Thousands of people attended yesterday the procession of the Carnival

Crowds on the Malecón Avenue

SANTO DOMINGO. - Thousands of people were concentrated this Sunday on the George Washington Avenue (Malecón), where was celebrated the Carnaval of Santo Domingo.

A total 180 comparsas (groups), ten of carrozas (floats) and representations of the universally known Carnaval of Curazao participated to the procession, which was organized and well secured by a vast security service managed by eight thousand agents from the Sate armed forces.

As of the first hours of the afternoon, thousands of people coming from various points of the country started to block the George Washington Avenue and its adjacent streets for enjoying the event, during which every province made the glory of the cultural elements which distinguish them.

The traditional Devils Cojuelos, Roba La Gallina, Las Cachuas de Cabral and los Papeluces de Cotuí as well as a representation of the Santo Domingo Subway formed part of the groups which enchanted the public with their creativity.

In addition to the groups of the country, the representation of Curazao, guest country, enormously drew the attention.

The formations of Cotuí, Santiago, Bonao and of La Vega were very applauded by the assistance, just like the King of the Carnival, Raudy Torres and the Queen Rosa Margarita de Aliés.

One of the most attractive figures was that which represented the president of the United States, George Bush, driving a bicycle and escorted by several agents.

The representation of President Leonel Fernández and his wife Margarita Cedeño also drew the attention.

The National Procession of the Carnival showed cultural diversity and the popular creative capacity of the Dominican ones.

Al Momento, 03.03.08

Inauguration of the « Walk of the Reading »

New pedestrian zone

SANTO DOMINGO. -The Town council of the National District (ADN) inaugurated the « Walk of the Reading » in the Caracas Street, which from now will be a pedestrian area.

The Walk is made up of 57 modules in which are located a part of the salesmen of books who previously worked on the Duarte Avenue.

An identification card was delivered to the booksellers who operate on the spot, that they will have to put in a visible place.

The metropolitan syndic, Roberto Salcedo, explained that the location of the salesmen will continue during the next days, in the Caracas Street, between the Duarte Avenue and Jacinto de Concha; behind the Mercado Modelo, in the Mella Avenue; on the commercial place Popular, in Martí Street and in the Duarte Avenue and the Paris Street.

It is the first group of booksellers who were relocated, and as promised, Caracas is now pedestrian. These kiosks will be exclusively dedicated to the sale of books , declared Roberto Salcedo, who directed the opening of the new space.

Salcedo explained that this measure will make it possible to organize the disorder which still exists in the Duarte avenue, after having indicated that on the popular commercial artery, will remain some 57 salesmen for whom they will build kiosks in strategic places.

Everything is very positive, I do not sit down on my usual place but I hope that the customers would like our new space which is very organized , said Favio Silverio, a tradesman of the zone, who has been devoted for 30 years to the sale of books.

He said that the salesmen benefit of a greater protection and security and that they will not have to charge the books any more towards other places because they will be able to keep them in the kiosks.

On his side, Duvirgilio Arcadio Roque, who has been support of a family of six members for 29 years with the sale of books, ensured that with the new sector the booksellers will have more benefit at the time of the low seasons, which, as he says are very critical .

I am sure that with this Walk of the Reading the customers will come more often and that there will be people even apart from the scholar season , indicated Arcadio Roque.

People who were crossing the place spoke in praise of the new space for the salesmen of books.

Such a pretty place, good work was made ! , one of them said.

Listin Diario, by José Nova, 04.03.08

Installation of intelligent traffic lights

LED System

The Government started in the afternoon of yesterday a system of lights installed in the traffic lights of the central polygon of Santo Domingo and of Santiago (intelligent traffic lights) which initially involves an investment of two million dollars.

The act was directed by the secretary of Commerce and Industry, Melanio Paredes, the president of the Commission of Energy, Arístides Fernández Zucco, and by the director of the Bus Services Metropolitan Office (Omsa), Ignacio Ditrén.

The activity was developed to the intersection of the 27 de Febrero with Máximo Gómez Avenues where one of the appliances was placed.

Paredes said that the objective is to supplement some 750 traffic lights for an investment of 3.5 million US $.

Reduction of energy

The program of traffic lights with illumination by the Light Emition Diode (Led) system, will allow a saving in 90%, of power consumption, said Paredes.

El Caribe, by Martín Polanco, 05.03.08

JetBlue starts daily service to Santo Domingo

Nonstop service to Florida

Santo Domingo.– The nonstop service will connect Orlando with the Dominican Republic destination and takes the low-cost carrier’s number of routes to the Caribbean up to 20.

