Archive for June, 2018
Dominican Rum Festival in Puerto Plata
PUERTO PLATA.-The first Dominican rum festival to be held in Puerto Plata on July 6 and 7, an event that will offer its participants a wide program of activities that will include tastings, seminars, conferences, artistic presentations, tour and gastronomic events, all designed to highlight the influence of rum, a drink that will be the main protagonist of this event.
The Dominican Rum Festival will feature the participation of the most important rum companies in the country and international guests, as well as a varied list of local and international artists, including Eddy Herrera, El Prodigio, La India Canela, La Fefita Grande, Narciso and Krisspy and a closing by Víctor Víctor with La Vellonera and Gilberto Santa Rosa (El Caballero de la Salsa).
During the two days, in the afternoon, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in exhibitions and conferences. For this first version will be as guests the renowned Dominican chefs, Carlos Estévez and Miguel Faxas-Flores Guzmán, who will elaborate a diversity of dishes that will reflect the flavor and the exquisite touch that adds rum to haute cuisine.
It will also be developing the paper entitled: “Rum in Dominican cuisine.” In the gastronomic area the public will also be able to taste a variety of fast food options that will be offered by the Pop Food Fest.
Another attraction that lovers of good rum will enjoy is the conference “Tabaco y Ron”, by the renowned Chilean rum master, Philip Ili Barake, who was regional ambassador of the Zacapa Rum. Also as an exhibitor has been confirmed to the Dominican Ramón Acevedo, winner of the third edition of the National Cocktail Cup, who will speak on “The use of rum in the cocktails of the Caribbean.”
It was also reported that a call has been opened for the contest called “The art of mixing”, in which bartenders, university students and amateurs can participate by preparing a cocktail that is distinguished by its originality, flavor and presentation.
The winners will receive 30 thousand pesos in prizes for the first place plus a weekend for two people with two tours included in Puerto Plata, 15 thousand for the second place plus a weekend for two people in Puerto Plata and 5 thousand for the third place plus a day-pass for two people in a hotel in Puerto Plata. All participants will receive a certificate of participation.
The Dominican Rum Festival is organized by the Tourist Cluster Puerto Plata Destination and the expert tourism wholesaler, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, the Board of the Amphitheater and the sponsorship of the Senator hotels, Emotions by Hodelpa, VH Hotels, Amhsa Marina, Puerto Plata Village and Viva Wyndham V Heavens.
The tickets are available at Uepa Tickets sales points, at CCN Servicios, at the National Supermarkets, at JUMBO, at Ticket Express and at the offices of the Tourist Cluster of Puerto Plata.
Source: Puerto Plata Digital
June 7, 2018
Haitians use Dominican documents to migrate to other places
A significant number of Haitian immigrants in the Dominican Republic who benefited from the National Foreigner Legalization Plan (PNRE), and were able to obtain identity documents, use these very documents to obtain the legal means to request visas to go to other countries, particularly South America, according to the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development.
Economy Minister Isidoro Santana said that the Haitian immigrants benefited by the plan now have an easier life, job stability and access to public health and education plans in the Dominican Republic. Santana said that today Haitians by the thousands enter and leave the country regularly. The PNRE has not ended, with most of the beneficiaries hold only temporary documentation because they have not secured proper identity documents from Haiti to complete the process.
Santana recently had announced results of the 2017 National Immigration Survey (ENI-2017). He added that the survey makes evident that the issue of migration is being taken very seriously in the country. He said that regardless of whether the foreigners are here legally or illegally they need to be taken into account. He highlighted that if there is an outbreak of a contagious disease, there is no distinction if the blood is from a legal resident or not and therefore public policies need to be created with this segment of the population in mind.
The poll determined that 87% of immigrants, and 95% of the Haitian immigrants, are not protected by health insurance. The Dominican public health service does not require health insurance to provide services. The poll indicated that 42.4% of the foreign workers are unskilled.
For the survey, 270,000 persons were polled.
