Dominican Republic’s Cement Industry Exports Around 25% of its Production
Annual reports shows growth in 2010
BREAKING NEWS : Dominican Republic’s cement makers grouped in ADOCEM presented its annual report for 2010 on Monday, which reveals that it exports around 25% of its annual production and the sector’s impact on the local economy.
The cement makers cited advances in foreign trade for their robust exports, and stressed their support for the environment and its social performance.
“This document that we present today reveals a productive sector that works with the commitment to obtain continuous growth. It’s for that reason that at present, our country counts on a solid, reliable and competitive cement industry, with a commitment that allows us to see the future with optimism”, said ADOCEM Executive Director Julissa Báez in an activity for the press and associates.
“This first Report summarizes our activity and commitment as an industry and sectorial Association, making special emphasis in the sustainable value and the manner in which from our own activity we are contributing in the general performance of our Nation”, the ADOCEM executive said.
Baez affirmed that the significant increase in cement production paved the way for exports, mainly to countries of the Caribbean region.
In the gathering with journalists, associates and opinion makers, the industry leaders also posthumously recognized former ADOCEM president Huáscar M. Rodriguez, who passed away February 2.
Dominican Republic Live, 01.04.11
Most of the Foreign Players on Baseball Major League Are Dominicans
Baseball player Alex Rodríguez 86 professionals come from the island
BREAKING NEWS : More than a quarter of all players on major league rosters or disabled lists on opening day were born outside of the United States. According to Major League Baseball,234 players or 27.7 percent of the 846 players on rosters are foreign born, representing 14 countries and territories.
Last season, there were 231 foreign-born players. The Dominican Republic leads all with 86 players and Venezuela ranks second at 62, its highest total ever on opening day. Puerto Rico is next with 20 and Canada has 16.
The Yankees have the most players born outside the 50 U.S. states with 16, and the Dodgers have players from eight countries, including Curacao, Taiwan and Nicaragua. The number is down slightly from the all-time high of 29.2 percent in 2005.
Dominican Republic Live, 04.04.11
Dominican and Haitian Agencies Will Work to Attract Ecological Tourism
Dominican natureIt will improve the quality of life of the people on both sides on the border
BREAKING NEWS : Dominican and Haitian authorities and agencies Monday announced joint operations to attract ecological tourism through the a corridor park to link the Dominican northwest city Dajabón with Ouanaminthe, Haitian (northeast).
Dominican senator Sonia Mateo and the head of the Environment Ministry office in Dajabón,Ana Carrasco, said thousands of trees will be planted on both sides of the Masacre river that separates the two nations, as well as in the area of the cross-border market held Mondays and Friday.
Mateo affirmed that Dominican authorities, Dajabon province and Ouanaminthe organizations have an “elevated interest” to spur projects which contribute to improve the quality of life of the people on both sides on the border.
Though the authorities didn’t specify the project’s cost alleging pending financial readjustments, Haiti Northeast Forestry supervisor Renette Pencibalo Roullet said his Government and many Haitians are willing to work with Dominican pars to find solutions to the problems which affect the border towns of both countries.
Dominican Republic Live, 05.04.11
National Environment Journalism Prize
Flamingos in Dominican Republic Organized by the United States Agency for International Development
BREAKING NEWS : The Environment Ministry and the United States Agency for International Development’s Environmental Protection Program today convened reporters for the National Environment Journalism Prize,”The Media’s Role in Environmental Protection”.
Environment and USAID said they created the prize as part of their policy to implement programs to teach environmental topics, as Law 64-00 stipulates and as an incentive for journalists to contribute to protect the n atural resources.
They said the prize recognizes journalist who promote an environmental culture in the country through publications, awareness, training and research, spurring society to participate in the conservation of natural resources.
They added that the prize is also to acknowledge the important role the media plays in the sensitization awareness of Dominican society on the need to protect the environment and realities such as desertification, water shortage, climatic change and latent threats against biodiversity.
Dominican Republic Live, 06.04.11
Dominican Republic Called for a Sustained Peace in Haiti
Carlos Morales Troncoso and René Préval during the United Nations Security CouncilDuring the United Nations Security Council
BREAKING NEWS : Dominican Republic yesterday called for a sustained peace in Haiti, based on a human development that assures equal opportunities for all its citizens, political stability and the creation of decent jobs.
