Archive for July, 2018
Given the current situation in Haiti with violent protests, the Dominican Customs’ Agency (DGA) has said that their offices in Jimani and Dajabon will remain closed.
Port-au-Prince and other locations are still being affected by violent protests including the Haitian customs agency located in Fond Parisien, near Jimaní, which also led to the decision of the DGA.
The protests are due to the 49% increase in the price of fuel that was to go into effect last Friday, 6 July 2018. Although the increase in fuel prices was reversed on Saturday, 7 July, the protests continued across the country leaving at least three people dead.
However, on Monday, 9 July 2018, the bi-national markets in Jimani and Pedernales (southwest) and Dajabon (northwest) operated. Defense Minister Rubén Paulino Sem said that security along the border had been increased.
Source: DR1, Eldia
July 11, 2018
French ambassador in the Dominican Republic, Jose Gomez, says that France is interested in collaborating for the construction of hospitals in Haiti to reduce the number of birthing tourism to the Dominican Republic, but the government of Haiti has not been interested in that happening.
“Yes, we are very interested in helping, with the support of the European Union, to create health centers so that the Haitian women who are about to give birth do not have the cross the border and be admitted to Dominican hospitals,” he told Diario Libre.
Gomez said the problem is that those centers have to be built on Haitian territory and “the Haitian government has to express interest in the matter and up to now they have not conveyed their support for such an initiative. Then it is very difficult to do this project, but on the other hand, we are willing as French and Europeans to develop those health centers, but we need the support and interest of the Haitian authorities.” he said.
He said he understands how burdensome it is for the poor border towns to receive all the Haitian citizens that cross to give birth.
“I understand that the building, equipping and staffing health centers in Haiti can be an effective strategy to serve Haitian citizens, but the Haitian government has to help. That is out of our hands.
He said French Guiana had a similar problem, when many women from Surinam crossed and a hospital was built in Surinam so that the women did not have to cross the border.
Source: DR1, DiairoLibre
July 11, 2018
Dominican political leaders in New York, Manuel Féliz and Germán Ramírez Jr., have filed an appeal to the Constitutional Court urging that the Tax Agency (DGII) to stop the order for airlines to include tourist card fees from Dominicans residing overseas in the airline tickets.
The new ruling was implemented by the DGII on 3 April 2018 when airlines were instructed to collect the US$10 tourist card charge as part of the price of airline tickets. Dominicans need to apply online or in person for a reimbursement.
Féliz and Ramírez Jr. say this is one more example that the Dominican government is navigating up a creek without a paddle due to poor administration and that rather than applying policies of austerity the Dominican government continues to abuse Dominicans living overseas.
They go on to say that if the cost of this card is multiplied by the number of Dominicans coming to the country each year, the amount is millions of dollars. Most Dominicans will not bother to go through the procedures for a reimbursement.
There are now eleven complaints about the measure that have been filed at the Constitutional Court.
Source: DR1, Eldia
July 11, 2018
Tropical Storm Beryl has dissipated but the remnant tropical wave brought intense early morning rain and thunderstorms primarily to the southern coast of the Dominican Republic. Greater Santo Domingo endured heavy rains and residents awoke to flooded streets. Hundreds of morning activities, including early morning exercise classes and summer camps, have been cancelled as people have stayed home to deal with the flooding and damages caused by the intense rains. The government announced the suspending of operations of the Santo Domingo Skylift that crosses over the Ozama River.
The director of the Emergency Operations Center (COE), General Juan Manuel Méndez, during a press conference at the Presidential Palace on Monday, 9 July 2018, had expressed hopes Berly would continue to weaken as it crossed the Caribbean.
The tropical wave effects began to be felt as early as the afternoon of Monday 9 July 2018 when wind gusts were felt. The weather forecast was for moderate to strong rainfall and wind gusts in the southeast of the country.
Due to this forecast, the COE has issued a green and yellow alerts for 20 provinces of 31 provinces.
