The Central Electoral Board has announced that it would save the money needed to hold the second round of voting, in case it is needed, by cutting expenses. In the DR, if a candidate does not reach 50%+1 vote, a second round vote needs to be held.
Judge Roberto Rosario of the Administrative Chamber told the press, the JCE would start reducing personnel starting next Wednesday. Savings of RD$2.31 billion, plus the RD$985 million that were assigned in the budget, the JCE will have RD$3.29 billion for the elections, just under RD$64 million less than they asked for in the 2008 budget. Rosario also revealed that there was no money for the JCE to install the equipment needed for quicker reporting of the election results.
The Ministry of Hacienda is dealing with a major fraud case, which according to the Office for the Persecution of Administrative Corruption (DPCA), totals RD$230 million pesos. According to the documents offered to support the case, and which were seen by Listin Diario, between January 2005 and December 2006, RD$58.1 million was collected by people who were not on the list of ministry pensioners and retirees. During the same period a total of RD$171.4 million was collected in the name of people who were deceased. While the DPCA uses the electoral rolls from 2007, the office admits that it does not include records of all the people who are deceased, which "makes it difficult to conclude whether the money includes all of the deceased."
Major newspapers today published a 52-item paid advertisement with a list of corruption scandals regarding departments and officers of the Fernandez administration covered in the press over the past three years. The advertiser, the National Front Against Reelection (Frenacore) says these add up to RD$205 billion in corruption. The top 15 items on the list are: Construction of the metro without a tender or supervision, purchase of Tucano Brazilian jets, Sun Land US$130 million scandal, overvaluation of the Supreme Court of Justice building, US$132 million Sun Land loan to the Police, US$200 million loan to Public Works, unknown use of US$575 million in PetroCaribe savings, unknown use of US$170 million of Verizon sale, Enade contract, Santiago central park allotment, artificial island, overvaluation of the governmental online portal, overvaluation of the Inposdom-Host Chile contract, pension fraud.
As soon as the Chamber of Deputies passed the 2008 budget bill, cries of 'foul' started to circulate along the halls of Congress. After the initial exchange of insults between Chamber of Deputies president Julio Cesar Valentin and Senate president Reinaldo Pared Perez (both members of the ruling PLD party), PPC deputy Radhames Castro continued to stoke the fires of controversy with his revelations that members of the legislature either front or have strong ties to many NGOs. Part of the issue revolves around the fact that the legislators also handle special funds, called, 'little barrels' in the Dominican press and "pork barrels" in the United States. Castro's complaint that many legislators use 'fronts' to shield their roles in the NGOs is backed up by Diario Libre investigators who found that at least two senators, two deputies and several other government officials have close ties with these organizations. For example, Monte Plata Senator Charlie Mariotti spent half an hour telling the Senate that he did not have an NGO, yet the research showed that he is registered as the representative of Alimenta 2000 and Juventud 2000 that were assigned RD$480,000 according to the National Planning and Personnel Office (ONAPLAN). Senator Diego Aquino is the principal officer of the Centro de Desarrollo Integral, with a stipend of RD$300,000. The list continues. Deputy Castro told reporters that Pared Perez has ties to an NGO called Lideres Anonimos which is headed by Giselio Taveras, who just happened to be part of the Pared Perez' campaign team. Castro demanded that Pared Perez withdraw his comments or else he (Castro) would come out with even more serious issues. "He knows that I know", said Castro.
Servio Tulio Castanos Guzman, the vice-president of the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) has called for an end to the "phantom" NGOs, and decried the fact that the country lacks the mechanisms needed to end the practice.
Today's Diario Libre says that at least eight of the NGOs that were assigned funding are not even registered with Onaplan. They have been assigned a total of RD$13.4 million in the new budget.
