Summer Doldrums According to the Central Bank and the Ministry of Tourism, tourism in the Dominican Republic is showing an unparalleled increase. Unfortunately, there cannot be felt much of this on the north coast, so many businesses restrict their spending to a minimum and commit the mistake of saving on advertising first. This has a quite fatal impact on LA PLAYA, which now also had to switch to the “saving mode” for hopefully only a short time. It is the first time in eight years that due to the staying away ads and after several issues without making any profit LA PLAYA is forced to reduce the number of pages to only twelve. LA PLAYA can be published only when there are enough ads. Readers will be grateful if you continue to advertise and keep LA PLAYA alive!
Free again Two last Suspects of Corruption released from Prison The two last suspects, Ángel Rondón (left) and Víctor Díaz Rúa (right), who were still imprisoned in the Odebrecht case for corruption, were released from custody on bail by order of the same judge who previously brought them behind bars. The entrepreneur and contact person of the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht for business in the Dominican Republic, Ángel Rondón, who, according to Odebrecht, received 92 million dollars in bribe money to assure profitable construction projects, which he denies, had to pay 70 million pesos as a bail, was banned on leaving the country and has to report periodically before the court to be released from custody. Víctor Díaz Rúa, a close associate of former President Leonel Fernández, was released on bail for 50 million pesos, and has a ban on leaving the country as well as he has to report periodically before a court.
Both live in the same luxury tower in Santo Domingo, in front of which members of the civic movement “Marcha Verde” protested against the court decision shortly after their discharge. Rondón said he had received 83 million dollars in commissions from Odebrecht during his 16-year work for the construction company, and expects a further 22 million of commissions for the controversial coal power plant Punta Catalina. He assured, he never paid bribes to politicians. According to statements by an Odebrecht employee, Víctor Díaz Rúa visited Meinl Bank in Antigua, which worked exclusively for Odebrecht, in contradiction to his statements in court. Díaz Rúa said in an interrogation, he visited Antigua once with two girlfriends, but never entered a bank. General Prosecutor Jean Alain Rodríguez described the discharge as “unfortunate”.
The next arrivals in “Amber Cove” Maimón September, 27 Carnival Conquest September, 27 Carnival Magic September, 28 Carnival Splendor October, 9 Carnival Magic October, 12 Carnival Splendor October, 23 Carnival Magic October, 26 Carnival Conquest October, 27 Carnival Splendor October, 31 Koningsdam
Garlic Mafia at Work? Accusations against Minister / Garlic at maximum Prices / High Productivity Increase There are frequent news about confiscated trucks laden with garlic smuggled from Haiti and the reader wonders: smuggle of garlic? What sounds so trivial, however, is a million dollar business. The producers from Constanza, which was the main cultivation area of garlic, complain that the government has destroyed its livelihood by issuing import licenses to companies of government members, and at the same time it was demoralizing the garlic growers of Cosntanza. Leonardo Faña, Head of the Agricultural Front of the opposition party PRM, who is facing defamatory and insulting complaints by the Minister of Administration of the Presidency, José Ramón Peralta, has accused him and Minister of Agriculture Ángel Estévez of removing Constanza's garlic, the backbone of agriculture.
When President Danilo Medina came to power in 2012, there was a cultivation area for garlic in Constanza of 10,500 tareas (660 hectares), today it is just 1,500 tareas (less than 9.5 hectares). According to Faña, the garlic growers were offered 10,000 pesos by the government, if they grow corn instead of garlic. Furthermore, the garlic bought by auctions was paid only one year after the harvest. Even when buying imported seeds there were problems because these have been withheld by the Ministry of Agriculture, until 60 per cent of them were dried up and no longer could be used for cultivation.
This mafia, as Faña suspects, is doing this in order to destroy the Dominican garlic market to build an own monopoly with imported garlic coming from China and the United States. Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Estévez said that the extremely high price of garlic in recent months has been due to the fact that production has declined in China, but that the situation is becoming normal again. Fañas's accusations against Minister Peralta were called disrespectful by Estévez.
