MAY 2008

Las Terrenas and Miguel Vargas

Journey of the PRD partisans through the streets of Las Terrenas

The candidate to the presidency of the Dominican Republic of the Dominican Revolutionary Party, Miguel Vargas Maldonado, crossed this morning the streets of Las Terrenas.

He arrived by helicopter at 09:00 am at the center « multiuso » of the municipality, where many sympathizers waited for him bearing the white color wearing Tee-shirts, flags and posters.

Miguel Vargas crossed the Calle Duarte (the main street), accompanied by his partisans who agitated flags of the party at the rhythm of the music and greeted the citizens gathered together on the street sides.

He then left Las Terrenas to continue his electoral journey in Samaná and Sánchez.

LTL, by Lucie H, 09.05.08

Dominican Republic receives US $10 million

For protected areas

The Dominican Ministry of Environment signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the German Construction Bank (KFW) to create a US $10 million fund, which will be administered by the National Protected Areas System (SINAP).

The organizations will provide US $6.5 million for the fund, while the Dominican government will provide the remaining US $3.5 million. Environment Minister Omar Ramirez said that this represents an improvement in the sustainability of the nation’s ecosystem and development.

According to TNC representative William Welter, the agreement shows the reach of inter-organizational and international cooperation. The SINAP includes 86 sites and covers 11,500 kilometers, or 24% of Dominican territory.

Dominican Today, 12.05.08

IIBI makes research to improve the food

Biotechnology in Las Terrenas

The Government, through the Institute of Innovation in Biotechnology and Industry (IIBI), produces every year two million in vitro banana plantains plants resistant to the black Sigatoka, disease which tackles this culture by significantly decreasing the productivity of this food product.

With this activity, the IIBI contributes to the food productivity of the country with a technique which results in a greater productivity from this agricultural food product and influences the improvement of the food security of the Dominicans.

In addition of the in vitro plants of plantains, the IIBI laboratories of Vegetable Biotechnology have the capacity to massively produce bananas, manioc, yam and yautía.

Thousands of healthy shoots of yautía were delivered to producers of Las Terrenas and Bonao with the purpose of increasing the production of this product of great national consumption and export.

Through the IIBI they introduced into the country new varieties of manioc, which have a good acceptance on the national market and in export in the United States, with a positive reception on this market with which they compete with that of Central America and mainly of Costa Rica.

The director of the IIBI, Bernarda Castillo, defined vegetable biotechnology as a vital tool to reach an increase in the productivity, quality, resistance to the diseases and the environmental factors of the food species, as well as a greater low cost profitability.

Listín Diario, 13.05.08

Can we raze the Pueblo de los Pescadores ?

The heart of the village in the hot seat

The heart and the origin of the village have a reprieve because of real estate promoters in search of profit and who would wish the pure and simple destruction of these ten little houses, of these old fishermen sheds, transformed and fitted out in restaurants and bars in sea front which make the charm of the village of Las Terrenas.

The particular interest of these promoters could increase the value of their grounds which are over the road, and would thus give them an access and a direct view on the beach and the ocean.

One year ago, an article published in the national press expressed that the fishermen village was fallen into ruin and with such bad hygiene conditions so as it was not tolerable any more for the environment.

At the same period, the Town hall spoke to put down the fishermen village to the national heritage to protect these places whose clientele is mainly tourists, residents and Dominicans of the Capital, very fond of this typical, unique and lively place.

Since, the pipes for waste water were put in this street, with connexion to the bars and restaurants but the pressure of the promoters remains present.

Until today, the development of the village of Las Terrenas gave way to construction without destruction, but until when ?

Sylvain MAUFRAIS, for LTL, 14.05.08

A real franchise from Spain settles in the country

Alpha Inmobiliaria signed an alliance with Invertur Dominicana

A new international real franchise arrived to Dominican Republic, through the company Invertur Dominicana, specialized in the tourist investments.

The presence in the country of Inmobiliaria Alpha will allow a greater development of the real tourist sector, with the fact that this Spanish franchise is the network number one in the Spanish real sector.

Invertur Dominicana is the first Dominican company specialized in the tourist properties, the beaches and the golf courses.

The executives of Inmobiliaria Alpha rely on the development of the tourist property in Dominican Republic and hope that their presence will contribute to a greater impulse of the tourist poles.

The principal objective of the alliance is to be able to link the experience of the two companies in the various tourist poles and offering to the interested people real investments with the best market options .

