Prediction of an intense hurricane season with the formation of 17 tropical storms

She is detached from a campaign against the DR

The ambassadress of France in the country, Cécile Pozo di Borgo affirmed yesterday that they were American residing in the European Community who produced the video « Slaves in the Paradise », in which we can show the Dominican Republic acting with a slave system with the Haitians who work in the plantations of sugar cane.
The diplomat ensured that although she did not see the documentary, this campaign was promoted by a Nongovernmental Organization (ONG), which was not identified, by the means of several sponsors.

The video was diffused on last May 17th in Paris. It shows Haitians who reside in the country, especially in the sugar refineries, and who carry out tasks described as slave acts, causing the reaction of the international Community. The truth is that this is an affair which is not related to the French government. It has nothing to do with that. The documentary was produced by Americans in France, but I did not see it here, ensured Cécile Pozo di Borgo.

After having directed the opening of the Season of the French Law and Justice 2007, in which the principal civil servants of the Dominican judicial authority took part, Pozo di Borgo said that she understood the legitimate concern of the Dominican Republic at the time to defend its rights.

In addition to the Dominican legislators, the content of the video was rejected by religious people, companies managers, diplomatic representatives abroad, and especially by the Dominican consulate in France.

Hoy Digital, by ELVIS LIMA, 06.06.2007

The public prosecutor announces a « raid » to disarm the civil population

The public prosecutor of the Republic announced yesterday that he will start a « raid » to disarm the civil population, with the assistance of the principal security organizations of the State, the Armed Forces, the National Police force and other members of the Security National Council.

Radhames Jiménez Peña said that he understands the concern of the magistrate Jorge Subero Isa, president of the Supreme Justice Court (SCJ), and that he must proceed to a meticulous revision of all the people having a gun.

Jiménez Peña said that the firearm licenses must be carefully and individually revised in order to establish if the people fulfill the conditions to possess a firearm.

The purpose of the operation will be also to disarm the delinquents. He insisted on the fact that an effective purification of the people who hving a gun as well as a license must be done, operation which will be coordinated with the Department of Interior and the Police force. It will be like a disarmament, because the person who shows that he doesn’t have the condition to have a firearm will be immediately seized of his gun , he explained.

He considers that before delivering a firearm license to a person one must establish a rigorous examination to ensure that he has the necessary conditions for its possession. He affirmed that the persons who have firearms and do not have the license for their possession, must be not only disarmed, but must be subjected to the justice, for violation of Law 36 on the Possession of the Firearms.

He affirmed that the operations will be coordinated with all the organizations which are part of the Security National Council.

Listin Diario, 06.06.2007

Protecting the turtles

The International Humane Society has made a complaint against the DR for supposed mistreatment, capture and killing of turtles.

The group based the claim on a DR-CAFTA treaty environmental resource. Hoy writes that the complaint was submitted on 9 May, along with pictures, demonstrating that the country is violating DR-CAFTA environmental rules. Hoy writes that the Ministry of Environment was surprised at the claims, which could lead to an US $15,000 fine.

Environment Minister Max Puig says he has set up a committee in order to come up with a position on the situation.

The DR has 45 to 60 days to respond to the accusations.

In its defense the Ministry of Environment says that the Humane Society didn’t wait for a response before submitting their complaint and says that the ministry doesn’t have the funds to effectively enforce all environmental legislations.

DR1, 06.06.2007

The Government launches the Five-year plan of the Book and the Reading

The government launched yesterday the Five-year plan of the Book and the Reading 2007-2012 in the room Eduardo Brito of the National Theatre, plan consisting in fixing directives supporting the interest for the books and transforming the latter into vital parts for the development and progress.

During the meeting, President Leonel Fernández received the first specimen of the Five-year plan of the Book and the Reading, from the hands of the Minister for the Culture, José Rafael Lantigua.

Fernández was accompanied by the first Lady of the Republic, Doctor Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, who made the principal speech of the meeting during which the secretaries of Education, Alejandrina Germán, of High Education, Science and Technology, Ligia Amada Melo, and the education officer of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Doctor Roberto Reyna also gave a talk.

Cedeño de Fernández indicated that the Plan establishes the democratization of the book and of the reading as fundamental main line.

She explained that the equitable and universal access to the books will be provided to the whole population, independently of the age, race, social level, religious roots or political sympathies.

El Nuevo Diario, 06.06.2007

Las Terrenas under high surveillance – June 6th Meeting

Hundred people were present at the meeting which counted with General Bernardo Santana Paez of the National police force, Madam the Ambassadress of France Cécile Pozzo di Borgo, Gobernadora Elsa de León, the Mayor of Las Terrenas José Alexis, Colonel Sánchez of the National police force, Colonel Calderón of Politur, Commander Escolastico of the National police force and José Oscar Orsini Bosch of The Alianza Turística as principal guests.

José Alexis made a point by officializing his recognition towards the work of the Ambassadress of France and her support, in particular with regard to the security, by offering a commemorative plate of the Official Keys of the village of Las Terrenas to Cécile Pozzo di Borgo.
Among the changes, José Alexis explained that the Town Council of Las Terrenas and the Alianza Turística would ensure together the development of a strategic plan of security with the creation of a Municipal Security Council.
Other important projects, José Alexis announced changes in the new urban organization of the village with the displacement of the Town hall and the construction of new buildings, the realization of a municipal Park, and the strategic displacement of the National police force in a new building in the entry of the village for an absolute control of everything that occurs in Las Terrenas.

José Alexis also ensured that the Municipality and the citizens found a complete confidence towards the Police force and thanked General Santana Paez to have accepted the invitation.

Gobernadora Elsa de Leon has on her side supported the work of Colonel Sánchez de Samaná, of Commander Escolastico, Colonel Calderón of Politur, and thanked the presence and the interest towards the population of Las Terrenas of the various personalities present.

Mrs. Cécile Pozzo di Borgo wanted to specify that she recently met President Leonel Fernández, and that he is concerned about the improvement of the security of Las Terrenas.

Finally it was the turn of General Bernardo Santana Paez to speak and to present himself.

Born in Samaná, graduated in criminology in Puerto Rico and with a Doctorate made in Germany in Nuremberg, he lived in Austria and in Spain; he knows Paris and works for thirty years in the services of Police force.

He recalled that based on figures and analyses of the World Bank, that the Dominican Republic, since the arrival of President Leonel Fernández, had passed from 28 to 17 criminal murders for 100.000 inhabitants in one year between 2004 and 2005 and that this work of methodology continued to bring its results.

Concerning Las Terrenas, the situation was delicate but each investigation led to a result.

It proved that the attack of the hotel Pino de Austria, whose two attackers had been filmed with face discovered and dress up like police officers, do not belong to the services of Police force but that a call starting from a stolen telephone was made to a police officer who had to provide explanation on this fact. The vehicle used this evening was also found.

Two other individuals involved in other aggressions were arrested by the services of Police force and subjected to the Justice.

The General also explained that the services of investigations had the eyes opened and warned the possible delinquents of the foreign countries that their work did not stop with the Dominican delinquents, as shown with the recent arrest of an European in Las Terrenas, wanted by Interpol.

Continuing his intervention, the General confirmed to have come with a material and logistic help, five motor bikes today and five others the next week as well as vans, beds, etc.

He insisted on the fact that in any case an unspecified amount of money has to be paid to a police officer upon whatever request, specifying for example that for the fuel, the National police force paid 40 million Pesos monthly to Shell to ensure its displacements. Such a behavior on behalf of a police officer must be denounced to subject him to the Justice. In the contrary case, a good behavior must be announced in the form of collaboration so that this police officer is encouraged by his superior.

The General also announced that the next week in Las Terrenas the internal services of the Police force will arrive, responsible for the inspection and the surveillance, i.e. the Police force of the Police forces.

Finally he firmly insisted on the fact that, in the future, he would ensure the security of the tourists and the population of Las Terrenas.

To the question: Does the Police force have the right to enter in the public places such as bars and restaurants ?

