Dominican republic.- U.S. Marines and Sailors from the Cooperation Marine Air-Ground Task Force recently visited the Dominican Republic for two days where they carried out joint training exercises with members of the anti-narcotics unit of the Dominican Air Force, the U.S. military website DVIDSnet reports.

It said the two forces worked on weapons training, night-vision goggle familiarization, patrolling, military operations in urban areas, combat lifesaver techniques, a Marine-Corps martial arts program and finally a ‘heli-borne airfield assault’.

Marine captain Nelson Candelario is reported to have said that the benefits of such exercises are ‘tangible and apparent’ to both the Americans and the Dominicans. The latter receive invaluable training in tactics, techniques and procedures which will aid them greatly in future military and law-enforcement operations. As for the Marines, Candelario said that it gave them some perspective on their own exceedingly high levels of professionalism and expertise.

Parachutist Major Eddy Reyes Concepción, DEPROSER commanding officer spoke of how the joint training will enhance the new unit’s ability to fight the war against drug trafficking. “This training benefits us in that we learn new techniques for combating drugs. This knowledge will be put into practice when we are conducting operations,” he said. “Now we will have better results in the fight against drug trafficking and the emerging threats that we are facing every day.”

The Marines are in the region as part of a Southern Partnership Station-Amphib, a mission that nurtures cooperation with Partner nations of the US in the Caribbean and Central American regions, said the report. Candelario said the relationship building and military training operations are conducive to productive interaction between the Marines and their foreign counterparts. He said that the exercises would pave the way for similar events in the future.

Sgt. Brandon Price, SCMAGTF Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructor said ‘it was an honor to learn about different cultures by working with the Dominicans’ and remarked on their willingness to learn, “They were receptive and eager to learn. They’re like sponges, pay attention and are totally focused,” he said. He affirmed that despite the language barrier they were easily able to form a camaraderie, states the website. The Dominicans are reported to have shown a great enthusiasm for the exercises and to have thoroughly enjoyed them. Corporal Parachutist Yeurys Gonzales Matos also adds that he had made new friends during the exchange.

But according to the website Candelario said that the marines also learnt something from the event and that by training with different nations they are able to evaluate and sharpen their own techniques. “Gaining different perspectives betters the individual Marine’s ability to overcome obstacles they encounter during the course of operations.” said the captain. “These events are an excellent way for us to gain valuable training because it allows us to determine what we need to change or improve because it is outdated and no longer effective. It helps us figure out what is current and relevant in today’s operational environment,” he said. “Often times we are using techniques the U.S. forces no longer use because they have developed more effective techniques. Events like this allow us to learn and also benefit from those more effective techniques.”

According to the report Concepcion said joint training opportunities help guarantee his airmen are ready to respond at a moment’s notice. “My men are committed to their mission 24/7 and they get the best results. They are willing to engage in operations regardless of time or place; they are always ready.”

But to LCpl. Corey Armstrong, who coached M16 range, the event was deeper than just the tangible act of training together – he said he wanted to make an impact on the Dominicans, “When we leave, I hope we leave them with the impression Marines are very professional and well-trained – we want it to mean something to them.”

President Leonel Fernandez left for Portugal to attend the Nineteenth Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and of Government that will begin next Monday in Estoril, providing a platform for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations to discuss innovation, the global financial crisis and climate change.

Previous to his participation in the summit, Fernandez will make a 24 hours stopover in Madrid, Spain, where he will hold important private meetings. The Dominican president will also attend a breakfast hosted by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos, and the president of the Spanish government, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Spain has said it is “willing” to help reducing tensions between Venezuela and Colombia, which are at odds about the use of Colombian military bases by US troops, confirmed on Friday sources of the Spanish government, some days before Hugo Chavez and Alvaro Uribe attend a meeting in Portugal.

Cuba will be leading with eight cinematographic posters of a never-forgotten style during the Havana film festival which will have 17 posters on display from a total of six participating countries, a report said.

The exhibition-cum-festival, to be held Dec 3-13, will show these works and also attract the audience to the movie theatres.

Venezuela with three posters, Brazil and Argentina with two each and the Dominican Republic and Colombia with one each will follow Cuba.

Cuba’s participation with the maximum number of works can be explained by its graphic tradition that has been related to its film production since the Cinematographic Art and Industry Institute was established in the ’60s, the report said Friday.

A look at the list of participants shows the increasing number of women in designing such posters as well as in directing and producing the audio-visual works

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Santiago, train whose studies are the responsibility of the Transit Reform Office (Opret), would transport 142,000 tons of freight and 46,000 passengers daily.

Opret Assistant director Leonel Carrasco, who presented the railway’s first blueprints to industrialists, engineers and other professionals grouped in the guild (Codia), said the project takes into account the research conducted for the second Metro Line at the subdivision Los Alcarrizos, where he said a transfer station would be built. “The Santo Domingo-Santiago train is part of the territorial transport reordering program at the national level.”

The official said the stations would be built at the exits to the cities Moca, Constanza, San Francisco, Villa Altagracia and San Cristóbal, among others, and that the Opret also conducted another study on the freight on the Duarte highway relating to all the towns along the way, to protect it from damages.

He said the 126 kilometer route includes construction of two tunnels next to La Vega, several steel bridges, viaducts, stations and terminals in several industrial parks; a 220 km/h cruise speed and a maximum of 250 km/h.

Carrasco added that the project would be built with private investment, via concession.

The Dajabon Inter-institutional Committee, the Our Lady del Rosario Parish, Radio Marién, Border Solidarity (SF) and other community organizations today announced a “rally for the market,” on the lands where the work is being built.

The groups’ spokesman Jesuit priest David Pantaleón said the activity to start at 6 p.m. is to demand the expansion and completion of the cross-border market’s infrastructure.

He said the Dominican Government had pledged to matching funds for the European Union’s donation of more than 40 million euros for the structure, which includes new Customs and Migration offices, and will boost commerce for the medium and small Dominican and Haitian vendors

The prelate said despite that senior Government officials had announced the conclusion for March, 2008, almost two years later only the highway which links Ouanamenthe with Cape Haitian is finished, whereas the structure to house the market, the Dominican Customs and Immigration offices continues as a “steel skeleton” erected on the land adjacent to the Masacre River more than one year ago.

“Open the door, Open the door the Dajabón market is on the streets/waiting for construction to finish quick,” says the song intoned by Pantaleón in the church.

The market’s importance for cross border trade

With per capita income of barely 450 dollars per year, one tenth of what Dominicans make, Haiti buys 10 percent of Dominican exports, which led the priest Guillermo Perdomo, director of Radio Marién, to quote United States embassy Commercial attaché Christopher Lambert, who said “it’s necessary that the income of Haiti improves, which will result as a benefit for Dominican production.”

The Industry and Commerce Ministry (SEIC) posted lower prices on gasoline, avtur and kerosene, whereas those of diesel and propane gas remain unchanged.

For the week from November 28 to December 4 a gallon of premium gasoline will cost RD$159.80, or RD$1.00 less and regular RD$149.60, also RD$1.00 less.

Avtur will sell for RD$102.60 per gallon, for a reduction of RD$1.00, and kerosene will cost RD$119.40, or RD$1.00 less per gallon.

Prices on regular and premium diesel are unchanged at RD$ 127.30 and RD$132.30 per gallon, as well as propane gas at RD$72.29 per gallon.