Fernandez admits falling behind Millennium Objectives

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. President Leonel Fernandez admitted that there is a shortfall in the application of the Millennium Objectives in the province of El Seibo, taken as the model for the fulfillment of this development project at the end of 2000 by the United Nations.

As he headed up the fourth Popular Dialogue that took place in this province yesterday afternoon, and after hearing the clamor of the people, the Chief Executive talked about the benefits of the plan but he pointed out that he recognized that in "the execution of this plan there has been a certain shortcoming."

He attributed this to "the difficulties that we have had to face in different places around the country in the middle of economic limitations." Nevertheless, he indicated that his government still has time to fulfill the goals of the Millennium Objectives.

El Seibo, taken as the pilot project for the implementation of this program in 2004, is the province with the second highest poverty index, after Elias Piña.

To change the poverty

President Fernandez said that the development of El Seibo is based on tourism, and he called upon the government officials that accompanied him to "change the image of poverty" in this province and for this he prioritized, among the dozens of proposals made by the people, the pavement of the streets, the repair of the highway, and the construction of a waste water treatment plant.

Among the immediate promises he announced the start of a plan to asphalt and repair of the highway between El Seibo and Miches as well as the completion of the Jina aqueduct whose cost is said to be between RD$7 or RD$8 million.

But the promise that drew the most applause from the crowd that gathered in the streets of the Ginandiana section of the city was the completion of the indoor sports facility, the Polideportivo of El Seibo, which-according to what the President said-will be inaugurated next July.

Nonetheless, the petitions, made by six spokespersons from dozens of community organizations, also asked for bridges, a sewer system that included three waste treatment plants as well as the repair of schools and several highways.

The magic realism of necessity

Is anything characterized this Popular Dialogue it was the dignified magic realism of the petitions. "We want to stop being a city of corn, because when it is rains, we are corn pudding, and when it is sunny, we are roasted corn meal," said Maria Isabel Rua to the President, as a way of painting a graphic image of the deplorable situation of the streets of Miches.

Meanwhile, a lady, standing on a chair, shouted in a very loud voice asking the President, "if you remember what you promised," to which he answered "we'll talk later." One group of country folk did not have the same luck, for no matter how much they waved their arms they could not get a word in.

Diario Libre

Let it rain, in here, within my expatriation
where everything is the same and different.
What is the usage of your signals
if, with subtle juggling, you leave me?
Maybe I can believe the unbelievable,
but I use to get lost in the impulse,
when I say joy is part of my dermis,
when a drop of your light
ignites my bonfires.


AUTHOR: © Victoria Asís

Ciudad Trujillo and dominican history

The amount of Dominicans who do not have an acceptable handle of their country's history and heritage is truly amazing, and embarrassing. This lack of knowledge is truly glaring with the under 40 age group and their descendants living abroad.

However, an interesting process has been taking place for those fortunate ones living in industrialized nations that have pension plans. Those born in the 1940's have been dusting off birth certificates as proof of age as they reach retirement and apply for pensions. On the first line of original birth certificates, the birth name is printed next to "born in Ciudad Trujillo" etc.

My experience is that most Dominicans can recognize themselves anywhere in the world, from Oslo to San Francisco. New Yorkers say it best by referring to ourselves as having "platano faces".

In fact, I had an interesting example of this instant recognition some years ago in the lobby of a Las Vegas hotel casino surrounded by thousands of "gringos" I fixed eyes-and so did he-on Juan Marichal, the great baseball Hall of Famer.

Now let's skip to today. We "platano faces" happily abound in the Greater New York Area and many more young Dominican professionals have been climbing up the social and professional scale. This is a very good feeling. After all, the Irish, Polish, Italians and other groups have done it and take care of their own.

Now we see the Mexicans do the manual labor as we Dominicans dominate the high paying professional baseball management positions: Omar Minaya as General Manger of the Mets. We dominate many areas outside of sports. However, with the Dominican Republic being peacefully invaded by foreigners, we must know our history.

When asked where I was born, I like to answer with perfectly provoking responses. To "gringos" my answer usually is "I was born in the oldest European city in the Western Hemisphere"...and to "platano places" my response is "well, my birth certificate states Ciudad Trujillo".

This response has left many with a blank stare and my suggestion for them to buy Frank Moya Pons English version of "Dominican History" or for the ambitious, I ask them to read LECTURAS in "Diario Libre".

Some have no knowledge of the sacrifices and heroics of the "Era of Trujillo", even less know least of all that this month we celebrate Dominican Independence February 27th. For these I diplomatically say that we cannot continue our conversation before their completing my reading assignment.

