"I believe that our contribution through these meetings is significant because through this means we manage to connect professionals from other countries and local professionals, allowing them to learn about the values ​​and how the real estate system is being carried out in other countries, in the cases where I have had international guests.".

SANTO DOMINGO.- As every Thursday, Pedro Reyes Castillo invites real estate agents and interested people to join his broadcast on his Instagram channel @misterrealty, where he shares experiences and teachings with his guests.

If you want to learn about "Commercial Real Estate Management", at nine o'clock tonight, the expert in commercial and corporate real estate, Indhira Desangles, will be in the mood to share with followers all her experience from her career as a salesperson and specialist.

“The Lives are open, we discuss topics of interest or to increase knowledge with expert colleagues, and we dialogue based on questions that I develop and those sent by my followers,” explains Reyes Castillo, Mister Realty, who emphasizes that since opening his account he has used social media to add value to his work in the real estate field.

“I believe that our contribution through these meetings is significant because through this way we manage to connect professionals from other countries and local professionals, allowing them to learn about the values ​​and how the real estate system is being carried out in other countries in the cases where I have had international guests,” he explains.

He understands that when you have the opportunity on a globally accessible platform to receive advice without having to leave the country, that represents great value: He adds that during the pandemic he did a total of 30 live streams via Instagram, Zoom and other tools offered by the virtual world and that his growth was so extensive that he has millions of followers on his Instagram account.

“I think that Mister Realty is also a brand, a medium, and a place where people can find knowledge,” the influencer points out.

The sessions usually last 45 minutes. Daniel Cuesta is scheduled to speak on Thursday, May 5th, about "Real Estate Agent Finances," with an emphasis on managing commission-based income

The following Thursday, May 11, Ana Seydi López, director of Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Central America and the Dominican Republic, will talk with those connected about the Value of Acronyms and about the International certification for Real Estate agents.

The country will increase its cruise ports to six, the IDB supports the construction of 1,300 km of roads in the Northwest region, Abinader proposes to address the challenges of food production in Latin America, Collado signs agreements with tour operators in Canada to attract more tourists, a speaker complains: “The Book Fair is a hugely disorganized effort,” the Dominican financial system has the lowest delinquency rate in the region, the Dominican Republic had the highest growth in Fintech startups in the region, the former Haitian prime minister denounces alleged abuses against Haitians in the Dominican Republic, the president of Colombia will meet with Abinader today, Abinader is invited by the WHO to speak at the Assembly for his “leadership” in the fight against Covid

Thecountry will increase the number of cruise ports to six.

With the aim of increasing cruise ship arrivals at Dominican ports, as well as attracting new cruise lines to the Dominican Republic, the Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM) is participating in the Seatrade Cruise Global international trade show taking place in Miami. The Caribbean delegation, headed by APORDOM's executive director, Jean Luis Rodríguez, has held meetings with key players in the cruise industry, with the objective of promoting the government's interest in increasing the number of cruise ship terminals from three to six.

IDB supports construction of 1,300 km of roads in the Northwest region

The president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Mauricio Claver-Carone, revealed in an interview with Listín Diario that the organization will finance a total of US$240 million for the development of the Northwest of the Dominican Republic, of which US$100 million are earmarked for the port of Manzanillo and US$140 million for the development of highways and rural roads.

Abinader proposes to address the challenges of food production in Latin America

President Luis Abinader and Ibero-American Secretary General Andrés Allamad expressed concern about the challenges facing food production in the region. To mitigate these challenges, the Dominican president proposed several measures at the Summit of Ministers of Agriculture. “This is precisely what we are experiencing globally: a crisis in food systems resulting from the high costs of agricultural production inputs such as fertilizers, energy, and transportation. In addition, there are the prices of basic grains like soybeans and corn, on which the production of animal protein depends, the main sources of which are meat and milk,” the president stated.

Colladosigns agreements with tour operators in Canada to attract more tourists

Tourism Minister David Collado visited Toronto, Canada, where he signed agreements with the country's leading tour operators as part of the Ministry's and the Tourism Cabinet's strategy. The agreements were signed with Air Canada Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and Sunwing Travel Group, which together send more than one million Canadian tourists to the Dominican Republic annually.

complaints: "The Book Fair is a hugely disorganized effort"

Despite the rains causing delays in the organization of the 24th Santo Domingo International Book Fair (FILSD), this hasn't stopped many citizens from attending, as they do every year. However, complaints about the event have persisted since its opening last Friday, and these complaints have been echoed throughout the week by writers, exhibitors, and speakers.

