DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Minister of Industry & Commerce Victor (Ito) Bisono was in Washington, D.C. for meetings with US Department of State and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officials to continue to foster US investments in nearshoring and the semiconductor industry.

Bisonó led a mission with Johannes Kelner, Deputy Minister for Free Trade Zones and Special Regimes and experienced businessmen Samuel Conde and Manuel Enrique (Ike) Tavares.

At the US Department of State they met with José W. Fernández, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Energy & Business Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Finance and Development, director of Private Sector Engagement-Economic Bureau and representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

A press release from the Ministry of Industry & Commerce says that the trip is part of efforts to...

The Constitutional Court is reviewing claims that the National Intelligence Law violates the Constitution in the attributions granted to the new National Intelligency Agency (DNI).

The presiding judge of the Constitutional Court (TC) Napoleón R. Estévez Lavandier confirmed the high court has received seven files with complaints regarding the recently enacted National Intelligence Agency Law 1-24 violates the Constitution. The plenary of the TC met on 26 April 2024 to review the law.

The law was enacted on 15 January 2024, but for it to be implemented a ruling needs to be passed.

The National Society of Dailies is participating in a committee to review the law that is also said to violate freedom of speech and affect news organizations and journalists.

The presidential candidate for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Abel Martinez extensively presented his views and proposals during the televised interview for the Corripio Media Group. Leading polls say Martinez has around 10% of the intention to vote. The PLD was the ruling party from 1996-2000, and then from 2004-2020.

During the PLD presidencies of Leonel Fernandez and Danilo Medina, he served several terms as president of the Chamber of Deputies and mayor of Santiago, the country’s second-largest city.

Martinez is now running for office with former Minister of the Presidency Zoraima Cuello as his vice presidential candidate.

Three-term President Leonel Fernandez, who also served under PLD governments, will be the next to present his proposals during the Corripio Group series.

Read more in...

 Listin Diario has shared the proposals made by those running for congressional positions in northern Puerto Plata province and Dajabon province on the border with Haiti in the 19 May 2024 election. The views and proposals are a snapshot of much of what needs to be done in the province.

Read more in Spanish:

• Listin Diario
• Listin Diario

Traffic management has not been a strong point of governments in the Dominican Republic. Significant relief was garnered with the construction of the metro and skylift in Santo Domingo. The Abinader government has continued mass transport investments and Santiago has its skylift and a monorail is under construction.

But traffic jams continue as vehicles and motorcycles seemingly take over every single space left on city streets. Government actions and even more so, government lack of action rather accommodate vehicles and motorcycles and as a result all commuters are suffering through the long traffic jams.

A perfect storm of lack of adequate public transport, the economic boom and governmental Banco de Reservas-led low-interest rate programs to foster vehicle sales has resulted in traffic jams being normal at any time of the day. What should be a 15-minute drive to get...

Frequently it is observed that the Dominican Republic has all the laws to make it run well, and that what is needed is to comply with the laws. But sometimes, the country just has laws that don’t make sense.

Diario Libre looks into the major mishap of the legislature that passed several laws that does not specify an amount, rather the totals are pegged to a percentage of GDP or other government funds. As President Luis Abinader himself has observed during a recent La Semanal press conference, there is no way the government can comply with these laws. The President would like Congress to act to correct the situation. Diario Libre gives the numbers of why the spending as to the percentages ordered by the laws would bankrupt the state.

In black and white, the newspaper uses National Budget data to report that to comply with the laws is equal to 65% of all Central Government...

Despite the advances in the installation of a “government” in Haiti, all is not well. It is now kown that a consensus was not reached for the appointment of the acting president and prime minister by the political groups named to the Transitional Presidential Council. Reports are that instead of uniting the council so it can get to the task of restoring peace in Haiti, the choice of Presidential Transition Council (Edgard Leblanc Fils) and an acting Prime Minister Fritz Bélizaire has divided the newly named government entity. These reportedly were elected with the favor of four of the seven members with voting rights.

Dominican Attorney General Miriam German was recently in Washington, D.C where she met with US Justice authorities to foster collaboration between both countries to combat crime. Now with the indictment of several Dominicans for participation in what is being named the grandparents scam, the US government is seeking several to be extradited to face charges.