Minister of Agriculture Ángel Estévez said at the 18th National Meeting of Agriculture Leaders in Bávaro that the country is producing 85 percent of the food it consumes. Through the automation of agriculture, there has been a rise in productivity over the past 20 years, as never before in history. In 2016, the production of agriculture was over ten percent more than in the previous year.
Postscript to “Irma” Monster Hurricane spared Hispaniola / Damage is far less than feared / No Fatalities The hurricane “Irma” was described as the strongest in the history of the Atlantic storms. Accordingly, the northern coast of the Dominican Republic was pretty afraid of the monster hurricane. In the social media and the foreign press, there was an unprecedented fear campaign that did anything but good for Dominican tourism. However, as usual, everything was only half as bad, because “Irma”, which was classified as a hurricane of the highest category 5 with wind blasts of more than 300 kilometers per hour, passed far enough north in the Atlantic Ocean to inflict too much damage on the island of Hispaniola. Unlike the completely devastated island of St. Martin, where “Irma” passed directly, the damage in the Dominican Republic was relatively minor except for some areas such as Nagua or Las Terrenas. In the Dominican Republic, there were reported no dead, but 966 buildings were damaged and 108 were destroyed. Approximately 15,000 inhabitants of vulnerable areas were evacuated precautionary. 38 localities were cut off from the outside world, four bridges destroyed.
The damage in agriculture, on the other hand, is immense. Through the strong wind blows, whole banana and plantain plantations were destroyed. Particularly affected in the province of Puerto Plata were the villages of Luperón and Villa Isabela. Senator José Ignacio Paliza said that alone in the village of Belloso near Luperón, about 500 hectares of banana and plantain plantations were destroyed. In Nagua several buildings were damaged when the sea penetrated into the city through the strong waves caused by “Irma”. And as usual in a storm, branches of trees were torn down and old, rotten trees were falling, some of which still are piled up along
the roadsides one week after the hurricane, because of the lack of capacity of the city halls to remove them. The neighboring country of Haiti was much luckier now than last year with hurricane “Matthew”, which caused a catastrophe with more than 300 dead. “Irma” brought a lot of rain here again in the north of the country. But there was only one fatality, a man who wanted to cross a river and drowned. In Cuba the balance is more devastating since the hurricane passed very close to the coast and the winds and the rain were correspondingly strong. In the capital Havana, there was reported serious damage to the old and ailing buildings. 4,288 apartments were damaged, 157 houses collapsed completely, 968 partially. Ten deaths were officially reported, most of them due to collapsing buildings. In Florida, “Irma” had category 4 on arrival at the small islands (Keys) and caused serious damage there. In Miami the streets were partly flooded a meter high and a large part of Florida was without electricity.
Don Omar
Cassandra Chery
Retreat from Music Business
Miss Haiti Universe 2017
Tueska Break from Television
After more than 15 years in the music business, Don Omar announced a farewell tour in December. William Omar Landrón Rivera, the real name of the Puerto Rican Reggaeton star, said the “Forever King: The Last Tour” is his official farewell. On the 9th of September, Don Omar gave a concert at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, where the entrance fee was only from 99 cents. “It is a great opportunity to thank everyone on my island and give them back what I got,” he said. He will also give the farewell concerts on the 15th, 16th and 17th of December at the Coliseo. Until now, Don Omar gave no reasons for his decision to withdraw from the music business. His career began in 1999. Don Omar became world-famous with hits such as “Dale Don dale”, “Diva virtual" or his last big hit “Danza Kuduro”. In two songs, “Dutty Love” and “Perdido en tus ojos” he was accompanied by the Dominican singer Natti Natasha. At the age of 15, Don Omar became an active member of the church of Iglesia Evangélica Restauración en Cristo, but after a disappointed love he wrote the song “Aunque te fuiste” and sang Rap instead of preaching the word of God.
