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'Banyan Tree Holdings has signed a contract to manage an integrated resort in the Dominican Republic. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/317453/1/.html Scotiabank Buys DR Fund Firm
'The Bank of Nova Scotia has closed its acquisition of a controlling interest in BBVA Crecer AFP, described as the biggest pension fund administrator in the Dominican Republic, and its related insurance company, BBVA Seguros. The Canadian bank, which has a major presence across the Caribbean, did not disclose the financial terms of the purchase from Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, which had been announced in September.' More here: http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071213.wscotia1213/GIStory/ 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 And surprise, surprise and at long last Quisqueya is showing up on Amazon.com: 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 Change Of Puerto Plata DNCD - Again! - Weekend News for December 9th. 2007
Puerto Plata Digital carries the news that all the DNCD inspection staff in Puerto Plata are, yet again, to be changed. Sooner or later the law of diminishing returns has to come into effect. Either that or some of the orignal staff from six changes ago will be finding their way back again.............! Meanwhile Transparency International's report indicates that 59% of Dominicans believe corruption will increase in the next few years. A study by Participacion Ciudadana says that the institution in DR viewed as most corrupt was the Policia Nacional closely followed by the politicians. El Nuevo Diario's summary of the TI report puts the DR as the Latin American leader in corruption. The DR's National Police Chief, Major General Rafael Guillermo Guzmán Fermín responded that the report was an item for profound reflection in a piece in Friday's Diario Libre. Action wouldn't come amiss either. Maybe the Major General is 'reflecting' on the investigation into Puerto Plata's Colonel Eddy Pérez Peralta for extortion of a Puerto Plata businessman as reported in Hoy? http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/diciembre2007/cambiandotacion.htm http://www.clavedigital.com/Portada/Articulo.asp?Id_Articulo=12020 http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=82474 Arrests For Murder Of French Man, Boca Chica
Readers will recall the murder of French citizen, Remold Francois Monel, 58, in Boca Chica reported in this news bulletin on November 24th. and available at the first link. Reports in El Nuevo Diario and El Caribe on Saturday say that three people have now been arrested for this crime. One of these said he had received money from the deceased's wife to attack her husband and make it look like a robbery. The widow's brother has also been arrested. American And Two Frenchmen Arrested At PP Airport
Foreign mules continue to be arrested at Puerto Plata airport. Last Monday a US citizen, Fredda Dominika Cole, 24, was found to have 350 grams of cocaine hidden in her vagina as she tried to board Delta 256 bound for Atlanta. On Thursday two Frenchmen, Waly Cisse and Amar Sadrati, were arrested with eleven kilos of cocaine in their suitcases. http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/diciembre2007/dncdapresa.htm Two Canadians Arrested In Cabarete
Canadians Robert Probert and Samric Begeu were arrested in Cabarete in possession of cocaine. They are awaiting prosecution. http://www.periodicoelfaro.info/news/133/ARTICLE/1888/2007-12-06.html Another Scandal Brewing?
Dominicanoshoy.com ran an item about the Ministry of the Environment and specifically about Evergito Peña, subsecretary of finance at the Ministry, where they allege that part of the funds sent by international agencies for Plan Quisqueya Verde have been used by the subsecretary to buy luxury vehicles for himself and his ladyfriend. They further allege that the practice of tendering bids for such purchases, used during the watch of previous Environment Ministers Frank Moya Pons and Max Puig, has been discontinued. Now the director of Dominicanoshoy and the journalist concerned have received notification that if the allegations are not retracted they will be sued. Looking at Dominicanoshoy today the original article still seems to be alive and prominent and on the front page. Worth watching for future developments! http://www.dominicanoshoy.com/app/article.asp?articleid=1263&zoneid=13 http://www.dominicanoshoy.com/app/article.asp?articleid=1298&zoneid=1 Asphalt Factory In Muñoz?
http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/diciembre2007/moradoresoponen.htm The Bridge - Again!
