Archive for September, 2021
A bill that would ban the consumption of alcohol in vehicles has passed in the Senate. The bill was submitted by senator Santiago Jose Zorilla (PRM-El Seibo) and passed on Tuesday, 21 September 2021 in the Senate. The bill seeks to regulate the sale, supply, and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
The bill establishes many conditions that will be difficult to apply and others that could serve as loopholes.
The bill establishes that businesses that sell alcoholic beverages cannot be less than 100 meters from hospitals, schools, churches, parks, and other places identified as “sensitive places.”
The bill also establishes that alcohol selling businesses must be located in places that do not obstruct public roads and at a distance of 150 meters from each other.
According to the bill, closed bottles can be transported in the trunk of a vehicle. The bill also allows for open liquor bottles to be carried in the trunk of the vehicle.
The bill bans the consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons transported in vehicles. Those found with alcoholic beverages face fines of five to 10 public sector minimum wages.
Motorcyclists are banned from transporting alcoholic beverages, even if unopened.
The bill also would instill a license for businesses to sell alcohol. The Control of Alcoholic Beverages Agency (Digecoba) would issue the permits. Digecoba is a dependency of the Ministry of Interior & Police.
The bill also limits the hours of sale of beverages from 6 am to 12 midnight from Sunday to Thursday and Fridays and Saturdays from 6 am to 2 am, except for hotels, which will not be restricted.
Businesses that incur in violation of these provisions may be fined with a cash payment or closure of the premises depending on the seriousness of the infraction.
Source: DR1, N Digital
Sep 29, 2021
There are about 20,000 vehicular accidents in the Dominican Republic. Most times, the fault is assessed, and insurance claims are filed. Sums in the millions are sometimes involved, and because nobody wants to pay for someone else’s mistakes, the vehicle title transfer is a must. If you sell a vehicle, make sure to get your name off the vehicle’s title.
A recent case presses for the need that the seller makes sure that the title is transferred properly when selling a vehicle. This is essential to avoid being involved in a legal case if the vehicle in the future is involved in a traffic accident.
The law establishes that whoever is the titleholder of the vehicle is the person the insurance companies and the judicial authorities will go after to settle claims.
In the hypothetical case that you sold the vehicle to a person of your trust and that person sold the vehicle to a third party, you can also carry out what is known as a “vehicular discharge.” This can be obtained at the Tax Agency (DGII) and is as per Taxes Law 492-08. It can be done online and does not involve much money.
This prevents a person who has sold a vehicle to someone else and the buyer has not put the vehicle in his name, from being charged for damages from accidents or traffic citations issued to the car.
A lawyer outlined the proper sequence of events for self-protection after the sale of a vehicle. First, the sales agreement must be legalized in the Civil Registry and the mortgage archives at the local municipal government, and then downloaded to the DGII. This goes with a copy of the car’s registration and the IDs (cedulas) of the buyer and the seller.
Without these steps, it is possible for you to face a judicial process that has nothing to do with you, but because your name is still on the registration, you must go to court. The discharge document allows the judge to free you of any liability. It costs RD$300 at the DGII and 0.05% of the value of the vehicle paid at the Civil Registry. A word to the wise.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
Sep 29, 2021
World Alzheimer’s Day on 21 September 2021 brought with it the eye-opening news that there are 90,000 Dominicans who suffer from neurodegenerative disease. Having a relative who is losing memory and cognitive abilities is becoming more common.
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, degenerative brain condition that gradually affects memory and thinking skills and the ability to do even the most basic tasks, and the ability to move.
For the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day, the Mental Health Department of the Ministry of Public together with the Dominican Alzheimer’s Association participated in a talk on the disease to raise awareness among the entire population.
The Department of Mental Health of the Ministry of Public Health reports that at least 8% of the population over 60 years of age in the country lives with dementia, equivalent to some 90,000 cases. According to data provided by the Department of Mental Health, in the past 50 years the number of people over 65 years of age suffering from the disease has increased from 3% to 6%, evidencing a trend towards an increasingly aging population.
Alzheimer’s is also very costly to treat, explained geriatrician and medical advisor of the Dominican Alzheimer’s Society, Dagoberto Güílamo, as reported in Diario Libre. He said one has to add to the direct cost of the treatment of the disease, the cost of abandonment of the work of the caregiver, the payment to the caregiver, and all the complimentary extras and adjustments that have to be made in the home, said Dr. Güílamo on the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day.
Dr. Alejandro Uribe, director of the Mental Health Department, said that Alzheimer’s has no cure. The specialists explained that knowing the warning signs of dementia allows people to seek more information before the acute symptoms appear.
