Dominican Consulate in NY Highlights Dominican Values Abroad in its Own Newspaper Consulado RD

Dominican Consulate in NY Highlights Dominican Values Abroad in its Own Newspaper Consulado RD
New York, United States 21/Sept/2013

The Consulate General of the Dominican Republic in this city put a newspaper into circulation whose objective is to publicize the activities it carries out and publish articles and information that highlight different aspects of the values of the Dominican community in this country and abroad.

…highlights the appointment of Dominican Thomas Perez as the Secretary of Labor of the United States by President Barack Obama and the achievements of Dominicans who have promoted and preserved their culture, music and art and have attained important positions in both the public and private sectors of this nation.

Consulado RD, the voice of the Dominican Consulate whose jurisdiction covers the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, highlights on the front page of its first edition the opening of the Window on Health and President Danilo Medina’s announcement that Pawa Dominicana and Santa Barbara airlines will soon cover routes between the Dominican Republic, New York and the Caribbean.

It also highlights the appointment of Dominican Thomas Perez as the Secretary of Labor of the United States by President Barack Obama and the achievements of Dominicans who have promoted and preserved their culture, music and art and have attained important positions in both the public and private sectors of this nation.

In its editorial, Consulado RD says, “the Duarte bicentennial celebration as well as the War of Restoration that restored our sovereignty, invite us, as expressed by our president Danilo Medina, to join in the search for new opportunities for improvement in the defense of our patriotic interests, and in the pursuit of our desires to excel.

The newspaper is produced by the Department of Press and Public Relations and it contains a message to Dominicans from Consul Felix Antonio Martinez in which he states that “we work to represent you and serve you with dignity, respect and efficiency.”

He adds that “we strive to support cultural organizations that promote our history and culture for generations of Dominicans born outside our country and we do our work in a framework of principles that are a point of pride for our citizens.”

Consulado RD was presented to more than a hundred Dominicans as part of the work of the New York Literacy Board and the National Literacy Plan Quisqueya Aprende Contigo [Quisqueya Learns with You], and it will be distributed in the sectors most populated by Dominicans in this city.

Those present at the event held in the main hall of the Consulate, located at 501 Broadway in Manhattan, offered congratulatory messages on the newspaper’s launch, as in the case of the president of the Duarte Institute in the United States, Cesar Romero, who said that “this publication fills a huge void in the Dominican community’s need for information.”

One of the articles offers biographical information and the achievements of Dr. Mario J. Garcia, chief of the Cardiology Division at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Heart Care and Vascular Care.

It also features the life and work of prominent Dominican pianist and composer Rafael Enrique “Bullumba” Landestoy. It published an article on the origin, use and evolution of the Dominican Republic’s flag written by John Sheppard, director of the local office of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo.

Coordinators of Parents’ Educational Boards and New York Elected Officials Join the National Literacy Plan “Quisqueya Learns with You”

Coordinators of Parents’ Educational Boards, community activists and elected officials announced their involvement and support for the National Literacy Plan “Quisqueya Learns with You,” during a meeting led by Consul General Félix Antonio Martínez, president of the Board that is implementing the plan to teach reading and writing.

Martínez explained to those attending the breakfast meeting that while they have been distributing forms for facilitators and for reading class registrations, the Consulate has been receiving calls from Dominicans and also from Mexicans, Ecuadorians and people of other nationalities. “No matter the number of people that make up the core teaching staff or the places where the classes can be given. The literacy program is not static; rather it is being built on a daily basis,” Martinez said while highlighting the willingness of facilitators who are concerned about the need for their fellow citizens to learn to read and write.

He praised Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina for his efforts to achieve, in the shortest time possible, that there are no citizens who are unable to read and write, adding “We want the same for the Dominicans living in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Miami and other cities and states of the United States.” Martinez maintains that the President “wants to resolve the situation of our educational system during his four-year administration by building new classrooms to hold extended classes and teaching Dominicans who, for one reason or another, did not have a chance to go to school.”

Among those attending the activity held at Restaurant 809 on Dyckman Street in Washington Heights were councilpersons Ydanis Rodríguez and Robert Jackson; state assemblywoman Gabriela Rosa; overseas representative Rubén Luna; former consul Francisco Fernández; Rebeca Calisea representing School District 6, Superintendent Elsa Núñez and Mayra Cruz of the Teachers’ Union of District 6.

Also present were Hostos Community College Dean Ana Garcia; Assistant to Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat Dr. Nurys D’Oleo; Miriam Aristy from Community Board Six; and Parents’ Educational Board Coordinators Nelson Rojas, Noemí Brito, Chari Betances, Magui Vélez, Cecilia Anglero, Yoli Sánchez, Yudelka Valdez, Sonia Rijo and Roberto de la Rosa, from the schools Juan Pablo Duarte (PS 132); Intermediate School IS 528, City College, 143, 324; IS 319 and 4, among others, as well as Mayra Peña.

Assemblywoman Rosa and councilwoman Rodriguez offered space in their respective offices for giving classes, while Dominican Revolutionary Party overseas representative Rubén Luna said he was “very pleased to be part of this valuable group, because for the first time Dominican authorities are taking us into account, particularly President Danilo Medina who is doing a good job and even though he is in the other party, I admire him and you.”

Present at the breakfast hosted by Emblem Health Insurance Company CEO Yudith Amaro were members of New York Literacy Plan Board, including Carmen Rojas.

Former consul Francisco Fernández of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD in Spanish) and party leader Leonardo Gil of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC) both announced that their premises were also available to hold literacy class groups.

Martinez explained that this is not an attempt to politicize the Plan; rather it is about involving all the political parties that voluntarily demonstrated interest. He emphasized that there are many party leaders who have joined or supported the National Literacy Plan Quisqueya Learns with You, some of them as members of the Board in New York such as representative Alfredo Rodriguez of the PLD.

Consul Martínez concluded by thanking the Coordinators of Parents’ Educational Boards and the community activists for their willingness to participate in the Plan.