Archive for October, 2018
PUERTO PLATA.- Due to the presence of strong tropical activity in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the weather forecast indicates that during the weekend there will be downpours.
According to meteorology expert and communicator Jean Suriel, the Category 3 Hurricane Michael with winds 205 kilometers per hour is affecting Florida and heading to Georgia.
Likewise, the Category 1 Hurricane Leslie that travels 120 kilometers per hour in the eastern direction, and the tropical storm Nadine with winds of 100 kilometers per hour will degenerate a low pressure for this weekend.
While in the most part of the Dominican Republic due to the trough and the proximity of a tropical wave, this Friday the rainfall will be concentrated in the northeast, southeast, Cordillera Central, Cibao and southwest.
Source: Puerto Plata Digital
Oct 11, 2018
Transporters are showing no respect for the authority of the newly created National Institute of Traffic and Ground Transport (Intrant), as reported in El Nacional. The government entity was created in 2017 to group all government organizations that have to do with ground transport and implement new rules ordered by Law 63-17.
El Nacional reporters say that the traffic jams, the improvised passenger stops by transporters, unilateral fare increases by transporters are the order of the day, despite new Intrant rules. They say there has been inertia on behalf of the National Institute of Transit and Transportation (Intrant) is in a state of suspended animation and has not taken significant steps to implement Law 63-18 on Mobility, Land Transport, Traffic and Road Safety.
Transport experts interviewed by El Nacional reporters say that the Intrant has been incapable of organizing passenger transport. Making matters worse, the Intrant has yet to present to the Executive Branch the 33 internal rulings and complementary regulations ordered by the 2017 law. The law itself gave the Intrant authorities six months after its passing to publicly share the drafts of the rulings.
“The Intrant is responsible for the disorder that exists in the public transport of passengers, as it has not been able to resolve the conflicts that exist in the routes of the multi-fare charging taxis, and has let the drivers operate at their free will,” say transport experts of the National Chamber of Ground Transportation (Cámara Nacional del Transporte Terrestre). The Chamber noted that drivers can still be found fomenting panic in the streets as they wield sticks and firearms, under the pretense of defending their business interests while prevent pirate vehicles from invading their territory”.
Guillermo Estévez, of the National Chamber of Land Transportation (CANTT), said that the Intrant has failed to fulfill its mission of planning and designing the integrated public passenger transport system, of organizing the routes and other aspects of public transportation.
Source: DR1, Elnacional
Oct 11, 2018
Dominicans export more to Commonwealth Countries than is imported, according to Fernando González Nicolás, president of the Commonwealth Roundtable in the Dominican Republic when speaking during the Embassy of Canada Thanksgivings Day luncheon on Monday, 8 October 2018. The event is organized by the Canadian Dminican Chamber of Commerce (Canchamrd).
He said Dominican exports in 2017 were US$1.67 billion, while imports were US$1.39 billion, with a surplus of US$283 million for the Dominican Republic.
Commonwealth countries Canada and India are the country’s third and fourth largest importers. Canada purchased US$786 million in 2017, and India US$578 million. The United States and Haiti are the country’s two largest markets.
Moreover, González Nicolás says that Commonwealth countries have the main mining companies in the world. He said there is an environmental protection awareness and the main financial institutions of the world are located.
González Nicolás highlighted that the roundtable seeks to promote bilateral economic, trade, social and cultural relations with the country and 53 countries that make up the Commonwealth around the world.
Also speaking at the event, Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas highlighted that Canadian investments in the Dominican Republic are now around US$4.98 billion and total trade is US$1.07 billion in 2017.
Source: DR1. DiarioLibre
Oct 11, 2018
Following a global trend, the Ministry of Culture announced that seniors over 65 can now request a 30% discount on admission to events organized by the Ministry and to government museums. Culture Minister Eduardo Selman said the decision complies with Art. 46 of Senior Citizens Protection Law 352-98. The discount will also apply on books published the Editora Nacional, a dependency of the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture encourages other government entities to do the same.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
Oct 9, 2018
According to a preliminary report from the Attorney General’s office, the Public Prosecution Service has received 45,829 complaints about domestic violence in the first seven months of this year, showing that despite all of the new measures to try and reduce the incidence of domestic violence, it has not slowed down.
There have been an average of 6,547 complaints each month that represent 32,81% of the 139,701 complaints reported to the 33 Public Prosecution offices through the country from January to July.
In total there were 49 different types of crime committed but domestic violence topped the list. In second place is robbery with 21,137 complaints, third domestic threats with 13,886, fourth violence against women outside of domestic violence with 11,142.
Looking at the figures on complaints of domestic violence by province, the highest was Santiago with 14,719; Puerto Plata with 9,849; Peravia with 5,355; Santo Domingo West with 1,979; San Pedro de Macorís 1,568; María Trinidad Sánchez 1,125 and Monte Cristi 1,168.