The former regional director of the Dominican College of Engineers and Architects (Codia), Ervin Vargas, has assembled a private commission to look at the situation created by the massive release of water from the floodgates of the Tavera Dam last month. On 12 December, the dam released a huge amount of water and flooded out much of the lower part of Santiago, causing over 100 deaths. This commission will report to the municipality of Santiago, and hand in "a credible account of the handling of the Tavera Dam." According to Vargas, the public has little confidence in the government's commission. The Vargas Commission includes geologist Osiris de Leon, ecologist and municipal official Domingo Rodriguez, and engineers Rafael Corominas Pepin, former president of Codia, eminent geologist Orlando Franco, Eduardo Rodriguez and Danilo Gonzalez.
In the community of El Duey, one of the areas worst affected by the floods caused by Tropical Storm Noel, Ana Dilia Rodriguez told reporter Adonis Santiago Diaz that there had been a lot of promises but that none have been fulfilled to date. Melengenciano de Leon told the reporter that the 230 families in the area have not received any government assistance in two months. The residents complain of the paperwork needed to get to their farms and properties. Hours after the disaster that nearly wiped out the community, the President offered apartments to the families who had lost everything. Right now, the children are not even going to school because they lost all their books and other school supplies in the floods, and have not been able to replace them. Some of the refugees received money to rent temporary housing, but the money has not been forthcoming and now these people live in fear of being evicted. According to Diario Libre, the government is building 100 apartments near Kilometer 43 of the Duarte Highway.
The Port of Haina is being privatized. The Haina International Terminal will take over operations of the container port. According to Port Authority director Jose Sanz Jiminian, the leasers of the port have begun work on the infrastructure and aim to rebuild both sides of the port completely. The HIT project includes a container port, a cruise ship facility and a luxury yacht marina. In a telephone interview with Diario Libre reporters, Sanz Jiminian said that massive layoffs of dockworkers would not be an issue and that the workers had received a 10% salary increase. HIT is composed of the shipping companies that use the Port of Haina.
Haina competes with the very modern Punta Caucedo Multimodal Port, located east of Santo Domingo.
For the first time in weeks, gasoline and diesel prices have receded a little from their historic highs. Premium gasoline went down by RD$2.40, and regular was reduced by RD$1.50 per gallon. Diesel fuel went down by RD$2.49 (premium) and RD$2.39 (regular), but propane gas remained at RD$59.95 per gallon. Other fuels such as avgas and kerosene also went down.
The European Union (EU) plans to fund 27 social projects in the Dominican Republic this year. The Program for the Support of Local Civil Society Initiatives (PRIL) announced financing for a total of RD$148 million of these projects. The PRIL is an EU-supported government initiative. Their programs include networking, social platforms, health projects and development projects.
The Central Bank reports that 2007 saw inflation at just 8.88%, thereby fulfilling the goal set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the year. The bank gave itself a pat on the back by saying that the single-digit inflation was accomplished in spite of the effects of Tropical Storms Noel and Olga and the increase in the cost of petroleum. December's inflation rate was put at 1.2% due to the price increases caused by the Christmas holiday.
The president of the board of the Plaza de la Salud hospital, Julio Amado Castanos Guzman and social security expert Fulgencio Severino have told Hoy that the health intermediaries (ARS) are collecting for services they are not offering. He specifically mentioned the companies are pocketing payments for meds while the "single prescription form" (receta unica) that provides coverage is barely being used. They protested this is happening while the Health and Labor Risks Superintendence (SISALRIL) looks the other way. Guzman and Severino also complained that the ARSs have not contracted pharmacy networks, despite having been paid to set these up and operate these.
Last year, Dominican companies switched their employees to a national health system. So far, employees have been the big losers, as doctors now require higher differentials between what the insurance covers and what they charge. To make matters worse, in many cases physicians and clinics will not accept the insurance plan. The ARS are offering a more supplementary insurance plan to restore the previous levels of medical coverage.
A study carried out by students of the Medical School at the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo (INTEC) revealed that 21% of young women aged 17-25 have used the 'morning after' pill to prevent pregnancies, and of these, only 10% did so with a doctor's prescription. Another study showed that 47% of young people mix energy drinks and of this number, 25% mix the energy drinks with alcoholic beverages to increase the effects. These and other studies were part of BioIntec 53, a demonstration of research and analysis carried out by students at the university.
