FEBRUARY 2008

President Fernández will visit the sectors of Northern Santo Domingo today

Electoral agenda

SANTO DOMINGO. - The presidential candidate of the Party of the Dominican Liberation, Leonel Fernández, will go all over the principal sectors of the Northern commune of Santo Domingo this Tuesday, in the continuation of his agenda as for the elections programmed for next May. Fernández planned to start his journey from four o´clock in the afternoon, as informed the responsible of the campaign.

The starting point will be the crossraoads calle Duarte with carretera Mata de Mamón, in Villa Mella, La Victoria.

The presidential candidate of the progressist forces will be accompanied by the principal members of his campaign commando, as well as by political leaders.

Since his proclamation, he developed a series of journeys, meetings and assermentations through the whole territory in order to win the elections at the first turn.

Last weekend, he carried out a vast diary of work in the area of Cibao, while starting with Santiago and continuing by Puerto Plata to terminate in Espaillat province in the town of Moca.

Al Momento, 05.02.08

Las Américas Airport among the safest of the Caribbean

High security standards

After having concluded an inspection of the installations of the terminal, the Transportation Security Administration of the United States (TSA) defined the airport of Las Américas as being one of the safest of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Technicians of the international organization inspected during ten days the levels of security with which the airport of Las Américas operates, including the cargo liner sector and the air lines which carry out daily operations, by determining their correct operation.

The civil servant and the technicians of the TSA periodically carry out inspections of all the Dominican airports, with the aim of establishing the security standards with which they operate and to detect the failures.

Robert Green, regional manager of the organization having its seat in Miami, recognizes in the communications to the executives of the Employers’ Consortium (AERODOM) and with the Specialized Body of Airport Security (CESA), the high security standards of Las Américas.

Green, who is charge of the inspection of 130 international airports which operate out of the United States, said being impressed by the quality of the airport services, controls and the security system in place in the terminals.

Green, who was accompanied by Víctor Guardia and other TSA technicians, said to be satisfied with the levels of organization existing within the Las Américas airport and with the professionalism of the servicemen working in passengers and luggage controls.

The executive of Aerodom, Andrew O’ Bryan, in declarations to the journalists who cover Las Américas, said that the positive report of the American authorities obliges the company to continue to raise the quality of the airport services.

We are very happy and satisfied of the result of this important inspection which is the first carried out this year by the TSA in our airport, said the executive of the company who manages six Dominican airports.

El Viajero Digital, by Diogenes Tejada, 07.02.08

The City hall announces the opening of the Santo Domingo Carnival 2008

Santo Domingo 2008

The City council of the Distrito Nacional announced today the beginning of the Carnival Santo Domingo 2008 with a series of activities which will take place as from Sunday 10, on the México avenue.

This information was given by Ramón Rivas, president of the carnival organization of Diablos Cojuelos Unidos, who said that every Sunday of February, over the México Avenue, like every year, the most beautiful costumes of the carnival of the Capital will march.

He indicated that every Sunday as from three o’clock in the afternoon, the México avenue will be transformed into carnival stage for all the family, zone benefiting from the most complete security measures, under the responsibility of the National police force, the Municipal Police force, the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET), of the Body of Firemen of Distrito Nacional, of the Dominican Red Cross, of Civil Defense and of the company Security Grop.

The carnival bands like los Diablos Cojuelos, Roba la gallina, Alibabá y la Muerte en Yipe will be in the streets like every year in February, dressed with their more beautiful costumes, for the greatest fun of everybody.

Rivas indicated that on Sunday 24, will take place the finale of the gala, during which will be rewarded the first three formations among seven categories.

The winner will participate to the big finale of the carnival which will take place on Malecón on March 2.

Listín Diario, 08.02.08

The subway performed its first public test

Fernández promised a more extended journey on February 27

The subway of Santo Domingo performed yesterday its first public test whereas President Leonel Fernández drove one of the wagons during 15 minutes from the station La Isabela (situated in the old cement factory) to the station Peña Batlle, on an approximate way of 1.5 kilometers.

The train started 15 days before the planned date, with civil servants and journalists on board. It crossed the stations « Los Taínos » (located on the avenue Nicolás de Ovando) and « Pedro Livio Cedeño » (in the cemetery Máximo Gómez), to finish at the station « Peña Batlle » in the heart of Villa Juana.

Lady and Gentlemen be prepared to start. It is the first time that I drive a train, therefore I do not answer for anybody , joked the agent in the loudspeaker of the train when he began the journey.

By listening to the noise of the engine when starting, the surprise and even the fear were visible on the faces of certain passengers who lived a historical moment there.

