President Leonel Fernandez told a television audience that there will be no new taxes, known here by the euphemism of "fiscal reforms", because the economy does not need them. Referring to the possibility of a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the President said that, "there is no reason for the Dominican Republic to proceed with a new fiscal reform. Even if there is an international recession, there are no reasons. The talks with the IMF will be limited if they require a new fiscal reform."
President Leonel Fernandez was Ralph, the subway driver made famous by comedian Jackie Gleason, yesterday as he drove the new Metro a few kilometers between La Taina and La Isabela stations. A gaggle of reporters and a few dozen of his closest friends also made the trip. The President was visibly elated as he smiled and waved at the people who watched the demonstration. At 10:12am the Metro moved, officially, for the first time, under the helm of the First Driver, President Fernandez. The 13-minute ride ended with the subway whistle and the presidential announcement that "For those passengers who are going to get off, get ready, we are arriving at the La Taina Station at Pedro Livio Cedeno." The President said that he was training for the next trip on the 27th of February.
The National District Municipality (ADN) has begun its program of reorganizing the traffic flow in the Colonial Zone, especially with regards to parking. From now on, violators will be fined for parking in the wrong place. Nerys Martinez, who is in charge of the project, told Listin Diario reporter Adriana Peguero that all the streets in the Colonial Zone will be clearly marked and AMET traffic cops will be encouraged to impose strict control of the new regulations in conjunction with the Municipal Police and the Tourism Police. The measures are designed to put an end to the chaos that affects the narrow streets of the Colonial Zone, especially when someone blocks the street by parking incorrectly. According to Listin Diario, more than 2,000 parking spots are available in the area, including public and private lots.
The Law 89-07 has allowed companies that had not registered with the Social Security System to register their workers in the system, facilitated by deferred payments to the system by the companies. According to SSS Treasurer Henry Sadhala, some 200,000 workers benefited from the legislation, with 2,500 businesses taking advantage of the new situation. However, despite the fact that the legislation specified a limited, 90-day period, many companies have told the SSS treasury that they did not have time to get the paperwork together, and are requesting a new grace period. Although Sadhala did not say that a new grace period would be forthcoming, he did not reject the idea out of hand. Apparently 35,000 small and medium sized firms still want to "get legal."
Several of the country's main hospitals have been refurbished and remodeled and are nearly ready to provide enhanced public services. Three of the most awaited are the Dario Contreras Hospital, the Ophthalmologic-Cardio-Renal Center, and the extension to the San Lorenzo Maternity and Children's Hospital in Los Mina. The Ophthalmologic-Cardio-Renal Center was the most expensive, with a cost of RD$700 million. Another, the new public hospital in Los Girasoles is also nearly equipped and could open next March. The new emergency facilities at the Dario Contreras Hospital were begun under President Balaguer in the mid-90s; the Ophthalmologic center has been many years in the making and San Lorenzo has taken more than a decade to be remodeled.
The Dominican Medical Association (CMD) has called for a postponement of the work stoppage scheduled for tomorrow in hospitals in the eastern Dominican Republic pending further discussion with the Ministry of Public Health. CMD president, Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero, told reporters that the group would continue to insist on more job openings for recent graduates and improved wages, among other demands. After meeting with Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez, Dr. Suero said the minister has asked for a few more days to work out a solution. He said that the CMD would wait for a "reasonable amount of time."
Poultry producers from Licey and Moca have a meeting with President Leonel Fernandez this evening to discuss the repercussions of the Haitian import ban on the Dominican poultry industry. The producers will ask the government to purchase three million chickens at cost price. The farmers called off their planned march on the Presidential Palace today and the shutting down of the cities of Licey al Medio and Moca. Ambiorix Cabrera, the president of the producer's association (APPROAMOLI), told reporters that they will sell the chicken for RD$19.50lb. Egg producers have also announced a halt to their efforts to garner government attention, and are awaiting the outcome of this evening's meeting in Santo Domingo.
