In 2023 the Dominican Republic Fashion Week returns

Santo Domingo.- Fashion enthusiasts are marking their calendars for the Dominican Republic Fashion Week (RDFW), set to take place from October 4 to 8. The announcement was made during an event led by designer Melkis Díaz, CEO of RDFW, at Altri Tempi.

This fashion extravaganza will feature the work of both national and international designers, showcasing their collections at the Epic Center of the JW Marriott Hotel, located in the Blue Mall of Santo Domingo. Notable international designers participating in the event include Jorge Duque, Ángel Sánchez, Douglas Tapia, Nathalie Kriado, Alejandro Fajardo, Rodner Figueroa, Andrea Salazar, Kevin Rojas, Marianggy Giménez, Lázaro Morejon, Nolys Rodríguez, Christelle Dominique, Claudia Sassoli, and Camila Canabal. From the Dominican Republic, designers such as Giannina Azar, Leonel Lirio, Sissy Bermúdez, Elisa Morató, Keyther Estévez, Gabriela Álvarez Azar, Yesmin Serulle, Starlin de Holma, Susana Cespedes, Arcadio Díaz, Leydi Marine, Ricardo Ramírez, Tiffany Fermín, Paraca, and Carolina Almonte will participate.

The event received a warm welcome from Gabi Desangles, followed by Stefano Queirolo Palmas, the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy, expressing his gratitude and joy for the alliance between the Dominican Republic and Italy at RD Fashion Week 2023. He emphasized Italy’s recognition as a global leader in the fashion industry, known for its craftsmanship, innovative design, and exceptional quality.

Claudia Zulueta, the creative director of RD Fashion Week, emphasized responsibility, sustainability, and recycling as crucial components of progress in the fashion industry. She stated, “Fashion is the expression of changes that can occur in a society that seeks to support the work of creators, artisans, seamstresses, and a great team that makes up each designer.”

Díaz outlined the event’s vision and focus, highlighting this year’s priorities: inclusion, sustainability, and support for emerging designers with limited resources. He stressed the responsibility of the fashion industry to be environmentally conscious and promote sustainability, ethical production, and fair trade.

Díaz also underscored the importance of inclusion, aiming to represent and value individuals of different sizes, ages, ethnicities, and genders in the fashion industry. He expressed the desire to show that beauty has no single standard, emphasizing the importance of diversity.

Furthermore, the event aims to support emerging low-income designers in the Dominican Republic through scholarships and mentoring programs, providing them with opportunities to showcase their talents on an international stage and build successful careers.

Díaz concluded by expressing gratitude for the attendees’ enthusiasm and their commitment to making a positive impact on the fashion industry through this international event.

IDAC: open skies agreement with the United States would bring more tourists to the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Association of Airlines (ADLA) has called for the approval of a bill that grants tax incentives to local airlines in the National Congress. This move comes ahead of the signing of the Open Skies Treaty with the United States and has garnered support from various sectors, including the tourism industry.

Héctor Porcella, the General Director of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), defended the Open Skies agreement with the United States, emphasizing the potential benefits it could bring to the Dominican Republic. He stated that the agreement would likely lead to increased tourism and improved connectivity between the country and the rest of the world.

Porcella highlighted that the bill, which was submitted by the Executive Power, aims to provide incentives to the civil aviation industry, particularly local Dominican airlines. These incentives are designed to help these airlines compete more effectively with foreign carriers.

Additionally, Porcella noted that the Open Skies agreement would simplify air travel between the Dominican Republic and the United States, reducing bureaucratic procedures and permitting easier access for Dominican airlines to operate in the U.S. market.

Local airlines in the Dominican Republic have expressed concerns about entering into an Open Skies agreement with a country like the United States, which has a highly protected and incentivized airline industry. They argue that such an agreement should only be considered after ensuring that the conditions for competitiveness are equalized for Dominican Airlines. Failing to do so could jeopardize the interests of national business owners and gradually diminish the local aviation sector.

Onamet maintains strict monitoring of the evolution and development of Tropical Storm Lee

Santo Domingo.- The National Meteorological Office (Onamet) is closely monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Lee, which is currently located about 2,040 km north of the Leeward Islands (Lesser Antilles) and has the potential to become a hurricane. Lee currently has maximum sustained winds of approximately 100 km/h and is moving west-northeast at a speed of about 22 km/h. It is expected to rapidly intensify into an extremely dangerous hurricane by the weekend.

While the projected path of Lee suggests potential effects in the Dominican Republic, Onamet indicates that these effects are not currently considered dangerous.

In terms of weather conditions, Onamet reports that a combination of Saharan dust and a high-pressure system to the northeast in the Atlantic is causing stable weather over much of the country. This stable weather is characterized by mostly hazy skies, high temperatures, and limited chances of rainfall.

