JULY 2008

Lack of ruling halts process to oust Dominican Accounts judges

Alleged misconduct and irregularities

SANTO DOMINGO.-In Tuesday’s session the Senate wouldn’t be able to debate the impeachment proceedings for the members of the Accounts Chamber (CC) for alleged misconduct and irregularities in their functions, because it must first define a regulation or instructive to conduct the process.

The spokesman of the ruling PLD party senators, Diego Aquino said Senate president Reinaldo Pared convened the Senate’s coordinators for today, to discuss this week’s agenda.  I don’t know if we’re going to draft Tuesday’s agenda today… or if we’re going to leave that topic (of the CC judges) for a later one.

The lawmaker clarified that the impeachment proceedings wouldn’t include the CC judges who’ve already resigned and that it would be an institutional evaluation rather than on an individual basis, and its seems the spirit among senators is to dismiss them all.

I believe we’ll have to dismiss them, by the same manner in which they’ve handled themselves, they are the cause and who’ve truly brought about the situation they are going through today he said.

Dominican Today, 01.07.08

More Dominican Accounts judges resign

Avert impeachment

SANTO DOMINGO. – Just hours before an impeachment proceeding against the Accounts Chamber’s (CC) 6 remaining judges was to begin today, Freddy Almonte Brito and Luis Yepez Suncar tendered their resignation to the Senate. CC vice president Henry Mejía resigned Tuesday, whereas Jose A. Maceo and Juan A. Lora did so Friday.

Almonte, interviewed by the Z-101 FM morning radio talk show, said he had nothing to regret and was always an entity of moderation within the CC.

The judges who’ve resigned will forego having to appear in today’s Senate hearing, as part of the Congressional probe into alleged irregularities committed in their tenure.

Today the Senate subpoenaed CC president Andres Terrero and the members Jose A. Gregorio, Alcides B. Lugo, Luis Beras de la Cruz, to appear for questioning.

Dominican Today, 02.07.08

From Accounts Chamber president to Dominican media’s laughing stock

Mechanical majority in the CC

SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican morning talk shows are having a field day Thursday regarding yesterday’s impeachment proceedings by a Senate commission against the members of the Accounts Chamber’s (CC), where its president Andres Terrero, admitted having accepted five designations « won » in a raffle, and when asked why he didn’t reject them, said because if I hadn’t I’ve would’ve been left without a post.

He said he had nothing to regret and reiterated that neither he nor his colleagues committed corruption, and blamed the scandal in the CC on personal differences and on its members thirst for gold.

In his defense Terrero several times said a mechanical majority in the CC was to blame for his failure to halt the raffle of positions, which violated the Civil Service and Administrative Career Law. I simply abided by the majarity’s directives.

He said the Accounts Chamber Law doesn’t give sufficient control to the president. I am a simple agent of the plenary’s decisions. adding that he hadn’t resigned because in his view it was an irresponsibility.

Dominican Today, 03.07.08

Accounts Chamber scandal prompts calls for reform

Capacity and independence to guarantee the work

SANTO DOMINGO.- Representatives of civil society yesterday asked that the people chosen to fill posts in the Accounts Chamber (CC) have the capacity and independence necessary to guarantee their work.

Francisco Cueto, of the Latin American Faculty for Social Sciences (Flacso), and Francisco Checo, president of the civic group Citizen Participation said the new members should be impartial and the their number reduced.

The Government has a great opportunity to send a signal clear that in the next four years in office it will decide on transparency and the correct handling of public funds. And in that sense, the selection criterion which must prevail for the members of the CC is that they are people with professional and moral capacity to carry out the post, Cueto said.

He said Congress should be more watchful of the members to prevent situations happen like that staged by the nine outgoing members.

Checo said the independence criterion and impartiality must prevail in the selection so the organism doesn’t feel inclined to favor with its investigations any other organization with which it feels committed to by political issues. « There is a need to act with transparency and present the audits in the public light. »

Both agree that the new CC members should have a greater command of financial management, more than that of lawyers, because as Checo states, the organization is no longer an arbitration court, and instead of budgetary contro.

Interviewed separately, they both agreed that the number must be reduced and to abide by the minimum of five the Law stipulates. I believe that for the benefit of austerity and good performance, five is an suitable number, because there would be less space for cronyism, said Checo.

