DR News
On the occasion of the International Day of International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, President Luis Abinader announced the Presidency will be submitting comprehensive legislation to combat violence against women. The bill will be part of the National Plan for Prevention and Attention to Violence against Women of the new administration.
In presenting the plan on 24 November, President Abinader said the initiative seeks to install a comprehensive system to protect and guarantee the right of all women to a life free of violence.
He also announced a specialized police force will be created to respond to cases of gender violence in a rapid and timely manner.
President Abinader spoke on the occasion of the anniversary of the murder of the three Mirabal sisters, Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa for their efforts to combat dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. Also murdered was their chauffeur, Rufino Cruz. The murder took place on 25 November 1960. It was the tipping point for the subsequent murder of Trujillo. The United Nations established the 25th of November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in commemoration of the three brave women.
On Tuesday, 24 November, President Abinader was also present for the launching of a program funded by the European Union to reduce gender violence and inequality in the country. The program is for EUR5 million. Women Minister Mayra Jiménez signed the “Coordination in the prevention of gender violence in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDA) in the Dominican Republic” program.
European Union ambassador Gianluca Grippa explained the program seeks to address the problem from a perspective of prevention by supporting government efforts in this direction. Grippa tweeted that the European Union is committed to working with the Abinader government, civil society, and the private sector in building gender equality. He said the new gender action plan promotes a more fair society.
Source: DR1, Hoy
Nov 25, 2020
The November 2020 Gallup-Hoy poll revealed the difficulties for unfolding virtual education in the Dominican Republic. The Ministry of Education is set on instating a digital learning program nationwide and is placing an order for RD$15 billion to buy 940,000 computers and tablets to make this happen.
The poll revealed that the gap in Internet connectivity is greater in the East and Southwest. Even in Greater Santo Domingo (National District and Santo Domingo province), 65% of homes are not connected.
As a result, the Ministry of Education uses time on regular TV channels and radio to broadcast classes. Public schools that already have been supplied with computers and are located in areas with known Internet coverage are working with online learning, supplemented by TV and radio programming.
The poll also asked how the distance learning program was going. 40.8% of the parents said their children were doing well, while another 31.9% said things were not going well.
65.87% of the households surveyed said they had children 6-11 years old. Of these, 80.2% were in public schools and 15% in private schools. 0.6% said they did not enroll this year.
The survey was carried out nationwide from 11-16 November 2020. 1,200 households were polled in person. The sample has an error margin of 2.8%.
Source: DR1, Hoy
Nov 25, 2020
Golf is a sport where players can easily keep their distance. Puerto Plata is keeping with the organization of its Puerto Plata Open PGA Tour Latin America. The games are scheduled for 14 to 20 December 2020 at the Playa Dorada Golf Course, where players play amidst legendary 70+-year-old majestic trees. The organizers are keeping to the golf health protocols to safeguard the health of participants and staff. The tournament comes with cash prizes for US$175,000. Some 144 national and international golfers are expected to compete.
The organizers explain that players must take a Covid-19 test prior to participating. Each player must stay at Playa Dorada hotel and condos under the Ministry of Tourism lodging health protocol program.
The Dominican Republic has hosted Latin American PGA Tour Latin America tournaments every season since the Tour’s founding in 2012. This is the fourth time it is played at the 18-hole Playa Dorada Golf Course.
Source: DR1, N Digital
Nov 25, 2020
Minister of Culture Carmen Heredia announced Dominican theaters to reopen. The government announced an increase in subsidies for activities at the theaters. The government theaters would only charge 12% to local productions. The Deputy Minister for Creativity and Popular Participation is in charge of sponsorship to cultural activities in theater, dance, and music.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
Nov 5, 2020
Education Minister Roberto Furcal proudly announced the start of classes nationwide. While several private schools have begun online classes in August and September, it was not until now that all schools are ordered to start their distance learning programs. This week is a transition week when parents are invited to pick up materials at public schools, and students are introduced to new distance learning programs.
The government says that 500,000 students have received laptops. Nevertheless, most students are being asked to tune into morning and afternoon hours of instruction a day on TV and radio. Each grade is being assigned a TV channel. Classes will be from 9 to 12 noon and 3 to 6 pm. Students are receiving notebooks and teachers will be providing guidance by WhatsApp.
Furcal stresses the content is logical and useful. He spoke of a video on nation founding father Juan Pablo Duarte that was prepared with the Duarte Institute. Another is on the Dominican Constitution in coordination with the Constitutional Court. There is a video on driver’s education, prepared with the National Transit Institute (Intrant). Another on the national dance, merengue, with legendary experts Huchi Lora and Rafael Solano. The Ministry of Sports is involved and there are videos on learning to play baseball with legendary baseball players on learning to play table tennis and chess. There is a video on the environment prepared with the Ministry of Environment. A video motivates respect and love for animals, prepared with ONGs dedicated to animal welfare.
Education Furcal also announced that parents will receive the raw ingredients to prepare the snacks and lunches at home. The families will need to pick the ingredients at the public schools once a week.
