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The Battle of 19 March 1844

The Commission for Remembering National Holidays, together with the governor's office in Azua de Compostela, will be commemorating the anniversary of the Battle of 19 March today. Students, marching bands and military personnel will hold processions in the presence of President Leonel Fernandez.
The battle of 19 March 1844 was fought between the forces of Haiti, led by their president, Herard, and the troops of the Dominican independence movement led by General Pedro Santana. As the Haitians crossed the Jura River, they were met with cannon fire and attacks from the flanks by the Dominican infantry. After 2 hours of intense combat, the Haitian troops retired from the field. There was no more fighting that day, and during the night Santana, realizing that Azua was in an indefensible position, withdrew through the pass at El Numero. With a few troops headed by Antonio Duverge guarding the pass, the Haitians were not able to advance on to Santo Domingo in spite of having a much larger force.
At 10am Monsignor Jose Dolores Grullon Estrella will celebrate a thanksgiving mass that will be attended by Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, Juan Daniel Balcacer, the head of the commission and the governor of Azua, Isvelio Delgadillo.

CDEEE to turn off City Hall

The executive vice-president of the Public Electricity Corporation (CDEEE), Celso Marranzini has revealed that city councils owe more than RD$4 billion pesos in unpaid electricity bills. According to Marranzini, this sum is owed by many of the smaller city councils and 8 of the provincial governor's offices. The businessman-turned electricity-czar said that the city councils receive 8% of the National Budget, but do not meet their commitments to the electricity distributors. He lamented the fact that these governors' offices and city councils ignore their electricity bills, saying that, "to steal electricity is to threaten the country's future". He pointed out that there are institutions that can have their electricity and there are those that cannot. Those that cannot have their electricity are up to date with their payments, while those that can be cut off, after he took over the CDEEE, have been made aware of their obligations and will try to pay the pending bills.

Millionaire officials reveal details

The National Police chief possesses assets with a value of more than RD$35 million, according to his sworn statement of assets that was filed on 16 March 2010, a copy of which was obtained by El Caribe. Rafael Guillermo Guzman Fermin's assets include 298 shares valued at RD$5,000 each in Pretedomsa (Pretensados Dominicanos, SA), 2 urban properties worth RD$13 million and one rural property valued at RD$6.53 million. He also has short-term CDs for RD$10.5 million and three bank accounts for close to RD$2 million. Guzman Fermin receives a salary of RD$197,759 a month, according to the statement.
At the same time, the current Director of Prisons, Manuel de Jesus Perez Sanchez declared his assets on 9 October 2008, and said that he had a net worth of RD$20.5 million, which included 3 city properties worth RD$7 million and several rural properties worth RD$9 million.
Dominican Navy chief of staff Homero Lajara Sola's assets are put at RD$19 million, according to his statement of 4 March 2009.
The statement by the National Director of Investigations (DNI), Ramon Antonio Aquino Garcia, showed assets of over RD$21.7 million.

Customs action cuts down cable theft

Customs Department (DGA) director Rafael Camilo said yesterday that the theft of cables and other copper-based materials has gone down by 85% as a result of the latest measures taken by the agency. Camilo said that this information came from a report he received from the telephone companies. Just 10 days ago, Customs imposed a ban on the export of any copper as a way of putting a stop to the constant theft of telephone and electricity cables.

Barrick refused to give information to deputies

The head of the Chamber of Deputies Health Commission, Victor Terrero, complained yesterday that Barrick Gold executives had refused to give him any information about the reasons why more than 300 employees had experienced health problems on Sunday. Terrero said that the commission believed that the deputies needed to know what had happened to so many people. He said "...We have tried to make contact with the owners of Barrick Gold so that we can enter the facility to see with our own eyes, but we have yet to receive an answer".
Speaking with reporters, the deputy said that he was sorry that he had voted for the approval of the contract with Barrick.
Geologist Osiris de Leon says that Barrick Gold must be hiding something about the illness that hit 300 employees in one day, and he suggested that some pathogen such as chlorine gas could have been the culprit.
De Leon said that as proof that the cause was some outside agent is the fact that not all of the people affected ate the same foods, and the fact that the workers who reported for duty on Monday were also affected strengthens his argument that something else besides the food was the cause. He said that the symptoms were very similar to those experienced by people exposed to toxic fumes: vomiting, diarrhea and loss of energy. He added that cyanide was not the cause, since it is not being used in this phase of the installation. Finally, he said that the theory of a gas leak was reinforced by the refusal of company authorities to allow reporters into the medical facilities or into the plant itself in order to check the situation.
A spokesperson from the Public Health Ministry said that so far the investigation into the foods has not revealed any bacteria.

