COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR FAA OFFICIALS DANIEL D.

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001355 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR OTRA DR SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR FAA OFFICIALS DANIEL D. CASTRO AND JOAQUIN OCHOA ¶1. US Embassy Santo Domingo welcomes and grants country clearance to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards Services Inspectors Daniel D. Castro and Joaquin Ochoa to travel to Santo Domingo from June 11 to 15, 2007. The purpose of this visit is to conduct surveillance of U.S. registered aircraft jointly with the Dominican civil aviation authority, Instituto Dominicano de Aviacion Civil (IDAC). -------------- ¶2. Assistance -------------- Per REFTEL, no Embassy assistance is required. -------------- ¶3. U.S. Embassy Point of Contact: -------------- Economic Officer Stephen Wheeler will serve as Point of Contact for this visit. Mr. Wheeler can be reached at (809)731-4395 during office hours. In case of an emergency during visit, including medical, please contact the US Embassy Post One at (809) 221-2171, extension 4398. -------------- ¶4. Clearances -------------- Post is aware of Secret Security Clearance held by visitors. -------------- ¶5. Travel Documents: -------------- All official visitors are encouraged to enter the Dominican Republic on valid passports, with valid visas. If a visa cannot be obtained before entry into the Dominican Republic, a 30-day visa can be purchased for USD 10.00 in the airport terminal upon arrival. A USD 20.00 airport departure tax is charged to all non-residents leaving the country. Many US carriers include this tax in the ticket price, so please consult your ticket agent. -------------- ¶6. Monetary Exchange: -------------- Embassy does not recommend use of local ATM machines, accordingly visitors are encouraged to bring sufficient cash, traveler's checks or credit cards for their needs. Although many merchants in the Dominican Republic generally do not accept US currency as payment for goods and services, most commercial banks and hotels provide exchange services. Please note that most hotels will calculate the room charges in pesos at their own exchange rate. To be certain that you pay only your advertised dollar rate, travelers should pay their bill in US currency (thereby avoiding currency fluctuations). Banco de Reservas, a Dominican commercial bank, offers check cashing and accommodation exchange services in the Embassy from 0900-1100 and 1200-1545 during official workdays. Official visitors may cash personal checks and can elect to either receive US Dollars or Dominican Pesos. US credit cards, especially Visa and Mastercard, are widely accepted in major cities and tourist areas. -------------- ¶7. Medical Attention: -------------- In late March 2007, the Dominican Minister of Health announced an exacerbation of a Dengue Fever ("bone break fever") epidemic that has already resulted in over 5000 reported cases (Embassy estimates 50,000) and at least 48 deaths in the last 12 months. Hospital authorities confirm an additional spike in the infection rate in the last several weeks. Dengue Fever is a serious viral infection transmitted through the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes. Mosquitoes that transmit Dengue are day biters, with peak biting times during the early morning hours and again from late afternoon to dusk. Post advises travelers to use common sense precautions such as applying a repellent containing DEET or Picaridin during daytime hours and wearing clothing that exposes as little skin as possible. Center for Disease Control (CDC) also reports risk of Malaria in all parts of La Altagracia Province. For more information please go to www.cdc.gov/travel/caribean. In the event medical services from Embassy Health professionals are needed, visitors will be expected to provide a copy of their orders upon receipt of care. In cases of medical emergency, please contact Marine Post One at (809) 221-2171, extension 4398 or (809) 731-4398. -------------- ¶8. Country Threat Assessment: -------------- A) Terrorism: The Dominican Republic is considered a low threat post for terrorism. Embassy is unaware of any terrorist groups operating in the Dominican Republic or of local support for terrorist groups. However, transnational terrorism is a possibility due to a number of factors, some of which include extremely porous borders and a culture of corruption that adversely impacts police and other security agencies. B) Crime: The Dominican Republic is considered a high threat post for crime. Street robberies, pick pocketing, credit card fraud, ATM fraud, burglaries, and theft from vehicles are all common crimes in the Dominican Republic. If you are the victim of a street robbery, do not resist; those who resist are invariably injured, while those who cooperate (e.g., surrender their money) left unharmed. To avoid credit card fraud, avoid credit card while in country to the extent possible. Contact your card provider and advise them what charges you will be making while visiting the Dominican Republic. Keep a close watch over your credit card charges even weeks after leaving the Dominican Republic. Fraudulent charges may not appear until well after you have returned to your place of origin. To avoid ATM fraud, use only ATMs that are located in major hotels, or collocated with banks. Avoid using "carros publicos", the least expensive type of taxi. Many travelers have reported being pick pocketed in these vehicles. Use established taxi services, or hotel taxis, which are considered safe. BULLEN