Dominican Today -
Colegas,
It is with deep sorrow that I inform you of the passing of Professor Franklin Franco in the Dominican Republic. Professor Franco, the author of nearly two dozen books, including his pioneering work on the importance of blackness in the formation of Dominican modern society, Los negros, los mulatos y la nación dominicana, first published in 1969 and now in its 10th edition, passed on Saturday, June 15th early morning of a heart attack, in the intimacy of his home while working. Among Prof. Franco’s new projects was a history of Dominicans in the U. S. Prof. Franco’s remains were viewed in El Museo de la Resistencia and at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo on Monday. He was buried on Tuesday.
Prof. Franco enjoyed enormous respect and admiration from the Dominican people. A man of firm ideals, he dedicated his life to writing about Dominicans and their institutions and to teaching at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, the public university of the Dominican Republic.
We were lucky to have counted on his friendship and support for the work we do at the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute (CUNY DSI). He had authorized CUNY DSI to undertake the translation of Los negros, los mulatos y la nación dominicana and had closely followed all the details regarding the selection of the translator. This work will continue.
Prof. Franco’s legacy will live on through the sharing of his writings about the Dominican people. Part of that legacy is Los negros, los mulatos y la nación dominicana, a book that appeared at a time when speaking about blackness in the Dominican Republic was silenced. The defiant text was read by many and re-published numerous times, perhaps as a manifestation of resistance, which always accompanies oppression. Los negros, los mulatos… laid the ground for the emergence of Black Studies in the Dominican Republic, a field that places reflections about blackness at the center of the Dominican academic landscape. Franco’s work defied established canons of knowledge in Dominican society, transformed Dominican social thinking, and engaged in conversation with others whose work focused on the standing of black people’s history in their own societies.
I hope you will join CUNY DSI in preserving Prof. Franco’s legacy by spreading the word among scholars who may still be unfamiliar with his work; but particularly, by acquainting your students and the younger generation in general with the work of a man whose ideas challenged prevailing notions about black people in Dominican society, be they African or Dominican; a man whose work broke down solid racist and negrophobic walls while opening new frontiers in academia and, in the process, developing a rigorous framework through which the Dominican people should be understood.
Abrazos,
ramona
CUNY Dominican Studies Institute
The City College of New York
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 20:59 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 11543 times.)
Dominican Today -
San Juan, Puerto Rico - U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered 7. 3 kilograms (16 pounds) of heroin concealed within a vehicle arriving from the Dominican Republic on the ferry on Monday.
While performing inbound inspections of passenger vehicles that arrived from Dominican Republic onboard the M/V Caribbean Fantasy, CBP officers performed a thorough inspection of one of the vehicles and discovered, hidden within it, 9 packages of a substance which subsequently field tested positive for the properties of heroin. The heroin weighed approximately 16 pounds, with an estimated value of $420,000.
Customs and Border Protection officers arrested the driver of the vehicle, Jaironel Lajara, 23, a United States citizen and resident of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is leading an investigation and presented charges against Mr. Lajara for consideration by the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, which accepted prosecution. Another individual has been arrested in connection with this incident.
CBP uses sophisticated methods to identify and target potentially high-risk passengers and cargo, including advanced electronic information about every passenger and cargo shipment entering into the U. S. before their arrival. “CBP officers remain vigilant in the protection of our borders and will continue to use their training and expertise to detect those that intend to introduce contraband through our borders”, stated San Juan Area Port Director Juan Hurtado.
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 20:29 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 12193 times.)
Dominican Today -
NEW Face YORK- It took 26 long years for Dominican actress Joselyn Martinez to come face to face Monday to get justice against her father’s alleged murderer, charged with the November 22, 1986 shooting death in Upper Manhattan.
Justo Santos pleaded not guilty at NY State Supreme Court in Manhattan to second degree murder and weapons charges, but Assistant DA Julie Nobel told the judge of “overwhelming evidence,” such as a 1987 recording where Santos speaks of the crime and investigators’ video after his arrest in Miami, admitting the felony.
More than 20 relatives and friends accompanied Martinez in the courtroom.
Santos didn’t flinch or look back; his hands cuffed behind him, as the faces of the victim’s relatives and friends conveyed hatred.
