21 November 2008
Relive the 1970s every Friday in Ruby's Lounge
As requested by a large group of 1970 pop-music fans, Ruby's Lounge is now organising Rock-n-Roll evenings every Friday night.
Ruby's Lounge
You'll listen to music by the Eagles, Bee Gees, Blondie, Brian Ferry, Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Tina Turner and many more.
The fun starts around 10pm, when they start to play this classic and unforgettable music from some of pop-music's best years.
Of course everyone is welcome to dance to these famous rock-n-roll numbers - and it's usually impossible for people to sit still for long.
Drinks are also very reasonably priced at Ruby's Lounge, with Gin Tonic costing just 100 pesos.
Ruby's Lounge is located diagonally opposite La Roca restaurant, at the top of the road leading to Sosúa beach.
21 November 2008
The Mirabal sisters
The names of three Dominican women, known as the Mirabal sisters, have stood since 1981 as symbol for the international action day 'Protesting violence against women'.
María Teresa, Minerva and Patria Mirabal were murdered on 25 November 1960, as ordered by the dictator Trujillo.
The women had resisted the most violent dictator in South America, and had to die.
The wave of indignation that went through the western world, and the boycott of the regime, accelerated the end (1961) of the dictator's regime.
The three Mirabal sisters were also known as the Mariposas (butterflies), as metaphor for their legendary beauty, and still act as the symbol for the international day highlighting violence against women.
The Mirabal sisters
Further information can be obtained from the website:
The Mirabal sisters
20 November 2008
Free Bible for all Dominicans
Sagrada Biblia
The president of the organisation known as 'Everything is possible' (Todo es Posible), Ángel Puello, has announced that all Dominicans will have access to a free Bible over the Christmas period.
Ángel Puello made his announcement during a TV programme, and added that reading the Bible would allow people to see reason.
He also highlighted the fact that Dominican legislation (La Ley 44-00) states that the Bible must be read every day in schools, and if this tradition were adhered to then the level of crime among youngsters would fall sharply.
20 November 2008
Central park in Puerto Plata in Christmas glory
In Sosúa the Christmas decorations are nowhere near ready to be hung, but Puerto Plata's central park has already been transformed into a Christmas spectacle.
A huge life-size Nativity scene has been set up to the left of the church, and Christmas decorations have been placed around all the lampposts.
When we visited the Nativity scene the most important person, baby Jesus, was unfortunately missing.
Music is played and scenes are acted out every Sunday afternoon.
Of course these are not swinging merengue bands, but those playing appropriate Christmas carols such as 'Silent Night' and 'A child is born'.
Yes, Christmas has already started in Puerto Plata.
Christmas glory in Puerto Plata
19 November 2008
Commission being set up to reopen sugar plant
A meeting is being organised on 22 November (at 3pm) in the sports hall in Montellano, to which a large number of stakeholders have been invited, to discuss the reopening of the sugar plant in Montellano.
The sugar plant in Montellano
Those invited include the Governor of Puerto Plata Province, the Director of Tourism, as well as the Mayors of Montellano, Sosúa, Puerto Plata and Imbert.
Ex-employees of the plant, union leaders, the Chief of Police, and the military will also be present at the meeting.
The commission aims to set up an emergency plan for reopening the sugar plant.
Around 15,000 residents in Montellano earn their living from the plant, either directly or indirectly.
Since the plant closed several years ago, many families have been living well below the poverty line, and often have no idea where their next meal is coming from.
Many youngsters have turned to crime because they see no other way out of the situation.
As many of the plant's ex-workers say: 'We are tired of all these promises and bla bla. You can't eat promises and you can't live on words'.
18 November 2008
Pastor is against later closing times
A meeting has been arranged for Wednesday 19 November, in the theatre at Casa Marina, to discuss the possible extension of the closing times for bars and restaurants.
The local bars and restaurants in Sosúa currently have to close at 2am on weekdays, and at 3am on weekends.
Practically all the owners of these establishments want to see the closing times extended to at least 4am.
Those invited to attend the meeting include the bar/restaurant owners, the chief of police, the commander of the armed forces, and a representative of the Dept of Tourism.
However, the pastor of the Catholic Church in Charamicos (Bernardo Vásquez) has spoken out against the proposed extension of the closing times.
Bernardo Vásquez
He feels that crime levels and drugs use will only increase, that fewer people will go to church and that youngsters will turn to a life of crime.
Instead, the pastor would prefer to see bars and restaurants closing earlier, and that Sundays are kept as a day of rest and contemplation.
18 November 2008
Hotel management send 60% of their staff home
Over 60% of the staff at hotels along the north coast of the Dominican Republic have been given 90 days unpaid holiday leave.
The occupancy levels at some hotels is so disappointing this year, due to the credit crisis, that the management of 30 hotels have been forced to send 7,000 of their normal 12,000 employees home without pay.
Casa Marina
Necessary renovations and extensions to the hotels, which are normally carried out during the low season, will now only partially be implemented, or cancelled, due to lack of funds.
A spokesperson for the tourist sector, Leonardo Medrano, says that 40% fewer tourists are vacationing on the north coast this year.
The hotels involved in this action include Iberostar, Blue Bay, los Riú, Viva Windham, VH Hoteles, Casa Marina and Sosúa Bay.
The smaller hotels in Sosúa, such as Casa Valeria, hotel Don Andres, and hotel El Colibri say they are not yet affected by the credit crunch.
The smaller hotels are still occupied as per previous expectations.
Source: El Faro
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