Answer of General Santana Paez: The Police force, except for an intervention on a major fact and for the application of the law of the closing hours, does not have the right to enter in these places.
To the question: Is your presence here General the insurance of a « Protected Las Terrenas » $varas well as a change in the closing times of the public places which affect so much the Dominican Republic and Las Terrenas in particular ?
Answer of General Santana Paez: We work to guarantee the security in Las Terrenas, but as you know, the security is a problem encountered in the whole World, either in Germany or in the United States and even with a lot of police officers in charge for ensuring it. We have the will and we fight to ensure this security. With regard to the change of the closing times, I have the obligation to make apply this law but I do not have the faculty to withdraw it. On the other hand, I know that the Alianza Turística works in this moment on a possible flexibility of the hours and I hope that you will find a solution to your problem.

In the afternoon we were informed about the arrest of one of the four participants in the last aggressions and robberies of Las Terrenas, injured by a bullet to the leg, and then a few minutes later a second participant came to deliver himself to the Police force.

Editorial Staff, Las Terrenas Live, 07.06.07

Last minute, Barcelona – El Catey direct flight

Señor Paul SANCHEZ, Supervisor of the Operations of the Airport El Catey Samaná communicates the last minute confirmation that as from next July 20th a direct flight Barcelona – El Catey Samaná will be set up every Friday.
Last minute also: Air Italy ensures flights (confirmed or not every week of June) Milan – La Romana via El Catey every Wednesday, Arrival 13h35- Departure 14h35.

Editorial staff, Las Terrenas Live, 07.06.07 at 8:53 am

« La Avispa » de Las Terrenas gave himself up to the Police force yesterday

A known delinquent of Las Terrenas took the opportunity of the presence of the Chief of the National police force, General Bernardo Santana Páez, to give himself up.
Alcibíades Ramirez, alias « La Avispa », was accused to make various criminal acts and by the means of a Community leader and a brother, he decided to give himself up to the justice.
The Chief of the Police force announced to all the delinquents who wanted to disturb the zone that the Institution of the Order made of research on all the facts occurred in Las Terrenas.
A few time before, Santana Páez, accompanied by the Ambassadress of France in the country, Cécile Pozzo di Borgo, directed a meeting with owners of hotels and restaurants of Las Terrenas and were committed continuing to work together to decrease the delinquency levels in this important tourist zone of the country.

Diario Libre, 07.06.07 at 9:49 am

The first Encyclopedia of Dominican Art on Internet

In Dominican Republic the first Encyclopedia of Dominican Art appears on Internet, following the frustration of its director, Marlon Haddad, who during a business trip outside the country did not have success with the sale, because of the lack of information on the Dominican plastic artists on Internet.
From there, as explained by Mr. Haddad to the Nuevo Diario, it appeared the idea to create a Web site, to support the Dominican painters of national and international reputation. Currently, the Web site has information on more than 150 of the plastic artists of the country.
By announcing the page, http://www.galeriadeartedominic ana.com, he informed that the company provides also the platform and the contacts of the young artists to support the development of their works.

The artists wishing to be included in the virtual encyclopedia, can telephone to the 809-221-46 11 and 829- 250-9939, and provide their biographical data to be added to the other artists and to enrich the Art gallery by Internet.

El Nuevo Diarioby Francia VALDEZ, 07.06.07

Summary of the operations in Las Terrenas in the national press

Another article, published on El Nacional, related the various measures taken in Las Terrenas to ensure the quietness and the security of the village.
Cécile Pozzo di Borgo, the Ambassadress of France in the country, thanked the attention and the concern of the Chief of the police force to want to solve the situation.
As representative of France in the country, I am satisfied with the firm answer which the Chief of the Police force gave to the problems of delinquency which affected Las Terrenas, she said.

El Nacional, 07.06.07

The Dominico – Europea Humanitarian Association develops its actions

This week, on Thursday 7th, at the request of the school of El Limón, a team of the Association made up by Dr. Polanco (vice president), Dr. Helene Piriou, an optician Señor Monteja, Mrs. Anne Garnier, and Mrs. Claire Barrié and our President Serge Rousset, came to test the sight of the pupils of the school accompanied by their parents; 70 prescriptions were made. Then the glasses will be sent free from France. The Association made a point of carrying out this action before the closing of the schools for summer holiday in order to « test » our provisioning of France.

This operation will be renewed as of the start of the new school year and will make it possible to many children to be able to have a better sight and to learn under better conditions.

This donation of glasses adapted to each case, is exclusively carried out by an association managed by the Lions International: MEDICO-LIONS based in Le Havre in France. Each year, Medico-Lions recovers tens of thousands of pair of glasses to place them at the disposal of the Lions Club or humanitarian associations working in the whole world.

The Humanitarian Dominico-Europea Association

Expiry date to renew the authorization of the possession of a firearm

This Monday June 11th, the deadline to renew the authorization for the citizens who possess a firearm with a legal license expires, announced yesterday the Interior and Police force minister, Franklin Almeyda Rancier.
The civil servant said that from midnight, the non renewed licenses will be cancelled and that from this Tuesday June 12th to Thursday June 21st, a new deadline will be granted in order to renew the firearm renting.
He emphasized that such provisions are legal and conferred by article 27 of Law 36, on the business, possession and renting of firearms.
He expressed that on the 21st of this month, the automated system of the Interior and Police force will cancel the licenses, not only for the possession but also for the renting, without any possible negotiation.
He recalled that among 60.597 people who had expired licenses from last May 28th to last June 6th, only 20.227 regularized their situation, so more than 40.000 licenses have still to be renewed.
Among these 40.000 citizens, the licenses of those who did not renew before June 21st will be cancelled and the weapon will be seized.
The Secretary of Interior and Police force exhorted the interested parties to visit the Web page of the institution or to call the Call Center * 788, for more information.

Listin Diario, 11.06.07

New reduction of the fuel prices

The Secretariat of Commerce and Industry authorized yesterday a reduction of 2.80 RD $ and of 2.50 RD $ of the price of the fuels and of 0.30 RD $ and of 1.34 RD $ of the gallon of the Liquid Gas (GLP).
In agreement with the official report, from today the gallon of Premium gasoline is sold at 156.70 RD $ and the Regular at 145.70 RD $.
These fuels cost yesterday respectively 159.50 RD $ and 148.20 RD $. The price of the gallon of Premium decreased of 30 centimes, from 114.70 to 114.40 RD $, and the Regular of 70 centimes, 111.10 to 138,93 RD $.

Listin Diario, 11.06.07

Pura Vida Fun Tour in Las Terrenas from June 14th to June 17th

The team of Pura Vida invites from June 14th to June 17th the best world Kiters for an exceptional show in Las Terrenas.

Program of these 3 days: Navigation, Photography and video sessions (with Stance magazine, Kiteboarding magazine, Kitesurf magazine, The Kiteboarder, Kiteboarding DR., SBC Kiteboard, Espn, Stance TV, AXN, Adrelaline TV, Fuel TV…), Free session of Wakeboarding for the riders, Demonstration, Meeting and Free Party.
Complete program details on next Wednesday on Las Terrenas Live.

Editorial staff, Las Terrenas Live, 11.06.07

Almeyda accused of creating an unofficial Police

The president of the PRD, Ramón Alburquerque, accused yesterday the secretary of the Interior and of the Police force, Franklin Almeyda, to try to create a « parapolice » and to disadvantage the 33.000 members of the organization, who gain a basic wage.
Alburquerque indicated that the integration of 2.000 students with salaries of 3,000 RD $ per month would take part of the plans of Almeyda.
He indicated that instead of supporting the Chief of the Police force, General Bernardo Santana Paéz, Almeyda is only fighting with the high official.
He said that the civil servant also tries to create an unofficial police or an elite corps, while leaving with equal salaries the 33.000 members of the armed civil organization.
The president of the PRD explained that instead of fighting against criminality, the secretary of the Interior spends his time to import vehicles for the Police force which do not have spare parts here.

