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Santiago is jubilant for the Arena del Cibao

SANTIAGO. - In front of more than 15 thousand joyful and proud people, President Leonel Fernández formally inaugurated yesterday evening the « Arena del Cibao Doctor Oscar Gobaira » , old Palacio de los Deportes (Sport hall), work for which were invested approximately 500 million pesos.

By making the inaugural speech, Fernández said that he felt particularly delighted to be able to deliver a reorganized work with NBA style.

He recalled that this repair was promised on March 30, 2007 at the time of the Council of the Government and that it held its promise.

Before it was a suburb as Felix Bautista said, here there was a barracks, a prison, a workshop, and now it is saved for the happiness of youth , said Fernández.

He declared that his goal was to continue to modernize the Dominican Republic in all the fields and the sport is an important part.

Fernández greeted the presence of immortal basket ball players Hugo Cabrera and Frank Kranwinkel who attended the ceremony just like Ricardo Ramón, Milito Encarnación, Tony Sánchez, Tony Marte and Mauricio Espinal, among others.

The Head of the State arrived at the sporting equipment at 19h30 accompanied by the vice-president of the Republic, Rafael Alburquerque, of his wife, Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, of the Sports Minister, Felipe Payano, and of the director of the Engineers Office of State Works Supervision, Felix Bautista.

The religious invocation was the responsibility of Monsignor Agripino Núñez Collado who congratulated President Fernández for the majestic work that he offered to the youth of Santiago and of El Cibao.

The governor of the province of Santiago, José Izquierdo, was in charge of the welcome speech to the present people.

After the speech, President Fernández asked Payano, Hugo, Kranwinkel and Mauricio Espinal to play one « 21 » without suit nor tie, which caused the outburst of the thousands of people who filled the sporting installation.

Fernández carried out several launched to the basket, one was successful and he missed several, but finally, he marked a basket and the match finished to 54 against 31 in favor of his team.

After having played a basketball match, the Sports Minister Felipe Payano delivered a contribution of a sponsor of 3,5 million pesos to the directions of the six clubs which will begin tomorrow the 28th Superior Tournament.

It is an additional proof that you hold your promise for the youth of the Dominican Republic he added.

Everybody was very moving and people adored.

Hoy Digital, by José Caceres, 01.03.08

The Mayor of Santiago will be with Amable in the red bulletin

Only the Christian Social Reformist Party defined its electoral offer

This week will be decisive for the candidates of the presidency to choose their bulletins companions, since next Sunday, the 17 at midnight, the time that the Political parties have to register their candidates for the elections in the Junta Central Electoral in May 16 will be exceeded.

Until now, only the Christian Social Reformist Party, (PRSC) defined its electoral offer with the declaration made yesterday by the candidate of the presidency Amable Aristy Castro who chose the mayor of Santiago, Enrique Sued, to be his companion.

During this time, from the seven parties that will take part with their own candidatures, only the PRSC and the Independent Revolution Party (PRI), registered officialy their presidential candidates in the JCE.

The inscriptions of candidates of the Dominican Release Party (PLD), Revolutionary Dominicain Party (PRD), Revolutionary Social and Democrat Party (PRSCD), the Fourth way Party, as well as the Unit and Change Party (MIUCA y Alianza Popular (PAP), are not made yet.

Diario Libre, by L. Comprés and J.Arias, 10.03.08

Constructions in progress

The government will quickly deliver the apartments to the floods’ victims

SANTIAGO. - The government hopes to finish, at the end of this month, the first group of apartments built for the families’ victim of the storm Olga and that it has been approximately three months that they began their construction in Barrio Obrero, Herradura.

This information has be given by the provincial governor, professor José Izquierdo who has said that the two first levels of these constructions are practically terminated, and that they are giving the final touches so that they can be inhabited in a few weeks by the victims of the Yaque del Norte floods, occurred at the dawn of last December 12.

The construction of the residences was ordered by president Leonel Fernández, at the end of the Council of the Government which he directed in this city, a few days after the destruction and deaths caused by the rising of this river, which has considerably affected the districts Bella Vista, Cambronal, Joya, Baracoa, ensanche Bermúdez, Nibaje and Rafey.