Source: DR1, DiarioLibre
Nov 5, 2020
Well-known lawyer, Fabio J. Guzmán is launching the Guzman Ariza Institute of Lexicography (IGALEX), a non-profit institution, dedicated to the research and publishing of Dominican and Spanish Caribbean dictionaries. The foundation will compile, write, and edit the dictionaries. Guzmán also presides the Fabio J. Guzman Foundation that is a local expert on the correct use of the Spanish language in the Dominican Republic.
Igalex will collaborate to prepare Spanish dictionaries published by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) and the Association of Spanish Language Academies (ASALE). It will also cooperate with the Dominican Academy of the Language (ADL) in the academic training in lexicography and the dissemination of the use and knowledge of the dictionaries.
Lexicographer María José Rincón, a member of the ADL, will lead the team that includes Roberto Guzmán Silverio, Rita Evelin Díaz Blanco and Ruth J. Ruiz Pérez.
As a first task, the Guzmán Ariza Institute is preparing a new edition of the Dictionary of Dominican Spanish, published by the ADL in 2013. Online access will be free to the dictionary.
The Guzmán Ariza Foundation is financing the initiative. It will complement the Fundéu Guzmán Ariza (www.fundeu.do) whose main objective is the correct use of the Spanish language by Dominican media.
Source: DR1, Gusman Ariza
Nov 5, 2020
SANTO DOMINGO.- The Ministry of Education reported that more than 150 radio and 100 television stations are part of a national network that has been contracted for the dissemination of educational content during the next school year 2020-2021, which begins next November 2.
The vice minister of Technical and Pedagogical Services of the portfolio, Ligia Pérez, said that in the open television channels there will be three hours of transmission in the morning and three in the afternoon, and in the cable channels, there will be continuous retransmission for 24 hours.
She reported that in this new distance modality, students, by courses, will receive teaching on radio and television. Those who have technological devices and the internet will also be able to use this mechanism.
“It is the same content, the same teachers by grade, by level, and channel. Once the teaching for each day is over, the accompaniment is the most important thing, “he said.
And he added: «Students will communicate with their teachers through WhatsApp groups called Educational Communities, which will last the entire school year and will be formed on the first day of teaching. After enrollment in their respective schools, the data of the students will be recorded. fathers, mothers and guardians ”.
She further said that students will have to turn in projects to their teachers regularly.
Source: Almomento
Oct 24, 2020
President Luis Abinader addressed the audience of Forecast on the America and the Caribbean (FOLAC) and motivated US investors to relocate their manufacturing to the Dominican Republic. He said investors can take advantage of the country’s strategic geographic location and trade agreements that are already in place. In his presentation, as part of activities for the 28th Dominican Week organized by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), President Abinader highlighted the advantages the country offers for nearshore production.
President Abinader also spoke of the gradual recovery from the Covid-19 health and economic crisis. He highlighted actions to cut red tape to position the country as a regional logistics hub and attract more direct foreign investment.
He told the audience that this is the time to invest in the Dominican Republic. He said his government is focusing on improving its competitiveness and strengthening relations with the United States, the Dominican Republic’s leading commercial partner.
He said his administration would soon submit a bill for “zero red tape” to Congress to expedite doing business. Likewise, the Abinader administration is championing Public-Private Partnerships in the Dominican Republic. He mentioned the newly created Financial Development Corporation (FDC) with US$2 billion in funding for the energy, tourism, infrastructure, free zone, and medium-sized businesses in the country.
President Abinader was a speaker in the Foundations for Growth: Rule of Law & Digital Transformation two-hour virtual meeting on 22 October. The US Chamber of Commerce organizes FOLAC.
For over five decades, AACCLA’s “Forecast” conference has brought together business leaders from across the Americas to the US Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Washington. This year, the conference was online.
Source: DR1, Elcaribe
Oct 24, 2020
Energy & Mines Minister Antonio Almonte signed the country’s first oil exploitation contract with Apache Dominican Republic Corporation. The contract had been awarded in November 2019. Almonte announced at the ceremony at the Presidential Palace that the country will receive at least 40% of the profits.
The US oil company seeks to exploit oil and natural gas in the San Pedro de Macorís southeastern basin. The total investment is US$13 million during the first seven years, broken down to US$5 million in the first 4-year exploration phase, and then US$8 million for the duration of the second exploration period.
The San Pedro de Macorís basin has an area of approximately 2,535 square kilometers and a depth that varies between 800 and 1,000 meters.
Apache Corporation is a US oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, Egypt, and the United Kingdom and exploration activities offshore Suriname.
Source: DR1, Listindiario
Oct 24, 2020
Contractors have resumed improvements on the Carretera Turistica Gregorio Luperón, the alternate mountain road to eastern Puerto Plata. The mountain road has been under construction for years due to the constant sinking and landslides. Works are 90% finished. The contractors are working in the Yásica district in Puerto Plata province, where new drainage is being installed at the most critical points.
The 60 km road is known for its scenery. It links Santiago to Sosúa and Cabarete’s beach areas and passes by the communities of Pedro García, Lajas, Yaroa, Sonador, Tubagua, Yásica, Palo Quemado and La Cumbre.
Source: DR1, ElCaribe
Oct 24, 2020