The Public Ministry confirmed it is asking the judges of the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) to authorize preventive custody for four Dominicans accused of scamming US citizens of millions of dollars in the extensive grandparents’ scam. The fugitives of US justice said to be in the DR are Juan Rafael Parra Arias (Yofre), Rafael Rodríguez Guzmán (Max Morgan), Félix Samuel Reynoso Ventura (Fili/Filly the Kid) and José Ismael Dilone Rodríguez.

The US Justice Department reported on 30 April...

Dulce María Barrera de Germosén / El Nacional

There is no news on the whereabouts of the Haitian national who is the main suspect in the murder on 25 April 2024 of a 74-year old woman in Mao, Valverde in the northwest. The Haitian is undocumented and by now could have fled to Haiti. The man only known as Keke cleaned at the woman’s house. The case brings to the front the security risks of hiring undocumented Haitians in the Dominican Republic. Millions of Haitians do not legally exist because civil registry has never been a priority of Haitian governments nor international organizations and governments assisting in Haiti in the past 100 years.

The woman was found gagged and with her hands tied in her bathroom, with her body showing signs of violence. She would have died of knife wounds. She was stabbed at least five times.

The victim is identified as 74-year...

Karl Anthony Towns / Wikipedia

Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony Towns (KAT) led the show in the Minnesota Timberwolves win against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, 28 April 2024. Now the Timberwolves gets a shot in the second round of the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets.

Dominican sports fans who had not been following the NBA playoffs are likely to now tune in to the NBA games. It is that Karl Anthony Towns is on the Dominican national basketball team. Remember Towns played with the Dominican national team in the FIBA World Cup in August 2023.

On Sunday, 28 April 2024, the Minnesota Timberwolves clinched the ticket to the semifinals of the NBA playoffs for the first time in 20 years.

Karl Anthony Towns and teammate Anthony Edwards made for an unbeatable duo that got their act together in the last quarter after trailing the Phoenix Suns for most of the first half. In the...

The terms for the contracting of the renovations of the sports venues for the Central American and Caribbean Games to be held 24 July to 8 August 2026 in Greater Santo Domingo call for two major engineering firms to win it all.

The works to be carried out are estimated to cost RD$2.95 billion and the winners of the contracts have to come forth with 30% of the total worth to be one of the two designated engineering firm winners.

The contracting falls under the Ministry of Housing (Mivhed) and its Minister Carlos Bonilla.

The renovations have already begun with the Palacio de Deportes under a board that is supervising the works.

The government of Abinader had announced in March 2024 that RD$3.5 billion would be invested and only one new venue would be built for the summer games. The government will be building the sports villa for the teams in the Juan Bosch City on...

A visiting mission for the International Football Association (FIFA) confirmed that Santo Domingo and Santiago will be the two venues for the celebration in the Dominican Republic of a FIFA World Cup. The U-17 will take place from 16 October to 3 November 2024 at the Estadio Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo and the Cibao Universitario in Santiago.

Soccer fields in La Vega, Moca, Panamericano in San Cristobal, Parque del Este in Santo Domingo East, Alterna Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, Baranquita in Santiago and the Parque Central in Santiago will be used for team warmups.

The visiting FIFA officials were Jaime Yarza, director general of FIFA tournaments, Marina San Miguel, director of Junior FIFA tournaments, and Rodolfo Villalobos, representative of UNCAF before the FIFA Executive Board. Also participating in the meetings were for the...

A Fausto Rey and Angela Carrasco concert would be a sellout for several nights at the National Theater in the Dominican Republic. The concert is instead going live in New York City. Dominican expats are in for the treat of the “Hoy como Ayer” concert at the Concert Hall of the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts at 8pm on Saturday, 4 May 2024. The concert hall has capacity for 2,276 persons. Lehman Center is located at 250 Bedford Park Blvd W, in the Bronx, New York.

It is the first time the two legendary singers come together for a concert.

72-year old crooner Fausto Rey is celebrating his 55th anniversary as a singer. He is recognized for excellence in his singing of boleros, merengues and other genres. Among his memorable ballads are “Es tu dia feliz,” “Si no es por amor,” and “Yolanda”.

72-year old ballad singer Angela Carrasco migrated to Spain as...

Vice President Raquel Peña was in Punta Cana to give the keynote speech at the opening of the 3rd ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium, gathering civil aviation board members and aviation experts from around the world.

