Santiago put on its more finery to accommodate the « Serie del Caribe »

Large crowds

The town of Santiago, the second in importance of Dominican Republic, prepared its best attire to accommodate for the first time the Serie del Caribe of baseball, which on this occasion joins together Mexico, Venezuela, and two Dominican teams. Puerto Rico, which will miss for this occasion because the country cancelled its professional tournament for economic problems, will send an official delegation in its membership of the Confederation of Baseball of the Caribbean.

The hotel rooms all are already reserved and the commercial places were provided with various goods and products, considering they are waiting for large crowds of foreign and Creoles tourists who will come to enjoy the regional event.

The Dominican president, Leonel Fernández, will inaugurate on Friday February 1, work of restoration of the historical center of Santiago, one of the important attractions for the tourists who will visit the city during the Serie del Caribe, communicated to the press Governor Izquierdo.

In the night of Friday, the leader will give in symbolic manner the Dominican flag to the teams of Las Águilas Cibaeñas and to los Tigres del Licey, the champion and the holder of the local league, during a ceremony which will take place in the SpanishCenter of this city.

The Town council of Santiago started a vast operation of repair of the principal streets and avenues which suffered from serious deteriorations because of the passage of the subtropical storm « Olga » on last December 12, which in this city caused large floods responsible for at least 34 dead and numerous disappeared people and material damages for million.

However, the organizers of the Serie del Caribe bet on their success, as affirmed by the president of Las Águilas, the ex player Winston « Chilote » Llenas.

Economic success is guaranteed, and more with the participation of los Tigres in the Serie, affirmed the executive.

Meanwhile, president of the Caribbean Baseball Confederation, the Dominican Juan Francisco Puello, affirmed today that which we name the « Small World Series », will mark a precedent in the history of the Caribbean winter baseball.

Puello ensures that the event will attract the world attention because it will be retransmitted on line in the United States by the means of an important television channels, as well as in other parts of the world.

The president of the Association of the Storekeepers of the Historical Center of Santiago, Carlos Lora, ensured that the celebration of the Serie del Caribe will constitute an important tool here so that this city emerges as tourist destination.

Forming part of the collateral activities to the event, some of the principal Dominican bands of merengue and bachata will play on stages open to the public, ensured the organizers.

El Nuevo Diario, 01.02.08

A new creole film soon in Santiago

Alfonso Rodriguez will broadcast « Play ball » , his new movie, next week in Santiago

The creole scenario writer, Alfonso Rodriguez, writes us directly from Argentina to communicate us that everything is ready regarding his last movie « Play ball » .

He informs that there will be an official reception next Monday in Santiago; and that another will take place on Wednesday 13, in the Malecón Center of the Capital.

« Play ball » precisely treats baseball and use of steroids among the players.

A great hope is founded on the success of this new cinematographic production.

Alfonso supports that next week, the specialized critic and the public in general will already have the occasion to see this movie.

Cristalycolores.com, 06.02.08

Rehabilitation of more than 59 thousand « tareas » of banana

Promising harvest

Santiago.- The secretariat of the agriculture of the Northern zone rehabilitated more than 59 thousand banana « tareas * » in the provinces of Espaillat (Moca), Puerto Plata and Santiago, plantations which had been destroyed by the tropical storms Noel and Olga last year.

The agricultural engineer Ramón Cruz, director of the official organization, stressed that in two months these banana plantations will be in full production.

Recovery that we had after the damage caused by these natural phenomena was surprising and it is due in a great part to the persistence of the Government in this way , said Cruz.

He indicated that in addition to the readjustment of thousands of banana « tareas », they prepared for free the grounds for the private harvesters and that they distributed of sowing and agrochemical materials to face the plagues and the diseases.

Cruz informed that there will be soon an abundant harvest of habichuelas (beans), rice, yucca (manioc), batata (sweet potato), guineos (bananas), plantains and vegetables.

In addition, the regional manager of Agriculture informed that once per week, 101 agricultural places are setting-up in the localities of the area, places where they sell at moderate prices the principal products of the shopping basket.