Dominican Today, 07.07.08

Dominican President to talk about the crisis

Rise in fuel prices and food scarcity

Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez will speak 7:30 p.m. Thursday in a press conference in the National Palace, said the Presidency’s Press director Rafael Núñez yesterday, who said the chief executive will talk about the rise in fuel prices and food scarcity, among other topics.

The local press and international correspondents in the country will be invited to the activity, that many sectors have demanded for weeks.

Núñez said also discussed in the press conference will be the results of the Head of State’s meetings in the last few weeks with the heads of the Industry and Commerce, Presidency, Hacienda and Agriculture ministries, who again met with Fernandez for approximately two hours yesterday.

Although the topics weren’t detailed, it was reported that the meeting centered on the measures the authorities will adopt to face the effects of the rises in the price of oil and raw materials used to process various foods.

Dominican Today, 08.07.08

The « LIVE » Websites extend their national cover

15 new sites on the Dominican Republic from September 1rst.

After Santo Domingo, Santiago, Las Terrenas, Samaná and Dominican Republic, the « LIVE » Websites are upgrading their communication and their extension in the country with the new Websites of Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Bávaro, La Romana and Las Galeras as from September 1rst.

The transfer of the 15 existing sites on a new and more powerful server better adapted to the future prospects of the « LIVE » Websites obliged us this to stop putting online and we apologize for these inconveniences.

Fron now on, you will find our news and information services and they will be not less than 30 « LIVE » sites which will be online as of September 1rst to inform you on the Dominican Republic, area by area and city by city.

We wish you a good surf ! Thanks you for visiting us.

LIVE Websites staff, 10.07.08

Cruise liners Season

Tourists spent 191.5 million pesos

SANTO DOMINGO. - At least 70 thousand cruise passengers arrived to Dominican Republic at the Port of Santo Domingo over the season 2007-2008 and spent 191.5 million pesos in goods and services.

The liner passengers entered in the country during the seven months of the season, informed Luis Molina, executive director of the Sans Souci Port.

He indicated that 38% are Latin American tourists; 33% are European; 27% American and 2% are coming from other countries.

He informed that the estimates carried out by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), organism in charge to supervise all the important subjects on the cruise industry like the tourist development, the legislation and the safety, show that every who arrives in Santo Domingo spends - for the purchase of goods and services – about 80 U $ dollars ( $2736.00 Dominican pesos).

He underlined the economic contribution of this tourist component to the national GDP and to the revitalization of Santo Domingo.

Molina said that with the 34 liners which accosted, the port of Santo Domingo demonstrated its capacity to receive all the cruise passengers who visited the first city of America.

He expressed that through projections for the next season which will start in October of this year and will finish in April 2009, they estimate that about 82.000 tourists will arrive in the country, dispatched between the 40 planned liners.

During the next cruise season which will start in October, Santo Domingo will receive 12.000 additional tourists than during the last season, expressed Molina.

Al Momento, 10.07.08

Letter of credit of 20 million U $ dollars

To buy 102 buses

SANTO DOMINGO. - The Secretariat of Finances authorized this Thursday the Banco de Reservas (BANRESERVAS) to emit a letter of credit for 20 million dollars (690 million pesos) for the Metropolitan Office of Bus Services (OMSA) in order to cover the payment of 102 units intended for the public transport.

Vicente Bengoa, holder of this portfolio, made this announcement before the meeting he convened with the direction of the Dominican Medical Board (CMD) to examine the doctor’s wages.

In this moment, I am going to my office to the secretariat of Finances to sign the authorization of the letter of credit so that these 102 buses can come from Brazil to join the flotilla of OMSA, said the civil servant.

It had been recently denounced that because of the non payment of these buses, which were ordered to the company Mercedes Benz in Brazil, surtaxes were applied to the Dominican Government.

Al Momento, 11.07.08

Taiwan leader to attend Dominican par’s inaugural

In Santo Domingo on August 16

SANTO DOMINGO. – Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou is expected to visit Dominican Republic in mid-August to strengthen ties, news site monstersandcritics.com said Sunday, quoting a government source.

Under the initial plan, President Ma will attend the inaugural ceremonies of the newly elected presidents in Paraguay on August 15 and in the Dominican Republic on August 16 it said quoting the source on condition of anonymity, who added that Ma would possibility visit other Latin American allies during his trip.

Taiwan has maintained official ties with Dominican Republic, one of 23 countries which recognize Taipei over Beijing, a rival of the island since they split at the end of a 1949 civil war.