However, a trough at various levels of the troposphere will continue to impact some areas in the northwestern region, the Central Cordillera, and the border area. These areas may experience cloudy skies with local showers, occasional thunderstorms, and gusty winds in the afternoon.

For Thursday, similar weather conditions are expected to persist, with generally good weather conditions in most areas. However, some sectors in the north, northeast, southeast, and the Central Mountains may experience cloudy conditions with local showers, thunderstorms, and gusty winds in the afternoon.

In Greater Santo Domingo, maximum temperatures are expected to range between 32°C and 35°C, while minimum temperatures will remain between 24°C and 26°C.

Olympic gold, the next goal for Marileidy Paulino; will run in the Pan American Games

Marileidy Paulino, the reigning world champion, arrived in the Dominican Republic on Monday with a clear ambition: to secure a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Expressing her aspirations, Paulino stated, “We hope, with God’s grace, to achieve the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris.” She shared her thoughts upon landing at Las Américas International Airport, Francisco Peña Gómez.

As part of her preparations, Paulino mentioned that she and her coach have made the decision not to participate in the 400-meter dash at the upcoming Central American Games in Santiago China 2023. Instead, they will focus on the 200-meter event, aiming to be in peak physical form leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Yessen Pérez, Paulino’s coach, highlighted that the current season has been quite extensive. He expressed, “With the 200 meters, we are contributing to our country’s cause.”

When asked about potential competition, specifically Shaunae Miller-Uibo, in the Olympic Games, Paulino confidently remarked, “We’re all competitors; I have no fear. I trust in my hard work and dedication.”

Hailing from Don Gregorio, Nizao, Paulino clinched the gold medal in the women’s 400-meter dash at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, achieving a remarkable time of 48.76 seconds. After breaking the 47-second barrier, she humbly attributed her success to divine intervention, stating, “It is in God’s hands.”

Environment and community protect turtle that nests successfully in Cabarete

Santo Domingo.- An exciting Saturday night witnessed an extraordinary event at Perla Marina beach in Cabarete, when a sea turtle came out to lay its eggs around 10:30 p.m.

Several lucky witnesses had the opportunity to witness this rare spectacle of nature.
“Quickly, the people present organized themselves and called us. The technical staff of the Ministry of the Environment went to the place and received instructions to delimit and protect the spawning area, ensuring that the eggs were safe from damage caused by the sun and natural predators,” explained Frank Calderón, Resources technician. Coastal and Marine Ministry of the Environment in Puerto Plata.

Calderón added that hours later, with the help of qualified personnel, a delicate nest change procedure was carried out. “The 136 eggs, which were originally on the beach, were moved to a higher and safer place, away from the coast and protected from high temperatures.”

Currently, the nest is in an inhabited area where some residents have agreed to take care and watch over its safety. The shared images captured both the original spawning site and the new nesting site.

Calderón concluded by explaining that “the future of these turtle eggs is in the hands of the community. The procedure indicates that the nest should continue to be protected and monitored until, approximately 45-60 days, the eggs hatch and the young emerge.”

The event generated a feeling of unity and conservation in the Cabarete community, which is committed to ensuring that these valuable baby turtles have the best chance to survive and contribute to the preservation of these animals.

Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic exhibition September 6 to 8, 2023 in Punta Cana

Punta Cana.- The XXXV Commercial Exhibition of the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES 2023) is scheduled to take place from Tuesday, September 6, to Thursday, September 8, at the facilities of Blue Mall Punta Cana. This event serves as a platform for supplier companies, both national and international, to showcase their products and services to industry professionals, including general managers, purchasing managers, and food and beverage managers in the hotel sector.

In the last edition of the exhibition, more than 190 companies participated, occupying 410 stands and offering a wide range of products and services that promote commercial exchange in the tourism sector. The trade show is recognized as the largest indoor fair of its kind in the Dominican Republic.

Aside from the exhibition area spanning 4,000 square kilometers across different halls, the event also features a program of talks and workshops, making it a comprehensive gathering for industry professionals and stakeholders.

Puerto Plata cluster: new link between Cibao and Punta Cana an efficient option

Puerto Plata, DR.- The Puerto Plata Cluster was described as an excellent opportunity to unite the Northern Region with the Eastern Region, announcing the new commercial route of the Dominican excursion airline Reef Jet, which will begin on September 29, 2023.

In this sense, Birgitt Heinsen, president of the Cluster, expressed her positive valuation of this good news with which, according to the airline executives, in only 50 minutes, it will be possible to make the trip from Santiago to Punta Cana.

