With 5000 people in the streets, it was a true passion with the participation of all the communities for this first big Carnival of Las Terrenas. After a preparation of several weeks, the motivation of everybody and a phenomenal work of everyone, we assisted, in a perfect harmony and a general joy, to an event classified as historical by the Ministry of the Culture of Santo Domingo. All our congratulations to the participants, the very enthusiastic population is already ready for the next year. The appointment is given ! CDs of the video of the Carnival 2007, with sale for the benefit of the Association will be available with Ybelises de León, Vice Syndicate of the Town council of Las Terrenas.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live
Nice Matin and Samaná
Last month, a very beautiful article on behalf of Nice Matin was devoted to the ecotourism, and could you guess where ?
Yes, in the Peninsula of Samaná.
When it is known that 80% of the excursions in the Dominican Republic are performed in the Peninsula of Samaná (Los Haitises National Park, the whales of the Bay, The Limón waterfalls, Playa Rincón, one of the most beautiful beaches in the World…), there is always a good reason to take a plane ticket for El Catey and to come to see us in Las Terrenas.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 03.03.07
The security of the school students, ensured by the Town council
Under development, 300 meters of sidewalks in front of the Sports Hall of Las Terrenas so that the students can circulate in total security from the center of the village to the College classrooms. An initiative of the Town council, greeted by the parents anxious to see their children going on the road, with increasingly important traffic in this double way street.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 03.03.07
Fernandez: DR-CAFTA historic opportunity
President Leonel Fernandez considers the start of the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement as a historic opportunity for the DR to transform its economic structure and face the increasing social challenges that have built up over the years. Fernandez in the Presidency web site saying that Today the foundations of a prosperous Dominican Republic are being sowed.
Fernandez said that the country’s entry into DR-CAFTA should be considered as a triumph for the Dominican state. He also credited the previous government for their efforts and said that the start of the free trade agreement demonstrates the benefits of continuing with policies that benefit national interests. President Fernandez formally made the announcement accompanied by US Ambassador Hans Hertell, Dominican Ambassador in Washington Flavio Dario Espinal and Industry and Commerce Minister Francisco Javier Garcia. Also present were members of the FTA technical team, Enrique Ramirez, Vilma Arbaje, Guarocuya Feliz, Jose Alfredo Rizek, Frank Castillo, Andres Vanderhorst Alvarez, and Roland Bullen from the US Embassy. DR-CAFTA was signed on 5 August 2004, between the United States and El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and the DR. Implementation is still pending in Costa Rica. 2. Buy from the USA The Dominican Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the United States Department of State have exchanged diplomatic notes, officially confirming the Dominican Republic’s entry into DR-CAFTA on 1 March at 9:30am. The agreement reduces tariffs on 77% of goods imported from the United States. As reported in Listin Diario, the cost of food and other consumer goods is expected to decline gradually once the new imports reach the market. US imports will now have an advantage over goods imported from China, Taiwan, Latin America and Canada. The effects of DR-CAFTA are already in evidence, with major supermarkets already importing new lower cost brands from the US.
DR1, 03.03.07
Orange installs 220 Kms of optical fiber network
With an investment higher than 10 million dollar U.S., the telecommunication company Orange currently installs an optical fiber network, from Santo Domingo to the Province of Puerto Plata, in order to improve its operations in the country.
According to the technicians, this modern system, named super wide strip data freeway, seeks to improve the Internet services and to interconnect in a more effective way the offices that are located in the Dominican Republic.
Diario Libre, 04.03.07
The El Catey Effect: reservation records in the hotels
The hotels of Las Terrenas record a March filling rate, going from 50% to 98% following the establishments (except for the “all-inclusive” hotels).