Governor Izquierdo explained that the 600 apartments which are in construction are the work of three companies, and that the workers are doing it in an accelerated way, in order to finish the first stage as soon as possible.

In addition, the representative of the Executive power of this province considered that the speed with which the government helped the victims allowed that they will recover as soon as possible the material losses from which they suffered .

Moreover, Governor Izquierdo stressed that the economic aid given by the government to the owners of commercial establishments flooded by the water of Yaque del Norte consisted of an important contribution for the fast recovery of the city.

With regard to the recovery of the affected districts, Izquierdo recalled that in a general way the streets had been rehabilitated, the affected residences rebuilt, while they completely rebuilt the houses totally destroyed by the floods.

Diario Digital, by Ricardo Rodríguez Rosa, 13.03.08

More than thousand police officers will reinforce the COE in Santiago

Easter Week

The Emergency Operations Center (COE) will be reinforced by more than thousand policemen within the framework of the preventive activities which will take place in the districts and the streets of this province, all along the Holy Week holidays.

This information was communicated by General Raudo Ramirez Comas, chief of the National Police force Regional Management of Cibao Central, who explained that the agents are prepared to preserve the private properties while the families leave their houses during this holiday week.

He said that the agents in uniform will have the responsibility to help the first-aid workers in their preventive tasks in the streets. The purposes of those are to avoid the alcoholic drink consumption while driving and to watch the closed beaches and « balnearios » .

Another information of General Ramirez Comas let know that the agents working under his orders were subjected to the antidoping test and that the positive controlled men will be separated from the institution ranks.

The chief of the police force explained that the results of the tests will be made public during the next days in the headquarters of the institution inSanto Domingo.

Provincias Dominicanas, 18.03.08

The BHD Bank inaugurates a branch in Santiago

Facilitated acces to banking services

The BHD Bank inaugurated a new branch within the Hospital Metropolitano de SantiagoHOMS, eleventh branch of the banking organization in this city.

The welcome words of the inaugural ceremony were pronounced by Engineer Luis Molina Achécar, president of the BHD Bank, who underlined the process of growth of this financial institution as well as the consolidation of its policy of opening to new businesses.

We are very satisfied with the inauguration of this new branch, because it will allow a facilitated access to the banking services in this area of the town of Santiago. It is precisely an expression of our policy of expansion and of proximity, he underlined.

The manager of the new branch, Damaris Estévez, explained the facilities of the latter. Since here we offer a service not only to the personnel and to the users of this hospital, but also in Villa María, Villas del Norte, Los Álamos, Monte Verde and los Embrujos, which now has a closer bank and a cash dispenser, she said.

She added that in the range of offered services are the operating platform, Cajero Agil (cash dispenser) and a vast car park.

Al Momento, 19.03.08

Santiago to get Delta flights daily

Second largest Dominican city

Delta Airlines continues to expand in the Caribbean with a new nonstop daily service from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to Santiago (north), starting in December.

Santiago is one of the Dominican Republic’s main cultural and educative centers and industrial zones, which produces rum, leather and textiles.

Located in the central Cibao valley, it’s the main city of a region with the highest income per capita in the country.

The new Atlanta-Santiago flight completes the nonstop service Delta already offers between Atlanta and Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana.

Dominican Today, 26.03.08

Fernandez cut the ribbon for the Metropolitan Hospital

Activities in Santiago

Santiago. - President Leonel Fernandez yesterday headed in this city several activities including the inauguration of road works and a military parade to mark the 164th anniversary of the Battle of Marchthe 30, 1844.

The chief executive cut the ribbon for the Metropolitan Hospital of Santiago (HOMS) and a church in Licey, works built at a cost of RD $368 million.

After the inaugurations, the President also announced the conclusion of the works to rebuild the barrios affected by the storm Olga, among them Beella Vista, Rafey, Baracoa, and La Joya.

Dominican Today, 31.03.08