“It is an important step that adds Reef Jet in the intentions of offering alternatives that allow the best use of the multi-destination proposals of our regions since it opens the possibility and facilitates the displacement to the visitors of the tourist destinations of both regions. Our country’s extremes will now be much closer, opening a range of possibilities to strengthen new strategic alliances,” she said.

Heinsen indicated that in addition to being an efficient option from the tourist point of view since attractions and lodgings in Santiago, Puerto Plata, La Vega, Espaillat, San Francisco de Macorís, and Punta Cana would benefit, from the corporate point of view, it is also a “plus” because it is a viable alternative for executives from both areas.

More than 30% increase in U.S. travel to the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and ForwardKeys and Mabrian Technologies members released new insights into the substantial expansion of the U.S. Travel and tourism sector.

According to WTTC’s Travel & Tourism 2023 Global Trends in Economic Impact Report, the contribution to GDP from the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector grew by 16.9% in 2022 to reach US$2 trillion. In addition, the industry also created 2.7 million more jobs compared to 2021.

ForwardKeys data reveals a 13% increase in forward-looking outbound travel from the U.S., with top growth destinations such as Greece, Dominican Republic, Italy, Jamaica, and Mexico seeing increases ranging from 30% to 63%.

In addition, families are leading the travel recovery, with family-sized groups witnessing 21% growth over 2019.

The top international destinations for U.S. visitors are Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom, which account for 52% of all outbound departures in the United States in 2022.

In addition, in 2023, the sector’s contribution to GDP is forecast to reach US$2.2 trillion and the number of jobs to total 17.4 million.

The impressive growth was driven by a strong resurgence in demand from international visitors, whose spending increased by more than 150% yearly to reach US$ 115.7 billion in 2022.

The report also shows that domestic visitor spending has nearly recovered to its pre-pandemic levels, reaching US$ 1.18 trillion in 2022, close to the US$ 1.2 trillion spent by domestic visitors in 2019.

Measured by economic contribution and spending by international and domestic visitors, the United States led with the world’s most extensive travel and tourism sector in 2019 and 2022.

U.S. airports witness a surge in passenger numbers. The resurgence in travel is also reflected in U.S. airport statistics.

Statistics from Mabrian Technologies reveal that the United States continues to host some of the busiest airports in the world. Denver International witnessed the most significant inbound passenger growth of any U.S. airport, with nearly 2.2 million more passengers between 2019 and 2023.

Orlando International also experienced an increase in inbound traffic, accommodating 1.8 million more travelers in 2022 compared to 2019. The newly renamed Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada ranks third, with 1.7 million more travelers passing through its gates in 2023 compared to 2019.

Overall, the figures underscore that U.S. airports welcomed a combined total of 9.6 million more passengers last year compared to the period just before the pandemic hit.

Julia Simpson, president and CEO of WTTC, noted that “the U.S. performance is more than just numbers; it shows resilience and enduring demand for travel and tourism. In 2019, one in ten jobs has becomebally was in the Travel & Tourism sector and is expected to contribute $9.5 trillion to the global economy this year alone.”

The arrival of tourists from unconventional destinations to the Dominican Republic grows

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic’s tourism industry has solidified its position over time by attracting visitors from two traditional markets that annually send millions of tourists: North America and Europe.

However, in the past two and a half years, there has been a notable rise in the number of tourists arriving from other regions, with Oceania and Africa experiencing the most significant growth rates.

Based on data from the Central Bank, the initial seven months of this year saw 1,341 resident passengers arriving from Oceania, indicating an impressive growth rate of 86.1% compared to the same period in 2021, when only 187 tourists visited.

Among these visitors, over 1,000 hail from Australia, while 177 are from New Zealand. Additional visitors come from various destinations, including French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Western Samoa, Fiji, and Kiribati. These diverse sources collectively contributed to tourists choosing to spend their nights in the Dominican Republic.

African tourist arrivals have also surged by 81.7% during the period of January to July 2023. The number of visitors increased from a mere 497 foreigners to 2,702 individuals residing across 50 countries on the continent. Prominent countries that contributed to this influx include South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria.

In the realm of South America, there was a noteworthy growth rate of 71.9%. The passenger count escalated from 157,673 in January-July 2021 to 558,917 in the initial seven months of the current year. The leading countries responsible for sending the most visitors were Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Peru.

This trend is in part attributed to improved air connectivity between the Dominican Republic and South America. The emergence of new routes offered by low-cost airlines has played a pivotal role in fostering increased tourism, as reported by Diario Libre.

Arrival of two cruise ships to Puerto Plata suspended due to storm Franklin

Puerto Plata.- Due to the potential impacts of tropical storm Franklin passing through the Dominican Republic, the arrivals of two cruise ships scheduled for Tuesday at the ports of Puerto Plata have been postponed. The cruise liners affected are the Carnival Celebration, initially set to dock at Amber Cove Terminal, and the MSC Seascape, destined for Taino Bay.

