DR News
On Monday, 26 November 2018, the foreign ministers of Russia and the Dominican Republic signed an agreement for visa-free travel between both countries. The agreement was signed by Sergey Lavrov for Russia and Miguel Vargas Maldonado of the Dominican Republic at the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Moscow, Russia, as reported by the Russian news agency Tass, and the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Dominican Republic.
Upon the signing, Foreign Minister Lavroy commented that the Dominican Republic was Russia’s promising partner in Latin America and the Caribbean Basin and that they had agreed to work to extend and deepen ties between the two countries. As reported, Lavroy said that the Dominican Republic is among the most attractive recreation areas for Russian citizens. 230,000 Russians visited the country last year, up 75% compared to 2016.
Vargas said the abolishment of the visa requirement will encourage more Dominican citizens to visit Russia and will contribute to the growth of the flow of Russian tourists.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Dominican Republic reported that the agreement allows those holding ordinary passports to enter, leave, transit and remain in either state without a visa for up to 60 days, every 180 days from the time of the first entry.
During the signing of the visa free travel agreement, the ministers also signed a Memorandum of Intent for Consulting in International Multilateral Forums. The Dominican Republic is a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It had recently signed a similar consulting agreement with the People’s Republic of China.
Source: DR1, Mirex
Dec 4, 2018
A tragic accident occurred on Thanksgiving Day marring the celebration for many in Casa de Campo community. Villa owner French racecar driver 28-year old Richard Philippe and his guests, his grandfather 78-year old Louis Paul Guitay, Swiss architect Jean-Pierre Emery and Geraldine Moschovis died in a helicopter crash when making their way back from Rio San Juan on the north coast to Casa de Campo. The helicopter was commanded by 38-year old Air Force pilot Roberto Lanfranco Ureña.
Guitay was the inventor of the Endermologie treatment that is used in Europe to get rid of stubborn fat and cellulite and for skin tone. And 70-year Jean-Pierre Emery was a well-known architect from Crans-Montana in Switzerland. 46-year old Moschovis, a textiles expert, was his companion. The Swiss were Phillippe’s guests in Casa de Campo.
The five died of multiple fractures when the helicopter they were flying crashed in a field in Batey Cacata in La Romana. They were on board the US registry N124M EC20 helicopter shortly before arriving to the La Romana International Airport.
A report in El Nacional details the speculation that the accident occurred because of insufficient fuel when flying in adverse flying conditions (nighttime and weather). This is because the aircraft did not go up in flames after the crash and the pilot never notified aviation authorities he was in an emergency. The pilot had left at 5:48pm when the sunset was for 6:01pm that evening.
A commission head by Colonel Pilot Emmanuel Souffront Tamayo, president of the Commission for Investigating Aircraft Accidents of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) was named. An autopsy is being carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF). There is speculation the pilot over trusted his flight abilities when flying from Rio San Juan to La Romana despite the late hour.
The aircraft was reported missing at 6:37pm on Thursday, 22 November 2018 when the helicopter did not arrive as per the flight plan.
Lanfranco Ureña was buried with honors by the Air Force at the Parque del Prado cemetery. He had 19 years and 9 months of service in the Air Force.
Source: DR1, Elnacional
Dec 4, 2018
An angry mob of people nearly lynched an alleged criminal in the sector of Maranatha in the tourist community of Sosua. The unfortunate individual was severely beaten after he had been trapped stealing electric wiring and cables. The thief’s identity is still unknown. After he was caught, his hands and feet were tied and he placed facedown on the pavement. His pants were lowered to uncover the gluteus maximus and with a piece of the same wiring that he had stolen minutes before he was given a serious whipping. All of this was taped by a young man with a telephone and the video was uploaded to social media. The thief was saved from a near lynching because of the intervention by a National Police patrol who took the individual to a medical facility where he received attention. So far the authorities have said nothing about the incident. It should be noted that because of the increase in robberies and the lack of security, many citizens have opted to take justice in their own hands, although they have been warned that these actions violate judicial norms in the country.
Source: DR1, Eldia
Dec 4, 2018
As of September 2018, 949 persons have died in traffic accidents related to alcoholic drink consumptions. Sunday has accounted for the greatest number of deaths, 225.
In a general sense more than 2,000 persons die each year in this country in different traffic accidents, of which 60% are caused by human error such as a lack of prudence. This places the Dominican Republic in the second place among 182 nations belonging to the United Nations in traffic accident deaths. The DR has an accident death rate of 41.7%.
Likewise, accidents are consuming nearly 60% of the budgets of the nation’s, hospitals, and in the case of the Dario Contreras Hospital this percentage equal some RD$12 million pesos a month, according to the trauma hospital’s director José Aponte.
Directors of the Alcohol Cluster at the Ministry of Public Health reject the decision by the Ministry of Interior and Police to remove the drinking restrictions imposed on alcoholic consumption during the Christmas holidays. Based on the publications of the National Statistical Office (ONE) that shows that the total alcohol-related traffic accident deaths in the Dominican Republic during 2016, 2017 and as of September 2018 total 1414, with Sundays averaging 2,019 fatalities during that period.