Foreign Relations minister Carlos Morales Troncoso, who represented the country in the UN Security Council meeting to debate Haiti’s situation, said equal opportunities for Haiti “means a government which assures access to essential public services, such as water, education, energy, health and security”.
He said equality also means the possibility that all Haitians abroad can return and enjoy the same rights and obligations, as well as contributing their knowledge and resources for their nation’s development.
Morales said with sustainable peace in that nation,”would exist a prosperous, developing Haiti, with equal opportunities, legal security, harmony with the environment and decent jobs for the Haitians in Haiti”.
He added that the Dominican-Haitian Mixed Binational Commission is anxious to resume its work with a vast agenda of topics of joint interest, especially after both nations showed their solidarity in the aftermath of last year’s earthquake.
In the meeting headed by Colombia president Juan Manuel Santos participated United States ex president Bill Clinton;OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza;Inter-American Development Bank president (IDB) Luis Alberto Moreno and the Foreign Relations minister from Argentina, Peru, Chile, Brazil and Cuba, among others of the region.
Dominican Republic Live, 07.04.11
Strong Drought Could Affect Dominican Production
Drought Dominican RepublicRepresentatives from the cattle and farming sector expressed their worry
BREAKING NEWS : Representatives from the cattle and farming sector expressed yesterday their worry over the strong drought this is now affecting the country, which they say puts their production in danger.
The concern comes at moments in which the public institutions that make up the National Water Sector demand that the population make a rational use of water that arrives in the pipes, and they urge that the tandems and shifts among irrigation farmers is maintained, as a way to optimize the resource that is getting scarce in the nation’s reservoirs.
The president of the National Cattlemen’s Board of Trustees,Arnaldo Gomez, indicated that the situation is critical at the national level both for the farm sector as well as for the cattlemen, and it has reduced their production of milk and meat.
He estimated that the milk sector has seen a 30% reduction, due to the forage and grass drying up. He put forth as an example San Jose de las Matas, where the community has prohibited the cattlemen from using water because it is reserved just for human consumption.
Gomez pointed out, moreover, that in the case of the Cibao Central and the Northwest Line, where he said they have had to turn to the use of bagasse from citrus and sugarcane to feed their cattle. He stressed the support that the sector receives from the state, but he did call to the Directorate of Cattle and the Ministry of Agriculture so that they go into the fields and see for themselves the situation that the farmers and cattlemen are going through.
At the same time,Oliverio Espaillat,the president of the National Rice Federation, warned that the second harvest of this year is in danger, because the amount of water in the dams barely serves for finishing the current harvest.
“The dams (Reservoirs) are very low and if it doesn’t rain, we will not have enough water to begin the next harvest”, he said.
He indicated that as of now the rice farmers have managed to get along with only minimum losses in their fields, thanks to the good work that is done by the local boards of irrigators with the available water. However he complained that production costs have increased due to a greater uses of generators for supplying electricity to the water pumps and the increase in the cost of fuels and lubricants.
Espaillat considered that this situation might force as many as 20% of the producers to abandon this type of harvest, which would mean that the nation would lose it auto-sufficiency in rice.
He reminded reporters that just the Cibao region 65% of the nation’s rice crop is harvested. According to what he said, in the first harvest of the year, some 6 million quintals are harvested (600,000,000 pounds), and in the second harvest,5 million quintals are produced.
Dominican Republic Live, 08.04.11
Leonel Fernández Will not Seek a Fourth Term
Leonel Fernández reelection Margarita Cedeño is among the possible candidates from PLD
BREAKING NEWS : President Leonel Fernández announced last night he will not seek a fourth term, opening the position to new leadership for the first time in nearly a decade.
After months of speculation and lobbying efforts by supporters to reform the constitution to allow him to run again, the announcement is a change in tune from Fernandez who had said in late-March he was open to the possibility of a fourth term.
Among the possible presidential candidates from Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) is Fernandez’s wife,Margarita Cedeno. The chosen candidate for the May 20,2012 election will face former President Hipólito Mejía of the opposition Dominican Revolutionary Party.
