SANTO DOMINGO – Since fifth grade, Roberto Monegro predicted he would become an engineer like his father, Darío Monegro, who has dedicated 50 years to the profession. He believes his own entry into the field may have been due to his father's influence. Nineteen years in the field have led him to affirm that engineering has become his deepest calling.
In light of last Sunday's celebration of "National Engineer's Day", we share an interview with this young engineer from the firm Modern Constructions Modcons SRL.
What does engineering represent in your life?
It's part of my daily life; I use it naturally in all my actions, both at work and in my daily life. Engineering is a development of skills and abilities that, when used with common sense, are capable of solving any situation that arises in the environment.
What contributions do you think this sector makes to the country's economy?
In our real estate development sector, from the hands that conceive the product, those who acquire them, those who develop them, those who supply the materials for their construction, until all these activities reach the point of positively energizing the nation's economic market, from the lowest to the highest income brackets, and directly benefiting the country through the taxes generated by all the aforementioned activities. But most importantly, the projection generated by the city's progress in international markets attracts foreign investment.
At what level would you place Dominican civil engineering?
Our engineering is comprehensive. In every area of engineering, we have excellent professionals who, when they come together for a common project, each fulfill their role, always striving for excellence.
How much do you think engineering has evolved in the country?
We are making progress, but we could achieve greater progress if we could abolish certain obstacles in project approval departments in our country, due to outdated laws that severely limit the evolution of engineering and prevent us from taking on challenges that would allow us to compete in major international markets.
What challenges do you think they currently face in light of the new trend towards sustainable development?
The challenge is this: either we adapt to market demands using techniques and technologies that help us remain competitive in sustainable ways, or we fall behind. In these times, our competition is international, since globalization is readily available to almost every citizen of the world. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges is to interact and reach agreements internally as a country, in order to implement projects that are at the forefront of our times.
Given the rise in construction material costs and the challenges of our times, how do you envision the future?
We have to adapt. I've always said that the world took a double step up overnight with the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, and the biggest thing is that if we stop... we all lose.
The future lies in reinventing ourselves with new ideas, as the world evolves and we must keep pace. The time has come to join forces and together position our precious country to compete internationally at the level these times demand, attracting investments that will revitalize our economy and make us stronger and more sustainable.
In the blink of an eye, we'll be in 2030. That's the future of competition.