Invertur Dominicana

With 15 years of experience in the tourist industry, Invertur launched in the market the tourist real goods. Currently it manages some 14 projects, in which the company acts as developer and investor and promoter.

Diario Digital, 15.05.08

Dominicans nurture their democracy

6 million registered voters

Dominicans across the country and in many cities abroad began casting their ballots early Friday to choose a President and Vice president, with six million registered to vote.

In the capital Santo Domingo voting centers lines began forming early in front of the tables where Central Electoral Board officials together with the delegates of the political parties oversee the handout of ballots and signatures by those who have the right to cast a ballot.

The authorities of the Electoral-Military Police, formed by Law to guarantee security throughout the elections period, were deployed in all polling centers.

Dominican Today, 16.05.08

The JCE reaffirms that the elections continue in peace

Few incidents

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) achieves as planned the program set up for the elections to choose a new president and vice-president in Dominican Republic.

At the time of a press conference to the electoral court headquarters, César Castaños Guzmán said that there was a massive and ordered vote of the greatest part of the population in all the communes of the country, as well as outside.

The civil servant minimized the incidents occurred in various points of the country, during which at least four people were wounded by firearm and some ten others arrested by the authorities.

He admitted that those are undesirable incidents and he said that the desire of the JCE is that the civility level of the people does not allow this kind of incidents but unfortunately, this type of things occurred and are foreseeable .

He also added that if it is considered that million of citizens is in this moment in national mobilization, we can say that these facts are isolated. I think that the civility of the Dominican people is imposing itself, people vote and will continue to vote during all the day , he underlined.

Al Momento, 16.05.08

Election day in Las Terrenas

To vote !

The elections in Las Terrenas took place from early this morning in the premises of the state school of this municipality.

The electoral tables are distributed in the equipped classrooms to welcome in the citizens who come numerous to the ballot boxes.

The movement of the people is managed by members of the Central Electoral Board as well as the interior of the place where they are dispatched to watch the process of the votes and to guide the people.

LTL, 16.05.08

Declarations of Leonel Fernández

Reelected President talked to the people

In front of thousands of his supporters gathered together in the national headquarters of his Party, the Dominican Liberation Party, Leonel Fernandez congratulated the Dominican people for the exemplary behavior during the civic consultation of Friday and also the Central Electoral Board for having organized an electoral process without errors.

President Leonel Fernandez, re-elected in the elections of this Friday, said that the people decided in the ballot boxes to continue with the progress, the stability and the modernism.

Fernandez said that it was a great triumph due to the effort and to the work of the Party of Dominican Liberation (PLD), meanwhile he thanked the voters for their civic and exemplary behavior during the course of this electoral campaign in these elections.

He congratulated the PLD, the allied parties and the support movements to his candidacy as well as his wife Margarita Cedeño de Fernández.

He also congratulated the Central Electoral Board and the Dominicans for the support given in these four years of government.

This confidence renewed today is to continue by the way of stability, growth, progress and well-being of the Dominicans, he indicated.

He emphasized that this triumph in the first round means that he does not lose a minute nor a second to begin working for the consolidation of the stability and the economic growth.

Leonel Fernandez said that if there is somebody he feels proud of, is his companion Professor Juan Bosch, and he also dedicated his triumph to the deceased leader Quilvio Cabrera, who died during the acts of the political campaign.

He said he will initiate a new government from August 16 because the people decided to continue with the progress and the well-being, and that this decision has been the expression of the will of the Dominicans in the ballot boxes in a democratic, free and transparent way giving an unquestionable legitimacy.

He finalized his speech in the National House with his habitual slogan E Pa Lante que Vamos.

CNN Interview

Doctor Leonel Fernandez defined himself as a leader of the century 21 and a realistic President of the today world in an interview with CNN.

He indicated that the unification of all the sectors of the Dominican Republic is necessary to allow the progress of the country.

The campaign is terminated, we are no longer in elections; the parties and the country must come back to the unification and to thing like a nation in order to face the coming challenges, he said.

Interviewed by the journalist Claudia Palacios, reporter of CNN, Fernandez also said that he is an executive chief neither from the right nor from the left.

He said that the acceptance of his candidacy from the supporters of allied parties and opposition responds to a combination between the candidate and the partisan organization.

Las Terrenas

In Las Terrenas, the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and allies obtained 56.80% of the votes.
Without the allies, the PLD would have 45.83% of the voices of the municipality.