The president of the Dominican Alzheimer’s Association, Dr. José Modesto, said that the organization is committed to disseminating knowledge on Alzheimer’s and supporting and providing guidance to the families of patients. The association helps with face-to-face talks and provides training for caregivers, among other actions.
Dr. Daisy Acosta, a psychiatrist specializing in dementia, said that memory loss is a sign of aging but could also be a sign that something is wrong. People should check for personality changes and irritability. When people hide things and cannot find them, studies should be carried out.
While Leonor Rivas, daughter of a mother with Alzheimer’s, said: “It is a life experience with a lot of responsibility, love, sacrifice and family solidarity. It can unite or separate the family.”
On the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day, doctors Marcia Castillo, and Ivett Joga and Jocelyn Duran launched their practical guide for Alzheimer’s caretakers in an event held at the Academy of Sciences.
Source: DR1, Hoy
Sep 29, 2021
Aeroflot offers an introductory US$698 round trip fare on flights to Russia purchased in the Dominican Republic before 8 October 2021. The departures are for flights before 14 November and with a return before 17 December 2021.
Visas are not needed for Dominican nationals to travel to Russia.
Aeroflot is operating two weekly direct flights on Airbus 350s with a capacity for 316 passengers.
Russia authorized direct flights to the Dominican Republic to resume as of 9 August.
In addition to Aeroflot, Azur Air is another airline now flying direct from Russia. The new Azur Air frequencies start 1 October from St. Petersburg, 2 October from Ekaterinburg, 4 and 5 from Kazan and Ufa, 9 October from Rostov del Don and 11 October from Novosibirsk.
The Aeroflot flight connects passengers and cargo to all cities in the Russian Federation. Dominican ambassador to Russia, Hans Dannenberg Castellanos stresses that travelers can use the Russian flight as a gateway to Central Asia. Likewise, he said the new flight is a travel alternative for those flying to Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Delhi, Hanoi, Tel Aviv, Almaty, Yerevan, and Belgrade.
The direct flights open up a new world for exports of Dominican products to Russia, the Dominican ambassador stressed during his participation in the WorldFood Moscow 2021 fair held 21-24 September 2021.
Dannenberg Castellanos met recently with executives of Aeroflot to discuss issues related to the new flight from Moscow to Punta Cana, which starts on 1 October 2021.
Source: DR1, Aeroflot
Sep 29, 2021
The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) and Huawei Technologies are joining forces to boost the technology industry in the country.
The ambassador of China Zhang Run and Emma Polanco, the rector of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), inaugurated the first Huawei Technologies ICT Academy at the main campus of the government university in Santo Domingo.
Huawei equipped a laboratory with high-tech-tech devices for practices. The objective of the donation is to contribute to the ICT industry in the country. It is part of Huawei’s ICT Talent Development Program and includes internships, an ICT Competition and webinars.
Speaking at the event, Higher Education Minister Franklin García Fermín called the new academy an effort to create an innovation ecosystem between China and the Dominican Republic. He says the academy puts the university at the forefront with the valuable support of a Chinese technology giant, such as Huawei.
Both teachers and students will be able to strengthen their profiles with industry-standard knowledge and certifications.
“Students will have job opportunities within Huawei, with our partner ecosystem and with more companies in the IT sector,” explained Leia Taveras, channel operations manager for Central America and the Caribbean at Huawei.
Source: DR1, Hoy
Sep 29, 2021
President Luis Abinader declared of national interest the preparation, organization, survey, processing and dissemination of the X National Population and Housing Census. The Census will update the data on the Dominican population. The data is essential for setting public policies.
The Presidency issued Decree 607-21, which indicates that the X National Population and Housing Census will be carried out in 2022, according to the planning and schedule that will be submitted to the Executive Branch by the National Statistics Office (ONE).
The decree creates the National Census Commission, which will be integrated by 26 institutions, among them, the Ministry of Economy that will preside the commission, as well as the Ministry of the Presidency, Administrative of the Presidency and Hacienda.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
Sep 29, 2021
President Luis Abinader issued Decree 611-21 that declares of public interest the construction and commissioning of the Santiago cable car.
The cable car will mainly benefit about 122,894 inhabitants that live in the densely populated areas of Bella Vista sector, La Otra Banda, Peralta, La Herradura. Also those living in Yaguita del Pastor, Pueblo Nuevo, Baracoa, Centro Histórico, La Joya, La Barranquita, El Ensueño, Nibaje, Pekín and Villa Olímpica.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
Sep 29.2021
A wholesome story. Please don’t look away.