TheDominican financial system has the lowest delinquency rate in the region

The Dominican financial system maintains the best credit risk indicators in Central America, according to the Report on Credit in the Dominican Republic, published by the Superintendency of Banks (SB), with data as of the end of December 2021. The report highlights that the delinquency rate stood at 1.29%, showing a downward trend over the past twelve months; while coverage for non-performing private loans reached 332.8%, more than three times the 100% required by current regulations. This means that provisions cover RD$3.3 for every RD$1 loan that is past due or in legal collection, demonstrating more than adequate levels of capacity to absorb expected losses.

Dominican Republic was the country with the highest growth in Fintech startups in the region

The president of the Dominican Association of FinTech Companies (AdoFinTech), Miguel Ángel Adames, highlighted today that, between 2017 and 2021, the Dominican Republic was the country with the highest growth in Fintech startups in the Latin America and Caribbean region, with an increase of 129%, according to data from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). He indicated that financial technology companies have experienced accelerated growth throughout Latin America.

Former Haitian Prime Minister denounces alleged abuses against Haitians in the Dominican Republic

Former Haitian interim prime minister Claude Joseph released a video showing Dominican soldiers mistreating a person, who appears to be a Haitian immigrant. Joseph uploaded the video to his Twitter account; it lacks a date and details about when or where it was recorded.The video shows approximately four Dominican soldiers, one wearing a DGM (General Directorate of Migration) cap, struggling with the civilian.

The President of Colombia will meet with Abinader today

President Luis Abinader will receive his Colombian counterpart, Iván Duque Márquez, at the National Palace this Thursday, where they will exchange decorations and sign bilateral cooperation agreements. The South American leader's agenda will extend until Friday afternoon and includes a private meeting with the Dominican president, as well as a luncheon with delegations from both countries. The two leaders will sign agreements, present decorations, and then hold a press conference.

Abinader is invited by the WHO to speak at the Assembly for his "leadership" in the fight against Covid

The World Health Organization (WHO) has invited President Luis Abinader to participate as a speaker at the opening ceremony of the World Health Assembly, which will take place from May 22 to 28. In a letter sent Wednesday to the president's office, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom explained the reasons for extending the invitation to the head of state.

Sources: Diario Libre, El Día, Hoy, Listín Diario

By Indhira Desangles

Are you familiar with the technique businesses are using to attract new customers based on their proximity to their location?

Well, until recently I didn't know about it either, and when I saw its potential I was like: WOW!!!

The key is Beacon technology (remember I'm not a tech expert), I'll try to explain how it works in the simplest way possible:

These are devices that are strategically placed near your business and, through Bluetooth, deliver hyperlocal and contextual messages to existing and potential customers via their mobile phones; brands have taken advantage of this, changing the way they interact with their customers, for example:

1. Advertising

Here you can see ads, images, texts, and SMS messages right when your potential customers are passing near your business, and with marketing specialists on your side, you can implement proximity marketing actions to find, attract, and, most importantly, bring back your customers.

2. How great it is to feel unique; personalization is the key to increasing interaction

Did you know that brick-and-mortar stores can achieve the same level of personalization as sites like Amazon? With this strategy, marketers can achieve:

• Send recommendations related to your customers' purchase history.

• Sell products.

• Send recommendations based on the purchasing habits of customers or prospects.

All of this helps to generate positive experiences that, in turn, generate more engagement, loyalty, and sales.

3. Proximity to encourage loyalty programs

Can you imagine your loyal customer walking past your store and finding out there's a special offer just for being your most loyal customer?

This allows you to get your customers to register automatically, earn credit for their purchases, and gain loyalty rewards. 

Interesting use cases for geolocation-based loyalty programs include:

• Sending personalized notifications to people when they are nearby.

• Delivery of geo-referenced offers, with great precision.

• Reward the loyalty of customers who spend more time in the office or interacting with messages.

4. Offline data collection

Data analysis allows you to better understand your customers' behavior, which is why investments are made in big data. Geolocation data is used to gather information for marketing campaigns

• Tracking of visitor footprints and paths

• Create heat maps of areas in the store

• Analyze the effectiveness of merchandising

• Measure customer loyalty

• Analyze the type of content that attracts consumers

Finally, across all industries, one of the biggest transformations is proximity marketing to improve the customer experience.

Are you joining the trend?

The Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) reported that, in March of this year, 41 ships arrived in the country from different parts of the world with 131,234 passengers, some 128,946 more cruise passengers than those who arrived in the same month of 2021, when the number of people was 2,288.

Taken from Diario Libre

SANTO DOMINGO.- The arrival of tourists by sea to the Dominican Republic has been recovering after a period of pause due to the restrictions imposed by countries to minimize the spread of COVID-19, which limited the arrival of foreigners.

The Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) reported that, in March of this year, 41 ships arrived in the country from different parts of the world with 131,234 passengers, some 128,946 more cruise passengers than those who arrived in the same month of 2021, when the number of people was 2,288.

The flow of visitors who traveled to the country by ship during the first quarter of 2022 was higher than at the end of March. During January and February, 90,234 and 96,644 tourists arrived, respectively, which, added to the March visitors, totals 318,112.

On average, 85% of non-resident travelers were foreigners, and the rest were Dominicans. According to the daily report from the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur), the highest number of arrivals that month occurred on March 26th: approximately 23,757.

Maritime operations have maintained a gradual growth rate, with the Amber Cove and Taíno Bay ports, both in Puerto Plata, receiving the largest number of ships in the first quarter of this year.

The evolution of this type of tourism, after the adversities the country has faced, has been satisfactory and promises to continue evolving over time, said Tourism Minister David Collado, upon receiving an award in recognition of cruise tourism in the country.

Two days ago, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) highlighted the Dominican Republic's maritime tourism activity, recognizing the efforts being made in the country to have ports properly equipped to receive tourists.

Collado assured that the figures will continue to increase because the Government will incentivize the country to become an attractive destination for cruise tourism due to the natural advantages that the island possesses.

Initially, cruise tourism was primarily used by the wealthiest segment of the population. Over the years, this attractive way of traveling has become increasingly popular, impacting the country's economy.

Another victim of the Canal Del Sol fire dies; public debt increases fifteenfold; real estate congress for investors held in Punta Cana; "The year will be difficult": War will affect the pace of economic growth; Dominican Republic anticipates the effects of congestion at the port of Shanghai; Minister of Tourism criticizes airfare prices to encourage Dominicans living abroad to return to the Dominican Republic; Banreservas climbs seven places in the ranking of the 50 largest banks in Latin America; Banesco becomes the first bank in the Dominican Republic to offer services via WhatsApp; IDB President: "The Dominican Republic is expected to be the fastest-growing economy in Latin America in 2022"; IMF: investors see Latin America as a solution to wartime shortages; the Spanish government approves an air transport agreement with the Dominican Republic; Abinader leads the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a cold storage facility in Punta Caucedo; Vice President launches renovation work at the Women's Hospital; Ministry of Labor intensifies inspections of Chinese businesses

Fire at Canal Del Sol leaves two dead and several injured

Between official and unofficial figures, a fire at studios A and B of Canal Del Sol (Channel 6) claimed the lives of at least two people and left four others with burns. The fire was reported to the Fire Department at 3:21 p.m. yesterday, Tuesday. While emergency units were en route, several workers escaped the blaze from the building. Some were transported by 911 ambulances to the Ney Arias Lora Traumatology Hospital, while others were taken by private means. 

debtmultiplies by fifteen

Between 2000 and last February, consolidated public debt has multiplied by more than fifteen, rising from US$4,447.9 million to US$67,682 million. Of that debt, which includes intergovernmental debt, US$50,806.5 million corresponded to the debt of the non-financial public sector and the remaining US$16,875.5 million to the liabilities of the Central Bank.

Real estate conference for investors held in Punta Cana

With the participation of nearly 70 investors, Imar Ventures held its Real Estate Summit Fly and Buy over two days at the Serenade Punta Cana hotel.

"The year will be difficult": The war will affect the pace of economic growth

President Luis Abinader is clear that “this will be a difficult year” for the country, as a consequence of the severe economic impact of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The government believes that the economic growth projected for 2022, before the outbreak of the war, will have to be revised. It could ultimately reach 5.3 percent, despite the inflation control measures being implemented.

Dominican Republic warns of the effects of traffic jams at the port of Shanghai

The Director General of Customs, Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, assured yesterday that “the Dominican Republic is taking the necessary precautions” so that the traffic jam of ships in the port of Shanghai “does not affect the supply chain of the Dominican economy.”

Tourism Minister criticizes airfare prices for Dominicans living abroad to return to the Dominican Republic

The Ministry of Tourism and Dominican consulates in the United States are working with airlines to reduce airfare to the Dominican Republic. Collado noted that in April alone, 100,000 Dominicans who have become U.S. citizens traveled to the country as tourists, and he considered it excessive that a ticket to the Dominican Republic can cost up to $1,700 during peak season.

Banreservas climbs seven positions in the ranking of the 50 largest banks in Latin America

The Dominican Republic's Banco de Reservas climbed seven places in the ranking of the 50 largest banks by assets in Latin America in 2022, the financial institution reported. Banreservas moved from 48th to 41st place, a jump of seven positions, according to the S&P Latin America Ranking report, making it the only bank in the Caribbean and Central America to achieve such significant growth.

