March 2010

166 anniversary of National Independence

Leonel Fernández led military parade on the George Washington Avenue

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernández, led the traditional military parade to mark the 166^th anniversary of National Independence, held this February the 27^th at George Washington Avenue.

Patriotic activity began at 5:00 _pm; the Governor was accompanied by First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernandez, and her daughter Yolanda America, besides the government cabinet.

Three divisions of the Armed Forces and National Police led the parade, composed of Navy, the Dominican Air Force and the Army.

The over flight of the Super Tucano aircraft, helicopters, and speedboats passing through the waters of the Caribbean, specialized equipment in the fight against drug bombing marked the military and police parade corresponding to 166th anniversary of National Independence.

In the parade the elite corps of the Armed Forces and National Police shown their skills to President Fernández and thousands of people.

The patriotic activity was transmitted by a nationwide network of radio and television, with the parent State Corporation Radio and Television.

President Fernández, in a gesture of respect, rose from his seat to greet Mr. Andres Acosta Mañon, a hundred years old, and grandson of John Alexander Acosta, twenty-fifth President of the Republic and who was invited to act by the Navy.

Santo Domingo Live, 01.03.10

This week the Dominican Government will sign a letter of intent with the International Monetary Fund

Dominican economy expected to grow by 5% in 2010

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- The Minister of Economy, Planning and Development, Juan Temístocles Montas announced Monday that over the course of this week the Government would sign the new letter of intent with the International Monetary Fund.

This weekend was reviewed everything about this letter, and I hope that in March the IMF board will take acknowledge of it, said Juan Temístocles Montas.

Montas said that for the month of March the International Monetary Fund executives held a meeting where you know the details of that letter of intent.

Dominican Republic decided to seek International Monetary Fund, after registering a fall of about 10 percent of projected tax revenue through the first half of last year because of the effects of global crisis.

The Minister of Economy, Planning and Development pondered that last year the Dominican economy did not decrease, but acknowledged that due to the global economic crisis exports fell and the tourism sector growth was not expected.

Even with all these disadvantages, we can not say that the Dominican economy decreased, if we compare it with what happened in the economy of Mexico, Central America and other countries in the region, specified Montas.

Finally he said that if the Dominican economy grew 3.5% last year, in a global crisis, said this year will grow 5%, which is an achievement attributed to the economic growth of the Dominican Republic.

Santo Domingo Live, 02.03.10

President Fernández assist to Student Merit Award ceremony

Along with Education Minister Melanio Paredes

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernández, along with Education Minister Melanio Paredes, began this Tuesday, the act of Student Merit Award to 179 public school students, rising to one million 75 thousand 265 the students awarded by the government since this program created in 1996.

Fernández gave to 18 students the award Diploma of High Excellence for having obtained the highest grades during the period 2008-2009. In addition to the diploma, the winners received a medal and a laptop with access to broadband Internet in the name of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel).

The three highest averages belong to Chabely Heredia Polanco of the Regional 4 St. Christopher, 99.58; Yormarys Bautista Cabrera from regional 17 Monte Plata, with 99.27 and Milagros Mercedes Gómez Méndez of regional 18 Neyba with 97.80. The three studied medicine.

The event took place in the lounge Las Cariátides, of the National Palace, where the Minister of Education said that this initiative of the Head of State has been the greatest impact has been on strengthening the vocation to study and self overcome more a million young people.

Mr. Paredes said the program has contributed to the quality of student life, and stated that it aims to promote quality education through incentives that enhance academic excellence and develop values in children and young students.

He estimated that these purposes connected with the current challenges of education cited by the Dominican president Leonel Fernández in his speech on February the 27^th in which he emphasized the need for the new generation of students learn to reason, think and be proficient in written form and oral, in full command of the language, with clarity and skill.

