Quoting a source, newspaper El Nacional said the meeting took place in the home  of a mutual friend of Fernandez and Vargas and that the verbal agreement would be signed in a second meeting at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

El Nacional said it tried to get Fernandez’s comment by phone, through National Palace Press director Rafael Núñez, “but, as usual, this one didn’t return the call. Vargas’ comment couldn’t be obtained either, not even through his very close journalist friends.”

It said however that the source didn’t reveal the Thursday meeting’s site, but affirmed that it was on the chief executive’s agenda, when they’ll sign a document that would commit the legislators of the ruling PLD and opposition PRD parties, to strike the “never again” from the new Constitution. “That agreement fell like a ‘cold bucket of water’ among leaders of both parties, and those consulted were in disbelief and even doubted it could be signed.”

Although the agreement could benefit Fernandez as well as Vargas, the “loophole” would also increase ex president Hipólito Mejia’s possibilities of running again.

The chief executive held another meeting with the leaders of the also opposition PRSC party Monday night, when he also allegedly offered them electoral agreements, aimed at getting the Revisory Assembly to approve  as is, article 104 in the new Constitution , leaving open the possibility for him to seek office again.

Even if the chief executive gets all of his party’s Assembly members support, he would need at least 20 of the opposition’s 90 lawmakers.

The Revisory Assembly integrates 210 legislators,  whom 120 belong to the PLD.

Source: DominicanToday.com

Boston.– Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra received an honorary doctorate from the University Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied for over two decades.

“Most musicians I know in the south of Miami want to come to Berklee, because Juan Luis Guerra studied here,” Roger Brown said during the ceremony, the chancellor of the university.

The musician of hits like “Visa para un sueno” and “Ojala que llueva cafe” at the hands of Brown picked up the title, with over 4 thousand people in attendance, including 850 students who graduated.

Guerra dedicated his award to his wife, his sons and to Dominicans, who applauded  in the stadium Agganis, in Boston University, where the ceremony took place.

Source: DominicanToday.com

www.dominicantourism.net

The issue, which was one of the major items up for mention at the 12th Meeting of Caricom’s Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), has been referred to a technical team for further consideration.

According to Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Kenneth Baugh, there are a lot of issues to be addressed in the context of this relationship with the Dominican Republic, but the general spirit is yes. “It is one of welcoming the Dominican Republic,” he said.

“That relationship takes several forms,” he explained. “There is a Free Trade arrangement already in place and, secondly, Dominican Republic is part of CARIFORUM –which is Caricom plus the Dominican Republic– and we have signed an Economic Partnership Agreement with Europe and that has certain implications with the Dominican Republic in terms of trading relationship,” he added.

Santo Domingo.– The Port of Sans Souci in Santo Domingo will host the Dominican Fashion Week 3-6 June 2009, an event organized by Tita Hasbun, Jorge Diep and Alex Macia.

According to the organizers, the program will include fashion shows and a fashion mall which will be open to brands and international franchises selling clothes at discounted prices.

Top models Teresa Wajdowics, Yilda Santana, Rosa Gouch and Jeimy Hernandez,  and Omahira Mota are scheduled to attend the Dominican Fashion Week, which will honor Dominican top model Arlenis Sosa.

According to Antonio Acosta, president of the organizing committee, the event started today, 10 May at the Rincon Dam facilities in Monsignor Nouel.

He said the funds were spent to build the Santo Domingo - Samaná highway, as part of the project North Atlantic Boulevard, and in the construction of the aqueduct,  with the completion of its second stage is still pending.

The chief executive said the investments represent almost half of what it cost to build the Santo Domingo Metro, and chided that, “in Samaná we have a metro of development.”

After hearing the requests and demands by the province’s community representatives, ranging from ambulances to the reconstruction of churches, Fernandez said Samaná has only “small details” pending which are “insignificant” in comparison with this investment.

Among those “small details” the chief executive noted is the embellishment of the entrance to Samaná and the transfer of the garbage dump to the outskirts of the urban area.

Source: DominicanToday.com

SANTO DOMINGO.- National Energy Commission (CNE) president Arístides Fernandez Zucco slated the inaugural of the first station to sell natural gas for cars in the next few days, as part of the Government’s policy toward efficiency and to save fuel.

Fernandez, accompanied by Ricardo Canalda, president of Linea Clave Internacional, the company that sells natural gas to the country’s industries, said the station will be located in the place known as Los Tres Ojos, on Las America highway, which will operate as a pilot project to supply the fuel to vehicles.

The executives spoke during an educational tour for students of the Carol Morgan School of the facilities of the companies AES Andrés, Linea Clave Internacional and Fluitecnik S.A., organized by the CNE.
Source: DominicanToday.com

www.dominicantourism.net

Santo Domingo.– As the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games loom ever closer, Dominican 400m hurdler Felix Sanchez trains harder to be ready to defend his gold medal.

Sanchez was plagued by injury troubles throughout 2005-2006, but the 30-year-old champion achieved an important silver medal in Osaka which marked his gradual return to full confidence.

After failing to make the final of the 400m hurdles at the Sydney Olympics, Sanchez wore a souvenir red band around his wrist as motivation. He wore it when winning 43 consecutive races from 2001 to 2004, including his two world titles and Olympic title. He retired it after the Athens Olympics, and donated it to the IAAF for auction.

Source: DominicanToday.com