The Colombian presenter of the show “Mas Roberto”, Tueska, announced to retire from TV after three years to concentrate on her career as a singer. Tueska already had a Merengue hit “Estoy con otro en la cama” (LA PLAYA 170). She came to the Dominican Republic to participate in a resurrection-try of the legendary Chicas del Can, but shortly afterwards she preferred to start her own career.
Joseito Mateo Salsa with 97 for Girlfriend
At the tender age of 97, the Dominican music legend, “El Rey del Merengue”, Joseito Mateo, is recording a Salsa for his 46-year-old girlfriend. It is the song “Candilejas” from the movie “Spotlight” by Charlie Chaplin from the year 1952, which was already interpreted by Julio Iglesias and several others – but never as a Salsa. Joseito Mateo said he still had enough strength to sing wherever he was needed.
On the 2nd of September, the 21-year-old model Cassandra Chéry was elected Miss Haiti 2017 at the Marriott Hotel in Port-auPrince. She will represent the neighboring country in Paris in the Miss Universe contest at the beginning of 2018. While still attending school, Chéry began working as a mannequin at the age of 16 and was already on the catwalk at the New York Fashion Week and the Miami Swim Week. At the Elite Model contest in China, Cassandra Chéry was among the 15 most beautiful in 2013.
Cuentos de camino Competing in Romania The Dominican film “Cuentos de camino” was chosen to take part in the competition of the Latin American Film Festival in Romania's capital Bucharest. The film, which was filmed in Altamira, Puerto Plata, tells myths and legends from the remote villages in the Dominican Republic.
What is this Lady singing? “Se fue” by Laura Pausini Laura Pausini is a popular Italian singer, whose Spanish songs are played in any radio station with romantic music. Ya no responde ni al teléfono, Pende de un hilo la esperanza mía. Yo no creí jamás poder perder así la cabeza, por el. ¿Por qué de pronto ya no me quería? ¿Por qué mi vida se quedó vacía? Nadie contesta mis preguntas, porque nada me queda, sin el. Se fue, Se fue, el perfume de sus cabellos. Se fue, el murmullo de su silencio. Se fue, su sonrisa de fábula. Se fue, la dulce miel que probé en sus labios. Se fue, me quedó solo su veneno. Se fue, y mi amor se cubrió de hielo. Se fue, y la vida con el se me fue. Se fue, y desde entonces ya solo tengo lágrimas. Encadenada a noches de locura. Hasta a la cárcel yo iría con el. Toda una vida no basta, sin el. En mi verano ya no sale el sol. Con su tormenta, todo destruyo, Rompiendo en mil pedazos esos sueños que construimos, ayer. Se fue, Se fue, me quedo solo su veneno. Se fue, y mi amor se cubrió de hielo. Se fue, y la vida con el se me fue, Se fue, y la razón no la sé. Si existe Dios debe acordarse de mi. Aunque sé, que entre el y yo el cielo tiene solo nubes negras, Le rogaré, le buscaré, lo juro, le encontraré, Aunque tuviera que buscar en un millón de estrellas. En esta vida oscura, absurda sin el, siento que se ha convertido en centro y fin de todo mi universo. Si tiene limite el amor, lo pasaría por el. Y en el vacío inmenso de mis noches, yo le siento. Le amaré, como le pude amar la vez primera, que un beso suyo era una vida entera, sintiendo como me pierdo, por el. Se fue. Se fue, el perfume de sus cabellos …
He does not even answer the phone. My hope is hanging on a thread. I never believed, that I can lose my head this way, because of him. Why suddenly he didn't love me any more? Why was my life left empty? No one answers my questions, because nothing remains to me without him. He left. It is gone, the perfume of his hair. It has gone, the murmur of his silence. It is gone, his smile from a fable. It is gone, the sweet honey which I tried on his lips. He left, only his poison remained. He left, and my love was covered with ice. He left, and life went with him. He left, and since then I only have tears. Chained at nights of madness. I would even go to jail with him. A whole life is not enough without him. In my summer the sun doesn't shine anymore. With his storm he destroyed everything. Destroyed in a thousand pieces these dreams we built, yesterday. He left. He left, only his poison remained. He left, and my love was covered with ice. He left, and life went with him. He left, and I do not know the reason. If there is God, he must remember me. Although I know that between him and me the sky has only black clouds. I will beg him, I will seek him, I swear, I will find him. And if I should have to search in a million of stars. In this sinister life, absurd without him, I feel that he has turned in the center and end of my whole universe. If love has a limit, I would pass over it for him. And in the immense emptiness of my nights I feel him. I will love him, as I could love him the first time, when one of his kisses was a whole life, feeling how I lose myself, for him. He left. It is gone, the perfume of his hair …
Laura Pausini was born in Faenza, Italy, on the 16th of May 1974. Already at the age of 19, she had her musical breakthrough with the song “La solitudine” at the San Remo Festival. Since 1994, Laura Pausini has always released her albums in an Italian and Spanish version for the Spanish and Latin American market.
