SANTO DOMINGO. – President Luis Abinader initiated a new phase of changes within the government with the appointment of new heads of the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (Intrant) , the Emergency Operations Center (COE) , and Civil Defense, as part of a reorganization process across various areas of the public administration.
By means of Decree 551-26, the president appointed retired Major General Juan Manuel Méndez García as the new executive director of the INTRANT), replacing Milton Morrison, who resigned. Méndez García, who for years headed the Emergency Operations Center, will now lead one of the institutions responsible for the regulation, planning, and management of traffic and land transportation in the country.
As part of the reshuffle, Erdwin Robert Olivares Luciano was appointed director of the Emergency Operations Center (COE). Olivares Luciano had served as deputy director of operations for that institution since February 2010, and thus comes to the directorship with extensive experience within the agency responsible for coordinating the national response to emergencies and disasters.
The decree also appoints Carlos Manuel Paulino Cárdenas as executive director of Civil Defense, following the resignation of Juan Cesario Salas Rosario. Salas Rosario was appointed by the Executive Branch as an honorary advisor on Civil Defense matters, thus remaining involved in policies and strategies related to the protection and assistance of the population.
These moves mark the beginning of a series of changes in various government institutions under President Abinader. Further appointments and replacements will continue throughout the afternoon of Sunday, August 16, and Monday, August 17, as part of the adjustments being made by the Executive Branch in different areas of public administration.
