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search Gang Members To DR?
'Federal agents are using immigration violations to arrest and deport scores of gang members in cities across the USA. In a three-month summertime push that began June 1, federal agents working with local police agencies in 23 cities arrested 1,313 suspected gang members, their associates and other illegal residents, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.' The story continues at the first link. Of the 1313 members and leaders of criminal gangs arrested in US some 5 are Dominicans. Diario Horizonte asked Michael Keegan spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement whether these were undocumented aliens or criminals. Four of the five had a criminal history and three belonged to the well known Latin Kings gang and were arrested on Long Island. One belonged to the Blood gang and was arrested in Miami and the final one belonged to Los Trinitarios and was arrested in Newark, New Jersey. All five were undocumented and would be deported to DR. According to the New York Times article No Need For A Warrant, You’re An Immigrant 'Long Island officials protested when federal agents searching for immigrant gang members raided local homes two weeks ago. The agents had rousted American citizens and legal immigrants from their beds in the night, complained Lawrence W. Mulvey, the Nassau County police commissioner, and arrested suspected illegal immigrants without so much as a warrant. “We don’t need warrants to make the arrests,” responded Peter J. Smith, the special agent in charge in New York for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, the agency that conducted the raids. His concise answer helps explain the friction that the Bush administration’s recent campaign of immigration enforcement has caused. Last week, immigration officials announced that they had made more than 1,300 arrests across the country over the summer when they went looking for gang members. Since the raids were carried out under immigration law, many protections in place under the American criminal codes did not apply. Foreign residents of the United States, whether here legally or not, answer to a different set of rules.' Read more at the fourth link. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-08-gangs_N.htm?csp=34 http://www.diariohorizonte.com/view/articulo.aspx?articleid=15547&zoneid=32 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/weekinreview/14preston.html Colombian Hit Man Sought For Martinez Murder
Interpol is now involved in looking for the killer of Angel Christopher Martinez of the Civil Aviation Department. The unnamed suspect fled to Colombia after the murder and a witness was subsequently murdered. Christopher Martinez had been involved in investigations on behalf of the Aviation Department and it was felt that he was getting too close to exposing some high-powered criminals. Drug Laboratory Same Building As Police Station
The DNCD have dismantled a drug factory in Villa Consuelo, Santo Domingo which was situated in the same building as the local police station. Eleven police officers have been arrested - their ranks were captains, sergeants, sergeant majors and two second lieutenants. The story is reported in English in the Arizona Daily Star at the third link. http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=75239 More Jobs For The Boys (And Girls)
In local parlance it is known as tying up the goat (amarrando la chiva) - doing whatever it takes to meet your ultimate objective. And on Wednesday we learned that President Fernandez had issued a decree (or several) with some 60 new appointments to lucrative jobs which without doubt will attract juicy pensions. Now, it must be admitted that not all of these are botellas - jobs which don't require work, just political loyalty. And of course the President really did need Fefita La Grande as his Presidential assistant even though she is more at home singing merengue enthusiatically. But we can't for the life of us fathom why he would need Antonio Marte, Ramon Perez Figuereo and Alfredo Pulinario Linares (Cambita) when these gentlemen are more familiar with running transport unions, and protesting their innocence in the Plan Renove case and the bombing of a strike-breaking bus. Really we can't. http://www.clavedigital.com/Portada/Articulo.asp?Id_Articulo=11438 Judge Dismisses Prison Drugs Case As Fault Of Staff
Prisoner Wander Santana Jiménez, who is serving a 10 year sentence in Barahona jail for homicide, was found to be in possession of 18 portions of marijuana, 205 portions of crack and 30 portions of cocaine. The judge hearing the case dismissed the charges, not because the prisoner did not possess the substances, because he did, but because the responsibility for preventing the crime rests with prison authorities and not the prisoner. According to the judge others had to be implicated in order for the crime to have occurred. The prosecution has the right to appeal the judge's decision. So................is this yet another corrupt judge? Or perhaps a very outspoken one who wants to change prison authorities complicity with prisoner drug trafficking? President To Florida
'Leonel Fernandez, the president of the Dominican Republic, plans to visit Southwest Florida on Nov. 12 to discuss business opportunities in his country, said Leonardo Garcia, executive director of the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.' Read more here: http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071011/BUSINESS/310110021 Enterprising Dominicans Make Mark
