A cold front causes persistent rains and a fall in temperature

Green alert for seven provinces

Persistent rains and a sudden fall in temperature have been recorded in Dominican Republic for Thursday following a cold front, confirmed this Friday the National Office of Meteorology (ONAMET).

The bad weather affected the North-western, Northern, the valley of Cibao and the border areas, according to the official organization.

The cold front was located over Haiti, and moves now quickly towards the East-South-eastern.

The rains will extend over the whole territory as the phenomenon will move over the country. A fall in temperature at the national level and wind gusts are forecasted, this is why it is recommended to the population to be sheltered or to use hot clothing to protect itself from the cold, the last bulletin of the ONAMET indicates.

For Santo Domingo, they forecast temperatures between 20 and 29 degrees Celsius, for Santiago between 16 and 28, Punta Cana between 21 and 29 and Barahona between 19 and 30.

Green alert

The Center of Emergency Operations (COE) emitted yesterday a green alert for seven provinces where because of the cold front, waves with breakers will occur and could cause the entry of the sea in the low zones and on the beaches.

Precautions measures were recommended for the residents of Altagracia, Hato Mayor, (especially in Sabana de la Mar), Samaná, (Las Terrenas and Sánchez), El Seibo (Miches), María Trinidad Sánchez (Río San Juan), Puerto Plata and Montecristi.

Al Momento, by Saul Pimentel, 04.01.08

Evacuations in the province of Samaná for sudden rise of the tide level

Yellow alert

Ten residences were seriously affected by the rising of the Duey river, including three of them completely destroyed, in Higüey, province of Altagracia, and 22 families were evacuated in Samaná because of the sudden rise of the sea level on the Atlantic coast.

The Center of Emergency Operations (COE) informed that the families were evacuated Saturday and that they are currently accommodated in family or in friend’s houses.

During this time, the National Office of Meteorology informed that the rains will continue, although with a lower intensity, because of a large cloudy field.

In the same way, the COE informed that because of the rains and saturation of the grounds, green alert is maintained for the provinces of Puerto Plata, Montecristi, Sánchez Ramirez, Duarte, especially for the inhabitants of the low Yuna River, and for La Romana.

Moreover, the level of alert was increased to yellow for El Seibo, especially Miches; Hato Mayor, mainly Sabana de la Mar and Samaná, especially Las Terrenas and Sánchez. Also for María Trinidad Sánchez, especially Río San Juan.

Yesterday, it also rained in the Capital, province of Santo Domingo and in other places of the country and the cold front is maintained because of a frontal displacement according to forecasts’ of the National Office of Meteorology.

El Caribe, by Roberto Valenzuela, 07.01.08

Completion of work of the aqueducts of Samaná - Las Galeras – Las Terrenas and Nagua

INAPA will increase the drinking water cover

The National Institute of Drinking waters and Sewers (INAPA) will increase the drinking water cover, which is currently covering 60 percent of the population, by the completion of work of the aqueducts in construction in various points of the country and by the installation of drinking water systems in the Communities which do not have this vital service or which receive it in an irregular way, this in order to achieve the goals relating to drinking water, forming part of the Objectives of Development of the Millennium.

Engineer Frank Rodriguez, director of the INAPA, informed that the Government works so that 90 to 95 percent of the population has a water service guaranteed in 2012, that is to say three years before the regional objective of UNO, which proposes to reduce by 50 percent the number of people not receiving water from here to 2015.

We will work this year with the increase in the cover so that a greater quantity of Dominican has access to drinking water, this is why we will finish all the aqueducts in construction, among them that of San Pedro de Macorís, that of Hato Mayor, the networks of La Romana and the aqueducts of Samaná - Las Galeras - Las Terrenas and of Nagua. It is an ambitious plan of president Fernández" ,he expressed, while he announced that as of this month, they will begin work of the aqueduct of Higüey.

The civil servant said that by provision of the President, in addition of working with the increase in the cover, they will optimize also the quality of the water distributed through the networks.