In the activity were also present, the Minister of Youth, Franklin Rodriguez, the director of the Institute of Technical and Vocational Training (INFOTEP), Josefina Pimentel, Senator Santo Domingo province, Professor Cristina Lizardo, and the Deputy Ministers of Education Susana Michel and Luis de Leon, among others.

The words of thanks were expressed by the young Wendy and Anthony Katiuska Mercedes Mejia Manuel Ortiz Cepeda, who highlighted the vision of President Fernández in educational policy that applies and the commitment to students.

Similarly, the young students pondered the work undertaken by the lawyer wall in front of the Dominican education system. At the end of the ceremony, the Educational Center Dominica choir animated the environment by interpreting the theme Exhortation to Peace. While the young Paola Michael Lockhart, sang La Gaviota, Professor Juan Bosch.

Santo Domingo Live, 03.03.10

Dominican Republic agree to promote trade with the United States and Europe

Leveraging the benefits of free trade agreements

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic, United States, and Europe merchants pledged today to work on joint initiatives to promote investment and reap the benefits of Free Trade Agreements.

Dominican Republic is linked to the United States by the Free Trade Agreement known as CAFTA-DR (acronym in English), which also includes the Central American countries was signed in 2004 and to the European Union with an Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2008 and which includes also other twelve countries in the Caribbean.

To reap the benefits of both agreements, the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (Amchard) and the Federation of European Chambers of Commerce in the country (FEDECAME) pledged today to promote the development of economic relations and trade between these economic blocks.

Also create a joint database of trade to exchange information on international fairs, exhibitions and other trade promotion activities, investment and international competitions that take place in the Caribbean, the U.S. or Europe.

Also facilitate the establishment of contacts and negotiations with potential partners both Fedecame and Amchard as well as collaborate in trade missions and other activities such as fairs and investment projects.

Furthermore Fedecame designate a representative on the Trade Facilitation Committee of the Amchard to support the establishment in the country of a trade facilitation framework of best practices as a national competitive advantage through the promotion within the public and private sector the adoption of rules, processes and communication flows.

Amchard President Alejandro Peña Prieto welcomed the signing of the agreement and noted the benefit of the country, while the President of Fedecame , Frank Pichardo said the agreement is of huge importance.

Santo Domingo Live, 04.03.10

National Carnival parade on the Malecon on Sunday

The Minister of Culture of Haiti is the guest of honor

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- The maximum Dominican carnival event this year is dedicated to the Great Santo Domingo and will be crowned the famous King to professional vegan Cesar Arturo Abreu and as the Queen capital native professional Esther Mieses.

A total of 191 floats from the different municipalities of Santo Domingo and the National District and about 30 provinces will participate this Sunday in the National Carnival Parade, organized by the Ministry of Culture.

The Dominican important event this year is dedicated to the carnivals of the Great Santo Domingo, as part of the declaration of the primate city as American Capital of Culture.
It also will pay tribute to the composer and vocalist Marcos Caminero, declared by the Ministry of Culture and Music of Great Composer Dominican Carnival, on account of his 20 years as a major producer of carnival compositions.

The parade will remember, and especially, the singer-songwriter Luis Diaz, who died last year. Indeed, in 2009 he dedicated the parade to mark the 25th anniversary of his famous piece Dancing in the street.

Parade Queen Esther Mieses, a dental professional who has worked for many years to participate in the carnival and make costumes for this great cultural celebration. The King shall be the municipal known vegan Cesar Arturo Abreu, an outstanding professional who has developed a great job in the carnival of his people.

The parade will begin at 3 pm and ending at the Obelisk.

The information was provided by the Ministry of Culture, which organizes the activity, indicating that the Haitian cultural senior official will attend the grand carnival parade to receive the homage of the country to the Haitian people affected by the earthquake of January the 12th.

Haiti is a nation with a strong carnival tradition, not to be held this year for obvious reasons, so the presence of the Haitian Minister of Culture has a great significance for us, said members of the organizing committee of the summit event Dominican carnival.

