Tampa Energy, a U.S. based company has plans to invest US$50 million to build a new sugar cane ethanol plant in the Dominican Republic. The ethanol fuel produced would be exported to the United States and mixed with gasoline. The facility is expected to be completed and operational next year, hopefully June, in order to take advantage of the 2008-2009 sugar cane harvest.  Initial production is planned to be 190 million litres per year, with hopes of eventually doubling the output.

Meanwhile, Dominican Ethanol, the country's first project of this type, along with Groups Vicini and Central Romana, have plans to use sugar cane to produce alcohol.

Music fans are in for a treat.

Mexican singer Paulina Rubio, always popular with the young fans, is bringing her "Amor, luz and sonido" concert to the Palacio de los Deportes in Santo Domingo on Thursday March 29.

Another favourite with the young crowd, Diego Torres has a concert scheduled for Saturday, April 7, during Easter Week, in La Romana. He is promoting his new CD, "Andando".

An agreement to enhance the education of hotel administration students of The Dominican Pontifical Catholic University (Pucamaima) has been signed by the university, the Disney Corporation and the Tompkins Cortland Community College. Students participating in the program will train in the areas of hotel management and food and beverage and also receive a wage. They will operate the amusement park's equipment and train in sales and customer service. This will be supervised and accredited by the State University of New York and the Disney Corporation.

Dean of the Sciences and Humanities faculty, David Alvarez said, "It's a unique opportunity, conceived in very favorable and accessible terms, in order that hotel administration students of the Pucamaima develop abilities and add credits to their studies."