle track) of 250 meters.

According to engineering data, the area is of 6.400 m2, with 80 banks and 60 posts of light. The work will compensate the lack of « Cristo Libre », suspended from the July 1.

The intention of the ADN is to eliminate all the programs of dominical closing of streets and avenues, sections dedicating to the recreation.

In the year 2008 the same will happen in the George Washington avenue and its « Malecón Libre ».

Previous to the change, the town council will repair the public spaces of the Malecón.

Salcedo also announced for 2008 the illumination of the Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Rómulo Betancourt avenues and will increase from 400 to 700 the matriculation of the Municipal Police.

Santo Domingo Live, 10.12.07

Indotel and ASDN inaugurate the data processing and professional school « Professor Juan Bosch » in Sabana Perdida

The company inaugurated a total of nine rooms of data processing in Northern Santo Domingo

NORTHERN SANTO DOMINGO - a modern center of training in data processing (CCI) with ten computers connected to high speed Internet was installed by the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel) in the elementary and professional school « Professor Juan Bosch » at a cost of eight million pesos.

It was inaugurated by the City Council of Northern Santo Domingo in the sector Lotes y Servicios de Sabana Perdida.

The inaugural ceremony of the center was chaired by the syndic of Ayuntamiento Santo Domingo Norte, Jesús Feliz and by the Secretary of State and President of Indotel, Doctor Rafaël Vargas. Municipal legislators and civil servant were also present.

In addition to the modern rooms of data processing, the center is equipped with a multi-purpose room, class rooms, a sector for the children, of a tank with a capacity of more than five thousand gallons, of printed pavements and of a system of water provisioning for the inhabitants of the zone.

During the inaugural ceremony, the syndic Jesús Feliz stressed the importance of the opening of this educational center and supported that this last will benefit hundreds families from this Community.

He indicated that in the school « Professor Juan Bosch » there will be classes of data processing, sewing, beauty and manual work for the Communities of Northern Santo Domingo.

On his side, the President of Indotel, Rafaël Vargas, informed that with the installation of this CCI in the « Professor Juan Bosch » school, the company inaugurated a total of nine rooms of data processing in Northern Santo Domingo, with an access to more than 500 thousand books for the children and the young people of these sectors.

The CCIs installed in communities of Northern Santo Domingo are equipped with networks of local sectors, of wireless switches, laser printers, power generators of five kilos, batteries, fans and furniture.

Moreover, the software and digital components include the operational system Windows XP-2000, Open Office, the Encarta encyclopedia, a connection with the virtual library of the FranklinCenter of the embassy of the United States, the Wikipedia encyclopedia and several English courses on line.

Santo Domingo Live, 18.12.07

American Airlines inaugurates its new flight Ft. Lauderdale-Santo Domingo

This new road will operate every day

American Airlines (AA) company leader in air transport of passengers inaugurated on Thursday December 13 its first direct flight from this city of the south of the State of Florida to Santo Domingo, with the presence of governmental personalities, tour operators, media and travel agencies.

Keith Harrel, Sales Regional Manager of American Airlines, was the person representing this airline company to accompany the hosts during the journey.

Harrell said that this new road will operate every day with a departure at 6h50 AM and landing in Santo Domingo at 9h50 AM; the departure of Santo Domingo from the airport F. Peña Gómez will be at 11h10 AM and will arrive in Ft. Lauderdale at 12h35 PM.

For his part, the Consul Almánzar Castillo, who was the representative of the Dominican government, congratulated the executives of American Airlines for this new service offered to the Dominicans, which it defined as very positive for the tourism and the economy of the country.

Santo Domingo Live, 17.12.07

The AILA awaits 250 thousand visitors

Hundreds of Creoles move daily to the airport to receive parents who arrive from the outside

The authorities of the airport Las Americas project for this season the arrival of 249.036 Creole and foreign passengers, who will arrive in the country by this terminal to spend the festive season.

According to information’s provided by Yolanda Mañán, director of the communication of AERODOM, the passengers will arrive as well by regular commercial flights as by charter flights.

Hundreds of Dominican ones move every day to this airport terminal to receive their families who come back to enjoy the festive season in the country, and like the proverb says « even the cat » leaves its house to receive those who come back to the country.

Like every year during the period of Christmas, the arrival of passengers from outside forms on this terminal a spectacle where are especially mixed the joy and the emotion when parents who are waiting see their dear friends and families.

