MARCH 2009

Santiago brings 10% of receipts through the Taxes Head Office

Santiago brings 10% of receipts through the Taxes Head OfficeNew administration

BREAKING NEWS: SANTIAGO. - Santiago is the second city of the country which brings the most important resources to the tax department with 10% of the total of the receipts of Taxes Head Office (DGII).

This is why its director, Juan Hernández, declared that the new administration for the large taxpayers of Santiago was going to produce a great change in the tax management of the State. Hernández directed the ceremony of inauguration of the new administration of the DGII in Santiago in the presence of the municipal authorities, of the Government and of company managers.

He underlined the advantages of the new offices where the company managers will have at their disposal an acounting civil servant with who they will be able to interact and ask any type of question and information by establishing a personalized quality relationship.

The new administration is located on Avenida 27 de Febrero, in the Calle E corner, in the sector Las Colinas and has vast car parks and spaces for the service.

It will be devoted exclusively to the big taxpayers of Santiago who account for 78.7% of the receipts of the province.

The others will continue to use the local adminstration, located in the building of the Governmental Offices.

Santiago Live, 02.02.09

The economy can grow in spite of the world-wide crisis

The economy can grow in spite of the world-wide crisisSuperintendent of the Banks affirms it

BREAKING NEWS: Santiago. - The economy of the Dominican Republic can record a positive growth this year in spite of the global financial crisis, affirmed this Thursday in Santiago the supervisor of the Banks of the country, Camilo, who observed that everything will depend on the behavior of the main actors of the nation’s economy and of the management of the Government in front of the consequences which will inevitably derive from the financial, real and economic crises which is presented in great nations like the United States.

During the conference Situation and prospects 2009 for the Dominican economy ; sponsored by the branch of Santiago of the American Chamber of Commerce, Camilo said that the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) could be between 2.6% and 3%, while the inflation would range between 5% and 7%.

In this context, he explained that last year, the sector which had felt the greatest growth had been that of the communications, but that unfortunately ; it was among those that are producing less employment.

For the civil servant, the Dominican Republic recorded significant increases during last year in sectors like tourism, construction, private banking and money remittances from outside.

He ensured that the Dominican financial system had not been negatively impacted by the economic and real crisis of the United States.

The local financial system takes into account 600.000 billion pesos in credits and in the total of the banks, of which two concentrate 65 percent of the resources, one of the State and the other one of the private sector, according to Camilo.

In his opinion, as the monetary policy is even more flexible, a favorable effect on the liquidity of the market will occur and will have a positive impact on the productive sectors of the economy. He declared that the authorities hoped that the progressive fall of the interest rates were going to stimulate the growth of the loans, which will become obvious starting from the second half-year of 2009.

In the same way, he estimated that the growth would be moderate in some sectors like the tourism, the free zones, the manufacturing industry and even weaker in the sectors of remittances and capitals.

The superintendent of the Banks reiterated that the local financial sector enjoyed sufficient confidence on behalf of the public, because it maintains an indisputable solidity and a reliability.

Santiago Live, 06.03.09

The Health Ministry inaugurates an exhibition

The Health Ministry inaugurates an exhibitionMedical history of AIDS

BREAKING NEWS: Santiago. - The Secretariat of State of Public Health and Social Assistance, (SESPAS), inaugurated an exhibition of hundred photographs which gather the medical history of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, AIDS, event during which the authorities affirmed that every day, 5 thousand young people are infected by the disease.

The photographic exhibition is open during all the month of March at the frontal esplanade of the Gran Teatro Regional del Cibao.

The inauguration of the event was celebrated by the Governor Jose Izquierdo and by the authorities of the health portfolio.

The exhibition is entitled The History of the HIV by Overcoming an Epidemic, and through this one the authorities try to make that the citizens become aware of the risks of the sexual promiscuity and its consequences of transmission of the AIDS virus.

According to the statistics, in Santiago the hospitals treat free 2 thousand 157 people affected by AIDS from 15 to 26 year-old.

The personnel of the SESPAS who directs the policy anti AIDS in Santiago explains that there exist 86 organizations integrated in the plan of orientation, education and prevention of the disease, set up by the Presidential Council against the AIDS.

The patients included in the program receive free retro viral therapy in the hospital Jose María Cabral y Báez and in the hospitals of the periphery and the health centers of the province.

The town of Santiago has 7 units anti AIDS where one offers drugs and psychological support to the patients in a free way.

In this exhibition, we can see the international campaigns of the fight against this disease and other images related to the therapy of the infections by sexual transmission.

Santiago Live, 09.03.09

Santiago disturbances

Santiago disturbancesThere are 35 detained

BREAKING NEWS: The protests in the streets are to call attention to public works that are needed and yesterday they were intensifies in several sectors of Santiago and 35 persons were detained.

The near-riots took place in La Yagüita del Pastor, Don Pedro, El Limonal Abajo and La Mosca de Cienfuegos where bombs were heard and there were gunfire exchanges between protesters and the police.