Hoy Digital, 11.06.07

Aristy Castro overtakes Eduardo Estrella and Toral

Yesterday evening, Amable Aristy Castro had the advantage with the 52.01% of the entered votes, of the internal elections for the presidential candidature of the Christian Social Reformist Party (PRSC), followed by Eduardo Estrella with 44.28% and by Luis Toral with 3.75%.
The results correspond to the first emitted bulletin at 22:45h by the Organizing Commission of the Primary elections of the PRSC, when 211 centers of vote had been counted, equivalent to 10% of the total.

The valid votes collected in this first bulletin amounted to 29.574, among which Aristy Castro obtained 15.382; Estrella 13.096 and Toral 1,096 votes.
Aristy Castro, in his commando of campaign, had been proclaimed himself winner of these primary elections with 65% of the votes.
The total of the votes in the first bulletin was 30.171, of which 587 were declared null.

To the first bulletin, it still remained to calculate 1.801 centers of vote, which is equivalent to 89.5% of the votes.
Toral and Aristy Castro were present during the announcement of the results, but not Estrella nor none of his leaders.

With the election of the presidential candidate of the PRSC, the electoral political scene will be completed for the elections of May 16th, 2008.
The votes started at 08:00h in the morning and closed at 17:00h.

Two other majority parties have already their presidential candidate. The Dominican Revolutionary Party with engineer Miguel Vargas Maldonado and the Dominican Liberation Party with President Leonel Fernández.

Hoy Digital, by Rosa Alcantara, 12.06.2007

The Prosecutor announces an enlarging of the prisons

The Attorney General of the Republic, Radhamés Jiménez Peña, announced the enlarging of the centers of correction and rehabilitation of Dajabón and Mao, in order that each one can receive 100 additional prisoners.

He wants also to improve the conditions of the prison of Montecristi, which does not belong yet to the new penitentiary model.

Jiménez visited the penitentiaries of Dajabón, Mao and Montecristi, in company of the director of the Prisons, Juan Ramón de la Cruz Martínez.
The prison of Dajabón is entitled for 123 prisoners, Mao for 275 and Montecristi for 250.

The director of the center of correction of Mao, Marino Papoter, explained that after the application of the new penitentiary model, the prisoners changed their behavior namely by having sharpened machetes and knives. He said that they are now trained in centers of data processing, sewing workshops, and bakery and for the agricultural production.
The office of the Prosecutor invested 110 million RD $ since the year 2005 in the reorganization and the construction of nine centers of correction and rehabilitation.

Diario Libre, 12.06.2007

43% of Dominican are in disagreement with the prohibition of infantile work

43 % of Dominican are in disagreement with the prohibition of infantile work and 55.5 % of them estimate that the activity of the children and teenagers produces a certain benefit, according to a study of the International Work Office presented today in Santo Domingo.
The report made public at the time of the World Day against Infantile Work, concludes that those which are opposed to the prohibition of this activity consider that it forms part of the training of the minors, the assistance in their social integration or is necessary to survive.

The last official data on infantile work in Dominican Republic, published by the Ministry of Work during the year 2000, indicate that 436.000 children and teenagers carry out some work activities in the country. The commerce, the dangerous agricultural activities and the tourism are the principal sectors for which these minors are working, although many other children and teenagers are involved in the « abstract market », which includes activities not quantified as shoeshine-boy, sale of flowers, sale in the street, prostitution and others.

Infantile work occupies, however, the sixth place of the Dominican concerns, after poverty; corruption; delinquency; unemployment and lack of authorities to solve the problems.

The researcher Radhamés Jiménez, one of the authors of this report, said during his presentation that the Dominican society asks for a vast public awareness on this matter.

In conclusion, Jiménez added that there is still a lot of work to achieve the goal that we fixed ourselves which is that no child is in conditions of work that prevent him his suitable personal development.

El Caribe, 12.06.2007

SEE and ONFED announce the rehabilitation of 28 schools with European funds

The Minister of Education (SEE) and the National Office for the European Development Funds (ONFED), subscribed a protocol for the rebuilding and the rehabilitation of 28 schools located in four provinces of the country, with an investment of 1,960,000.00 euros.

The agreement was signed by the secretary of Education, Alejandrina Germán, and by the ONFED, Doctor Onofre Rojas Gómez, in the presence of Jaime García, Counselor of Infrastructure for the Delegation of the European Commission and Enrico Schuffa.

The Program of Rebuilding of the Schools in the East, affected by the passage of the George hurricane, is carried out since the year 2000 with the financing of the European Development Funds. As well Germán as Rojas Gómez spoke with emphasis of the European Commission, which contributes to the improvement of education, by stressing the school infrastructure.
The Program of Rebuilding of the Schools of the East, in its second phase, has as principal goal to finish 28 schools, located in the provinces of San Pedro de Macorís, Hato Mayor, Altagracia and El Seibo, which in totality will offer 52 classrooms.

El Nuevo Diario, 12.06.2007

The Assembly invites the Reformist Party to finish the count today

The Central Electoral Assembly (JCE) required from the Electoral Commission of the Christian Social Reformist Party (PRSC) to give this evening the totality and not less than 80 % of the results of the primary elections.

The president of the Administrative Chamber of the JCE, Roberto Rosario, went this afternoon in the count centre of the PRSC in the hotel Dominican Fiesta, where he met with the Electoral Commission.

Before the meeting, Rosario said that he must follow the account and the bulletins and that the complaints of the candidates must be made in front of the Electoral Commission or of the Contention Chamber of the JCE, but that the process must continue. We are present today to strengthen the Commission, to approve it and to establish a clear profile of who is winning the primary elections of the reformist party . He said.

He explained that 97% of all the results at the national level were treated in the count centre of the PRSC and the JCE.
He emphasized that the Administrative Room does not supplant the partisan authorities They just print the documents which were scanned and the representatives of each candidate validate the acts and there was obviously a delay.

He said that the country can be quiet since the Members of the Reformist Electoral Commission Are honest, reliable and with good morality, this is why the Administrative Room of the JCE expressed to rely on the latter who promised to conclude the process.

Listin Diario, 12.06.2007

Delta opens an air route from Florida

The airline company Delta Airlines inaugurated its direct flight from Fort Lauderdale, in the State of Florida, to the International terminal of Las Americas, during a meeting which took place in the Cruise terminal of this airport.
With its new route Fort Lauderdale-Santo Domingo, Delta strengthens its expansion in Latin America and in the Caribbean, with low tariffs and more than 40 weekly flights which include the Dominican Republic and travelers of the whole world.

The company explained that with this direct operation in the south of Florida, Delta Airlines offers to the passengers not only a new connection with the United States but also one of the most awaited destinations of the Caribbean.

Alberto Porrazas, director of Airlines Delta, said that with this flight the airline company continues its process of transformation by beginning a new era in its long history. It is the first international flight that Delta Airlines carries out since the airport of Fort Lauderdale and that confirms that this flight will have a great success on the Dominican market and reaffirms our compromise with the development of the tourist industry of the country, he indicated.

He specified that this operation increases to 21 the number of weekly flights for Santo Domingo from Atlanta, New York and now Fort Lauderdale, with 47 weekly operations for the Dominican Republic.

El Viajero Digital, 12.06.2007

Indotel has the objective to install 30 rooms of data processing

The Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel), inaugurated two new centers of training in data processing in the Ateneo Amantes de la Luz and in the liceo-escuela Santo Hermano Miguel de la Salle, of the province of Santiago, equipped with a technological platform of 23 computers connected to high-speed Internet and to virtual libraries with access to more than 400 thousand books and documents.

The inaugural ceremonies were chaired by the Junior Minister and president of Indotel, Doctor Rafaël Vargas. With the new centers, 18 rooms of data processing are installed in the province of Santiago, where the institution aims to install 30 of these establishments. In addition to Doctor Vargas, were also present the senator Francisco Domínguez Brito, and Professor Elsa Brito de Domínguez, president of the arts centre which has just celebrated its 133 years of existence since its foundation on June 4th, 1874.

By pronouncing the words of welcome professor Brito de Domínguez declared that although Ateneo keeps with a solemn respect everything happened in the past, literature, history as well as the legend handed down by the founders of the Dominican nationality, the new directive of the cultural organization is opened with everything new, with what is contemporary and especially with this technology which fills an irreplaceable engagement in the scientific world and in the advance of humanity.

