Playa Laguna Real Estate is located right between Sosua and Cabarete on Highway 5, just up Playa Laguna Road and right next to the famous Playa Laguna Hotel.   Playa Laguna Real Estate has Villas, Condos, Lots, and Rentals available to view today.    We also provide Construction contracting services if you plan to build.   Visit the website today or give us a call at 809-901-3959.   From the USA or canada call us toll free at 1-866-459-5596.    We’d like to make Playa Laguna Real Estate your source for Real Estate in the Dominican Republic.

You dont need to know spanish to live here – most everyone either speaks english, or can point you to the next person who does speak english. There are large communites of folks from Canada, USA. the United Kimgdom, Germany, Russia and France. We will be posting more information soon!

Officials have ordered that cabs be identified by the standard color to regulate the business and ensure passenger safety.

The government has bought a fleet of new yellow Toyota Corollas to be used as taxis in the capital of Santo Domingo and the northern city of Santiago. Several banks and a state institution issued a $129 million loan to buy the cars. They start circulating Wednesday.

Taxi drivers have the option of painting their current cab yellow or buying one of the new ones and receiving a tax break.

The government said Friday it also plans to certify drivers.

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Ultimate Escapes, one of the world’s largest destination clubs, has finalized a reciprocity partnership agreement with Villa Castellamonte del Mare, an exclusive five-star ultra-luxury villa in the Dominican Republic. Through this strategic partnership, Ultimate Escapes members will have exclusive reciprocity access to this magnificent 15,000 sq. ft., fully-staffed villa located high atop a sea cliff in Cabrera, within the prestigious gated community of Orchid Bay Estates, on the Dominican Republic’s beautiful North Coast. Villa Castellamonte owners will also have reciprocal privileges to enjoy Ultimate Escapes’ fabulous residences in 45 resort destinations.

Villa Castellamonte del Mare, or “little castle on the hill by the sea,” has a unique beachfront location with sweeping 220-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean and access to every luxury service and amenity the North Coast of the Dominican Republic has to offer. Villa Castellamonte is the most recent partner to participate in the Ultimate Escapes Reciprocity Program, which permits affiliated developers and owners in participating five-star resorts to commit weeks of use of their luxury residence in return for similar access to Ultimate Escapes’ destinations.

“We are excited to add yet another spectacular partner resort to the Ultimate Escapes Reciprocity Program,” states Jim Tousignant, CEO of Ultimate Escapes. “Partnerships such as Villa Castellamonte enhance the choice of destinations and residences available to our members, and additionally provide our partners with a great benefit for their owners.”

Designed to evoke “Tuscany in the Caribbean,” Villa Castellamonte provides the ideal setting for romantic destination weddings, large family gatherings or corporate retreats. A full-time staff of butlers, chef, maids, laundresses, gardeners and security and maintenance professionals ensure every detail is handled. The expansive property accommodates up to 16 adults and features eight air-conditioned suites with en suite bathrooms, hand-painted frescos and murals, state-of-the-art audio-video systems, custom-designed gaming tables (billiards, poker, shuffleboard, foosball and more) and a fully equipped fitness center. Spacious terraces directly overlook the private pool, the manicured tropical gardens and the Atlantic Ocean.

Outside, the “zero-entry” swimming pool has a sunning peninsula, swim-through tunnel and diving rock. Additionally the property includes a PGA-quality, four-hole putting and chipping green (a full game can be enjoyed at the nearby Playa Grande Golf Course) and a special spa kiosk where guests can enjoy top-of-the-line spa treatments. Within the town of Cabrera, Villa Castellamonte is conveniently located near popular tourist destinations such as Cabarete, Sosua, Puerto Plata and Samana Bay.

“We are confident Ultimate Escapes’ members will thoroughly enjoy access to Villa Castellamonte and our owners will love the flexibility and variety of Ultimate’s portfolio of other beautiful homes in 45 resort destinations,” states Jason Matthews, managing partner of Luxury Villa Collections, the owner of Villa Castellamonte. “We look forward to this being a very successful partnership for both parties.”