The Vice President highlighted that hosting this type of event in the country is a recognition of the growing importance of the Dominican Republic in the field of global aviation.

“By being held in the Dominican Republic, it underlines the privileged location of the nation, and its commitment to excellence and innovation in the sector,” emphasized the Vice President.

Peña stressed that aviation has been key to strengthening the country’s international connectivity, strengthening tourism development and boosting economic growth.

During the opening ceremony, the president of ICAO, Salvatore Sciacchitano anticipated...

Santiago Skylift riders after a free month of rides now pay RD$35 fares. The skylift is operating Monday to Friday from 6am to 10:30pm and on 6am to 9pm on Saturdays. On Sundays and holidays, the schedule is from 8am to 9pm.

Cash or debit/credit Visa and MasterCard is accepted and other pay bank platforms. To get the pre-charged payment system, need to buy a Fitram card for RD$100 that funds RD$40 to future rides. The card is valid for the Skylift, the monorail and future corridors.

The Fitram office says that during the trial period, around 240,000 rides were made as residents in Santiago tested the new system. Children under 16 need to be accompanied by an adult to ride the system.

Presidential candidates are receiving free air time and online and print space to outline their government programs and why people should vote for them. The presentations began on Tuesday, 30 April with the interview to President Luis Abinader who seeks to be reelected on 19 May 2024. Most polls show Abinader winning comfortably, with more than 60% and 20 points over his nearest rival, former three-time President Leonel Fernandez.

During his presentation, Abinader stressed that his first government happened when the country was under the duress of the Covid-19 pandemic, the assassination of Jovenel Moise in Haiti and the Ukraine and Gaza wars. He insisted that now that the economy has recovered “the best is yet to come.”

In the series of interviews, “The Proposals of the Candidates,” each of the nine presidential candidates have been invited to the...

A mission of the judges of the Central Electoral Board will travel to the United States to supervise the setup of the election tables in key areas of the United States. Around 870,000 expats registered to vote abroad and can decide the 19 May election in the Dominican Republic.

The mission of JCE judges travels on Wednesday, 1 May 2024.

The mission is head by JCE president Roman Andres Jaquez Liranzo and member judgesRafael Armando Vallejo Santelises, Dolores Fernández, Samir Chami Isa and Patricia Lorenzo Paniagua.

The mission also includes members of the Technical Table for Voting Abroad, made up by the Elections, Information Technology, Voting Abroad and Political Parties departments, and directors of Communications, International Relations and Protocol.

The mission will hold meetings with the Dominican community and political parties abroad...

android, mobile, apps

During the 18 February 2024 municipal election, voters were allowed to enter the poling stations with their cell phones. Now the JCE cell phones, cameras and computers will not be allowed. Of course, firearms also continue to be banned.

Read more in Spanish:

• JCE

Speaking during the weekly La Semanal press conference on Tuesday, 30 April 2024, President Luis Abinader valued that Haiti has taken the step to appoint a president of the Presidential Transition Council (Edgard Leblanc Fils) and an acting Prime Minister Fritz Bélizaire. Abinader described these as “advances” in the midst of the extreme crisis affecting Haiti.

“I think it is progress that people are being selected and there is someone with whom they can interact,” said the President when answering a question on LA Semanal with the press from the Presidential Palace.

Abinader said that he does not know Belizaire, but that he is glad for any improvement in Haiti.

Speaking during the Grupo Corripio interview on Haiti also on Tuesday, 30 April 2024, President Abinader spoke of the dilemma of Haitian migration in the Dominican Republic.

An estimated two...

Attorney General Miriam German Brito and Vice Admiral Jose Manuel Cabrera Ulloa, president of the National Drug Agency (DNCD), traveled to Washington DC, USA, for a 15 to 19 April visit the offices of the Central Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other US government facilities. They accepted a US government invitation to meet the administrator of the DEA, Anne Wilgram and Ronald L. Davis, director of the United Marshals Service, Renita Denise Foster, director of the Caribbean Division, and Clifford Brown, deputy director of the Caribbean Division.

They were accompanied by the supervisor of the Santo Domingo Office Caribbean Division of the DEA in the DR, Melitón Cordero and by the US Marshals investigators Silvestre del Rosario and Sasha Zacarias.

