LA VEGA.— Residents of the El Quemado community protested this Monday in front of the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) to demand the construction of their streets, denouncing years of unfulfilled promises and a systematic exclusion from the public investment agenda in basic infrastructure.
The demonstration, comprised mostly of senior citizens, delivered a clear message: the lack of paved streets is not just a mobility problem, but a direct factor in the decline of property values, quality of life, and home safety. Dust in the dry season and mud during the rainy season, constant damage to vehicles, and frequent accidents are part of daily life for this community in La Vega.
Unfulfilled promises due to alleged lack of resources:
The residents warned that they will maintain monthly protests and ongoing actions until they are heard by President Luis Abinader and the Minister of Public Works, Eduardo Estrella, while also stating that in La Vega, “there are no authorities who address their demands.”
The community rejected the argument of a lack of budget and recalled that the Dominican State has multiple financing mechanisms, including loans from multilateral organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), intended precisely for infrastructure and urban development works.
Urban planning impact
“If there are resources for large projects, there should also be resources for El Quemado; our street is our subway,” they expressed, in a comparison that summarizes an uncomfortable truth: for many communities, a paved street represents the minimum access to urban dignity.
For the real estate sector, the situation in El Quemado highlights a structural reality: without road infrastructure, there can be no sustainable urban development. Streets not only connect communities, but they also maintain land value, protect housing investments, and determine the inclusion of neighborhoods in the economic growth of cities.