He said that the objective is that the population can directly consume the tap water.

We signed last December a convention with the Technologic institute of Monterrey in Mexico, to begin this month a pilot program to optimize the quality of water. This project will be called « Aqua de la Llave » (tap water) because people will be able to directly consume it.

He supported that the access to water is a human right; this is why during his management they will not suspend the water service to any family, but that they will work so that every user is aware that it is necessary to pay for an effective service of quality.

In this way, he announced the implementation of a massive program of education to the users, which will be called Culture of Water, in coordination with the Assemblies of Neighbors of each sector, having for goal that the people learn how to use the water in opportune manner and to save it.

Engineer Rodriguez explained that they also will encourage the users to pay the service if they receive it correctly, because the mechanism to make the water drinkable and the pipes to connect the private residences is very expensive.

He specified that within the framework of the program of education to the users, they will use media like the radio and television, as well as the schools and the home visits.

El Nuevo Diario, 09.01.08

Humpback whales : signature of a memorandum

Implementation of new rules to protect the whales in Dominican waters

The Secretariat of the Environment and six other organizations signed a memorandum agreement by which new rules were laid down to protect the whales which come in Dominican water at that season.

The signature was supported by the representatives of the Secretariat of Tourism, the Navy, the Association of the Boats Owners of the Bay of Samaná, the Center For the Conservation and Eco Development of the Bay of Samanáand the operators of the Banco de la Plata.

Every year, tens of whales of theNorth Atlanticwater visit the waters close to Samaná, in the Northeastern Dominican coast, to mate and to give birth.

Hundreds of people benefit from this beautiful occasion to closely watch the Cetaceans.

The whale watching season begins on January 15, and finishes towards mid-April.

This watching season converted into the period of the greatest economic dynamism of Samaná and of the close sectors.

Al Momento, 10.01.08

Dominican Republic, number one in tourists arrivals

First destination

The Dominican Republic has surpassed all other Caribbean countries in the number of tourist arrivals in 2007, according to the most recent figures from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).

From January through October of 2007, more than 3 million travelers have made the trek to the D.R.’s delightful white sand shores, far more than any other Caribbean destination. This figure does not include the thousands of travelers who cruised to this tropical paradise on the island of Hispaniola.

As the Dominican Republic continues to grow as a popular destination, its lineup of tourism offerings expands, with the addition of upscale boutique hotels, more of its ever-so-popular all-inclusive resorts, and championship golf courses. But as the sun sets, appearing to sink into the depths of the calm Caribbean Sea, the search for nightlife is on.

Casino Dominicus, the newest luxury, high-stakes casino in the D.R., is located just 13 miles from the La Romana/Casa de Campo International Airport, and is true Las Vegas style gambling. High rollers and bold casual players can both enjoy this high-energy casino, which has the highest gambling limits in the nation.

Dominican Today, 14.01.08

A truck without brake causes a spectacular accident in Samaná

Tragedy in Samaná

A woman died this morning and five other people, among them a child, were wounded, in a multiple shock caused by an accident which took place at the entry of Samaná close to the market, informed the Police force.

They don’t know the identities of the injured, who according to various versions travelled on board of other vehicles which were struck by a truck charged with rice, whose driver explained that the brakes failed whereas he approached the slope.

Tens of people gathered on the place of the accident and the Police force set up a system to transport the injured to the hospital and to withdraw the broken vehicles.

The driver of the truck, who was not identified was arrested and will be subjected to Justice.

Al Momento, 14.01.08

Environment Secretary says he will investigate lands acquired by Miguel Vargas

Cabo Cabrón national park

Omar Ramirez, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary, said that the institution he leads will initiate a recuperation program of the lands that belonged to protected area.

The official explained that he gave instructions to the technical and legal department of the secretariat so the program could start with the lands acquired in Samaná by the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano (PRD) presidential candidate and which, according to denunciations, belonged to the Cabo Cabrón national park.