The administrator of the DEA and the US director of the US Marshals congratulated the...

Eduardo Sanz Lovatón / Listín Diario

For decades the Haitian population migrating to the Dominican Republic has not complied with Dominican laws. In Haiti there is no law, thus the Haitians are just doing what they have always done. Nevertheless, the migration situation is unusual situation when the migrant population comes from a country where citizens comply with the laws in their own country. This is the case of recent Chinese migration to the Dominican Republic.

For years, the local authorities have been known to be very lax in seeking compliance of local hygiene, labor, city, tax and custom laws of businesses of Chinese migrants. For years, these businesses concentrated in the area that would become Chinatown off Av. Duarte in the capital city. But with the signing of diplomatic ties in May 2018 with China, a significant new wave of Chinese migrants came and...

The expansion works at the Kilometer 9 section of the Duarte Highway, the main thoroughfare connecting north and south, began on 24 February 2022 with the promise that the work would be completed in 10 months. The Km 9 is a key crossroad for transport headed to numerous points in and outside the capital city.

The Ministry of Public Works announced back then that the work encompasses improvements of roads, reconstruction and expansion of vehicular bridges; the construction of two new bridges on the north and south sides, a new pedestrian bridge, relocation of the informal vendors’ stands and the electrical system, drainage works.

27 months later, those transiting through the key intersection continue to experience major inconveniences with apparently no date for the completion of the works.

El Caribe reports on the delays.

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Venues in Punta Cana are joining the 8th World Wellness Weekend. The global event has booked activities in 7,484 venues in 148 countries around the world from 20 to 22 September 2024. In its 8th edition, the World Wellness Weekend offers fun and free activities for people to discover with friends, colleagues or family. The focus is on fitness, yoga, outdoor activities, relaxation, massage workshops…

Several hotels in Punta Cana are joining the global effort that seeks to encourage millions of people around the world to resume a regular physical routine after the summer, almost as the “new year resolutions” in January.

Dozens of spas, gyms and wellness businesses in Punta Cana have signed on for the event. The event is an opportunity to learn about what Punta Cana has to offer in wellness activities in and outside of the hotels.

Among the...

The Ministry of Tourism reported 8,445 business meetings between the participating 170 buyer companies and 120 suppliers attending the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange — DATE 2024 tourism fair. The event took place in Punta Cana at the meeting facilities of the Paradisus Palma Real from 24 to 26 April 2024.

Reports are that more than 840 persons registered for the event, the main marketing event for the Dominican hotel industry and complementary tourism offer.

The president of the Hotel and Tourism Association of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores), David Llibre said that the number of transactions carried out exceeded those of 2023. He said the success of the activity embraces the public-private sector commitment to promote tourist attractions, increase investments and ensure that each year the number of visitors to the country grows.

Aguie Lendor, executive vice president of...

Hyatt Hotels’ Secrets Tides Punta Cana opened in January 2024 in the Dominican Republic. The 688-room adults-only resort blends modern luxury with a romantic atmosphere offering an ideal escape for couples. The resort opened in the adults-only Uvero Alto beach stretch of Punta Cana, promoting romantic escapes. Secrets Tides Punta Cana, with 668 rooms, was the host hotel for the DATE 2024 closing event.

During DATE 2024, the Dominican tourism fair, Matthias Hohner, Hyatt’s regional commercial vice president for the Dominican Republic, explained that two more Hyatts will follow. These are Secret Playa Esmeralda, also an adults-only hotel, and Dreams Playa Esmeralda, designed for the entire family.

He explained the Hyatt Inclusive Collection is expanding within the Dominican Republic to include attractive destinations known for their culture...

Minister of Tourism David Collado announced a technical learning institute will open in Punta Cana to further the training of hotel and tourism staff. Punta Cana has over 300 hotels in a beach stretch of more than 100 km from north to south and across three eastern provinces – La Altagracia, El Seibo and Hato Mayor. The new technical-professional learning center would prepare the staff including bartenders to management for the expanding tourism destinations of Punta Cana in La Altagracia province and Miches in El Seibo province to the north.

Over 800 travel agencies, tour operators, hotel operators, resorts and hotel suppliers participated in the DATE 2024, the 24th edition that took place 24-26 April 2024.  