Elias Tejada, the representative of the cluster, said that before relaxing the restrictions on drinking hours on weekends and during the Christmas season, authorities at the ministry should consider the data that shows that just between Friday and Sunday 551 persons died from alcohol in 2016. In 2017, the number was 404 fatalities and as of September of this year there have been 459 fatalities directly related to alcoholic consumption. In total and by year, accident fatalities related to alcohol consumption totaled 1049 in 2016 of which 250 occurred on Sundays. In 2017 the statistics show a total of 788 fatalities of which 144 occurred on Sunday, and during the first nine months of 2018, alcohol has caused 949 deaths of which 225 were on a Sunday.
Source: DR1, DiairoLibre
Dec 4, 2018
The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) has committed to develop the mining of Larimar and Amber under strict environmental, social and economic sustainable criteria in order to create a chain of value that benefits the miners, the artisans and the mining communities. During the celebration of the first anniversary of the National Larimar Day, Energy and Mines Minister Antonio Isa Conde said that the mining of these stones has to be a productive activity that is capable of sustaining itself, of taking the necessary decisions to protect the environment in benefit of the productive and of the generations that will follow.
Isa Conde said: “We cannot pretend to improve this activity based on a paternalistic vision of the state. Thinking that the state is the one who has the obligation to take care of everything and the producers remain as mere passive agents or receptors of state assistance.”
President Danilo Medina recently issued Decree 431-18, which orders the MEM to regulate, supervise, authorize and take care of everything relating to the exploitation, extraction, permits, processing and export of larimar and amber in a natural state or semi-processed.
Source: DR1, Elcaribe
Dec 4, 2018
A television host in the Dominican Republic is in a stable condition after she tried taking her life for the second time in as many days.
Kiara Romero was found laying outside her home in the northeastern Dominican city of San Pedro de Macoris on Thursday afternoon after she jumped from her third floor apartment.
On Tuesday, the actress had posted a cryptic caption on her Instagram account in Spanish.
‘Sometimes we believe that it may be our end or the end of something, and it is only an opportunity that God gives us to show us that we still have a lot to give, that we still have the best of us,’ Romero wrote.
‘The light is there,’ she added.
A close-circuit camera from a nearby building captures the sad moment when she came crashing to the ground, landing on the left side of her body.
Noticias Sin reported that the 29-year-old suffered fractures on both of her feet and was diagnosed with trauma to her head. A relative told TV station Antena Latina that his niece also fractured both of her hands and had injured her spine.
According to police reports her husband Carlos Paulino, 29, said that Romero had also tried cutting her veins on Wednesday.
Additional surveillance footage acquired by news outlet Agenda 56 shows the couple getting out of a white truck and the moment Paulino and other residents come to Romero’s aid.
Paulino then placed his wife in the car and then drove her to a local hospital.
Listin Diario reported Friday that Romero was scheduled to undergo an operation on both of her feet at a hospital where she had been transferred to in the capital city of Santo Domingo.
The suicide attempts come almost three months after the entertainment television presenter revealed in a birthday Instagram post that she had been sexually abused as a child by her stepfather.
Paulino, a career-minor league baseball player with the Florida Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins, told Dominican authorities on Friday that he and his brother were in the living room of the home where the couple resides when they heard a loud thud at 1.28pm.
As he walked out of an interrogation session with the Dominican National Police, Paulino said he didn’t have any problems with his wife.
MCLEAN, VA––As temperatures continue to drop, there’s never been a better time for travelers to plan their next getaway with expanded all-inclusive offerings from Hilton Hotels & Resorts. Through Hilton’s alliance with Playa Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the company’s flagship brand, announces the addition of three beachside all-inclusive resorts to its portfolio, located in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
“Resorts are a key component of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, and we are committed to growing our portfolio in the places that matter most to our guests,” said Vera Manoukian, senior vice president and global brand head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “These resorts provide our more than 82 million Hilton Honors members with more ways to earn and redeem Points than ever before and allow us to further extend Hilton’s signature hospitality to guests looking for an upscale, all-inclusive vacation experience.”
The following resorts joined the Hilton Hotels & Resorts global portfolio this month:
Hilton Playa Del Carmen, an All-inclusive Resort
Overlooking the palm-lined beaches of the Caribbean Sea, this upscale, adults-only resort is steps away from Playa del Carmen’s famed Fifth Avenue and provides a wide variety of leisure offerings, including 10 restaurants and a state-of-the-art spa. Guests will enjoy the resort’s 500 modern suites, each featuring a private balcony or terrace. Perfect for weddings or romantic getaways, the resort is home to a Romance Concierge and professional wedding specialists and features 7,987 square feet of flexible event space that can accommodate up to 700 guests.
Hilton La Romana, an All-inclusive Family Resort
A next-level option for family vacations, this 412-room resort offers endless activities from tennis and beach volleyball to snorkeling and scuba diving. Kids can channel their inner-adventurer at the Explorer’s Club, which provides daily programming, including arts and crafts and big screen movies on the beach. For teenagers, the resort has a teen club, offering a variety of entertainment options and nightly events. Families will enjoy the resort’s expansive pools, pristine beach and five dining venues to suit every taste.