“This is something I’ve been waiting a long time. The whole family is here and finally, we will have the opportunity to see justice done,“ said the smiling actress, who was nine when her father died.
“Each anniversary of his death has always been difficult for me and especially Father’s Day,“ she said as she wept for her father.
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 20:29 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 12189 times.)
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo- Agriculture Minister Luis Ramon Rodriguez Wednesday announced an agreement with egg producers to cut production and adapt to local demand, for which the Haitian market will no longer be a priority.
Rodriguez said one million laying hens no longer at peak output will be slaughtered, to balance supply to the demand much faster.
Among the other measures announced by the official at a meeting with producers figure the purchase of around half a million chickens to distribute meat in the local market through social programs and government-operated cafeterias, at a cost ranging from 10 to 15 million pesos.
Rodriguez affirmed that despite continuing the talks between Dominican Republic and Haiti toward a solution to the ban on poultry levied by Port-au-Prince, Santo Domingo will focus on capturing other markets.
At the meeting were representatives of the National Egg Producers Association, the Independent Producers Association and of the Chickens Growers and Eggs Association (Aprohuevo).
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 20:29 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 12180 times.)
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo- Argos, producer and marketer of cement and concrete, completed its arrival process in the Dominican Republic after an investment of over US$60 million in the country, where the new brand replaces Cementos Colon and gives Dominicans access to a new model of advice and service for infrastructure development and construction in the country.
With the presence of Argos Dominicana, the local market will have access to the expertise and knowledge that offers a multidomestic company with operations in Colombia, United States, Panama, Haiti, Suriname, five Caribbean Islands and Dominican Republic. At present, Argos is Latin America’s fifth largest cement maker and the third largest concrete producer in the United States.
Although the company was present for the first time in the Dominican market in 1996, Argos gained control Cementos Colon in 2009 and began a process of integration to align operations and ensuring standardization of processes and services. The goal set then was to bring to Dominican Republic the same quality of products and services that have enabled the company to be leaders in the countries in which it operates.
“The professionalism and quality of the Cementos Colon team adds to the experience and knowledge that Argos bring to ensure our customers a formula for advice that meets their business needs,“ said Gabriel Ballestas, CEO of Argos in Dominican Republic.
The Argos executive made the statements in an activity with media executives held Wednesday in the Hilton Hotel in the capital.
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 19:59 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 12953 times.)
Dominican Today -
The president of the recently installed Constitutional Court (TC), Milton Ray Guevara, roiled some opinion makers on Wednesday, one day after warning against violating labor standards to boost economic competitiveness and trade.
Guevara’s statement on the current debate over a potential reform of the Labor Code goes against the judicial tradition that “judges speak only by sentence,” affirmed TV producer Cesar Duvernay. “I don’t understand how a man of his (Guevara) status can make such statements, knowing full well that the case could go before the Constitutional Court. ”
But the CC president’s gift of gab is shared by many of his colleagues in the high courts, ever since former Supreme Court chief justice Jorge Subero broke with tradition, and chased every mike he saw nearby.
The former chief justice’s eagerness for media coverage has apparently been adopted by the current Supreme Court president Mariano German, who has yet to deal with another judicial aberration; judges “unions. ”
Jorge. pineda@dominicantoday. com
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 18:29 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 15462 times.)
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo. – Dominican Republic is running around “like a chicken with its head cut off” in the heels of Haiti’s ban on local poultry products that took effect for more than one week, as various sectors suggest ways to deal with the expected glut.
Agriculture minister Luis Ramon Rodriguez, who met today with north region chicken and egg farmers, said the government could buy the projected excess, including half a million laying hens, to resell the meat locally.
The official also asked lawmakers and producers to “tone down the tension“ on this issue, since “the world isn’t going to end. “
In that regard, Elias Piña (west) senator Adriano Sanchez said 9-day losses from the ban have reached RD$100 million, adding that the Government should buy the chickens and eggs to feed the poorest families.
Export to Venezuela
And while other sectors suggest exporting poultry products to Venezuela to pay for oil within the Petrocaribe agreement, Finance Minister Simon Lizardo called it not feasible for now. “Venezuela requested the products it needs. They haven’t asked for chickens or eggs thus far. “
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 17:29 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 17048 times.)
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo- Central banker Hector Valdez Albizu met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials to start the assessment on the Post-Program Monitoring, approved by its Executive Board in Washington.