Banesco, the first bank in the Dominican Republic to enable services via WhatsApp

In line with its strategy to continue integrating technological innovations into its operations and improving the customer experience, Banesco Banco Múltiple announced a new feature of its DANI virtual platform that will allow credit card customers to make disbursements of their Multicrédito via WhatsApp in an agile and simple way.

IDB President: "The Dominican Republic is expected to be the fastest-growing economy in Latin America in 2022"

President Luis Abinader met for an hour with the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Mauricio Claver Carone, who stated that the Dominican economy is expected to be the "fastest growing" in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2022.

IMF: Investors see Latin America as a solution to wartime shortages

International investors are beginning to see Latin America as part of the solution to the shortage of raw materials caused by the war in Ukraine, the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) director for the Western Hemisphere, Ilan Goldfajn, said in an interview with EFE on Tuesday.

The Spanish government approvesan air transport agreement with the Dominican Republic

The Spanish Council of Ministers approved on Tuesday an air transport agreement with the Dominican Republic that establishes flexible principles regarding the regime of operations that can be carried out between both countries, which contributes to strengthening relations in the field of commercial transport.

Abinader leads groundbreaking ceremony for refrigerator construction in Punta Caucedo

President Luis Abinader officially broke ground Tuesday on a new cold storage facility in Punta de Caucedo, aiming to provide temperature-controlled storage solutions to the Dominican market and the region. DP World and Emergent Cold Latin America, a provider of temperature-controlled storage and logistics solutions, will be responsible for constructing the refrigerated warehouse in Punta Caucedo, Boca Chica, the first of its kind in the country.

Vice President launches renovation work at the Women's Hospital

Vice President Raquel Peña inaugurated the renovation and refurbishment work at the Doctor Evangelina Rodríguez Maternity Hospital (Dominican Women's Hospital) on Tuesday, with a budgeted investment of 202,485,839.19 million pesos.

Education Ministry and ADP agree to a 10 percent pay raise

The Dominican Association of Teachers (ADP) and the Ministry of Education (MINERD) reached an agreement on the amount of the salary increase, which will be 10 percent; the sticking point is the authorities' refusal to apply it retroactively to January and implement it in July.

Ministryof Labor intensifies inspections of Chinese businesses

Following the murder of a Chinese at a business on Duarte Avenue in the National District, the Minister of Labor of the Dominican Republic, Luis Miguel De Camps, said that inspectors from that institution are conducting an investigation at several businesses, including the establishment involved in the incident. 

Sources: Diario Libre, Hoy, Listín Diario

"Ana is an exemplary woman, reliable, honest, and very responsible. More than just our secretary, she's our right-hand woman, our assistant, very helpful, and the person in whom we place all our trust. She's a key part of Best House Realty," says Rita Castillo.

SANTO DOMINGO. Today is Secretary's Day. There are several versions regarding its origin. One of them is that it originated in the United States in 1950, when typewriter manufacturers organized various events to celebrate, one of which was to find the best typist. An administrative assistant, what is now known as a secretary, won the contest.

Regardless of her background, she is a key player in a company, and Ana Marte of Best House Realty Behore testifies to and reaffirms this.

She's been running things as an administrative assistant for a year and a half now, which means receptionist, customer service, sales support, invoicing, collections, payments, account management, general scheduling, accounting assistance... phew!

Of course she understands that her performance is important to the company, where she says she feels valued because every detail counts.

“More than bosses, I consider them leaders, people who inspire you to keep giving your best, to take on new challenges, always keeping in mind that it's not easy, that you have to focus, be dedicated and consistent,” she says, referring to the way the company's CEOs, Rita and Bélgica,  

"Ana is an exemplary woman, reliable, honest, and very responsible. More than just our secretary, she's our right-hand woman, our assistant, very helpful, and the person in whom we place all our trust. She's a key part of Best House Realty," says Rita Castillo.

Marte maintains that at her workplace she is treated with respect, kindness, empathy, and great honesty. “My performance is valued, and I am encouraged to continue training to grow professionally.”.

Regarding the importance of secretaries in companies, he understands that they facilitate many things that help optimize the performance and productivity of teams.

We asked him if he likes the real estate sector and his answer is yes, because with Rita and Bélgica he is learning a lot and "his passion for the sector inspires... it's contagious.".

Responsibility, respect, kindness, honesty, camaraderie, and empathy are the key values ​​she applies in her work. Happy Secretaries' Day!.