The National Carnival Parade will honor Haiti with a large troupe entitled Haiti, get up, directed by well-known Serbian actor Uribe, while Haitian national parade in a carriage, to keep alive the flame of the carnival that every Haitian has inside, the sources said the Ministry of Culture Dominican.

Santo Domingo Live, 05.03.10

Jeff Dayton-Johnson arrives to the country

Officer Development Center of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- Jeff Dayton-Johnson, head of unit for Latin America and the Caribbean Development Center of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), arrived to the country to participate since Monday in a series of activities organized by the Ministry Economy, Planning and Development.

Dayton-Johnson, who coordinates the Center’s work on migration and development, is scheduled for this Monday the 9^th to attend the introduction of the book Economic Outlook for Latin America to be held from 5:00 Later in the Ambassador hotel in this capital.

This is a special publication of the OECD which contains a broad overview of the socio-economic situation in the region and the challenges facing the future, says a note from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development.

On Tuesday at10:00 _am, Dayton-Johnson, will be the keynote speaker at a panel on Migration and Remittances in Latin America, to be held at the headquarters of the Global Foundation in Eugenio de Marchena, La Esperilla sector.

Also on Tuesday at 7:00 _pm, Dayton-Johnson will give a lecture on Economic Challenges in Latin America in 2010, also at the headquarters of the Global Foundation.

Development Center, based in Paris, a body that recently joined the Dominican Republic, was established in October 1962 on the initiative of the late president John F. Kennedy, and brings together 38 countries, of which 23 are OECD members and the remaining 15 are nations with emerging economies.

Dayton-Johnson has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and received his undergraduate education at Berkeley and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.

Before joining the Jeff Development Center, visit their experience ranges from rural Mexico to interview farmers in the irrigation companies, to provide financial training to government officials from Eastern Europe.

Santo Domingo Live, 08.03.10

Ministry of Culture inaugurated the exhibition Mi Zona Colonial

Of plastic artist Ismael Checo

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- The fifth solo exhibition of Ismael Checo was inaugurated in the Main Hall of the Royal Houses Museum, as part of the program of activities for the declaration of Santo Domingo as American Capital of Culture 2010.

The event was chaired by Anna Yee De Cury, director of the Museum, who in her speech said: Checo presents an open work to talk about the different shades of religious and magical realism, fantasy and quantum, opinion and dissent, aesthetic and institutional.

The sample consists of eleven pieces in the technique of oil on linen, which embody the natural and architectural beauty of the Colonial Zone.

Checo thanked the public and invited all to enjoy the sites and monuments of the oldest city in the new world.

Alexis Mendoza, Curator of the exhibition, to define the show said: The Art of Ismael Checo extracted from the twin sources of creativity, art and life.

He is a painter with the ability to find beauty where others have overlooked. Although their subjects are taken from the world, politics and sociology, complex problems are not what they are to catch, its terrain is different in nature, driven by seeing the things that delight him.

They claim the organizers of the exhibition, the paintings Ismael Checo offers art lovers plastic requiring analysis to reactualize raise the prospect of recovering and how myths and utopias that keep the streets and walls of the Colonial Zone.

The artist presents a work open to dialogue from the various shades of realism, magic, wonder, fantasy and opinions, they explain.

The exhibition Mi Zona Colonial is open to the public until March the 15^th at the Museo de las Casas Reales.

Santo Domingo Live, 09.03.10

Head of State of Canada Michaelle Jean is in the country

She will meet with President Leonel Fernández

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernández will meet Wednesday in his office with the governor of Canada, Michaelle Jean.

The meeting that President Fernández will hold with the Governor General of Canada is scheduled to start from ten in the morning.

The official, who acts as head of state and represents Canada abroad, arrived in the country on Tuesday to exhaust a two-day official visit, accompanied by a delegation which will consist of Jean-Daniel Lafond, Todd Kuiack ambassador Canada in the country, and Emmanuelle Sajous, assistant deputy minister of the Interior.

