“No government has ever had such an aggressive housing program,” a year after the promise, construction begins on the wall on the border with Haiti, the airport will be expanded and a logistics center will be built in Punta Cana, the government is studying the creation of a trust to increase food production, Guillermo Caram says the Dominican Republic's economy will continue to grow in 2022, more than 300,000 tourists have arrived in the Dominican Republic so far in February, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT) orders the return to in-person classes at universities, Quico Tabar to bankers: “You are not going to drag me into a method that has never worked,” the Central Electoral Board (JCE) extends hours in nine offices, food price increases in the country are reported to reach up to 70% for some products, regulating remote work: a common point in modifications to the Labor Code.
"No government has ever had such an aggressive housing program."
The Happy Family National Housing Plan aims to build 4,000 housing units this year with the participation of the private sector, to improve the quality of life for thousands of Dominicans and reduce the housing deficit, which exceeds one million units. Minister of the Presidency Lisandro Macarrulla, speaking on the Libre program"Diálogo Libre," reported that this is an innovative plan, the first of its kind in the country, and that the government is fully committed to it as a way to level the playing field so that lower-income sectors can access decent housing.
One year after the promise, construction begins on the wall on the border with Haiti
On February 27 of last year, during his accountability speech, President Luis Abinader announced the construction of a border wall that would serve to improve security in the area that divides the Dominican Republic from Haiti.
On that occasion, the president stated that the wall would be built in the second half of 2021; however, even though no reasons were explained, the project was not started. It wasn't until yesterday that the president led the ceremony marking the start of construction on the "smart" border wall, which will consist of 160 kilometers of physical fencing. It will have 170 surveillance and control towers, 71 access gates; the physical fence will consist of a reinforced concrete wall and a metal structure 3.90 meters high.
They will expand the airport and build a logistics center in Punta Cana
President Luis Abinader reiterated his call yesterday for domestic and foreign investors to invest in the Dominican Republic and affirmed that his government will support projects that improve the quality of life for all Dominicans, provided they respect the country's laws and constitution. The president made these statements at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a logistics center and the expansion of the Punta Cana airport, which is expected to be completed in November of this year, according to a press release. The expansion of Terminal B at Punta Cana International Airport will be carried out with an investment of US$80 million and will have the capacity to handle three million passengers.
Government studies creation of a trust to increase food production
In response to the increasing global demand for food and with the aim of contributing to food security in the country, a project is underway to establish a food trust fund to boost the production of at least 20 local products. This is the "Trust Fund for Food Sovereignty and the Recovery of the Agricultural Sector," currently in the study and public consultation phase, which would be established over a 25-year period. The development of this project could help reduce the production costs of basic food items in the country. The trust fund would begin with a project to increase tilapia production because currently more than 90% of the tilapia consumed in the country are imported, according to the project proposal.
Guillermo Caram saystheDominican Republic's economy will continue to grow in 2022
Former Central Bank Governor Guillermo Caram predicted yesterday that the Dominican economy will continue its growth rate in 2022, with a likely even higher rate than that experienced in 2021. Caram stated that there is no possibility of manipulation of the economic figures released by the state agency that properly manages these matters.
More than 300,000 tourists have arrived in the Dominican Republic so far in February
So far in February of this year, the Dominican Republic has received 390,000 tourists, representing a 210% increase compared to February 2021 and a 1% increase compared to the same month in 2019. This information was shared yesterday, Sunday, by the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, on his Twitter account. The official stated that 29,534 foreign tourists arrived in the Dominican Republic on Saturday alone.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT) orders the return to in-person classes atuniversities.
Following President Luis Abinader's announcement on February 16 regarding the lifting of restrictive measures against COVID-19, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Franklin García Fermín, approved the return of universities to in-person classes.
Quico Tabar to bankers: “You are not going to drag me into a method that has never worked.”
The administrator of the National Lottery, Teófilo “Quico” José Tabar Manzur, stated that he will not allow lottery outlet owners to continue using traditional methods to operate their establishments. In a short video circulating on social media, Tabar Manzur is seen holding a meeting with outlet owners and making this declaration, presumably while they are planning a method to regulate gambling.
JCE extends hours at nine registry offices
The Central Electoral Board announced that nine electoral offices will operate on extended hours starting today, Monday, to give citizens more time to complete their paperwork. The new hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the following offices: First, Second, Third, Sixth, and Eleventh Districts of the National District; Fourth District of Santo Domingo East; and Second Districts of La Romana, Higüey, and Bonao.
Food price increases in the country are reported to have reached up to 70% for some products.
The president of the Dominican Federation of Merchants, Iván de Jesús García, asserted that although the Central Bank reported 8.5% inflation for 2021, the prices of food consumed daily by the poorest people in the country increased by 15%. De Jesús García estimated that for the middle class, inflation in their food basket ranged between 25% and 30%, and for the upper-middle class, it reached as high as 60% to 70%.
Regulating remote work: a common point in modifications to the Labor Code
In a new attempt to reach a consensus on reforming the current Labor Code, which turns 30 this year, the Government, together with the business and union sectors, is once again discussing a series of proposals already debated, such as reviewing severance pay, and other new ones, such as regulating teleworking, which gained strength during the pandemic.
Sources: Listín Diario, Diario Libre, El Día, Hoy.