Dominican Today, 14.07.08

Metro to start in December

It needs to have at least half of the 57 cars ready for service

The Santo Domingo Metro will not be able to enter service until December, according to the latest reports.

Listin Diario writes that in order for the Metro to enter commercial service it needs to have at least half of the 57 cars ready for service, and, according to Transport Reorganization Office (OPRET) spokesperson Leonel Carrasco, a lot of clean-up work needs to be done in the rail yards and in training personnel who will be serving the public.

More Metro cars are expected to arrive next week and reach the minimum number of units needed to begin service, and others are expected in August and September.

A good deal of detail work is also needed, according to Carrasco. This includes signage to keep people informed and on the move. Of course, tidying up the rail yard is currently the most pressing issue, since this is the area where trains enter and leave the terminal points at each end of the system, and they are filled with switches and other mechanisms used to control the trains, all controlled electronically from the central office.

DR1, 15.07.08

Convicts in biggest Dominican bank fraud case off to jail today

They will be sent to the Najayo penitentiary

Santo Domingo. - The National District judge in charge of applying sentences confirmed Tuesday that those convicted of embezzlement and money laundering in the Baninter bank fraud case will be sent to Najayo prison (San Cristóbal).

Saulo Ysabel Diaz said Ramon Báez Figueroa, Marcos Báez Cocco and the financier Luis Alvarez Renta, sentenced to 10 years in prison, will be sent to the penitentiary probably today Wednesday. Also convicted was Vivian Lubrano de Castillo (5 years in jail), who was hospitalized Monday.

Ysabel said the three will appear before his Court at noon as agreed with their legal representatives.

As to the incarceration, Prisons director Jose Ignacio Sandoval said the convicts won’t have privileges in the penitentiary. They’ll be isolated but not with privileges, to prevent being attacked and to try to protect their physical integrity, but not subject to privileges in a common area, but in different cells.

The Baninter case, a bank collapse of US $2.5 billion, was the biggest in the country’s history and sent the economyinto a tailspin in 2003.

Dominican Today, 16.07.08

Merengue Festival

Big festivities in the City

SANTO DOMINGO. - The Merengue Festival, the bigger musical festivity to take place in Dominican Republic, will be ongoing during four consecutive days on three different scenes in the Capital.

The event will take place in the avenues del Puerto, of España and in the Malecón from July 24 to July 27, according to the announcement made by the organizers.

The details of the 41th version of the Brugal Merengue Festival were revealed during a press conference of the Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR) and Brugal Company.

This year, with the support of the Tourism Secretariat, the Festival will propose greater artistic attractions as well as simultaneous event in the Hiram Bithron Satdium of the town of San Juan in Puerto Rico.

The Mayor of San Juan, Jorge Santini, exposed to the Secretariat of Tourism that the last Sunday of July of every year is declared « Day of Merengue in San Juan Puerto Rico » in the close island.

This new version of the Brugal Merengue Festival is devoted to the famous merenguero Bonny Cepeda who, with his talent contributed to make known this contagious rhythm and to diffuse it in an excellent way to the foreign countries.

Santini expressed that this event will be useful to strengthen bonds of friendship which already exist between Puerto Ricans and Dominicans and that the funds gathered thanks to the entrance tickets, which will be of five dollars, will go to the funds of Casa Cuna of San Juan for the underprivileged children.

The spectators of the Hiram Bithrom stadium will assist to the show of los Hermanos Rosario, Bonny Cepeda, Milly Quezada, Francisco Ulloa, Grupo Manía, Límite 21, Joseph Fonseca, Los Sabrosos del Merengue, Juan Castillo, among other artists.

The Merengue Festival will be retransmitted on line by the Official Corporation of Radio and Television (CERTV).

Al Momento, 17.07.08

Dominican capital has a heliport

The Santo Domingo Ecological Heliport

SANTO DOMINGO.- The Airports Department yesterday inaugurated the Santo Domingo Ecological Heliport on the 30 de Mayo highway (Malecon), of which the agency’s executive director, Andres Vanderhorst said has all the facilities for those aircraft to land and takeoff in a fast and safe manner.

He said the heliport has two pads and a hookup to supply fuel to all commercial, private or military helicopters in the country.

The heliport has a boarding salon within a mobile office, with two air conditioned waiting rooms, bathrooms, kitchen and a communication system to check the meteorological conditions in the flight routes.

