What lessons has Puerto Rico learned about fighting drug trafficking? Didn't New York City do a better job regarding reducing drug-related crimes in the city?
From DR1 Daily News 12 September 2014:
DR and Puerto Rico declare joint war on drugs
Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla is visiting the country on an official visit Thursday, 11 September to Friday 12 September 2014. Speaking at the Presidential Palace after a meeting with President Medina, he announced that a bilateral commission is drawing up a plan encompassing Puerto Rico's experiences on crime, which will be ready in 60 days. The commission will be chaired by Secretary of State David Bernier and Police Superintendent Jose Caldera Lopez for Puerto Rico, and by Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo for the Dominican Republic.
As reported, a recent anti-crime plan in Puerto Rico has been successful in reducing crime by 30% in the past 20 months. Police were better equipped, motivated and recognized for their work in Puerto Rico.
Garcia Padilla announced they would be stepping up joint measures to fight drug trafficking and fight the cartels that use the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico as bridges to reach the US and Europe.
"We have to put obstacles in the road so that they find another route. The drugs that enter our countries are causing most of the crime that we suffer," he said.
A recent Gallup Poll found that crime and safety were the main concern of Dominicans.
Garcia Padilla gave a press conference after meeting with President Danilo Medina for more than an hour at the Presidential Palace.
They also discussed the need to increase trade between both countries. Garcia Padilla said there had been a US$500 million increase in trade in the past 20 months. He said that trade was at US$700 million when he took office as governor of Puerto Rico. He says he wants it to return to when it was US$2 billion in the 1980s.
Also on the agenda was to resume the scholarship program. The governor said this would benefit students from both nations with undergraduate and graduate programs. He highlighted that schools and hospitals do not discriminate against illegal immigrants, adding that all immigrants, regardless of status were now allowed to get their driver's licenses.
He said he told President Medina about the policies in force in Puerto Rico to benefit Dominican immigrants there.
Garcia Padilla said his official visit ends today, but he had come with his family and they would vacation here until Sunday, 14 September.
During the meeting with President Medina, Garcia Padilla was accompanied by the US Ambassador James (Wally) Brewster, Puerto Rican deputy secretary of state Javier Gonzalez and Puerto Rican Police Superintendent Jose Caldero Lopez.
Medina was accompanied by Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations Jose Manuel Trullols and Dominican ambassador at the Puerto Rico-Dominican Mixed Commission, Virgilio Alvarez Bonilla.
From DR1 Daily News 12 September 2014:
DR and Puerto Rico declare joint war on drugs
Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla is visiting the country on an official visit Thursday, 11 September to Friday 12 September 2014. Speaking at the Presidential Palace after a meeting with President Medina, he announced that a bilateral commission is drawing up a plan encompassing Puerto Rico's experiences on crime, which will be ready in 60 days. The commission will be chaired by Secretary of State David Bernier and Police Superintendent Jose Caldera Lopez for Puerto Rico, and by Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo for the Dominican Republic.
As reported, a recent anti-crime plan in Puerto Rico has been successful in reducing crime by 30% in the past 20 months. Police were better equipped, motivated and recognized for their work in Puerto Rico.
Garcia Padilla announced they would be stepping up joint measures to fight drug trafficking and fight the cartels that use the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico as bridges to reach the US and Europe.
"We have to put obstacles in the road so that they find another route. The drugs that enter our countries are causing most of the crime that we suffer," he said.
A recent Gallup Poll found that crime and safety were the main concern of Dominicans.
Garcia Padilla gave a press conference after meeting with President Danilo Medina for more than an hour at the Presidential Palace.
They also discussed the need to increase trade between both countries. Garcia Padilla said there had been a US$500 million increase in trade in the past 20 months. He said that trade was at US$700 million when he took office as governor of Puerto Rico. He says he wants it to return to when it was US$2 billion in the 1980s.
Also on the agenda was to resume the scholarship program. The governor said this would benefit students from both nations with undergraduate and graduate programs. He highlighted that schools and hospitals do not discriminate against illegal immigrants, adding that all immigrants, regardless of status were now allowed to get their driver's licenses.
He said he told President Medina about the policies in force in Puerto Rico to benefit Dominican immigrants there.
Garcia Padilla said his official visit ends today, but he had come with his family and they would vacation here until Sunday, 14 September.
During the meeting with President Medina, Garcia Padilla was accompanied by the US Ambassador James (Wally) Brewster, Puerto Rican deputy secretary of state Javier Gonzalez and Puerto Rican Police Superintendent Jose Caldero Lopez.
Medina was accompanied by Minister of the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations Jose Manuel Trullols and Dominican ambassador at the Puerto Rico-Dominican Mixed Commission, Virgilio Alvarez Bonilla.
