Archive for July, 2018
Deputy Francisco Matos (PLD-Santiago) denounced what he calls the system of corruption operating in the National Police. The news made the front page of Hoy newspaper on 3 July 2018.
Matos says that officers have to pay to be promoted in the Police. He said the cost of a regional command is up to RD$5 million, as in the case of Santiago. He said a monthly fee then is commanded to stay in the position. He said the cost of the Puerto Plata command is RD$2 million and RD$700,000 a month. The commands in La Vega and La Romana, among others, also have high price tags.
“Each command has a price. In the country there are 14 commands that have their price. If you want to be the police chief in Santiago, you have to pay so many millions of pesos. That everyone knows. ” When asked who is paid the money, he said: “Oh, and who do you think, it goes up the chain of command” He argued that money has to reach the highest levels.
He said that the “Police corruption does not seem to be remedied”. He said no one is buying the story of the watchman Antonio Polonia Bueno, who the police say committed suicide while being handcuffed. Polonia is linked to the theft of more than RD$11 million from a Vimenca exchange house in Santiago. He said that four colonels operating out of their jurisdiction were those who pursued the suspects of committing the robbery in Ensanche La Isabelita in Santo Domingo East, with no prosecutor accompanying them. Matos said that as far as he can see those colonels were fishing for money. “The Police have lost the little credibility they had,” he said.
He requested President Medina take measures to deal with the Police that now has a new law, new uniform, new training, but there is lacking of commitment.
“A President who works until Sundays cannot permit corrupt policemen run amok. Dozens of serious police officers are pensioned at home and now we find the police barracks are full of corrupt,” he stated.
Source: DR1, Hoy
July4, 2018
Judge Máximo Saint Hilaire excluded the Archbishop Office of Santo Domingo from responsibility in the case against a priest accused of murder. The judge determined there were not ties of subordination. A date has yet to be set for the start of the hearings for the case.
The family of murdered altar boy 16-year old Fernelis Carrión Saviñón has sued the office of the Archbishop of Santo Domingo for RD$1 billion, of which 50% would be for local institutions that work with children, such as Unicef and Conani and the other 50% as indemnity to the damages inflicted on the family. Defense lawyer Marco Tulio Reyes had alerted that the Archbishop Office wanted to separate itself from the case. Taveras was murdered on 4 August 2017, with the accused priest, Elvin Taveras Duran, being held in preventive custody awaiting the start of his trial.
The Archbishop has requested the criminal case against the church be thrown out, along with any claims to financial retribution. The lawyer says that the appointment of Taveras was made by the predecessor of Archbishop Francisco Ozoria, Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus López Rodríguez. The lawyer rejected the priest be tried by canonic law.
“It is enough that the Catholic Church has mocked the ignorance of the Dominican people. There needs to come a regime of consequences for the Church not supervising their priests and that these use their hierarchical power to abuse, rape and murder children and adolescents who are vulnerable to their evil,” he said.
The teenager was assassinated with hammer blows and stabs last August, and then his throat cut, in the curial house of the Santa Cecilia parish, Santo Domingo East municipality. The family accuses the priest of the crime and of sexual abuse.
The start of the trial has repeatedly been postponed.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
July 4, 2018
The Union of Fishermen in Puerto Plata has threatened to block the entrance to cruise ships in Maimon. They made the announcement responding to actions taken by Customs officers Narciso Tiburcio that is imposes restrictions on fishing on the north coast.
Union president Olivo Rodríguez said that the actions proposed by Tiburcio put the livelihood of the 1,700 member union in jeopardy and the fishermen would respond by preventing cruise ships from enter the port.
Rodríguez maintained that they would not allow the customs official to make the union disappear as he says they had already done with the Union of Loaders and Unloaders of Puerto Plata (Sidecarzopp).
Source: DR1, Hoy
July 4, 2018
Emerald Solar Energy SRL had begun the installation of a US$40 million solar energy park in Barahona, but they are now stalled after refusing to comply with demands to pay RD$33 million in alleged taxes. The case is in court, and is being heard by Judge Sofia Bruno of the Civil, Commercial and Labor Court of First Instance in Barahona city. The judge has scheduled arguments to be heard by both parties this week.
The city government of Vicente Noble is demanding the taxes for the construction of the Parque Solar Canoa. The project would generate MWh a year once both phases are completed. President Danilo Medina attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the project. The city government says the taxes are “negotiable.” The company says the charge should be just US$30,000 or RD$1.5 million.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
July 4, 2018
The Ministry of Interior and Police will implement a plan to recruit young people from different neighborhoods with the aim of incorporating then into the Community Police division of the National Police to contribute towards citizen safety. According to Inteior & Police Minister, José Ramón Fadul , the project will being today, Tuesday, 3 July 2018 with a pilot plan in Santiago. This first phase will be to recruit 50 young people from the Cienfuegos barrio, between the ages of 12 and 17, who will be trained and equipped to serve as community police.