Also accompanying Alexandre Leveque, director for the Caribbean, Central and Regional Policy, Denyse Cote, aresearcher at the University of Quebec and Mireille Mathieu, vice provost for International Relations at the University of Montreal.

Since September the 27th 2005, year he took office and was sworn to office, Jean is the official representative of Queen Elizabeth II of England, who is also the Queen and Head of State of Canada.

Michaëlle Jean’s visit to the country also aims to thank the Dominican Republic its leadership role in responding to the crisis in Haiti before and after the earthquake that devastated the capital Port au Prince on January the 12th.

Dominican Republic is an important regional partner in Canada, with whom he shares excellent bilateral relations.

Santo Domingo Live, 10.03.10

President Fernández meets with Governor of Canada

Michaëlle Jean said Dominican aid to Haiti is a sign of hope

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernández received Wednesday in his office at the National Palace, the governor of Canada, Michaëlle Jean, with whom he spoke with government ministers aspects related to the reconstruction of Haiti.

During the meeting, the Dominican president, Jean discussed a plan to help Haiti. The plan is a workable strategy with a clear focus to enable join forces and ideas to help Haiti, hit by an earthquake on January the 12^th. Jean says the plan should include civil society in both nations, because what is good for Haiti, the good for Dominican Republic too.

In his view, the expression every man for himself is what prevents the union of nations. It is time to discuss strategies and plans that allow us to pool our ideas.

After the meeting, governor Jean gave a press conference to congratulate and thank the government and civil society in the Dominican Republic for the quick support and efforts in an attempt to mitigate the effects caused by the earthquake that devastated Port au Prince and other Haitian people on January the 12^th.

Lady explained that in his conversation with President Fernandez and his government ministers have found that very clear ideas, meaningful and achievable that will feed the reflection of the international community about the plan of reconstruction of Haiti.

President Leonel Fernández has made its cooperation with Haiti a point of honor, a partnership founded on solidarity. And his words are a powerful sign of hope, he said.

Jean believes that Dominican Republic is a key and very important for Canada and for the development of the Haitian people.

She also appreciated and thanked the support and assistance provided by the Dominican government to military and civilian personnel from Canada in relief efforts for those affected Haitians who conducts his nation.

We know that the catastrophe of Haiti offers an opportunity to strengthen ties between Canada and the Dominican Republic , said Michaëlle Jean, who said the Caribbean region has been classified as priority for his government.

Santo Domingo Live, 11.03.10

President Leonel Fernández and First Lady gave Women’s Progress 2010 Award

With the participation of local artists

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernández and First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, gave on Thursday the national Women’s Progress 2010 Award which in its fifth version recognized the exemplary work and personal growth of 12 women from different points the country.

During a colorful ceremony attended by the artistic participation of Milly Quezada and Sergio Vargas, which was held at the National Palace, were recognized for their achievements Andrea Duran Coffee Herrera Simeona Frias of San Isidro Girón Altagracia, Villa Mella, and Felina Feliz of Barahona.

The president also presented plaques of appreciation to the ladies Mercedes Molina, El Seibo; Yuderis Ramos, Santiago de los Caballeros, Zoila Carmona, Jarabacoa, Juliana Castro and Columbus Day, Boca Chica; Grisell Moris, Orquidia Cofesora Ramirez and Jimenez, representatives of Samana.

First Lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernandez, in delivering the main speech of the event, said the award is part of activities to celebrate International Women’s Day, after stating that it has recognized the perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit of Dominican women.

She said that these women, through the Program Progressing running the Office of the First Lady, have seized the opportunity provided by the government to achieve their personal and family.

First Lady highlighted that the 12 women recognized as thousands of mothers are turning Dominican Progresando program in an effective tool to combat poverty and social exclusion, and heading towards development.

She maintained that are examples of when growing the value of work, dedication and overcoming can achieve development and thus be happy with their families.

