The Dominican Republic Will Receive New IMF Loans
An unprecedented strengthening of the support provided by the agency
BREAKING NEWS: NEW YORK .- The Dominican Republic is on the list of countries with low incomes which will receive new loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will pay a total of 17 000 million until 2014, on which the beneficiaries do not pay interest until 2011, said a note of the multilateral agency.
The IMF said that the measure had been approved by its board of directors as a solution without precedent, which in the middle of the current global crisis, will increase the resources available for the low incomes’ countries.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, IMF managing director, said it was an unprecedented strengthening of the support provided by the financial institution for the poorest countries, especially for the sub-Saharan Africa.
He noted that the measure was the immediate response to the request of member countries of the G-20 to the fund for helping the poorest nations in the world.
Dominican Republic Live, 03.08.09
IDB and WB Work on Electricity Plan
Fernandez met for 5 hours with representatives of both institutions
BREAKING NEWS: Representatives of the World Bank (WB) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) presented President Leonel Fernandez with a plan to modernize the electricity sector. Such a move would permit solving the problems of the sector within two years.
Gina Montiel, the general manager of the IDB for Central America, Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Belize, together with Rodrigo Chaves, the manager of Economic Policy for Latin America and the Caribbean with the World Bank, met with the country’s leader for the space of 5 hours in the dining hall on the third floor of the Presidential Palace.
Upon speaking with the reporters in the Orlando Martinez Room, Montiel said that the elements of the plan were fully discussed with the Chief of State who was accompanied by the Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, the vice-president of the Dominican Corporation of State-owned Electricity Enterprises (CDEEE) and the Minister of the Hacienda, Vicente Bengoa.
She explained that the results of the exchange with the Dominican authorities will be presented in a report that both institutions will distribute in two months.
The IDB representative explained that in relation to the last times that she has been in the country, she has seen advances in the right direction, principally in the program that is being carried out to reduce losses, and both institutions have resources to invest in this area.
Likewise, Chaves said that he had no doubts that if the Dominican Republic “does what it is supposed to do, it can normalize the electricity sector” , although he made it clear that this will not happen from one day until the next, because it is a problem that has been accumulating in the country for decades, and it will take a couple of years to solve it.
The executive vice-president of the CDEEE, Radhames Segura, told reporters that the World Bank had already disbursed a loan for US $42 million in order to better the distribution network and another loan for US $40 million is currently in Congress awaiting approval. “These loans form part of the package of resources that the IDB and the WB have been placing at the disposition of the Dominican authorities” , he emphasized.
Diario Libre, 04.08.09
Government Council Sessions in Hato Mayor
To slow down demands and the wave of protests around the country
BREAKING NEWS: The Council of Government that will be headed today by President Leonel Fernandez in Hato Mayor and he will review, together with his officials, the progress of the commitments made with different sectors of society that are part of the new style of governance. This new style used by the President consists of listening to the demands of the people and checking out for himself the fulfillment of the promised projects.
The disposition of the government is its search to slow the growing wave of popular demands has helped the President carry out the so-called “popular dialogues” and meetings with officials from his construction cabinet and the social cabinet.
Today’s meeting is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., and the President will discuss those points that were promised by have yet to be fulfilled, those that have been fulfilled and those that will soon begin to be fulfilled.
Over the last few weeks, in the towns of El Seibo and Hato Mayor there have been protests calling for the repair of the streets and highways, rural roads and an end to the blackouts.
President Fernandez has chaired popular meetings in San Pedro de Macoris, El Seibo and San Cristobal.
Last Thursday, the Dominican leader met with officials of his construction and social cabinets in order to deal with the issue of the projects that were being demanded by the resident of the areas where the popular dialogues were held, and he announced an investment of RD $1,785,227,647 in the provinces of San Cristobal and El Seibo.
Diario Libre, 05.08.09
Delay in the Beginning of The Hurricane Season Allotted to the Sand of the Sahara
Until now, tropical waves coming from the African coasts did not develop
BREAKING NEWS: Important concentrations of dust of the Sahara in the atmosphere delayed the beginning of the hurricane season of the Atlantic and of the Caribbean, which has already started for 2 months without any tropical storm or hurricane, affirmed an expert in the Cuban media.