The North Regional Director of Tourism, Atahualpa Paulino, informed that the visit of the Carnival Celebration has been rescheduled for the upcoming Friday.

The two cruise terminals in Puerto Plata had planned to welcome a total of 27 cruises in the current month. Among them, 16 were anticipated to arrive via the Amber Cove port, owned by Carnival Corporation, while the remaining 11 were scheduled for the Taino Bay terminal, operated by the ITM Group.

These cruise ship visits serve as a significant economic boost for Puerto Plata, fostering local business and promoting tourism. This contributes positively to the overall community and local economy.

U.S. expert Jay Rodriguez affirms Dominican aviation is living a historic moment

Santiago, DR. – The technical advisor of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), Javier Rodriguez -Jay-, acknowledged that the country is living a historic and timely moment to open the doors to the world of aviation.

The former official of the FAA, of the United States, considered that it is time to “bury the hatchet, open the fist and take us hand in hand” for aviation to continue advancing, as it is a vital means of transport for the growth of tourism and employment opportunities.

He said that since the arrival of Hector Porcella to IDAC, corrective measures are being taken to ensure compliance with international standards of civil aviation, while highlighting the hard work of a team of inspectors and qualified personnel who normally receive training, so that the body responsible for the safety of commercial aviation remains ready to be audited at any time.

Today Dominican aviation has begun to grow with giant steps, said the expert, while considering that all Dominicans should focus on the opportunities that exist for the country to continue with the development of air transport and get the advantages of being the Hub, or perfect center for aviation in the region.

When interviewed on the radio program “Por Aire Mar y Tierra,” produced by veteran pilot Pedro Dominguez, Rodriguez said that it is likely that everyone recognizes the need for air transport for the country, “what many do not understand is the need to create an awareness of the operational safety of civil aviation. Civil aviation safety awareness is everyone’s commitment,” he stressed.

He assured that there is great support within the institution to continue cooperating and ensuring compliance with the obligations established by the conventions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “For the peace of mind of everyone who hears me, I assure you that the team of inspectors and support staff of the IDAC is highly qualified and has received all the necessary training for any external audit,” Jay assured.

The IDAC advisor said he is optimistic and confident that the International Air Safety Advisory (IASA) will give the go-ahead to continue in Category 1 of that FAA program. “I personally know the team that is working 6 and 7 days a week, 8 and 12 hours a day to keep the country in compliance with ICAO standards. We must take off our hats and recognize the dedication and work of everyone in the IDAC team,” he pointed out.

Free-trade zones achieve record-breaking July in export history

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Association of Free-trade Zones (ADOZONA) has underscored the remarkable export achievements of the sector in the month of July, as per data unveiled by the General Directorate of Customs (DGA). These figures reveal a notable 7.9% surge in exports, rising from $645.71 million in July 2022 to $696.71 million in July 2023. This upswing translates to an approximate $51.00 million escalation in value.

Luis José Bonilla Bojos, President of ADOZONA, emphasized that this accomplishment signifies a momentous stride for the sector, solidifying its position. Notably, in May 2023, the sector achieved a historic pinnacle with exports amounting to $772.37 million. Subsequently, a robust performance was maintained in June 2023 with $718.72 million in exports.

Bonilla further elaborated, “This exceptional performance in July 2023, the most successful July in history, has exerted a positive influence on the cumulative export value for the January-July period. During this timeframe, we’ve observed a modest rise of 2.5%, progressing from $4,571.14 million in 2022 to $4,684.42 million in 2023. This reflects a value growth of approximately $113.28 million.”

The surge in exports from the Free-trade Zones stands in stark contrast to the significant decline in national exports, which have experienced an 11.1% reduction. National exports have dwindled from $2,616.69 million in 2022 to $2,325.48 million in 2023, representing a loss of $291.01 million. Notably, the sturdy performance of the Free-trade Zones has partially mitigated the decline in national exports.

The Free-trade Zones have achieved an unprecedented July in exports, underscoring their resilience and capacity for growth in a challenging economic landscape.

Banco Popular is the first Dominican bank among the thousand best in the world

Santo Domingo.- Banco Popular Dominicano has made significant strides in global recognition, ascending by an impressive 44 positions within a single year on The Banker’s list of the world’s top 1,000 banks. The bank secured the 739th spot on the list, maintaining its distinction as the leading Dominican bank in the ranking, holding a substantial 31-position lead over its closest local competitor.

The bank’s consistent improvements have been reflected in its rise of 68 positions over the past five years on The Banker’s prestigious list. The publication, owned by the Financial Times group, has been conducting this evaluation for over four decades.