The country's main ports are operating normally despite the traffic jam in Shanghai; the country will host a Cruise Federation meeting; public hearings will be held to present the results of the environmental impact study for the Cabo Rojo project; Elon Musk buys Twitter for US$44 billion; a plan to install solar energy in the country is proposed; 75,000 new families will be added to the Supérate program this week; Labor Day and other holidays remaining in 2022 are being observed; Public Health teams that were conducting COVID tests on travelers at airports have been withdrawn; dengue and malaria are affecting the country's male population; the ADP president arrived at the meeting with a counterproposal for the Minister of Education; the strike in the Cibao region will continue until Wednesday in San Francisco de Macorís

Major ports in the country are operating normally despite traffic jam in Shanghai

So far, operations at two of the Dominican Republic's main ports have not been affected by the renewed congestion at the port of Shanghai, China, one of the world's largest. At the port located in Punta Caucedo, operated by the private company DP World, no delays or container backlogs have been reported in Shanghai, according to information provided to this publication by the Communications Department.

The country will host the Cruise Federation meeting

The Dominican Republic will host the next meeting of the World Cruise Federation, Tourism Minister David Collado announced during an event held in this city. “This isn't something I should be telling you now, but Dominican tourism is booming, to the point that in September or October we will be hosting the Cruise Federation meeting,” Collado stated. The minister also highlighted that, according to statistics, this month will be “the best April” in the history of Dominican tourism.

They will hold public hearings to present the results of the environmental impact study for the Cabo Rojo project

This Friday, April 29, the Pro Pedernales Trust plans to hold a public hearing to present the results of its latest environmental impact studies for the Cabo Rojo Tourism Development Plan. The plan covers a total area of ​​approximately 38 million square meters and will include the construction of luxury and eco-friendly hotels with sustainable energy generation capacity, as well as affordable housing for local and project employees.

Elon Musk buys Twitter for US$44 billion

Billionaire Elon Musk reached an agreement to acquire Twitter for approximately $44 billion, promising a more lenient stance on content control on the platform where he promotes his interests, attacks his detractors, and shares his opinions on various topics with his more than 83 million followers.

Proposes plan for the installation of solar energy in the country

The Rocky Mountain Institute, the Environmental Lawyers Institute, and the National Committee for Climate Change yesterday proposed to the government the implementation of a plan for the transition to solar energy that would free the country from its dependence on fossil fuels. Maximiliano Lainfiesta, representative of the Rocky Mountain Institute and spokesperson, said that their proposal consists of installing 600 megawatts of solar energy, with an investment of US$650 million, by placing solar panels on the roofs of public buildings, industries, businesses, and residences.

Thisweek, 75,000 new families will be added to the Supérate program.

At least another 75,000 families will be included this week in the Supérate program in simultaneous operations that will be carried out in 27 provinces and 72 municipalities of the country, a figure that is part of the 300,000 that will be added to the program nationwide.

Dayand other holidays remaining in 2022

Next weekend will be the last long weekend of the year. Sunday, May 1st, Labor Day, is a non-working day and will be observed on Monday, May 2nd.

Public Health teams that were conducting COVID tests on travelers at airports have been withdrawn .

The staff of the Ministry of Public Health who were conducting coronavirus tests at Las Américas Airport were removed from the terminal after the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) canceled this procedure as a requirement for passengers.

Dengueand malaria are affecting the country's male population

Eighty-eight percent of the dengue cases registered in the country in recent weeks are male, who also account for 89% of the malaria cases reported by the epidemiological surveillance system. As of the beginning of this month, the country has reported 999 cumulative cases of dengue, representing an increase of approximately 185% compared to the same period last year, when 347 cases were reported. There have also been 63 cases of malaria, a decrease of 26% compared to the same period last year.

The president of the ADP arrived at the meeting with a counterproposal for the Minister of Education in hand

Arriving at 12:25 p.m., Eduardo Hidalgo, president of the Dominican Teachers Association (ADP), arrived at the Ministry of Education (Minerd) with his "negotiation" proposal in hand. "We were here on Friday receiving the Minister's proposal. We requested an intermediate framework. We worked all afternoon and evening, and today at noon we will submit our proposal," Hidalgo stated. 

The strike in the Cibao region will continue until Wednesday in San Francisco de Macorís

The regional strike that began yesterday, Monday, in the Cibao region will continue for another 24 hours in San Francisco de Macorís, Duarte province, while in the rest of the provinces of the region it concludes this Tuesday at 6:00 a.m.

Sources: Listín Diario, Diario Libre, El Día, Hoy

Anyi is extremely responsible and committed. Very diligent and with high emotional intelligence. She doesn't need supervision; she is very professional, respectful, understanding, empathetic, and has high ethical standards,” says Soribel Castillo, Co-CEO of the real estate agency.

SANTO DOMINGO – Although its essence remains the same, the term "secretary" has several definitions. In addition to those we have already shared, it can also mean "the highest-ranking official of some institutions and political parties," and in some countries, "a government minister or a person entrusted with a secret of another."

