| Daily News - Tuesday, 29 January 2008 |
The Superintendence of Health and Work Risks (SISALRIL) agreed to increase the Family Health Insurance Plan medical coverage for catastrophic illnesses. The new plan stipulates RD$500,000 in catastrophic illness coverage for all SFS affiliates registered as of 31 December 2007, including dependents, for health procedures established by the Health Services Plan. The agreement reduces the catastrophic coverage to RD$150,000 for new affiliates. This will increase RD$29,000 each month until reaching the RD$500,000 limit to coverage in a 12-month period. The agreement is retroactive to 1 January 2008.
Resolution 149-08 that replaces Resolution 147-07 also states that SISALRIL will maintain the increase in the fees charged by doctors affiliated to the SFS. CNUS labor unions' representative, Rafael Abreu welcomed the decision. Dominican Medical College (CMD) president Waldo Ariel Suero and National Private Clinic Association (ANDECLIP) president Rafael Mena announced that as a result of the progress made, the doctors strike scheduled for 30 January would be canceled. Hoy also writes that the expectation is that the Social Security Treasury will pay out the RD$800 million pending to the Health Risk Administrators (ADARS).
The 18-month grace period for parents of affiliates to have access to the coverage has been removed. Likewise, it was determined that affiliates will pay 20% for dentistry visits. The SFS will cover up to 100% for hospital room charges of up to RD$1,200 and 90% on the difference for coverage for rooms costing up to RD$1,800. In the negotiations, the increase in payments for workers' parents was maintained at the RD$433 to RD$640 to be paid to the ARS as stipulated in Resolution 147-07. -Kill Law 87-01 Former director of the Dominican Institute of Social Security Julian Serulle told El Caribe that Law 87-01 that creates the Family Health Insurance Plan (SFS) should be revoked. He considered it is detrimental to businesses, and especially affects small businesses and only serves to benefit individuals, not the generality of those who seek health services. "Social security cannot penalize production, as is the case of Law 87-01, that has become a heavy burden for our business sector, and affects micro and medium sized companies because they are not able to carry the 16 or 27% contribution required for the health plan," he said. In his opinion, individual business interests prevail, not those of whom seek health services. "Now everyone wants a piece of the cake or seeks to make their cake bigger. But meanwhile, the workers, the rural and urban poor are the big losers because they are not getting the promised services. There are hundreds of specialists that are not seeing the workers," he denounced.
Former District Attorney Guillermo Moreno is on the campaign trail promising to not be complacent with corruption in his proposed government. Moreno is the presidential candidate for the minority Movimiento Independencia Unidad y Cambio (MIUCA). Moreno, who was fired from his post precisely for not being complacent with corruption in government, said that corrupt government officers can expect to be sent to jail if he is elected President. He said he would see that the fast fortunes of government officers are investigated. Moreno said that the three leading political parties cannot transform society because they are overtaken by political patronage and corruption.
He proposes to make education a priority if he is elected President, and would increase the school day to 5pm.
The president of the Association of Industries of Herrera, Jesus Moreno warned that the DR ranking slipped to 96th place of 131 countries in the competitiveness index of the Global Competitiveness Report for 2007-2008. In 2006-2007, the DR ranked 93 among 122 countries. This is a decline of three points for 2007-2008.
The Global Competitiveness Report series is regarded as the world's most comprehensive and respected assessment of countries' competitiveness, and offers insights into the policies, institutions, and factors driving productivity and, thus, enabling sustained economic growth and long-term prosperity.
The ranking placed the DR 107th in institutions, 79th in infrastructure, 91rd in macroeconomic stability, 102 in health and primary education. In categories regarded as efficiency enhances, the country ranked 99 for higher education and training, 100 for goods market efficiency, 86 for labor market efficiency, 108 for financial market sophistication, 64 for technological readiness and 63 for market size. In innovation and sophistication factors, the DR ranked 87 for business sophistication and 106 for innovation.
In the Business Competitiveness Index, the country ranked 92nd of 131 countries, with sub indexes of 84 for sophistication of company operations and strategy and 97 for quality of the national business environment.
Corruption is listed as the most problematic factor for doing business in the DR, followed by access to financing, tax rates, tax regulations, policy instability, inadequately educated workforce and inefficient government bureaucracy.
Under the disadvantages to competitiveness, favoritism in decisions of government officials (128), efficacy of corporate boards (127), wastefulness of government spending (125), public trust of politicians (121), strength of auditing and reporting standards (121), showed major areas where work is cut out for the country to improve its competitiveness.
http://www.gcr.weforum.org/
The National Competitiveness Council spearheads local efforts to enhance competitiveness. Its objective is that the DR can become the third most competitive Latin American country by 2015. CNC executive director Andres van der Horst attended the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting held in Davos, Switzerland 23-27 January. At the conference, Van der Horst presented the success story of the Tourism Competitiveness Clusters that bring together public and private sectors and empower the community for a trickle down effect of tourism. CNC was also behind the country reducing from 73 to 22 the number of days required to establish a company.