According to Juston Guzmán, Deputy Minister of Social Management and Citizen Education, the plan will reach 21 neighborhoods in Santiago and other provinces and there will also be workshops and training courses.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
July 4, 2018
In spite of the fact that summer is just starting, high temperatures have been around for several weeks. It is time to head to a favorite swimming spot, whether it be a pool, a beach or a fresh water swimming hole.
A report in El Dia points out that fresh water swimming holes are something unique and very special in the Dominican Republic and there are many. There is El Camellón, which is better known as Masipedro, just 10 minutes from Bonao. Because it is close to the city of Santo Domingo, it is one of the preferred places for dwellers of the capital. A beautiful waterfall and crystal-clear waters are its major attraction. Visitors can enjoy some areas that have been remodeled, cook on outdoor fireplaces or order food from some of the establishments located there.
Next on the list are the Jima waterfalls and river near Bonao, is reached by the El Ceiba crossroads and going several kilometers inland. There are nine small waterfalls there appropriate for swimmers.
Another is the scientific reserve of Las Neblinas de Casabito in Constanza. Two of 12 waterfalls are prepared to receive swimmers for an unforgettable experience. It is recommended that visitors use the services of a guide.
The Bueyes Waterfall is in the province of Espaillat up in the mountains and although access is somewhat uncomfortable upon arrival “it is worth all the efforts.”
A more well known swimming spot is the Confluencia in Jarabacoa, where the Amina and the Inoa rivers come together. One is warm and the other is much cooler. A little further up the highway that goes to Manabao, there is the famous “Curtain Waterfall” that comes right out of the mountain, and which legend says anyone who gets under the waterfall will be “bathed in good luck.”
Also on the list is and another Bueyes Waterfall, this one in San Jose de las Matas in Santiago province. It is 7 km outside the town and is part of the Amina River watershed.
In the same area is Aguascalientes, with two natural pools, one featuring thermal waters and the other cooler water from the Amina River.
There are several more interesting fresh water places to swim: obviously we have not mentioned the 27 waterfalls at Damajagua.
Source: DR1, Eldia
July 3, 2018
The Police arrested on Wednesday, 30 June 2018, the two lead suspects of the murder of a Turkish citizen, 24-year old Alper Baycin on 27 June. He was in Samana participating in the filming of a reality show. The killing occurred in the Las Ballenas area of Las Terrenas.
20-year old Nelson Rodríguez Almonte (El Chivo) resident in El Limón is accused of stabbing the cameraman when the later reportedly resisted turning over his backpack to the thieves. Baycin died on scene from knife wounds to his heart. At the time of the crime, Rodríguez was accompanied by a 15-year old whose identity has not been revealed.
The Police arrested the two individuals and took possession of a Z-3000 motorcycle that reportedly the assailants used in the crime. The police also seized the knife that they suspect was used in the stabbing. Clothing was also found that the suspects may have been wearing at the time of the deadly assault.
Baycin was in Las Terrenas for the filming of the Turkish version of the Survivor reality show.
The producers of the show said that it has been produced since 2011 in the Dominican Republic without any previous security problems.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/sur…meraman-134002
Source: DR1, Hurryetdailynews
July 3, 2018
A new order of Vestas wind mills is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2019, as construction advances at the 48MW Guzmancitos wind park in Puerto Plata.
Vestas has received an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) order for the 48 MW Guzmancitos wind park to be located in the Puerto Plata region, in the Dominican Republic. The contract includes the supply and installation of 16 V136-3.45 MW turbines delivered in 3.0 MW Load Optimized Mode.
The firm and unconditional order was placed by RGE, and, additionally to the wind turbines, it also includes a 10-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM5000) service agreement, reports Vestas.
The project is the fifth that Vestas installs in the country, providing the Dominican Republic almost 180 MW capacity of installed and under construction.
“The Dominican Republic is bidding for renewable energy sources to fulfil its energy consumption which is growing rapidly. Vestas pioneered the country’s wind energy market back in 2011 and, and with this order we reinforce our leading position in the country”, says Enric Català, Vestas senior director sales for Latin America.
Source: DR1, Vestas
July 3, 2018
Paying fares of RD$20 passengers can now travel from 6am to 10:30pm, Monday to Friday, and from 6 to 9pm on Saturdays, and Sundays and holidays from 8 to 9pm on the Santo Domingo Skylift. The Skylift connects eastern Santo Domingo to the western side of Santo Domingo with easy access to two lines of the city metro. Riding the skylift is also a popular Sunday outing for families.
The Santo Domingo Skylift has stations uniting the densely populated Sabana Perdida, Los Tres Brazos and Gualey neighborhoods with western Santo Domingo. The connection to the metro is at the station located at Av. Padre Castellanos (La 17).
https://telefericodesantodomingo.wordpress.com/
Source: DR1
July 3, 2018