Eugenio Mojena, of the Satellites Section of the Institute of Meteorology, explained that this dust, dispersed by the Trade winds on the Atlantic and the Caribbean, reduced the size of the rain drops and inhibited the formation of clouds of great vertical development generators of precipitations. This is why, he added, that until now almost all the tropical waves which left the African coasts were weakened and lost their nebulosity, reducing the probability to be organized and transformed into cyclone to the minimum.
According to Mojena, the atmospheric concentrations of dust were unusually important since the end of June.
The hurricane season of the Atlantic extends from June 1 to November 30 and it is not very frequent that there is no cyclone when August is already advanced (in 2008, the first tropical storm had been formed on May 31 and the first hurricane on July 3).
The anticyclone of the Atlantic also limited this year the hurricane formation, while the phenomenon of « El Niño » in the Pacific could have effects on an anticipated end of the season, because it makes unfavorable the winds for the formation of the cyclones, according to the meteorologists.
However, Rubiera advises to be vigilant and announces that “nobody can say that he will not be affected by a cyclone, because they can form constantly and anywhere”.
He pointed out that in 1930, there had been only one major hurricane in the Caribbean, but that it was a category 5, the maximum on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which made landfall on the Dominican Republic and destroyed Santo Domingo.
According to the Cuban daily newspaper Granma, the latest beginning that the season recorded was in 1914, when the only tropical storm formed on September 15.
Approximately 900 people died in the sector last year, the majority in Haiti, because of 16 tropical storms, of which 8 reached the category of hurricane.
Dominican Republic Live, 06.08.09
Zero Crime in Dominican Resort Regions
Tourism Police chief says
BREAKING NEWS : The crime rate in the in the country’s tourism zones has fallen to zero, affirmed Tourism Police (Politur) director Henry Gomez yesterday.
The official said the reduction took place since January, when the patrols in those zones increased. He said Politur currently has 1,150 agents, but 300 auxiliary police will be added next week.
Gomez spoke during the launch of Politur’s Website www.politur.gob.do, in coordination with the Presidency’s Office for Information and Communication Technology (Optic).
Dominican Today, 07.08.09
Dominican Tourism Promotion Office Opens in Vienna
To cover new markets
BREAKING NEWS: The Tourism Ministry (Sectur) opened a new Tourism Promotion Office (TPO) in Vienna, Austria, to cover the markets of that country, Slovakia and Rumania, and including those in the United States and Latin America now total 21, which seek to attract new high end visitors.
Ana Abreu Méndez, director of the new TPO, will head the promotion of the Dominican destination in Austria, Slovakia and Rumania, considered Central Europe’s high end markets, with advertisement and public relations.
Dominican Today, 10.08.09
Government Offensive of Inaugurations
They feel that the intense activity will lower pressure from the masses 
BREAKING NEWS: The government began today an intense series of inaugurations of major public works and the delivery of projects demanded by the different social sections that will go on all month long. The inaugurations will include those which government strategists feel will lower the pressure form the people that has spread over a large part of the national territory.
The work will begin with President Fernandez inaugurating today at 11:00 a.m. the Pinalito Hydroelectric Dam in the province of Monsignor Nouel. The dam’s construction began in 2004, and it cost US $300 million. The project will supply 50 megawatts of electricity to the national system.
This same week, on Thursday, the nation’s leader will inaugurate a “National Water Quality Reference Laboratory” at the headquarters of the National Institute for Water and Sewers (INAPA). This is the fist of this type that will operate in the country, and it should guarantee the optimum quality of drinking water from the source, the aqueducts, the water tanks, the water pipes and into the people’s houses.
Next Friday, 14 August, the Chief of State will go to Elias Piña where he will inaugurate an electricity sub-station, a bridge and the building for the House of Culture for this frontier town.
It is also thought that this month Fernandez will inaugurate the stretch of highway between San Cristobal and Bani, currently in the final stages of construction.
By the end of the month it is expected that the Rodolfo de la Cruz Lora Hospital in Pedro Brand will finally be inaugurated.
New strategy
With the sudden rise in strikes and protests organized by popular groups in different places around the country demanding drinking water, electricity, highway construction, streets and other community projects, President Fernandez put into play what he called a new style of governing, which consists of listening to the requests of the people and checking out for himself to see if the promises are fulfilled.
Last Thursday, 20 July, the nation’s leader met with cabinet officials in the areas of construction and social projects, and talked about the issue of the project being demanded by the resident of the areas where he had held a sort of town hall meeting. He announced the expenditure of RD $1,785,227,649 on projects in San Cristobal and El Seibo.