To celebrate, JetBlue is offering introductory one-way fares between the two cities from $99 (excluding taxes). Passengers who book before March 13 can benefit from the reduced ticket prices, provided travel is taken before May 14.

The daily service from Orlando to Santo Domingo leaves at 2:35pm to arrive at 6:05pm. On the return leg, flights will leave the Dominican Republic at 6:50pm and touch down at 8:50pm. All times are local.

Later this month, JetBlue will launch the first daily nonstop service from Orlando to Cancun.

Marty St George, JetBlue’s Vice-President of Network Planning, said: With today’s new flights to the Dominican Republic, plus next week’s launch of service to Cancun, JetBlue is committed to being your No. 1 choice for travel to the Caribbean region by consistently delivering great fares and an unmatched level of customer service.

Dominican Today, 10.03.08

Almeyda proposes to deliver the Nobel Peace Prize to Leonel

A war in South America avoided

Santo Domingo.- Because he obtained to avoid a war between several countries of South America, Dominican President Leonel Fernández will be proposed as candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize 2008, informed today the Secretary of Interior and Police, Doctor Franklin Almeyda Rancier.

The civil servant supported that during the Rio Summit, which took place in Santo Domingo, President Fernández prevented that a war of Ecuador, Venezuela and Nicaragua against Colombia does not explode.

We will speak with several university former vice-chancellors to suggest proposing President Fernández for the Nobel Peace Prize 2008, supported Almeyda Rancier at the time of an interview of Dany Alcántara for the Matinal program of Telemicro.

He declared that a conflict of war would have been catastrophic for the Latin America and the whole world.

President Fernández gathered together in Santo Domingo the presidents of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, and of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, and obtained from them an agreement to leave without effect their confrontations following the death of several Colombian guerrillas on the Ecuadorian soil.

The conflicts which appeared insurmountable between the Ecuadorian, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan agents against the Colombian agent were solved by the Dominican president thanks to his personal persuasion.

The Nobel Peace Prize, one of the five Nobel Prizes was instituted by the Swedish inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel.

While the Nobel Prize of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine and Literature is delivered in Stockholm, capital of Sweden, the Nobel Peace Prize is given in Oslo, capital of Norway.

El Nuevo Diario, 11.03.08

Work in order to make of Santo Domingo the principal tourist destination of the country

An extraordinary transformation

The Mayor of the National District, Roberto Salcedo, declared that he wishes to make the town of Santo Domingo the principal tourist destination of foreigners who come to visit the country.

He added that it will generate employment, which will profit to the Dominican capital.

He indicated that he felt satisfied with what he was making and he added that there still remain things to be made.

He declared that work is completed on a marina, which involves several phases, and which will have like consequence the displacement of the port and the customs, since it will occupy the entire littoral.

He said that the city will undergo an extraordinary transformation.

He expressed that his management follows a policy of visual cleanliness, which means the prohibition of streamers and posters it does not matter the political organization to which they belong, since that violates physical space.

By another side, he declared that he is confident with the crushing victory of Leonel Fernández because he gained a large respect with work that the central government realizes.

He said that this town council is managed with precariousness but with discipline.

Salcedo made these statements in the Matinal program at the time of an interview carried out by the journalist Persio Maldonado.

El Nuevo Diario, 12.03.08

Construction of a Convention’s Center

A dream for all the tourist sector

The secretary of Tourism, Felix Jiménez and the president of Messe Berlin, Raimund Hosch, signed a convention to carry out the feasibility studies for the construction of the Convention’s and Exhibition Center of the town of Santo Domingo.

This signature took place within the framework of the International Tourism Fair (ITB) in Berlin, Germany.

Before this signature, the administrative committee integrated by public and private institutions was already formally set up in Santo Domingo.

During the signature, the president of the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (Asonahores), Luís López; and Alejandro Grullón, president of the Dominican Banco Popular; and Ricardo Hazouri, president of the Cap Cana Group accompanied Jiménez.

Jiménez declared that the construction of this center was a dream cherished by all the tourist sector of Dominican Republic during the 30 last years, considering the importance for the town of Santo Domingoto to have a great center of conventions, since the First City of Americas is a tourist and businesses destination.

Al Momento, 13.03.08

Inauguration of a weather station

Meteorology, the Town council of the Distrito Nacional and the Botanical garden of Santo Domingo attended the ceremony

Santo Domingo. - The Mayor of Distrito Nacional, Roberto Salcedo, and the director of the National Office of Meteorology, Gloria Ceballos, inaugurated yesterday a Weather station in the Environmental Information Center, in the Mirador del Sur park.