Among the products which are obtained at low prices he quoted rice, edible oils, meats, fruits, vegetables, as well as the products of national industry like the pasta products, the tomato puree, liquid and powder milk, chickens, eggs and the pork-butchery.

El Libelo, by Narciso Pérez, 13.02.08

* 1 « tarea » is equivalent to 628.86 square meters

Programa Solidaridad reaches 20 thousand poor families in Santiago

Fifteen thousand poor families in the Santiago province are incorporated into the Programa Solidaridad

They receive every month between 500 and 1,500 pesos, and from next week, 6,200 new homes will begin to receive the benefits of that successful social plan of the government.

In 36 grocery stores scattered in different parts of the province of Santiago, the low-income families have the opportunity to use the Solidaridad card to buy foodstuffs chosen for the new social agenda of the government of the President Leonel Fernández.
The President Fernández has given instructions to help 6,200 families affected by the storms Noel and Olga in Santiago. Next Monday the Solidarity cards will be distributed at the Club Gregorio Urbano, in the barrio Libertad, in the northern area of this city.

The manager of the Solidaridad program in the provinces of Santiago, Puerto Plata and Espaillat, the professor Máximo Santiago, explained that the 36 grocery stores affiliated with the social plan comply with a number of requirements, ranging from hygiene to the ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages.

In the grocery stores affiliated, there will be no possibility to bet Solidarity and it will be prohibited with the Solidarity card to buy cigarettes, soda, candy, alcoholic beverages and other products of this kind

A family with three children in school receives monthly 1,500 pesos, but students must have a 80 percent attendance at classes, which seeks to promote the studies through the program Solidaridad.

The 15 thousand poor families incorporated into the programme Solidarity in this province are scattered in the municipalities of Santiago, Tamboril, Licey al Medio, Jánico, San Jose de las Matas, Navarrete, Savannah Church, and Villa Gonzalez and Dagger were selected through surveys supervised by international organizations.

In addition to the 6,200 Solidarity cards to be delivered next Monday 18 of this month to families affected by the storms Olga and Noel in Santiago, President Fernández has given instructions to the upcoming month of March with thousands of new representatives poor families in the province.

The economic, social and educational Solidarity programme has been truly extraordinary, because this is an unprecedented initiative of President Leonel Fernández in favour of poor families in the country, which had not been taken into account by any other government said Professor Máximo Santiago.

He felt that the political opposition, especially the PRD and its candidate Miguel Vargas Maldonado, should recognize that no president in the country’s history had been so preoccupied by the poor, such as Dr. Leonel Fernández, who is the most enthusiastic promoter of the Solidarity program.

El Nuevo Diario, 19.02.08

Santiago in the Carnaval mood

The third repetition of the Santiago Carnaval

The third repetition for the Santiago Carnaval received Sunday a massive presence of people who came from different points of the city and the region to take advantage of the various characters and floats which characterize this popular festivity.
The event went into a demonstration of what will be the final parade of Carnaval of Santiago 2008, which will be held next Sunday in Las Carreras Avenue.

Organized groups of lechones , as the eternal rivals of Los Pepines and La Joya, just like Guinguilianos, Los Comaches, Los Faraones, Las Gárgolas, Los Titanes, Los Reyes of Pueblo Nuevo, Los Jardines and Los Guasones, and an invited troupe of the Bahamas, took part in the parade, turning this into a diverse and colorful celebration.

The organizing committee, chaired by Governor Jose Izquierdo; Medios Unidos del Cibao (Muci) and the Federacion Lechones y Comparsas de Santiago (Felepsa) (Federation of lechones and Troops of Santiago), has organized the festival in accordance with the Security standards to ensure that this festival can be enjoyed as a family.

The security is borne by Manolo Morel, executive director of Carnival 2008, but also members of the Police, the National Army, Civil Defence and Fire Brigades.

Professor Jose Izquierdo was determined to give a guarantee to those attending the carnival. For the final parade, the security will be stepped up, which is why we invite everyone to come to the carnival area he said.