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The International Civil Aviation Organization’s 3rd Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) is taking place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic from 30 April to 2 May 2024.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO – OACI) is a UN agency that works with civil aviation bodies around the world. This is the first time that the gathering is held in the Americas, with the two previous meetings held in Turkey and South Korea.

The objectives of the symposium are to strengthen global operational security, develop a sustainable aviation industry, and guarantee the benefits of civil aviation worldwide.

Panels on the program include:Safely Integrating Advanced Air Mobility into Existing Aviation FrameworksBuilding a Resilient Aviation System in the Face of CrisesExploring Air Transport’s Impact on Tourism GrowthMeasuring Impacts...

The TUI Care Foundation is helping tourists give back to nature to sustain the beauty of the Dominican Republic. A recent participant in a TUI Foundation trip reports back on the experience for The Sun of Ireland. To date, the TUI Care Foundation highlights it has restored 70.000 m2 of seascapes while engaging with 200 local workers and 30 organizations. The organization also backs the TUI Academy to train the new generations of tourism employees.

As reported, a significant 27,500 tourists have participated in this sustainable experience, which combines coral gardening, awareness and snorkeling.

The TUI Care Foundation seeks to build on the “potential of tourism as a force for good”. Tourists are taken to experience planting coral, sailing through a forest of mangroves and hearing locals’ life stories that makes tourism real for them.

The TUI Care...

The low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines has added a new flight to service to the Dominican Republic in time for peak summer travel. The new flight connects the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) with the country’s second-largest city, Santiago and its Cibao International Airport (STI). The flights start on 14 June 2024.

Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design, Frontier Airlines announced the flight on 23 April 2024.

The flights will be three times a week and are launched at an introductory fare of US$59 plus taxes.

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• Frontier Airlines

US golf media has been following the announcement of the restoration of the legendary Te4eth of the Dog 18-hole course in Casa de Campo, La Romana. The course was designed by the late Pete Dye and set the grounds in 1971 for the Dominican Republic to subsequently become a leading golf destination in the Caribbean. The restoration of the golf course would begin starting January 2025.

Jerry Pate Design is the company owned by the winner of the 1976 US Open and the 1982 Players Championship. After that latter victory, Pate threw Dye into the water on the new Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass that Dye had recently designed, as reported in Golf Week/USA Today.

Casa de Campo Resort’s Teeth of the Dog is regarded as one of the world’s 50 top golf courses. Previous facelifts were performed by the original architectural firm.

First Call had reported in August...

The intense use of the natural habitats of Punta Cana beaches for the operation of giant resorts has created a conflict of interest with the turtles that return to the beaches to lay their eggs. On many occasions, the turtles are confused as they are molested by the lights and good-intentioned tourists.

Once again, the Ministry of Environment has extended its marine protection area for turtles this time in the Laguna Arrecifal de Bávaro in the Punta Cana area. The new protection area covers 18.4 square kilometers of marine space and is established to conserve populations of sea turtles in danger of extinction, explained José Ramón Reyes, Deputy Minister of Coastal and Marine Affairs of the Ministry of Environment, as reported in SIN Noticias.

Resolution No. 0008/2024, signed by Minister Miguel Ceara Hatton on 9 April 2024, establishes the necessary...

The Dominican Republic is becoming a destination for food lovers. While international cuisine reigns in cities and restaurants all around the country, Dominican food is also making its mark. The Ministry of Foreign Relations publishes a PDF of a compendium of Dominican gourmet food recipes.

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• Ministry of Foreign Relations – Sabor, Color y Calor para el Mundo

According to a survey conducted by the Cibao Economic Center (CEC), President Luis Abinader will win his bid for reelection on 19 May 2024 with a comfortable 63.5% of the votes. Abinader is running for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). A 50%+1 of the valid votes are needed to win in a first round.

According to the survey data, three-term former President Leonel Fernandez will be the runner up with 20.6% of the vote. The candidate for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), the political party that ruled the DR from 1996-2000 and from 2004-2020, former Santiago Mayor and former Chamber of Deputies president Abel Martínez Durán, will get 9% of the vote.

The Cibao Economic Center said that 3.6% of the likely voters were still undecided about who to vote for.

The president of the Centro Economico del Cibao is Leonardo Aguilera, currently the president of the...