About Villa Castellamonte

Built in 2001, Villa Castellamonte is a private, 15,000 sq. ft., eight-bedroom / 10-bath, fully staffed ultra-luxury vacation villa destination located on the unspoiled, pristine north coast of the Dominican Republic near the town of Cabrera. Seen on MSNBC’s “On the Money” and cited by Fodor’s Guide as a Fodor’s Choice destination, Villa Castellamonte provides exclusive luxury vacation rentals throughout the year. Villa Castellamonte may be contacted at 866-VILLA10 (Int’l 1-610-429-9616), or found on the web at leading luxury villa rental listing sites worldwide or at http://www.villacastellamonte.com/.

> About Ultimate Escapes[R]

Founded in 2004, Ultimate Escapes is the largest luxury destination club as measured by number of club destinations, and the second-largest destination club as measured by number of members. Ultimate Escapes offers members flexible access to a growing collection of hundreds of multi-million dollar private residences and luxury hotels in more than 150 global club and affiliate destinations. Locations range from chic urban apartments to charming beach cottages, spacious five-bedroom homes to an 80-foot private yacht. Each trip is coordinated by experienced, knowledgeable staff, trained to handle every vacation detail. Additional information about Ultimate Escapes and its club and membership offerings can be found at http://www.ultimateescapes.com/.

Should JetBlue receive this authority, it plans to launch a non-stop daily service from New York JFK to Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta Cana on 6 May 2010 and a non-stop weekly service, operating on Saturdays, from Boston to Punta Cana on 8 May 2010.

Both services will be operated using 150-seat Airbus A320 aircraft.

FREMONT, Calif. — Purfresh, a provider of clean technologies that purify, protect, and preserve our food and water, today announced that Purshade®, a family of unique products scientifically engineered to protect fruits, vegetables, and other crops from harmful solar stress, is now available through Agroasa in the Dominican Republic. Depending on the commodity, the region, and the seasonal climate, growers may lose between 20–40 percent of their crop to solar damage. With the protection of Purshade, growers have experienced increases in biomass production and improvements in crop quality characteristics, including size, color, and weight, resulting in fewer culls, and higher-quality, higher-value crops.

“Organic and conventional growers have been looking for an effective, easy to use product to reduce losses from solar-related damage and enhance harvest value,” said Mr. Tom Justmann, general manager, plant health group for Purfresh, Inc. “The results of worldwide trials and research studies validate that Purshade can be a valuable tool to help growers improve their returns and compete more effectively in today’s global fresh produce market.”

According to replicated field trials and research studies, improvements in plant health associated with Purshade’s reduction of solar stress were an important factor in increasing the productivity and the quality of a broad range of crops grown around the world. In the Dominican Republic, banana, avocado, and pineapple growers have experienced significant improvements in fruit quality along with increases in marketable yield with the use of the Purshade solar protectant.

“We have built a strong reputation for providing the highest quality crop protectants to growers throughout the country,” said Mr. Abel Lopez, manager of Agroasa. “Purshade plays a significant role in helping our growers optimize the value of each and every acre by maintaining quality and reducing costly solar damage.”

Purshade was scientifically engineered to provide superior protection against the damaging effects of solar stress. Based on patent-pending Advanced Reflectance Technology™ (ART™), Purshade reflects harmful wavelengths of solar radiation such as ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR), while allowing transmission of sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis. Laboratory results show Purshade reflects as much as 85–95 percent of harmful UV radiation, and has been shown to keep plant surfaces 3–6 degrees Celsius cooler than untreated plants.

Mr. Pedro Castillo, an avocado grower in the Dominican Republic stated, “With Purshade, we’ve been able to protect our crops from the damaging effects of UV and IR radiation, resulting in high quality avocados. Purshade’s superior coverage and ease of use has allowed us to eliminate the labor intensive bagging process and utilize our time and labor more effectively.”

The Purshade family of products includes a formulation for use on conventional crops as well as a formulation that is approved for organic production by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) of the United States of America and the Institute for Marketecology (IMO). The liquid formulations are easy to mix, can be applied with standard spray equipment, and provide for easy wash off.

About Purfresh, Inc.

Purfresh offers a range of clean technology solutions that purify, protect, and preserve our food and water. Purfresh’s innovative crop applications, food wash systems and cold chain technologies effectively safeguard fresh produce before and after harvest. Our water technologies purify and disinfect bottled, pharmaceutical and consumer products. Today, customers in 42 countries rely on Purfresh to boost yields, control costs, and improve the safety and quality of their products, including Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Safeway, Orchard View Farms, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit www.purfresh.com.