The official said facility, built on around 20,000 square meters, can handle 20 choppers at once, and with construction materials that don’t affect the zone’s ecosystem.

Dominican Today, 18.07.08

Conflict between Chevron and Dominican Truckers

They halt fuel supply

SANTO DOMINGO. - The conflict of more than one month between fuel truck drivers and the company Chevron-Texaco spiraled today when the Dominican Petroleum Refinery halted fuel supplies to all distributor companies, reported newspaper Diario Libre.

It said the truck drivers of the union SACPTA halted all fuel delivery service to demand the Government’s intervention in the conflict, that has led to millions in losses for both parties, and other franchises to halt fuel deliveries to Texaco.

The union’s general secretary Clemente Morillo said they decided to extend the walkout, which until yesterday only affected Texaco, because in their view the Government hasn’t paid enough attention to the problem and because other franchises are providing service to the multinational.

It’s a frank violation of the agreement. In view that the authorities haven’t detained this situation we’ve taken this measure, he said quoted by Diario Libre.

The stoppage affects the service to government agencies, airports, free zone and of electrical sector companies ad several Texaco stations didn’t sell fuel.

Dominican Today, 21.07.08

Union lifts blockade against Chevron’s fuel trucks

70 Chevron-Texaco stations affected

SANTO DOMINGO. - The union of tanker truck drivers which for more than one month blocked Chevron trucks from entering the refinery to get fuel and affected 170 Chevron-Texaco stations, decided to lift the lockout today, newspaper Diario Libre reports.

Union leader Clemente Morillo said they made the decision after speaking with President Leonel Fernandez on Monday, and will await Chevron’s position on the cancellation of 25 contracts, which sparked the protest.

Last week Fernandez designated a high-level commission to mediate in the conflict, but failed to get the parts to agree.

The decision comes after Chevron-Texaco obtained a court order against the union on Friday, which charged 100,000 pesos ( $2,940) for each day their trucks were blocked from entering the refinery, and many Chevron-Texaco stations had to close because they didn’t have gas to sell, Libre said.

Dominican Today, 22.07.08

Dominican students’ good grades land them a house

Studies completed with high grades

Santo Domingo. -President Leonel Fernandez said the government will build houses for 193 meritorious students who were bestowed the « Highest academic excellence » distinction today.

The chief executive took the initiative after he saw a film showing the conditions under which students live. He noted that in spite of living in those appalling conditions they completed their studies with high grades.

The Education Ministry gave the students a certificate, a medal, a computer and a college scholarship in the ceremony held in the Ministry of the Armed Forces.

Dominican Today, 23.07.08

The Secretariat of Education inaugurates six schools in the province of Santo Domingo

New educational centers program

The Secretariat of State of Education inaugurated this Wednesday six modern schools well equipped in the province of Santo Domingo, this forming part of a vast program of implementation of new educational centers, before the school year 2008-2009.

The holder of the porfolio, Alejandrina Germán, directed the ceremonies of inauguration of the educational centers Flérida de Nolasco and Pedro Henríquez Ureña, at the Kilometer 22 of the Duarte highway; of Jose Reyes, Los Alcarrizos; and Profesora María Mercedes Gómez, at San Luis.

Germán affirmed that the improvement of the school infrastructures underwent a complete change from August 16, of year 2004, date on which president Leonel Fernández came back to the direction of the State.

Thanks to a true policy of State implemented by Doctor Fernández, one can already say that the time when the students attended the courses in huts belongs to the past; the country has now plenty of schools with modern equipment, she expressed.

The program of inauguration of the educational centers, which will continue this Thursday in San Cristóbal, will be prolonged until next August 11.

In totality, one envisages the starting of 73 educational centers and the incorporation of 1.080 classrooms, with an investment of 1,710,997,773.29 RD $.

The schools will be used for the Initial, Basic and Medium levels and for the Adults and Technico-Professional methods.

El Nuevo Diario, 24.07.08

Cubans in $110M Medicare fraud bought 12 condos in Dominican capital

FBI agents witnesses confiscation of Benítez brothers’ properties, including 12 luxury condos

SANTO DOMINGO.- Twelve luxury condos worth around US $1 million each, said to be property of four Cuban brothers implicated in a US $110 million fraud of the United States Medicare system were seized yesterday in Malecon Center, located in the Dominican capital’s seaside avenue of the same name.