'The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico are in close proximity to each other and have maintained a historical exchange since the time before Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain. Since 1917, the year Puerto Ricans were granted American citizenship, Dominicans have made the island of Puerto Rico the transition point for entrance into the United States. The distance between these two countries is short but dangerous: in particular, La Mona Passage, where the sea is deep, the currents are strong and the waters are infested with sharks. The migration of Dominicans through that channel was not as significant until the mid-20th Century. Thousands had to escape the bloody dictatorship of Jose Leonidas Trujillo, who ruled the Dominican Republic between 1930 and 1961, the year he was killed. The strong migration of Dominicans to South Jersey is a more recent trend. Jose Fortuna, a leader within the Dominican community, said his compatriots started to arrive in significant numbers in this region at the end of the 1970s and 1980s'. The rest of the story follows: http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071013/NEWS01/710130366 Jet Blue To Puerto Plata
'JetBlue this morning announced two new routes to the Caribbean from its hub at New York JFK. The airline will begin one daily round-trip flight to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic on Jan. 10.' The journey continues here: http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/10/jetblue-adds-tw.html http://www.periodicoelfaro.info/news/125/ARTICLE/1130/2007-10-12.html Sex Tourism Fuelling DR HIV
'U.S. and European male sex tourists may be fueling an HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean, says a University of Michigan School of Public Health expert. The Caribbean is second only to sub-Saharan Africa in HIV/AIDS cases and sexual contact between Caribbean male sex workers and male tourists may be a much larger contributor to the HIV/AIDS epidemic there than previously thought, researcher Mark Padilla said. Padilla's book "Caribbean Pleasure Industry: Tourism, Sexuality, and HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic," is a study of 298 male sex workers in the Caribbean and how their bisexual behavior impacts the spread of HIV. ' Read on: The fourth link is a report on how US Hispanics contract HIV and the differences appertaining to different nationalities. http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Health/2007/10/12/sex_tourists_may_be_fueling_caribbean_hiv/5526/ http://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/people/profile.html?ID=737 http://www.psc.isr.umich.edu/people/cv/padilla_mark_cv.pdf http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071011/us_nm/aids_usa_hispanics_dc_2 Football Club Manager Dodges Corruption In DR!
'Luciano Gaucci, Manager of Perugia FC from 1991 to 2004. Gaucci's best moments: signing Colonel Gaddafi's son, widely described as Serie A's worst ever player; trying to sign Swedish female star Hanna Ljungberg; and sacking South Korea star Ahn Jung Hwang for scoring the goal that knocked Italy out of the 2002 World Cup. Led the club to bankruptcy, then fled from a corruption inquiry to the Dominican Republic, where he remains.' Must feel at home. See Sunday's Observer: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,,2190968,00.html The Newbies Are Coming!
The New York Times has an article entitled 'House-Hunting as Vacation'. These are 'vacations' organised for potential relocators: 'Part vacation, part real estate boot camp, such trips walk potential home buyers through the legal and financial particulars of overseas ownership, as well as whisking them on tours of homes and developments on the market.' One such trip to the DR costs US$1,299 per person, based on double occupancy, for a one week period not including airfare from US (or anywhere else for that matter). This group of hopefuls expecting to learn it all in a week will arrive on November 11th. and will be based in Sosua. Experienced expats might want to listen in at some of the sessions to ensure that information given is accurate. http://www.tropicalpathways.com/dominican-republic.asp http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/12/travel/escapes/12your.html Council On Hemispheric Affairs Report On DR
'The Dominican Republic (DR) has been undergoing a profound transformation beginning at the end of the last century. With an increasingly prosperous economy, stable political institutions, and a booming tourism industry, it seems that the DR is well prepared to be perceived as one of the most successful modernizing countries in the early years of this century. However, the picture becomes more complicated upon analyzing the country's prevailing social and economic features. Issues ranging from a poor health system, a pattern of ill-treatment of Haitian refugees illegally in the country, energy shortages, and under-performing educational facilities blot its credentials; however, this is not to say that the current administration, headed by Leonel Fernández of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), has not fulfilled some of its objectives. Yet while economic indicators are favorable, he is losing popularity because he is being viewed by many as being indifferent to the plight of the poor and small farmers, and too allied with foreign multi-nationals, not to mention botching up his controversial metro project.' Read on: http://www.coha.org/2007/10/09/the-dominican-republic-pursues-modernity-and-rectitude/ Kids Helping Kids
'A village in the Dominican Republic will be home to 17 Upper St. Clair High School students from Nov. 9 through Nov. 16. The students, all juniors and seniors, are members of Kids Helping Kids, an organization that meets at the school to plan fund-raisers and activities for poor children. Upper St. Clair High School Principal Michael Ghilani and teachers Keera Dwulit, Todd Flynn and Tracy Smith will accompany the students to the village, which is about 70 miles from the airport in Santo Domingo.' Read the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Casino Dominicus
'Casino Dominicus will open December 2007, unveiling an unparalleled gaming experience in the Dominican Republic, featuring an exclusive Players Club and the highest limits in the nation. Located in Bayahibe and open seven days a week, the casino will be a player’s paradise with 23 table games, including Blackjack, Roulette, Caribbean Stud Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, Mini Baccarat and Craps.' Bet you'll read the story here: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4033250.search?query=dominican+republic Nursing Students In DR