Food was not properly handled

The food poisoning that affected children in several public schools was attributed yesterday to a possible poor handling of the food for the school breakfast program, according to preliminary data on the investigation carried out by the Ministry of Public Health.
The director of the Ministry's Environmental Health Department, Dr Nelson Rodriguez, made this announcement during a press conference, together with Minister of Education Melanio Paredes.
Rodriguez said that after testing 111 samples taken from the schools where the poisoning cases occurred, 3 showed some signs of staphylococci contamination. Another sample, taken at the school in the municipality of Maimon and where the greatest number of cases (43) occurred, showed, in addition, the presence of e.coli bacteria.
He pointed out that after performing the review and the analysis of the installations of the companies that supply the milk and the foods that make up the school breakfast program, they investigators were able to confirm that none of them presented problems of contamination in the production or packing process.
The specialist said that in response to these concerns, the department would begin training for the personnel responsible for handling the breakfast foods. They will also monitor the distribution chain from the production to the warehousing in order to prevent the situation from recurring.
News reports have singled out Ladom supplies as causing the intoxication of the children.

Complaints "dime a dozen" at JCE

Discontent and frustration over substitutions of candidates registered by the majority parties last Wednesday began to emerge yesterday when some 18 people submitted complaints to the Central Electoral Board (JCE).
Some threatened to file appeals and others resorted to this right by presenting their cases in the hope that "these mistakes " or "evil actions" aimed at thwarting their aspirations, are corrected before next 22 March, when the JCE has decide on the validity or otherwise of the candidates.
14 council members from Election District Number 3 of the National District PLD submitted an appeal and are hoping that the decision to add another reserved candidate will be revoked because the rules of the game were changed.
The complaints did not only come from the ruling party, but also from its main ally, the PRSC. Feelings started to run high and dozens of people gathered at the JCE yesterday. PRSC deputy Rafaela (Lila) Alburquerque arrived to support Sandra Ivelise Martinez, who she said had been "stripped" of her candidacy for city council for the PRSC in Azua and her file "disappeared".
Another person who supposedly forged the registration form was removed by the JCE and the post remained empty. In the case of Eduardo Read Soto, who aspired to be a PRSC candidate for deputy to the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) in the number 2 position on the ticket, discovered that he had been substituted for Marino Bereguete.
Other PRSC members submitting challenges were Dionisio Santana, who was trying for a deputy position and Feliz Daniel Paulino, who wanted to be the candidate for deputy from Los Alcarrizos. El Nuevo Diario lists Jose Rafael Vargas and Victor Gomez Casanova as people with issues pending at the JCE.
JCE Administrative Chamber head Roberto Rosario has expressed concern about the tardiness in hearing and deciding these cases by the JCE Disputes Chamber. Rosario thinks that any further delays could affect the composition of the ballots and other aspects of the election process. In contrast, none of this appears to bother Dispute Chamber judges Eddy Olivares or John Guilliani. Olivares says it will not affect the time line of the elections.
The full body of the JCE will meet next Monday to emit the Acceptance of Candidates Resolution. On 23 March, according to Law 275-97, the JCE must communicate the Resolution to the local election boards and to the parties.

Atiemar taken over by BanReservas

The District Attorney of the National District has designated the Banco de Reservas as the judicial trustee for the Atiemar Tower. The luxury apartment building was seized from jailed accused drug trafficker Arturo del Tiempo Marques, who is linked to the detection of 1,200kgs of cocaine in Spain on 2 March. District Attorney Alejandro Moscoso Segarra said that he issued an order handing over control of the building to the state-owned bank, because it is the first creditor of the building. "What does this guarantee? The payment of the tower and it guarantees also that it does not depreciate in value", he said.
He outlined the procedure that the prosecutors are carrying out with the people who have acquired apartments there. "We are interviewing them and checking them out", the official said. He promised that the names of people who had acquired apartments at US$1.3 million each would be released by next week. Moscoso Segarra said that he would release the names of the people who purchased their apartments in good faith.
The 36-apartment Atiemar Tower is on Pedro Henriquez Urena Street in La Esperilla section of the National District. Its principal promoter and builder is in custody in a Barcelona jail and has a judicial process pending on drug trafficking. One of the other alleged partners, German Eduardo Duque Garcia, is in jail in Najayo.

Ortega y Gasset overpass well underway

Work on the Duarte Corridor is proceeding at a fast pace. The Ministry of Public Works began the installation of 60-ton curved beams for the overpass. Public Works Minister Victor Diaz Rua supervised part of the work and promised that the overpass would be ready in August. He also said that studies for the tunnel that will link the Ortega y Gasset and Santo Tomas de Aquino avenues in the Zona Universitaria would be ready in 2 months. Finally, he said that the timeline for the project is being closely followed although the addition of 2 more overpasses has raised the cost by some US$20 million. The two new overpasses will be at the Carmen de Mendoza and Nunez de Caceres streets at their intersections with 27 de febrero Avenue.

