Post #1

Sunday, February 3rd

  The Dominican Republic is a Central American country sharing an island with the Republic of Haiti. Originally inhabited by native Taino people, it would be colonized by Europeans in the late fifteenth century, with the colony of Santo Domingo becoming the first European settlement in the Americas. Today, the Dominican Republic has an estimated population of 10.7 million, is known for its agriculture, mining, and tourism industries, and ranks ninth in economy size among Latin American countries.

The Dominican Republic has a Gini index score of 45.3. This is a measure of income or wealth inequality, where a zero represents maximum equality, and a one represents maximum inequality. Its fragile state index score is 69.2 out of 120, down from 77.7 ten years ago. The higher this score, the more fragile the state is, indicating an increased risk that the state falls into chaos

Over the weekend, groups of Venezuelans residing in the Dominican Republic gathered in a park in Santo Domingo to protest Nicolas Maduro. They are demanding that Maduro steps down from his presidency, either to give way to self-appointed interim president Juan Guaido, or re-hold an election. The protesters received the support of Dominican legislator Rafael Bisono. The Venezuelans abroad claim to be pleased with the political movement happening in their home country, emphasizing their hope that this situation brings about changes for the better.

Presidential candidate Carlos Amarante Baret claimed today that he will take over the presidency in 2020 from Danilo Medina, and per Almomento, “…continue consolidating the economic and social transformations, the Educational Revolution and the living conditions of the professors.” Amarante Baret has a background in education, formerly serving as the Minister of Education, he initiated the Educational Revolution. Amarante Baret has gained notable support, today he spoke before thousands of teachers at a Grand Magisterial Encounter at the Club de Legisladores in Santo Domingo Este. He has stressed the facts that during his tenure as the Minister of Education, teachers’ salaries increased, and they received scholarships for preparation and training courses.

Renewable energy is on the rise, as authorities have approved of steps to be taken to improve and increase the amount of energy coming from renewable sources. Per EFE, “Authorities in the electricity sector approved short-term action lines to promote renewable energy in an organized, planned and transparent manner, prepared by the inter-institutional commission that evaluated the impact of that area on the electricity system.” This information comes from a press release sent today from the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Certain areas of interest include wind and solar power. Currently in the Dominican Republic, only 5.7% of energy consumed comes from renewable sources, while more than 80% comes from fossil fuels.

The Dominican Ministry of Tourism announced on Tuesday that the Dominican Republic won two prizes related to tourism at the International Tourism Fair. According to EFE, Dominican Republic Scooters were “recognized for the growth of inclusive tourism in favor of vulnerable segments, thus consolidating the company with the greatest potential for growth in the accessibility sector.”

On Monday, February 4th, the Eastern Stars of the Dominican Republic will play Cangrejeros de Santurce, from Puerto Rico, beginning the 61st Caribbean Series, a baseball tournament held in Panama. This year is the first time a new tournament format will be used. Teams will have to play each other twice in the preliminary rounds before entering the elimination round. The tournament will close on Sunday, February 10th, at Rod Carew Stadium in Panama City.