Diario Libre, 11.08.09
INDOTEL Ensures that All the Communes in Dominican Republic Will Have Broad Band Internet Access
Rural Aonnectivity
BREAKING NEWS: DR. – The president of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (INDOTEL), Jose Rafael Vargas, ensured this Tuesday that all the communes and municipal sectors of the Dominican Republic, will have access to Broadband Internet and to medias of communication of Century XXI.
The civil servant explained that in November of this year, Indotel will terminate the project of “Rural Connectivity to Broadband Internet” and that the project will include 508 communities located on the Dominican territory.
He informed that the mentioned project will contribute to decrease of the numerical breach, because in addition to the Broadband Internet access, one will set up services of telephones and call centers in the zones which are not equipped yet, it does not matter the distance which separates them from the town of Santo Domingo.
Vargas detailed that Indotel offered facilities to the foreign investors to place their goods in the development of Broadband Internet access in order to improve quality of the technological platforms and to improve connectivity for the users.
The president of Indotel pled so that one gradually reduced the selective tax on consumption, as well as the rate of transfer of industrialized goods from 16% to 12%.
He revealed that the Dominican population is of 9 million and half and that there exist currently 8 million and half people having a cell phone or a fixed telephone, which justified the setting up of the new sector code (849).
He expressed that one did not have yet an exact date for the coming into effect of the use of the 849 and he clarified that it will not be effective as long as one will not have made “a strict decontamination” of the systems.
Dominican Republic Live, 12.08.09
Forecast is For Rains Until Monday
Tropical depressionFor the moment Onamet says tropical depression is not a danger to the country
BREAKING NEWS: The rains will probably continue until next Monday, according to the forecasts of the National Meteorological Office (Onamet).
In its last bulletin, the Onamet said that the rains would continue over a large part of the country due to the influence of a low pressure area and two tropical waves.
As of last night, the low pressure area was causing the occurrence of scattered showers with some thunder and isolated wind bursts in the East, North, Southeast, Southwest, the Central Mountains and along the frontier.
Meanwhile it is expected that there will be a slight increase in the cloud cover and the rains for Thursday and Friday, caused by a tropical wave located over the Lesser Antilles.
At the same time, they are watching another tropical wave that is located 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of the Lesser Antilles. It is expected that this wave will produce rains on Sunday and Monday.
Also on the Onamet watch is the the second Tropical Depression of the season, located some 700 kilometers to the west of the Cape Verde Islands and moving west a 10 mph.
At this time the depression offers no danger to the island.
Diario Libre, 13.08.09
According to the OAS, the Country Could Save Annually 50 Million Dollars Thanks to Ethanol
The Embassy of the United States presents a study of bio combustibles
BREAKING NEWS: The country could save 50 annual million dollars on the purchase of oil and benefit from the reduction of 3% of gas emission, by implementing the recommendations of a study carried out by technicians of the Organization of the American States (OAS) on the industry of bio combustibles.
This was affirmed by the economic civil servant of the embassy of the United States, Daniel Carl, country which financed the research whose results were announced yesterday.
He explained that the study had been carried out by technicians who revised the advantages and the disadvantages of the bio fuels and which make very positive recommendations for the country.
He indicated that in addition to the saving on the oil bill, one would obtain benefit in the sugar industry and in the agriculture, without raising the prices of the gallon of fuel.
Carl pronounced the words of welcome and left to Francisco Burgo the explanation concerning the details of the study, which recommends among other things a 10-year action plan for the ethanol preparation, for the setting up of the importing industry, for the refinery and the distribution and to carry out investments in new equipment.
And also to stimulate the local ethanol producers to continue the project.
Dominican Republic Live, 14.08.09
2.5 Million Kids Go to Class Today
Start of the 2009-2010 school yearStart of the 2009-2010 school year
BREAKING NEWS: There will be 2.5 million kids going to public and private schools today at the start of the 2009-2010 school year. Education authorities are facing the challenge of incorporating literacy programs for young people and adults, creating educational television, the use of new technology, the PIM Aprende as well as the continuation of the 1000 x 1000 educational campaign.
Minister of Education Melanio Paredes reported that for this year the ministry will incorporate 4,732 new school rooms to the public school system as well as 3,175 school rooms that were refurbished. The 5,700 schools, the new rooms and the repaired facilities cost the government nearly RD $2.0 billion.