Cedeño de Fernández urged Dominican women to follow their dreams, to continue the development and progress, and told that success belongs to those who have the courage to look for it.

The Office of the First Lady each year recognizes women for their economic development, compliance achievement, community leadership, overcoming limitations and commitment to the program.

Santo Domingo Live, 12.03.10

Everything ready for the Donors’ Conference for Haiti

At Hotel Santo Domingo in the Dominican capital

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development reported on Friday that everything is ready for the celebration in Santo Domingo from the 16^th to the 17^th of this month’s conference of donor countries of Haiti, in order to address the commitment the international community assume as the authorities in the neighboring state has defined as the reestablishment of Haiti.

This conference will be a preparatory meeting prior to that held at the World Summit, which is calling the United Nations in New York, for March the 31^st.

This conference will review and create an action plan and implement a Special Committee to discuss the issue of agriculture in Haiti.

The information was given by Minister of Economy, Planning and Development, Temistocles Montas during a press conference in his office at the National Palace. Mr. Montas was accompanied by the charge of Social Development Ministry of Economy, Gilda Rosa Perez and Director of Bilateral Cooperation, Inocencio Garcia.

The event will take place at the Hotel Santo Domingo and with the participation of high-level technicians in the U.S., France, England, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Norway and Sweden, among others.

Similarly, international organizations will be present like the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB), World Bank, and Organization of the United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Association of Caribbean States.

Around the annual report on the situation of human rights in Dominican Republic where we found the alleged mistreatment of the country to Haitian immigrants and denying the rights of their offspring born in the country, the official said that solidarity Dominican the Haitian people following the earthquake of January the 12^th is the best lie of this report.

He said that Haiti needs and budget support that currently only collecting 20% which only allows you to pay 50% of public debt.

Santo Domingo Live, 15.03.10

28 countries participate in the conference today in Haiti

The results will be known by the international community representatives in the World Summit in New York

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- Representatives of 28 donor countries and multilateral agencies were meeting Tuesday in Santo Domingo to evaluate a voluminous report on the damage caused by the earthquake which hit Haiti on 12 January to establish the amount of financial assistance that will be required to rebuild and overhaul.

The work of the Preparatory Technical Conference actually began Monday at night with a dinner between international experts and Haitians who made the report of the damage and that made financial assessments.

On Tuesday a series of technical level meetings will take place in different rooms of the Hotel Santo Domingo in the area of the Malecón the Dominican capital, but the conference will be officially opened Wednesday morning with speeches by President Leonel Fernández and Prime Minister of Haiti, Jean-Mary Bellerive.

The conference was attended by representatives from several European Union countries, USA, Canada, Japan, Italy, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as agencies such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), United Nations, the Organization of American States, CEPAL, and the Association of Caribbean States, among others, said the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development.

The results of the Technical Conference will be known by the international community representatives at the World Summit on Haiti that the UN is convening in New York on March the 31^st, which is expected to be a commitment of economic assistance for the reconstruction of that country.

On Tuesday, March the 16^th will be a technical discussion about the vision of developing medium and long term is the government of Haiti in light of the results of post-disaster assessment.

This discussion will focus on four key points:

First, the official said, emergency needs and reconstruction within the framework of comprehensive development vision that brought the Haitian government under the plan for growth and poverty reduction launched before the tragedy.

Secondly, the Operational Plan will address the financial needs including budgetary support to meet the devastated areas to accommodate a million people who are in the street, reported the Minister of Economy, Planning and Development Temistocles Montas.

We will also discuss the need for an urgent Haiti receives budgetary aid to meet the expenses of public investment, given that tax revenues currently account for only 20 percent of projected, said the Minister.

Montas also said he understood relevant create a working table, the idea of involving the United States government to address the issue of agricultural development in Haiti.

On Wednesday March the 17^th there will be a joint meeting of all working groups and will be opened with speeches by President Leonel Fernández and Prime Minister Bellerive.