NASA is sending a radar-equipped jet to Haiti to make 3-D maps of the deformation caused by the magnitude 7 earthquake on Jan. 21 and multiple aftershocks that continue to occur.

The Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar, or UAVSAR, was already scheduled to head to South America aboard a modified Gulfstream III to study volcanoes, forests and Mayan ruins. NASA added the island of Hisapaniola to the itinerary to help study faults in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

“UAVSAR will allow us to image deformations of Earth’s surface and other changes associated with post-Haiti earthquake geologic processes, such as aftershocks, earthquakes that might be triggered by the main earthquake farther down the fault line, and the potential for landslides,” JPL’s Paul Lundgren, the principal investigator for the Hispaniola overflights, said in a press release Wednesday.

“Because of Hispaniola’s complex tectonic setting, there is an interest in determining if the earthquake in Haiti might trigger other earthquakes at some unknown point in the future,” Lundgren said, “either along adjacent sections of the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault that was responsible for the main earthquake, or on other faults in northern Hispaniola, such as the Septentrional fault.”

uavsarThe UAVSAR, which left NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., on Jan. 25, will flyover Hispaniola multiple times this week and again in early February.

Since November 2009, the radar has been mapping the San Andreas and other major faults in California. The 3-D data will help scientists better understand the state’s seismic risk.

UAVSAR works by sending microwaves to the ground from a pod under the aircraft flying at about 41,000 feet and recording the return signal. The differences in the times it takes waves to return from points on the ground to the plane gives information about the topography. By hitting the same target from different angles as the plane flighs overhead, a 3-D image can be made. Very precise details about ground motion can be calculated by flying over the same area later, giving scientists information about strain buildup on a fault.

The Hispaniola data will be made public in a few weeks. The Dominican Republic flyovers could help scientists understand future earthquakes on the Septrional fault.

“The 52 exquisite Founder Residences are moving along at a rapid pace most recently reaching the rooflines,” stated Luis Jose Asilis, CEO of Group Metro. “The 18-hole Greg Norman Signature Golf Course is also progressing at a steady pace. The irrigation system has already been completed for the first nine holes and we expect them to be ready for grassing before the end of the year,” he added.

Spanning 580 acres along the coastline of Juan Dolio Beach, just twenty minutes from the Santo Domingo International Airport, Costa Blanca is a billion dollar development that will encompass luxurious residential homes, retail, a full-scale marina, an 18-hole Greg Norman Signature Golf Course, and other sporting components. The private golf clubhouse will feature the Hole 19 Bar, fine dining restaurant, cigar lounge, pro shop, and more.

The General Manager of Banreservas, Daniel Toribio, confirmed that by approving this loan their Board of Directors is committed to the growth of the real estate market in the Dominican Republic. More specifically in the tourist areas, and therefore they are pleased to partner with Group Metro, a respected company in the real estate and construction industries, to complete the first phase of Costa Blanca in Juan Dolio.

The Founder Residences have enjoyed tremendous success, with 45 of the 52 Villas already sold. Residents of the Founders are part of the exclusive Founder’s Club, which presents numerous benefits. The Founder’s Club package includes a luxurious 4,500 sq. ft. private villa with golf, bay or marina views, as well as two condominiums, a private boat slip in the marina, and membership to the prestigious golf club. Members will also enjoy VIP treatment in addition to various properties and onsite amenities.

About Group Metro

Group Metro has established a formidable international reputation throughout its four decades of experience in transportation, tourism and real estate. From its landmark property, Metro Country Club, to the oceanfront condominium developments of Costa del Sol, Marbella, Costa Blanca and Las Olas, Group Metro is the definitive company for real estate and tourism in the Dominican Republic. Led by CEO, Dr. Luis Jose Asilis, the company has played an integral role in putting the Dominican Republic on the map as a top Caribbean destination. Please visit www.groupmetro.com, www.metrocountry.com or www.costablanca.com.do.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Recent rock sampling from Los Comios project returns values up to 5.37 g/t Au from silicified sedimentary rocks;

- Los Comios district continues to develop as new areas of mineralisation and alteration are discovered; and

- GoldQuest will be presenting at the AGORACOM Online Gold & Commodities Conference.