A press release by the National Drug Control office (DNCD) said that the assistant director of the anti-narcotics division of the State Department said that she was "satisfied" that the Dominican fight against drug trafficking was progressing. Christy MacCampbell said that she would recommend increasing the United States assistance and support for the DNCD's efforts to curb the traffic. MacCampbell said she would "personally" speak with Congress members in order to increase funding.
Tommy Hilfiger is advertising a 14-23 January sale at its shops in Plaza Central and Acropolis.
Helados Bon is advertising their premium ice cream line, Etiqueta Negra, selling for prices of their traditional ice cream flavors. Valid for Bonitos, Danesas and Barquitos only for 14 January 2008.
La Isla in Naco advertises 50% off on curtain rods and accessories.
Ferreteria Popular on Av. San Martin is advertising a sale on shower doors.
Urbana has sales in their 27 de Febrero 297 furniture store.
2 passenger Club Car golf carts for US$2,500 at Romulo Betancourt No. 1954.
Gold's Gym is advertising their 9th Anniversary sale, reactivating members with RD$999, enrolling members for RD$9,999 (registration + six months), 20-30% discounts in their proshops, and annual membership plans at their Santo Domingo and Santiago locations.
In Friday night's action, a victory by the Aguilas Cibaenas over the Tigres del Licey, 6-2, brought the Round Robin section of the tournament into a three-way tie for first place. The Estrellas Orientales lost to the Gigantes del Cibao who kept their playoff hopes alive with the victory, 2-1.
On Saturday, the Aguilas Cibaenas won once again, defeating the Gigantes del Cibao, 3-0, in the Julian Javier Stadium in San Francisco de Macoris. A magnificent pitching performance once again from Ed Knott who shut out the Gigantes for 6 1/3 innings before handing over the game to relievers Julian Tavarez and Randy Choate for the shutout. Meanwhile, in Santo Domingo, the Tigres del Licey were dealing yet another defeat to the fading Estrellas Orientales, 3-2, with the winning run coming in the bottom half of the ninth inning.
Yesterday, Sunday, dramatic homeruns by Armando Rios and Miguel Tejada were the big blows for the Tigres del Licey and the Aguilas Cibaenas in their victories over the Gigantes del Cibao and the Estrellas Orientales, respectively. Licey won 4-3 at the Julian Javier Stadium in San Francisco de Macoris and the Aguilas won 9-3 in the Estadio Cibao in Santiago. Rios' home run came in the top half of the ninth inning to give Licey the lead for good. In the case of Miguel Tejada, his home run was just the icing on the cake. Leading in the eighth inning 7-3, TJ Pena got a single, and two outs later Tejada sealed the deal with a huge fly to deep left center field for the lat two runs of the 9-3 victory.
As a result of yesterday's games, the Gigantes are eliminated from any chance at the final series. The Estrellas would have to win today, and the Aguilas lose in order to stay alive. If the Aguilas and Tigres win tonight, the final series between Aguilas and Licey will start on Wednesday. The winner of the championship and the runner up will make it to the Caribbean Series that starts 2 February in Santiago. The second Dominican team will take the place of the Puerto Rico team, that will not be participating following the suspension of the winter championship in Puerto Rico. Standings:
| Team | Win | Lost | Percent | Games Behind |
| Aguilas Cibaenas | 9 | 6 | .600 | -- |
| Tigres Del Licey | 9 | 6 | .600 | -- |
| Estrellas Orientales | 7 | 8 | .467 | 2.0 |
| *Gigantes del Cibao | 5 | 10 | .333 | 4.0 |
Tonight's Games:
Santo Domingo (Estadio Quisqueya) - 7:30pm : Estrellas Orientales - Tigres del Licey
San Francisco de Macoris (Estadio Julian Javier) - 7:30pm : Aguilas Cibaenas - Gigantes del Cibao
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