Source: DR1, Elnacional
June 7, 2018
8.3% of people living in Dominican Republic are foreigners
According to the second National Survey of Immigrants 2017 (Segunda Encuesta Nacional de Inmigrantes ENI-2017) there are 847,979 foreigners living in the Dominican Republic, or 8.3% of the total population. Of these, 570,933 of the immigrants or 87.2 % are Haitian and the rest are from Venezuela, the United States, Spain and Italy.
Looking at this year’s figures compared with 2012, there has been primarily an increase in the number of Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants. The government reports the survey showed an increase of 46,300 foreign persons, or 2% more than results shown six years ago by ENI-2012.
The report, which was presented on Tuesday, 5 June 2018 at the Presidential Palace, shows that 66.4% of the Haitians in the country live in urban areas and 62.9% are male.
39.5% of the foreigners are from 20 to 34 years old; 69% reside in urban areas.
The ENI-2017 poll revealed that 33.8% of the Haitian population works on farms, 26.3% in construction, 16.3% in commerce.
The research also showed that the largest numbers of Haitians live in Pedernales (27.3%), Montecristi (26.7%), Elías Piña (24%), Valverde (21.9%), El Seibo (19.6%), Dajabón (14.9%), La Altagracia (16.7%), La Romana (13.6%), Puerto Plata (12.4%), Independencia (11.2%), Barahona (10.8%), Santiago Rodríguez (10.3%), San José de Ocoa (10.3%), the National District (8.6%) and Bahoruco (8.4%).
The survey, which was conducted from 15 August to 18 October 2018, was financed by the United Nations Population Fund, through a sponsorship of the European Union. Also participating were the National Statistics Office (ONE), under the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD)
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
June 7, 2018
Another skylift could connect Santo Domingo West to city metro
According to the Mayor of Santo Domingo West, Francisco Peña, President Danilo Medina is in favor of the construction of a skylift will be built in the municipality of Los Alcarrizos to connect to the Duarte Highway metro station. Five stations are being considered. Originally, an underground metro line had been contemplated.
Mayor Peña said that the main station would be located in Los Alcarrizos, in Puerto Blanco. Others would be located in Hato Nuevo, at the Manoguayabo crossroads, Las Palmas de Herrera and the Km. 9 of Duarte Highway.
Mayor Junior Santos of Los Alcarrizos has also spoken out in favor of the skylift solution. He said around 500,000 would benefit from the construction of the skylift. The project also includes the construction of a bus terminal.
The Santo Domingo Skylift crosses from Gualey on the western side of Ozama River to Los Tres Brazos on the eastern side.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
June 7, 2018
Government to build multimodal transport station for northern Santo Domingo
Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo says the government is working on the construction of a major multimodal transport central station for the northern entrance to Greater Santo Domingo. The center would serve as a distributor for ground transport headed to 14 provinces in the central Cibao region, Greater Santo Domingo with connections to the Santo Domingo Metro line 2, OMSA buses and an eventual skylift to connect Los Alcarrizos.
As reported in El Dia, President Danilo Medina would make the announcement of the Estación de Transporte Interurbano del Cibao on Thursday, 7 June 2018. The bus operations located on the rotunda of Duarte Highway Km 9 and those at Enriquillo Park off Av. Duarte in the National District would be relocated there.
Castillo told El Dia reporters that this would reduce traffic congestion in the National District. The investment is estimated at RD$450 million and is contemplated in the 2018 National Budget. The URBE governmental unit would build the skylift. URBE recently delivered the construction of the first Santo Domingo skylift over the Ozama River.
Source: DR1, Eldia
June 7, 2018
Tuk tuks being introduced in the Dominican Republic
Following the introduction of Ground Transit Law 63-17 that prohibits children under 8 from riding on motorcycles, the National Federation of Motorcycle Taxi Drivers (Fenamoto) has begun a pilot scheme to introduce the “Mototaxis”, “Margaritas” or “tuk tuks” to Greater Santo Domingo.
