DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Donald Guerrero / Diario Libre

Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero Ortiz reported on Tuesday, 19 May 2020 that the government will have spent RD$57.5 billion by June 2020 to provide relief to those affected by the Covid-19. The government has practically doubled its fiscal deficit. Reports are that financial assistance in the form of national and international borrowing has surpassed RD$100 billion.

Nevertheless, economists say that the fiscal deficit is not the priority of the country. The priority is to recover the economy, and for that lots of revenues are needed, said economist Pavel Isa Contreras on the La Cuestión radio talk show on 19 May 2020. Isa Contreras said taking on debt is correct in these times of the Covid-19 epidemic.

The relief programs are mainly Fase I and Fase II for direct cash payments through the social security system; Quédate en Casa...