Anyone who has lived in the Dominican Republic for any period of time knows Law 241: the Traffic Law. Now, the Senate has approved some important changes in the law on driving on the DR's main roads, especially Duarte, Las Americas and the Eastern Highway. The modifications were written by Santiago senator Francisco Dominguez Brito, and concern two important issues: The first is driving in the right lane, using the left lane for passing. The second involves improvised crossings on major divided highways. The modifications also establish ecological protective zones along 75 meters of either side of the highways. In places where the land is government owned, the ecological strip could be extended by up to 500 meters.
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) Administrative Chamber yesterday ordered the government to put a stop to the so-called CB payrolls ("CB" refers to the PLD party Comites de Base - or Base Committees). Resolution 001-2008 instructs the Treasurer, the Controller General and the Banco de Reservas to take all necessary steps to put an end to this practice. In a visit to the JCE yesterday, PLD party representatives denied that there was any such thing as the "CB payroll" despite the startling investigation revealed by television journalist Nuria Piera two weeks ago. Nonetheless, the JCE has instructed the Treasury, the Controller General and the Reserve Bank to "work in coordination" with all the government dependencies mentioned in the case, and to put an immediate halt to the payment of checks to the party faithful. The institutions mentioned included the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Dominican Agrarian Institute (IAD), the National Institute for Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI) and the Santo Domingo Water Works (CAASD).
The Senate of the Dominican Republic has approved a US$70 million loan package for road rebuilding and maintenance on the one hand, and for the emergency programs dealing with the effects of Tropical Storms Noel and Olga on the other. Both loans, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), were submitted to Congress by President Fernandez, and have a six-year grace period.
The Santiago commission of eminent professionals that looked at the events before, during and after Tropical Storm Olga told a press conference yesterday that the government's official report was a cruel joke and an insult to the intelligence of the people of Santiago and the nation. The Santiago commission also called on the government to identify those responsible for the dozens of deaths and the RD$5 billion in damages suffered by the city and the surrounding areas. The commission included Rafael Corominas, a former Minister of Public Works, Orlando Franco, geologist and civil engineer of international repute, and Erving Vargas, the former president of the North Region of Codia, the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Topographers. The Santiago group said that the official report avoids going into detail about the lack of coordination that precipitated the disaster, and they went on to say that if they (the official committee report) had done so, "they would have had to confirm that the authorities of the Dominican Corporation of State Electrical Enterprises (CDEEE) and the Dominican Enterprise of Hydroelectric Generation (EGEHID) imposed their criteria on the committee, more interested in the economic value of the water stored in the dam than the value of human lives in the danger zones." The Santiago commission added that "the legitimacy and credibility of a commission does not come from a governmental administrative memo, or the high positions held by its members, but rather from the professional quality and history of public service of it members."
The Dominican Medical Association (CMD) has launched its 72-hour work stoppage at the country's 172 public hospitals and clinics as well as the 13 Social Security hospitals. The central issue is the government's refusal to authorize an increase in salaries, pensions and posting by opposition. CMD president Waldo Ariel Suero told reporters at a press conference yesterday that the doctors' demands are not politically motivated as was being suggested by Public Health Minister Dr. Bautista Rojas Gomez. During the strike the doctors will only deal with emergency cases and intensive care patients. Suero recalled the promises that were made by the same government under similar circumstances in November 2006. Suero is repeating as president of the CMD. His past presidency was marked by several strikes and few achievements in favor of public health and the physicians themselves.
The new ambassador from the Holy See, Bishop Josef Wesolowski, was welcomed by the Dominican Council of Bishops during a mass at the First Cathedral in the New World in Santo Domingo. Dominican Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez welcomed the new ambassador, thanking Pope Benedict XVI, and expressing the goodwill of the members of the council, the priests, the deacons and the faithful towards the new emissary from the Vatican. The president of the council of Bishops, Santiago's Archbishop Ramon de la Rosa y Carpio, said that the new ambassador wanted to renew his priestly duties before the Dominican clergy, and expressed his best wishes for a successful tour of duty in the Dominican Republic. Wesolowski was born in Poland in 1948 and consecrated as a bishop in 2000. The new ambassador carried a blessing from Pope Benedict XVI for the Dominican faithful.