Elecciones Dominicanas, Al Momento and LTL, 19.05.08

PRD went up with 10 points compared to the elections of 2004

Miguel Vargas recognizes the defeat

The candidacy of Miguel Vargas, of the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano (PRD), obtained a rise to 40.48.6% in the presidential elections of last Friday in comparison to the 30,6% reached in the 2004 elections.

This was obtained although the PRD participated in these elections with only three small allied parties that brought 76.655 votes, the 1,92% of the total.

In the 2004, when the PRD re presented President Hipólito Mejía, it participated in the elections with five allied parties, that brought 107.528, the 2,98% of the general voting.

In the elections of the past Friday, the PRD had allies as the Alternative Democratic Movement (MODA), the Democratic Social Alliance and the Green Party, Unidad Democrática (PUVD).

In addition, hundreds of support movements were added, that did not appear in the ballot papers because they were not made official. Between the most outstanding they were the Movement in Line and the Rebellious Movement.

Other important supports were coordinated by the Sector Externo Victoria Electoral (SEVE) headed by Doctor Jose Joaquin Puello, who was companion of ballot paper of Vargas. Also the National Commando of Crecimiento stood out (CNC), under the responsibility of Senator Jesus Vásquez Martinez.

Miguel Vargas declarations

During a press conference in the premises of his campaign commando, on Friday 16, Miguel Vargas said that he is a democrat who respects the Constitution and the laws and that he welcomes the electoral results.

I accept and I recognize the results of these elections, although these results reflect in a significant way the charge of the most shamelessly use of the resources of the State to impose a re-election,he expressed.

In the press conference, Vargas Maldonado did not answer the questions of the journalists. He just read a document in which, in addition, he congratulates the Dominican people for the order and the discipline demonstrated during this electoral process.

Al Momento, 19.05.08

PRSC faces dull participation in the elections

The Reformist Party enters in a questioning process

After its dull participation in the elections, in which it was in a distant third place, the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), seems to have entered in a questioning process.

Yesterday, a group of leaders raised a re launching of this political organization with a new leadership. In parallel, the ex--leader of the oganization, Humberto Salazar, asked for the resignation of Federico Antún Batlle and Victor Gómez Casanova, President and General Secretary General of the party, respectively.
Deputy Ito Bisonó acted as spokesman of the group that asks for a new leadership. He proposed a debate with all the leaders so that the present authorities can stop.

The legislator ensured that the message given by the voters to the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), in the past elections, in which it obtained 4,59 percent of the votes, evidences that the organization goes to the extinction way.

Enough party without ideological content and solely mercantilists aims; enough party full of leaders and more and more empty of voters and partisan young people. Enough party more interested in the well-being of its leaders that in a long-term vision for our country, he expressed.

Minority party

The Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), led by Joaquin Balaguer and which obtained six triumphs in the electoral votes of Dominican Republic is not anymore from Friday, a political organization of the majority ones.

The elections in which Leonel Fernandez won with more than two million votes, placed a minority sticker to the PRSC, that only obtained 4,59% of the votes.

The PRSC obtained 187.645 votes in distant a third place, his worst performance from its foundation.

According to the results of the elections, the Dominican political system is polarized between the Dominican Liberation (PLD) and the Dominican Revolutionary (PRD) parties.

Al Momento, 19.05.08

Increasing number of French tourists in DR

French investors feel economically safe in the country

In 1996,14 thousand French visitors came to the country, in 1998, they were from 40 to 45 thousand. For the year 2000, 120 thousand French tourists visited the Dominican Republic, whereas today, the number of tourist reaches the number of 450 thousand, declared Guillermo Piña Contreras.

He allotted the increase in French tourist flow to the policy developed by the State since 1996, of which the promotion of the Dominican culture, with the slogan: « Donde todo comenzó » (« Where everything began »).

The diplomat affirmed that thanks to the work of the embassy, the French people knows better the Creole literature.

He stressed that the number of French tourists is increasing in DR.

Investors attracted by financial security

The number of French tourists who visit the Dominican Republic increased during the last two years, according to the Dominican ambassador in France, Guillermo Piña Contreras. Also thanks to the investments of the French big companies, like Orange, the Carrefour group or the Accor group, dedicated to the world hotel business.

He underlined the fact that the nation was so important economically for France so it installed there its economic pole in charge of the management of the Caribbean zone as regards the investments and loans protection.