Dominican Republic Live, 11.04.11
Dominican Economy Will Maintain a Growth of 5.5% Until 2012
Santo Domingo aerial view According to the International Monetary Fund forecasts
BREAKING NEWS : Dominican Republic will remain on a positive trail with a sustained growth of 5.5% in 2011 as well as 2012, and reduce its inflationary pressure, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast today.
After its 7.8 percent growth in 2010, the Dominican economy shows a solid growth tendency which will extend beyond 5% until 2012.
The IMF said the Caribbean country seems able to manage the control of prices, for which it expects inflation to continue progressively downward.
In 2010 inflation closed at 6.2%, and “Global Economic Perspective” published today by the IMF place inflation at 6% in 2011 and 5.5% in 2012.
Dominican Republic Live, 12.04.11
Center for Emergency Operations Announces a Plan for Holy Week
“Holy Week 2011 in Dominican RepublicHoly Destination, Holy Week 2011” will start on Thursday 21st
BREAKING NEWS : With the participation of 35,000 people, the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) will begin on Thursday 21 April, the “Holy Destination,Holy Week 2011” operational plan, with the objective of preventing accidents and preserving lives during the Holy Week recess, which sees thousands of vacationers moving to locales in different provinces.
The program of accident prevention will begin Thursday at noon, in the Ministry of public Health and will end on Sunday 24 April at 8 o’clock at night with the traditional escort of returning vacationers along the nation’s highways depending on the number of vehicles that are moving along the highways themselves.
The volunteers will be distributed in 2,400 aid stations that will be located at critical points at beaches, swimming holes, highways, thruways and avenues all over the nation.
The operation was announced by the director of the COE, General Juan Manuel Mendez, during a press conference in the Orlando Martinez Room of the Presidential Palace during which he was accompanied by representatives of the different institutions that are part of the organization.
Mendez said that among the 35,000 volunteers there are members of Civil Defense brigades, doctors, paramedics, military, police, search and rescue specialists and other aid workers.
In a similar manner, some 220 ambulances will be spread out over the different areas, and three helicopters will be on call, and three mobile hospitals and nine regional command centers will be installed.
At the same time, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET), as part of the Holy Week operation which the COE will carry out, announced the prohibition of motorcyclists without helmets and that travel with minors as passengers and more than one adults on board.
All over the national territory, the COE ordered the closure of 168 beaches and bathing spots because they represent a danger for vacationers or because they are contaminated.
Among the beaches prohibited to the public are that of Sans Souci-El Dique, La Playita de Andres, in Boca Chica, in the city of East Santo Domingo, province of Santo Domingo as well as Guibia in the National District and Manresa Beach in West Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic Live, 13.04.11
Carol Morgan Students Donated Funds
Dominican whalesTo pay the country annual membership in the International Whaling Commission
BREAKING NEWS : Students of a Dominican Republic school Wednesday donated funds to help the country pay its annual membership in the International Whaling Commission, and regain its vote against their hunt.
Carol Morgan’s 7th grade students said they want to help protect the humpback whales which come to the country yearly to mate in the waters around Samana peninsula.
“The idea of these young students was to contribute their grain of sand for the protection of Dominican Republic’s environment” , said Carol Morgan spokesperson Patricia Salazar, who praised the students’ effort.
She added that the students were spurred to defend the whales when they learned in December that the country had lost its vote against their hunt because it hadn’t paid the US $10,000 fee to that regulatory agency.
Dominican Republic Live, 14.04.11
The American Chamber of Commerce Announced its 12th Ambassador’s Charity Golf Cup 2011
American Chamber of Commerce 12th Ambassador’s Charity Golf Cup 20112011 to raise funds for community development projects
BREAKING NEWS : The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAMDR) on Wednesday announced its 12th Ambassador’s Charity Golf Cup 2011 to raise funds for community development projects and elementary education, through its area of Business Social Responsibility.
The tournament will be held on May 14 in the world famous golf links “Teeth of the Dog”, in the resort Casa de Campo,La Romana (east). The AMCHAM hosts the event to bolster its area of Social Responsibility and has organized the important sports activity for several years, providing a gathering for camaraderie among its member companies and institutions.
