The Dominican Republic

All visitors to the Dominican Republic in February should do their best to attend the La Vega carnival, or the parades in Bonao and Santiago, considered the most colorful in the country. In 2006 UNESCO recognized the La Vega Carnival as the fourth in the world, after the carnivals in Rio de Janeiro, Trinidad & Tobago and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). The La Vega carnival is organized by the Union Carnavalesca Vegana (UCAVE), the first carnival organizing institution to be founded. Carnival parades take place in La Vega, Bonao.

President Leonel Fernandez proclaimed Santo Domingo as the Cultural Capital of America 2010 during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace yesterday. Last year the International Bureau of Cultural Capitals in Barcelona chose Santo Domingo to become the first Caribbean and Central American nation to receive this title.

Speaking at the start of the ceremony, Bureau of Cultural Capitals president Xavier Tudela said that the Dominican Republic has cultural values for all of the world to see, and that the title will ensure that they will be further projected overseas. Also speaking were Santo Domingo Mayor Roberto Salcedo and Culture Minister Jose Rafael Lantigua.
The year’s events will be coordinated by the city government and the Ministry of Culture.

Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado of the PUCMM University, which secured the right for the country to receive the title, said that it would help strengthen values and Dominican identity while preserving autochthonous cultural elements.

President Leonel Fernandez inaugurated near noon Wednesday the local store of the retail chain Ikea, built at a cost of US$85 million and which will provide as many as 2,500 direct and indirect jobs.

In his speech, Fernandez said the opening of Ikea is an example of the Dominican economy’s reactivation in 2010. “The opening of this store is a great rejoicing, but it also constitutes a great event from the economic and commercial standpoint for the Dominican Republic.”

Accompanying the Head of State was the owner of the Swedish franchise Frederic Andersalm, who said the store, the first of the chain in Latin America, was built on around 70,000 meters and has 1,600 parking spaces.

After overcoming the high seas’ obstacles the winners of the Atlantic Grand Prix 2010 regatta yesterday finally saw the land which the other boats are expected to reach in the next few days.

Enrique Curt, president of the Nautical Club from Spain, said the regatta competitors had set sail from the Port of Jerez in Cadiz Bay, Spain on January 14, as part of the event which also features the solo category, with catamarans and yachts in addition to monohulls.

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Canada’s ambassador Todd Kuiack announced that his country’s Consulate began operating in Dominican Republic two weeks ago, making it easier to get a visa for Dominican who wish to travel to that nation.

Previously Dominicans had to travel to Haiti for a visa, but can now request it in the Canadian office in the capital’s Acropolis Plaza.

The diplomat noted however that they haven’t the capacity to issue visas to a large number of people yet. “When I have arrived here four months ago the first thing I was asked was why must we go to another place to request a visa to go to Canada? Then we worked on that and we have the capacity to issue visas.”

In another topic, Kuiack affirmed that the Canada based mining company Barrick Gold contributes to the country’s economy, citing among them the creation of 3,000 direct jobs and US$3.0 billion investment.

The actress Angelina Jolie, today hailed the Government and the Dominican people’s generosity and commitment with the needs in Haiti, especially the first responders.

Jolie, the United Nations good will ambassador spoke prior to departing from Santo Domingo for the United States Thursday morning, after her busy agenda including a visit to the Darío Contreras hospital, where she comforted convalescent Haitian children and women. “It moved me and impressed me greatly to see the attention given by Dominican doctors and nurses, and the generosity of the local society, taking care of patients and their families once registered and in the recovery phase.”

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The actress Angelina Jolie visited president Leonel Fernandez last night to coordinate efforts to aid Haiti.

The actress, known for her humanitarian work in needy countries, also visited the quake’s youngest victims in the orthopedic surgery hospital Darío Contreras, where patients and medical personnel welcomed her.

Hundreds of Haitian citizens have been treated in that medical center, many of whom had to undergo an amputation.