In spite of the Haitian official ban on Dominican poultry and eggs, many Haitians are still purchasing chickens and eggs and taking them across the border. In fact, according to Listin Diario, a flourishing new business has emerged: contraband eggs and chickens. According to the paper, this is particularly noticeable in the area between Dajabon and Manzanillo along the frontier. The "chicken-runners" manage to avoid Haitian Agricultural Department inspectors as well as the Dominican police. Most of the contraband is taken across the border on the days when the Bi-National Market is not operating. According to reports from Dominican traders and Haitian buyers alike, it is fairly easy to cross the frontier near Manzanillo due to a lack of vigilance by either country.
The nation's largest bus companies, the ones that haul passengers over long distances, have asked the government to include them in the provision of subsidized diesel fuel. These eleven large companies are different from the transportation unions that originally benefited from the government subsidy. The Union of Bus Owners headed by Freddy Mendez, also seeks to benefit from the subsidy. Mendez says that the companies transport an average of 60,000 people per day. The companies, Caribe Tours, Metro, Transporte Espinal, Tamma, Compania Nacional de Autobuses, Marka, Rayano, Star Bus, Lim, FM Centro Bus and Perla Bus, want the same deal that the unions are getting. They are threatening to suspend services if they continue to be discriminated against. They are asking for a governmental subsidy on 50% of the one million gallons of diesel that they use each month. They also want to be a part of the feeder lines that bring passengers to the first Santo Domingo Metro line, scheduled for operation this year. There is a RD$35 peso difference between subsidized and non-subsidized diesel fuel. One of the beneficiaries of the diesel subsidy, Fenatrano union spokesman Juan Hubieres, said that he agreed with the requests made by the Union of Bus Owners.
The Central Electoral Board failed in its attempt to get the political contenders to agree on guidelines aimed at curtailing the offensive tone and content of this year's presidential election campaign. President Leonel Fernandez, who is also president of the PLD party, did not attend, and PRSC and PRD party representatives walked out. The meeting was not without its lighter side, as noted by Diario Libre's sidebar note known as "The Spy." According to that observer, several of the political delegates fell asleep during the long peroration by JCE chief magistrate Julio Cesar Castanos Guzman. In fact, one of the magistrates was so deeply asleep that when the obligatory applause came at the end of the speech, the sleepy magistrate stood up as if to leave the session. Castanos' speech was aimed at lowering the pitch of much of the current political propaganda now on the airwaves, and to substitute them with "objective proposals aimed at the nation's development."
PRSC president Federico Antun Batlle was the first to address the room after the initial speech, and he wasted no time in blasting current President Fernandez, saying that it was he who was "disrupting" the campaign. Antun said that the PRSC was not the target for the JCE's exhortations, since it had done nothing wrong. Antun went on to say that if this was an "organized society, there would be no need for such a meeting, since the law would take care of everything, and a lot of people would be in jail or would not be candidates."
Ramon Alburquerque, the PRD representative, told the magistrates that while he congratulated the JCE on its efforts to organize the process, it would have a hard time faced with "a despotic, authoritarian and hegemonic government that makes excessive use of state resources without any restraint; let the ones who feel guilty stay here". He then walked out of the meeting.
CID Latinoamericana-Listin survey shows Miguel Vargas Maldonado, presidential candidate for the PRD, leading in the polls with 37.2% of the vote.
President Leonel Fernandez, who is seeking re-election on the PLD ticket, follows with 36.8% of the vote. The PRSC's Amable Aristy is in third place with 9.7%, followed by former Police Chief Pedro de Jesus Candelier of the PAP with 0.7%. In the previous CID Latinoamericana survey, carried out in November, Vargas had 35%, Fernandez 31% and Aristy Castro 8%. The poll was carried out between 22 and 28 January.
Dominican electoral law requires 50%+1 of the vote for a first round win.
The CID Latinoamericana poll shows that Santo Domingo Mayor Roberto Salcedo is the most accepted politician, with 71% of the favor of citizens. He has a 21% unfavorable rate.
