The newly enacted Ministry of Foreign Relations and Foreign Service Law 630-16 creates a new legal framework for the changes in foreign policy underway at the Ministry of Foreign Relations under Minister Andres Navarro.
Foreign Minister Navarro says that the challenge now is to rigorously apply the law for a more effective Dominican diplomacy. The bill creates the Council for the Diplomacy and Consular Career.
[July 2016]
An economic report shows that the Dominican Republic leads the region in growth with 6%. This is in contrast to the forecast overall decline in growth for the Caribbean region at -0.3% Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The DR’s 6% growth is followed by Panama (5.9%), Nicaragua and Bolivia (4.5%), and Costa Rica (4.3%). In addition, it forecasts a 2.8% GDP growth for Paraguay, followed by Colombia (2.7%), Chile (1.6%) and Uruguay (0.5%).
The countries that will show a contraction in their growth rate are Argentina (-1.5%), Ecuador (-2.5%), Brazil (-3.5%) and Venezuela (-8.0%).
The report was made by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
[July 2016]
Fundéu Guzmán Ariza began its operations on July 19 with an opening ceremony held at the JW Marriot Hotel in Santo Domingo.
Fabio J. Guzmán Ariza, president of Fundéu Guzmán Ariza, announced that the institution will issue recommendations about proper Spanish usage to the Dominican media and the general public. These recommendations will be taken from texts published in the Dominican media, as well as quotes from radio and tv shows.
Mr. Guzmán Ariza also explained that the launching of Fundéu has been made possible by the financial support of the Guzmán Ariza law firm, the institutional support of Fundéu BBVA in Spain, the advice of the Dominican Academy of Letters, and the collaboration of the Spanish news agency EFE.
Fundéu Guzmán Ariza will post three weekly recommendations on its web site (www.fundeu.do), which will be sent by email to subscribers. Users may also consult Fundéu on any language issue through its web site.
[July 2016]
The Central Bank reports that 3,043,154 tourists visited in the first half of 2016. The non-resident foreigners and Dominicans were 184,391 more than arrivals from January-June 2015, for a 6.5% increase. Of the total, 78.9% were foreign tourists (145,408 passengers) and 21.1% were visiting Dominican residents abroad (38.983 pax).
Most tourists come from the United States. Some 61,987 more visitors reportedly came from the United States during the first half of the year.
Inbound travel from South America is also up for the first half of the year. The Central Bank reports that 37,651 more visitors came from Venezuela (25,060), Colombia (13,527), Uruguay (6,502) and Peru (3,798). Tourist travel from Central America and the Caribbean is also up 19.5%, with significant increases in tourist arrivals from Puerto Rico (6,130), Panama (5,337) and Cuba (4,012).
[July 2016]
Guzmán Ariza law firm and the Dominican Bar Association presented in Higüey, La Altagracia, the book Repertorio de la jurisprudencia civil, comercial e inmobiliaria de la República Dominicana (2001-2014), written by managing partner Fabio J. Guzmán Ariza.
The presentation was held at the event hall of the La Altagracia Chamber of Commerce with the presence of prominent personalities of the eastern area and the judicial system. It was presented by Ambrosio Núñez, law professor at the Universidad Católica del Este, and José Raúl Corporán Chevalier, president of La Altagracia Chamber of Commerce, who addressed the most relevant aspects of the book.
The compilation of the civil, commercial and real estate case law in the Dominican Republic (2001-2014), which is part of the case law and precedents collection of the publisher Gaceta Judicial, condenses and organizes the judgments rendered by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic, from 2001 to 2014, in the areas mentioned on its title, as well as in related procedural matters.
Fabio J. Guzmán Ariza explained that this compilation has two main purposes: “first, provide readers summaries of the legal criteria on various issues related to these matters; and second, facilitate the rapid consultation of the whole decisions that contain the aforementioned criteria”.
This is the fourth time the book is presented in the Dominican Republic, after being presented in Santo Domingo, Santiago and Puerto Plata.
[July 2016]
The Ministry of Energy and Mines reported that 44 permits have been issued between May 2015 and June 2016 for the exploration for both metallic and nonmetallic minerals. During the same period, the Ministry also published seven protocols and regulations to establish clear rules for the mining sector.
Minister of Energy and Mines, Antonio Isa Conde, stated that this year the Ministry has focused on strengthening the regulatory framework and the strict compliance of mining activities established by law, including the process to grant or deny a concession.
[July 2016]
Live and Invest Overseas recommended the Dominican Republic as one of the five best places to move to, especifically in the beach town of Las Terrenas located at the northeast coast of the country.
The rating described Las Terrenas as a beach town with “European feel”, since French, German, Polish, Swiss, Italian, Dutch and British nationals have established in Las Terrenas since 1970.
Panama, Belize, Colombia and México completed the list of the top 5 countries to move to.
[July 2016]