The funds raised from the Cup will benefit community development projects in different parts of the country, as well as strengthen the initiatives of AMCHAM’S education program. Among the prizes is a Lincoln MKS for a player who scores a “hole in one”.
AMCHAMDR president Julio V. Brache said among the American Chamber of Commerce’s pillars are its efforts for Social Responsibility and its commitment to the country. “AMCHAMDR works day to day to stimulate and effectively promote increasing actions and spaces which contribute to forge the true meaning for this commitment with society”.
He said AMCHAMDR and its associates support the Social Responsibility initiatives with an investment of RD $26 million this year, in public schools and communities nationwide, strengthening knowledge, development and progress as permanent companions for the zones where the projects operate.
In the press conference, held in the residence of U.S. Ambassador,Raul Yzaguirre, the diplomat said the Ambassador’s Cup is a tourney staged to promote and facilitate the exercise of social responsibility in an friendly and social ambiance.
He said the event is one of the many initiatives with which the Embassy has always collaborated with AMCHAM for many years, since it brings together the businesspersons with a passion for the game and the companies that view education as a key issue in nation building.
Private sector personalities, members of AMCHAMDR Board of Directors, officials, American diplomats, representatives of Dominican golf entities and members of the country’s social and sports world attended the activity.
Dominican Republic Live, 15.04.11
A loan of $ 130 Million Approved to Finance the Installation of Wind Farm Plants
Wind energy in Dominican RepublicBy the Inter-American Development Bank and European Investment Bank
BREAKING NEWS : In 2012 the Dominican Republic will have 250 of wind energy. The IADB and EIB approved a loan of $ 130 million to finance the installation of wind turbines.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and European Investment Bank (EIB) approved a loan of $ 130 million to finance the installation of wind farm plants in Monte Cristi, north and Bani and Barahona, south of the country.
The National Energy Commission (CNE) said that wind energy farms will be built in Matafongo, Juancho-Los Cocos and Guanillo; resources from the funding provided by the IDB and the EIB will be available in four or five months. These wind turbines adds 113 megawatts of electricity. In 2012 the Dominican Republic will have 250 megawatts of wind energy, equivalent to 10 percent of the energy matrix.
The Superintendence of Electricity forwarded a favorable recommendation to the National Energy Commission, for the granting of final concession of two major wind farm projects, located in the provinces of La Altagracia and Puerto Plata.
By Resolution SIE-016-2011, the Superintendence Electricity favored the Four Winds wind farm with 50 MW, to be built in the town of Luperon, Puerto Plata province; this wind farm will have with 20 wind turbines with 2.5 MW each, to be managed by Italian investors, with a total investment of about $ 98 million.
Dominican Republic Live, 18.04.11
Public Health Ministry Takes Measures During Holy Week
Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gómez To prevent the risks of cholera spread
BREAKING NEWS : The Public Health Ministry on Sunday issued a series of special measures to prevent the risk of cholera spread due to the large-scale movement of people motivated by the celebration of Easter.
Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gómez said that mobile emergency medical care is being placed within the proximity of the most popular resorts located in Boca Chica,Puerto Plata, La Altagracia, San Cristobal, Peravia, Barahona and Pedernales.
Rojas urged the population to look for medical assistance and avoid self-medication in case of diarrhea, as well as following strict hygiene measures.
Dominican Republic Live, 19.04.11
The Plans for Tourist Development Also Include the Near South Region
Beach of the south of Dominican RepublicThe State plans a series of projects of infrastructure and the rebuilding of beaches
BREAKING NEWS : The plans for tourist development do not exclude the Near South, the name that is applied by officialdom to the region that includes the provinces of San Cristobal, Peravia, Azua and San Jose de Ocoa.
This part of the South has proposals of private investment for large hotels as well as by the State that plans a series of projects of infrastructure and the rebuilding of beaches, which includes substituting the sands which are dark in color for white sands.
The information was offered by the Deputy Minister of Tourism for the Near South,Delfin Santana, who stressed the potential of the area, both for tourism of sun and beaches as well as for eco-tourism.
