Dominican public debt has increased by 15.9% in the last three years, totaling US$8.6 billion in 2007, up from US$7.4 billion in 2004. This represents an absolute increase of US$1.2 billion. According to a report by the Ministry of Hacienda quoted by Listin Diario, 88.3% of the debt corresponds to external debt while 11.7% reflects internal debt. The debt doesn't include Central Bank certified stock, which totals RD$184 billion. In the last year the public debt increased by 2%, going from US$8.4 billion to US$8.6 billion, for an absolute increase of US$170.4 million. The report indicates, furthermore that the ratio of the public debt to the GDP decreased.
Following a meeting with chicken farmers last night, President Leonel Fernandez agreed to purchase 2.5 million chickens and one million hens and eggs from chicken producers at a cost of RD$270 million. This announcement has succeeded in easing tensions between the government and the chicken production sector, and producers have called off a planned march on the Presidential Palace. Agriculture Minister Salvador Jimenez said that the government is setting up a program to purchase the chickens, and that it had already purchased 200,000 chickens from the sector. This decision by the government comes as the poultry sector is still reeling from a Haitian ban on Dominican chicken imports.
Despite the fact that the DR's energy distributors Cash Recovery Index (CRI) levels are up to 59.2% (up from 53.5%), Listin Diario is reporting that the distributors will end the year with a US$615.5 million deficit, 17.1% greater than last year's figure. The deficit is more astounding considering that the deficit was 9.3% between 2005 and 2006. Listin quotes a report from the energy sector indicating that the distributors increased the energy invoiced by 10.6%, and collected 90.3% of the time. This is up from 87.5%. The distributors also managed to reduce commercial losses, which went down from 38.9% to 34.3%. As part of an effort to reduce the number of rolling blackouts, the government covered US$432 million of the distributors' deficit, of which EdeSur received US$110.8 million, EdeEste received US$155.6 million and EdeNorte received US$164.8 million. Listin writes that during this current presidential election period, the government has subsidized the energy sector with US$2.7 billion to cover deficit costs.
The electricity sector is a major drain on state resources. According to the report, the government has set aside RD$21 billion to subsidize the sector, about US$615 million. Listin reports that the three distributors served 9,803million kWh last year, but billed only 5,634.7 million kWh, for a 42.6% loss that was passed on to taxpayers in the form of governmental subsidies.
In 2007 the DR imported 59,354 vehicles, totaling RD$14 billion in tax revenue. The imports total is a 2% increase on 2006 when the DR imported 58,247 cars. Listin writes that the vehicles paid RD$3,425 billion in tariffs, RD$5.8 billion in VAT taxes and RD$5.6 billion in license plate taxes.
Education Minister Alejandrina German is giving investigative journalist Nuria Piera 72 hours to retract a story claiming that the minister owns a luxurious summer home in Junumuco, Jarabacoa and used public funds to build it. The story, which aired on two consecutive Saturdays this month on Nuria's Channel 9 TV investigative journalism show, contrasted the conditions of the local public school with the luxury of the minister's alleged mansion. While German has been adamant in stating that the claims are "garbage", she has assembled a team of lawyers to fight Piera in court. She is quoted in Hoy as saying that the report is an attack on her family and her morals. During a press conference, and flanked by her deputy ministers, German explained that the land in question was purchased by her husband, PLD Deputy Jose Maria Sosa Vasquez, at a cost of RD$1,500 per tarea. She added that construction began in 2002 and required her husband to take out a loan with the Chamber of Deputies for RD$1.3 million. The juicy twist in this saga is that German has offered to sell the house to Piera for RD$6 million so that Piera could eventually sell the house for the RD$40 million she claimed the journalist said the house was worth. German took a full-page advertisement in Hoy to explain her position, stating that the house is registered as worth RD$5 million in her husband's declaration of assets.
Piera, quoted in Hoy, responded by saying that she never made the outlandish claims that German is accusing her of and that it is German who needs to make a retraction. She denied saying that the house was worth more than RD$40 million or that it was built with state funds. "I have only established that the house is expensive and her statement says she has assets for RD$5 million and she needs to explain the vast difference between the construction of the house and her statement of assets," Nuria Piera said, as reported in Listin Diario.
Nuria Piera's report is one of a series on luxury homes of government officials, and follows on the heels of the PLD campaign manager, Francisco Javier Garcia accusing PRD presidential candidate Miguel Vargas Maldonado of owning a RD$800 million mansion in Casa de Campo.
She has aired the issue on both her Channel 9 TV program and in the CDN 5-7pm radio talk show with Huchi Lora on 92.5FM.
After the failure of Tuesday's JCE political campaign summit, the predictable and now familiar mud slinging picked up where it left off. This time it was PLD campaign coordinator Francisco Javier Garcia's turn, as he took a shot at PRD president Rafael Alburquerque, calling him 'unpleasant' and 'insolent'. He added that the PRD showed a lack of respect towards the JCE when PRD delegates walked out of the summit in protest. He justified President Leonel Fernandez's absence by saying that in no way could the President sit shoulder to shoulder with a man who is insolent, unpleasant and who uses denigrating language. He added that Fernandez would visit the JCE some other day.
In related news, Alburquerque urged the JCE and Monsignor Agripino Nunez to speak out in response to allegations that President Fernandez is using state money to fund his campaign. Alburquerque says that the balance and equality guaranteed by the Constitution has been broken during these elections.