Alistair Waddell, President & CEO of GoldQuest, commented, “We are extremely encouraged at the latest results which continue to expand the Los Comios district. We believe the scale and nature of the alteration is indicative of porphyry type environment and the Company will continue to explore the district in greater detail”.

LOS COMIOS PROJECT: GoldQuest has completed follow up of several zones of alteration discovered on its 100% owned Los Comios project described in the news release dated October 7, 2009. The principal target called Los Lechones is focused on a gold-molybdenum ridge-and-spur soil anomaly that consists of a continuous line of 11 samples taken at twenty-five meter intervals with an average grade of 0.22 g/t Au and 9.31 ppm Mo. These samples were taken as part of a programme that comprised of 178 samples. The line of anomalous soil samples obliquely traverses a zone of silicified, brecciated sediments that have been geologically mapped over an area of approximately 800 by 120 meters. Recent rock chip sampling from this zone has returned values up to 5.37 g/t Au from intensely silicified sediments which are interpreted to be limestones. From a programme consisting of 50 rock samples the average grade returned 0.26 g/t Au and 17.6 ppm Mo from either silicified sediments or the juxtaposing silicified andesitic volcanics. One sub-crop sample of silicified, laminated sediment taken from a separate zone 850 meters further to the northwest of Los Lechones returned 0.67 g/t Au.

The second zone of alteration called La Guamita is located 1.8 km to the south east of Los Lechones and occurs at a contact between andesitic volcanic rocks and a diorite intrusion with approximate dimensions of 300 by 200 meters. The La Guamita zone has disseminated pyrite with intense quartz-sericite alteration with eight rock samples from this zone returning values between 0.11 and 0.37 g/t Au from a programme comprising of 47 samples. A third zone of intense alteration discovered approximately 1 km to the north of La Guamita did not return any significant sample values.

The Los Lechones and La Guamita zones are located approximately five kilometres northwest of the Los Comios copper-gold anomaly previously described in a Company news release dated August 5, 2009. The gold-copper anomaly has been defined by 330 rock and float samples with 118 returning values greater than 0.1% copper including 59 greater than 1% copper and 6 greater than 10% copper with a maximum value of 34.6%. Rock float samples have returned values up to 17.0 g/t gold and 1.3% zinc. The strongest mineralized samples originate from either side of a large topographic high which is coincidental with a strong positive airborne magnetic anomaly located east of the Los Lechones and La Guamita zones. The Company intends to complete a more focused exploration programme to systematically explore the greater Los Comios district in further detail and believes the area has the potential to host porphyry style mineralisation.

The Company continues to prioritise, critically review and explore the portfolio of gold and copper targets including those that were formally part of the Gold Fields funded joint venture.

AGORACOM Online Gold & Commodities Conference: GoldQuest is pleased to announce it has been invited to present in the first ever AGORACOM Online Gold & Commodities Conference ( http://agoracom.com/conferences ) on December 3rd and 4th, 2009. Presenting companies are limited to a maximum of 50 and selected by invitation only in order to maintain a high standard of quality for attending investors. Presenting companies will be active in industries that include precious metals, base metals, rare metals, oil & gas and clean energy technologies. Keynote Speakers at the conference are Peter Grandich, Barry Ritholtz, Paul Kedrosky, Eric Coffin, Jean-Francois Tardif and Gregor Macdonald.

CONFERENCE DETAILS

WHERE:           Online -  http://agoracom.com/conferences
WHEN:            December 3rd and 4th, 2009
PRESENTATION:    Please see schedule ( http://bit.ly/AGconfsched ) for
                 our exact presentation time on each day
REGISTRATION:    Investors Register for free
                 ( http://agoracom.com/conferences )
                 using form in right hand column of any page
FORMAT:          15-minute presentation followed by live Q&A
                 in monitored HUB
TECH REQUIRED:   Your web browser

About PriceSmart

PriceSmart, headquartered in San Diego, owns and operates U.S.-style membership shopping warehouse clubs in Central America and the Caribbean, selling high quality merchandise at low prices to PriceSmart members. PriceSmart now operates 26 warehouse clubs in 11 countries and one U.S. territory (five in Costa Rica; four in Panama; three each in Guatemala and Trinidad, two each in Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Honduras; and one each in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Nicaragua and the United States Virgin Islands).