Gloria Ceballos, director of the National Meteorological Office (Onamet) has said that they are expecting rain of up to 100 millimeters in some areas with the most rain falling on Tuesday and Wednesday, 10-11 July.
Operators of small boats are warned to stay near the coast and the population is warned to follow the orders of the civil protection organizations.
The US National Hurricane Center has also warned that the conditions are such that Beryl could regenerate as a hurricane as it approaches the Bahamas.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
July 11, 2018
According to Global Findex, the database on bank accounts around the world, 55% of Dominicans older than 15 years old already has a bank account. This is above the Latin American average of 54% and that in 13 Latin American countries, including all in Central America with the exception of Costa Rica.
Alejandro Fernandez, of Argentarium, says the formal market demands, better banking regulations and the new banking subagents located in pharmacies and corner grocery shops explain the boom in numbers of people with bank accounts.
He said as the income level increases, more Dominicans will open bank accounts. Nevertheless he said across the board Dominicans complain about the high cost of banking services, but only 38% of those who do not have a bank account said it was why they haven’t opened an account.
The study also revealed that 19% of Dominicans kept savings in a financial institution, but the same percentage kept their savings with a traditional “san” or with a relative.
Global Findex is compiled by the World Bank. The database is the world’s most comprehensive data set on how adults save, borrow, make payments, and manage risk. Launched with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the database has been published every three years since 2011. The data are collected in partnership with Gallup, Inc., through nationally representative surveys of more than 150,000 adults in over 140 economies.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
July 11, 2018
Friday (July 6th), following the announcement on the social networks of a significant increase in the price of fuel at the pump the people spontaneously took the streets to release their anger and protest in violence.
In the middle-class neighborhoods, many shop windows and windshield have been broken by stones by angry demonstrators who accused the Head of State of being at the service of the IMF and not of the Haitian people. Several cars were burned including a vehicle of the National Police of Haiti (PNH)
Throughout the afternoon, there was a lot of tension in the capital, people panicked to find shelter or return home. Port-au-Prince’s main thoroughfares were blocked by barricades of inflamed tires, of rock, old vehicle carcasses and tree trunks. Traffic was paralyzed and most businesses closed.
The situation was particularly tense in Pétion-ville, near the residence of President Moïse, but demonstrations were also held at Delmas, Lalue, Nazon, Champs de Mars, Sofa-green, Bon Repos, Leogane Portal, Carrefour Marassa, Kenscoff among others.
Witnesses report at least two victims killed by bullets at Turgeau. In addition, a security officer was allegedly lynched by a group of hooded individuals while attempting to force a barricade erected by protesters.
During this day of violence, the PNH was rather discreet…
Saturday evening, tension remained in several neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince where traffic was impossible because of the many barricades and various objects strewn the streets. Violence has also been reported in Cap-Haïtien, Les Cayes, Jacmel and Petit-Goâve among others …
Several commercial buildings, including supermarkets were attacked, particularly on the axis of Delmas, on the outskirts of the capital. Beginnings of looting were observed, while the presence of police on the streets was minimal. The Delimart Super Market in Delmas 30, has faced stone throwing and individuals set fire to the Market court requiring the intervention of firefighters.
On Saturday, in front of the hotel and on the parking lot of the Best Western Hotel, several cars were burned by unidentified individuals, same situation reported to the Oasis hotel.
A start of fire has also been reported at the Coca Cola plant…
Michel-Ange Gédéon, the Director General of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) confirms the burning of at least two police stations and several police cars.
Due to the violent situation in Haiti many airlines : American Airlines, Air France, Delta, Blue Jet, Copa, Spirit decided Saturday to cancel all their flights to Port-au-Prince. At least one plane has been redirected to Pointe-à-Pitre. Air Transat flights scheduled for this Sunday between Montreal and Port-au-Prince have been postponed for the moment to Monday, July 9. Please visit their website to follow the developments. Bahamas Air also suspended its flights “sine die”.