Valdez said they discussed topics on the visit’s agenda, especially the year’s macroeconomic performance thus far, the implementation of short and medium term monetary and fiscal policies and the recent economic measures aimed at boosting the economy by releasing funds in banks’ reserve, and lowering Central Bank rates.
IMF delegation leader Przemek Gajdeczka was accompanied by technicians Jesús González García, Andrew Swiston, Francesco Grigoli and Nelson Sobrinho.
IMF Dominican Republic tepresentative, Mario Dehesa and Ana Beatriz Rodriguez, who represents the country at IMF headquarters in Washington, also took part in the meeting.
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 15:29 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 11549 times.)
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo. - The new president of Dominican Republic’s Cement Producers Association (ADOCEM) on Tuesday said the cement industry works in harmony with the nation’s growth potential, whose six million ton installed capacity meets the growing local demand for the next 20 years.
Carlos Gonzalez said the Dominican Republic’s growing housing and infrastructure demand poses the need to use its resources efficiently, and develop the local industry to compete globally.
The also president of Cemex Dominican Republic spoke during his inaugural for the post replacing Osvaldo Oller, and will head ADOCEM until 2014.
Gonzalez, who’s also heads Cemex infrastructure projects and housing for South America and Caribbean region, said higher cement production could be achieved through a government working jointly with productive sectors “which such as ours has shown the ability to invest, create jobs, take risks and boost other sectors closely linked to our industry. “
He added that among their areas of work he’ll stress figure the promotion of new and more appropriate uses of cement in its various applications, and the encouragement of good practices, research and training.
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 15:29 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 8578 times.)
Dominican Today -
Lima, Peru- Defending champion United States defeated Dominican Republic 25-12, 25-20, 25-18, for the gold medal in the Pan American Women’s Volleyball Movistar Cup night in Lima on Sunday.
The Americans’ performance was powerful show of big serves and consistent blocking.
Nicole Fawcett led the U. S. scoring with 15 points, including 6 blocks and 3 aces; Lauren Gibbemeyer added 11 with 3 blocks and Kristin Hildebrand contributed 9 and Megan Hodge 8.
Dominicans Annerys Vargas, Yonkaira Peña and Prisilla Rivera had 8 points each in the losing cause.
Read original at Dominican Today.
(Posted 15:29 Wednesday by DRSol NewsHound. Viewed 7922 times.)
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Dominican Today -
Colegas,
It is with deep sorrow that I inform you of the passing of Professor Franklin Franco in the Dominican Republic. Professor Franco, the author of nearly two dozen books, including his pioneering work on the importance of blackness in the formation of Dominican modern society, Los negros, los mulatos y la nación dominicana, first published in 1969 and now in its 10th edition, passed on Saturday, June 15th early morning of a heart attack, in the intimacy of his home while working. Among Prof. Franco’s new projects was a history of Dominicans in the U. S. Prof. Franco’s remains were viewed in El Museo de la Resistencia and at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo on Monday. He was buried on Tuesday.
Prof. Franco enjoyed enormous respect and admiration from the Dominican people. A man of firm ideals, he dedicated his life to writing about Dominicans and their institutions and to teaching at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, the public university of the Dominican Republic.
We were lucky to have counted on his friendship and support for the work we do at the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute (CUNY DSI). He had authorized CUNY DSI to undertake the translation of Los negros, los mulatos y la nación dominicana and had closely followed all the details regarding the selection of the translator. This work will continue.
Prof. Franco’s legacy will live on through the sharing of his writings about the Dominican people. Part of that legacy is Los negros, los mulatos y la nación dominicana, a book that appeared at a time when speaking about blackness in the Dominican Republic was silenced. The defiant text was read by many and re-published numerous times, perhaps as a manifestation of resistance, which always accompanies oppression. Los negros, los mulatos… laid the ground for the emergence of Black Studies in the Dominican Republic, a field that places reflections about blackness at the center of the Dominican academic landscape. Franco’s work defied established canons of knowledge in Dominican society, transformed Dominican social thinking, and engaged in conversation with others whose work focused on the standing of black people’s history in their own societies.