“In the administration of President Leonel Fernandez there is a marked interest, the same as the Minister of Tourism (Francisco Javier Garcia), in investing resources in order to provide the conditions in the area for investors to be interested in putting their money here”, he said.
In his folder of plans, he refers to the construction of a cable car in Ocoa, which will provide an attraction for mountain tourism which is what that province wants, although he made it clear that this is an idea that has yet to be approved. He mentions, in addition, that foreign investors are interested in developing eco-tourism in that area.
In the case of the beaches, Santana assured reporters that they will have to make a large investment to completely overhaul them. “The changing of the sands is needed because there is a lot of dark sand and we want it to be white. This would be in Najayo, Palenque, Nizao, Monte Rio and Salinas”.
The first three beaches belong to San Cristobal, the fourth to Azua and the last to Peravia. Consulted regarding the participation of the Ministry of the Environment in these projects, Santana said that the Ministry of Tourism “is going hand in hand” with Environment and that there are no tourist projects unless they are backed by both ministries.
“Regarding the changing of the sands, I still can’t tell you (reporters) a lot, because now is when they are doing the studies, but I am completely sure that Environment won’t have any issues because there is a need to overhaul the tourist poles completely”. He made it clear that “Environment has to deal with the protected areas, but not with what concerns the tourist poles”.
Regarding this aspect, the Minister of the Environment,Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal, said that he knows about some proposals for overhauling the beaches in the south that are being studied, but he said he did not have a lot of the details.
He also did not know anything regarding the feasibility or not of changing the sands, since for that it would require the opinions of the technicians regarding the issue. Nonetheless, he said that the desire to develop these proposals was a major initiative for Tourism. “I know some of the proposals for some of the beaches, but right now they are studying the perspectives of all this, because there are initiatives that do not just require a beach overhaul, but also the repair of the coral reefs to keep the sands from being swept away,” he argued.
It will be remembered that back in 2007, then Minister of Tourism, Felix Jimenez, began the process of overhauling beaches that included Juan Dolio, Boca Chica, Long Beach and Cabarete at a cost of some US $18 million, according to information at that time.
The director of the Ministry of the Environment for the province of San Cristobal,Luis De Oleo, has no knowledge regarding the plans to change the sands at the beaches of this province, so that before giving his opinion, he consulted one of the deputy ministers that have to deal with the issue.
“They told me that yes, there are some projects, but that they still do not have a definite answer regarding whether to change (the sands) or not. Regarding whether it is feasible or not, they say that it depends on the type of project, and what they what to do. They have to carry out environmental impact studies, because it depends on the type of sand that they are going to use and the methods and the parameters that will be measured”, he commented.
Nonetheless, regarding this aspect, De Oleo felt that it was not a good idea to change the sands at beaches such as Palenque where, according to him, the wave action is fairly strong, but anyway he prefers to see the criteria upon which Tourism is basing their proposals for the change.
The environmental official underlined, nonetheless, that the work that the ministry is doing to clean up the areas of possible tourist attraction. He mentioned such things as the cleaning up, maintenance and construction of walking paths in the nature and ecological parks.
Among these parks he mentioned the Nigua wetlands, the anthropological reserve at the Pomier Caves, the national parks of el Conde, Eugenio de Jesus Marcano, Las Caobas, San Antonio, Aurelio Lagoon and the Paraiso de Dios Park. He said that these places have park rangers on duty day and night and that in addition they pay some RD $300 a day to the inhabitants to keep the places clean and well maintained.
Luis De Oleo estimated that around 40% of the population of the province of San Cristobal visits on a weekly basis these parks as part of their family recreation.
Dominican Republic Live, 20.04.11
Today Begins the Holy Week Holiday
Holy Week holiday in Dominican RepublicThe “Holy Destination-Holy Week 2011” operation starts up
BREAKING NEWS : Today begins the Holy Week holiday, which will extend until Easter Sunday. This Thursday an increase is also expected in the number of travelers, or at least this is what the drivers of the buses that cover the inter-city routes are hoping for, since they say that the number of passengers has fallen this year.