Of this amount, RD $375 million were invested in the reconstruction and repairs of new classrooms in the National District and in the province of Santo Domingo.
Paredes said that at the present time people are working on the designation of the personnel in the schools that have been inaugurated.
Although he assured reporters that more than 50% of the schools were worked on and are in a condition to receive students on 17 August, the spokesperson for the Salome Ureña teacher’s movement, Xiomara Guante, told reporters that there is a deficit of 23,000 school rooms and 14,000 schools.
Paredes said that all of the classrooms are equipped with part of the 130,000 desks that the ministry acquired, and because of this he said that the year will start without problems due to a lack of desks.
Regarding the programs of technological innovation, the minister explained that beginning today 600 schools, which include schools from Boca Chica to Puerto Plata, will have a system of educational television.
He said that more of the 5,700 schools, 95% are in adequate condition and in good condition to begin the school year on Monday and that 97% of the private schools are also prepared to begin teaching.
Of the more than 2.5 million school kids, 2.1 million will be attending public schools and the rest will attend private educational centers.
Paredes said that his greatest push is for the student body to find pleasing and motivating surroundings that will generate enthusiasm for the act of learning.
He guaranteed that over the next three months the old story of the broken down schools and the open air classrooms will disappear from the system even in the most remote parts of the country where he said that the schools were repaired, repainted and refurnished.
Paredes called on parents to send children to school
The Minister of Education, Melanio Paredes, called upon the parents to send their children to school, with the idea that they do not lose even one day of classes. The official explained that part of the reasons for beginning the school year on this date is the vulnerability that the country has for natural phenomena that, normally, strike at this time of the year and this is a way to gain some time, since so many schools serve as shelters in times of disasters.
In addition, the added days will help in fulfilling the total program of the school calendar that has been programmed.
Diario Libre, 17.08.09
The Dominican Consulate in Chicago Will Direct the Presidency of the Latin American Consular Association
Excellent opportunity to carry out greater benefit
BREAKING NEWS: During an election without precedent for the Dominican Republic, the Dominican consulate in Chicago, Illinois, was unanimously selected to direct the presidency of the Latin American Consular Association of this state.
The Association chose Gisele Castillo as president of this organization, which is composed by the chiefs of the missions of the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Dominican Republic, Portugal, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The diplomat explained that the choice of the Consulate of the Dominican Republic in Chicago to direct the Latin American Consular Association constituted an excellent opportunity of producing greater benefit and than that will be used to draw foreign investments.
In this order, Castillo indicated that this position opened the possibility of creating future agreements within the education and of collaboration in various sectors, among other important benefit for the development of the country.
Dominican Republic Live, 18.08.09
Meteorology is Forecasting Hot Temperatures
Hurricane BillHurricane Bill under monitoring
BREAKING NEWS: The National Office of Meteorology (Onamet) is forecasting very hot temperatures and scattered downpours on the North-eastern, East, South-eastern areas and the mountainous systems, because of the flow of East-North-East winds that are bringing humidity in the atmosphere.
Bill, the first hurricane of the season 2009 in the Atlantic Ocean is getting stronger and reached this Wednesday the Category 4, with 215 kilometers/hour constant winds.
For the Dominican Republic, the National Office of Meteorology informed that it followed the development and the displacement of this hurricane, but the Office doesn’t issue any alert nor recommendation for the time being.
But there exists a certain concern for the tourists and the inhabitants of the zone of the Caribbean, because the meteorologists expect that Bill strengthen even more its intensity.
The vortex of the hurricane is at approximately 740 kilometers (460 miles) far from the Leeward Islands and it moves following a west-north-west tracking at 26 kilometers/hour (16 miles per hour). The inhabitants of the Leeward Islands should monitor the tracking of Bill because it is possible that this dangerous climatic phenomenon cross close to the North-West of the islands between the night of Wednesday and Thursday morning, informed the National Hurricane Centre in Miami.
According to, the Hurricane Center , Bill is moving towards the Bermuda Islands.
According to the report of the National Hurricane Center, elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
However, Onamet recommends to the operators of small boats to remain at the port on the Atlantic Coast because the hurricane Bill can cause dangerous large swells in this zone.
The winds of the North-East will oscillate between 15 and 25 knots with higher gusts, and the sudden rise of waters can reach between four and seven feet, even higher in open sea.
For the Bay of Samaná the recommendation is to stay in the cove and to sail with precaution because of strong gusts possibility.
