Presidential candidates Miguel Vargas Maldonado, Leonel Fernandez and Amable Aristy Castro greeted each other cordially as they attended a special mass at the Basilica of Our Lady in celebration of the Virgin of Altagracia in Higuey yesterday. Listin Diario writes that there was a slight feeling of tension in the air as worshippers awaited the President's arrival. As Fernandez arrived he greeted Vargas who had got to the church earlier in order to attend the religious ceremonies. Fernandez then made his way to Aristy and greeted the PRSC presidential candidate. The newspaper added that the exchange of greetings was a welcome sign, and a concerted effort was made to keep the focus on the religious proceedings. Once the services were over, the candidates went back into campaigning mode. Fernandez had lunch with businessmen from the region and inaugurated five public works projects valued at RD$88 million. Vargas met and had lunch with Nicolas Cedano in a RD$20,000 per plate fundraising event. Diario Libre reports that Aristy and Fernandez also met privately at the residence of Archbishop Nicanor Pena Rodriguez, but details about their meeting weren't disclosed.
Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso has met with Puerto Rican Economy and Commerce Minister Bartolome Gamundi Cestero. During the meeting both men agreed to implement policies that would strengthen trade relations between PR and the DR. Hoy reports that as part of this renewed effort, Gamundi will travel to the DR to present President Leonel Fernandez with an invitation for an official visit to Puerto Rico from governor Anibal Salvador Acevedo Vila. Gamundi is quoted in Hoy as saying that cooperation between both nations is important in order to increase competitiveness. Morales explained that trade between the DR and PR is worth US$1.5 billion.
Haitian officials are taking their time to decide whether to lift a ban on Dominican chicken imports. Puerto Rico has already lifted the ban. The delay in making the decision is causing concern for chicken farmers who are losing money on a daily basis. Haiti is the DR's large purchaser of eggs and chickens. Hoy writes that producers could lose over 1.3 million chickens totaling RD$52 million in losses. Victor Abreu from the Egg Producers Association said that each chicken costs RD$190, but that they would have to be sold for RD$50 if the ban continues. In addition, the Association is asking the government for a loan of RD$500 million at a 6% interest rate, through the Banco Agricola. The money would be used for importing vitamins and chicken feed. Abreu added that although the cost of nutrition products for chickens has increased, the price of eggs and chickens hasn't. Enriquillo Rivas, aviculture consultant, told Hoy that there is no epidemiological reason for Haiti to maintain the ban. He said that Haitian officials could be taking their time in order to get the opinions of international health officials. According to Rivas, 85% of eggs consumed in Haiti are produced in the DR. Rivas went on to say that he believed that the ban would be lifted soon. The consultant said that Haiti wants to demonstrate that it is doing its job, which is acceptable, but he did warn the Haitians not too take too much time since Dominican poultry producers are losing money.
Economist Hector Giuliani Cury warns that the government has limited options for the Dominican economy in response to the decreased growth of the US economy. He added that any option would be costly and said that if the government increased its public spending the deficit would go up. He said that another option would be to reduce interest rates in order to discourage the entry of speculative capital, but this wouldn't do much and would go against the current economic model. He added that the final option for the government would be to accept reduced economic growth and an increase in unemployment. Giuliani said that the US's decreased growth would directly affect the DR and that free trade zones would be the first to be affected by this decline.
Manuel Cabrera, president of the Import Wholesalers' Association (AAI), says that the slight increase in the dollar-peso exchange rate, from RD$32.50 to about RD$34.00 has led to an increase in the price of imported foods and goods. Cabrera told Hoy that the devaluation of the peso always causes uncertainty in the import market. He added, however, that the increases have not been significant enough to have a strong effect on the import market.
Between January and December 2007 the Tax Department (DGII) collected RD$141.4 billion, RD$30 billion more than in 2006, for a 27.1% increase. The amount was RD$12.2 billion more than was projected for that period. A report released by DGII explains that the increase was due to a rise in the volume of income taxes, vehicular taxes, taxes on consumption, real estate taxation and the application of numbered taxation invoices. Also, efficiency in tax administration by the DGII is credited with the increase in collection rates. Hoy writes that the RD$141.4 million included RD$2.7 billion in fiscal amnesty and excludes the RD$5.074 million payment by Verizon. According to the report, in 2007 there was a 66% increase in vehicular registration, for a total amount of RD$4.4 million. This was RD$1.6 billion more than projected. VAT (ITBIS) taxes increased by 21% with a collection of RD$35.4 billion, RD$6 billion more than in 2006. ISC collection also went up by 11%, increasing by RD$774.5 million, for a total collection of RD$7.7 billion. This is RD$1.3 billion more than expected. Cash collection was below what was estimated due to the unexpected decrease in beer sales. Real estate taxes equaled RD$3.77 billion, for a 69% increase in comparison to 2006. Taxes on non-salaried workers totaled RD$945 million, an increase of RD$190 million, equivalent to 22.6% increase and 9% surplus. Taxes on businesses totaled RD$21.6 billion for an increase of RD$4.4 billion. This was 26% more than in 2006.
Dr. Johanna Mendelson-Forman, Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said that the DR's transport sector could cut almost half of the imported petroleum it uses, estimated at 40% of the total, with the development of a renewable energy sector. However, she dismissed the possibility of sugar cane production for the extraction of ethanol, saying that this was just a case of propaganda. She added that the development of renewable energy sector could almost completely reduce the DR's dependency on imported fuels. She urged the move towards renewable energy because of the absence of petroleum sources in the country. She also highlighted the cleanliness of renewable energies. She commended the Law for the Incentives for the Development of Renewable Energies that take 5% of the collection of taxes on hydrocarbons, which goes to a renewable energy fund. This will raise some US$200 million per year. Mendelson-Forman added that the law guarantees tax exemptions for all renewable energy machines and accessories imported by companies or individuals, as well as tax exemptions for companies that install renewable energy systems or produce bio-fuels.
