1 August 2003

Half holiday
The Mejía administration confirmed yesterday afternoon the speculation
that the government would declare today, 1 August, a holiday. A legal
holiday had been argued against for the business it would take away,
and for the fact that the Pan Am Games are taking place exclusively in
Santo Domingo, with rare exceptions.
At the last minute, the government announced that today would be a
non-work day as of 12pm, to commemorate the opening of the 14th Pan
American Games. This notification is contained in Decree 719-03. Local
humor says 1 August holiday is in commemoration of the day of San
Hipólito!


Don’t drive, take the bus
Sergio Taveras, director of Tránsito Terrestre, the ground-transport
department of the government, announced yesterday that all trucks are
prohibited from circulating on the following roadways from Friday, 1
August through Sunday, 17 August, from 7am to 7pm.
Av. J.F. Kennedy, from Av. Luperón-Av. Máximo Gómez.
Av.27 de Febrero, from Av. Luperón-Puente Duarte.
Autop. 30 de mayo, from Av. Luperón-Av. W. Churchill.
Av. George Washington (Malecón), Av. W. Churchill-Av. del Puerto.
Av. Máximo Gómez, from Av. Pedro Livio Cedeño-Av. G. Washington.
Av. del Puerto, from Av. Francisco del Rosario Sánchez-Av.G.
Washington.
Likewise, he notifies the general public that vehicular circulation is
restricted on the following roadways:


Máximo Gómez, from JF Kennedy-27 de Febrero. Two lanes, North-South.
27 de Febrero, from Ortega y Gasset-Máximo Gómez. Two lanes, East-West.
JF Kennedy, from Ortega y Gasset-Máximo Gómez. Two lanes. West-East.
Ortega y Gasset, from JF Kennedy-27de Febrero. All lanes closed.
Express circulation open (for buses circulation).
Transit will be closed on all lanes of the Ortega y Gasset (from JF
Kennedy to 27 de Febrero) on Friday, 1 August and Sunday, 17 August.
The ground transport office also alerts that for the duration of the
Pan Am Games, the West-North and East-North turns on 27 de
Febrero-Ortega y Gasset intersection are not allowed. Left turns will
be permitted on Av. 27 de Febrero-Av. Tiradentes; Av. 27 de Febrero-Av.
Abraham Lincoln and Av. JF Kennedy-Av. Tiradentes.
Traffic along Paseo de los Periodistas, in the Ensanche Miraflores,
North-South, is also prohibited for the duration of the Games. The
Press Center is located at the Liceo Panamericano on the same street.


Pan American Games launch tonight
August arrives at last, and with it the culmination of five years of
preparations dogged by uncertainties, readying for this day on which
begin the XIV Pan American Games. Listín Diario is billing the opening
as a ceremony of unprecedented scale, bringing together the top
athletes from all the Americas, Canada to Argentina. After a last
minute rush to complete the multimillion-dollar preparations, the gala
opening will take place today at the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Stadium
in Santo Domingo. The Games are said to have been the most expensive
ever organized.
The Games will start with a 30-minute “pre-show” of folkloric
presentations, just before the main event which is scheduled to begin
at 7pm. On the lost list of performers are: Sonia Xiomara Fortuna and
Roldán (Afro Caribbean music), Sonia Silvestre (magic-religious chant),
Agapito Pascual, Fefita la Grande, El Prodigio (grass roots merengue),
Victor Victor, Zacarías Ferreira, Frank Reyes and Jose Veras (bachata).
These will sing Rafael Solano’s Por Amor in bachata rhythm. Next come
boleros with Maridalia Hernandez and Niní Cáffaro. To be followed by a
closing with merengue stars Milly Quezada, Eddy Herrera and Sergio
Vargas singing, “Ojalá que llueva a café”, the Juan Luís Guerra song.
After a Dominican carnival procession, during which the athletes will
assemble, 42 national delegations will march in alphabetical order,
with Argentina entering first and the Dominican Republic, in its
capacity as host nation, last. World champion hurdler Félix Sánchez
will be the Dominican flag-bearer.
Jacques Rogge, head of the International Olympic Federation, will
attend the inauguration, joining Games organizer José Joaquín Puello,
who is also president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, and Mario
Vazquez Raña, president of the Pan American Sporting Association.
It is reported that baseball star Pedro Martínez has received special
leave from his team, the Boston Red Sox, to take part in the ceremony.
President Mejía will declare the Games open, and at long last the torch
will be lit by Dominican baseball legend Juan Marichal. Listín Diario
columnist Ana Mitila Lora is ambivalent in her commentary this morning.
On one hand, she compares the expenditures for the Games to the
spending habits of the Dominican people, who prioritize luxury
purchases ahead of the essentials. Mitila Lora also observes that the
Dominican Republic is the only “small, poor country with a dismal
income per capita” ever to host the Pan Am Games, and that it is “too
big for us.” Nevertheless, she plans to watch the opening ceremony this
evening with pride.


Feliz Sánchez in 400m and 4x400m
World champion hurdler Félix Sánchez has announced that he will compete
in the 4X400m relay as well as the 400m hurdle race in the Pan American
Games. Sánchez, who arrived in the country yesterday, said that in
addition to this being his first chance to compete in front of his
compatriots, the Games would enable him to prepare for the world
athletics championships in Paris later this month.
“Winning the gold in the Pan American Games and retaining the world
title are my main current ambitions,” said the athlete, known as “Super
Sánchez”. He also declared that he was very proud to have been selected
as the Dominican flag-bearer for the opening ceremony tonight.
Sánchez will go for his medal on the afternoon of Friday, 8 August.
 

Source: http://dr1.com

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