An end of promising season thus until the Holy Week in April when everything will be full like every year with the visit of the Dominicans of the Capital.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 05.03.07
Time for Arabian investments
Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso was guest of honor of the government of Saudi Arabia yesterday. A Dominican mission is visiting in Riyadh. A dinner in honor of the Dominican delegation was held at the Residence of Prince Turki Al Faisal Bin Abdulaziz. Among those present were Prince Saud Abdullah Al Faisal, president of the Saudi Investment Group; his Excellency Hassan Yousef Yassin, of the Kingdom Consortium; Deputy Minister of Petroleum, His Excellency Abdulaziz Bin Solman; and Kalid Bin Saud Bi Khaled and Mohamed Bis Saud Al Saud of the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Prince Turki Al Faisal has traveled to the DR on business and for pleasure and met with President Leonel Fernandez. There are plans to open a Dominican Embassy in Saudi Arabia and a Saudi Arabian embassy in the DR this year.
Others representing the Dominican government were Ambassador in Qatar Hugo Guilliani Cury, Ambassador in India Hans Dannenberg and energy businessman Rolando Gonzalez Bunster.
DR1, 07.03.07
Medical “Operativo” in the Come Pan Barrio
The operation of first need drugs distribution will continue on next Thursday, March 15th in the Come Pan Barrio. It will be the first medical operation coordinated by the Dominico Europea Association and the public authorities.
Ayuntamientoof Las Terrenas, 08.03.07
Security
In spite of all the efforts of the various security sectors (Police force, Associations…), in spite of the arrival of a new fiscal, a thefts recrudescence was noted recently.
Watch attentively. At the lesser suspicion you can call the Police at the 809 240 6022 or Michel de la Luz at the 809 805 5950 for the security of everybody.
Ayuntamientoof Las Terrenas, 08.03.07
International Woman Day
The international woman day, today, will be the occasion like every year since almost hundred years, in many countries of the world, to denounce the violence exerted against the women and the persistent inequalities in the work as in the domestic sphere.
Founded in March 8th, 1910 by an international Conference of socialist women in Copenhagen, who then asserted the voting rights for every woman, the International Woman Day is used indeed as the emblem of women fights against the violence, the inequalities and the injustice.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 08.03.07
Leonel will proclaim his candidature on next March 25th
On Sunday March 25th, President Leonel Fernandez will make the official proclamation of his presidential candidature for the Party of Dominican Liberation (PLD). For this event which will take place in the Olympic center, the President will make a speech to formally launch his presentation to the purple party presidential candidature of May 16, 2008.
Viviano De León, Listin Diario, 09.03.07
Breath-tests began
The Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) started before yesterday its tests of blood alcohol content in the whole national territory, by equipping its patrols with samples.
The General Major Sigfredo Fernandez Fadul, Director of the organization, explained that the agents will not make exceptions and the drivers giving the impression to be drunk, burning the red lights, making zigzags or driving at high speed, will be stopped and subjected to the breath-test.
Diario Libre, 09.03.07
Industralists of Samaná plead for a tourist plan
During the meeting of the Dominican Association of the Tourist Press (ADOMPRETUR), Orsini Bosch proposed a special plan for the municipality of Las Terrenas, that counts with a population of about 30 000 inhabitants, but which registered an absolutely disordered growth.
The Alliance of the Tourist Services Companies of Samaná proposed coordinated efforts between the State and the private sector, to promote an integral model of development in that province, and stood out that the new El Catey airport and the future highway that will shorten the distance with Santo Domingo, will represent a fundamental change for that tourist pole of the country.The province of Samaná is destined to become in the short term one of the most important tourist poles of the Caribbean, reason why we must be prepared to adequately orient that growth and to avoid as far as possible the distortions that are derived from those processes
explained Engineer Jose Oscar Orsini Bosch, President of the enterprise organization.
Orsini Bosch proposed a special plan for the municipality of Las Terrenas. He said that this agreement must include the Tourism Secretariat, the local Town council, the Commission for the Development of Las Terrenas, the communitarian leadership and the enterprise sector of the municipality.