Anyi Estefany Ruiz Valdez forms her own opinion about the role that the secretary plays in a given company: "the position of secretary is one of the most important pillars of the company," she says when El Inmobiliario asked her about what the job represents for her.

Anyone visiting Elite House will receive the attention of the friendly Anyi, who has only been there for four months, but her acclimatization and management of the company make her short time in the position go unnoticed.

“Anyi is super responsible and committed. Very diligent and with great emotional intelligence. She doesn't need to be supervised; she is very professional, respectful, understanding, empathetic, and has high ethical standards,” says Soribel Castillo, Co-CEO of the real estate agency.

“Ariel and Soribel are very kind leaders who consider and treat their employees as part of their family, very understanding when dealing with their employees, always available to help and support them in the learning process,” Anyi emphasizes.

She handles general assistance for approximately 80 people, in addition to collections, payments, and billing. But this mix of responsibilities doesn't overwhelm her at all. "I feel quite comfortable in my job, so I can wholeheartedly say that I love my work.".

At Élite House, she says she feels "very valued and important in my workplace." And although the real estate sector is a new market for her, she feels comfortable and connected to the work because she "has really enjoyed it.".

When we asked him what values ​​he fundamentally applies in the performance of his duties, he replied that he bases it on "coherence, stability, responsibility and emotional intelligence".

Crisis in Shanghai could impact operations at the port of Caucedo, President: Los Alcarrizos cable car will begin operating in December, multinational organizations project 5% growth this year for the Dominican Republic, but it will decrease in 2023, Héctor Valdez Albizu participates in a meeting with the IMF, Grupo Popular presents 2021 results to shareholders, attempted fire at Bravo Supermarkets on Churchill Avenue, the cruise industry catches up after the pandemic, Banco Caribe increases its assets by 25.34% and doubles net investments, Macron re-elected president of France, another tragedy in Bayahíbe: woman dies after boat capsizes, director of Corazones Unidos: "deposits should not be requested for patients with stab wounds, gunshot wounds, heart attacks, or strokes," Cibao business owners reject a 24-hour strike.

Crisis in Shanghai would impact operations at the portof Caucedo

Since last week, there has been concern about the potential consequences of the lockdown decreed in China due to the resurgence of Covid-19 on maritime transport from the port of Shanghai, especially given the difficulties it could cause for imports from China to the Dominican Republic. Faced with this looming crisis, port management and intermodal transport expert Aníbal Piña suggests the government refocus on trade with the United States and the Caribbean. The expert explained to Listín Diario that this city, with over 25 million inhabitants, represents the most important point for Chinese exports, accounting for approximately 27% of them, and that a closure of this port would impact more than 35% of the total operations of the Port of Caucedo, the terminal through which ships arriving in the country from Shanghai for the hinterland and transit markets are handled

President: The Los Alcarrizos cable car will become operational in December

The Los Alcarrizos cable car will begin operations in December of this year, President Luis Abinader announced during a visit to the construction site on Sundayclampsystem. 

Multinational organizations project 5% growth for the Dominican Republic this year, but it will decrease in 2023

With the third quarter of this year completed, projections from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) show a consensus of 5.0% in economic growth expectations for the Dominican Republic, and it is expected to drop to 4.6% by 2023 due to geopolitical uncertainty during conflicts between Russia and Ukraine.

Hector Valdez Albizu participates in meeting with the IMF

The Governor of the Central Bank, Héctor Valdez Albizu, participated in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), which were held from April 18 to 24 in Washington, D.C., United States.

Grupo Popular presents 2021 results to shareholders

Grupo Popular held its Extraordinary Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, where it reported on the positive results achieved in 2021, with sustained growth and sound financial indicators within the context of the global economic recovery, still affected by the ongoing health restrictions. The Chairman of the Board of Directors informed the shareholders that, in quantitative terms, the total consolidated assets of Grupo Popular and its subsidiaries reached RD$708,503 million, representing an increase of 8.3%, or RD$54,544 million, compared to 2020

Small fire at Bravo Supermarkets on Churchill Avenue

A small fire broke out Sunday night at the Bravo Supermarket, located on Winston Churchill Avenue in the National District. According to Rafael Monestina, the general manager of Bravo Supermarkets, who spoke to Diario Libre, the fire started in the vegetable storage area and only burned about 20 or 30 crates of vegetables. Several fire department units arrived at the scene and immediately proceeded to extinguish the blaze, which was completely under control.