The Central Electoral Board has tried to put the best spin possible on the failed summit convened on Tuesday. During the summit, which sought to bring about a consensus and stop the negative tone of this year's campaigning, PRD and PRSC delegates walked out in protest. Hoy writes that the JCE judges had intended to bring party officials together and make a plea to them to tone down their insults. JCE president Julio Cesar Castanos Guzman, judges Eddy Olivares and Mariano Rodriguez said that the JCE made its plea before the party delegates walked out, which to them constitutes a success.
Candidates in this year's presidential elections have responded to yesterday's CID Latinoamericana-Listin survey. Miguel Vargas Maldonado said that he respects the poll, which placed him on top with 37.2% of the vote, but said that polls run by his campaign and other organizations put his lead at nine percentage points higher. PRSC candidate Amable Aristy Castro said that those polls don't reflect his share of the vote which he claims to be around 26%. He says that the true results will be revealed on 16 May when the public speaks. PLD campaign manager Francisco Javier Garcia didn't give much credence to the polls, saying that the results are only for use at the local level. He added that in December the CID released a poll in which President Leonel Fernandez had 46% of the vote.
The animal shelter organization PADELA, through its president Ivelisse Leonor Porcella, claims that stray dogs that wander through the Ciudad Ganadera and Mirador del Sur Park are poisoned by individuals who seek to "clean up the area" for events held there. Porcella said that every year as the opening of the cattle ranching fair on the Km. 6 of the 30 de Mayo Highway nears, the number of dog deaths increases.
National District secretary general Domingo Contreras says that one of the dogs poisoned in the Mirador del Sur Park belonged to baseball star Miguel Tejada. The National District municipality says that five dogs were poisoned in one day, three of which died.
Once a week, municipal trucks drive around the city picking up stray dogs and taking them to the PADELA offices to be treated by volunteer veterinarians.
The National Meteorological Office (ONAMET) is predicting that 12 storms will form during Caribbean storm season, of which five will become hurricanes and three are expected to develop into high- intensity storms. ONAMET director Gloria Ceballos said that the increase in storms could be due to the La Nina weather phenomenon and the high amount of rainfall during the winter. Ceballos said that this year would also see above average humidity levels. She continued by saying that DR residents should always be prepared for hurricanes.
Telecommunications company Tricom has announced that it will invest RD$150 million in infrastructural upgrades. The company spent an estimated RD$100 million on upgrades in 2006 and 2007. Tricom VP Ryan Larrauri said that this year's expenditure would be focused on extending its broadband and wireless internet services.
National Police Chief Rafael Guillermo Guzman Fermin is making a strong stand against the rise in crime and has refused to apologize for the recent deaths of eight alleged muggers in two separate confrontations with the Police. Guzman, who was known as "the Surgeon" before taking the post of Police Chief, spoke to reporters at Las Americas International Airport. The Police Chief said that the National Police would "not back down one millimeter" against crime. Guzman denied that the deaths, which occurred in a 48-hour period, amounted to executions by the officers, adding that executions did not exist in the Dominican legal system. The controversial incidents took place in the Cristo Rey and Ensanche Isabelita sections of Santo Domingo. Guzman defended his officers, saying that they had acted in self-defense. Hoy reports that the first deaths occurred in La Isabelita where five men, three identified as Luis Javier Laureano, Daniel Amado Severino Santana and a man known as "Miguelito," were killed by cops. The second incident took place in Cristo Rey, where police officers killed Alfredo Correa, Miguel Antonio Hilario and an unidentified third man.
Bellacasa Internacional at Av. Bolivar 504, Gazcue is advertising 50% off on cash sales of modular furniture, kitchens, sofa and room furniture.
Santo Domingo Motors is advertising sales of 2007 Nissan vehicles.
Body Health gym, at Av. 27 de Febrero, is advertising a 2 x 1 sale on registration for couples.
Arbaje Soni has a sale on Sonipedico mattresses at La Sirena, El Encanto and Arbaje Soni stores.
Super Pola supermarket has sales in its meat department and eggs with RD$49.95/30 unit, Vallformosa Spanish cava for RD$269.95 Bailey's for RD$399.95
La Cadena supermarket is advertising today a sale of Gato Negro wine for RD$149.95unit, Consigna Chardonnay for RD$179.95unit, and sales in its seafood and fish department.
El Nacional has several brand wines on sale, such as Beringer White Zinfandel for RD$354.95, Carlo Rossi California White for RD$169.95, Cousino-Macul Sauvignon Blanc for RD$299.95, as well as sales in its seafood and fish department.
Anthony's Outlet in Herrera and Megacentro is advertising Domani Italian suits for RD$1,500.
Jaguar distributors are advertising a St. Valentine's sale with the X-type on sale for US$47,000, from 13-16 February.
Radio Shack is offering a RD$250 bonus on purchases of RadioShack brand items of over RD$2,000.
KFC is advertising a Pop Corn Shrimp Combo for RD$175.
Helados Bon has their St. Valentine's strawberry cake with vanilla and strawberry liquor ice cream.
Ferreteria Hache (hardware and housing items) has their Friday, 15 February sale from 6 to 10pm with 25% off and 50% off a single item from 9 to 10pm for those who have purchased at least RD$1,000 in the 25% off sale.
Actual Office at Leopoldo Navarro corner 27 de Febrero has a sale of office furniture through 16 February.
Batavia on Rafael Augusto Sanchez 37, Piantini is advertising sales and new furniture.
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