The president of the Neighborhood Board of La Yagüita del Pastor, Jorge Sanchez, said that the protest is due to the fact that the authorities have not fulfilled their promise to pave the roads and fix uop the sidewalks and gutters of the barrio.

The neighbors said that they would call off the strike if the authorities would promise and sign an agreement to begin the completion of the work within 24 hours.

The provincial governor, Jose Izquierdo, announced that next Monday the work to pave more than seven kilometers of streets in La Yagüita del Pastor would begin.

Diario Libre, 13.03.09

Protests renewed in Santiago’s barrios

Protests renewed in Santiago’s barriosThey demand streets’ repairs

BREAKING NEWS: SANTIAGO.- Community organizations from La Yagüita de Pastor, Bella Vista and Pastor renewed the street protests after passing the deadline given to the authorities to begin once more the repairs to the streets, among other things, that had been promised.

The government, through the provincial governor, Jose Augusto Izquierdo, had promised to start the public works by midday on Monday at the latest, but this did not happen.

In the afternoon, numerous bombs were heard, as well as shots, and confrontations between groups of protesters and police SWAT units.

The tense situation forced the closure of commerce and the stoppage of all production, and included transport and streets blocked by protesters with burning tires, rocks and garbage.

The spokesperson of the community organizations and leader of the Broad Front of Popular Struggles (FALPO) in La Yagüita de Pastor, Jose Martinez, warned that they would only lift the strike when the equipment arrives to begin the street repairs and other projects.

The demands of the community include street repairs, gutters and sidewalks, sewers, a bridge, drinking water, and an end to blackouts, among other things.

For his part, the governor of Santiago, Jose Izquierdo, argued that the jobs were not restarted because of the supposed lack of security in the barrios where they were supposed to work.

Diario Libre, 17.03.09

Calm returns to Santiago barrios

Calm returns to Santiago barriosAsphalting work began on the main streets

BREAKING NEWS: The protests that for more than 10 days have paralyzed the productive activities and the public transportation of everyone to La Yagüita del Pastor, Bella Vista and Pastor, in protest over the deterioration of the streets, were lifted yesterday, after the government started working on the repairs of the roadways.

In a first stage, the heavy equipment started working on scraping and applying a coat of oil base on the roadways, after which they can apply the asphalt. The work began on the main street of La Yagüita del Pastor, the same place where last week eight persons were injured by shotgun pellets and dozens were hauled in during the protests.

The spokesperson for the community organizations that called the strike, Jonas Pena, said that the organizations will be vigilant so that the government fulfills its promises. We decided to call a truce in order to allow the government to begin fixing the streets, but we warned them that if they stop work again, we will renew the protests with even more vigor, he said.

For his part, the governor of Santiago, Jose Augusto Izquierdo, guaranteed that the work would not be halted until the streets in the barrios were asphalted. He added, We recognize that the jobs should have been finished years ago, but now the equipment is working.

One of the merchant leaders of the southern part of the city, Jose Medina, said that in the sectors affected by the protests there was a loss of business of more than RD $10 million.

After the protest strike was lifted, the streets of La Yagüita del Pastor were cleaned up while the police peacekeepers were withdrawn.

Yesterday morning there were violent protests in Licey, Navarrete and in the community of Los Cocos in Jacagua as residents called for public works projects and other improvements.

The protestors demanded the repair of the streets, a better water supply as well as fewer blackouts and the reconstruction of the sewer system.

Diario Libre, 18.03.09

Region of Cibao

Region of CibaoFernández Mirabal warns on the water shortage

BREAKING NEWS: SANTIAGO. - The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources announced yesterday in Santiago that the wasting of water for human consumption threatens the area of Cibao with a great shortage, as that it is occurring in other zones of the country and of the world.

Doctor Jaime David Fernández Mirabal, was talking whereas he took part in a walk organized by the Corporation of Aqueduct and Sewers of Santiago (CORAASAN) within the framework of the commemoration of the Water World Day, which will take place on Sunday March 22.

Fernández Mirabal said that in spite of the high level of rainfall recorded in the Dominican Republic last year; there exists a deficit of water allotted to the excess in the consumption of each citizen.

In Santiago, each person would be supposed to use 250 liters daily; but consumption per capita is around 500 to 600 liters.

Today, I would like to have the attention of the population on the fact that it is necessary to save the water and in this way to guarantee better living conditions for everyone, he specified.

He declared that from the Department of the Environment, they are supporting plans in relation to water, among them the Sierra Plan, the Cordillera Plan and the Yaque Plan.

The Minister of Education as well as the Ecological Association of Cibao also took part to this activity.

The excursion was carried out by students of the public and private educational centers, who walk together with governmental authorities.

