The National Competitiveness Council (CNC) and the United Nations Development Program have presented the Dominican Republic Competitiveness Forum, an innovative system that allows all to monitor how the DR ranks in competitiveness in relation to the rest of the world. The observatory falls under the umbrella of activities aimed at implementing the recommendations made in the National Systemic Competitiveness Plan. During the presentation, Andres Van der Horst Alvarez, director of the CNC, stressed that the new website seeks to serve as an instrument that allows policy makers, legislators, analysts, civil society and international organizations to identify the greater challenges for improving the country's competitiveness. The website compiles competitiveness indicators from domestic and international sources, in addition to reports and legal documents on the topic, as well as a chronology of related achievements and events.
See www.observatoriocompetitividad.com.do/web/guest/home
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) country representative Moises Pineda, quoted in Hoy, has voiced his concerns about the country's lackluster performance in the area of human development. Pineda said that the IDB has backed Dominican government efforts to improve health and education for the last 40 years but feels that the government needs to strengthen its programs. Pineda, who is at the end of his term, says that this year the IDB will begin dialogue with Dominican officials to revise its development cooperation strategy, seeking to increase coverage in the three important pillars of governance, competitiveness and human development. Pineda said that the IDB is looking for ways to help the new institutions that have been created with the implementation of the government's National Competitiveness Council. With regards to governance, Pineda says that the IDB is asking the government to spend public funds more efficiently.
Several months after the news that the Shell Company was selling its shares of the Dominican Petroleum Refinery (Refidomsa) the Ministry of Hacienda has announced that it has received proposals from seven companies who are competing to appraise the total value of the oil company's stock. Once the stocks have been appraised, the government is expected to purchase them at that price. Currently Shell owns 50% of Refidomsa. Baker Tilly Dominicana, Conecam Centroamericana, Vetra e Improaval S.C., Che2mhill, Mexicana, Fti Consulting and Incisa are the companies vying for the appraisal contract. The Hacienda Minister said that the process would be as transparent as possible.
Three hours and nothing to show for it best describes yesterday's meeting between public health officials and reps from the Dominican Medical Association (CMD). CMD president Ariel Waldo Suero said that another strike by doctors would go on as planned. Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez contradicted the idea that no progress had been made, saying that he allowed Suero to make comments about the proceedings at the meeting. Areas where some progress was reported included the proposal to increase pension coverage to 100%, the creation of internship positions and reduction of the intern time for doctors. But nothing was said about the proposed wage increase that doctors have been clamoring for. Suero says that the doctors' next strike will take place next week and will last for 48 hours, over Wednesday and Thursday.
Authorities from the Livestock Department at the Ministry of Agriculture said that 1,000 roosters were killed yesterday after another case of bird flu was detected in La Delgada section of Villa Gonzalez. Their owner was angered that 1,000 of his fighting cocks had been killed, when only two birds were found to have the disease. He said that many people would lose their jobs as a result. Representatives from the poultry sector are becoming increasingly concerned about the situation. The DR needs to stay clean of all cases of bird flu for the World Organization of Animal Health to declare the country clear of the H5N2 virus that has led Haiti, the largest buyer of Dominican eggs and chicken, to ban imports.
A sharp increase in international nickel prices has led ferronickel to make up 50% of the DR's total exports in 2007, up from 18% in 2002, 22% in 2003, 42% in 2004, 33% in 2005 and 44% in 2006. In 2007 nickel represented 51.13% of the total value of Dominican exports, worth US$1.2 billion.
The price of a barrel of crude petroleum reached a record high yesterday after closing at US$102.59. This led to heightened fears on the international market and a warning from US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that some financial institutions face possible bankruptcy. The price surge is ever more worrisome considering that the price per barrel has skyrocketed by US$2.95 since Wednesday. The previous high was US$102.08, which was reached on Thursday. As a result the Dow Jones Industrial index dropped 128.74 points. Brent Crude also experienced a record high, reaching US$101 for the first time in history, closing at US$100 per barrel, having climbed US$2.63 since Wednesday. The increase in oil prices will be reflected in increases in prices across the board, including food, consumer goods, exports and other materials in the DR. This threatens the Dominican economy in terms of growth and the ability of businesses to compete. It also translates to increased difficulties for the energy and transport sector that depend on petroleum and will be forced to pass on the cost of price increases to consumers.
Cable news channel CDN and Wind Telecom have signed an agreement for Wind to transmit a large number of Major League Baseball games during upcoming seasons. According to the terms of the agreement, Wind will provide the "Wind TV Sport Pack" and will televise a minimum of 35 Major League Baseball games per week and could televise up to 75 games. The pack will cost RD$695 per month or RD$3,995 per season. Wind Telecom says it will invest RD$3 billion in infrastructure in the next three years as it extends its service at national level. Wind provides wireless TV, phone and Internet service and is currently offering service in Santo Domingo, Haina, Boca Chica and Villa Mella. Wind Telecom president Manuel Bonilla said that the next step is to move into Santiago and the Cibao region, the east and eventually the southern part of the country.