Doctor Vargas stressed that these centers open the doors to thousands of young people of Santiago who do not have the occasion to buy a computer, to pay an Internet account or to reach a virtual library with more than 400 thousand books and other documents.

He said that in these centers a free service is offered and the young people are trained on the handling of the computer, navigation on Internet, the use of the virtual library and how to learn English on line, since the principal requirement is that they develop and they exploit their potentialities and talents.

He stressed that it is envisaged to install between 20 and 30 big centers in Santiago, while some 300 rooms of data processing are already operational in the 32 provinces, and that consequently, three million Dominican will have access to Internet at the latest in December of this year.

Vargas exhorted that one preserves the historical documents of the Ateneo and suggested that one starts a process of digitalization of invaluable works which this arts centre has, like the General file of the nation, in order to preserve it for the rest of the life.

The conventions of co administration of the two rooms of data processing were signed, which will operate with 23 computers and which will provide their services to hundreds of young people of the areas of Santiago.

Diario Digital, 12.06.2007

El Caballo Tours Las Terrenas rewarded in Cannes

El Caballo Tours was rewarded in the Event Fair, the Heaven Expo 2007 in Cannes last March.

After 13 years of existence as receptive of business trips, of congress and seminars, the team of El Caballo Tours chose to put his ideas, his enthusiasm, his will and his competences to the service of an interdependent action, allowing the adequacy between a single event operation and a human action.

From this « Team building » activities were born, proposed as federator activities for the companies.

Much more than a team building, it was an adventure. The 500 medical delegates united their energies in a formidable team work to conclude the objectives set, in front of a population surprised and touched by this solidarity.
The success was immense. Result of the perfect orchestration of a logistics difficult to set up, this formidable day was the fruit of a close and positive co-operation between the agency and the receptive of course, but also with the authorities and the local organizations (Dominican Red Cross).

The rehabilitation of places of life is a noble project and gives a value to an event operation. The medical delegates were marked by this day when every of their actions was a gift.

At the end of the day, the children struck up songs in front of the park which the participants had built in one day and for them. Almost in tears, some would have liked to continue, continue, continue…

Editorial satff, Las Terrenas Live, 13.06.07

Punta Popy beach privatized ?

The beach of Punta Popy is currently the subject of a polemic on behalf of the owner of a small plot of this beach. Indeed, Popy Bermudez, owner of this plot and member of the Bermudez family, famous Dominican Rum, also owner of two national television channels, started a few times ago to enclose with cyclonic stitch the ground running along the road to Portillo, for a privatization.

Without the intervention on last Monday of the Mayor of Las Terrenas, José Alexis, accompanied by a mechanical digger and many Dominicans and Europeans of the village, this beach would have been definitively closed to the public.

Following a report filmed by the journalists of the channels of Popy Bermudez and broadcasted on those, the Mayor of Las Terrenas intervened a second time yesterday at midday but on Channel 10 of Las Terrenas, denouncing a power abuse , and reaffirming his will to make apply the Law whose terms are clear.
Informed of the intervention of last Monday, the President of the Republic Leonel Fernández phoned yesterday morning to José Alexis to have more information, and announced the arrival of journalists of the National Palace tomorrow in Las Terrenas to clarify the situation.

Alexis received many supporting phone calls on behalf of the population at the time of his televised intervention and it seems right now that the inhabitants of the village will be present at the time of the arrival of the cameras of the National Palace of Santo Domingo, so that the President of the Republic understands well that the local population does not certainly want to see its last and beautiful family beach taken away.

Editorial staff, Las Terrenas Live, 14.06.07

Return from holidays in Las Terrenas

Here some messages of the Forum of the Routard which please us:

(The original messages were written in French)

– Posted by Sascha on Friday June 8th, 2007 at 15:38

In the case you are traveling with a TO, don’t worry regarding your transfer to your hotel, is included in the stay. Now, concerning the beaches of Las Terrenas, sure that you won’t be disappointed… unspoiled, authentic…. Have a nice Holiday

– Posted by cy83 on Thursday May 24th, 2007 at 18:32

Super holidays. We traveled with Marsans in All Inclusive, zero problems, perfect holidays. Sublime desert beaches sublimes, calm water, a dream.
Just let’s go ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !  ! ! ! ! ! !

-Posted by Audrey on Tuesday May 22nd, 2007 at 23:32

Hello cy83, we spoke together a few days before your departure. I’m glad you enjoyed your trip in DR. It is really a small paradise this place of the country.
See you.
Audrey

– Posted by Marc Pierre on Friday March 30th, 2007 at 19:31

We are coming back from Las Terrenas, we have spend 10 super days. Nothing related with the All Inclusive. On the contrary, super cool atmosphere.
If you go to Las Terrenas, go to drink a glass in the Syroz bar, or to the bar of the Tropic Banana, you will meet all the well-known figures of the place.
We were in the Hotel Tropic Banana. Very friendly, very good food, we recommend it, cool and nice atmosphere. We hope to come back there at the end of June

– Posted by cy83 on Thursday March 22nd, 2007 at 20:32

That’s it ! I came back from Las Terrenas yesterday !
Perfect holidays ! Too much ! ! ! !
Hotel Viva Wyndham Samaná: excellent ! Room, food, top !
Las Terrenas and its inhabitants: super friendly !
Excursions with Stéphanie of Casa de Las Terrenas: I recommend her (whales, watching, waterfalls, los Haïtises..) !
Do not hesitate: come to discover this paradise !
Do not forget small gifts for the Dominicans who do not have a lot of thing…

Many thanks to everybody to having had the honesty and the kindness to leave these messages on the Forum.

http://www.routard.com/forum_message/989593/retour_las_terrenas.htm

Editorial staff, Las Terrenas Live, 14.06.07

A photographer journalist arrested for pedophilia

On Wednesday evening at 11h20 pm, a photographer journalist, of Spanish origin, Eduardo Orts Miralles, was arrested by the Police force in his residence in presence of 3 naked minor of 14, 11 and 10-year old.

The services of Police force which kept him under surveillance had the proof that this foreigner invited minors in his residence with the aim of taking photographs and to expose them on Internet.

Thus at the time of the arrest, the photographs and the videos of minor Dominican young people of Las Terrenas were found, presented during sex act with men, and in the morning of Thursday several testimonies were recorded by the services of the Inteligencia and the Politur of Colonel Calderón.

Editorial staff, Las Terrenas Live, 15.06.07

Time to grow with the Fundación Mahatma Gandhi

2007 Summer workshops for children and youth will start in the Fundación Mahatma Gandhi on June 25th.

You can participate as a volunteer, join us and help us to provide unmatched summer activities to our children and youth people.

For more details:

http://fundacionmahatmagand hi.com/Talleres_2007.html

Mahatma Gandhi Fondation, 18.06.07

Punta Popy, the beginning of a national affair

Telemicro and Channel 45, two national television channels, went to Punta Popy of Las Terrenas on Saturday morning, in order to note the beginning of the closing of the beach by Popy Bermudez (owner of the famous Dominican Rum) and his privatization project.

The population had been mobilized to express his dissension with this decision in front of the cameras and to emphasize the fact that the Law 305 establishes the maritime fringe at 60 meters, meaning a free use and access to the public.

Lawyer Antonio GARCIA GEORGE, defender of public rights, explained that the majority of the visitors, that they%2

Eight microseisms occurred these last 24 hours

The recorded earthquakes these last days are a reflection of the strong seismic activity to which the country is currently subjected.

During these last 24 hours, eight microseisms from 0.5 to 3 degrees on the Richter scale occurred, which are added to the four earthquakes of 4 degrees felt in the Cibao between the 4th and the 14th of this month, according to the data of the Institute of Seismology of the UASD.

However, the presence of earthquakes is not an element making it possible neither to forecast nor to dismiss a tremor on a large scale. Juan Arias, in charge of the Section of Data of the Institute explains that the frequent movements form part of the normal cycle of earthquakes of the country, and that the latter obey to the fact that the ground has a great quantity of accumulated energy which can be released constantly during the year.