According to Piña Contreras, the French investors feel economically safe in the country.

Al Momento, 19.05.08

Corpus Christi

This Thursday is non-working

On tomorrow May 22, will be celebrated the Corpus Christi day.

Corpus Christi (Latin for Body of Christ) is a Christian feast in honour of the Holy Eucharist.
It was originally assigned to the Thursday following Trinity Sunday, thereby mirroring Holy Thursday, the Thursday of Holy Week, the day on which Christians commemorate The Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his apostles, seen as the first Holy Eucharist.

It is customary on this day, after Mass, to hold processions (often outdoors) with the Host followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Many countries celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi as the Dominican Republic where it cannot be deferred.
It will be celebrated this year in Dominican Republic this Thursday May 22, 2008.

It is one of oldest the tradition of the Catholic church, during which special ceremonies are organized.
In much of country it is an important day as in Spain, in Austria, in Brazil, Bolivia, Poland, Portugal, Chile etc…

Wikipedia and LTL, 05.21.08

Elections 2008

Final Bulletin of the JCE

The Central Electoral Board emitted its Final Bulletin of the computed electoral colleges, Leonel Fernandez and the Party of the Dominican Liberation counts with 53,83% while reaching 2.199.734 votes.

The Dominican Revolutionary Party and its candidate Miguel Vargas Maldonado have 40,45%, when obtaining 1,654,066 votes.

Amable Aristy Castro has 4,59 %, with 187.645 computed votes.
The Revolutionary Social Democrat Party and its candidate Eduardo Estrella and allies, has 19.309 votes, representing 0,47 %, the Independent Revolutionary Party - PRI -, and its candidate Trajano Santana, obtained 1.533 votes, equivalent to 0,04 %.

The Independence Unit and Change Movement, (Miuca), headed by Guillermo Moreno has 18.136 votes for a 0.44%; The Alianza Popular Party (PAP), and Pedro de Jesús Candelier obtained 6.118 votes, for a 0,15 %.

With a register of five million 764 thousand 387, four million 113 thousand 644 votes emitted for a 71,36 percent, 27 thousand 103 null votes and four million 86 thousand 541 valid votes (99.34%), which reflects an abstention from near a 29 percent.

El Nuevo Diario, 17.05.08 at 7:17pm

Dominican Republic gets 5.6% more tourists in first 4 months

According to Central Bank

Non resident passenger arrivals by air in the first four months grew 5.6 percent more than the same period the year before, the Central bank said on its Web site.

It said 1,594,712 tourists came to the country, a jump of 84,371 visitors.

The increase results from the arrival of 90,198 additional nonresident foreigners, or three times the number reached in the first four months the 2007, when it was 29.785 visitors.

According to the Central Bank, there was a growth in April of 2.54 percent compared with the same month last year, which it attributes to the Tourism Ministry’s and the private sector’s advertising.

A total of 1,728,943, passengers arrived to the country by air, a growth of 5.14 percent compared to the same year ago period.

Dominican Today, 23.05.08

National press: The giving up of Las Terrenas contradicts its tourist offer

Lack of basic services

Las Terrenas is a gold mine, but given up and neglected, if we do not take care of it, we will lose million in investments

Las Terrenas, Samaná. - This Community located at the North-East of the country, lined up with more than 30 kilometers of beautiful beaches with quiet and turquoise waters, is in a state of giving up which contrasts with the great quantity of tourists who visit it and who cohabit with the residents.

Testimonies of the inhabitants, including foreigners, refer to the great deterioration of the streets, the high level of pollution of the environment, the great accumulation of refuse, the lack of conscience of the population to preserve this paradise and to the permanent dust cloud with which they are obliged to coexist, which affects health in a progressive way.

The refuse collection is obviously defective and it misses other basic services like drinking water, which get angry the inhabitants of this locality, who also complain of the fact that they do not even know the name of the company which is in charge of the sewers works, principal responsible of the deterioration of the streets.

The noise of the motorcycles without mufflers, the cars and the discotheques is a harm which the residents of this Community denounce, including the foreigners, who indicated that they complained in front of the authorities, but they do not put attention to these evils which affect the development of the Community.

These conditions in Las Terrenas isolate the village from the tourist part located in the neighbourhoods, and move away the possibility that the population get a greater benefit from this activity.

Tourism is taken refuge on the beaches and in the mountains, where apartments, particular villas and hotels are developed, where the tourist arrives and remains without leaving to visit the village.