Regarding the many companies sacked or looted on Friday and Saturday, President Moïse said that the State will be responsible for its actions contradicting the statement a few hours before by Delva, the Minister of Communication at the microphone of Radio Kiskeya who claimed that the government will not compensate entrepreneurs and victims of urban violence…
In addition, the Head of State denounced a manipulation of the population, convinced that the population did not participate in the acts of looting of the stores registered everywhere in the metropolitan area… At the same time, the messages of the authorities condemning and deploring succeed each other, because they can not restore order, calm and public security…
Source: haitilibre.com
July 8, 2018
UPDATE: Haitians and tourists fleeing Haiti
There has been a marked exodus of wealthy Haitian families arriving in Las Isabela, Joaquin Balaguer airport as they fled the violence in Haiti. On Monday, 9 July 2018, there were 25 flight arrivals including Century, Sunrise and Helidosa who serve the Santo Domingo – Port au Prince route, as well as private planes and helicopters.
In addition, tourists, foreign diplomats and their families from a number of missions to Haiti were also evacuated to the Dominican Republic. Many of the diplomats and tourists leaving Haiti made connections at Dominican airports to other destinations.
Source: DR1, Hoy
July 12, 2018
According to the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), temperatures between 33 and 35°C (between 91 and 95°F) will continue for most of the country, and there is little possibility of rain. Onamet also announced on Wednesday, 4 July 2018, that a low-pressure area has about a 30% possibility of becoming the first tropical cyclone to arrive here from the waters off of the western coast of African.
Onamet also said that the current lack of rain is due to a high pressure area at the medium and high levels of the atmosphere and this interferes with cloud formation.
Nonetheless, some showers might fall in Santiago, La Vega, Peravia, San Cristobal, Azua, San Juan de la Maguana, says the weather forecaster Felix Rodriguez. The low-pressure area off the coast of Africa lies to the west -southwest of the Cape Verde islands and is moving west.
Source: DR1, Elnacional
July 8, 2018
It went viral. A young employee used “high tech” to defend himself from the police! The video captures how he was stopped by the police, interrogated, and threatened without cause.
In the midst of the incident, Edwin Cordero informed the policemen that a camera was capturing all their words and actions during the stop and that the images and sound were being broadcast on his Facebook page. Almost immediately, the demeanor of the policemen changed and the unwarranted threats were replaced with sweet talk and broad smiles. The officers then sent Cordero on his way, with best wishes.
“By the tone of [officers] words, I believed their intentions were not good. Since they approached me, the first thing they said that the scooter would be sent to the police station. But once I told them I was transmitting on my Facebook page, they changed the subject completely,” Cordero explained. He says he has the habit of keeping a daily record of his route, a habit from his days when he was a sports cyclist.
The event happened in early May on Av. 27 de Febrero almost corner Barahona. The video went viral recently and has increased the sales of similar equipment for others on the road who want to stay safe.
Some say that the video, that went viral, is another black eye for on the police in the Dominican Republic.
Source: DR1, Hoy
July 8, 2018
The Dominican Department of Airports (the local Airport Authority) will be donating a high-tech communication system for real-time communication nationwide to the Center for Emergency Operations. The Center for Emergency Operates commands prevention and relief operations in times of natural disasters.
The new system will allow streaming of audio, video and data through a satellite connection and would allow any community affected by a natural disaster to communicate with the COE even if the electricity network or telephone lines are down.
The announcement was made on 3 July 2018, during the signing of an inter-institutional agreement between the airport authority and the COE. The two entities agreed to develop joint activities and share logistics in order to reduce risks that could affect the nation’s airports.
General Juan Mendez Garcia noted that the Center for Emergency Operations gathers 22 institutions and is the agency that coordinates preparation and response in the face of natural disasters. At the same time he extended his sincere appreciation for the support and collaboration provided by the Airport Department.
Source: DR1, Elnacional
July 8, 2018