I hope you will join CUNY DSI in preserving Prof. Franco’s legacy by spreading the word among scholars who may still be unfamiliar with his work; but particularly, by acquainting your students and the younger generation in general with the work of a man whose ideas challenged prevailing notions about black people in Dominican society, be they African or Dominican; a man whose work broke down solid racist and negrophobic walls while opening new frontiers in academia and, in the process, developing a rigorous framework through which the Dominican people should be understood.
Abrazos,
ramona
CUNY Dominican Studies Institute
The City College of New York
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
San Juan, Puerto Rico - U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered 7. 3 kilograms (16 pounds) of heroin concealed within a vehicle arriving from the Dominican Republic on the ferry on Monday.
While performing inbound inspections of passenger vehicles that arrived from Dominican Republic onboard the M/V Caribbean Fantasy, CBP officers performed a thorough inspection of one of the vehicles and discovered, hidden within it, 9 packages of a substance which subsequently field tested positive for the properties of heroin. The heroin weighed approximately 16 pounds, with an estimated value of $420,000.
Customs and Border Protection officers arrested the driver of the vehicle, Jaironel Lajara, 23, a United States citizen and resident of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is leading an investigation and presented charges against Mr. Lajara for consideration by the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, which accepted prosecution. Another individual has been arrested in connection with this incident.
CBP uses sophisticated methods to identify and target potentially high-risk passengers and cargo, including advanced electronic information about every passenger and cargo shipment entering into the U. S. before their arrival. “CBP officers remain vigilant in the protection of our borders and will continue to use their training and expertise to detect those that intend to introduce contraband through our borders”, stated San Juan Area Port Director Juan Hurtado.
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
NEW Face YORK- It took 26 long years for Dominican actress Joselyn Martinez to come face to face Monday to get justice against her father’s alleged murderer, charged with the November 22, 1986 shooting death in Upper Manhattan.
Justo Santos pleaded not guilty at NY State Supreme Court in Manhattan to second degree murder and weapons charges, but Assistant DA Julie Nobel told the judge of “overwhelming evidence,” such as a 1987 recording where Santos speaks of the crime and investigators’ video after his arrest in Miami, admitting the felony.
More than 20 relatives and friends accompanied Martinez in the courtroom.
Santos didn’t flinch or look back; his hands cuffed behind him, as the faces of the victim’s relatives and friends conveyed hatred.
“This is something I’ve been waiting a long time. The whole family is here and finally, we will have the opportunity to see justice done,“ said the smiling actress, who was nine when her father died.
“Each anniversary of his death has always been difficult for me and especially Father’s Day,“ she said as she wept for her father.
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo- Agriculture Minister Luis Ramon Rodriguez Wednesday announced an agreement with egg producers to cut production and adapt to local demand, for which the Haitian market will no longer be a priority.
Rodriguez said one million laying hens no longer at peak output will be slaughtered, to balance supply to the demand much faster.
Among the other measures announced by the official at a meeting with producers figure the purchase of around half a million chickens to distribute meat in the local market through social programs and government-operated cafeterias, at a cost ranging from 10 to 15 million pesos.
Rodriguez affirmed that despite continuing the talks between Dominican Republic and Haiti toward a solution to the ban on poultry levied by Port-au-Prince, Santo Domingo will focus on capturing other markets.
At the meeting were representatives of the National Egg Producers Association, the Independent Producers Association and of the Chickens Growers and Eggs Association (Aprohuevo).
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo- Argos, producer and marketer of cement and concrete, completed its arrival process in the Dominican Republic after an investment of over US$60 million in the country, where the new brand replaces Cementos Colon and gives Dominicans access to a new model of advice and service for infrastructure development and construction in the country.
With the presence of Argos Dominicana, the local market will have access to the expertise and knowledge that offers a multidomestic company with operations in Colombia, United States, Panama, Haiti, Suriname, five Caribbean Islands and Dominican Republic. At present, Argos is Latin America’s fifth largest cement maker and the third largest concrete producer in the United States.
Although the company was present for the first time in the Dominican market in 1996, Argos gained control Cementos Colon in 2009 and began a process of integration to align operations and ensuring standardization of processes and services. The goal set then was to bring to Dominican Republic the same quality of products and services that have enabled the company to be leaders in the countries in which it operates.
“The professionalism and quality of the Cementos Colon team adds to the experience and knowledge that Argos bring to ensure our customers a formula for advice that meets their business needs,“ said Gabriel Ballestas, CEO of Argos in Dominican Republic.