This press release may contain forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s anticipated future revenues and earnings, adequacy of future cash flow and related matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements containing the words “expect,” “believe,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “project,” “estimate,” “scheduled,” and like expressions, and the negative thereof. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the following risks: the Company’s financial performance is dependent on international operations which exposes the Company to various risks; any failure by the Company to manage its widely dispersed operations could adversely affect the Company’s business; the Company faces significant competition; the Company faces difficulties in the shipment of and inherent risks in the importation of merchandise to its warehouse clubs; the Company is exposed to weather and other risks associated with international operations; declines in the economies of the countries in which the Company operates its warehouse clubs would harm its business; a few of the Company’s stockholders own nearly one-half of the Company’s voting stock, which may make it difficult to complete some corporate transactions without their support and may impede a change in control; the loss of key personnel could harm the Company’s business; the Company is subject to volatility in foreign currency exchange; the Company faces the risk of exposure to product liability claims, a product recall and adverse publicity; a determination that the Company’s long-lived or intangible assets have been impaired could adversely affect the Company’s future results of operations and financial position; and the Company faces increased compliance risks associated with compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; as well as the other risks detailed in the Company’s SEC reports, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on November 9, 2009. We assume no obligation and expressly disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this presentation or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

For further information, please contact: Robert E. Price Chief Executive Officer (858) 551-2336 John M. Heffner Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (858) 404-8826

The live in-progress REAL TIME casino table action that allows gambling enthusiasts to play along with casino table games without actually having to be at the casino, will serve to DEMONSTRATE and MARKET to the more than 2,000 casinos, within the borders, in the fifty-one (51) European and Asian industrial countries in which Kenilworth enjoys patent protection.

Kenilworth, pursuant to an exclusive Test Simulcast Agreement with the Dominican Republic Government and their casino Regulators extending over six (6) months (the test period), will begin global simulcast online (Internet) broadcasts from a Roulette table located in the Sosua Grand Casino that held its grand opening on October 24, 2009. The casino is now the centerpiece in the Sosua Bay Resort at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, the largest and most populated Caribbean Nation.

For now, with a special interface, U.S. and foreign viewers may play along with the table players, FOR FUN, by logging onto http://www.rlcp.com/ (Remote Live Casino Play) between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time.

In the future, when permitted in the United States, viewers will wager directly on the table game. PricewaterhouseCoopers and others recently estimated that Internet gambling in the U.S. could raise nearly $52-$65 billion in taxable revenue over the next decade (starting early in 2010). Wagers will be limited to the price of a slot machine or VLT (video lottery terminal) handle pull (from one cent ($0.01) and up). With special future promotional efforts to credit net book purchasers for free playtime and ten percent (10%) immediate tax payments to local, state and federal taxing authorities.

In a November 23, 2009 Newsweek statement by Brian Chan, the ban on the implementation of UIGEA will merely cause to reshuffle of payment options. The magazine asserts that as many as five percent (5%) of American adult residents gamble $100 billion annually on virtual (studios) number generated casino table action offered on foreign websites.

The simulcast test is a joint venture project between Caribbean Casino and Gaming Corp. (“Caribbean”). Caribbean is a gaming and entertainment company with headquarters in Bradenton, Florida, the owners of the casino and Kenilworth. The broadcast is a “FIRST” for the gaming industry.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

This report contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may,” “future,” “plan” or “planned,” “will” or “should,” “expected,” “anticipates,” “draft,” “eventually” or “projected.” You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-Q and other filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this report are made as of the date hereof and Kenilworth undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

The 35,200 square meter (378,890 square feet) residential marina project being developed within Cap Cana by Grupo Velutini is to be built in four phases at an estimated total construction cost of approximately US$110 million. The luxury residential community will consist of approximately 300 units, including large waterfront residences and two, three and four-bedroom villas, townhomes and condominiums. In addition, the development will feature approximately 70 private docks for boats and yachts from which sport fishermen have ready access to world-class fishing. Full-scale construction of the first phase of the project, which includes land-leveling work and the building of 11 large, stately waterfront residences and 11 luxury villas, in addition to the development’s basic infrastructure, has already commenced and is expected to be completed in 2011.