PRSC candidate Amable Aristy Castro is second in scoring less negative opinion, with the favorable opinion of 58% of citizens. He has a 36% rejection rate.
Eduardo Estrella, candidate for a coalition of parties known as Cuarta Via, is in fourth place with 55%, and 34% negative.
Miguel Vargas, presidential candidate for the PRD, is next with an approval rate of 53%, and a disapproval rate of 24%.
President Leonel Fernandez, who is running for the PLD, has a 46% favorable vote and a 34% unfavorable rate.
Former President Hipolito Mejia has a 26% approval rate and a 71% disapproval rate.
Compared to a prior November poll, Vargas lost 2% of approval and Fernandez 1%.
56% of Dominican citizens consider that the country is headed in the wrong direction, while 38% hold the contrary belief, according to the CID Latinoamericana poll.
The leading problems as seen by Dominicans are the high cost of living (27%), lack of jobs (18%), drug trafficking and violence (14%). 51% of those interviewed believe that they are worse off than last year. 48% believe crime has increased since the previous poll in November. 39% said that electricity service has improved compared to last year, while 33% say it is worse and 27% say it has remained the same. 64% consider the government did not act correctly in the case of Tavera Dam and Tropical Storm Olga, which caused major flooding in Santiago and the northwest. 56% said they were not aware of the Sun Land US$130 million loan scandal. 44% of those interviewed said President Fernandez did not tell the truth to the nation on the deal.
Inter-American Development Bank representative in the DR, Moises Pineda proposes that the political parties, private sector and civil society should get together to implement an Electricity Pact to resolve the DR's energy problem, as reported in Listin Diario. Pineda, who is leaving for a post in Washington, D.C. after five years in the country, says that progress has not been made because of political reasons. He said that the nation's institutional weakness is behind the energy problems.
During the last five years, the IDB approved US$900 million in funding for the DR.
La Cadena supermarket is advertising its sale on Maggi bouillon and soup products, tangerines for RD$5.95ea, garlic for RD$19.95 package, carrots for RD$8.95lb, squash for RD$6.95lb, granadillo for RD$79.95ea, and pears for RD$39.95lb.
Nacional supermarkets are offering a 40% discount on apples, and 20% off other fruits and vegetables.
Bravo supermarkets has sales on apples at RD$24.95lb, 20 eggs for RD$49.95, Vincent cheese at RD$199.95lb, and chocolates and sweets for St. Valentine's Day.
Super Pola is advertising bell peppers for RD$16.95lb, eggplant for RD$5.95lb, watermelon for RD$8.95lb, celery for RD$4.95lb, grapefruit for RD$3.95lb, red apples for RD$29.95, pears for RD$34.95lb, and 35% off many other fruit and vegetables.
Carrefour is advertising pineapples for RD$16.95ea, avocados for RD$11.90ea, papaya for RD$9.90lb, potatoes for RD$9.90lb, carrots for RD$12.95lb, bugalu tomatoes for RD$12.50lb, cucumbers for RD$7.95lb, eggplants for RD$5.95lb, and rice for RD$10.50lb.
Yogen Fruz is advertising two 12 oz. yoghurt desserts for RD$199.
Helados Bon is advertising sales for those purchasing two cones from Monday to Thursday at their stores nationwide throughout February.
Gold's Gym has a St. Valentine's sale of 40% off on registration on 13, 14 and 15 February.
La Nacional furniture store has a 50% discount on 13, 14, 15 February at their Gustavo Mejia Ricart 105, Piantini and Av. Duarte 172 stores.
Tommy Hilfiger stores at Plaza Central and Acropolis Mall have sales on selected merchandise on occasion of St. Valentine's Day.
Americana Departamentos has a sale on Emerson appliances.
Plaza Lama is advertising sale of Guardian power plants compatible with propane and natural gas for RD$117,995/7kw, RD$159.995/10kw, RD$189,995/13kw.
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