The Alternative Social Forum, quoted in Hoy, says that it is irrational for a country like the DR to "squander" RD$3 billion on political campaigns. Spokesman Fidel Santana says that this situation reflects politicians' lack of commitment to the nation. He added that while politicians have the luxury of spending all this money on campaigning, hundreds of schools have serious infrastructural problems. He also added that the state university, the UASD, only has a budget of RD$2 billion to handle the needs of 150,000 students. Santana added that there has to be a change of political vision and in the way politics is conducted in the DR, since political parties are just willing to "buy and sell votes." Santana also criticized the Central Electoral Board's decision to give the parties RD$900 million in public funds.
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has announced that the expiration date on the 'cedula' or identity card has been extended to 31 December of this year. This will allow many Dominicans whose cedulas would have expired before the presidential elections on 16th May to vote on that date. The JCE also announced that young people who will be of age on May 16th would be allowed to vote and have until 14th May to get their new identity cards. According to the JCE, 55,087 citizens have recently turned 18 and to get added they should get their documents by that date.
Today, the National District Attorney General's office will hand over RD$4,130,972 and US$500,000 raised from the sale of assets belonging to former military captain Quirino Ernesto Paulino to the National Committee Against Money Laundering. Assets sold included rice plantations and a helicopter. Attorney General Jose Manuel Peguero Hernandez will give the money to Mabel Feliz and it will be divided between the National Drug Control Department (DNCD), the National Drug Council (CND) and other organizations dedicated to helping drug addicts. Paulino is currently in custody in the US awaiting international drug trafficking charges.
Even though 98.9% of mothers get pre-natal care and 97.8% of births take place in the presence of a doctor, for every 100,000 births registered in the DR, 159 mothers between the age of 15 and 49 die as a result of complications. These figures were released by the maternal health study completed as part of the Demographic Health Survey 2007 (ENDESA) conducted by the Center for Social and Demographic Studies (CESDEM). The figures include data from 1997-2007 and according to the study, mortality rates have decreased by 18 points since 2002 when the rate was 178 deaths per 100,000 births. Regardless of the decreases, maternal mortality in the DR is still too high. The study reveals that mothers between the ages of 30 and 34 as well as 15 and 19 had the highest death rates.
More than 10,236 women filed domestic abuse charges in 2007, of which 40% were for physical abuse and 33% for psychological and verbal abuse. The National District Attorney General's Office says that 629 men filed similar charges against women. The Cristo Rey sector of Santo Domingo received the most complaints with 1,729 charges while the Maria Auxiliadora sector had 851. In all there were 29,309 reports of domestic abuse with the Villa Consuelo, Cristo Rey, Capotillo, Maria Auxiliadora, Villas Agricolas and Los Guandules areas having the highest incidence of reported domestic abuse.
Bread will once again be sold for RD$3.00 per unit of the traditional 'pan de agua' bread roll, according to the Small and Medium-sized Flour Industrialists Union (UMPIH) after they accepted a proposal to reduce bread prices. The decision was made by hundreds of small bakery owners who discussed the effects that the bread price increase has had on the Dominican economy. The government's offer includes a subsidy for the sector, which will help cover the increase in international flour prices and other raw materials. No amount for the subsidy was given.
The US State Department is to issue a new passport cards for US travelers wishing to travel to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean. "The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at US land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda". The government will begin issuing the cards in the spring. The cards will not be valid for air travel however, and citizens can begin applying for them on 1 February. The passport card is considered to be a cheaper alternative to passports.
The Emergency Operations Center (COE) has issued a green warning for nine provinces due to increased rains that will continue for 24 hours. The COE also issued warnings to drivers because of dangerous road conditions. Warnings of possible floods and mudslides are in effect for La Altagracia, Hato Mayor, Samana, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monte Plata, El Seibo, Monsenor Nouel, La Vega and Duarte, with special warnings for the Lower Yuna river basin area.
Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting and President Leonel Fernandez will shovel the first ceremonial parcel of dirt at the Pittsburg Pirates' new baseball complex in El Toro, in Guerra, located to the east of the Dominican capital later today. The complex will be home to the Pirates' Latin America operations and will also be used to house players for the team's Summer League. Nutting has had control of the Pirates for a year and has been actively pursuing connections with the DR.
The Winter League baseball finals are here but it seems as if Licey didn't get the memo or just got it late. Licey was shocked by the Aguilas on Friday night with an 8-3 explosion. The Aguilas got 14 hits in that game. Hopes were still high for Licey as they went back to the Estadio Cibao on Saturday to try to avenge the loss, but to no avail. The Aguilas came out swinging and connected for four homeruns and a total of 17 hits. They beat the Tigres by an embarrassing score of 18-3. The Aguilas took a 2-0 series lead. But the Tigres weren't done and refused to give up. Still the Aguilas were proving too strong and in game three went ahead with another scorching victory, in a 12-4 pounding. The Tigres never gave up and barely won game four with a 7-4 victory. The Tigres are now showing some signs of life and last night young pitcher Ervin Santana came through with a gem of a game. Santana pitched five shutout innings and the Tigres went ahead for the victory 5-1. The Tigres will have to step up and play their best since Santana will not pitch another game in the post-season.
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