As of noon today, the “Holy Destination-Holy Week 2011” operation starts up. It will be launched during an activity at the headquarters of the Ministry of Public Health. Some 35,000 person will be helping out and the program will continue until 8 o’clock on Sunday night when it culminates with the usual police escort along the nation’s major highways.
Some 2,400 aid stations have been set up,120 ambulances are on standby, three mobile hospitals are on call, as are three helicopters.
There are nine regional command and control centers. The National Police will put 20.000 agents on the streets to guarantee the public’s safety and the Justice Department announced that it would be drastic with parents who allow their underage children drink alcoholic beverages
It should be remembered that 169 beaches and swimming areas have been closed to the public by Civil Defense, and jet skis, wave runners, boats and any other type of motor vehicle are prohibited around these areas. Public Health recommended that the public refrain from swimming in the rivers in order to avoid infections from diseases such as cholera.
The health sector has strengthened the hospitals, especially the emergency rooms, and they have set up extra beds to deal with any eventualities. There are also first aid kits at the toll plazas.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Public Works has prohibited the transit of heavy vehicles from midday until 6:00 a.m. on Monday. Pickup trucks are prohibited from carrying person in the truck bed.
Public Works also ordered the toll booths opened until 6:00 a.m. on Friday. Moreover, there will be radio networks that will be updating the population on events.
Those that stay at home
Since the beginning of the week the hotels on the North and East have reported high occupancy rates, both of tourists as well as Dominicans. Nonetheless, a large percentage will remain in their homes.
According to a survey taken by diariolibre.com, of some 591 persons,74% said that they will not be travelling.
And it is the economic crisis that is causing many to think twice. It costs from RD $180 to RD $280 to go to the cities in the provinces, while for a family of five persons to enjoy a weekend in a resort-which includes expenses for gasoline and contingencies-at least RD $32,000 needs to be budgeted.
Nevertheless, for those that prefer to join the travelling masses, the authorities say that they are at work to protect their lives on the highways and at their destinations.
The political parties
The PRD said that the warning from Public Health for bathers to refrain from swimming in the rivers and streams over the Holy Week holiday is a dramatic admission of the inability of the PLD government to take care of the national ecological scene. On the other hand, the PLD, giving respect to the Christian values and to the religious tradition, announced that starting today all of its activities would be halted.
Liturgical activities from today to Easter Sunday
All over the country the Catholic Church will celebrate Masses, processions, stations of the Cross, liturgies, concerts and other activities on the biggest days of Holy Week, which celebrates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ , or the last days of the Lord on earth.
In the capital, the First Cathedral of Santo Domingo will celebrate today its Chrism Mass (the Mass of the Holy Oils), beginning at 9 o’clock in the morning, and the Mass in commemoration of the Last Supper of Christ at 8:00 p.m.
On Holy Friday there is the solemn liturgy of the Passion and Death of the Lord, to be held at 3:30 in the afternoon at the Cathedra.At 6:00 in the afternoon, the Mercedes church will be the starting point for the Procession of the Holy Burial.
For Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday it is expected that the Cathedral will celebrate the Solemn Easter Vigil at 11:00 p.m. and Easter Mass at noon on Sunday.
The other parishes invite their faithful to participate in the activities.
Dominican Republic Live, 21.04.11
Leonel Fernández Will Travel this Monday to Guatemala and Brazil
Leonel Fernández to Brazil and Guatemala To participate in the World Economic Forum
BREAKING NEWS : Dominican President Leonel Fernández will travel today on an official six-day junket to Guatemala and Brazil.
The nation’s President will leave in the afternoon on a private flight out of the Las Americas International Airport, and he will be accompanied by the Chancellor,Carlos Morales Troncoso, the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Development,Temistocles Montas and the Press Director,Rafael Nuñez, among others.
Fernandez will go first to Guatemala, where he will meet with the President of that country, Alvaro Colom, and they will talk about issues of bilateral and regional interest. From there, he will go to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and take part in the World Economic Forum on Latin America which will be held from the 27th until the 29th of April.
Before his return, which is set for next Sunday, it is expected that Fernández will have meeting with regional presidents and businessmen that are interested in investing in the Dominican Republic.