The fewest number of cases were in Duarte (San Francisco de Macorís) with 12; Espaillat (Moca) with 15; Hermanas Mirabal with 17; Sánchez Ramírez with 26; La Romana with 35, and San José de Ocoa with 41.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
Oct 9, 2018
The Dominican Dermatology Society said late last week that there is a high incidence of skin cancer in the Dominican Republic. This reality has prompted the health care sector to continuously unfold campaigns to prevent and educate the population regarding this type of cancer.
Dr. Maribel Almonte, the dermatology society’s president, explained that the incidence of skin cancer is high despite the Dominican population being mostly mixed race. Skin cancer is prevalent mostly among Caucasian populations.
She made the announcement as a lead up to the celebration of the Dermatological Congress to be held in Santo Domingo from 17- 20 October 2019. Dr. Almonte said that the XIX Dermatology Congress will present the latest advances in skin treatments, both medical and aesthetic.
At the same time, she called upon the government to get involved in prevention campaigns aimed at educating the population in the prevention of skin cancer.
The World Health Organization (WHO) statistics show that approximately 66,000 people die from skin cancers with melanoma being the deadliest since it usually ends in the patient’s demise. Each year there are 132,000 new cases.
Source: DR1, Elnacional
Oct 9, 2018
Dominican government is awaiting an assessment of the Saturday, 6 October 2018, northwestern Haiti earthquakes to send assistance. The earthquake was followed by a 5.2 replica on Sunday. The announcement was made by Medina government spokesman, Roberto Rodríguez Marchena. More than 12 persons have been reported killed in Haiti and more than 135 people were reportedly injured.
Reports are also that a 5.9 Richter Scale magnitude earthquake was also felt in the cities of Santiago, Holguin and in Guantanamo, in eastern Cuba around the same time on Saturday evening, according to a report from the Cuba Seismological System.
The US Geological Survey said the quake hit Haiti at 8:11 p.m. on Saturday night and was centered 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of Port-de-Paix, about 219 kilometers from the capital of Port-au-Prince.
The quake itself and several aftershocks of more than 4.0 in magnitude were felt in Montecristi, on the northwestern side of the island. No damages have been reported in the Dominican Republic.
UPDATE: No earthquake in Cuba, source of earthquake in Haiti and DR are different
The UASD Seismological Institute said that the 5.9 Richter magnitude scale earthquake was only felt in Haiti, not in Cuba, as erroneously had been reported. Due to an error in the detection system, it was broadcast that island of Cuba was at the epicenter of the quake. The error was quickly discovered and an update issued. On Saturday, 6 October 2018, at 8pm, a 5.9 Richter magnitude scale earthquake occurred in northern Haiti, and a 5.4 aftershock was felt on Sunday, on the northeast of Haiti. 15 deaths and more than 300 injuries have been attributed to the quake.
Meanwhile, the UASD Seismological Center and the US Geological Service reported more than 40 mild earthquakes in the area of the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). As reported, 34 earthquakes have been on the border zone, most near Montecristi. Because of the spike in seismic activity, the Ministry of Education is checking public schools for damage.
On Sunday 9 October, there was a 5.4 earthquake reported in the same area off the northwest coast of Haiti, which was felt in Montecristi, Valverde, Dajabón, Santiago Rodríguez and Santiago.
The director of the Seismological Center, Eugenio Polanco, said that there have been no reports of any damage in the Dominican Republic.
Source: DR1, Elnacional
Oct 9, 2018
The Customs Agency in the Dominican Republic announced the seizing and destruction of 120 chassis and motorcycle parts for two-wheeled motorcycles and four-wheeled motorcycles that arrived inside “courier shippers” (mudanceras) consignments. Customs Agency director, Enrique Ramirez attended the destruction of the parts for assembly during an event held at the installations of the metalworks company, Gerdau Metaldom on Km. 22 of Duarte Highway.
“The creativity of some people to avoid paying taxes and the disregard of public safety by trafficking in illicit goods is truly unbelievable,” said Ramirez. He added: “If this creativity were used to produce quality goods and services in a law-abiding manner, the country would be even better off.”
He criticized the dishonest use of the shipping couriers by Dominicans living abroad.
He explained the smugglers send motorcycles in parts, mixed with the clothes and food that Dominicans ship to their relatives inside 55-gallon tanks. The motorcycles are then assembled here and registration is fraudulently obtained.
The parts destroyed at the Gerdau Metaldom plant had arrived by way of Cibao International Airport in Santiago, and the ports of Haina Oriental (Santo Domingo province), Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo.