During the way, Fernández visibly moved, promised a course « more extended and with more experiment » on February 27, date to which it is planned to make a small drive with the congressmen.

He declared that the new wagons will arrive between March and April and spoke in praise of the work carried out by the director the OPRET, Diandino Peña, and by the sub-manager, Leonel Carrasco.

Inside, the train is comfortable. It is provided with air conditioning, video cameras and television to entertain the passengers during the journey.

The date on which the subway will be put into public service was still not officially indicated.

Diario Libre, by Yvonny Alcántara, 13.02.08

In the last 3 years the Dominican Republic has established relations with 33 countries

The Dominican Government has established diplomatic relations with 33 countries in the 2004-2008 period

The Dominican Government has established diplomatic relations with 33 countries in the period 2004-2008, informed the Secretary of State, Miguel Mejia this Sunday.

He noted that the Dominican Republic would be a fundamental step in solving some of its economic problems if it established diplomatic relations with China.
However, he acknowledges that this is not possible in the middle of an election campaign.

The country has opened relations in the current period with Vietnam, Libya and the countries of Africa and Asia.
Mejia said that the opening of diplomatic relations with China would bring at the Dominican Republic a great opportunity to diversify its markets and attracting economic investment.

Mejia told him that the country was a recent mission to China Communist People invited by the Government of PLD, which was headed by a deputy minister and integrated by 4 other Chinese officials.

The mission has not only maintained contact with government officials and senior officers of the PLD, but also with the leaders of Congress and National partidos Revolucionario Dominicano (PRD) and Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC) said Mejia.

Al Momento,18.02.08

The DAF presents an air show for its birthday

The commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Dominican Air Force

The commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Dominican Air Force yesterday turned into a spectacle of acrobatics planes and paratroopers in front of thousands of people who were at the Air Base of San Isidro, the municipality of Santo Domingo East.

The show began with the participation of 60 paratroopers from different countries, a symbol of the date marking the military institution.
Another attraction of the show, participation for the first time in the country of the aircraft F-16 Hunting, Falcon, the famous Hércules C-130, and the Boing Stratonker.

The show was attended by the acrobatics teams American Bird, the incredible Fred Cabana, Team Aeroestar, Rob Holland and his Mx2, Mustang P-15, among others.

For his part, the head of state Major DAF, the Grand general Pedro Antonio Peña, stressed that through the activities commemorating, the military guards shows at the population how they operates and the way the planes are maintained.

Peña has issued an appeal to the youth away from vices that can destroy their lives, and they take as an example the institutions of DAF, dedicated to the protection and the security of the country.

What we hope is that they see the DAF as it is said the officer.

El Dia,el 18.02.08

The grant of Gasoil is extended

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced the Government’s decision to extend the grant to Gasoil for the transport of cargo

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced the Government’s decision to extend the grant to Gasoil for the transport of cargo

and passengers Until what we concluded that the whole procedure will allow us to direct the use of the fuel.
The institution began yesterday in the afternoon sending subsidised diesel for the transport of cargo and passengers.

The resumption of the supply of diesel follows the authorization passed by President Leonel Fernandez Reyna to the secretary of Industry and Commerce, Melanio Paredes.

The grant to Gasoil was established by decree at the end of November last year with a three-month transition, and who should therefore expires this month. This is the extension of taxes to about one million diesel braid by month, which equals about 30 million of pesos.

Extending the application of the grant of this fuel has an objective to ensure that large majorities are not affected by the price increase has informed the secretariat of Industry and Commerce in a statement.

Since yesterday we have restored sending one million Cordon of diesel per month, as the government intends to maintain until we conclude the whole procedure that will allow us to conduct a definitive and effective grant of these fuels informed the institution.

He says that the Secretariat of Industry and Trade has strengthened and broadened measures in order to avoid the transfer.

Sentence to life rejected

Jorge Subero Isa objected that the Penal Code be amended

The President of the Supreme Court of Justice objected yesterday that the Penal Code be amended to include the sentence to life imprisonment because, according to him, what judges must do is to be more radical in the penalties application.

Jorge Subero Isa held that judges must apply a penal sentence major depending on the category of crime, having insisted thatthe sentence of life imprisonment does not solve the problems of crime.
The chairman of the high court, said, referring to a proposal by the head of the National Police, the officer Rafael mayor general Guillermo Guzmán Fermin, amend the Penal Code to include the penalty of life imprisonment and permanently remove the company to a lot of criminals and psychopaths.

What should do the judges, is judging with minimum and maximum sentences set by the Criminal Code, as the offence concerned, and implement, when necessary, the maximum penalty said Subero Isa.
The judge added that the problem is not that there is more or less of laws, it should be more or less severe, but that judges must determine the sentence established by law.