Silly Question
X-Sudoku
Office Work
One day it knocks on the door of the Kuntz couple. The house is unmanned at this time - only Mrs. Kuntz is at home. She goes to the door and opens. In front of her stands an unknown man. He asks the woman: “Do you have a vagina?” She slams the door shut. The next morning it knocks on the door again. The same man stands at the door and asks the same question. Again Mrs. Kuntz slams the door. Later in the evening, she tells her husband what happened in the last two days. Her husband says affectionately and worried that he will stay home the next day, just in case if the man should return. The next morning the two heard the knocking again. On his way to the door, Mr. Kuntz whispes to his wife to answer the stranger with “Yes”, because he wanted to know what the stranger was up to. Mr. Kuntz hides behind the door, his wife opens and the stranger is standing outside the door again. Of course, he asks again, “Do you have a vagina?” “Yes, I have,” the woman answers this time. “That's fine,” the man replies. “Would you mind asking your husband to leave my wife's alone and to use yours?”
Each row, column and square has to contain the numbers from 1 to 9. X-Sudoku must show these numbers also on the two diagonal lines. Solutions on page 10.
The husband comes home from work at six o'clock and says to his wife, “Honey, I have to go back to the company at nine, because there are coming some new customers from Japan and we have a few important projects to discuss.” He undresses, puts his clothes on the bed, and goes for a shower. The wife, of course, immediately searches through his wallet and clothes and finds a note in the jacket pocket that reads: “Sweetheart. See you at nine. Then we'll eat chicken with white sauce again in the cozy restaurant.” When the man comes out of the shower, he sees his wife laying seductively on the bed, stark naked. He can not resist, jumps on her and they make love as if they knew each other for just two days. Then he takes a shower again and gets ready for his “business meeting”. But when he arrives at his lover, he is quite exhausted and tells her, ”Baby, I had a very hard day today. Is it okay if I take a quick shower and then we just watch TV?” Then he goes to take another shower. The lover, of course, also searches his pockets and finds a note: “Here, have your rooster. But the white sauce he left at home today.”
Sudoku No. 409 (easy)
An elegant man is shopping. He looks around and when he sees the saleswoman in the department store he approaches her and asks: “Excuse me, madam. May I see your underwear?” The saleslady blushes, “Yes, of course, but not now during the working time.”
Sudoku No. 410
The boss is calling his pretty secretary to his office and tells her angrily: “Who told you that you can hang around here all day instead of doing your instructed work, just because I have kissed you a couple of times?” With a provocative smile she replies: “My lawyer!”