My intent is to measure the depth and interest of people's knowledge in their history and heritage in the polyglot of cultures that we live with abroad. It's quite a challenge, yet rewarding to have Dominicans learn more about their heritage.

De José del C. Paulino

No more taxes

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.- More than 65 organizations representing different businesses through the National Council of Private Enterprise (CONEP) warned yesterday that they would not support any new taxes or tariffs, and they insist on their call for that adoption of an austerity policy in public spending and rationality in the assignation of the budget resources.

The organizations, after meeting on Wednesday to hear and evaluate the partial results of the fist phase of the Summit for National Unity in the face of the World Economic Crisis, also rejected the congressional initiative of Senator Luis Rene Canaan that intends to apply even more taxes on check and electronic transactions that already have a RD$0.15 tax.

The organizations, meeting at the offices of CONEP, said that they considered that the initiative of the senator is inappropriate and contrary to the political necessity of recovery and strengthening of the national finances, which they feel has provoked the decrease in financial intermediaries and a turn towards informal relations, in addition to the costs that this represents to consumers and users of the local banking system.

In the same manner, they also reject the initiative of the legislator that would impose a 1% tax on the income of the Administrators of Health Risks (more like HMOs), under the argument that these funds would be used to attend the demands for higher wages from other sectors of the population.

The groups point out that this would add another distortion to the national economy and an anti-stimulus for savings and investment, both from national sources as well as foreign, besides creating an unfortunate precedent, worsening even more the disparity in an even and fair fiscal treatment not only of the economic agents but also to the population that will be, in the end, who will pay for it.

They said, "These initiatives of legislator Canaan duplicate the tax efforts of sectors that already contribute significantly to the treasury and obscure the investment climate that needs to be strengthened at this juncture."

Puerto Plata

North of the Dominican Republic, we are in the city of Puerto Plata. With a wonderful climate, neither too hot nor too cold all year. The breeze and the tropical vegetation provide a relaxing atmosphere. And the music, either from birds or drums, listening endlessly.
Puerto Plata is the largest and most important city on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1502 as one of the tourist attractions of the country. It is popularly known as the Amber Coast. The coast is full of this plant resin fossilized and the city has one of the most important museums of the world of Amber: The Amber Museum of Puerto Plata.

Puerto Plata has a seafront Malecon, or more than 6 kilometers long. At one end lies the strong and the strength of San Felipe, one of the first in America and best preserved in the day today. Built in the sixteenth century to defend the island from possible invasions is now an interesting museum which houses an exhibition of historical photographs, guns and cannons used in the battles for independence.

Puerto Plata is also famous for its rum, and more specifically by the Brugal Ron factory which is located in this city. The factory Ron Brugal is one of the oldest in the country. Founded in 1888, began administered by the Spanish Andres Brugal and now bottled over 360,000 liters of rum a day. The Ron Brugal Ron is a dry and delicious. Every day, the share of exports is higher and it is increasingly common consumption in Latin America, the United States and Europe. Popularly Dominicans say that when a baby Brugal ..... or "rapa" or fight ..... you personally let you work out the meaning of that when you get to the island.

Puerto Plata is also similar to the Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. The statue of Jesus Christ from 16 meters in height is at the top of Pico Isabel Torres in the National Park Pico Isabel Torres. This is a nice excursion to advise you. You can climb to the summit by cable car and then contemplate a wonderful panoramic view across the bay from Puerto Plata.

Puerto Plata is a city very clean and more orderly than other cities. At the center of the city is the Cathedral of St. Philip the Apostle style "art deco". Next to it the park's Independence, a pretty nice park and pride of all inhabitants of this city, so this beautiful city is proudly named ¨ ¨ girlfriend of the Atlantic.

Los Tres Ojos

SANTO DOMINGO .- Los Tres Ojos is an interesting place of underground caves. Takes its name from Los Tres Ojos because it comprises three major lakes in underground caverns. Definitely a dazzling sight accompanied by the natural decoration of the rocks of the caves.

The formation of the Three Eyes is a natural phenomenon sometimes seen walking. It is the rise of rivers, bringing up the formation of these three lakes. This stunning natural process took place thousands of years ago. The aborigines of the island of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic) have left historical evidence showing that the caves used for different objectives among which are its activities magicoreligiosas.

Apart from the presence of the three lakes with its crystal waters, this is a place where wildlife find a wide variety of fish, bats, among others. After a given name and opening to the park, fourth largest lake with depth was discovered.

You can enjoy lake sailing in small boats that the park offers to visitors. Access to the caverns is easy for the visiting public, is through comfortable and decorated staircase descent.

The first lake is "Water Azufradas" which was discovered in 1916, is 20 meters deprofundidad. The second lake is called "The Refrigerator" and the third is "The Lake of Women."