Ramirez said that he requested that all the necessary investigations on this place were made to determinate if the lands were protected areas or not, and after excluding them were acquired by Miguel Vargas Maldonado through a company.

The Environment Secretary guaranteed to the country that if the fact that these lands belonged to a protected area was demonstrated, they would be recovered.

He remembers that the Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD) accused Vargas Maldonado to cheat theDominicanStatewit h more than 20 millions dollars by granting as a payment for the purchase of the Hispaniola hotel, the 56 percent of 577 thousand square meters that he purchased in Samaná and which were supposedly part of the Cabo Cabrón national park.

El Nuevo Diario, by Francisca del Rosario, 17.01.08

Casa Marina Bay, a terrestrial paradise

Dreamlike place in the Peninsula

SAMANÁ. - Located in a dream place where the incandescent sun illuminates the impressive nature which invades the paradisiacal zone of Samaná, it is the Casa Marina Bay.

This hotel is undoubtedly a favorable place for all those who wish to relax and spend there unforgettable moments, or in one of their comfortable rooms, or lying down on a deckchair cherished by the breeze of the sea.

The establishment has 286 rooms carefully decorated with a tropical style and 50 suites bungalows, each one with bed room, living room, mezzanine, terrace and kitchenette.

One can moreover taste the best seafood and shellfish in the restaurant SeaScape, a succulent Italian meal menu in the Michelangelo and the restaurant Aserradero proposes a menu going from the delicious Dominican mangú to an exquisite Italian dish; another option for eating is the Beach club, which proposes a lighter food: grill, sandwiches and fruits.

The Burén, swimming pool bar, the bar Cocotero, the Beach bar and the Sport Bar are the bars at hosts disposal for whom want to have a drink while sharing a moment between friends.

The large variety of fish which can be observed in the natural aquarium Kaio, located at a few meters of the beach is impressive.

Every evening, a team of professional dancers offer varied spectacles in the amphitheatre of the hotel, which once finished encourage the most euphoric ones to continue to enjoy the night with the best music in the Sport Bar Disco music, until 02:00 AM.

The sportsmen can - moreover - make snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, jogging, mini golf, archery, tennis, beach volley ball, aerobic, take courses of dance, play billiards, badminton or cross the surrounding in bicycle.

Casa Marina Bay has at one’s disposal the Kikós beach club which makes it possible to leave children under good care and surveillance while enjoying a walk in the neighborhoods of the complex.

And for those who want to benefit from their stay and wish to discover exotic and impressive places, they can go in Salto de El Limon, Cayo Levantado or Playa Rincón, among other attractions.

Provincias Dominicanas, 23.01.08

Discussion about Caribbean coralline reefs

UNESCO release

The damages suffered by the Caribbean coralline reefs as consequence of the meteorological phenomenon that affected the zone in the 2005 will be exposed here next week by subject experts, indicates today a UNESCO release.

Clive Wilkinson, Coralline reefs vigilance world network manager, will announce on February 4th in the institution headquarters the compilation of the reports realized by 80 Scientifics and persons in charge of their conservation.

The resumes evaluate the prejudices caused to these organisms by the high temperatures and frequents atmospheric phenomenon that affected the region in 2005, which waters shelter 10,3 percent of the world marine reefs.

The work, called state of the Caribbean coralline reefs after the whitening and the 2005 hurricanes, was co-sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission(IOC) of the UNESCO, says the text.

Cuba, the French West Indies, the Caiman Island and Jamaica where affected territories by the acute whitening that attacked the 95 percent of these marine resources.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adds that 2005 was registered as a storming year, with 26 phenomenon, half of which where recognized as hurricanes.

Around 500 millions persons of the planet depend of the coralline reefs good state to earn their leaving, as well as their activities like the coast protection, the renewable energies utilization and tourism.

Besides, the alimentation of around 30 millions humans being belonging to the world poorest population completely depend of these organisms.

Diario Digital, 29.01.08