http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/diciembre2007/adviertetragedia.htm Air Finland Arrives
Air Finland started operating charter flights to Puerto Plata airport last Wednesday. It is expected that the service will operate fortnightly bringing tourists from Stockholm, Sweden. Some 219 tourists were on the first flight. Council Session In Street - Montellano
http://sacandomelao.blogspot.com/2007/12/regidores-sesionan-en-la-calle.html Students On Hunger Strike
Students from the Centro Regional Universitario del Atlántico (CURA-UASD) began a hunger strike on Thursday of last week because their demands had not been met. According to Puerto Plata Digital the students plan other types of protest as well - pickets, marches and sit-ins. http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/diciembre2007/dirigentefed.htm The Future Of Prisons In The DR
The new prison system planned for the DR has been praised by countries such as the UK and Switzerland. Within a five year period it is hoped that all prisons will have converted to the new model. Training of prison officers available in the DR's National Penitentiary College and has attracted students from other Caribbean islands. A well trained workforce will be needed to staff what appears to be a growth industry. And for the first time plans for a prison after-care service will be administered by La Casa del Redentor. In future prisoners will not be called prisoners but inmates! Road Constructors Unpaid
According to an article in Puerto Plata Digital although the roadworks on Avenida Manolo Tavárez Justo are completed, paying for them is not. It would appear some five million pesos is still outstanding to the contractors. http://www.puertoplatadigital.com/noticias/nacionales/diciembre2007/gobiernoadeuda.htm Italian Mafia In DR Tourism?
It would appear that the Sicilian Mafia have extended their field of operations to the DR. Italian anti-Mafia Senator Carlo Vizzini revealed that the Mafia has set up a DR food import and export business as a cover for drug trafficking and that they are also involved in DR real estate and casinos. http://www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=82336 http://listin.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=39171 http://listin.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=39267 http://www.clavedigital.com/Noticias/Articulo.asp?Id_Articulo=18278 http://www.diariohorizonte.com/view/articulo.aspx?articleid=16438&zoneid=32 70% New Businesses Foreigners
In the past year the register of commercial businesses has increased by 20% with some 20,000 new names. Of these 70% are foreigners. This item has no connection with the previous news item. 16th. May 2008 Results By 9pm
The JCE is guaranteeing that the results of the next Presidential election on 16th. May 2008 will be available by 8pm to 9pm on that same evening and that not only will they be transparent but they will also be credible. Readers are invited to submit their own commentary! New Land Titles
In future land titles will have certain security features built in to avoid easy duplication and the resultant scams which have plagued some property owners. According to a piece in Listin Diario, the new titles will have watermarks, a unique number, a bar code and protection against photocopying and scanning. Sotogrande At Cap Cana
At Cap Cana, NH Hotels Group, the parent company of Sotogrande, is developing a 90-room boutique hotel and 350 high-end homes on beachfront property. According to Hoy the project was launched by a press conference and a private event for executives and investors where Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony entertained. Clave Digital says that financing will be available for investors from US, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom and Canada through Mortgage IT Inc. a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank and for the Spanish market 25 year mortgages will be available from Caja Duero. http://www.hoy.com.do/article.aspx?id=134799 http://www.golfcapcana.com/?page=23023 http://www.clavedigital.com/Portada/Articulo.asp?Id_Articulo=12038 Money Laundering
Dilenia Germosén, 29, manager of a remittance service to the DR whose offices are in Philadelphia, has been accused of nine money laundering charges. The indictment reads 'defendant Germosen arranged for international transfers of money to the Dominican Republic and exchanged small denominations of United States currency ($10s/$20s) for larger denominations of United States currency ($100s). Defendant GERMOSEN structured the transactions to evade and defeat the currency transaction reporting requirements and permitted the use of false identification and fictitious names to prevent discovery of the sender’s true identity and to evade the reporting requirements.' More here: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/pae/News/Pr/2007/aug/germosenind.pdf http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/pae/News/Pr/2007/aug/germosenrelease.pdf http://www.diariohorizonte.com/view/articulo.aspx?articleid=16469&zoneid=32 |
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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. It will also shortly appear in Libreria Rodali in Puerto Plata. Stay tuned for further updates! Meanwhile it is available online from the publishers, Best Books Online, and from Amazon UK. Amazon Canada are currently listing as 'temporarily out of stock' with more on order but not arriving until after December 24th. Residents of Canada wishing to purchase before Christmas should therefore contact The Dominican Bookshop at the link below. 
Following the announcement on Tuesday that the national plan to asphalt the DR's roads has been re-initiated, residents in Muñoz are opposed to plans to install an asphalt factory opposite the school. Their concerns are health related.
Ramón Emilio Santana, President of the Public Transport Drivers Union which covers the Puerto Plata – Sosúa route, is yet again raising concerns about the state of the bridge at Sabaneta de Cangrejo, Montellano. Increased traffic on that route during December is alarming those who feel that the bridge could fall down at any time. This is a story which has been covered on a number of occasions in this news bulletin as will be seen from the links below. 
Town councillors of Montellano had to hold their Council meeting in the street last week because the Mayor, Graciela Fermin has the Council Chamber under lock and key. At present the Mayor is spending funds without the approval of the full Council Chamber due to the impasse which has been described in previous editions of this News.| |