' Over the summer, a group of Ohio University-Chillicothe nursing students got a dose of real life experience, and a double-dose of culture. A team of eight local nursing students along with medical professionals, professors and med students from the OU College of Medicine went to the Dominican Republic where they provided free medical care for six mountain villages. "I think it's very important that nurses develop a sense of volunteerism whether it's local, national or international," said assistant professor of nursing Charlotte Souers.' The rest of their experience is here: http://www.chillicothegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071010/NEWS01/710100314 Unlawful Re-Entry
'A Dominican man formerly residing in Lawrence was sentenced yesterday in federal court for unlawful re- entry into the United States after deportation. United States Attorney MIchael J. Sullivan and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New England, announced today that JORGE L. ENCARNACION, a/k/a NELSON BASILIO ("ENCARNACION") age 48, formerly of 31 Boston Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph L. Tauro to 10 months' imprisonment and 24 months' of supervised release following his incarceration. Upon completion of his prison sentence, ENCARNACION faces deportation to his native Dominican Republic.' The rest of the story follows: Fraud In Rhode Island
'Two clerks at the Division of Motor Vehicles in Pawtucket have been charged by the state police in a wide-ranging scheme of falsifying dozens of Rhode Island driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants and people involved in midlevel drug dealing. Dolores Rodriguez-LaFlamme, 40, of Providence, and Soraya Santiago, 42, of Pawtucket, are accused of working with two “middlemen,” who were paid about $2,500 to $3,000 by each person who wanted a valid Rhode Island license — with a fake identity............ LaFlamme had been previously ordered deported to the Dominican Republic after her application for adjusted status was denied following an investigation into two fraudulent marriages, according to a court affidavit. LaFlamme is appealing the deportation order.' Read the whole story here: http://www.projo.com/news/content/dmv_fake_id_10-11-07_N07ENA5.3301b8b.html Honeymoon From Hell
'Like most girls, Carly Waters had always dreamt of having a fairytale wedding in paradise. And after flipping through the travel brochures, her and fiancé Clark Morgan thought they had found the perfect location on the tropical island of the Dominican Republic. The couple booked a wedding and honeymoon package through travel agents Thomas Cook for a two week stay at the five-star Melia Caribe Tropical. Between themselves and 22 friends and family they shelled out around £30,000 to jet off in May, expecting to be transported to the lap of luxury. But her sunset wedding was wrecked when her and 19 other members of her wedding party came down with food poisoning – and Carly ended up in hospital.' Read on: Book News
New outlet for US customers! Quisqueya: Mad Dogs and English Couple is now available from The Dominican Bookshop: http://www.dominicanbookshop.com/Quisqueya_Mad_Dogs_and_English_Couple_p/978-1904502524.htm http://www.bestbooksonline.co.uk/shop/specials.php?id=68 Reviews of the book are available at the above Amazon links as well as British Expat and Dominican Today. http://dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=25127 http://www.britishexpat.com/Book-Reviews-Quisqueya.1347.0.html Governor's Girfriend Kidnapped In Puerto Plata - Weekend News 7th. October 2007
Maricé Abbot Puig, niece of Max Puig, ex-Environment Minister and girlfriend of the Governor of Puerto Plata, César José de los Santos, was kidnapped on Friday from an upmarket area of Puerto Plata when she went to visit her father on his birthday. The father, Guillermo Abbot, lives in Bayardo and is one of the executives of the Brugal family business. Police and intelligence forces responded rapidly and the victim was recovered in Cabarete a few hours later, unhurt save for bruises where she had resisted the assault. Police have arrested Héctor Alexis Espinal González who has admitted his involvement and who had in his possession three of the victim's credit cards. They are still looking for a perpetrator known as Adison El Dogui, according to El Nuevo Diario and Listin Diario. By Sunday it was being reported in Hoy that both perpetrators, who come from Bonao, had appeared before the judge and been remanded in custody. http://www.hoy.com.do/article.aspx?id=127600 http://listin.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=31733 http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=74442 http://elnuevonorte.com/Inicio/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/486/ItemID/370/Default.aspx http://elnuevonorte.com/Inicio/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/486/ItemID/369/Default.aspx http://ppenlinea.blogspot.com/2007/10/la-jeva-del-gobernador-la-secuestran-y.html Shootout In Sosua
According to both El Nuevo Norte and Diario Horizonte a DNCD Navy sergeant and a civilian were wounded moments after the DNCD had gained possession of a quantity of cocaine, marihuana and ecstasy in Sosua. Shots were fired at the DNCD patrol from the second floor of Hotel Palm Village, El Batey. The wounded were operated on at Ricardo Limardo hospital, Puerto Plata. http://elnuevonorte.com/Inicio/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/486/ItemID/372/Default.aspx http://www.diariohorizonte.com/view/articulonacional.aspx?articleid=15470&zoneid=9 |
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Quisqueya: Mad Dogs and English Couple is now available in Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata. Currently it is in the deli next to Jimenez Sport and is also likely to be placed in the Playa Dorada bookstore as well as some outlets in Puerto Plata itself. Stay tuned for further updates! Meanwhile it is available online from the publishers, Best Books Online, from Amazon Canada and from Amazon UK.| |