When talking about the impact of the new El Catey airport and of the highway that is constructed between Santo Domingo and Samaná, he said that only in Las Terrenas, about two thousand new apartments for tourist and residential use are already in construction. He defined as impressive the interest for the province of Samaná from the national and foreign investors, and he explained that the Piñeyro Group, one of the most important Spanish tourist partnerships, has made investments in four hotels of the province, including in El Portillo of Las Terrenas which increased to 300 its room’s number.
In the meeting of Adompretur, presided by the journalist Manuel Quiterio Cedeño, also participated the deputy Jose Acevedo, the political commentator and lawyer Pedro Catrain and the contractors Alain Rodenfel and Véronique Banet, who focused on diverse aspects related to the social and economic life of Samaná.
http://www.diariodigital.com.do/articulo,13976, html
Diario Digital, 09.03.07
The trade unions will walk for a salaries increase of 25%
The President of the National Confederation of the Trade Union Unity, Rafael (Pepe) Abréu, said yesterday that all the trade union sectors will walk on next Wednesday to the Torre Empresarial of the Capital, to request from the employers’ sector a raise of 25% for the salaries lower than 30.000DR $, and that this could mark the beginning of a national strike if the request is not heard.
Hoy Digital, by LLENNIS JIMÉNEZ, 12.03.07
The fuel prices are still going up
For the sixth consecutive week, the prices of the gasoline, liquid gas and gasoil increased this Saturday. The gallon of Premium gasoline costs now 142.90RD $, that means a rise of 2.10RD $. The gallon of Regular gasoline increased of 2.40RD $ to be sold at 133.00RD $.
The gallon of Regular gas oil is reaching the price of 103.00RD $ with an increase of 70 centimes.
Finally, the gallon of Liquid Gas is sold to the public at 44.99RD $ with an increase of 92 centimes.
El Viajero Digital, 12.03.07
Evaluation of the tourism competitiveness in the country
Dominican Republic is at the 50th place in the Index of Tourism Competitiveness, according to the World Economic Forum, i.e. higher than the classification of Panama, Brazil and Argentina and at 1 point below Mexico.
The Forum evaluated the tourist pillars of competitiveness based on the rules and the regulations, environmental regulations, security, health and hygiene, infrastructure of air and terrestrial transports, competitiveness of prices, human, cultural and natural resources, among other variables.
According to the report, Switzerland obtained the first place, followed by Austria and Germany, in Central America, Costa Rica is above Dominican Republic with the 41st place, and in the Caribbean, Jamaica is at the 48th and Mexico at the 49th place.
The data were revealed yesterday by the Executive Director of the National Council of Competitiveness, Andrés Van der Horst Álvarez, who informed that the country is taking the 29th place in the World for its high qualification in human and natural resources, and the 5th place in the American continent.
Hoy Digital, by SOILA PANIAGUA, 13.03.07
Road signs soon in Las Terrenas
Not yet red lights or traffic circles but from April, we will see the first traffic signs in the village.
This marking will not permit anymore, for example, excuses from the absent-minded of the one way at the time of controls and will justify the fine.
Ayuntamientoof Las Terrenas, 13.03.07
130 consultations yesterday in Come Pan
An excellent coordination of the Town council of Las Terrenas, the Dominico Europea Association, the physicians of the hospital and the team of Domrescue allowed yesterday 130 consultations and handing-over of drugs to the inhabitants of the Barrio Come Pan in Las Terrenas.
This medical operation revealed two important points for the future, the slogan of Las Terrenas « Juntos Podemos » $vargives very effective results, the other point underlines a cruel lack of pediatric drugs.
We make an urgent request to the future tourists and residents returning from Europe, to transport the most children drugs as possible. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Were present at this operation:
Jiminda Castillo Physician of Domrescue, Stéphane Mouroux and Christian Wiedmer of Domrescue. José Alexis, Mayor of Las Terrenas, Ybelises de Leon and Bety Zuair of the Ayuntamiento, and José Jiménez for the security.