Embraces, kisses and words of welcome are exchanged at the time of scenes which are repeated every year in the international airport Las Americas.

Santo Domingo Live, 21.12.07

Santo Domingo East will have a modern Hotel and Casino

This tourist project will be the first of this type in the Eastern zone

The Hotel and Casino Aurora del Sol will open its doors in December on the Mella road, in the commune of Santo Domingo East, with an investment higher than 20 million US $ and will offer 350 direct employment and 1.500 indirect.

This tourist project will be the first of this type in the Eastern zone and will have a hotel of 46 rooms and four executive suites, ideal accommodations for downtown tourism.

It will additionally proposes three conference rooms with a capacity from 50 to 300 people and two restaurants including one with menu and the other with service dresser.

The other attractions of this hotel will be the swimming pool, the gymnasium, the Spa, the steam bath and the Jacuzzi, the laundry and the 24h room service.

As entertainment offers, Aurora del Sol will have a discotheque of 250 people where music bands will also play and a modern casino of 2 thousand square meters, with a car park for 200 vehicles.

This project is under the responsibility of a group of foreign investors having great experience in the hotel and casinos management and which operate trough the DRG Company.

Santo Domingo Live, 24.12.07

PAWAD will fly from Santo Domingo to the USA as of January

PAWAD is the first company of national capital to fly in American territory

The airline company PAWA Dominican offered a lunch to the representatives of the public and private organizations at the time of starting the next month operations of commercial flights towards the United States.

It received the authorization to fly towards this nation on December 17, after 14 years of suspension.

The president of the company, Juan Carlos Hernández, indicated that we start with Puerto Rico and in the second time, in the middle of this year, when the new planes areincorporated, we will fly towards the Virgin Island, Miami and later New York.

The Director of the Dominican Institute of the Civil aviation (IDAC), Tomás Pérez, said that this fact marks a point of reference in the history of the aviation of the country.

He added that the first flights will be operated to Puerto Rico with two planes of 19 passengers each one with a fixed route and for a tariff of 99 dollars for a round trip ticket.

He informed that these operations will give more choice to the travellers and will open the doors to other national air operators which will allow them to exploit other markets.

The executive expressed that this event was possible after the Dominican Republic obtained, in July 2007, the certification of Category One of the Authorities of the Aviation of the United States.

Currently, PAWAD operates scheduled flights from the International airport Las Americas to Port-au-Prince and proposes daily local and intenational flights to destinations such as Montego Bay (Jamaica), Provindenciales, the Turks & Caicos Islands, Jamaica, Curaçao, Aruba, Saint Martin and Venezuela.

Santo Domingo Live, 27.12.07

The first cars of the Subway of Santo Domingo load in Barcelona

The first cars of the Subway would arrive in the country in the five or six next days

The first train of the Subway of Santo Domingo was loaded from the harbor of Barcelona on last November 10, according to the Dominican vice-consul in Catalonia, Manuel Colón. Colón stressed that the Subway of Santo Domingo is made of leading-edge technology, according to request of the director of the Office of Transport, (OPRET), Diandino Peña « the trains belong to the last generation of trains which is manufactured in Spain » $var, commented Colón.

Moreover, the civil servant said that the total of 19 ships will be sent in a progressive way and that before May, the totality will be already transferred in order to allow the inauguration of the Subway.

The Subway is already a reality in which many did not believe, he commented.

The technical sub-manager of OPRET, Leonel Carrasco, guaranteed that President Leonel Fernández will be able to hold his promise to make a tour with the legislators in the Subway. He informed that the first cars of the Subway would arrive in the country in the five or six next days.

Carrasco explained that the contractors are under pressure to complete the work, which suffered some delays because of the rains caused by the tropical storms Noel and Olga.

The Subway of Santo Domingo will have 16 stations on 14 kilometers which it will cover from Villa Mella, in Northern Saint-Domingue to la feria in the capital.

Santo Domingo Live, 29.12.07

Toño, Frank Reyes, El Torito, Cherito and Pochy say goodbye to year 2007

End of the year musical « Bombazo »

As usual, on Monday December 31, the Jaragua hotel will have a party while saying goodbye to 2007 with four principal musicians of the merengue and one of famous bachata singer: Toño Rosario, Héctor Acosta (El Torito), Cherito, Pochy Familia and Frank Reyes.

The theatre Fiesta will be used as scene so that each one of these stars delivers the best at the time of the most awaited night of the year. The event will start at 10 p.m.

Santo Domingo Live, 30.12.07