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Puerto Plata Gets Tourism Boost

Deputy Minister of Tourism for Puerto Plata, Julio Almonte, is forecasting that the northern province will receive almost 1.3 million tourists in 2016. He estimates that 500,000 will arrive by air, another 350,000 on board cruise ships arriving at the new Amber Cove Cruise Center, while 400,000 will arrive overland, including foreign and domestic tourists.

[December 2015]

TC Annuls New Penal Code

The Constitutional Tribunal issued a ruling that annuls the recently passed Penal Code of the Dominican Republic and orders the restitution of the previous code that dates back to 1884. The decision annuls articles 107, 108, 109 and 110 of the Law 550 n 14 that had authorized selective abortion, the responsibilities and penal issues also regarding abortion.

The decision on this case was in response to an appeal for unconstitutionality submitted by the Transparency and Justice Foundation, and the Transparency and Democracy and the Happy Marriage Foundation.

When the appeal was filed, the president of the Justice and Transparency Foundation, Trajano Vidal Potentini, claimed that the new Penal Code contains several irregularities during the review of the observations on the legislation from the Executive Branch.

[December 2015]

Free Zone Exports Up 5% in Jan-Sept 2015

Free zone manufacturing companies are reporting a 5% increase from January to September of this year compared to 2014. Exports for the period totaled US$4.11 billion, compared to US$3.92 billion in 2014.

National Council of Free Zones executive director Luisa Fernandez Duran says that the growth was due to increases in exports of cacao beans (20.9%), tobacco (19.7%), medical devices (6.9%), footwear (5.9%) and clothing (3.3%).

She highlighted that Dominican free zone exports are up at a time when exports are down 2% globally. She said the reason for the increase was the diverse nature of Dominican manufacturing.

[December 2015]

New Environmental and Business Department

Guzmán Ariza law firm created an environmental and business department that will offer sustainable business consulting, environmental permits, environmental impact studies, structuring and implementation of green projects, corporate social responsibility, environmental litigation and environmental education.

This unit will be head by Giselle Pérez Reyes and will closely work with the corporate, real estate and business transactions.

The environmental and business department counsels local and foreign companies of different sectors including manufacturing, energy-oil, municipal, protected areas, tourism, food and beverages, among others.

Giselle Pérez Reyes has an excellent reputation both in environmental and corporate law and is widely recognized in the Dominican Republic and in the main international legal directories, such as Chambers and Partners, National Network of Business Support for Environmental Protection (ECORED) and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AMCHAM).

Mrs. Pérez Reyes joined Guzmán Ariza on October of this year to strengthen the commercial and investment transactions, expanding the practice areas of the firm.

For Guzmán Ariza, Attorneys at Law, this is a further step towards its positioning as the firm that covers the greatest variety of practice areas.

[December 2015]