This is a motorcycle with three wheels and a roof and capacity for four people that is already being used in several towns and cities in the country including Manzanillo, Navarrete, Dajabón, Mao and Monción as well as in tourist areas such Puerto Plata.
In Greater Santo Domingo they are in operation in San Pío X Street in the Renacimiento area where they travel to Los Cacizcagos, in Isabel Aguiar (Pintura) and the Universidad del Caribe.
According to Oscar Almánzar, president of Fenamoto, they are safer, more comfortable, and they will have wi-fi in the future.
Almánzar said that the idea is to have feeder routes to the Metro and other express routes and they are in discussions with Franchesca de los Santos, director of the National Institute of Transit and Ground Transport (Intrant) on the plan.
On the downside, the tuk tuks cost more than double the price of a motorcycle at RD$195,000. This puts them out of reach for most motorcycle taxis drivers.
Source: DR1, Eldia
June 6, 2018
Women under-represented in the DR political system
According to a study called “More Women, More Democracy; Challenges for Gender Equality in Politics”, the Dominican Republic is among the countries with the lowest representation of women at the ministerial level and in 2017, was the fifth lowest country in the region with women only holding 17.3% of the ministerial positions with the regional average being 24.55%.
Nicaragua is the country with the highest representation of female ministers at 51.7 %, followed by Chile with 39.1%; Costa Rica with 38.1%, Colombia with 29.4%; Bolivia 29.2%; Ecuador 27.8%; Peru 27.4%; Paraguay 25%; Cuba 25%; Panama 23.5%; El Salvador 23.1%; Uruguay 20%; Argentina 19% and Brazil 18.2%.
They are followed by the Dominican Republic at 17.3%, Venezuela 16.3%; Mexico 13.6%; Guatemala 11.8% and Honduras con 11.1%.
In the country there are 23 ministries with only four female ministers in 2017 and this year it has dropped to three, which are Higher Education, Science and Technology, Youth and Women. In 2017 looking at deputy ministers, there were 25.78% women and 74.21% men.
In the decentralized state institutions, 13.68% were run by women and 86.31% men.
There is a similar situation with overseas Dominican ambassadors with only 18.18% being women.
The study concludes that women are underrepresented in all senior political positions despite the equality established in the Dominican Constitution, and the objectives of the 2030 National Development Strategy and international agreements.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
June 6, 2018
DR ranked 86th of 156 countries in Happiness Report
The Dominican Republic ranks 86th of 156 countries participating in the Sustainable Development Solutions Network of the United Nations’ “2018 Happiness Report.” The report was released in March 2018 but only now is being reported on in the local media.
The UN conducts the landmark survey annually and ranks 156 countries throughout the world on the happiness levels of their people. The DR ranked below Trinidad & Tobago (38th), Belize (49th), and Jamaica (56th) in the Caribbean.
The overall rankings of country happiness are based on the pooled results from Gallup World Poll surveys from 2015-2017.
According to the report, Finland people are the happiest. The US ranked 18th on the happiness scale.
The survey is based on six key factors that the organization understands support the well being of people everywhere. These factors include the income of a country’s citizens and how much freedom do citizens have in making life decisions. Also considered in the index is the trustworthiness in the country’s government, or in other words, how officials measure up in the area of corruption. Likewise, how much social support is available to citizens. The citizens’ health and life expectancy are also considered.
http://worldhappiness.report/download/
Source: DR1, Worldhappiness
June 6, 2018
Taiwan to lend US$150 million to Haiti
After the announcement of the Dominican Republic severing relations with Taiwan to sign on with the People’s Republic of China, the President of Haiti visited Taiwan. Taiwan media report he is returning with promises for US$150 million for infrastructure projects. The funds are expected to be used to develop rural power grids in the impoverished Caribbean nation, Taipei says.
Haiti is now one of just 18 countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/polic…cture-projects
Source: DR1, Scmp
June 6, 2018
Last updated January 23, 2026 at 4:16 pm