The cruise industry is catching up after the pandemic

The Seatrade Cruise Global conference, the world's leading cruise industry event, kicks off next Monday at the Miami Beach Convention Center (USA) with participants and exhibitors from 140 countries. The event takes place in an optimistic atmosphere for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020. The centerpiece of this four-day conference is the "State of the Industry" panel, scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, which will present the current state of the sector and unveil future prospects. However, the program is extensive and varied.

Banco Caribe increases its assets by 25.34% and doubles net investments

Banco Caribe presented its annual financial statements showing at the close of its last fiscal year an increase in total assets of 25.34%, going from RD$29,536.2 million in 2020 to RD$37,021.3 million in 2021, which represents an increase of RD$7,485.1 million.

Macron re-elected president of France, according to voting projections

French President Emmanuel Macron was re-elected on Sunday, winning by between 15.2 and 16.4 percentage points over his rival, Marine Le Pen, in the second round of the presidential elections, according to four voting projections.

Another tragedy in Bayahibe: woman dies after boat capsizes

A woman drowned and two other people were injured when a boat capsized on Sunday in the municipal district of Bayahíbe, La Altagracia province. The deceased was identified as Argentina Payano, who died from drowning and was reported to be a native of San Pedro de Macorís.

Director of Corazones Unidos: "Deposits should not be requested for patients with stab wounds, gunshot wounds, heart attacks, or strokes."

The director of the renowned Corazones Unidas clinic believes that no private healthcare facility should require a deposit to provide medical assistance to patients arriving at the emergency room with stab wounds, gunshot wounds, heart attacks, or strokes. Dr. Víctor Cuello Mainardi described as inhumane the practice of demanding a deposit to treat someone suffering from an acute myocardial infarction. 

Business leaders in the Cibao region reject 24-hour strike; young man shot and wounded before strike call

The main business organizations of Santiago province and the entire Cibao region have rejected, in a statement, the 24-hour general strike called for today, Monday, in the 14 provinces of that jurisdiction. These organizations justified their position by citing the current conditions in the country. A 22-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in the head. The circumstances surrounding his injury are unclear, but a source reported that it occurred during a shootout Sunday night in the La Altagracia sector of San Francisco de Macorís, Duarte province, one of the areas where a strike against the government has been called.

Zelensky awaits US delegation; Mariupol remains under fire

Ukraine's leader requested more powerful Western weapons as he prepared to meet with top US officials in the war-torn capital on Sunday. Meanwhile, Russian forces concentrated their attacks in the east, including an attempt to dislodge the last remaining Ukrainian troops holding out in the devastated port city of Mariupol. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a lengthy press conference Saturday night at a Kyiv metro station. The White House has not commented.

Sources: El Día, Diario Libre, Listín Diario, Hoy

“Nation building means transforming India’s coastline through a series of ports and logistics hubs, thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs; transforming the energy landscape and mitigating the rural-urban divide by providing electricity to hundreds of millions of people living in inland India; enabling food security by building a modern agricultural supply chain that empowers our country’s farmers; meeting India’s energy requirements and becoming a major player in sustainable energy by making the largest commitment to the renewable energy ecosystem, encompassing solar manufacturing, generation, and solar farm businesses; and playing a pivotal role in helping India become self-reliant in defense and security.” – Gautam Adani.

Gautam Adani is listed by Forbes as the third richest man in the world in 2022; he is the founder and chairman of the Adani Group, which is among the top 3 industrial conglomerates in India. 

He is a first-generation entrepreneur, driven by the core philosophy of infusing "Growth with Kindness" through his nation-building vision. Each of the Group's businesses focuses on helping to build world-class infrastructure capabilities to accelerate India's growth, states the company website.

Adani Group is a diversified organization in India with a market capitalization of over $213.26 billion (as of April 23, 2022), comprised of seven publicly traded companies. It has built a world-class transportation and services infrastructure portfolio with a presence throughout India. 

Headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, the company has established itself as a market leader in its portfolio of transportation logistics and energy utilities businesses. It focuses on large-scale infrastructure development in India, employing operation and maintenance practices that meet global standards. With four IG-rated companies, it is the only Investment Grade issuer of infrastructure bonds in India.

Their vision, according to the official website, is to be a world-class leader in businesses that enrich lives and contribute to nations by building infrastructure through the creation of sustainable value.

"We are a team of more than 23,000 people worldwide working towards a common purpose. We are led by one of India's most visionary presidents, supported by a talented and experienced management team.".

Some of their companiesare :

Real estate

Committed to bringing India up to par with the world's most advanced nations in terms of employment, quality of life, and infrastructure, Adani Realty has begun development in the most promising cities. Integrating superior design aesthetics with cutting-edge construction technology to deliver excellence, this approach has led to numerous achievements in a relatively short period. Adani Realty has been developing residential, commercial, and social club projects totaling over 64 million square meters (approximately 69 million square feet) in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Kochi, and Mundra, aiming to revolutionize the real estate sector by catering to the diverse aspirations and lifestyles of modern India.