The evaluation process for the 2023 results involved analyzing financial statements from 2,000 banks across 101 countries. The primary criterion for assessment was the financial strength, specifically the Tier 1 capital, which signifies a bank’s capacity to support its customers.

The Banker magazine raised the minimum Tier 1 capital requirement to USD $557 million for inclusion in the list of the top 1,000 banks this year. In this context, Banco Popular demonstrated significant financial strength with primary capital exceeding USD $1,193 million, and a solvency rate greater than 15% at the time of the evaluation by the financial publication.

Franklin gives the DR a break; storm damages less than expected

No one was paying attention to Tropical Storm Franklin as its course was well south of the island. Then on Monday, 21 August 2023, Dominicans were surprised when forecasters announced Franklin would cross the DR given that wind shear would detour it north from its westerly course.

Fresh in people’s minds was the flooding in Greater Santo Domingo caused by intense rains on 4 November 2022 and that caused by Category 1 Hurricane Fiona on 19 September 2022 in eastern provinces.

President Luis Abinader acted on the safe side and ordered work off on Tuesday, 22 August 2023 afternoon through Wednesday, 23 August. The country should prepare for the worst and pray for the best. The day off also allowed for thousands of volunteers to get ready to help their fellow Dominicans prepare.

Dominicans adhered to the Presidential order to stay at home on Wednesday, 23 August 2023 as most people shared the same expectations the huge storm would bring heavy rains and major flooding in cities, towns and rural communities nationwide. There were, nevertheless, reports on social media of people enjoying swimming in pools of dirty water and street parties.

There was nothing easily predictable about Franklin. The storm seemed to want to outsmart everyone. The storm parked itself south of the Dominican Republic, turned further south, and only then gradually began the forecast turn to the north.

The storm would take its time as it proceeded to enter by Paraiso in Barahona province on the southwest and exit land by Puerto Plata, in the center of the north coast.

The forecast had been for upwards of 100mm of rain to 300mm. “The models continue to indicate that in the next 24 to 48 hours, the accumulated rainfall expected concerning this system will oscillate between 200 and 300 mm and may be higher in isolated points,” the National Weather Office (Onamet) had warned on Monday evening.

The good news is that the rains were much less. Enriquillo-Barahona, where the storm entered did receive 240.8 mm of water, followed by Polo-Barahona 190 mm and Las Americas International Airport to the east of the capital city received 109 mm.

Otherwise, the reports were of 98.6 mm in eastern Rafael del Yuma, 95.5 mm in central San José de Ocoa, 89.7 mm in Santo Domingo East, 85.0 mm in Punta Cana on the East Coast, 72.9 mm in southcentral Azua, in Santo Domingo province, La Isabela Airport received 72.8 mm and La Victoria 66.4 mm. There were reports of Peralta-Azua receiving 59.4 mm, Pedernales (Olivares) 54.6 mm and Escondido, Peravia (Baní) 51.3 mm.

In Greater Santo Domingo, most areas got more a drizzle than rain. The city flooding did not happen, with the exception of some pockets. Among these, the so-called Av. Barceló that borders the Ozama River to the east.

The cities were mostly calm Wednesday evening, with almost all businesses shut down.

Listin Diario reports damages in farming areas, especially to the tomato nurseries in San Jose de Ocoa province. Nevertheless, areas such as the northwestern border province of Dajabón reported no rains, whatsoever. Santiago, in the center of the country, did not seem to notice the storm had passed. Macadamia farms in San Jose de las Matas complained they needed the rains that didn’t come.

In San Cristóbal, 32-year old Carlos Marino Martinez was reported to have died on Wednesday, 23 August in the community of Bandaño, reportedly swept buy the waters of a gully. Two persons are missing, suspected to have drowned in a gully in Santo Domingo West. A teenager is suspect of also having drowned when taking a dip in the rising waters of Nigua River in San Cristobal.

Punta Cana, the country’s most important tourism destination, reported some downpours, but for the most part resorts continued to operate with special activities for the guests. Nevertheless, in the rural areas of La Altagracia province, river flooding affected bridges and rural communities.

The Punta Cana International Airport never closed. Most other airports closed on Tuesday, 22 August at 10pm and reopened early the following day. Punta Cana International Airport only reported three flight cancellations for the storm. Yet, overall, airports reported 37 flight cancellations.

The National Association of Hotels & Tourism (Asonahores) reported that the storm did not significantly affect tourism activities.

El Nuevo Diario executive editor, Persio Maldonado wrote an editorial calling the storm “a blessing” because it pointed out the vulnerable areas. The peak time of the Atlantic Hurricane season is September for the Dominican Republic.