The Santiago Carnival 2008, scheduled on Feb. 24, counts on the participation of about 200 bands and troops, as well as two provinces invited.
The parade will start from the intersection of avenues Carreras and Las Hermanas Mirabal, until Francia, to return to the starting point, thus forming a closed loop.

El Caribe, by Wendy Almonte, 19.02.08

The Municipality of Santiago solves the problems of Bella Vista

A success for the Mayor José Enrique Sued

With an investment of more than five million pesos, the municipal administration of Mayor José Enrique Sued brought a solution to the serious pluvial problem that affected the intersection of avenues Núñez de Cáceres and Emilio Prud’Home, Bella Vista, a major lane of the road « B » which is now tared on and rejuvenated.

The municipal work has been entrusted to the Department of Pluvial Sewerage System (SAP) of the City Hall. The diagnosis of the problem was in deteriorated streets, spillways out of service and the piping pluvial system blocked by mud and garbage.

Having solved all the anomalies of the pluvial infrastructure, the municipal authorities have applied 500 square meters of asphalt through which the service sector Bella Vista has been rehabilitated.

Only with regard to the paving, the work has cost 4 million 462 thousand 688 pesos, not counting the work of the pluvial system, pavements and gutters.

Other road works undertaken by the management of the mayor Jose Enrique Sued are building sidewalks and gutters in the allotment Las Colinas, in the community, Don Pedro and other sectors.

Municipal Work is also continuing, with the general programme of filling ruts in different parts of the city, they have helped to mitigate the very bad conditions that affected the main avenues and roads in the Cuidad Corazón.

Diario Digital, 21.02.08

Applicants propose to support the productive sectors

Miguel Vargas Maldonado, Eduardo Estrella y Amable Aristy Castro

Presidential candidates, Miguel Vargas Maldonado, Eduardo Estrella y Amable Aristy Castro, were in agreement as regards their government’s proposals to strengthen the productive sector of the country, save the free zones, guarantee a better health system and security, cut taxes, invest more in education.

Vargas Maldonado, Estrella and Aristy Castro gave what would be their programme of the Government during their participation in the symposium Elections 2008 in the theatre of the University Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra.

The presidential candidate of the PRD Miguel Vargas, said he wants to develop a strategy for 11 points, with the intention of creating jobs for young people, as well as of other important measures for development of the nation.

He said he hoped that a government under his leadership would unite the Dominican ones in order to make the country advance.
Aristy Castro said he wants to attack poverty from all angles, with job creation among others.

He added that to give priority to their producers by giving soft loans so they can continue to produce and lend their supports to the development of the Gross Domestic Product.

As for Eduardo Estrella he explained that his government can strengthen the construction of housing, roads, and ensure the health and education of Dominicans.

The Chairman of the Central Electoral Board, Julio César Guzmán Castaños highlighted the fact that the elections in May of this year are fully ready. The next election will be a success

Luistin Diario, 21.02.08

The Dominican tobacco develops annual sales for 300 million US dolars

Association of the Cigars Manufacturers

SANTIAGO. - The Dominican tobacco occupies the 45% of the world demand, by producing sales for 300 million dollars per year, informed Hendrick Kelner.

Kelner, president of « Dominican Tobaccos » (Tabacom) and of the Association of the Cigars Manufacturers of Dominican Republic, said that the Dominican tobacco occupies 58% of the American market.

He stressed that in front of the force of the Dominican product on the international market, it maintains commercial stability.

However, Tabacom and Procigar president admitted that, in spite of stability, the growth is minimal.

He said that currently they work out in the country some 220 million cigars handmade, but the industry of cigar machine by machine is passably developed and we estimate that the Dominican Republic export already a few 400 million cigars make with machine, he expressed.

He stressed that the sector of the cigarettes produces some 15 thousand direct employments in industry, in addition to 10 thousand other additional jobs in the annex companies, which include the preparers of the tobacco, approximately 60 thousand people, although a part of them are not employed in a permanent but temporary way.

He explained that it is one of the sectors where technology did not replace the hand work, because although changes are applied to improve the processes, the hand of the man is still essential and every day more important to produce the cigar, which is a traditional and artistic work.

Al Momento, 26.02.08