Diario Libre, by Tania Molina, 17.06.07

Works start again in Punta Popy under the protection of the police force

Yesterday morning, the work of closing of the entry of the Punta Popy beach in Las Terrenas started again under the protection of the National police force, Politur and the Army. It was a sufficient reason to quickly create a peace walk demonstration starting from the Town hall around 16h.

After having walking in the Calle Principal to reach the Punta Popy beach, the demonstrators were in front of the police force, and blocked before the entrance.
Fortunately this peaceful demonstration did not degenerate and after discussion between the organizers and the police force everyone went out quietly.

But who sent the Police force and the Army on the spot ? How and by whom the engineers who close the entry are protected as no application for the work was deposited neither to the Town hall, nor to the Services of Tourism ? At such point that the Ministry for Tourism itself is playing like Ponce Pilate.

An investigation was required by the people of Las Terrenas to the Lands Court of Samaná in order to really explain the rights of recourse to the supposed owner.
Indeed, they are only speculations since nothing was really proven.

Editorial staff, Las Terrenas Live, 19.06.07

Decreasing fish and seafood prices

One of the incidences of the DR-CAFTA was to see since last week important reductions on the prices of fish, of molluscs and of imported shellfish, informed yesterday the President of the Dominican Federation of Tradesmen (FDC).
Iván Jesus García named the case of the filet of the grouper fish, that was sold between RD $90 and RD $120 for a pound, and which is now proposed to the consumer for around RD $50.
Other products which, according to García were recorded with a fall of price in the last weeks are the imported fruits, like the grapes, the apples and the pears.

Hoy Digital, by Aleida Plesencia, 19.06.07

President Fernández announces the purchase of planes in Brazil

President Leonel Fernández announced the acquisition of eight Súper Tucán planes with a financing decided with the National Bank of Economic and Social Development (BNDES), which will serve to fight against drug and illegal traffics.

The President made the announcement by visiting the Brazilian aeronautical company EMBRAER, which manufactures commercial and defense models.

He explained that in a world with so many challenges and dangers, it is necessary to possess the necessary equipment that allows making possible a major internal security.
The first two aircraft are supposed to arrive in Dominican Republic in December and the remainder will be delivered progressively. The financing will be covered with an increase of one additional dollar to the aeronautical and harbor tax which is perceived to each tourist entering in Dominican Republic. This increase, he explained, was implemented by decree of the Air Force.
These resources, explained President Fernández, will go directly to the official Banco de Reservas, organization which will then pay with the BNDES, of Brazil, and which finances the operation.
Súper Tucán is the last model manufactured by EMBRAER and is used for the drive, the monitoring and the military combat, explained an expert of the agent.
President Fernández justifies the operation by underlining the country need to guarantee a greater control and a security on its airspace, especially to control the international opiate traffic, as well as the illegal travels to Puerto Rico.
We saw that the territory of the Dominican Republic was threatened during the last years by favoring an increase in the drugs traffic and we need, obviously, to strengthen the security of our territory” , said President Fernández.
This type of aircraft can contribute to improve this situation , emphasized the leader.

The Súper Tucán planes are equipped with a ground and air radar system which allows a greater control of the airspace. Dominican pilots will be trained in EMBRAER in San Dos Campos, Sao Paulo state, as well at the academic level as at the maneuverability level of the plane, Fernández said.

Hoy Digital, by Manuel Jimenez, 19.06.07

The know-how of Boca Chica will be used to produce ethanol

President Leonel Fernández met yesterday with the representatives of the most important ethanol Brazilian companies and one of them announced an initial investment of 80 million dollars to transform the sector of Boca Chica into a factory for the generation of this combustible alcohol.

Sergio Thompson Flora, of Bioetanol Boca Chica S.A, said that the project seeks to integrate into the production of sugar cane, around 30.000 hectares located between Boca Chica, Guerra and Bayaguana, by also generating employment.

The factory would produce around 2.5 million tons of cane per year and it is projected that a great part of the extracted ethanol would be exported to the United States, country in which it would enter without tax thanks to the free commerce treaty in force between the two nations.

The investors consider that this ethanol can mix with the gasoline for its use in motor vehicles, said Thompson Flores.

Thompson Flores, who was accompanied by his partner Omar Bros, explained that the idea is to benefit from what exists today in Boca Chica and on this basis to build a factory with an ethanol processing capacity in Dominican Republic. He added that the factory would have a processing capacity of 400 million liters of alcohol per year.

Hoy Digital, by Manuel Jimenez, 20.06.07

Egg overproduction facing the sanitary conditions of the producers

The Association of Egg Producers (Asohuevos) faced a conflict of double nature.

On the one hand, an overproduction of 5 million of units per month without market. On the other hand, a conflict with new investors who accuse Asohuevos of monopole practices, and of violating the standards of Dr.-Cafta.

The members of the Association defend their space to make favorable the growth of their companies and confess that they lose money.
The conflict, which can affect a prominent growing sector, made the authorities aware of the cultivable grounds, who convened urgently the producers.

Asohuevos, presided over by Manuel Escaño, agrees that the new installations are not appropriate neither to breed laying hen nor for eggs production.
José López, Wilfredo Bautista, Víctor Abreu, Rolando Blanco, made theses comments in a meeting directed by the secretary of Agriculture, Salvador Chío Jiménez, who pled for a solution to the conflict, to unite the sector and to prepare competition within the framework of Dr-Cafta.

Listin Diario, by Modesto Rodriguez, 20.06.07

300 cruising ships per year in the ports of RD, including Samaná

The under-secretary of Tourism, Magalys Toribio, said yesterday that the arrival of cruising boats during the season 2007-2008 will finish with more than 500 thousand passengers and 300 ships.

Magalys Toribio estimates that with the arrival of the transatlantic liners the country will receive revenue of 60 million dollars for the economy of the country. She explained during a conference on the potential of development and economic impact of the cruising ports that between October-April, 256.165 tourists arrived in Dominican Republic on 139 cruising boats, and that in 2005-2006, 260 ships criss-crossed the Dominican waters with 300 thousand passengers.
She also explained that a study carried out recently calculated that the cruising industry brings more than 21 million dollars to the area.

The Dominican Republic, by its geographical position occupies a privileged place as transition harbor for other international ports.

The Business Research and Economic Advisors in a study of the cruising sector says that a stopover of a boat of 2.000 passengers and 800 crew members brings 190,476 Dollars to the city with the expenses of its passengers.
If we add the harbor and services taxes, every ship which arrives at one of the ports of RD brings nearly 260,000 Dollars to the area.
The average expenses of the passengers are of 98.1 Dollars, while the crew spends about 74.56 Dollars.

Finally she explained that the service of the ports of the Catalina Island and of Samaná will be ensured by companies of the private sector.

Listin Diario, 21.06.07

The municipal authorities are confronted in Las Terrenas

The Mayor of Las Terrenas and the Governor of Samaná are in confrontation concerning the lands of Punta Popy beach in Las Terrenas.

José Alexis Martínez accused yesterday the Governor Elsa de León, to use her influence and the police force to support a company manager, accused of wanting to appropriate for him all the littoral of the beach.
He recognizes the property right of this company manager but he claims the 60 meters maritime fringe considered as public domain by law.

Alex García, lawyer and representative of the Community organizations and of company’s managers of the area, said that the intention is to privatize the beach.

Diario Libre, 21.06.07

A civil servant of ONU denounces embezzlement in the protected area of Las Terrenas

A civil servant of the Dominican Mission to the United Nations (UNO) in New York denounced the fact that private companies and investors profit commercially of the beaches protected sectors of Las Terrenas in the tourist province of Samaná, by having a negative impact on the environment and by violating the law in force.

Erick Spinal, ONU Consulting Minister said to have already notified this situation by a letter sent to the Environment Minister, Doctor Max Puig, as well as during the last government of Joaquin Balaguer and to the Secretary of the Environment, during the first government of Leonel Fernández, Jorge Elías.
None of these civil servants took measures to prevent the land sales of the protected sectors of Las Terrenas, nor to prevent the construction of restaurants, hotels, cabañas, sales points and some holiday residences.