Housing finance

The Adani Group's housing finance division, Adani Housing Finance Pvt. Ltd, was established in 2017 with the aim of playing a pioneering role in promoting the national objective of 'Housing for All' alongside its Nation Building objective by providing tailored finance solutions to customers in the affordable housing segment and simplifying the lending process for everyone.

Airports

In line with its vision to be a globally admired leader in integrated infrastructure and transport businesses, the Adani Group ventured into the airport sector in 2019. Incubated within the group's flagship company, Adani Enterprises Ltd. (AEL), Adani Airports was mandated to modernize and operate six airports (Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram) through the Airports Authority of India's globally competitive tendering process.

In February 2020, the company signed the Concession Agreement (CA) for three airports and subsequently commenced operations at Mangaluru International Airport (Mangaluru) on October 31, 2020, Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (Lucknow) on November 2, 2020, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (Ahmedabad) on November 7, 2020. Adani Airports will operate, manage, and develop all six airports for 50 years.

Solar manufacturing

By promoting India's transition to clean energy and accelerating its path to self-sufficiency, the Adani Group embarked on a journey toward a greener world. Adani Solar is the photovoltaic (PV) solar energy EPC and manufacturing arm of the Adani Group. It is currently India's first and largest vertically integrated producer of solar cells and modules and is well supported by manufacturing units for critical components designed to achieve maximum efficiency in the Indian market.

Ports and Terminals

As the largest commercial port operator, it contributes to the growing trade of its country with its network of 13 national ports in eight maritime states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and West Bengal), giving it a nationwide presence. The port facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art cargo handling infrastructure that is not only best-in-class but also capable of handling the largest vessels calling at Indian ports. 

It also owns companies in logistics, public services, water, railways, subways, defense and aerospace, data centers, among others.

Chinese man killed in hardware store; he was a constant aggressor against employees. It has been confirmed that he was the nephew of one of the owners

Taken from Diario Libre

SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican workers at the Z&C Hardware Store were threatened with dismissal if they spoke about the death of 34-year-old Chinese national Jhei Leet, who was stabbed by an employee who had been assaulted by him moments before.

During a visit by Diario Libre to the aforementioned business, it was observed that the Chinese in the premises did not miss a single foot or step, even at the moment when they were providing service to the customers present.

“They threatened to take away our jobs if we spoke out, but yes, he always mistreated the employees and it's not the first time these aggressions have happened,” said one of the employees, who was able to be approached quickly.

The employee confirmed that the victim was the nephew of one of the owners of the place.

The Z&C Hardware Store on Juan Pablo Duarte Avenue near the corner of Nicolás de Ovando, in the Gregorio Luperón neighborhood of the National District, continues to operate normally despite the murder of Jhei Leet. 

Security camera footage captured the moment the man threw an object at the employee, who responded by throwing something back. The Chinese man kicked the Dominican woman, who grabbed a knife and stabbed him in the abdomen.

The man was immediately taken out of the hardware store and put in a vehicle, but died shortly after arriving at the emergency room of the Moscoso Puello hospital, a few meters from the commercial establishment, a communications staff member of the aforementioned health center reported.

According to police authorities, the employee Franyelis María Furcal, 30, fled the scene after committing the act and reportedly stated that the action occurred because Leet had shouted insults at her while she was serving a customer.

Franyelis María Furcal remains a fugitive from justice. Authorities from the National Police and the Public Prosecutor's Office have arrived at the scene to search for evidence.

The police announced last Friday that they are on the trail of the perpetrator to bring her to justice.

The real estate market is a business that will never go out of style, and despite its cyclical crises, it's considered a safe sector for many reasons. A property is an asset that inherently has real value, and unlike other investments, its value increases steadily.

This Sunday, the online newspaper El Inmobiliario shares in its Real Estate Cultural Section the book "How to Live Off Real Estate Income" by EM Parra, a passionate expert in finance, investment, and taxation. An engineer with a degree in Business Administration and an EMBA, he has spent his life between Spain and Ireland and is the author of misfinanzaspersonales.net and a blogger at Rankia.com.

The book, available on Amazon, offers you all the fundamental concepts and knowledge you need to know about real estate rentals, from economic principles, valuations, profitability, and the most important legislation applicable in each of the possible circumstances.

It helps you become familiar with the jargon and some more technical concepts. It's one of the most interesting real estate books to start discovering all the hidden potential of your properties.

Its author has also written "Manage Your Rentals Like a Professional" and "Taxation in the Purchase and Sale of Real Estate Rentals in Spain".