In an almost 10-hour Government Council session the government approved several of the measures suggested during the National Dialogue, the nationwide talks held to establish the priorities of the nation. The measures include the elimination of all the non-tax barriers to foreign trade. Also, the preparation of a decree to start the implementation of the Tax Code Ruling (Reglamento del Código Tributario). Likewise, the government approved the creation of a single step system that will considerably cut red tape needed to export. The National Council of Free Zones was instructed to carry out studies to determine the feasibility of installing free zone parks in the communities where unemployment is greatest. The Council will facilitate the installation of a agribusiness free zone park in San Juan de la Maguana province, and the Dominican Agrarian Institute will choose the lands where a free zone will be installed in the Sabana Perdida area of the National District. It also created a committee to transform the installations of Tejidos Antillanos and Aceite Ambar, two state enterprises, into free zones. The Government Council approved the creation of a new Superintendency of Electricity, an organization under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to regulate and supervise the production, transmission and distribution of electricity. The government also created the Oficina Rectora Nacional del Sector Agua Potable y Saneamiento, a new office to supervise water and sewage services. The implementation of an Emergency Plan for potable water was ordered at an investment of RD$185 million. In the health sector, the creation of provincial health bureaus and the elimination of regional bureaus were ordered for a better coordination between the Ministry of Health and the provinces. The Council approved the creation of a Comisión Coordinadora de Recursos Naturales y Medio Ambiente, as a preliminary step that would lead to the creation of a Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. The Council commissioned the Consejo Presidencial de la Cultura, the Consultoría Jurídica del Poder Ejecutivo and the ministries of Education and Tourism to prepare the bill for the creation of the Ministry of Culture. The Government Council passed three housing projects, for a total of 400,000 additional units, and created the Comisión de Titulación de Terrenos Urbanos, a new department for city land titling. Priority was also given to the construction and reconstruction of government hospitals. In addition, the Council also approved the installation of the Casa del Diálogo, in order to give continuity to the talks that have been taking place for the past six months.