Spinal who illustrates with many pictures the denunciations, is wondering why in each one of these administrations nothing was done to face this problem.
The diplomatic civil servant is coming from Las Terrenas and is leader in New York of a section of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). In his communication with Puig, dated from last February 27th, Spinal says that he wrote to the Secretary of the Environment to denounce the progressive havoc of the beaches of Las Terrenas in the province of Samaná, specifically in the sector called « euphemistically » Fishermen Village.

On the beach some 25 restaurants were built. The latter pour their waste directly on the beach and a big part goes in the basement. I am not an expert in environment but where it exist places visited by thousands of people every month, there is a great negative impact on the environment and the maritime ecosystem, which was declared maritime sanctuary of humanity by some people in the United Nations , adds Spinal in the missive.

He stresses that in addition to these businesses, there are two restaurants which are making pizzas with oven, by burning firewood and directly affecting the neighbors with the smoke.
Profiting of the fact that there were fishermen who had built their yagua, cana and zinc little houses, and that they used them for their housing and for fishing as subsistence means, foreigners in complicity with local authorities and with the Navy, bought these houses without title documents and reorganized them to establish their own businessr, said the ONU civil servant in the denunciation report.
He indicates that these places are infested of rats; of cucarachas and that none of them has a health certificate to be in activity. He recalls that the current Environment Minister visited one of these places during his stay in Las Terrenas and saw the situation with his own eyes.

Spinal also lodged a complaint to the Sindico of Samaná, but this one said that he found the situation like this, and promised to him that during his management, no other trade would be built in the sector, but he also announced that he doesn’t want to intervene in the problem. He declares that the embezzlement in the Fishermen Village started during the last government of Balaguer and that inspectors were sent to stop the constructions, but the next day, they continued attacks to the environment and the use of the beaches of the Dominican people in complicity with the local authorities.

One of the defenses of the storekeepers established in the zone is that they produce employment for the population, but according to the civil servant of UNO, by eliminating these businesses one would produce triple of the working stations which exist today.

Investments were paralyzed because they (tradesmen) occupy the beach in an illegal way, the denunciation underlines.

He said that, impassive Navy civil servants observed illegal constructions on the beach.

Spinal announces that this ecological damage is an attack to one of the most important national heritage of the country, the beaches.

Diario Libre, 20.06.07

Expulsions in National police force is already reaching 767 members

The National police force expulsed and laid off 767 members of this institution to have made serious faults, including 742 with the ranks of sergeant and lance sergeant.

According to data’s provided by Lieutenant General Bernardo Santana Páez, Chief of the Institution, these expulsions take part of the purification process which is performed in the National police force.

294 were laid off for bad conduct and 208 were laid off and subjected to the ordinary justice. In the same way, the same sanction but with processes in front of the police courts was applied to 208 agents of the same rank. Of the latter, 21 were degraded, from whom 14 were transferred to the ordinary justice; 11 police officers were expulsed for accumulation of faults.

The New National police force

Regarding the efforts which the Police force is making to improve the quality of its agents, Santana Páez explained that, at the National School of Citizens Security, 119 future police officers who receive training are university students.

The members of promotion 105 of this school attend the first semester of education, electronics, legal sciences, marketing, industrial engineering, medicine, data processing, pedagogy, modern languages, companies administration, accounting, civil engineering etc..

From these police officers, 87 carry out their studies at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), 18 at the O& M, six at the Technological University of Santiago (UTESA), three at UNICARIBE, and three at the Higher Institute of Agriculture (ISA) and at the Central University of East (EUA).

Hoy Digital, 24.06.07

Leonel Fernández came back from a tour in Miami and in Brazil

President Leonel Fernández returned to the country before yesterday after having managed a work program in Miami, in the United States, and in Brazil, where he obtained a series of agreements, between them the financing for the purchase of eight Super Tucan planes and the installation of an ethanol production factory in Boca Chica.

During his travel, the President contacted investors for the production of bio fuel, the modernization of the Dominican television, a fishing free zone park in Azua, as well as the installation of a textile factory and a bilateral exchange in superior education.

In his voyage to Miami, he inaugurated the connection office for the promotion of the DR-CAFTA agreements, under the direction of Doctor Ausberto Hidalgo. Leonel Fernández, in official visit in Brazil, was received by President Luiz Inácio (Lula) Da Silva in the Planalto Palace, where he signed an agreement for the production of bio diesel and a plan of audio-visual co-operation which will strengthen the bilateral exchange in this sector.

In this Capital, he also supported exchanges with the presidents of the Senate, Ramón Calheiros, of the Deputies Chamber, with Arlindo Chinaglia and with Ellen Gracie of the Supreme Federal Court. He also met with executives of the Federal Service of Data Processing, whose members are interested to invest in the country.

In Rio de Janeiro he visited the executives of the National Bank of Economic and Social Development of Brazil, institution which approved the financing for the acquisition of the Super Tucan planes.

Diario Libre, 24.06.07

New intervention of the doctors of the Dominico Europea Humanitarian Association

On Saturday June 23rd, a team of 15 people of the Association, under the guidance of President Serge Rousset, went to El Rancho Español for one day of medical consultations with drugs distribution, sight controls and distribution of clothing.
Doctors Miguel Polanco, Hélène Piriou, Jean Bernard Barrié and the physician of Domrescue carried out the consultations; the team of the Hospital French pharmacy, Sabine and Clarissa served the prescriptions; Claire and Manon worked at the sight controls; Rachel continued her study on the cardiovascular diseases; Patricia, Martine, Michele, Niña and Denis distributed clothing.
Hundred medical consultations and 38 prescriptions of glasses were carried out.
Another operation is already programmed in July in another place of the province.

Humanitarian Association Dominico Europea, 25.06.07

The Vice-president affirms that State and Society must fight the inequalities

The Vice-president of the Republic, Doctor Rafaël Alburquerque, insisted yesterday in New York, on the need for articulating the economic policy with the social one with the aim of transforming the electoral democracy into one of the vastest citizen democracies.

He announced that it is necessary in Latin America to exceed the dichotomy State-Market to have a new relation between the State and the society, able to go ahead with an effective struggle against the social inequalities.

The Vice-president made his speech yesterday during the Forum of Strategic Social Thought of Latin America, held by the Program for the development of the United Nations in New York, with the participation of Amartya Sen, Nobel Prize of Economy.

The Forum, organized by the United Nations, examined during all the day the key social matters for the continent, by stressing the programs which must be applied to achieve the Development Goals of the Millenium, particularly with regard to the reduction of hunger and poverty.
Doctor Alburquerque said that Latin America carries more than two decades of democratic governments, and lived times of growth and of great improvements in important sectors like health and education, but that the degrees of inequality, poverty and unemployment remain important, by causing questions of vital importance about the relation between democracy, development and policy.

For the Vice-president of the Republic, the persistent inequalities in Latin America are threats for the stability of the democratically elected governments, this is why they must start, as making by the Dominican government, the programs of social protection which tend to mitigate the effects of poverty, as much as the reinforcement of education, health and environment.

The Forum of Strategic Social Thought of Latin America was held in the presence of Rebeca Grynspan, Regional Manager of the PNUD for Latin America and the Caribbean; Antonio Ocampo, General Secretary of the United Nations for the Economic and Social affairs; Bernardo Kliksberg, Principal Adviser of the General Management of the PNUD for Latin America and the Caribbean, with the active participation of the Vice-president of Costa Rica, Kevin Casas, with Prime Minister of Peru, Jorge del Castillo and the Social Affairs Ministers of Latin America.

The Forum was developed on Monday and Vice-President Alburquerque was cordially congratulated by the participants, who praised the successes reached by the Solidarity Program, which was the subject of an examination during the event.