Specials of readyfordr.com – best sosuarealestate.com a352 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom Apartment – Sosua, 48 sq.m/517 sq.ft, furnished, ground floor, now US$37,500. athumeyer@gmail.com – 809-462-8140 a422 Furnished 1 BR Condo, Close to Beach, Cabarete. 66 sq.m/710 sq.ft, 2nd floor, only US$92,000. 809462-8140 – www.bestsosuareal estate.com - athumeyer@gmail.com a427 Large Furnished 2nd Floor 1 Bedroom Condo, Sosua. Size 78.4 sq.m²/844 sq.ft, US$89,900. www.bestsosuarealestate.com – athu meyer@gmail.com – 809-462-8140. a428 Furnished Ground Fl. 2 Bedroom Apartment – Cabarete. 89 sq.m/957 sq.ft, now US$139,000. www.bestsosuarealestate.com – athu meyer@gmail.com – 809-462-8140. a440 Pent House Studio Apartment, 3rd Floor, Sosua. 52 sq.m/560 sq.ft, furnished, now US$44,000. 809-4628140 - www.bestsosuarealestate.com - athumeyer@gmail.com. a444 Ground floor 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo, Cabarete, 118 sq.m/1,270 sq.ft, furnished, close to beach. Now US$135,000. www.best sosuarealestate.com – athumeyer@ gmail.com – 809-462-8140. a449 Ground Floor 2 Bedroom Apartment, Cabarete, 100 sq.m/ 1,077 sq.ft, furnished, US$235,000, 809-462-8140 – www.bestsosuareal estate.com - athumeyer@gmail.com
co762 Comfortable 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Bungalow, Sosua. Building 98 sq.m/1,055 sq.ft, Lot 315 sq.m/3,390 sq.ft. Now only US$70,000! www.bestsosuarealestate.com – athu meyer@gmail.com – 809-462-8140. a406 Nicely Furnished 2 BR Townhouse Style Condo, Puerto Plata,108 sq.m/1,162 sq.ft, now US$139,000, 809-462-8140. www.bestsosuarealestate.com – athu meyer@gmail.com co768 3 Bedroom, 2 BA Villa On Sale! Sosua. Building 146 sq.m/1,572 sq.ft, Lot 778 sq.m/8,374 sq.ft, now US$135,000, www.bestsosuareal estate.com - athumeyer@gmail.com – 809-462-8140. co769 Large 2 Bedroom, 3 Bath Villa – Sosua. Building 220 sq.m/2,368 sq.ft, Lot 817 sq.m/8,794 sq.ft, now US$135,000. www.best sosuarealestate.com – athumeyer@ gmail.com – 809-462-8140. co771 Furnished 2 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath Villa, Sosua, size 110 sq.m/1,184 sq.ft, Lot 524 sq.m/5,645 sq.ft, now US$145,000, www.best sosuarealestate.com – athumeyer@ gmail.com – 809-462-8140. co779 DEAL! Cozy Furnished 2 Bedroom Villa, Gated, Sosua, Lot: 385,27 sq.m/4,147 sq.ft, Building: 113 sq.m/1,216 sq.ft. Reduced to US$159,900. www.bestsosuareal estate.com - athumeyer@gmail.com – 809-462-8140.