National District Mayor Roberto Salcedo (PLD) says that the municipal authorities cannot afford to pay the RD$500 million loan that the Fenatrano bus union took out with the Banco de Reservas. During his 1998-2002 term, Mayor Johnny Ventura (PRD) approved that the City Hall would guarantee the loan. Fenatrano cars and buses are in arrears and could default on the loan. Quoted in Hoy, Salcedo said that municipal representatives, Fenatrano and bank officials would be meeting to discuss the options on the table.
According to information released by the Central Electoral Board (JCE), 54% of the nation's registered voters for the 16 May 2008 elections are concentrated in the five provinces of Santo Domingo, San Cristobal, Santiago, La Vega and the National District. In these five provinces 3,034,535 citizens are registered to vote out of a total 5,609,590 voters. Of these five provinces, most voters, 2,146,599, or 38%, are concentrated in the northern provinces. A total of 1,839,811, or 33% of voters are in the province of Santo Domingo and 995,225, 18%, are based in the southern region while 627,955, or 11%, are found in the east.
The JCE report indicates that there are 5,764986 voters, of whom 154,797, or 2.69%, live abroad.
As for voting based on sex, according to statistics 2,095,881 voters, 50.41%, are female and 2,858,506 voters, 49.59% are male. The breakdown by age reveals that 25% (1,448,406) of voters are between 26 and 35 years of age, 22% (1,272,548) are between 36 and 45 years old, 18% (1,018,042) are between 18 and 25 years of age, 16% (893,664) are between 46 and 55 years of age, 10% (561,110), are between 56 and 65 years of age, and another 10% (570,617) are 66 or older. As for breakdown according to occupation, the reports says that 34% of voters (1,948,016) are students, 22% (1,272,936) are domestic workers, 11% (617,059) are self-employed, 5% (313,991) work in agriculture, 4% (249,926) work in business, 2% (125,786) are operators, 2% (97,907) are drivers, 1% (81,412) are public employees and 1% (76,461) are private sector employees.
For months now, the PRD has been alleging that President Leonel Fernandez has been using public funds in his presidential campaign and yesterday party officials presented what they say is proof. During a meeting at the Central Electoral Board (JCE), leading PRD officials Orlando Jorge Mera and Ramon Alburquerque presented JCE chief judge Julio Cesar Castanos Guzman a report from the Revisa firm that says that Fernandez has spent RD$40 million on publicity in the last two months. The PRD representatives say that the documentation provided makes it easy to prove that Fernandez is using public funds for his campaign.
PRD legislators have explained their absence from the 27 February speech at the National Assembly and Metro ride. Deputies Ruddy Gonzalez and Rafael Calderon said that they didn't want to be part of President Leonel Fernandez's "games" and added that their presence would have validated his "lies." They say that their absence doesn't violate the Constitution because the event was by invitation only and not mandatory.
Members of the minority PPR party, which was formed by PRSC dissidents who support President Leonel Fernandez's candidacy, are now showing differences within the party. At a meeting at the Hotel Clarion, Simon Tomas Fernandez was about to make the proclamation endorsing President Leonel Fernandez's re-election as was expected, when Mao representative Fausto Madera asked for the floor and the request was granted. As Madera began to speak, PPR members began to shout comments. Some members, angered at the situation, tried to leave the room and that's when things got dicey. Security closed the doors and PPR members began to throw punches. Despite the fact that Central Electoral Board (JCE) members were present during the meeting, the PPR was unable to proclaim Fernandez as their candidate for several minutes after the scuffle.
Dominican yachtsman Raul Aguayo has won one of the coveted slots open to teams representing the American continent in the Beijing Summer Olympics. At an event organized by the Dominican Sailing Federation to honor the best sailors of 2007, Aguayo said that he would make his best effort to bring a medal back to the DR. Luis Mejia, president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, praised Aguayo's family and the Dominican Sailing Federation for their support for Aguayo, which helped him accomplish the feat of being one of 200 athletes worldwide who qualified to the games.
Disney's High School Musical, the Ice Tour, will be in Santo Domingo at the Palacio de los Deportes arena of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center to delight young crowds in mid June. The Ice Tour is a one-and-only live fusion of songs, dance and team-spirited fun inspired by the smash hit Disney Channel Original Movie "High School Musical" and this summer's highly anticipated "High School Musical 2." The show stars a cast of world-class skaters who rock the house. Tickets will be RD$400-RD$2,500. The event is being promoted by Conciertos Saymon Diaz in the DR.
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