The President’s last trip was last January, when he toured for two weeks in Switzerland and India. In Switzerland, he took part in the World Economic Forum 2011, where most of the world’s leaders were present. Different from the Davos Summit, the Economic Forum that will take place in Brazil will only be attended by regional leaders.
Dominican Republic Live, 25.04.11
Palomino Hydroelectric Dam Project to Save US $52.0M Per Year
Palomino hydroelectric dam in Dominican RepublicIt should begin generating energy in June 2012
BREAKING NEWS : Once its operation start next year the Palomino hydroelectric dam will save the country US $52 million per year, US $32 million of that in not having to buy 440,000 barrels of oil per year and US $20 million in electricity.
The project, located in Bohechío, western San Juan province is around 70% completed, and projected to begin generating energy in June 2012.
State-owned Hydroelectric Generator (EGEHID) administrator Victor Ventura, and the head of the State-owned Power Companies (CDEEE),Celso Marranzini last week headed the breakthrough of the main conduction tunnel, built by the Brazilian contractor Odebrecht.
Ventura listed Palomino’s benefits, stressing the 80 megawatts of energy into the system, and 179.4 gigawatt/hours per year from the hydroelectric
He said the US $400 million project will save money from not having to buy fuel and prevent the release of 1.3 million tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in nine years, starting in 2012.
Dominican Republic Live, 26.04.11
Monday May 2nd is Holiday, Another Long Week-end
International Workers’ DayTo celebrate the International Workers’ Day
BREAKING NEWS : The Ministry of Labor has moved the celebration of May Day, the International Workers’ Day, from 1 May, a Sunday, to 2 May, a Monday.
According to a bulletin from the General Directorate of Labor, they are allowed to move the holidays in accordance with Law 139-97. Usually holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday are not changed.
But this year the change in the holiday will allow workers to enjoy a long weekend and at the same time permit the labor unions to organize marches and demonstrations on 2 May, which will be a holiday.
Every year the Ministry of Labor publishes a calendar of public holidays.
Dominican Republic Live, 27.04.11
Leonel Fernández Called for a “Global Crusade” to Halt the Speculation on Oil Prices
Leonel Fernández and Alvaro Colom Along with Guatemala president Alvaro Colom
BREAKING NEWS : President Leonel Fernandez yesterday called for a “global crusade” to halt the speculation in international oil prices, whose effects hobble the region’s impoverished economies.
Fernandez, during a official two day visit to Guatemala, said his crusade, to which he invited Central America countries to join, aims to press the United Nations to establish world-wide regulatory mechanisms on futures that negotiate in the world’s major markets.
“The Dominican Republic and Guatemala aren’t going to be able to face this problem alone, we must join our voices” to prevent what “is a benefit of the few, continues affecting us all”.
Yesterday Guatemala president Alvaro Colom received Fernandez with honors in the National Palace, where he called that financial speculation in the markets with oil futures contracts and other raw materials “brutal”, and negatively affects the economies of the countries that don’t have any control over those transactions.
Fernandez met with local business leaders and stated his interest for them to expand their investments in his country.
Support
Colom affirmed that his country will support the initiative regarding the speculation in the world’s oil and food prices.
Dominican Republic Live, 28.04.11
Thursday Marked the 46th Anniversary of the United States Military Invasion of the Dominican Republic
Dominican invasion in Dominican RepublicOn April 28th,1965,42 000 marines arrived to the island
BREAKING NEWS : Thursday marked the 46th anniversary of the U.S. military invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1965 after colonel Francisco Alberto Caamaño, at the top of a popular and Constitutional uprising of April 24, cornered the leaders of the 1963 coup, among them Major general Elías Wessin & Wessin, in the Air Force’s San Isidro Airbase.
The armed rebellion advocated the return of the toppled Juan Bosch to power and the restitution of the 1963 Constitution. Reports to Washington at the time evidenced the United States’ fear of a repeat of the Cuban Revolution just six years before.
In addition to Wessin, general Antonio Imbert Barrers, with the support of then U.S. ambassador William Tapley Bennett created a “Military junta”, headed by colonel Pedro Benoit, as the political counterpart to the Presidency-in-Arms headed by Caamaño.
It was the second American military intervention in just 40 years.
Dominican Republic Live, 29.04.11