Weekend calendar events

Playa Dorada is hosting the Playa Dorada Caribbean Cigar Night this Friday, 19 March at 7:30pm in Puerto Plata. At Boca Chica, in the south, the Santo Domingo Yacht Club is celebrating its 37th Dorado Fishing Tournament. In Santo Domingo, there will be a German classic music concert at the Cathedral. Mascaras Light is a drama presentation at the Dominico, also in Santo Domingo. At Sans Souci, DJ Tom Novy is performing on Saturday, 20 March. The biggest event of Saturday, is the celebration of carnival in the Puntacana Village. At Hard Rock Cafe in Santo Domingo, Cultura Profetica is for the young set. And there will be car speedracing at the Mobil 1 Autodrome.
For more details, see http://www.dr1.com/calendar

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Washington’s global reach-out seeks commitment	3/19/2010 9:19 AM
Santo Domingo-The United States Government will launch a global collaboration event on line, called Global Pulse 2010, from March 29 to 31, from a concept originated to create awareness and that it’s ready and willing for a commitment to and share with individuals worldwide.
Greenpeace slams governments’ failure to protect Atlantic bluefin tuna	3/18/2010 11:20 AM
Doha, Qatar.- Greenpeace condemns the failure of the governments meeting at the CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species), to agree any measures to protect endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna.
Joint effort saves icon Hispaniola bird of prey	3/17/2010 9:57 AM
Santo Domingo.- The push to avert the vanishing from the planet of Dominican Republic’s iconic species endemic and most endangered species, has led to guarded success.
Zoe Saldaña gets her country’s top honor	3/17/2010 7:53 AM
Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez on Tuesday bestowed the Duarte, Sánchez and Mella Order of Merit on the actress Zoe Saldaña, in a ceremony in which the chief executive called the artist the pride of the Dominican people.
Top Electoral Judge rails Dominican lawmakers’ “slush fund”	3/19/2010 12:50 PM
SANTO DOMINGO.- Central Electoral Board president Julio Cesar Castaños Guzmán on Friday called Dominican society “hypocritical” and “which isn’t going anywhere,” and those who talk of democracy and justice from the political parties “Pharisees” who don’t practice what they preach even with their own family.
Violent bus drivers’ union again at center of killings	3/18/2010 12:39 PM
SANTO DOMINGO.- A melee among bus drivers over the control of passenger routes claimed the lives of two new victims today Thursday in Villa Mella, the sprawling northern subdivision of Santo Domingo, local media report.
State-owned bank gets luxury building seized in Spanish cocaine case	3/18/2010 10:31 AM
Santo Domingo. - National District prosecutor Alejandro Moscoso today signed over the control and administration of the luxury building Torre Atiemar to the State-owned Reservas Bank, after it was seized from the Spaniard Arturo del Tiempo, being held in his country on charges of drug trafficking.
Haiti groups are the first to challenge reconstruction plan	3/18/2010 9:36 AM
SANTO DOMINGO. - A group of 26 Haiti organizations and social movements have become the first groups to openly denounce the planned formula for its reconstruction, at the center of the conference of donors concluded in Santo Domingo yesterday.
Belgium bank lends US$19M for Monte Grande dam 1st stage	3/18/2010 9:12 AM
Santo Domingo. – The Fortis Bank S.A. of Brussels will lend US$19 million to build the first stage of the dam at Monte Grande (west), as stipulate in an agreement signed by Treasury minister Vicente Bengoa, bank representative Michel Froidebise, as well as the executive Juan Carlos Goyenechea, of Fortis’ office in Mexico.
Dominican Republic parties in last minute rush to register candidates	3/18/2010 5:14 AM
SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican Republic’s major opposition party, the PRD, was the first to register last night its congressional candidates in the offices of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), which include deputies and senators, in a nationwide process marred by incidents.
Medicine smugglers to face an “implacable” Custom Agency	3/18/2010 10:40 AM
Santo Domingo. - The Custom Agency warned Wednesday it will be “implacable” against medicine smugglers and announced a widening investigation in the wake of the millions worth of contraband seized Monday in Santiago, to determine if the three suspects detained are part of a larger network
Gasoline, diesel prices rise, propane gas falls	3/19/2010 11:15 AM
SANTO DOMINGO.- The Industry and Commerce Ministry posted fuel prices for the week from March 20 to 26, when premium gasoline will cost RD$165.90 per gallon, a RD$1.90 rise, whereas regular gasoline will cost RD$155.90, or RD$1.50 more.
Agents arrest Dominican lawyer of Americans in Haiti children smuggling case	3/19/2010 10:16 AM
SANTO DOMINGO.– Antinarcotics (DNCD) agents assisted by U.S. Marshals last night arrested an alleged lawyer wanted in Vermont, United States, on charges of trafficking undocumented people from Central America and the Caribbean, including Haitian children to that country.
Dominican Senate chief slams the press over scandalous fund	3/19/2010 12:02 PM
SANTO DOMINGO. – Dominican Republic’s Senate majority leader today rebuked a journalist for asking his view on the Electoral Board president’s request that senators suspend until after the elections, dipping their hands for extra money paid by taxpayers monthly into a fund known as the "barrilito" (little barrel).
Ethics chief calls for tighter security in port operations	3/19/2010 9:37 AM
SANTO DOMINGO. - Public Ethics Committee president Marino Vinicio Castillo called on the public and private sectors to revamp the structures and statutes which would lead to shared responsibilities and controls of the port operations.

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