The Argos executive made the statements in an activity with media executives held Wednesday in the Hilton Hotel in the capital.
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
The president of the recently installed Constitutional Court (TC), Milton Ray Guevara, roiled some opinion makers on Wednesday, one day after warning against violating labor standards to boost economic competitiveness and trade.
Guevara’s statement on the current debate over a potential reform of the Labor Code goes against the judicial tradition that “judges speak only by sentence,” affirmed TV producer Cesar Duvernay. “I don’t understand how a man of his (Guevara) status can make such statements, knowing full well that the case could go before the Constitutional Court. ”
But the CC president’s gift of gab is shared by many of his colleagues in the high courts, ever since former Supreme Court chief justice Jorge Subero broke with tradition, and chased every mike he saw nearby.
The former chief justice’s eagerness for media coverage has apparently been adopted by the current Supreme Court president Mariano German, who has yet to deal with another judicial aberration; judges “unions. ”
Jorge. pineda@dominicantoday. com
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo. – Dominican Republic is running around “like a chicken with its head cut off” in the heels of Haiti’s ban on local poultry products that took effect for more than one week, as various sectors suggest ways to deal with the expected glut.
Agriculture minister Luis Ramon Rodriguez, who met today with north region chicken and egg farmers, said the government could buy the projected excess, including half a million laying hens, to resell the meat locally.
The official also asked lawmakers and producers to “tone down the tension“ on this issue, since “the world isn’t going to end. “
In that regard, Elias Piña (west) senator Adriano Sanchez said 9-day losses from the ban have reached RD$100 million, adding that the Government should buy the chickens and eggs to feed the poorest families.
Export to Venezuela
And while other sectors suggest exporting poultry products to Venezuela to pay for oil within the Petrocaribe agreement, Finance Minister Simon Lizardo called it not feasible for now. “Venezuela requested the products it needs. They haven’t asked for chickens or eggs thus far. “
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo- Central banker Hector Valdez Albizu met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials to start the assessment on the Post-Program Monitoring, approved by its Executive Board in Washington.
Valdez said they discussed topics on the visit’s agenda, especially the year’s macroeconomic performance thus far, the implementation of short and medium term monetary and fiscal policies and the recent economic measures aimed at boosting the economy by releasing funds in banks’ reserve, and lowering Central Bank rates.
IMF delegation leader Przemek Gajdeczka was accompanied by technicians Jesús González García, Andrew Swiston, Francesco Grigoli and Nelson Sobrinho.
IMF Dominican Republic tepresentative, Mario Dehesa and Ana Beatriz Rodriguez, who represents the country at IMF headquarters in Washington, also took part in the meeting.
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
Santo Domingo. - The new president of Dominican Republic’s Cement Producers Association (ADOCEM) on Tuesday said the cement industry works in harmony with the nation’s growth potential, whose six million ton installed capacity meets the growing local demand for the next 20 years.
Carlos Gonzalez said the Dominican Republic’s growing housing and infrastructure demand poses the need to use its resources efficiently, and develop the local industry to compete globally.
The also president of Cemex Dominican Republic spoke during his inaugural for the post replacing Osvaldo Oller, and will head ADOCEM until 2014.
Gonzalez, who’s also heads Cemex infrastructure projects and housing for South America and Caribbean region, said higher cement production could be achieved through a government working jointly with productive sectors “which such as ours has shown the ability to invest, create jobs, take risks and boost other sectors closely linked to our industry. “
He added that among their areas of work he’ll stress figure the promotion of new and more appropriate uses of cement in its various applications, and the encouragement of good practices, research and training.
Read original at 
Dominican Today -
Lima, Peru- Defending champion United States defeated Dominican Republic 25-12, 25-20, 25-18, for the gold medal in the Pan American Women’s Volleyball Movistar Cup night in Lima on Sunday.
The Americans’ performance was powerful show of big serves and consistent blocking.
Nicole Fawcett led the U. S. scoring with 15 points, including 6 blocks and 3 aces; Lauren Gibbemeyer added 11 with 3 blocks and Kristin Hildebrand contributed 9 and Megan Hodge 8.
Dominicans Annerys Vargas, Yonkaira Peña and Prisilla Rivera had 8 points each in the losing cause.
Read original at 