El Nuevo Diario, 25.06.07

A journalist asks for the modification of the Law on the Protected Sectors

The journalist Geraldino González said that it is urgent that the various sectors of the country agree to amend the Law on the Protected Sectors in order to restore with the national parks more than thousand kilometers removed by the preceding National Congress to benefit to politicians and local and foreign investors.

This indication was made during a conference on the natural resources and on the environment, which took place in the Bristol Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland.

This conference organized by the Union of the Dominican Residents in Switzerland was attended by diplomatic representatives, delegations and organizations of various Latin and European countries.

González said that the Government of the Dominican Liberation Party is obliged to restore to the country the lands of the national parks, bird’s refuges, natural monuments and other zones which were distributed to politicians, legislators and investors by approving and promulgating the Law on Protected Sectors which is current in Dominican Republic. En vigueur

During this conference, Elvio Martínez, Director of the Union of Dominican in Switzerland, exhorted the Dominican residents of Geneva to not forget the defense of the natural wealth of the Dominican Republic.

The principal living room of the Bristol hotel was too small to welcome all the Dominicans living in Switzerland and who came for the conference.

At the end of the speech of González, several Dominican expressed their considerations for the care of the environment, among whom Carmen Ovalle, who is living in Switzerland from 15 years.

El Caribe CDN, 25.06.07

Cancellation of 26.000 authorizations for the firearms possession

The Secretariat of Interior and Police force cancelled the license for firearms possession to 26.000 people who did not renew their authorizations until last Thursday June 21st.

By a publication in its Internet page, the Institution revealed that only 7.496 people on the 33.598 who had their authorizations valid until Thursday 21st, last date granted by the Secretariat for the citizens to renew their licenses for the firearms detention, regularized their situations.

In the official statement which announced the expiry date to renew the detention, the Secretariat of Interior announced that they will seize the firearms of the persons who did not renew their authorizations.

It establishes that these provisions have as legal framework the attributions conferred by article 27 of Law 36 on the Business, the Possession and the Detention of Firearms, to the Secretary of Interior and Police force.

Diario Libre, le 26.06.07

The Public health delivered 42 incubators to the services of maternity

The Secretariat of the Public Health delivered yesterday 42 incubators and other neonatal equipment to various hospitals having a maternity.

While delivering the equipment, the under-secretary of the Public Health, Nelson Rodriguez, said that in this way it would be possible to decrease the infantile maternal mortality. He stressed that with the delivery of these 42 incubators and other equipment at the public hospitals, the country will reach the level required by the indicators of the Pan-American Health Organization, which is to have at least an incubator for each thousand new born.

In addition to the equipment, it was delivered to each maternity a handbook of handling procedure for new born with complications. He also explained that the present administration delivered in totality to the public hospitals 197 incubators, 77 cradles of intensive care and 17 transportable incubators, instruments to provide oxygen to new born, 50 heart monitors, laryngoscopes and other equipment. Reanimation devices were also distributed.

Although he did not specify the figure, Rodriguez said that the cost of the equipment is almost ten million pesos.
He explained that the infant mortality is mostly related to neonatal problems; this is why in addition to the qualification of the medical staff, more technology is needed, and this is why the authorities began to deliver equipment and devices to maternities.

He specified that neonatal mortality in the public sector is 22 to 23 cases for 1000 new born, while the national average is 30. However, he stressed that in 2005, neonatal mortality was of 32 cases for 1000 new born, two points more than in 2006. Rodriguez indicated that the high index of mortality of new born is in connection with the premature births and the great number of pregnant teenagers.

The under-secretary of Health declared that the premature children tend to have respiratory problems and infections, but these cases decrease substantially because we carry to all the public hospitals the necessary material and training to decrease this type of mortality.

Hoy Digital, 26.06.07

Pieces of Scipion sunk in Samaná Bay will be recovered

Cayo Huesos, Florida. The Company Deep Blue Marine Inc, announced the preparation of photographs, to locate and recover the important French warship, the Scipion, which sank on October 18th, 1782, in Bay of Samaná, in Dominican Republic, after a great naval battle with the English boats London and Torbay.

Scipion has a courageous and impressive history. It was one of the 20 boats that France sent in America to take part in the independence war of the United States.
It was encircled in the Chesapeake Bay blockade, from August 28th to September 9th, 1781, action considered as decisive in the independence war of the United States by several historians.

Tragic battle

The analysis of the historians differs on the road taken by Scipion. In agreement with one of the versions, the boat crossed the Channel of La Mona, when it was seen by two English boats.
The English shortened the distance which separated them from Scipion and its escort Sybille, a frigate of 40 guns, and started an unequal battle, because the English boats had 98 guns on London and 74 on Torbay. However, the French ship, under the command of the captain de Grimoard, operated superbly, but whereas it moved for a better defensive position, it struck a coral head and sank at 30 feet of depth.

The shipwreck

Currently, the ship rests with an angle of 15 degrees in the ocean floors and the greatest part of the boat is covered of sand. Some of the guns seem to point like defending the ship.
Tracy Bowden discovered the boat and recovered sufficient elements to identify it. From January of this year, Terry Leonard, Deep Blue researcher, found more than 1.000 pages of vital information on this shipwreck, including the plans, the history of construction, the list and the possible loads on board.
Among the elements recovered by Bowden there are guns, five bottles of wine and other objects.
Wilf Blum, Deep Blue Marine manager, affirms that the United States has a big gratitude debt towards this boat, its captain and its crew, and he said that they project to begin the recovery of the ship as soon as possible.

Shock of empires

At this time, 1781, France, under the command of the General Laffayette, fought with the Americans against the English and had the richest colony in the world, Haiti, localized in the Hispaniola Island.
The Caribbean was an imperial border in these times.

Diario Libre, 27.06.07

Samaná will be at one hour from Santo Domingo with the new freeway

The freeway Santo Domingo-Samaná will be one of the works which will allow the tourist development of the communes and the run-up for important projects in the sector of the Peninsula.

The new freeway in construction will allow Nagua, Cabrera, Abreu, Playa Grande, Las Terrenas and others to be developed and to collect thousands of visitors who every year are looking for nice places to enjoy sand, sun and sea. The « boom » is about to occur in the zone, and this way, in addition to the fact of allowing a fast transfer to the zone, offers to the travelers an amazing spectacle with its landscapes surrounded by green mountains.

Tourist company’s managers ensure that this road opens great opportunities for the zone, this is why the economic impact which will take place cannot be quantified, although they advance that the principal factor constitutes the coming closer of Santo Domingo with Samaná.

The freeway offers to the nature lovers the possibility to be in the heart of the protected sector of Los Haitïses and to enjoy its virgin areas, without the need to devote more than one day to cross the most attractive points.

According to Freddy Perez, Public Works secretary, it will be the most beautiful way of Dominican Republic.

The road is crossed by eight rivers with bird’s songs and whistle of the wind.

This tracking is made without large curves, precipices nor hills, because it is a right road between mountains. Its design allows a journey from Santo Domingo to Samaná in only 106 kilometers and less than one hour, which contributes to save fuel.

The ex president of National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (Asonahores), Enrique de Marchena Kaluche, predicted the positive impact of the freeway in tourist terms.

He considered that the integral development of this province and of the communes of Sánchez, Nagua, Cabrera and of the close zones will be impressive.

Listin Diario, 27.06.07

The Environmental Police force will supervise the road Santo Domingo-Samaná

Environmental policemen will have the responsibility to supervise the road Santo Domingo-Samaná, in order to prevent the invasion of waste.
The idea is to preserve the vegetation, mainly in the zone of Los Haitïses, which is a protected sector.

According to engineer Armín Ricardo García Acuña, general manager of the consortium of the North-East freeways, the foresters will avoid possible invasions, because once in function, the way will increase the traffic of vehicles in the zone.

The contractor, with the secretary of the Public Works, Freddy Pérez, carried out a course in the way where the work is carried out and will be terminated, according to the forecasts, in the beginning of 2008.

The last year was inaugurated the portion between the Las Americas freeway and the Mella road, meaning 13 kilometers where will be the toll. The project includes 2 tolls and 12 little bridges in totality.