The Customs Agency is monitoring courier shipments that are also used by Mafiosi networks for the smuggling of firearms and narcotics.
Meanwhile, in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, USA, dozens of companies that transport the maritime and air cargo in the 55-gallon modality and freight containers from those states to the Dominican Republic announced they have formed a federation to jointly defend their interests before the Customs Agency. The new entity is to be known as the Federación Dominicana de Asociaciones de CArgas Marítima y Aérea (Fedacama). They criticized they are being subject to abuses by the Dominican customs authorities.
Source: DR1, Elnacional
Oct 5, 2018
Dear newlyweds, if you read this article, it means that you choose a place for your wedding ceremony. And Dominicana is a great choice! After all, a wedding in the Dominican Republic will not only relieve you from the hassle, but also give delightful memories and photos with the bright azure sea and the warm Caribbean sun. Dominicana is a paradise for lovers … Just imagine how under the whisper of the Caribbean you will swear to love each other all your life!
Our agency “Happy People” offers you two wedding packages that include everything and even more for your unforgettable wedding in the Dominican Republic. We have created two wedding packages for you to choose from – on the island of Saona and on a private beach in Punta Cana
Wedding Ceremony on Saona Island
This wedding package already includes everything you need for a flawless wedding: photo shoot, video clip, makeup and hairstyle, decor, Russian-speaking host, numerous accessories for a photo shoot, a tour of the Caribbean Sea, transfer, entrance tickets, food on the island and an open bar! For the wedding ceremony, we choose a quiet and cozy beach, to which we arrive early in the morning so that your ceremony will be without prying eyes.
Wedding Ceremony in Punta Cana
If the wedding in the Dominican Republic on the island of Saona takes a whole day, the ceremony in Punta Cana will take you only half a day, and you can spend the second half as you like – relax in the hotel, go on a romantic trip around the island, fly by helicopter or even by balloon .
In this wedding package, we also included photos and videos, makeup and hair, decor and organization of the ceremony itself. Choosing us as the organizers of your wedding in Dominican in 2018, you do not have to worry about the details, because we will worry for you! We treat each pair with particular attention, taking into account all the wishes and preferences of the couple.
Despite the fact that our cost to hold a wedding in Dominicana in 2018 is one of the lowest in the market, we treat our favorite work with all the responsibility and pedantry.
And this order of prices allows us to hold about 15 weddings in the Dominican Republic every month. And you save money on the most interesting excursions.
By the way, if you order excursions in our agency, then we provide excellent discounts to all newlyweds!
Happypeoplewed.com
The prosecutors of Monte Plata requested pretrial custody against removed priest Jose Altagracia Rosario González of the La Candelaria church in Sabana Grande de Boya, Monte Plata province. The priest is now accused of sexual aggression against a then 15-year old girl.
The prosecutors took up the case in May 2018, after the Santo Domingo Archbishop Office communicated the crime and empowered the Attorney General Office to investigate the removed priest. The National Institute for Forensic Sciences (Inacif) is investigating the case. The former priest Rosario González was arrested on 1 October 2018, at his residence in Sabana Grande de Boyá.
One of his victims is now 23-years old. His nightmare began when he was 14 became a victim of a pedophile priest of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic. He told his story to journalists from Listin Diario. He says that he was an altar boy and was preparing an event for the Virgin Mary at the church with other boys when he was called by the priest by his full name. He says he then was shoved into the bathroom near the altar and the priest began to touch his intimate parts. He said he asked what was happening, and said he didn’t want to lose respect for the priest, despite the priest having lost respect for him. The priest is alleged to have put a hand over the mouth of the young victim and then proceeded to rape him. He told the Listin Diario journalists that then the priest threatened him, saying he was armed. The priest also said to have warned the boy that if he tried to seek help no one would believe him.
The young victim vowed not to return to the church, but the priest, by sending messages to boy’s sister, convinced him to go back. The boy recounted that he warned the priest to leave him alone. But instead, he was raped for a second time. He remembered the priest telling him, “I like you like that, fatty.”
Little did the boy know that two years before, the same priest had raped his mother. The youth then moved to Santo Domingo to work in a mechanics workshop, having abandoned his plans to become a priest.
But the revelation of two other cases of sexual abuse by the priest before the religious authorities inspired more victims to come forward. “When the bomb exploded, I remained silent as did my mother. That was about nine years ago. God knows to how many more people, he did the same,” he sadly observes. The victim believes the priest was transferred to another town.
“They sent him to another place knowing why he could not go back to where he was. It was like a reward for his evil deeds. And I say reward, because in the new place he was going to find fresh meat, nobody knew him, and just as he did with us, he would gain the trust of the people and then execute his work: abuse of minors. ”
Source: DR1, Listindiario
Oct 5, 2018