“We are very pleased to be associated with Grupo Velutini as we continue to further our efforts of developing our property,” said Ricardo Hazoury. “Cap Cana is synonymous with the finest in world-class hospitality experience, and we are certain that this new real estate development will only enhance that reputation. This announcement serves to strengthen our ongoing efforts of enhancing the overall value of the project by attracting well-respected private developers that bring their own development capabilities, sales distribution networks and capital.”

Puerto Marina at Cap Cana represents the newest addition to Grupo Velutini’s portfolio of master planned community and commercial developments in the Caribbean and Latin America and the luxury project will serve to expand on Cap Cana’s vision of providing real estate products that would appeal to the upper end residential and tourism markets.

“We are very excited to announce the commencement of construction for the first phase of this landmark property. Our announcement is a clear indication of our commitment and confidence in the success of this project,” said Luis Emilio Velutini. “It is the first of its kind within the Cap Cana property and will serve as a building block for other future real estate investment projects within the Dominican Republic.”

Grupo Velutini has appointed Infinity Developers, S.A., a Dominican-based engineering and construction firm, as the main contractor, and Mexican-based GVA & Asociados to carry out the architectural design of the first phase of the project.

About Velutini & Asociados

Based in Venezuela, Velutini & Asociados is a real estate investment and development firm that has earned a strong reputation in the field of planning, construction, sales, and management of master-planned communities and commercial real estate developments in numerous countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.

About Cap Cana

Cap Cana is a 30,000 acre master-planned luxury resort and real estate community located on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. The community is fully operational with championship golf and yachting facilities, a world class hotel, pristine beaches, a variety of dining and retail establishments and numerous other amenities. Since breaking ground in 2002, Cap Cana has invested approximately US$800 million in infrastructure and other improvements and has entered into contracts with aggregate value of approximately US$1.4 billion for the sale of approximately 1,500 units of real estate properties. Throughout this period, Cap Cana has delivered approximately 700 real estate properties to buyers, including retail and developer hotel lots, condominiums and villas. For additional information, visit http://www.capcana.com/ or call 1-809-227-2262.

In addition to offering pure cocoa beans, Marabel Farms offers cocoa powder, cocoa butter, cocoa liquor and cocoa nibs to their customers. The company’s warehouse and office are located in Los Angeles, California, and their farm is located in the Dominican Republic. To find out more about the product or company, please call (800)919-3744 or visit www.marabelfarms. com.

HAVANA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) — Dominican Republic’s President Leonel Fernandez said Thursday that 2010 would see the recovery of the country’s economy and urged all sectors to stand up to challenges, local reports said.

Government stimulus measures were necessary for economic sectors to actively participate in the process of recovery to achieve a sustained economic growth, Fernandez said.

The president said the world economic crisis had affected the expenses of private sectors, fiscal incomes and general welfare of the people in the Caribbean country.

Dominican Republic had managed to keep the stability and mitigate the effects on the economic growth and employment, Fernandez said. “But this was not enough to meet the expectations of governors and people regarding the economic development.”

Experts say Dominican Republic has achieved to alleviate the effects of the global crisis and expect the national economy to grow around 3.5 percent, higher than the original estimation.

In November 2009, Dominican Republic signed an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which in 28 months would lend the country 1.7 billion U.S. dollars to cover the tax collection deficit and boost its economy.

You’ve scrolled through page upon page of hotel listings and now believe every property has the same name and the same inclusions, and you’re completely confused by the offerings.

As you click on yet another results page, you step back and ask, “Do any of these offer the best value for our money and could we be getting more for our vacation dollar?”

If this sounds familiar, stop your endless online searching and focus your efforts to one hotel chain in particular: Bahia Principe Clubs and Resorts.

Located in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, Bahia Principe Clubs and Resorts go hand-in-hand with vacations, value and variety. Offering outstanding properties spread over the most attractive tropical destinations, guests of Bahia Principe will experience first-rate quality and service. Choosing a Bahia as your vacation haven will treat you to:

An exclusive beachfront location that has been completely integrated into the spectacular natural surroundings

A room in a quaint, two- or three-storey building

A wide range of activities and facilities

A 24-hour-a-day all-inclusive system

Located in the exotic Riviera Maya, the Gran Bahia Principe Riviera Maya is the ideal prize for the traveller looking for the perfect balance of on-site activities and off-site excursions.