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Diario Libre
Hoy
El Dia
Noticias SIN
Listin Diario

24 August 2023

Rains, rains, rains; President calls work off on Tuesday pm and Wednesday

President Luis Abinader called off work for Tuesday, 22 August 2023 after 12pm and on Wednesday, 23 August 2023 after a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace to decide on measures to mitigate the impact of Tropical Storm Franklin.

Tropical Storm Franklin is expected to bring upwards of 300mm of rain to most of the areas in the country.

The storm has been slowly moving as it turns north on the path that would take it to cross the Dominican Republic. There is uncertainty as to the exact path the storm will take. Everyone agrees that it will bring more rains than the country has had as far back as most people can remember.

As early as this Tuesday, intense rains began falling in the country.

The director of the COE, Juan Manuel Méndez said that teams were being positioned to assist people in areas where floods traditionally happen. He said all contingency plans have been activated and indicated that the positioning of teams have been sent to places where floods traditionally occur. Mendez spoke of the activating of the contingency plans of institutions and first response organizations such as the Lightning Plan of the Armed Forces, the National Police, the Fire Department, the Civil Defense, the Red Cross, Economic Canteens and the Social Plan of the Presidency.

The director of the National Weather Office (Onamet), Gloria Ceballos estimated minimums of 100 and 200 millimeters in some areas and up to 375 millimeters in isolated points.

So far, the storm is about 400 kilometers south-southwest of Santo Domingo and maintains a slow movement of 7km/h with winds of up to 85km/h.

The enormous storm has baffled weather forecasters. An 8am forecast by the NHC NOAA of the United States stated: “Poorly organized Franklin drifting westward.” The previous 5am report had indicated the storm had taken a NW turn.

MikeFisher for DR1 Weather & Beyond Forum reported at 9am: “This Franklin is indeed a very weird thing. It is still barely moving forward, doing a few steps in different directions all night long.
Now it shows at 3mphrs West, but it is simply stationary, moving on the same spot back and forth.
And the strangest thing is that it does not get taken down by the wind shear, which been all the time present. We just can sit and look and wait until it moves.

“Tonight late night and until tomorrow afternoon should be the time for our rock ‘n’ roll dance on the Island. All non swimmers: Keep your life jackets handy.”

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Presidency
Diario Libre
DR1 Weather

22 August 2023

Tropical Storm Franklin expected to hit the DR

New weather forecasts indicate that what started out as a tropical depression moving on a path south of the Dominican Republic is now likely to make a direct hit to the island as a strong tropical storm. The storm is now expected to make an abrupt turn north on a similar path to that of infamous Hurricane David when it hit the DR big in 1979.

The National Weather Office (Onamet) has been recommending Dominicans follow the storms passing through the area as they make their way into the waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Weather forecasters say that one of these storms, now named Tropical Storm Franklin, could reach the Dominican Republic as a Tropical Storm by Tuesday, 21 August 2023.

MikeFisher, the expert weather forecaster for DR1 Forums has been keeping close track of the storm and reporting for DR1 readers.

On Sunday, 21 Augiust, he reported that “the water load of such northwards moving TS will come down on its east sides, so that will def be over our soil. Let’s get ready to bring the cattle in, prepare for a lot of heavy rain and on the track from Barahona through the Cibao to Puerto Plata for a strong windfield of TS Force.”

The US National Hurricane Center reports heavy rainfall from Franklin can be expected across portions of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola through the middle of the week. The heavy rainfall may produce areas of flash and urban flooding as well as river rises and mudslides across Hispaniola with significant and potentially life-threatening flash flooding possible Tuesday into Wednesday.

Onamet alerts:
“On Tuesday, Tropical Storm Franklin will directly impact the Dominican Republic, causing cloudy increases with strong to intense downpours, frequent electrical storms, very strong gusts of wind and dangerous waves over a large part of the national geography.”

The Center for Emergency Operations (COE) has the southern provinces under yellow alert and the northern provinces under green alert so far.

The National District and the provinces of Santo Domingo, San Cristóbal, Peravia, Barahona, San Juan, Independencia, Elías Piña, San Pedro de Macorís, San José de Ocoa, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Azua, Bahoruco and La Altagracia are on yellow alert.

In green are La Vega, Sánchez Ramírez, Duarte, Santiago, Espaillat, Hermanas Mirabal, Valverde, Puerto Plata, Monsignor Nouel, Hato Mayor, El Seibo, Samaná, María Trinidad Sánchez, Santiago Rodríguez and Dajabón.

Follow the storm:
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Diario Libre
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Listin Diario
DR1 Weather

21 August 2023

Government issues positive forecast

On Friday, 18 August 2023, the Abinader cabinet met to review the prospects for 2023. According to Presidency Minister Joel Santos and Administrative Minister of the Presidency Jose Ignacio Paliza, the Dominican economy will grow by some 3% to 4% in 2023.