The sudden rise of the sea will be between three and six feet.
On the coasts of the Caribbean Sea; the conditions will be more stable but Onamet recommends however to the operators of small boats to not go in open sea and to sail with precaution close to the coasts because of the presence of winds and abnormal waves.
It is estimated that the winds of North-eastern will be between 10 and 20 knots and that the waves can reach heights between three and six feet.
Dominican Republic Live, 19.08.09
Electricity Needs US $3.4 Billion
To broaden the coverage and reduce losses
BREAKING NEWS: Within a few years, demand will exceed installed electricity generation capacity in the Dominican Republic. That is known, but the fact today is that the many contradictions within the system are what produce the long blackouts.
At the Corripio Group’s monthly luncheon, executives from the Dominican Association of the Electricity Industry (ADIE) identified as a crucial problem in the sector the 40% loss suffered in transmission alone.
Marco De la Rosa, the president of ADIE, said that US $300 million needs to be invested in transmission lines and US $600 million in distribution lines of medium and low tension as a way to broaden the coverage and reduce losses. He pointed out that currently demand is between 1900 and 2000 megawatts during the peak hours.
Marco de la Rosa said that an injection of US $3.4 billion in the sector is needed in the areas of generation, transmission and distribution over the next 5 years.
He outlined how US $2.5 billion of these funds should be used to diversify how electricity is generated and to improve the existing generators.
De la Rosa heads the AES Dominicana power generation group. He said that the rescue of the electricity sector in the Dominican Republic needed the application of a plan that focuses on infrastructure, subsidies, governance, and the response to the consumers. Infrastructure needs, he said, include the expansion and improvement of the distribution networks, the integration of the transmission systems and the diversification of the generation systems.
Regarding the subsidies, De la Rosa said that the Program to Reduce Blackouts (PRA) should be eliminated and subsidies applied to those who consume less than 200 kilowatts. He explained that the ADIE proposals also include incentives for private investment, penalizing those who steal electricity, fulfillment of payments down the supply line and a strengthening of institutions.
DR1, 20.08.09
Dominican Republic Among the Best Countries for Investments
In Central America and in the Caribbean
BREAKING NEWS: Dominican Republic is among those having the better strategy of drawing foreign investments in Central America and the Caribbean, according to the FDI Magazine.
The publication placed the country at this position for the manner which is projected to promote its commercial attractions to the foreign company managers who want to invest.
It also stressed that Dominican Republic was placed as leader in terms of economic potential, because of its vast labor force and the growth by 7% of its Internal Gross Product during the years 2005-2008.
According to the classification of “Country of the future for IED 2009-2010” carried out by FDI Magazine, the third and fourth place in this aspect are occupied by Dominican Republic and Panama, respectively.
The Center of Export and Investment of Dominican Republic (CEI-RD), directed by Eddy Martínez, appears like the incentive key for the foreign investment.
The publication is specialized in the subject of foreign investment and it is edited y the Financial Times Leading Group.
It indicates that the study, carried out every two years, analyzes aspects like the economic potential, human resources, effectiveness according to costs, quality of life, infrastructure, the businesses convivial climate and the strategy of drawing of investments.
Dominican Republic Live, 21.08.09
IMF Transfers US $275 Million
According to the Central Bank
BREAKING NEWS: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will transfer later this week US $275.3 million to the Dominican Republic, according to a report from the Central Bank. The transfer comes just as the Dominican government opens talks with the international organization regarding the signing of a possible agreement that will permit the Dominican Republic to receive disbursements more quickly.
According to the Central Bank, during the week they will receive an additional assignment of US $177.2 million in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) from the IMF, equal to US $275.3 million and increase the international reserves by that much.
The bank explained that with the transfer of these funds the IMF is not imposing any type of limitation for the use of the money, and therefore they are freely available to the Central Bank, that according to information offered by the bank, the Central Bank will use them for the exchange market.
The bank also specified that in addition to the new portion of SDRs will not produce inflationary pressures since it will have a neutral effect on the domestic monetary offer.
The SDRs are used by the IMF to complement the reserve assets of the member countries. Its value is based on a basket of monies of the principle world economies. Actually, the SDRs are equal to US $1.55361.
The decision to assign this additional amount of SDRs is done in fulfillment of the agreements reached in the last G-20 meeting held in London in April of this year. In this meeting, the distribution of SDRs equal to US $250 billion among the IMF member countries was agreed to so that these economies would have the resources that would permit them to satisfy their need for liquidity in the actual context of the global crisis being felt by the world.