Small hotel in Sosua for sale or lease, with customer base and included tennis club with 4 tennis courts. The hotel has 15 apartments, 3 rooms, pool, bar, restaurant and lounge. Installation to organize large live concerts. Parking at the hotel. Total area 8,000 sq.m. For information call 809 869 8649 Apartment in Sosúa, quiet location, walking distance to Super Pola, 84 sq.m, BR, living room, kitchen, bathroom, WC, terrace, 50,000 Euro, Call 829-701-8622
Long & Short Term Rentals of ready fordr.com - bestsosuarealestate.com Re#102 1 BR/1 BA Apartment, Cabarete Center, furnished, 50 sqm/538 sq.ft., 2nd floor, US$600/month, www.bestsosuareal estate.com - athumeyer@gmail.com – 809-462-8140. Re#268 a449 Ground Fl. 2 BR Apartment, Cabarete, US$770/week, US$1,650/month, 809-462-8140. www.bestsosuarealestate.com athumeyer@gmail.com
Apartment and room for monthly rental in Playa Laguna. Apartment from US$350, room US$220. Tel. 809-571-3375 or 809-781-6015 Inexpensive Apartments in Playa Chiquita. Furnished or unfurnished. Further information at 849-262-5765, or mail: la-mayra@hotmail.com Apartment in Sosúa, 2 BR, 1 BA, living-dining room, terrace, close to Super Pola and CMC, for rent now. US$ 550 + 2 months deposit. Call 809-455-8272
Day trips from private according to your wishes throughout the country, deep sea fishing, etc., la-mayra@ hotmail.com or tel. 849-262-5765 BACK TO WORK! German Nailstylist in Costambar. Gel, Acryl, Shellack, www.facebook.com/ JustNailsIrina, Tel. 829 7276845 Reliable island-wide transports, moves, also greater volume, to Santiago, Santo Domingo, Punta Cana. E-mail: higuey@mail.ru Looking for work in Sosúa. At home or as a cleaner in a bar or the like, only in the morning. Call 829-9443702 or 849-405-1281
Looking for household helper, a young attractive woman up to 25 years, who is clean and correct in the household. Prerequisite for my apartment in Sosua. I'm in Sosua from Sept. 20 – Oct..3, Tel. 809-2716682, tel. In D 0157 39327998; Please photo via WhatsApp
Dominican woman from Sabaneta, 32 years old, not married, no kids, is looking for an honest man. Please call 829-295-4915
Selling 4 used inverters "Wave Platinum" 1.5 kw (2x2 combinable to 220V / 110V) 6,000 RD$, (combination prce 10,000 RD$ for two), all in good, presentable condition. Call: 809-571-3919, Mail: hoja.cana@gmail.com Looking for a shop in Sosua Center, about 60 sq.m. Henryjaeger @gmx.net, Germany +15739327998 oder 809-271-6682 Sosúa. Looking for washing machine, front loader, may be defective, offers to EMail: higuey@mail.ru
Spanish Lessons by a long-time, professionally experienced teacher, on the beach or private. Contact Email: la-mayra@hotmail.com or call 849-262-5765
Do you need help at offices / shopping / negotiations with craftsmen, etc.? I speak Spanish, English and German. Price on request. Tel. 829-868-8467
Do you need a translation, legalized or not legalized? Ask at the LA PLAYA-Office in Sosúa, Beach Way Plaza
CLASSIFIEDS FROM 50 PESOS Further information at the office of in Sosúa Beach Way Plaza or call
For rent: 2017 cars, automatic, power windows, A/C, 4 door, very good gas mileage. Price US$133 per week. Call 809-727-9850 or 809-2616001. Restrictions apply. Ground motorcycle, Bross N 200, 1,500 km, good condition, 60,000 RD$ or 1,270 US$ o.no. Info at 829868-8467
829-373-1218
IMPRESSUM Editora LA PLAYA Director: Werner Rümmele, Phone: 829-373-1218 RNC 5-31-87397-3
Copies: English 1,250 German 1,250 Your ads by mail:
laplaya.dominicana@gmail.com
Sudoku solutions from page 8:
by phone: 829-373-1218
Kittens and cats free to loving names with garden. Ring 829-965-5566, eMail joyhimsworth@hotmail.com
Sudoku No. 410
Do you need help, because your Spanish isn't that good?
LA PLAYA
German couple is looking for a partner to play Canasta; Skat inthe area of Sosúa. E-Mail doktorkatz53@ gmail.com
Sudoku No. 409
Do you want to renew or apply for a RESIDENCIA?
Birds for sale by breeder: Budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds, finchen and more. Contact Andrea: 809-4628140 or bummi47@yahoo.com
LA PLAYA office in Sosúa at the Beach Way Plaza Mon. - Fri. 1- 4:30 p.m.
PRESS DATE FOR ISSUE 208 (4th of OCTOBER 2017) 26th of SEPTEMBER 2017