Almost two years have gone by and not even the officials in charge of the two proposed coal energy plants have explanations for the delays. The State Run Electric Companies (CDEEE) contracted the plants to produce 600 MW each of energy, arguing they would make the DR less dependent on petroleum-based fuels. Listin reports that construction on the project was to begin 90 days after the contracts were signed. The Listin speculates a lack of resources could be behind the delays. It points out that the environmental studies have not been concluded, nor the land utility declaration of public lands has been issued for the construction site. The only progress that has been made was the governmental securing of a US$30 million loan, which according to investors, was needed for the company to access the remaining financing for the plants. Of the two companies winning the governmental bid, one of the winners, Emirates Power eventually removed itself from the project, to be replaced by the Grupo Vicini/Seabord Consortium.
This company and Sichuan were awarded the contract after the government changed the conditions of the tender when the original winners of the tender could not meet the contracted conditions. The contracts were firmly opposed in the press by experts that considered they will be another burden to the state, as in the case of Smith-Enron, and Cogentrix power plants. Opponents criticize the obligation of the state to purchase power at above market prices and 90% of the energy generated by the two coal plants. The CDEEE contractually is obliged to supply the fuel to power the plants. The government is obliged to provide the land where the plants were to be built and pay for the installations necessary to connect the Sichuan energy plant to the national energy grid.
Listin adds that technical reports on the project had to be handed over 60 days after the contracts had been signed, which hasn't been done either. Adding to delays is that no one knows where the US$1.6 billion for the project will come from.
Opponents urge the government to call a new tender with the more advantageous conditions in order to attract higher profile companies.
Dozens of UASD University students marched from the Central Library to the Aula Magna yesterday urging university officials to resolve the inefficiencies in the online registration process. Student Freedom Front (FELABEL) secretary Eduardo Gomez said that if officials don't resolve the problems by next Tuesday, the students would rally. Independent Student Liberation Movement (MIEL), Flavio Suero Student Front (FEFLAS) and the Dominican Youth Strength (FJD) all participated in the 35 minute march. Listin Diario reports that students that have had trouble registering for classes will get a 2-day extension. A spokesman for the university spokesmen said that unless there are further major problems with the new registration system, classes will begin on 4 February as scheduled. Diario Libre writes that up to the collapse of the online registration system, 40,000 students had registered of an estimated 72,000 students who started the process online, of a total of 180,000 students.
The National Women's Political Party Council is urging this year's presidential candidates to choose a woman for their vice presidential candidacy. The group challenged the candidates to demonstrate with actions their support for women, a segment that makes up the majority of registered voters in the Dominican Republic. Emma Valois Vidal, president of the organization, urged candidates to support gender equality into the 21st century.
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has announced that it will rent 6 giant screen televisions to broadcast presidential election day results to the public. The TVs will be installed at JCE headquarters, on avenues 27 de Febrero, Abraham Lincoln and Ortega y Gasset. Two others will be installed at the electoral boards in Santiago and the National District. Administrative Chamber president Roberto Rosario did not reveal how much the equipment will cost but said that the transmission network has a RD$230 million tag. Rosario said that the JCE has spent RD$23 million to habilitate an industrial site for parking of journalists and political party delegates.
A 15-year old Dominican 11th grade student from San Juan de la Maguana, Austria Ulloa has been hired by IMG Modeling agency. In August 2007, she moved to New York with her mother after winning a spot as one of the 2007 Ford Supermodels of the World. She was discovered here by Socrates McKinney Imagen agency. She joins other successful McKinney models that have international contracts, including Elizabeth Andujar, Kuto, Topacio, Joelissa, Raquel Orgtega, Alexandra Rivera, who are working in Barcelona, New York, Paris and Milan. A press release says that Ulloa will be sharing runways with international divas such as Gisele Bundchen, Kate Moss, Liya, Heidi Klum, Alek Wek, Lara Stone and others.
Plaza Lama supermarket is advertising fruits and vegetable sales with tomatoes for RD$14.95lb, onions for RD$14.95lb, eggplants for RD$7.95lb, carrots for RD$13.95lb and cantaloupe's for RD$21.95lb.
The Aguilas Cibaenas, representing the DR in this year's Serie del Caribe tournament and Licey, an alternate team, have made their roster selections and Santiago is putting the final touches in preparation for the highly anticipated post-season games. To bolster the Aguilas, they chose from the Gigantes del Cibao, Azucareros, Estrellas Orientales and Escogido: Brayan Pena (GC), Alfredo Simon (GC), , Joselo Diaz (AZ), Denny Bautista (EO), Fabio Castro (GC), Francisco Cruceta (GC), Joel Peralta (GC), Dario Veras (GC), Freddy Guzman (E) and Julio de Paula (GC).
Licey chose: Nelson Cruz (GC), Francisco Rosario (EO), Jose Capellan (GC), Jailen Peguero (EO), Carlos Gomez (E), Roberto Giron (EO), Jesus Colome (EO) and Juan Francisco (GC), Kendry Morales (GC), Jailen Peguero (EO) and Juan Francisco (GC).
Sports writer Franklin Mirabal of Hoy says that the Licey was the big winner in the distribution of players.
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