Housing deficit rises to 1.5 million; poor are displaced; in La Zurza, residents demand Abinader's intervention to deliver promised housing; Government: More than 90% of state properties lack titles or are in private hands; Cruise ship that ran aground could depart today from Puerto Plata Bay; Eastern tourism sector seeks emerging markets amid war in Russia and Ukraine; Dominican Republic and Canada negotiate treaty that would facilitate migration of Dominican workers to that country; Luis Abinader: "Anyone who steals a single penny from this government will go to jail, listen carefully: Jail!"; the "flag" dish costs RD$400 for residents of Santiago; Texas crude oil falls 5.78% at the close and stands at $103.01; Russia continues its offensive; 4th round of negotiations concludes; Russian government prohibits exports of grains and sugar; UN chief warns of world famine due to war in Ukraine; War in Ukraine poses serious risks to food security
Housing deficit rises to 1.5 million; poor are displaced
Housing and habitat in the Dominican Republic remain a mere tablecloth on an empty table: used to cover the rotten legs, as it has failed to rise from a charitable commodity to a real, quality economic and social right for the people. This is the conclusion reached by the Citizen Forum (FC), through its Housing and Habitat division, in a document reflecting on the issue and placing the housing deficit at 1.5 million units, while the poor and lower-middle class find it increasingly difficult to obtain a roof over their heads.
In La Zurza, residents are demanding Abinader's intervention to deliver the promised housing
More than 50 families from Hoyo de La Zurza, in the National District, are demanding President Luis Abinader's intervention to ensure the construction of the homes they were promised 18 years ago to make way for the Santo Domingo Metro. The homes where they live, on the banks of the Isabela River in La Zurza, were built as temporary housing for six months until a permanent project could be completed, because the land where they lived was used by the Leonel Fernández administration to store the excavated earth from the Metro construction.
Government: More than 90% of state-owned properties are untitled or in private hands
The Director General of Government Accounting, Félix Santana García, stated that over 90% of state-owned lands and properties lack clear title and that a significant percentage are being used by private individuals. For this reason, President Luis Abinader has ordered that all tangible and intangible assets be appraised, recovered, and accounted for as quickly as possible, Santana indicated.
Cruise ship that ran aground could set sail today from Puerto Plata Bay
The Norwegian Scape cruise ship could set sail early Tuesday morning if sea conditions improve, as expected last night, after running aground at the entrance to the bay. A report from Taíno Bay indicated that the vessel encountered difficulties at 5:10 p.m. as it was leaving the port, running aground at the bay's entrance with more than 3,000 tourists on board.
Eastern European tourism sector seeks emerging markets amid Russia-Ukraine war
The tourism sector in the eastern region is focused on seeking new markets and strengthening existing ones. This is due, in part, to the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as these countries are sources of a significant number of tourists for the region.
The Dominican Republic and Canada are negotiating a treaty that would facilitate the migration of Dominican workers to that country
The Dominican Republic and Canada have resumed negotiations to create a bilateral free trade agreement that could facilitate Dominican migration to Canada for work. This information was provided Monday by Gustavo de Hostos, president of the Dominican-Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Luis Abinader: “Anyone who steals a single penny from this government will go to jail, listen carefully: Jail!”
President Luis Abinader warned yesterday, Monday, that his government will enforce a system of accountability and that anyone who benefits from money acquired illegally will be arrested. “In this government, there will be accountability, you can be sure of that; several people have already been arrested, whoever they may be, and in any case, anyone who steals a single penny from this government will go to jail, listen carefully, they will go to jail,” the president emphatically reiterated, minutes after arriving at the Supérate social program event.
The "flag" dish costs RD$400 for people from Santiago
Preparing lunch for a family of five or six currently costs at least 400 pesos. To stretch their limited resources, they have to reduce the portion sizes of ingredients they need for lunch. The women said that to prepare a meal consisting of the traditional Dominican dish, "La Bandera," rice, beans, and meat, they have to buy between two and two and a half pounds of rice at a cost of 80 to 100 pesos. They also need two pounds of chicken, which is the cheapest meat, but which sells for between 80 and 85 pesos at corner stores, depending on the location, bringing the total to 120 to 130 pesos.
Texas crude oil fell 5.78% at the close, settling at $103.01
The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil started the week with a significant drop, closing yesterday, Monday, with a decline of 5.78%, to $103.01 per barrel, in a day affected by talks between Russia and Ukraine and the lockdowns decreed in China.
Russia continues offensive; 4th round of negotiations concludes
Russia and Ukraine kept a fragile diplomatic channel open with a new round of negotiations on Monday, while Russian troops intensified their offensive on Kyiv and other cities in the country with relentless bombardments that the Red Cross described as "a nightmare" for the civilian population.
The Russian government bans exports of grain and sugar
Russia will temporarily ban grain and sugar exports due to international sanctions and to protect its domestic market, following the signing of decrees by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Monday. Vladimir Putin's government is imposing a temporary ban on grain exports to countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) until June 30 and on raw cane sugar exports outside the EAEU until August 31, according to a government press release published by the Interfax news agency.
UN chief warns of global famine due to war in Ukraine
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Monday of the repercussions of Russia's war in Ukraine, which could result in "a hurricane of famine" in many countries. The halt in agricultural production in Ukraine and Russia due to the conflict will "hit the poorest hardest and sow seeds of political instability and unrest around the world," Guterres stressed to reporters in New York.
The war in Ukraine poses serious risks to food security
Russia and Ukraine play a crucial role in global food production and supply. The new FAO report provides data and outlines the risks to the global economy and food security stemming from the conflict in Ukraine, including recommendations to avert a food crisis of catastrophic proportions. “Logistical and supply chain disruptions to grain and oilseed production in Ukraine and export restrictions from Russia will have significant repercussions and could severely exacerbate global food insecurity at a time when international food and input prices are already high and volatile,” explains FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero.
Sources: Listín Diario, Diario Libre, El Día, Hoy