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) ordered the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP) political party to submit new candidates for deputies for Constituency District 1 of the National District for the upcoming 19 May 2024 congressional election. Fuerza del Pueblo was founded in 2019 when former President Leonel Fernandez split from the then-ruling Dominican Liberation Party under former President Danilo Medina.

The FP submitted the candidacies of Rafael Paz and Selinée Méndez for deputies. A ruling issued by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) had rejected these on ground that they did not correspond with the methodology the political party had registered for choosing the candidates.

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) gave the political party until Wednesday, 1 May, to register its list of candidates for deputies for the aforementioned constituency, in compliance with sentences TSE/0307/2024...

The newly sworn-in mayor of Santo Domingo Este, Evangelic pastor Dio Astacio installed billboards with his image and that of President Luis Abinader in the green area of the ecological avenue and in other green areas in the area. El Dia reported the action is a violation of the law by the new mayor who won the position with the backing of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM).

El Dia reports the billboard impacts the newly installed Paseo de la Historia and the monument dedicated to the late President Juan Bosch.

The mayor also installed a billboard promoting his support to the reelection of President Abinader in a protected area of Av. Barceló at the entrance to the municipality of Santo Domingo East.

Other large billboards in areas under Santo Domingo East rulings also promote the figure of the official alongside President Abinader.

Read...

Ten United Nations diplomats, most from the UN Security Council, visited the Dominican Republic for a relatively brief but very active stay, as reported in Listin Diario.

The ambassadors of Malta, Guyana, Bahrain, Benin, Greece, Indonesia, Kuwait, Libya, Slovenia and Tajikistan met with President Luis Abinader, Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez, Defense Minister General Carlos Luciano Díaz Morfa, capital city mayor Carolina Mejia and had time to discuss issues related to global security, peace and regional stability. They also discussed the efforts of the Dominican Republic to comply with the state of law, economic growth, job creation and combat poverty.

The ambassadors also met Economy Minister Pavel Isa Contreras, Minister of Industry & Commerce Víctor (Ito) Bisonó, and with the director of ProDominicana, Biviana Riveiro, with whom they talked about the...

The Ministry of the Environment has just announced what they are calling the “Green Line” which is, in r a hotline for reporting violations of environmental rules and regulations. The calls go to provincial authorities of the Ministry and are tied to the offices of Zero Bureaucracy and the Ethics Division of the central government.

Minister Miguel (Mickey) Ceara Hatton stressed that the launch of the app is an important step towards more transparency and citizen participation, and will allow citizens to report environmental problems, where they are happening and what type of problem. Photographs and videos can also be uploaded on the app. Linea Verde RD is the proper name for the new hotline.

What is yet to be seen if any actions are taken. For years, social media is full of claims of irregularities that the Ministry of Environment has yet to act on.

Recently Esta Noche con...

Diario Libre, Listin Diario and many other main-stream media have been covering recent environmental violations, many of which are said to have occurred with the complicity of high-ranking government environment officers.

Making a call to protect water sources and biodiversity, environmentalists speaking during a round table for the Esta Noche con Mariasela variety TV program last week once again called national attention to repeated violations of Environmental Law 64-00 and Protected Area Law 202-04 by Deputy Minister for Protected Areas Federico Franco. The panelists urged President Luis Abinader to take action to defend the water sources and biodiversity of the Dominican Republic. Panel members were Ricardo Ripoll of Somos Pueblo muckraking digital platform; environmental lawyer Nelson Pimentel, UASD environmental coordinator Luis Carvajal and climate...

The Office of the US Trade Representative announced on Thursday, 25 April 2024, that it hasremoved the Dominican Republic from the “watch list” this year for significant progress on addressing concerns with intellectual property enforcement and transparency.

The announcement came with the release of the USTR 2024 Special 301 Report on the adequacy and effectiveness of US trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights.

The USTR stated:“The report highlights progress made by our trading partners to resolve and address IP issues of concern to the United States:

USTR removed the Dominican Republic from the Watch List this year for significant progress on addressing concerns with IP enforcement and transparency. Dominican Republic agencies increased enforcement actions and interagency cooperation on combating signal piracy...

Malpractice insurance could add RD$300,000 to RD$400,000 a year to the cost of being a doctor in the Dominican Republic. But given the numerous rulings in favor of patients, physicians are seriously considering purchasing civil responsibility insurance to cover the risk of malpractice claims.