The money permits the member nations of the IMF, among them the DR, to be in a better position to face their needs for hard currencies in the near future. With this increase in its reserves, the Central Bank strengthens its position in foreign currency and increases the availability of resources to face up to the needs of the balance of payments, contributing to maintain relative stability in the exchange rate and dissipate possible undesirable pressures on the currency market, according to information obtained from Central Bank sources.
Dominican companies invited to participate to the Vatican religious tourism fair
Vatican religious tourism fairIn the Rome Fair enclosure
BREAKING NEWS: The Dominican embassy near the Holy See invited the tourist companies of the country to participate to the fair of religious tourism which will take place in the enclosure of the Rome Fair from January 14 to January 17, event organized by the Pellerinaggi Opera of the Catholic Church.
By offering this information, Ambassador Víctor Grimaldi stressed that religious and cultural tourism are a niche of the market which could bring back important economic and social benefit to the Dominican people.
This activity takes place for the second time and its official name is “International Festival of the Routes of the Spirit, Josp Fest 2010”.
The first edition in January 2009 was very successful with more than 40.000 visitors during 4 days of demonstration.
Opera Romana Pellerinaggi (ORP) is the Tour Operator of the Holy See in the City of the Vatican and is specialized in cultural and religious tourism.
This organization proposed the possibility to offer tourist packages from Italy to Dominican Republic.
Ambassador Grimaldi explained that he informed President Leonel Fernández of this project as well as the Secretary of the Foreign Relations, Carlos Morales Troncoso, the Secretary of Tourism, Francisco Javier García and the Cardinal Nicolás Jesus López Rodriguez.
Dominican Republic Live, 25.08.09
Executive Branch Designates Four Deputies in Parlacen
Decree number 630-09
BREAKING NEWS: The president of the Republic, Leonel Fernández, designated four deputies at the Parliament of Central America (Parlacen).
The decision of president Fernández is contained in the decree number 630-09.
Deputies named at the Parliament of Central America are: Antonio Raful Tejada, to replace Antonio Capellán; Anna María Acevedo, who replaces Pablo Olmos.Silvia García Polanco replaces Roberto Berroa, and Sucre Muñoz, Andres Rodriguez Céspedes.
Dominican Republic Live, 26.08.09
President Fernandez urges international community
To pressure on Honduras
BREAKING NEWS: President Leonel Fernandez urged the international community yesterday to push harder on the de facto Honduran government, which should be suspended from the Free Trade Agreement signed between the United States, Central America and the Dominican Republic.
Fernandez also said at the “18th Central American and Caribbean Conference of Political Parties” that the measures could make the « coup-mongers » back off, after foreign ministers of the Organization of American States (OAS) failed to have them sign the San Jose Agreement Tuesday.
President Fernandez, who has spoken at the Rio Group meetings and many other regional forums, has been very active in calling for forging a common position against the coup, which ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya on June 28.
The Dominican Head of State called on all political parties to adapt to the current world situation to face what he called a « civilization crisis ». “The world is now more diverse and fast-changing. We need a new agenda that can be carried out with the support of the people in the democratic countries” he said.
“If there is no crisis, there is no change. In this sense it is good to have a civilization crisis,” Fernandez said, adding that leadership and compromise are necessary to make this change possible.
Dominican Today, 27.08.09
USA: US $30 Million to Fight Drugs
Super Tucanos to fight drug trafficking Super Tucanos to fight drug trafficking
BREAKING NEWS: Secretary of the Presidency Cesar Pina Toribio announced yesterday at the end of a meeting of the “National Council on Democratic Security”, chaired by President Leonel Fernandez, that the United States is donating US $30 million to fight drug trafficking.
A public bidding will be held on 27 September for new radars to track illegal flights into Dominican air space.
Present were Armed Forces Minister, Major General Pedro Rafael Pena Antonio, who was entrusted with presenting a plan for the modernization of border controls the next time they meet.
Pina also said the first Super Tucanos, the Brazilian speed jets purchased by the government to fight drug trafficking, would arrive in November.
Also attending the meeting was chief of Police Major General Rafael Guillermo Guzman Fermin, president of the National Drug Council Mabel Feliz Baez, and presidential advisor on narcotics, Marino (Vincho) Vinicio Castillo.
DR1, 28.08.09