The voluntary of the Dominico Europea Association: Sabine Moalic, Martine Sichere, Dominique Jouan, Jean-Bernard Barrié, Hélène and Bernard Piriou, Anne Garnier and Angelo Leo. Maritza, physician and director of the hospital and Ana Dolores Sánchez, physician at the hospital of Las Terrenas.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 16.03.07
The Summit Conference asks the states to finance the fight against drugs
The Regional Summit Conference on Drugs, Security and Co-operation which took place in the country was concluded by a declaration asking the international States and Organizations to offer a financial, technical and training assistance to the countries of the Caribbean area in order to fight against the drugs traffic.
The Presidents of Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernández; of Haiti, René Preval; of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe, and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Manning, agreed to reinforce the exchange and the information sharing mechanisms between the competent authorities in charge of the law application.
Ramón Pérez Reyes for Listin Diario Digital, 16.03.07
Las Terrenas, Sport and Youth
The sports hall of Las Terrenas will be soon equipped with a tennis court and will be arranged for the basketball and the volley ball.
Favorite meeting place of the young people of the village, after the beach or the school, the sporty people are increasingly numerous and the teams are created, matches are played every day.
The people motivated in helping us to take part in the development of this other magic place, where the young people of the communities meet, are welcome.
The realization of a skate park and the creation of a Youth Committee are also foreseen.
Ayuntamientoof Las Terrenas, 19.03.07
A Franco Dominican College in project
An ambitious project under the aegis of the Consul Gerard Prystasz and in agreement with the Dominican Ministry of Education would give rise to a Franco Dominican College. The land, located behind the Rey supermarket would be the place for the future buildings construction, partly financed by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ministry of the National Education.
The file management was entrusted to Mrs Tribula, C.E.L.T. member.
Ayuntamientoand the CELT, 21.03.07
A drawings competition for Saint-Jean-de-Luz
The Dominican schools of Las Terrenas took part in a drawings Competition which will be sent to the Town Hall of Saint-Jean-de-Luz for an exhibition.
A first exchange very waited within the framework of the twinning and which will allow, we hope so, the beginning of a big and beautiful history between the children of the two countries.
Ayuntamientoof Las Terrenas, 21.03.07
Post Dom and Aerodom for your mail
You perhaps noticed this new mailbox in front of the Town Hall of Las Terrenas ? It is one of the 5 mailboxes put in place by Post Dom for the regrouping of the mail, forwarded daily by Aerodom to the Capital.
An electronics sorting center is then in charge of redistributing the letters towards the recipients or the international sending.
Ayuntamientoof Las Terrenas, 21.03.07
Miss Dominican Republic 2007
The contest to select Miss Dominican Republic 2007 is scheduled for Thursday March 22nd, Hotel Renaissance Jaragua’s Teatro La Fiesta. The event commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Miss DR beauty contest. Twenty contestants are seeking the right to represent the DR at the Miss Universe or Miss World events.
To view the contestants see http://antenalatina.antena-sin.com/miss.asp
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 22.03.07
El Catey enters in the statistics
The Central Bank of Dominican Republic announces the entry in the national statistics of El Catey Samaná airport, with a tourist flow of 2,43% over January-February 2007, what means 16133 tourists, in majority of Canadian origin.
Hoy Digital, 22.03.07
Investors trust the DR
Direct foreign investment in the Dominican Republic increased by 15.7% in 2006 and in addition, according to Hoy, during the last few months, investors have displayed an interest in instruments for investment provided by the Central Bank. This reflects a trust in the country’s economic stability and in the profitability of Central Bank certificates.
This type of investment also reflects the development and strengthening of the Dominican economy after the 2003-4 economic crisis when interest rates were as high as 58.45% and there was decreased confidence in the market.
Hoy Digital, 23.03.07
Massiel Taveras is Miss Dominican Republic 2007
The name of the winner of Miss Dominican Republic 2007 is Massiel Tavaras, she is 22 year-old, she comes from Santiago and she is following interior decoration studies.