UNICEF has called upon the Dominican population to consume only iodized salt. According to a press release from the United Nations Children's Fund, only 20% of salt sold in stores in the DR is really iodized, despite what it says on the label. UNICEF provides a simple test for iodine in salt: Simply put some salt on a paper napkin, sprinkle it with lemon juice and squeeze it. If the napkin turns blue, the salt is iodized. If it remains the same, it is not. The information is part of a new program by UNICEF called "Consume Iodized Salt or Nothing" and is sponsored in the Dominican Republic by the Ministry of Public Health. Iodine deficiency is linked to learning difficulties and health problems in children.
The price of a metric ton of re-bar for construction has risen by 17% in just three weeks. Known as the "atado" in Spanish ('a bundle'), the price of 2,226 pounds of steel re-enforcement bars has increased by RD$7,800 in the last 23 days, going from RD$46,000 to RD$53,800. The price increases are attributed to rising oil prices and the rising costs of freight hauling. Listin Diario interviewed Ildefonso Vasquez, the vice-president of the Hardware Association, who said he was worried because the situation cannot be controlled by the government, and the rising costs of the most basic construction supplies could affect many of the largest projects now under way. Vasquez also told reporters that the worldwide demand for steel is one of the driving forces behind the price increase. Local, smaller, hardware store owners told reporters that other articles that use steel are also increasing in price, as well as electrical wiring. In combination, these factors are slowing down local construction projects, the bread and butter of smaller hardware and building supply businesses.
The Attorney General of the Dominican Republic has sent 31 inmates from the Puerto Plata Model Jail to "real" jails throughout the country, including the infamous 15 de Azua. The 31 inmates had staged a riot in the model prison, where conjugal visits are allowed and specialized prison guards, not police or army personnel, are on duty. Radhames Jimenez Pena told reporters that the ringleaders did not accept the new rules of the model prison and demanded even more privileges. Jimenez told reporters, "This is unacceptable. In the new model penitentiary every inmate is equal." The Puerto Plata facility houses 445 inmates but only 20 started the riot by burning mattresses and damaging sanitary facilities.
The police have arrested two men and are looking for a third in connection with the murder of Eunilde Feliz Ruiz last Thursday in Santo Domingo East. The thugs were trying to steal Mr. Feliz' motorcycle.
The police have identified Victor Manauris Riveras or Victor Jose Rivera Garcia, 22, a.k.a. Pompi, and a 15-year old youth as two of the three who took part in the killing. According to newspaper reports, Rivera Garcia admitted firing the shots that killed Feliz Ruiz. The police report says that the trio was not able to steal the motorcycle because a police sergeant saw what was going on and intervened, firing several shots at the assailants. The police are looking for a second youth who was reportedly carrying the weapon used and who was supposed to return the gun to its owner.
According to PRSC party leader Federico Antun Batlle, tomorrow's summit meeting between the opposition parties is almost confirmed. The main purpose of the meeting is to take a long, hard look at the accusations of government use of public funds in the election campaign, nearly snuffing out any efforts by the opposition to achieve effective media coverage for their candidates. Nonetheless, two organizations have not yet confirmed their attendance: MIUCA and the PRSD. However, Antun Batlle told reporters that PRSD leader Hatuey de Camps would be attending the summit.
Manny Ramirez, the Dominican slugger who plays for the Boston Red Sox, proved once again why he is worth so much money. In the first game of the new season, Ramirez drove in four runs, including the winning run in the tenth inning, as the Red Sox defeated the Oakland Athletics 6-5. Ramirez' two doubles and four RBIs earned him a million yen bonus as the Most Valuable Player of the event. The Dominican newspapers carry headlines saying, "He is worth the money". Ramirez enters the 2008 season with 490 homeruns, 473 doubles and 1608 RBIs, as well as a US$20 million paycheck.
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