In July of this year the three-quarters of the work will be done. Tolls will be located at Mella-Monte Plata, and Monte Plata Bayaguana-Cruce Rincón de Molinillos. The road will benefit directly the Communities of San Isidro, Guerra, Bayaguana, Monte Plata, Boya, Sabana Grande de Boyá, Majagual, Guaraguao, Arenoso, San Francisco de Macorís, Nagua, Sánchez and Samaná.

Diario Libre, 27.06.07

Agreements DR – US to protect the humpback whales sanctuaries

The Dominican Republic and the United States decided to associate the sanctuaries of the two countries with the purpose to protect the humpback whales, one of the most endangered species in the world.

The agreement signed by the Dominican Environment Department and the American National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), associates the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary of Massachussets (USA), with the Sanctuary of Marine Mammals of Samaná, tourist zone of the North-Eastern Dominican coast.

The convention will be announced by the Dominican Environment minister, Max Puig, and by the sanctuary of Massachussets supervisor, Craig MacDonald.

According to an official statement of the local Department of the Environment, the agreement will strengthen the refuges of the road followed by the humpback whales every year in a travel of more than 3.000 kilometers.

The initiative is the first world program to protect a marine mammal threatened in the extreme refuges of its annual migration . In the same way, it tries to increase the coordination in the efforts of management between the two sanctuaries and to help to improve survival of the humpback whales in the North Atlantic”.

The two sanctuaries are a critical support for the life of approximately 900 whales, which spend the spring and the summer in the food grounds of the Stellwagen Bank before leaving towards the hot water of Dominican Republic where they stop to mate and to give birth to their babies.

By means of the agreement, the two sanctuaries will explore new ways to collaborate with efforts of management, including joint research, follow-up, education and programs of capacities reinforcement.

Long-term researches indicate that the same individuals who spend the summer in New England (USA) spend the winter in Dominican Republic, said MacDonald in the official statement.

The agreement, according to MacDonald, is a big step which brings us closer with the objective to ensure the health of these threatened species” . In the same way, Puig ensured that the initiative of conservation of the humpback whales is a « model » for the area of the Caribbean.

In agreement with the minister, the Dominican Sanctuary of Marine Mammals is the first of its category situated in the area. Hundreds of whales traveled between January and March to the Samaná Bay from New England, Newfoundland, Greenland and Iceland.

Diario Libre, 27.06.07

« Tiempo de Crecer », Mahatma Gandhi Fondation

We have a full house, instead of the previously announced limit of 100 kids per day, we have been swamped with 140 of them ! ! ! We’re happy (that means less kids on the streets), but we lack adequate support to keep those numbers. If we don’t get help we may have to send 40 kids home everyday. If you have the time to donate at least 3 hours one day of the week (9 am-12) please contactd us at 809.386.3086. Otherwise we could try to hire someone for US $150 for the entire month as a helper (we could use 4 additional helpers) even when everybody else is a volunteer and we have a team of 18 people. Thanks for coming to help us, THANKS, THANKS.

ALSO: If you have a VCR player that uses European format we could use it to show children’s videos. We have received a large donation of Disney films in VCR format but we don’t have the player, if you could donate one it would be greatly appreciated.

José BOURGET, Mahatma Gandhi Fondation,28.06.07

Tourism and Politur will be in charge of security

The Secretariat of Tourism will implement a modern surveillance system in Cabarete, Sosúa, Las Terrenas, Samaná and Juan Dolio, in order to increase the security level of the tourist zones.

The announcement was made by the Tourism Secretary during the lunch of the Coripio Communications Group, where he communicated the details of this project.

Felix Jiménez explained that the security system will be similar to the one in function in the town of London, in England, and which includes an investment that he did not specify.

We are already preparing the terms of reference in order to submit them, because President Leonel Fernández communicated that he wants, as soon as possible, that Politur and the Secretariat of Tourism are able to assume the security in the tourist zones .

Jiménez said that the President considers that the tourists are not responsible for some situations; this is why it is necessary to preserve their lives and their free mobility.

« From this point of view I am sure that we will be ready, in the next months, to extend the program which will start in Cabarete, the first zone where Interior and Policía Minister will modify the jurisdiction to eliminate drinks sales control.

Although the minister did not express on the decree which restricts the sale of alcoholic drinks, there are sectors of companies which require a flexibility of this measure because it affects the profitability.

Hoy Digital, 29.06.07

Opret is already installing the railroads of the Subway of Santo Domingo

The first 400 meters of railway of the Subway of Santo Domingo were placed and five of the 16 stations are almost finished, informed the spokesman of the Office for the Reorganization of Transport (Opret), Leonel Carrasco.

The civil servant announced that at the end of November the first cars will arrive.
He ensured that the construction of this first stage of the work is done within the planned schedule, and estimated that 30% of the work is remaining before ending.

The railways are installed in the route which goes to Avenue Hermanas Mirabal, between the Isabela River and Villa Mella.
The bridge which will cross the Isabela River, parallel with the current trajectory, is still in construction.

Stations: The civil servant indicated that five stations are awaiting the installation of the staircases and the electric components to finish them, while for the ten other underground stations and one on the level of the street, works continue as planned.

The Subway has two lines of separate ways on 14, 2 kilometers.

Each way comprises two rails and they are two teams for installing 30 meters daily. Since the end of last May, French engineers of the Sin and Tso companies supervise the installation work of the ways which reach already 300 meters. The installation was started in the station of Isabela to the Mirador Norte, in Polvorin, Northern Santo Domingo. These installations, as well as electromechanical parts, are supported by international companies committed for the construction.

Tso, company which installs the rails, is a company which has more than 50 years experience worldwide on the market, for the supply and the installation of structures of this type of works.

The Dominican engineers are in charge of the installation of the concrete, under the responsibility of engineers of the Subway of Madrid. Installations of the telephone, electric cables and the places of transformers, will be under the responsibility of the German company Siemens.

Work will have an emergency electric generator installed by the Spanish company San Paúl, which is making the installation and the provisioning of 18 turbines which will produce around 30 megawatts, as an alternative in case of electricity breakdown.

The Subway will be initially supplied by Palamara and Ege Itabo Haina.

Regarding the tunnel, Leonel Carrasco informed that in a few days it will be finished in a total way, and the section which goes from the Central station of Los Héroes to the Abraham Lincoln station is only missing few meters to make the interconnection.

Listin Diario, 02.07.07

Increasing prices of edible oils

The Association of the Wholesalers Storekeepers and the Council of National Commercial Supply denounced yesterday a new increase of 10% and 12% in the price of edible oils, and indicated that it is the fifth increase of this product for the beginning of the year.

Jorge Morales, president of the Association of the Wholesalers Storekeepers, and Julian Antonio Parra, president of the second organization, said that the oil can of 30 pounds increased from 650 to 690 pesos.

The gallon increased from 10 to 15 pesos and the small bottle of one pound between two and three pesos the unit.

This indicates that the retailers will have to increase the price from 8 to 12%, explained Morales.

Last week the 5 gallons bottle of water increased from 45 to 47 pesos. The companies of bottlers explained this inflation because of the electric powers and fuels rising prices.

El Nacional, 02.07.07

The Chief of the National police force have a special support for the security in Las Terrenas

The Alliance of Tourist Services Businesses of Samaná thanked the chief of the National Police force for his decision to have reinforced the security services in the North-East province with the assignment of 18 official young people trained in the National School of Citizens Security.

The juniors who will finish soon their specialized studies were introduced by the Director of the police Academy of Hatillo, in San Cristóbal, colonel Luis Rafael Cáceres, during a commission of Directors of the Alliance, with its president, engineer Oscar Orsini Bosch; the executive director, Milly Pérez; the coordinator of the Security Committee of the Alliance, Dalkis Santana and the inspector of Samaná working in Las Terrenas, Major Escolástico.

The representative of the Security of the French Embassy, Mr Dos Santos, was also present for the ceremony.

Orsini Bosch thanked Lieutenant General Bernardo Santana Páez for the support offered to the Communities of Samaná and Las Terrenas in order to improve the public security in the zone.

El Nuevo Diario, 02.07.07