This session will present the final conclusions and will establish the needs for funds that have Haiti to be addressed in the conference in New York, Montas said.

Santo Domingo Live, 17.03.10

Casandra Awards gala in Dominican Republic

The group Aventura won The Sovereign

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- The group Aventura was the great winner of the Casandra Awards gala in the Dominican Republic as it won four statuettes, including the top prize, The Sovereign, and one more than for the leader singer, Anthony Romeo Santos. The bachata group was the winner in the categories to the musical album of the year for The Last, bachata year for the hit Dile al amor, and the award of outstanding songwriter was placed in the hands of Santos.

I’m proud of this award, which is the most important because what you receive it from your land, said the singer of Aventura to collect the top prize with his colleagues Henry, Lenny and Max Santos.

The artist and composer said his pride was even greater because Aventura has shown that bachata was not, as critics complained, Cabaret music and alcoholics, but that this music talks about love and passion.

The awards ceremony included international artists such as Cuban singer Jon Secada, the producer Sergio George and Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, who thanked the support of the Dominican Republic to his country after the earthquake on January the 12^th.

I always said that when I would come to Santo Domingo I will tell you one thing: thank you for helping Haiti in this difficult time, said the artist.

The show closed its conclusion with an event dedicated to Haiti and Chile, also affected by an earthquake recently, where several Dominican artists performed Standing, a song of hope for both countries.

Zoë Saldaña, Dominican actress star of Avatar movie, received the award as the most prominent local artist abroad, and Juan Luis Guerra won singer-songwriter award.

The most poignant event of the night was the posthumous homage to songwriter Luis Terror Diaz, who died last December, and who was one of the most prolific artists of recent years Dominicans.

Eddy Herrera Merengue won the year with his rendition of How the hell, while the grouping of Hector Acosta El Torito was awarded as the year merengue orchestra.

The gala also honoured posthumously by humorist, singer, actor and composer Dominican Luisito Marti.

The presenters of the night, the comedians Raymond Pozo y Miguel Cespedes, rose to the categories of comedy show of the year and humorous show of the year, not counting the reserved for the comedian of the year, won Pozo.

Swing Tito was the winner as the revelation of the year, beating the favorite Rita Indiana, while Sexappeal scored his fourth and most prominent salsa.

Martha Hall, last winning reality show Latin American Idol and Roy Tabaré, Omega and Chichi Peralta were among the local artists who participated in the awards.

Santo Domingo Live, 17.03.10

New VIP lounges at Las Americas International Airport

Dominican Airports Century XXI

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo.- Dominican Airports Century XXI (Aerodom) has opened new lounges of Las Americas International Airport (AILA) and has presented the facilities for Executive Aviation (FBO) that henceforth operate Servair, SA.

In pronouncing the words on behalf of the Board of Aerodom, Andrew O’Brien, president of the compagny, highlighted the quality of service offered in these rooms, designed to provide greater comfort, at the level provided by airport operating company.

Noting that in a year we offer an average of 3.650 VIP services, we realized that we had to upgrade the room we had at the height of people using it. Now, we have more comfortable rooms, furnished with comfortable spaces for more enjoyable wait expressed the general director of Aerodom.

President of Servair, SA, Juan Carlos Hernandez, has ensured that the entry with the operation of Servair Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at AILA assures users of general, private and executive aviation to receive all services in one place, simplifying in an agile, fast and professional way the operational and traffic flow of passengers, crew and aircraft.

The huge growth worldwide requires these services, and today the Las Americas International Airport joins this important and exclusive area, witnessing and Aerodom honor the commitment to operate world-class airport, said Hernández.

In this regard, the delegate airport, Carlos Cota Lama, saying a few words on behalf of the Minister Aristides Fernandez Zucco, chief executive of Airports Department congratulated Aerodom for commissioning of these modern and comfortable rooms.

Santo Domingo Live, 19.03.10