Marcel has a dream: to offer a loving house to kids who have no one else. As you know, Haiti gets struck by catastrophes way too frequently and has too many kids with no families or places to go. Marcel and his team of volunteers work every day to house them in a safe place where they can grow up as they deserve it.
This is a story about a dreamer
By building an orphanage in Haiti, Marcel wants kids to be able to grow in a safe environment, that protects them from the all-too-frequent catastrophes that hit the country. He’s a nice Haitian guy that, somehow, keeps smiling despite everything he’s seen. You´d love to meet him, he is a strong noble soul that works his best despite the utter lack of resources.
This is a story in motion and you can jump in
As of August 2021, Marcel got a piece of land donated in a safer city rather than the crime capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince. He also managed to buy and place 8 containers that will provide a sturdy building structure resistant to earthquakes. The construction of the new orphanage is already in place and moving forward as best as possible, yet materials and payment to construction workers are expensive and the building process in Haiti is really challenging. Your donation will be used to pay for construction materials which will help the kids have a new home as soon as possible.
This is a story about improving an aiming high
Marcel is not new to this dream, he and his team of 8 volunteers are already running the orphanage where kids currently live. They are 34 kids who regularly attend school, they are healthy, and, as much as possible, are happy. Building a new place will allow them, first of all, to be free of the terror of earthquakes but also save on the rent they pay for the place they live in now. What is more, they´ll be living in a much more beautiful place than the teared-down city of Port-au-Prince.
This is a story about kids having a positive opportunity in life
Kids at the orphanage neither have a family nor anyone else to rely on. And if not for Marcel and his team, they would be on their own in the poorest country in the northern hemisphere. Yet, they are receiving education and medical care, they are well-nourished and count on a loving team of volunteers taking care of them.
In the pictures below, you can see the project for the orphanage. The construction stopped 5 years ago for lack of funds. However, now they have managed to obtain 8 containers, the land with a fence, and have started with a foundation of the project to move the children into their own property in Jacmel.
Link for donation: GoFundMe
Many thanks in advance!
Thais Herrera became the first Dominican woman to climb Mount Elbrus and place the Dominican flag there. At 5,642 meters, Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain in Europe and marks the border between Europe and Asia.
An industrial engineer, Herrera had already climbed the Aconcagua in Argentina, and mountains in Bolivia, Ecuador, and the United States. She hopes to become the first Dominican woman to climb Everest.
She explained that the ascent of Elbrus is not technically difficult, but it is physically demanding due to the altitude and the strong and frequent winds. The Dominican-Japanese, Kenji Kasahara, accompanied her. Describing the moment she reached the top of the mountain, Herrera said the day was “sunny, with cold wind and fresh snow from the storm, so we battled to achieve our goal.”
“I do mountaineering to empower people to follow their dreams, especially women since many believe they can’t and that’s not the case,” she told Diario Libre. Herrrera has a master’s degree in senior management and finance. She is the owner and main facilitator of Asertiva, a company that specializes in outdoor training and team building for companies and educational institutions. Besides mountaineering, she is a triathlete and has completed an Ironman.
“My plans are to continue advancing, climbing more mountains, and demonstrating that Dominican women can and are an example for the world,” she told Diario Libre in the interview.
Herrera began mountain climbing in 2015, organizing groups to carry out the Pico Duarte Express, which consists of running up and down, the highest mountain in the Dominican Republic.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
Sep 13, 2021
24-year old Emmy Peña, the representative of the Duarte (San Francisco de Macorís) province, was crowned as the new Miss Dominican World 2021, on Saturday, 4 September 2021 at the Bávaro Convention Center of the Barceló Grand Resort in Punta Cana. During the same pageant, Celines Santos was chosen as the Dominican representative in the Miss International pageant. They competed against 23 other candidates from around the Dominican Republic.
Emmy Peña will represent the Dominican Republic in the 70th edition of the Miss World pageant on 16 December 2021 at the Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Merengue star Miriam Cruz performed at the Saturday pageant, and there was a posthumous homage to fashion designer Jenny Polanco, Miss World Dominican Republic in 1978, and too late singer Víctor Víctor.
The judges were Leonel Lirio, Francisco Sanchis, Haidi Cruz, Sally Tejada (Miss World 2012), the producer of Despierta America, Luis Camilo, and other businessmen and special guests.
The Dominican Republic won the Miss World crown in 1982 with Mariasela Álvarez. Mariasela Alvarez is today a popular TV host.
Source: DR1, Missosology
Sep 13, 2021