Subero Isa argues that the difficulty of the Dominican Republic is that we are too timid, first as regards respect for the law and, secondly, on the application of the law by judges

The president made his statements in response regarding the proposal made by the Chief of Police, which has also received the refusal of the National Commission on Human Rights, the Dominican Committee of Human Rights and lawyer Virgilio Bello Rosa.

Listin Diario, 20.02.08

Dominican’s flag day

The President Leonel Fernandez directed yesterday an homage act to the flag

The President Leonel Fernandez was yesterday at the head of an act of homage at the flag, alongside government officials and thousands of students from various groups in public and private schools in the capital

The activity organized by the Standing Committee of Patriotic Birthdays, began at 11.30 in the Parque Independencia with the arrival of President Fernandez and the First Lady, Margarita Cedeño de Fernández.

The ceremony began with military honours to the Head of State, the interpretation of the National Anthem and the speech of the chairman of the Standing Committee of Patriotic Birthdays, Juan Daniel Balcácer

He said that a new law should be put in place to regulate the use of patriotic symbols, so that, in addition to contributing a greater knowledge of them, it promotes awareness among citizens so that contempt frequent these sublime expression of the soul of the motherland ceases.

Balcácer said that the Month of the homeland is engraved in the minds of citizens and throughout the country, it was possible to see how, in many houses and apartment, is exhibited on a voluntary basis the national flag, which he says is of the supports given by President Fernandez.

He added that the time is ripe for the excitement and reverence of the main symbols of national identity.

The commemoration of the day of the flag was part of the activities of the Month of the Fatherland, and for this occasion, an art program was introduced, it included the staging of the construction of the flag and the rise of patriotic link.

During this activity, were personified national heroes, Concepción Bona, María Trinidad Sánchez and the Father of the Nation, Francisco del Rosario Sanchez, as well as the participation of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, the Coro Nacional interpretation Song of the Fatherland written by Juan Luis Guerra and interpretation of Maridalia Hernandez.

Listin Diario, 21.02.08

Thousands of patients without medical assistance

The doctors’ strike has been followed

Thousands of patients were found without medical assistance yesterday in the various hospitals in the capital and provinces, to respect the call to stop work for 24 hours, launched by the Colegio Médico Dominicano (CMD). The medical profession calls for a wage increase, improvements in hospitals and other claims.

In hospitals of Public Health and the Dominican Institute of Social Security (IDSS) doctors have been kept in the front of the centres and are only taken care of patients in emergencies and internees in critical conditions.

At midday, the secretary of Public Health, Bautista Rojas Gomez, announced the retirement of the committee which was appointed in response to requests of the medical profession and which had been rejected by the chairman of CMD, Waldo Ariel Suero.

Rojas Gomez has also expressed its willingness to resume dialogue. The official believed that the judgement has been more sustained in the capital, because, he stated, that in the provinces, especially in Santiago, consultations were made with a lot of normalcy.

Patients most affected were those who had travelled from distant places, because he had returned to where they came without achieving their goal. This is the case of Diógenes Pérez, 65, who traveled from Puerto Plata, and found himself faced with the strike.
I came from Puerto Plata, because I had an appointment today and now must return without having been consulted, this mean that I have wasted my time he said .

Listin Diario, 22.02.08

Dominican President gets the go-ahead to ride new subway

A reference for Latin America

President Leonel Fernandez last night received Spain’s Transport minister, Manuel Lamela and Madrid’s Metro director Idelfonso Matías, whom gave him the go-ahead to board the Santo Domingo Metro (subway) tomorrow February 27, and keep his promise to ride the train after his annual address to Congress.

The president can make his test ride with his guests in line one of the Metro, without any risk said Lamela in a press conference in the National Palace. He said Santo Domingo’s subway will be a reference for Latin America, because it was built in record time, with top quality and the lowest budget. He praised the Dominican engineers, whom in his view made an impressive work.

In yesterday’s test run, the train left at 11:05 a.m. from the central Isabela station and six minutes later reached Villa Mella, the northernmost station named « Mamá Tingó ». It then returned to the point of departure, made a brief stop and went on to the southernmost station « Centro de los Heroes » a run which took 15 minutes.

The government Transport Office (Opret) confirmed the names of the stations: starting in Villa Mella, Mamá Tingó, then Gregorio Urbano Gillbert; Gregorio Luperón; Jose Francisco Peña Gomez; Hermanas Mirabal; Maximiliano Gomez; Los Taínos; Pédro Livio Cedeño; Peña Batlle; Juan Pablo Duarte; Juan Bosch; Casandra Damirón; Joaquin Balaguer; Amín Abel; Francisco Alberto Caamaño and the last, Centro de los Heroes.