In an interview with Listin Diario, Dr. Severo Mercedes said: “The disproportionate increase in medical lawsuits produces many negative effects because it causes restlessness, anxiety, and uncertainty in the professional practice and leads to what is called defensive medicine.”

This is when doctors find themselves forced to indicate a series of studies that will increase the costs of medical practice.

Dr. Mercedes said doctors will see themselves having to contract civil liability insurance, which will also increase the costs of the practice, which is detrimental to...

The judge of the Permanent Attention Court of the Judicial District of La Altagracia, Francis Diloné ordered Air Force recruit Paulino de la Cruz to three months preventive detention at the Anamuya Jail in La Altagracia province. De la Cruz is accused of the rape of a 14-year old Haitian migrant during a Migration Agency sweep for undocumented in Veron, La Altagracia.

According to the Public Ministry file, De la Cruz entered the victim’s residence and took advantage that the girl was alone.

The investigation was begun after the mother of the minor placed a complaint. De la Cruz would be tried for violation of articles 330 and 331 of the Dominican Penal Code on sexual rape.

Prosecutors Hendrich Ramírez, Silveria Poueriet, Ronny Mercedes and Rocío García submitted the files with the investigations on the incident that occurred on 5 April 2024.

The soldier was one of 15 soldiers...

The Labor Day long weekend was wet over the majority of the Dominican Republic with 28 of the nation’s 31 provinces and the National District under some type of weather alert. Most of the North and East of the country, with the exception of Valverde and Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), were under the Yellow Alert for urban flooding, river and stream flooding, and possible landslides. The rest of the nation was under a Green Alert, with the exception of the southwestern Bahoruco, Independencia and Pedernales provinces.

In the North, Puerto Plata was one of the most impacted regions with flooding. Mayor damages were also reported in La Vega and Greater Santo Domingo.

Traffic on the north side of Las Americas Expressway was affected by poor drainage and there was flooding in stretches causing major congestion and slow driving on Monday, 29 April 2024.

The Center for Emergency Operations...

The number of times the name Elly De La Cruz (now being called EDLC) has broken a Major League Baseball record is starting to get absurd. His most recent entry, and the names of players on the list he passed, proves just how historic the start of his career has been, the media is reporting.

EDLC reached the 20-homer mark in Tuesday’s (23 April 2024) victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and then in another win on Wednesday (24 April 2024) he scored a run (his 90th overall) and stole three bases to make 50 in his career. Those numbers are significant.

Per Bally Sports Cincinnati reported that Elly de la Cruz is the first since 1901 to have 20 home runs, 50 stolen bases and 90 runs thirty games faster than any other player in Major League Baseball history.

Elly Antonio De La Cruz is a Dominican professional baseball infielder for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball...

The Miami Marlins and Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) announced a multi-year, strategic partnership on Friday, 27 April 2024 at loanDepot ballpark in Miami, Florida, USA. The signees for the agreement, Caroline O’Connor for the MZarlins and Vitelio Mejia Ortiz for Lidom did not reveal the details of the agreement.

For the past two years, the Caribbean Series that matches the best teams of regional baseball leagues, has taken place at the Miami ballpark.

“Over the past two years, we’ve had almost one million fans through this building to celebrate and enjoy international baseball, and we’re proud today to announce that we’ll be entering into a long-term agreement with Lidom to continue to bring that amazing baseball here to loanDepot park,” said O’Connor.

The Marlins and Lidopm were two parts of the 2024 Caribbean Series, organized by Confederación de Béisbol...

Star athlete Marileidy Paulino, Olympic silver medalist and reigning world champion in the 400m run, continues her preparation for the Paris Olympics this summer. In her second consecutive meeting of the Diamond League in Suzhou, China on Saturday, 27 April 2024, Paulino turned in a so-so victory at 50.89 seconds. She was far ahead of her competition.

In a post-race interview, she told reporters that this was not her best effort and she said she will be working on her start.

Paulino had already won a first Diamond event in Xiamen, China. She again received the US$10,000 cash award for the win. She could win a bonus of US$30,000 if she wins her next Diamond League race in the 400m.

Media reports are that she will face serious competition as the Diamond League shifts towards Europe and other stars such as Femke Bol from the Netherlands and Sydney MacLaughlin of the United States...