Dominican Republic to Open Training School for Larimar Craftsmen

It is a stone found only in the Dominican Republic. And now, a semi-precious stone called Larimar will get its own school in the country.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced that it would be installing a working school to train craftsmen who work with Larimar, aiming to improve the range and quality of jewelry made from the stone.

Work has begun on a project to create the school in the community of Bahoruco, according to Industry Minister Manuel Garcia Arevalo, who was speaking during a tour of a Larimar mine.

The Dominican Republic is currently exporting significant amounts of the stone to China and other nations, and the country hopes it can add to that value.

The country’s Central Sugar Corporation will reportedly sign an agreement with the government to support the school, and a search for teachers has already begun, according to engineer Pena Rubio.

About 10,000 Dominicans depend directly and indirectly on the extraction of Larimar for crafts and jewelry, according to the government.

The Dominican Republic has been extracting Larimar from its mines on the road from Barahona to Pedernales since 1975.

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Source: Caribbean Journal

Dominicans sent more money home, US$3.1B in 2011, report

US$3.1 billion in remittances were sent to Dominican Republic in 2011, 7.7 percent more than in 2010, says a Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) study cited by EFE.

The report by the IDB’s Multilateral Investments Fund (Fomin) said the figure takes the Caribbean country to fifth place in the most remittances received during that period, a list headed by Mexico, US$22.7 billion; Guatemala, 4.3B; Colombia, 4.2 and El Salvador, 3.7B.

“In countries such as Dominican Republic, the study says, remittances can reach 5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product," adding, "without this regular flow of resources the immigrants send to their relatives, many receiving families would fall below the line of poverty."

The statistics note that the immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean live mostly in the United States, from where they sent around US$61.0 billion to their countries last year, or 6 percent more than the 57.6 billion in 2010.

The IDB said the reception of remittances form one of the Dominican economy’s "three legs," with tourism and free zone exports the two others.

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Source: Dominican Today

Dominican Republic Removes 68 City Dump Child Laborers

The Domincan Republic’s Department of Labor along with the Unit against Child Labor (UTI) removed 68 children working at the Rafey dump in Santiago as well as the city market, ‘Hospedaje Yaque.’

The coordinator of UTI, Félix Hidalgo, led the inspection and removal of these children in an attempt to reduce child labor in the country.

Felipe Rosario, the president of the Association of Workers at the Rafey Dump, stated that last year, three minors were killed after being run over by garbage trucks. He was grateful for the presence of UTI and the Labor department and hopes that future tragedies will now be prevented.

The Secretary of Labor, Francisco Domínguez Brito, made a plea to all Dominican citizens to avoid putting the children of the country in such horrific situations. He also stated that they will be pushing to guarantee that children remain in school instead of the workforce, where many of their young lives are in danger.

He continued to express that there needs to be options and social support given to the parents of these children in order to keep them away from dangerous working conditions.

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Source: Hispanically Speaking

Roberto Hernandez strikes a deal

Dominican Republic prosecutors say Cleveland Indians pitcher Roberto Hernandez has agreed to a deal to have false identity charges against him dropped in return for completing a work program in his Caribbean homeland.

Court documents obtained Monday by The Associated Press show how the deal was obtained.

Formerly known as Fausto Carmona, Hernandez was placed on baseball's restricted list after he was arrested in the Dominican Republic last month. Authorities say he is 31, three years older than the pitcher claimed.

Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said the team is monitoring "the developments related to Roberto's return to the United States and remain in touch with his representatives."

"We are not able to elaborate beyond that at this point," he said in an email.

Carmona is due to make $7 million this year, and the Indians hold options for 2013 at $9 million and 2014 at $12 million.

After winning 19 games in 2007, Carmona followed up with a disappointing 2008 season, and in 2009 the club sent him to the lower minors to work on his mechanics.

Carmona rebounded to win 13 games in 2010 in manager Manny Acta's first season, and went 7-15 last season. He was expected to be part of the starting rotation this season.

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Source: ESPN

EU Pledges US$55 Million Aid Funding For Dominican Republic, Haiti

The European Union (EU) has pledged 42 million euros (US$54.6 million) in aid to fund infrastructure, trade and sustainable development projects in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, according to an agreement signed Wednesday.

Chief of the EU delegation, Ambassador Irene Horejs, said the agreement was aimed at promoting trade, sustainable development and socioeconomic development in communities along the border the two Caribbean island nations share, Xinhua news agency reported.

It objective is to drive local development and generate jobs and revenue in the region by promoting trade between the two nations, said Horejs.

Domingo Jimenez, EU director in charge of coordinating European development funds, stressed the benefits of the agreement.

The agreement calls for the construction of a binational market in Dajabon and Juana Mendez, twin border cities, and overhauling the customs infrastructure in the border zone.

More than 23.2 million euros (US$30.1 million) will be released as part of the initial aid funding under the agreement.

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Source: Bernama

Four top shipping companies to call modern port home

Four of the world’s leading marine transport companies will base their operations at Caucedo Multimodal Port to transship containers between North and South America.

Caucedo terminal’s high efficiency and bolstered security are the key element taken which attracted the foreign shippers to take the step, said Caucedo Port manager Multimodal Jose Nelton González during a tour for the press Wednesday.

The executive provided details on the various processes from the arrival, exit, positioning and to the final unloading of containers full of merchandise. “The fact that the shippers arrive in Dominican Republic opens new market opportunities for the local exporter, because services will be added which weren’t previously available.”

He added that the arrival of the new shipping companies starting March 22 will bring more jobs and improve the country’s competitiveness.

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Source and Photo: Dominican Today

Dominican Republic and Chile Strengthen Relations, With Rum and Wine

With Ron Brugal and Santa Ema wine, the Dominican Republic and Chile discussed the increased trade and economic interaction between the two countries in a ceremony Wednesday night.

Chile said it is open to accepting quality products from around the world, noting the recent success of the Dominican Republic’s Ron Brugal Ron Barcelo and Presidente beer, particularly among the country’s 20-to 30-year-old population.

Chilean Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Manuel Hinojosa Muñoz invited journalists and others to taste the new release of Santa Ema from its winery in Chile’s Maipo valley at the Chilean Embassy in Santo Domingo.

Santa Ema is currently sold in 30 countries.

Hinojosa said that relations between the Dominican Republic and Chile are growing every day, as is the flow of Chilean citizens becoming aware of the Dominican Republic.

Chile has been increasing its interaction with the wider Caribbean region of late; President Sebastian Piñera attended the recent CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Paramaribo last week.

In February, the two sides held their second CARICOM-Chile Joint Commission in Santiago, focusing on issues including renewable energy, agriculture and health.

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Source and Photo: Caribbean Journal