establishedto recover real estate assets; construction of the Antonio Musa Hospital to be reactivated at a cost of RD$2.34 billion; Omar Fernández submits resolution seeking to develop business tourism; Verón and Punta Cana request intervention from authorities to mitigate the presence of sargassum; the Dominican Republic would not have cheaper fuel with Petrocaribe; OPEC presents a discouraging outlook for oil; the government proposes a "national pact" to reach a consensus on a proposed constitutional reform; the dismantling of exemptions for isolated power generators will begin; inflation in the United States skyrockets.
They position a commission to recover real estate assets
The legal advisor to the Executive Branch, Antoliano Peralta, officially positioned the commission designated by decree to be in charge of identifying, inventorying and registering the properties belonging to the Dominican State.
Peralta reported that this commission was received and sworn in by President Abinader last year, “they have met on more than one occasion among themselves, today we are precisely positioning them in National Assets, which will serve as the recipient to submit the reports of all the identified assets.
Construction of the Anton i o Musa Hospital will be reactivated at a cost of RD$2,340 million
President Luis Abinader announced the reactivation of the construction of the Dr. Antonio Musa hospital, located in San Pedro de Macorís, which has been undergoing modifications for several years.
The reconstruction, overseen by the Ministry of Housing and Buildings (MIVED), will encompass the entire physical structure of the first, second, and third levels over an area of 19,400 meters and will cost RD$2.34 billion, including civil works and equipment.
Omar Fernández submits resolution seeking to develop business tourism
The representative for the National District, Omar Fernández, requested through a resolution the promotion and execution of infrastructure works that stimulate the Dominican Republic as a business tourism destination.
According to a press release, the legislator from the People's Force party requested this Thursday that the Executive Branch allocate a budget item for the construction of a modern convention center in Santo Domingo, enabling the country to position itself in other areas of tourism.
Residents of Verón and Punta Cana are requesting intervention from authorities to mitigate the presence of sargassum in the region
Residents of the tourist communities of Verón and Punta Cana have asked the authorities to intervene to address the problem of the sargassum invasion that is already beginning to appear in that area.
Carlos Germán Mercedes and Emmanuel Rodríguez, from the Punta Cana Fishermen's Association, and the Association of Artisans and Marine Services (ARSEMAR), state that sargassum negatively impacts the region's economy.
TheDominican Republic would not have cheaper fuel with Petrocaribe
The Dominican Republic would not have the cheapest fuel prices if the Petrocaribe alliance were still in effect. This agreement provided Caribbean countries with Venezuelan oil under favorable financing terms, but it did not subsidize the final price of fuel.
The president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, said last Sunday at a press conference in Barahona, in the south of the country, that if he had “a PetrorCaribbean currency, fuel would be cheaper,” amid discontent over rising fuel prices in the country.
OPEC presents a bleak outlook for oil
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) believes there is room for further growth in oil demand in 2022 due to the strong economic recovery, which has already driven crude oil prices above $90 a barrel.
The price of OPEC crude is currently at $91.84 per barrel, a 51% increase compared to the $60.47 it was selling for exactly one year ago. Since December 1st, the price has risen by 28%. In addition to the strong recovery, tensions between Ukraine and Russia, the world's second-largest producer with approximately 10 million barrels per day (mbd), have also contributed to the price increase.
Government proposes “national pact” to reach consensus on constitutional reform proposal
The Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, proposed that a great "national pact" be carried out to seek consensus on the constitutional reform proposed by the Executive Branch, whose sole purpose is to "institutionalize the independence of the judiciary.".
The proposed constitutional reform would impact about 40 of the 277 articles in the Constitution and would cover the National Council of the Magistracy, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Chamber of Accounts, the high courts, the Comptroller General of the Republic, and the Central Electoral Board (JCE).
Of those articles, at least 18 are related to a redesign of the integration of the Public Ministry, ranging from excluding the Attorney General of the Republic from the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) to changing the name of Attorney General to that of Procurator General and creating the figure of Attorney General of the State.
The Government will begin dismantling the exemptions for isolated power generators
The Dominican government will begin the gradual dismantling of tax exemptions on fuels received by electricity generating companies established in isolated systems or for their own non-interconnected consumption until the complete elimination of that privilege.
In a letter sent to companies in the sector, the government stated that the measure is part of the State's financial organization process to strengthen its revenue collection capacity and achieve fiscal sustainability.
Inflation in the United States skyrockets
Washington - The inflation rate in the United States soared to 7.5% in January, five tenths of a point higher than in December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported yesterday.
This is the largest year-on-year increase since February 1982 and is even above the predictions of most analysts, who predicted a price increase of 7.3%.
Sources: Listín Diario, Diario Libre, El Día, Hoy and El Caribe