Rafael Andújar, a lawyer who works in this Community, said that Las Terrenas is in between two worlds: the overflowing growth of real tourism and the village oppressed by the deteriorated streets, the wild refuse, the contaminated rivers and the lack of drinking water, well by chance, the village benefits from a stable electricity supply.

The mayor of Las Terrenas, Jose Alexis Martínez, recognizes the deterioration of the streets of this locality, but affirms that he has the promise of President Leonel Fernández that within the best possible time, they will be asphalted in their totality.

He indicated that to this end, a commission of the Secretariat of Public works came to Las Terrenas to make an evaluation of the situation and a supervision of the state of the roads.

He indicated that a part from the streets, a treatment plant is already practically ready and that work of the rain drainage, whose slowness made complain the inhabitants, are also very advanced, in addition to the fact that he considers that they were concluded in a fast way.

Work of the rain drainage produced a series of disadvantages like the mud and the deterioration of the streets, but where there is water and clay, that generates mud, but everything terminated in only one year can be regarded as a time record, said the syndic José Alexis Martínez.

Concerning the lack of asphalts, roadways and pavements in almost all the streets, the mayor also said he had the promise of the president of the Republic to provide helps to solve the problem in a short time.

However, he specified that during his management he built approximately eight kilometers of roadways and he quoted the cases of Los Puentes, Los Naranjitos, Los Cacaos, El Almendro and other places where this type of work had never been carried out. During one year and seven months, we could not do everything but you can be sure that while concluding our management, we will leave the greatest quantity of the roadways and of the streets repaired in the districts of Las Terrenas, he affirmed.

José Alexis also recognized the refuse accumulation in the streets, but affirmed that he will put all the necessary persistence to solve the problem.

As for the noises, he makes understand that other institutions like the secretariat of the Environment and the Police force must play their role and make apply the Law to face these harmful effects.

El Listín Diario, by Viviano de León, 26.05.08

Las Terrenas still in the line of sight

Threatened tourist development

LAS TERRENAS. - Thanks to the building work of the Santo Domingo - Samaná road and with the new El Catey Airport, tourism grown up in this Community during last year, but now, 400 rooms are closed, result of a lot of problems, among which negligence of the authorities and lack of adequate infrastructures.

Now Las Terrenas with more than 30 kilometers of beautiful beaches, an incandescent sun and attractive landscapes, is threatening its independent source of receipts, fruit of the lack of planning and adequate attention to promote the development.

José Oscar Orsini Bosch, president of The Tourist Services Alliance of Samaná, specified, that although there exists in Las Terrenas a strong development of the real sector, the tourist sector « sun, beach and all inclusive hotels » underwent only very little development.

On the totality of the province of Samaná, 500 rooms are closed and among these 500 rooms, 400 are located in Las Terrenas.

According to him, this closing is related to various factors as the lack of infrastructures, conditions of the streets, the refuse and the high index of delinquency which existed, but which was controlled, thanks to the intervention of the authorities.

In his opinion, the final point which caused the tourism fall was the restriction of the closing times of the night centers, since tourists, even if they come to enjoy the beaches, also enjoy entertainment and night life, what they cannot make now any more following this provision of the Secretariat of Interior and Police, he added.

However, he declared there currently exists a great rise in the real sector, in which foreign big capitals and national contractors are investing, building villas as secondary home, which they rent afterward like residences.

On the other hand, he considers that the traditional Hotel-Shops of Las Terrenas will know a good impulse when the work of the new Santo Domingo-Samaná road is completed, which will facilitate and certainly increase the internal tourism.

In the same way, the acceleration of work of the sewers, the creation of attractions like the construction projects of the Golf and the Marina and the elimination of the restriction of closing times of the centers of entertainment, would be vital for the final takeoff of tourism in the zone.

Beaches

The tourist service companies show the mayor of Las Terrenas of the great refuse accumulation on the beaches and say that the only solution to the problem is the cleaning of the rivers.

The contractors declared that traditionally, every hotel cleans its beach front but that with the closing of several hotels, the situation now became difficult.

Fear

On his side, the manager of the French company of the sector of construction, Dominique Doumé, considers that the development of the tourism in Las Terrenas is rather slow, this is why it is required from the authorities to act with a greater diligence in sectors like the infrastructures, the repair of the roads and the drainage of waste waters.