Dominican Today, 26.02.08

In speech to Congress, Dominican leader must walk fine line

National Assembly of February 27th

Expectations on president Leonel Fernandez’s speech Wednesday morning center mainly on economic and social issues, including the country’s challenges with the high prices of oil, the threat of another prolonged doctors’ strike and announce plans to face those and others considered vital.

Fernandez would use the National Assembly as a forum, with just over two months to the May 16 presidential elections, to promise a series of infrastructure works and highlight others in the initial phase, as part of his reelection bid.

The PLD ruling party candidate could repeat his promises and even expande them in his speech before the Congress, although the Head of State will have to walk a thin line to explain the government’s position on pressing problems such as the doctors’ strike threat.

Another thorny issue Fernandez faces is the scandals of government corruption, and the use the opposition parties have given them to keep the PLD from staying in power.

Dominican Today, 27.02.08

New test of the subway

OPRET subjected to a new test of the Subway

The Metro has travelled yesterday for its first test run, the route which goes from Isabela station to Los Cerros de Buena Vista.
When the three Subway trains were seen, neighbours and those present were happy.

Moving slowly on the Rio Isabela while Diandino Peña and Rafael Serrano, the OPRET, greeted people from the door.
Journalists were invited to participate in the route.
Some people stopped their cars to see the subway, while others took photos from their mobile phones.

The director of the OPRET, the engineer Diandino Peña informed yesterday evening that the path to be taken by President Leonel Fernandez next Wednesday, after his speech to the national assembly is not yet known.

He noted that before this journey, the Office for the Reorganization of Transportation should conclude trials, after which it will conduct a final round of certification in involving foreign technicians.

He said that technicians will decide what will be the path of the President. We do not climb aboard the president until we are sure that the journey is will be safe he said.

Hundreds of people lined up to board the Subway

Long files at the stations

Hundreds of people lined up yesterday to get on the Subway, after president Leonel Fernández fulfilled his promise of last year, to go for a « walk » in the Subway from La Feria to Villa Mella and vice versa .

The passengers of La Feria gathered together from the morning in waiting of a journey in the new transport, of which full capacity operation is scheduled for May.

The Subway places the Dominican Republic at the level of the most modern countries regarding transport.

Many consulted people said that they waited more than one hour to board and make a small journey.

It is something exceptional, Leonel hit the bull’s-eye, this country needed a transport like this one since a long time .

Diario Libre, 28.02.08

Inauguration of the offices of the Prosecutor for the Defense of the Environment and the Natural resources

To apply the laws to face the ecological infringements

The office of the Attorney General of the Republic inaugurated this Thursday the reorganization of the offices for the Defense of the Environment and the Natural resources, located at the third level of the old building of the Law courts of the Center of the Heroes.

The activity was directed by the Attorney General of the Republic, Doctor Radhamés Jiménez Peña, by the Prosecutor of the Defense of the Atmosphere and the Natural resources, Andrés Chalas Velázquez and by the director of the Prisons, General Ignacio Sandoval.

Among the renovated offices we find the office of the Prosecutor, the Secretariat-general, the administrative department, two sectors for questioning and a waiting room for the contraveners to Law 64-00 on the environment and natural resources.

Moreover, the new buildings have a conference room, individual offices for assistant lawyers and a reception.

At the time of the inaugural ceremony, Doctor Jiménez Peña stressed that after being indicated as Attorney General of the Republic, he ordered the renovation of the premises of this dependence so that the magistrates have a space adapted to the work carried out which is to apply the laws to face the ecological infringements.

He said that since he was very young, he has a great inclination for the safeguarding, the conservation and the development of the natural resources and that motivated by these feelings, he published a book entitled « Environmental Right and Ecological Infringement in Dominican Republic ».

He stated that as a responsible authority to apply the law as regards to environment, we must be radical in this direction and place the general interest, which is that of the Dominican nation, above the particular interests, to sanction the pollution of the environment, the emission of noises, the illegal material extraction in the rivers and all the other actions considered as illicit.

While the Prosecutor of the Defense of the Environment and the Natural resources thanked Doctor Jiménez Peña for his initiative to concretize the reorganization of the offices, he declared that this will enable them to carry out questioning, interviews with witnesses, to treat the cases and to hold meetings in a more comfortable atmosphere.

The office of the Prosecutor for the Defense of the Environment and the Natural Resources is the institution charged to represent the public interest in all the processes characterized by infringements to Law 64-00.

It also has the responsibility to receive the complaints and the denunciations on the facts which affect or which have a negative impact on the natural resources and the environment.

El Nuevo Diario, 29.02.08