Hilton La Romana, an All-inclusive Adult Resort
Set on a picturesque beach, framed by a lush, tropical jungle, this 344-room, adults-only resort provides the perfect setting for relaxation. Guests can unwind in spacious suites, lounge by the resort’s four pools or book a treatment at its state-of-the-art spa. With the resort’s prime beachside location and close proximity to four champion golf courses, there are countless leisure offerings for guests to take advantage of daily. For evening entertainment, adults can visit the hotel’s casino and enjoy the lively atmosphere at any of its eight bars and lounges.
“We could not be more excited about these resorts joining the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio,” said Alex Stadlin, chief operating officer, Playa Hotels & Resorts. “Upon completion, these newly remodeled and enhanced resorts will combine the strength and backing of one of the world’s most recognized and trusted brands, with prime beach-front locations, and Playa’s award-winning Service from the Heart, to excite and delight Hilton Honors members worldwide.”
Source: hotelinteractive.com
Dec 4, 2018
Playa Grande has long elicited intrigue. Just hearing the name “Playa Grande,” thoughts of paradise and relaxation permeate. Ten holes sit along the Atlantic Ocean at this Dominican Republic beauty, originally conceived by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1979 but not built until 1997, three years before the great designer’s death. It is considered by some to be his greatest work, and considering he designed or redesigned more than 500 courses, that’s quite the statement.
After seeing photos of Playa Grande, that level of intrigue continues to grow. Over 160 acres of oceanfront property includes water views on all 18 holes, creating a magnificent setting on the northeast shore in Rio San Juan. Multiple property owners have cycled through the past couple of years, but Discovery Land Co. purchased Playa Grande from Dolphin Capital investors over the past year, giving the golf-centric residential development company behind successful clubs such as Madison Club, Gozzer Ranch, Baker’s Bay and a dozen more another beautiful escape. Playa Grande is now ready for intrigue to turn into reality. Rees Jones, the famed architect and Trent Jones Sr.’s son, completed a $10-million redesign of the course to get ready for its grand re-opening, which took place last weekend.
“Everybody’s heard about Playa Grande,” Rees Jones said, “But everyone’s expectations are always exceeded when they actually get here and see it. It’s a rare course in that way. The pictures are stunning, but they don’t do this place justice.”
Gone are some “awkward holes,” as Rees put them, and the back nine was re-routed. The result, he calls “perhaps the best oceanside finish in the world.” Before fans of Pebble Beach and the courses on the Monterey Peninsula or Scotland become offended, consider the facts. The final five holes conclude on the water, including the postcard-worthy par-3 17th hole, which you might’ve seen in some fantasy golf calendar.
The 15th hole plays parallel to the ocean to a little peninsula green. The 16th requires golfers to carry the ocean with their approach. And the par-5 18th hole is a thrilling finisher.
Don’t discount the strong start, including the thrilling par-3 third and seventh holes, and two Cape template holes on the front nine (Nos. 4 and 9), giving this course serious bones—while still being playable for the average player. “There are challenging angles and shot options on every hole, but there’s enough width and help for an every-day player,” Rees said.
“The great golf courses like Augusta are the ones that really kind of evolve over time. I think that’s what happened at Playa Grande. The best courses make you think on every shot. And that’s the case here.”
The Amanera resort, the first Aman hotel in the Caribbean, opened in 2016—meaning Playa Grande is now open to the public. As is typical of Discovery Land properties, the company is developing its residences on prime real estate, which will include private homes starting at $2.5 million, sitting on oceanside cliffs. The attraction of pristine, exclusive beaches with unparalleled amenities is undeniable.
Though not the easiest trip from the United States, this is a destination heavy on intrigue. Playa Grande is worth adding to the list of must-see courses in the Dominican Republic.
Source: golfdigest.com
Dec 4, 2018
Thursday evening, November 29, the Christmas tree in the park of the flags (right opposite Banco Popular in El Batey, Sosúa) were officially presented to the public when the mayor turned on the Christmas lights. The entire park is covered in beautiful Christmas lights and the Christmas tree (now larger than in previous years) looks like a fairytale. To this festive event, hundreds of residents of Sosúa came down together with representatives of the municipal authorities, police, military and civil guard.
After the many speeches, the visitors were also surprised with delicious cookies and hot chocolate. The mayor said in her speech that also in the neighborhoods of Charamicos and La Unión the parks will be dressed up with Christmas decorations and a Christmas tree.
Photos: Felix Corona (press officer city hall)
Source: Sosua News
Dec 4, 2018
The city government of Santo Domingo East announced the opening of the “Vive la Navidad” lights spectacle at the Parque del Este. The event is staged from 7 December 2018 to 5 January 2019. Mayor Alfredo Martínez says the lit up park will be open to the public from 6pm to 12 midnight. The park is lit up with 2,400,000 little lights. The idea is to simulate a magical park with tunnels decorated by colorful lights.
Source: DR1, ayuntamientosde.gob
Nov 24, 2018