He explained that the lack of impulse in this sector causes that many tourists and investors are afraid to come in the country.

In his opinion, as long as the infrastructures will not be adequate, it will be difficult to develop Las Terrenas as it should be.

The mayor

Concerning all these aspects, the reply of the syndic of this commune, Jose Alexis Martínez was not long and he had an opened defence, he said that he already formed a brigade which will undertake to start again the cleaning of the beaches, which, in spite of their beauty, suffer from a great accumulation of refuse, as well transported by the small river of Las Terrenas as from people who enjoy the beaches.

He also felt sorry about the hotels’ reactions, which he said; claim to offer clean beaches, but which make resistance to pay their contribution for cleaning.

El Listín Diario, by Viviano de León, 27.05.0

The « guaguas » will not raise the prices

Not before the meeting with the Government

The National Confederation of Transport (CONATRA) managed by Antonio Marte, informed that the prices of the buses will not be increased as long as it will not have dialogued with the secretary of Industry and Commerce Melanio Paredes.

However, Manolo Ramírez, vice-president of the organization expressed his concern because of the raising of fuel prices.
CONATRA worries about the last fuel prices rising and rejects the announcement of elimination of the subsidy of liquid oil gas for the drivers of the public transport sector, indicated Ramirez at the time of a press conference.

In another order, the organization announced its engagement with the call of an national unit formulated by the president of the Republic Leonel Fernández in order to create a diary of development, to which CONATRA hopes to take part.

El Listín Diario, by María Eugenia del Pozo, 28.05.08

Las Terrenas: the Deputy recognizes the problems which affect the village

It is necessary to face the situation

PLD Deputy of the province of Samaná, Jose Acevedo Trinidad, recognized yesterday the harms which affect the Community of Las Terrenas and the slowness of work of the sewers, but said that the will to solve these problems was quite present.

Acevedo calls upon the agreement between the public and private sectors of this locality to face together the situation.

He said that the subject of Las Terrenas is for a long time discussed, because when it is not question of refuse, it is about the insecurity, but he indicated that by chance, this aspect was successfully solved because the delinquency was reduced in a considerable way.

He said that during meetings with the mayor of Las Terrenas, José Alexis Martínez, he informed that with the Public Works and Tourism secretariats, they plan a program in which it is proposed to solve the problem of asphalting of the streets and subsequently that of the infrastructures needed to transform the locality into a true and effective tourist pole.

Acevedo revealed that in the 2008 national budget, 20 million pesos are planned for the repair and the asphalting of the streets of Las Terrenas.

He also said that the problem is that this community underwent a too fast development which could not be managed by the town council and the citizenship in general.

He explained that the town council, with the help of the authorities, however made the necessary steps to organize little by little the refuse collection.

The problem of Las Terrenas exists since the beginning, when Las Terrenas was founded, because people, as the village developed and that the investments arrived, started to build in an anarchistic way, without respecting neither the limits nor the norms, which contributed to completely deteriorate the village, he added.

Listín Diaro, printed edition, 28.05.08

Alert in Dominican Provinces

Impact of tropical storm Alma over the Pacific Ocean

The National office of Meteorology forecasts rains, wind gusts and storms on almost the whole territory; this is why 22 provinces of the country are in alert. The residents of the vulnerable zones must take measures.

There are storms and wind gusts in the south-west of Jamaica, in the Caribbean seawaters, associated with the tropical storm Alma, which is currently moving over the Pacific Ocean, in the South of Managua, Nicaragua.

According to the Weather Office, it is possible that some cloudy fragments of Alma can reach the national territory; this is why this vast zone of bad weather is closely monitored.

The director of the Emergencies Operations Center (COE), Juan Méndez García, maintains a green alert level for the provinces of Independencia, Elías Piña, La Vega, Monseñor Nouel, Salcedo, Espaillat, Puerto Plata, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Montecristi, Valverde, María Trinidad Sánchez, Duarte (specially for the residents of Bajo Yuna) and San Juan de la Maguana.

A red alert is emitted for Dajabón, and the zone of green alert also extends to the provinces of La Romana, Monte Plata, Altagracia, San Pedro de Macorís, Hato Mayor, El Seibo and Samaná.

A green alert is issued when the presence of a dangerous phenomenon for the population is forecasted; a red alert is issued when the phenomenon will have an impact on the mentioned zone.

Hoy Digital, by Juan M. Ramírez, 30.05.08