Hoy Digital, 23.03.07
Fefita La Grande this evening in the Rancheta Típica
Singular and engaging figure, Fefita La Grande is certainly the most known Merengue singer in the World and she honors us with her visit.
Comparable to a Dominican Tina Turner, she was born on September 18th but her birth year remains unknown…
She remembers her first concert at the 7 years and her fee of 100 pesos (currently the equivalent of 5000 US $) at 9 years, offered by the brother of Trujillo, impressed by her talent during a representation.
This evening, Saturday March 24th, she will be in the Rancheta Típica, recently renovated, which is located 300 meters before the gas station.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 24.03.07
Closing hours : and Las Terrenas ?
Hereunder a summary article from Listin Diario, March 23rd.
FOR CLOSING TIMES
They will avoid the crisis in the tourist pole
SANTO DOMINGO – The President Leonel Fernández gave instructions to the Secretaries of the Interior and the Police, Franklin Almeyda Rancier, and of the Tourism, Felix Jiménez, in order to prevent that the tourist communities of Cabarete and Sosúa do not succumb because of the measure which limits the selling hours of alcoholic drinks.
Theses news were announced last Wednesday by the Tourism Secretary during a cocktail offered by the Spanish hotel chain NH Hoteles, managed by Gabriel Burgio, at the Ambajador hotel, to announce the construction of the Bávaro Real Arena y VIP Real Arena hotels, an investment of more than 150 million US dollars. We already met with the Secretary of Interior and Police Franklin Almeyda and we already discussed this topic. President Fernández gave us instructions for having an agreement in order to avoid an abnormal situation, which could make succumb the pole of the northern coast, especially Sosúa and Cabarete
, he said.
He revealed that they had already spoken about the theme on last Tuesday during a meeting which took place at the Armed Forces.
Listin Diario, BY Manuel Gilbert, 23.03.07
Prolongation of the alert on bad weather conditions
The strong rains of these last three days will be prolonged during all the week. The meteorologists recommend prudence on the roads, in particular in the plains of the country affected by the floods.
The Frog, 27.03.07
The Mahatma Gandhi Foundation and INFOTEP
The Mahatma Gandhi Foundation and the National Institute of Technical and Professional Training (INFOTEP) announce their alliance to offer technical and professional courses to the community.
The courses and workshops are opened to the private individuals and to the company’s personnel and will start as from April.
All the courses are free for the participants and the companies.
For any information, visit the website http://fundacionmahatmagand hi.com/InfotepFMG.html
Note: The Mahatma Gandhi Foundation is a non profit-making community development organization and is independent.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 28.03.07
El Catey, without stopping
Rumors ran as the El Catey-Samaná Airport would close in low season, it is not true, on the contrary.
New air lines have just programmed flights from and to the International airport Juan Bosch (El Catey), with First Choice, which will begin its operations on next May 24th. In the same way, a Portuguese line managed by a Spanish broker will begin its first flights in June.
Information obtained from Yolanda Mañan, Responsible of Communication of El Catey International airport.
Sylvain MAUFRAIS, Las Terrenas Live, 28.03.07
They construct modern substation in Sánchez
A modern substation with capacity from 14 MVA to 138 000 volts is being constructed in the municipality of Sánchez, province of Samaná, to improve the quality and the capacity of the electrical provision in all the Peninsula in the Northwest of the country.
The work, executed by the Spanish company ISOLUTS with the auspices and the supervision of the Dominican Electrical Transmission Company (ETED), is constructed for a cost of about 80 million of Dominican pesos with resources coming from the budget of the Dominican Corporation of State Electrical Companies.According to Saúl Santana, engineer and ETED executive vice-president, this substation will complete a ring with the substations of Nagua and Samaná and will be ready in April to supply stable energy in the zone and to have an exclusive circuit for the new El Catey International Airport.
http://63.134.202.225/app/article.aspx ?id=52270
El Nuevo Diario, 30.03.07