The ministers that spoke to the press after the cabinet meeting said that President Luis Abinader told the cabinet that his work will focus on gaining the confidence of the economic sectors to ensure that the second half of the year surpasses the performance of the first half.

Among the issues that the government has to show for itself is the control of inflation, a great year for tourism and the improvement of the country risk assessment grade among important international agencies such as Moody’s and Standard & Poor. This last point is essential for international loans, bond issues and long-term financing of major projects.

One point that was emphasized in the meeting was the penalization of the use of public funds for any political proselytizing either in the primaries in 2023 or leading to the general election in 2024.

Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe

21 August 2023

National mourning, funds available to assist victims of San Cristóbal tragedy

The Presidency announced national mourning for Thursday, 17 August 2023 in solidarity with the victims of the major blast that decimated a block in downtown San Cristóbal, west of Santo Domingo. The national flag will fly at half-mast. The city government of San Cristóbal and San Cristóbal Mayor José Montás had already declared three days of mourning.

The governor of San Cristobal Pura Casilla expects San Cristóbal to be declared a disaster zone and special funds to be available.

As of Wednesday, 16 August afternoon, the Center for Emergency Operations had reported 27 fatal victims in the San Cristobal explosion. Several of the corpses have not yet been identified by the Forensic Sciences Institute (Inacif). 59 persons are reported with serious injuries.

The authorities have not given the official version of what could have caused the blast on Calle Ayala in San Cristobal, a bedroom community to Greater Santo Domingo. The authorities say the official report on what caused the blast needs to await the investigation results by the firefighters and the J2 intelligence unit of the Armed Forces.

Meanwhile, Somos Pueblo reports that the bomb-like situation could well have originated at a plastics recycling business that would be shut down the next day. The Ministry of Public Works had scheduled to begin construction of a municipal parking area in the area of the explosion.

Eduardo Sanchez Tolentino (El Piro) of Somos Pueblo interviewed Daurin Muñoz (Policia Cebolla) who said city government officials told him the plastics recycling plant was not permitted to operate there. Reportedly, an unskilled worker sought to disconnect the propane gas installations in time for the eviction on the next day when the construction of the municipal parking area was scheduled to start.

Meanwhile, President Luis Abinader, First Lady Raquel Arbaje and Vice President Raquel Peña were in San Cristóbal on 16 August 2023 for a Catholic mass in honor of the victims on Wednesday, 16 August 2023. The President had cancelled the speech to the nation he would have rendered from Pedernales in the Southwest, replacing it with his solidarity with the tragedy in San Cristobal in attending the mass. The previous day, Abinader had visited the disaster zone.

President Abinader said the government has ordered that there not be financial limits to assisting the victims.

It took firefighters three days to put out the blaze, including dozens of volunteers. Textile merchandise in the Casa Toledo store continued to go up in fire. The situation was precarious because the blaze affected the stability of nine buildings in the area.

The canine unit of the rescue services detected several corpses in the debris.

Diario Libre reports that residents in San Cristóbal were prompt to donate blood for the victims.

Meanwhile, the Dominican Medical Association (CMD) called off all medical strikes in solidarity with the San Cristóbal tragedy.

Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre

National Census official numbers for the population in DR

The National Statistics Office (ONE) says the 2022 National Census found the total population of the Dominican Republic to be 10,760,028 (5,437,095 women and 5,322,933 men). According to Miosotis Rivas, ONE director, this is a 1,304,747 more inhabitants than the 9.455,281 registered for the 2010 National Census. The population increased by about 14%.

41.7% of the population is centered in Greater Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo province and the National District) and adjacent San Cristóbal city. Thousands of new residents have moved to Santiago and La Altagracia attracted by major developments and job opportunities in manufacturing and medical sectors and tourism. La Altagracia is most outstanding, as it almost doubled its population from one census to the other given the boom the tourism activities in Punta Cana have created, resulting in hundreds of thousands relocating to the eastern province.