This sprawling vacation complex enjoys a beachfront location near the magnificent Mayan ruins of Tulum (the only oceanfront ruins in Mexico that are open to the public), a fantastic starting point for both land and water adventures.

Xel-Ha is close by, ideal for snorkellers of all levels and offering an interactive Dolphin Experience where you will be able to see these creatures first-hand in a specially designed natural aquarium. For those who prefer dry adventures, there are many opportunities for zip-lining in Mexico’s lush jungle nearby.

Renowned for its commitment to attentive service, the Bahia stands out for its ability to adapt to the wants and needs of all types of guests, from families and groups to wedding parties, honeymoons and more. And at more than 2,500 rooms, the Gran Bahia Principe Riviera Maya is a sprawling vacation oasis. (Don’t let the room count scare you — the resort is actually three sections combined, named Coba, Tulum and Akumal.)

Combined among the three resorts is a myriad of options, where your biggest worry will be which of the seven mega-sized pools you should lounge at each day. Beyond the pools you will find two pool-side Jacuzzis, a fitness centre, spa and beauty salon (charges do apply and reservations are required), five tennis courts, and a watersports centre equipped with catamarans, windsurfers, boogie boards, kayaks and snorkel and dive equipment.

If this doesn’t sound like enough to keep you amused for a week, there’s also table tennis, volleyball, soccer, a nearby 18-hole golf course, twice-weekly shuttle to Playa Del Carmen and an animation team that organizes games and activities from sunup to sundown.

With 15 restaurants to choose from, dining is anything but boring at the Bahia complex. You will be to select from a range of cuisines including Gourmet International, Seafood, Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean, Mexican and Brazilian. Of course, there’s also buffet style for those who can’t decide on just one type of culinary delight.

Evenings are just as busy as the days at the Gran Bahia Principe Riviera Maya, which offers a total of 22 bars plus an on-site disco and live shows every night.

When you do finally tire of the endless activities, bars and restaurants, a spacious and comfortable room awaits you. No matter what section of the resort your stay is in, your room will offer air-conditioning, mini-bar, TV, in-room safe (charge may apply) and a private balcony or terrace to unwind on.

In addition to a beachfront location, spacious accommodations and all-inclusive meal and activities plan, your vacation prize includes round-trip airfare from Winnipeg Airport to Cancun International Airport and transfers to and from the resort.

Santo Domingo.– The social networking phenomenon is taking over the world country by country and the Dominican Republic is no an exception, with Facebook and Hi5 in its top 10 of most visited websites.

According to Vincenzo Cosenza, the man behind Vincos Blog, focusing on the topics of social networking, social media and photography, Facebook is the most popular social networking site in 100 out of 127 countries, reaching over 350 million users across the planet.

Cosenza recently published an interactive World Map of Social Networks that uses analyzed data from Google Trends for Websites to visually depict the most popular social networks by country.

The map was first published in June 2009, when Facebook had more than 200 million users and was the most popular network in most places in Europe, Canada, Australia and the United States. The updated map shows Facebook’s continuing trend of global domination.

Non-English speaking parts of the world have been “colonized” by the Facebook takeover, and rival social networks such as Orkut (India), Hi5 (Cameroon, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua), Maktoob (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen), Cyworld (South Korea), Lide (Czech Republic) and Skyrock (Guadeloupe and Martinique) have been almost all but replaced by Facebook.

Some regions that have not been taken over include Russia and Kazakhstan (where social network V Kontakte dominates), China (where social network QQ is the market leader), Mongolia, Thailand, Peru, Romania and Portugal (where Hi5 is the dominant social network), and in Brazil and Estonia (where Orkut is the leading social network).

According to Orlando José Ferreira Neto, Embraer Executive Vice President, “the use of the Super Tucano airplanes by the Dominican Air Force will increase the readiness and solidity of the nation’s defense system, by performing patrol missions with the operational efficiency and precision that are already combat proven.”

“The acquisition of these Super Tucano planes, manufactured by Embraer, one of the world’s most prestigious companies, is one more example of the Government’s unshakeable decision to deal with the nation’s vulnerable areas, in order to protect ourselves from the scourge of the drug traffic,” highlighted the Dominican Armed Forces minister Pedro Rafael Peña.