The 5^th Forum in the Fight Against Desertification and Drought in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean was opened yesterday with the Dominican Foreign Minister and representatives from 60 countries were there as it took place. 

Vice President Rafael Alburquerque headed the inauguration by calling for wider actions to revert the effects of the problem, which after a recent diagnosis staggeringly affect 70 percent of the territory and some 5 million Dominican people. 

Sergio Zelaya who is from the United Nations Convention for Desertification and is the representative for Latin America and the Caribbean said that the nations must all prioritize the fight against desertification to reduce its poverty levels and has suggested greater inter-regional cooperation to obtain this goal. 

The Forum officially concludes on Thursday with a visit by the ministers and delegates to the Yaque Sur and Artibonito rivers. 

Environment minister Max Puig said desertification isn’t an islolated fact and that’s totally related to climatic changes. 

Today however prompting more action Environment Ministers from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Venezuela, Mozambique and Argentina will all meet to draft the final Declaration of Santo Domingo, a document that will be submitted to the Forum so they can assume its contents.

Tourist Minister Felix Jimenez is still waiting to gather public support as of 3 weeks ago to his challenge directed at the National Hotels and Restaurants Association. 

The Association (ASONAHORES) has still to gather its directors in order to reply to Mr Jimenez.    They are now planning a session on the 27^th when all directors could get back together according to the Hotel and Tourism Project Association of the East’s President Mr Ernesto Veloz. 

Veloz continued to say that it is not the responsibility of ASONAHORES to make comment on the criticisms which have been made against some of the Tourism Ministers decisions, he said “We don’t participate in this”. 

Tourism Leader Mr Jimenez was interviewed during the “Uno + Uno” programmed aired on Channel 2, and he said that is is necessary to explain the negative aspects of any official and to seek a consensus on the differences. 

The split has occurred after Jimenez ordered a study on the territorial division in the famous East National Park’s protected area and he granted a no-objection to allow a hotel to be built there, though being the exclusive attributions of the Environment or Economy ministries. 

Before he could be publicly criticized for his actions Jimenez challenged ASONAHORES to support him publicly or he would otherwise resign his position in that same week.  Three weeks have now passed and the ASONAHORES directors have yet to meet although scheduled for the 27^th.    

The Senate is gearing up for a massive debate today as a request of US$30million sovereign guarantee with automatic renewal up to 27 times so the power company “Sichuan Machinery & Equipment” can obtain the financing required to build a coal fired 600 megawatt plant in the northwest town of Montecristi. 

Also biding at the same time however was the HN Energy firm who are opposed and have questioned this initiative, they have also threatened to sue the Dominican State if the States grants this guarantee amongst allegations that the provision was not in the original bidding terms of reference.

Legislators from the PRD Opposition Party have also said that they will not approve the sovereign guarantee and they feel that the contract would over commit the State and be more detrimental to the country than those conditions provided by the other energy firms of Cogentrix and Smith & Enron.

To give you a back ground on what has been happening with the bids for the coal fired plants, back in January of 2006 the Dominican State owned electrical group’s Bidding Committee (CDEEE)  received tenders to build 2 new coal fired plants, and at the time Sichuans bid was rejected for not adhering to the terms of reference in the outlining points of tender, Emirates Power won the bid and another rejection was given to HN Energy Company too. 

Then later on in February the Sichuan Company sent a letter to the Bidding Committee where it said they realized that they didn’t meet the terms of reference regarding the CDEEE’s purchase of up to 50% of the energy it produces. Even after receiving the letter from potential bidders Sichuan, the Bidding Committee carried on and awarded one of the 2 plants to the Emirates Power Company. 

HN Energy are outraged and in a letter to the Senate and Economic Cabinet Officials have said that “We make this call of alert to avert a new international legal crisis to the country within the electric sector, because without a doubt the companies that participated in the referred event will feel deceived with everything that has occurred”.

President Leonel Fernandez is buying some new toys for the country!

He said that the government will purchase 8 Super Tucanos airplanes to support the war against the trafficking of drugs and undocumented people. 

With financial help from the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES). President Fernandez statement was made last night from San Jose De Campos, San Paolo where he was visiting the Brazilian aircraft maker EMBRAER.  The aircraft company builds commercial and also combat planes. 

He backed up his new purchase by saying “In a world fraught with challenges and dangers that stalk the nations, it is necessary to have the equipment for greater vigilance”. 

The Chief Executive of the government said that the planes will be bought on credit from BNDES and the credit payments will be made from the funds generated by the Tourist Tax paid when travelers enter and leave the Dominican Republic. 

President Fernandez said that the first 2 airplanes would arrive in the country in December, just in time for Christmas, Feliz Navidad everyone.