Agents of the Justice Ministry’s Anti-laundering Unit headed the operation, and investigates the alleged network involving other foreigners and Dominicans, a case several members of the FBI participated as witnesses.

The raids and confiscation of assets scattered in different parts of the country, bought by the Cuban brothers Oscar, Carlos, Jose and Luis Benítez. One the twelve apartments totally was furnished.

Interim Instruction Court Coordinating judge Roman Berroa Hiciano issued the warrants to raid and seize the real properties, that include others confiscated Wednesday of last week in the tourist zones Bavaro and Punta Cana, Altagracia province (east).

According to preliminary estimates, the investments by the foreigners, who have at least eight Dominican partners, could reach as high as RD $300 billion, and include vehicles, lots, boats, helicopters, yachts, hotels and cabañas.

The Anti-laundering Unit affirms that there is a list of the Cubans’ eight Dominican partners; notaries, developers, lawyers and dealers among them.

Dominican Today, 25.07.08

Dominican courts freeze accounts of Cubans

 $110M Medicare fraud

SANTO DOMINGO.- The bank accounts of the brothers Oscar, Carlos, Luis and Jose Benítez, as well as those of their eight alleged Dominican partners were frozen, whereas judicial mortgages were registered in the name of the Dominican State for the properties worth hundreds of millions of pesos scattered within Higüey’s tourism zone (east) and the National District.

National District Instruction judge Rosalba Garib Holguín ordered the freezing of the bank accounts, at the request of the Justice Ministry.

The head of the Justice Ministry’s Anti-Laundering Unit said the companies and vehicles were used by those implicated in a US $110 million fraud of the United States Medicare system, to conduct businesses and real estate investments.

German Medina said the Benítez brothers’ accounts as well as those of their alleged partners were included in the precautionary measures taken by the authorities, but refused to provide further details on the identity of the Cubans’ alleged partners, arguing that their names will be released in the coming days, because searches are still being carried out.

An Altagracia province court issued the arrest warrant against the Benítez brothers, whereas National District coordinating judge Roman Berroa Hiciano issued the search and seizure warrant for the real properties.

The National District and Higüey Title Registrars also filed liens against transactions with the real estate, mostly hotels, motels, lots and apartments.

Miranda said the Benítez brothers’ seized businesses, where hundreds of employees work, will be re-opened, including the motels Bayamesa, located on the capital’s Malecon, the Singapur and Mi Casa, in Higüey, and the Vista Bavaro, in that area of the same name.

The official said the other businesses would be rented and the hotel under construction would be concluded.

As to the location of the brothers Oscar, Carlos, Luis and Jose Benítez, Miranda said it’s up to the United States government to arrest them. They are fugitives and are being sought. I’ve said to there’s an order to catch them and if they are not in the country they’ll be captured by an order international arrest warrant.

Dominican Today, 29.07.08

Dominican capital’s cruise ship port to be ready in weeks

Opening in September

SANTO DOMINGO.- The construction of the first stage of the Sans Souci mega-port’s terminal is more than 90 percent complete and it’s expected to open in September, to receive more than 80,800 tourists in the next cruise season, which begins in October.

The port’s construction costs about US $43 million, including the work in the Don Diego terminal, and the Ozama river’s dredging and cleanup, the signaling and navigation systems, as well as the handling of solid waste and the Santo Domingo terminal’s maintenance, said Sans Souci Tourist Investments executive director Luis Molina.

He said the modern terminal is part of the tourism project by a group of Dominican investors, and entails the port’s remodeling and conversion into a tourist destination, the construction of a marina and a real estate complex on lands where the Navy’s headquarters currently operate, which are being developed since 2005. The strategy has been to motorize and make the port operational, because it begins to reveal a change in the lower part of the Colonial Zone and what a new tourist destination would be, in the city of Santo Domingo. 

Terminal operations director Ricardo Lopez said entry and exit control and baggage handling will be in the first floor of the 3-story building; the immigration area on the second, while the third floor has a footbridge for passengers to board the ships, which he said cost more than 1 million dollars.

As to the Sans Souci Group’s goal for the next cruise season, Molina said they expect the 70,000 tourists who arrived by sea last year to reach 82,000. We have projected 82,000 tourists for the coming season, but we project having more than 125,000 in 2010.

The Sans Souci Investments executive said the goal is to a reach 150,000 tourists per season soon as possible, because it shows the consolidation of the name and most importantly to operate the port with cruise ships year-round.

Dominican Today, 31.07.08