President Fernández scores with Dialogue talksJournalist Ana Mitila Lora, who has been following the National Dialogue talks for the Listin Diario, the leading Dominican newspaper, said that President Leonel Fernández and his government are the big winners of the event. The President has benefited politically from the event at a time when opposition parties are still suffering through leadership transition periods which result in difficulties in the choosing candidates to electoral posts in the municipal and congressional elections of 16 May 1998. The journalist says the national press has focused on the debates and discussions, leaving little space to the pressing problems griping the population. Lora cautions that the talks could have a boomerang effect as hundreds of persons, most previously unknown, have participated and spoken their minds and entered their proposals and will request a follow-up. Lora comments that to meet the proposals that have been accepted, the country would need resources three times those in the National Budget. President requests removal of re-election talks from debatesPresident Fernández requested that the debate on the constitutional reform, that relates to the possibility of re-electing the president, be eliminated from the debates. He said it distorts the objective sought by the National Dialogue. A consensus had been reached to modify the Constitution to permit two consecutive presidential periods. President Fernández says that the National Dialogue seeks to establish national policies in the short, medium and long range. He suggested putting aside the issue of re-election and that instead, the plenary focus on the major problems that affect the nation. When participating in the political reforms subcommission, the chief of state stressed that the Dialogue should end with an overall vision of the Dominican reality, in order to establish overall development policies. The President said that similar experiences have already been implemented successfully in Bolivia and Guatemala. He explained that in the United States the method was proposed by President Clinton who called for the celebration of a national forum to design the new social security policy of that nation. He stressed that it is the duty of everyone participating in the National Dialogue to press authorities so that what was agreed upon turns into concrete action. The electricity issueDuring sessions to discuss the electricity situation, the Subcommission on Infrastructure and Energy approved 72 of the 128 proposals during three days of debates. These include a proposal that demands that the National Congress urgently approve the General Electricity Bill that provides for rules for fair privatization of electricity services, and creates a Superintendency of Energy. The subcommission also approved a proposal for the implementation of a 10-year plan for the production, transmission and best use of electricity. The participants rejected that companies receive benefits such as tax exemptions and other government subsidies as was approved in the electricity bill passed by Congress but vetoed by the Presidency. Temístocles Montás, general manager of the government electricity utility, Corporación Dominicana de Electricidad, said that if congressmen do not approve the electricity bill soon sans the contested privileges, the government will have to resort to ruling on privatization by presidential decree. The bill would provide clear rules of the game for major companies to compete for the production, transmission and marketing of power. The bill is seen as the foundation for a definite solution to the electricity supply crisis. Olympic Committee sports plan approvedThe Ministry of Sports was not represented, but participants in the Subcommission on Sports at the National Dialogue approved the sports plan presented by the Dominican Olympic Committee. The plan has been endorsed by the Presidency, but the funds have not been there for the start of its implementation. It was reported that the government has only disbursed monies needed for the Olympic Committee to campaign in favor of Santo Domingo being chosen for the site of the Pan-American Games in year 2003. The Ministry of Sports has its reserves with regard to the plan. The president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, Dr. José Joaquín Puello Herrera, presented the project that is known as 1997-2003 Sports Plan. Less import taxes, higher sales taxA consensus was reached in the Economy Subcommission for a need to reduce import taxes and increase the value-added tax (Impuesto a la Transferencia de Bienes Industrializados y de Servicios). Likewise, it was felt that the petroleum tax income should be included in the National Budget. Minister of Finances. Daniel Toribio said that the D.R. is one of the countries in Latin America where residents pay the least in taxes. Several of the country’s most renown economists participated in the talks. They agreed on the importance of a balanced budget, and that the government not go overboard in spending, such as happened last December, and that there be a reduction in infrastructure works not considered priority.