This inauguration formed part of the commemorative activities that they carry out, with the Botanical garden, of the world days of Forests, Water and Meteorology, which take place on March 21, 22 and 23.

The Station of the Environmental Information center of the ADN, located in the Anacaona avenue will daily collect weather information that will be transmitted to the public, and will extend the cover of data collection carried out by Meteorology.

Salcedo stressed the importance of the new station because it will be a source of information on the weather topics.

Diario Libre, 13.03.08

Aventura in concert

Vibrations in the Quisqueya stadium

Santo Domingo. - The most famous quartet of bachata, Aventura, is preparing to come back on stage on its native soil, at one moment when success smiles to it as much in the international rewards as by the triumphal reception of its romantic music.

On Saturday April 26, the Quisqueya stadium will vibrate with a show which they currently present as part of their new tour inSouth AmericaandEurope.

Bohemia, promotional platform of the National Dominican Brewery will be responsible for what will be the next great popular artistic attraction in the country.

This show will be the closing concert of their current tour. This is why the singers are engaged to bring the best of their music and it reigns among them a great enthusiasm generated by their come back on the Dominican stage .

Aventura is a band which gained the recognition of the public and the critic thanks to a purified and modern music which seduced the young people.

El Día Digital, 17.03.08

The Capital starts to be empy

Great migration towards the interior of the country

The capital and the Province of Santo Domingo began this Thursday its exodus towards the interior of the country to enjoy the beaches, the rivers, the mountains and the countryside, at the time of the Holy Week.

Although displacements timidly began Wednesday, it is today Thursday that one records the greatest movement in the various bus stations which offer transport to the various destination points.

From early morning this Thursday, bus terminals were taken by storm by the users who try to obtain a seat to go on the spot of their holidays.

In some stations, one could observe some tumults as consequence of the disorganization which generally occurs in the middle of the multitude in this type of situations.

The banks, especially the Banco de Reservas are congested by the public forming long queues in order to carry out in time the banking operations to benefit from this Easter break.

In the morning of this Thursday the atmosphere of desolation which started to be felt in the Capital and the province of Santo Domingo was notorious.

The principal avenues and the streets recorded a significant reduction in the traffic of vehicles in comparison to other dates.

In fact, practically no congestion of vehicles was registered.

The commercial activity also decreased, since the great movement of purchase and other commercial activities occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday.

On the various roads to the various areas of the country a great vehicles flow is observed as consequence of the great number of people moving to enjoy this festive period.

El Nuevo Diario, by Luís Brito, 20.03.08

Sea, sand and sun

Artificial « beaches » of the Capital

The high risks of road accidents, the high cost of transport, the dangers of the beach and the « balnearios » for the children and other reasons justified so that, during the Easter break every time more families with low incomes choose to install « artificial beaches » in the streets of the various districts of the Capital.

The water shortage which is almost permanent in the marginal sectors of the center of the city, is not an obstacle so that people buy a plastic swimming pool whose price oscillates between RD $500 and RD $7,500, according to quality and size, and fills it with trucks of water which they buy for a maximum of RD $1,000.

In popular sectors as that of the 27 Febrero, they installed a beach in Calle 8, which did not have anything to envy Boca Chica.

Tens of young people, adults and children benefited from water or were lain down on sand under a parasol, listened to music or eating spaghettis.

It acts of a tradition which goes back already to several years, and which is organized by the neighbors of the sector, declared the coordinator of the Support Community Group, Víctor Mañón.

Although less colored and with less movement, the scenes of « artificial beaches » are also a habit in the districts of Villa Consuelo, Villa Marina and in the Luperón extension.

In these sectors, the neighbors are linked, they made a collection to buy the swimming pool, water, food and drink, and share the totality together between parents and neighbors.

But it was not only the families and the neighbors who prepare their swimming pools in front of their houses, but, in a new kind, some « colmadones » (drink-grocers) also had places for bathing in front of their business for the customers who would wish to bathe while drinking.

The play of domino could not miss among the « holiday makers » who chose to stay in the Capital, of whom much occupied the streets making bets with beers or rum.

Young people benefited from the tranquillity of the streets due to the weak traffic of vehicles, to improvise basketball or base ball fields.

Hoy Digital, by Loyda Peña, 24.03.08

More cars for Dominican capital’s subway

A totality of 17 trains

The second convoy of train cars for the Metro Santo Domingo arrived in the country Monday at East Haina port and the Government said it will be immediately incorporated to the system for routine tests.

The first car left the terminal after noon and was taken to the yard of the Land Transport Reform Office (Opret) in Villa Mella.

The other wagons in the second convoy will leave the port in the next few days, the government said on its Web site.

Dominican Today, 25.03.08