According to data from the 2022 National Census, the population of the National District (the capital city of the Dominican Republic) and provinces, the percentage of the total population and how they compare to data from the 2010 National Census are:

Santo Domingo: 25.7% of the population. 2,769,589, up from 2,374,370
Santiago: 10% of the population. 1,074,684, up from 963,422
National District: 9.6% of the population. 1,029,110, up from 965,040
San Cristobal: 6.4% of the population, 688,828, up from 569,930
La Altagracia (Punta Cana, Higuey and Veron): 4.1% of the population. 446,060, up from 273,210
La Vega: 4.1% of the population. 442,720, up from 394,205
Puerto Plata: 3.1% of the population. 338,354, up from 321,597
San Pedro de Macoris: 3.1% of the population. 337,145, up from 290,458
Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris): 2.9% of the population. 308,353, up from 289,574
San Juan de la Maguana: 2.3% of the population. 244,668, up from 232,333

Espaillat (Moca): 231,938, down from 233,636
Azua: 236,478 up from 214,311
Peravia (Baní): 209,372 up from 184,344
Monte Plata: 205,499 up from 185,956
Barahona: 200,884 up from 197,105
Monseñor Nouel (Bonao): 195,547 up from 165,224
Valverde (Mao): 183,738 up from 163,030
Sánchez Ramirez (Cotuí): 162,638 up from 151,3
María Trinidad Sánchez: 156,633 up from 140,925
Montecristi: 123,519 up from 109,607
Samana (Samana and Las Terrenas): 111,990 up from 101,494
Bahoruco: 108,717 up from 97,313
Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo): 96,442 up from 92,193
El Seibo: 99,168 up from 87,680
Hato Mayor: 100,134 up from 85,017
Dajabón: 74,809 up from 63,955
San Jose de Ocoa: 69,081 up from 59,544
Elías Piña: 64,615 up from 63,029
Santiago Rodríguez: 64,635 up from 57,476
Independencia (Jimaní): 60,692 up from 52,589
Pedernales: 34,375 up from 31,587

Read more in Spanish:
National Statistics Office
2010 Census
Diario Libre

Presidency recognizes outstanding Dominicans abroad

During his visit to New York to attend the 13 August 2023 Dominican parade, President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje took time to honor outstanding Dominicans abroad. The event was organized by the executive director of the Institute for Dominicans Abroad (INDEX), Foreign Relations Deputy Minister Carlos de la Mota. 26 outstanding Dominicans in the United States were recognized for their work in favor of fellow Dominicans.

Among those honored were academics, politicians, artists, athletes, professionals from different fields, community leaders and entrepreneurs.

The third edition of “Outstanding Dominican Abroad” recognized César Presbott for his work on behalf of vulnerable youth in the United States and Latin America; Dr. Richard Ramón Peralta Hernández, who is a native of San Francisco de Macorís and opened his clinic in Haverstraw, NY; Fernando Teodoro Taveras, for his medical services to the Dominican community; and Rosibel Ventura Almonte, who became the first Dominican to be an assistant district attorney in Rockland County.

Also recognized were Manny Pérez, for being one of the most recognized Latino actors in Hollywood; Rafael Bello, for his work as a communicator abroad; attorney Genesis Peduto, for her pro bono services to the Hispanic community; the so-called mayor of Washington Heights, Nurys De Óleo; Carlo Otilio Hernández Medina, for his social activism; and the successful veterinarian, Luciano García-Trejo.

Also recognized were Ramón Antonio Fernández Henríquez, the first Dominican-born councilman of the city of Peekskill; Nidia Iluminada Henríquez, known as the queen of habichuelas con dulce in New York; María Luna, known as the political legend of Washington Heights; Dio Lluberes, recognized for his productions on the Univision network; Dr. Iván Espaillat, affiliated with Baptist Hospital of Miami; and Sandra Harris, an experienced professional in government and community affairs.

In addition, Pedro Mejía, Assemblyman-elect and businessman related to the residential real estate industry; Milly Quezada, Dominican merengue singer and actress known as “La Reina del Merengue” 5 times winner of the “Latin Grammy Awards”; Pedro Pablo Pérez, sports talent scout, recognized for his work as a manager of educational scholarships for basketball players; Ricardo Ureña, historian, folklorist, anthropologist and dancer with more than 40 years representing Dominican art and folklore; Angel Mescain, sports leader, founder of the first patriotic games with more than 40 years of experience in Dominican community sports in New York; Hector O’Neil, resident of the NY Baseball Association and founding member of the NY Sports Union; Eliazar Bueno, is the only Dominican member of the disciplinary system of Lawyers of the New York State Court and recent president of the District Board of Upper Manhattan. The event also included a posthumous tribute to Officers Jason Rivera and Wilber Mora.

Also attending the Index outstanding Dominicans recognition event were:
Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza; the President of the Senate, Eduardo Estrella; the Dominican Ambassador to the United States, Sonia Guzmán; the Dominican Consul General in New York, Eligio Jaquez; the Director of Research and Study of MIREX, Pablo Asencio and the head of the INDEX Office in New York, Jhon Sanchez, as well as other members of the INDEX Offices in the United States of America.

The INDEX’s Sociodemographic Registry counted 2,835,593 Dominicans abroad, most living in the United States.

Read more in Spanish:
Ministry of Foreign Relations