Santiago Live, 20.03.09

The middle-class of Santiago joints the protests

The middle-class of Santiago joints the protestsWe are tired of living in the middle of mud when it rains and of dust when the weather is nice

BREAKING NEWS: SANTIAGO. - The protests for the repair of the roads and avenues reached yesterday the richest sectors of Santiago, where the inhabitants claimed the immediate repair of the streets.

As in the urbanization Jardines del Este as well as in El Embrujo, protests and disorders occurred at the first hours of the day.

To have the attention of the authorities, the inhabitants blocked with waste the passage of the vehicles on the Rafael Vidal Avenue that connects the Duarte highway with the Santiago-Licey road.

Pedro Cruz, representative of the neighbor’s board of the urbanization, said that they decided to organize this type of demonstrations because they already exhausted all the possible ways to require from the government that it takes into account their requests, without obtaining any result.

The inhabitants blocked the close streets, while insisting on the fact that they paid their taxes in a regular way and that the government did not answer.

The strike, during which the demonstrators placed refuse tanks and other obstacles in the streets, caused long congestions on the Rafael Vidal Avenue, the Santiago-Licey road and the East-West section of the Duarte highway.

This strike is the fourth consecutive one in this city.

With slogans and panels, the inhabitants show that they do not want other lies on behalf of the secretariat of Public Works, We are tired to live in the middle of mud when it rains and of dust when the weather is nice. We are citizens who pay taxes, they shouted.

The protest was organized by people who work in offices; this is why it lasted only one hour, from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m.

The streets of these urbanizations have been deteriorated for four years, when the authorities asphalted; they did it exclusively on Rafael Vidal Avenue and forgot the other streets.

People who protested before to go to work expressed their dislike of the neglected promises and required solutions.

Santiago Live, 24.03.09

Domínguez Brito requires respecting the population

Domínguez Brito requires respecting the populationHe does not support the strike

BREAKING NEWS: Francisco Domínguez Brito, member of the Central Committee of the Party of the Dominican Liberation (PLD), senator for the Province of Santiago, supports the creation of the line of the Santiago-Haina or Santiago-Manzanillo train provided that it is done through concessions If the project is carried out with the money of the State, I would say that we should finish before all the process to equip the Communities with the necessary school infrastructures and not to make this type of investment, underlined Domínguez Brito in an interview during the « Uno mas Uno ».program.

In this way, he expressed that the dream of each citizen was that the traditional school tents are removed, which in its opinion are the cause of the weakness of the education in Latin America. And why not ? That all the social funds are dedicated to school would be the best help which could be brought to the families, underlined the politician in the report published by the Secretariat of the Communications of the PLD.

Regarding the protests which occurred in Santiago, Domínguez Brito said that they were always organized by the same groups and that they were not justified because of the efforts done by the government to find solutions to the social problems.

They cannot say that the government does not make the efforts to solve these problems, there is a real interest for the resolution of the latter, he underlined.

The representative of the Upper House for Santiago would like that when a part of the population protests, that the other people are respected.

There are people who reason differently and although they realize that there are problems and difficulties, they do not agree with this kind of demonstrations, he supported.

He said that the greatest complaints are related to the asphalting of the urban areas, work which will have obviously to be assumed by the Public Works, although it should not be forgotten that it was also the responsibility of the town halls.

But again, I reiterate my thought which is that the government is doing many efforts and that it should not be forgotten there we are living a very big international crisis and problems following the budget deficit resulting of a series of variables.

The senator of the PLD expressed that these moments of total crisis require a united Dominican people seeking to face the problems which derive from this crisis in order to continue working on the growth of the country.

I think that we should link us, independently of the political parties to succeed in surpassing this international crisis, concluded the legislator from Santiago.

Santiago Live, 26.03.09

Dominican Police arrest a 2nd Italian Mafia figure

Dominican Police arrest a 2nd Italian Mafia figureHe worked as a taxi driver in Santiago

BREAKING NEWS: SANTIAGO.-  Agents assigned to Interpol yesterday arrested Italian Mafia lieutenant Mariano Martone, wanted in his country to serve a 25 year sentence for assaulting more than 10 banks and stealing more than 170 million euros (around RD $8.2 billion).

Interpol chief Atahualpa Cabrera, interviewed by newspaper Diario Libre, said Martone’s arrest warrant was issued Thursday and detained in Santiago’s Cienfuegos district (north), where he worked as a taxi driver of the company Taxi Familiar.

Italian officials said the fugitive was sought since 2002, and it was recently learned that he resided in Dominican Republic.

Martone, who had a pending international arrest warrant issued by Turin’s Office of the Prosecutor, said he fled to Dominican Republic after receiving death threats from the members of the ring he led and which operated in Novara, Italy.

Interpol officers from Rome didn’t discard that other Italian fugitives are hiding in the country, because of its tourism attraction and geographic position.

Cabrera noted that it was Interpol that in February arrested Ciro Mazzarella, head of the famous Mazzarella Clan of the Napolitan mafia Camorra.

Santiago Live, 30.03.09