The Listin Diario gave front page coverage to the claim of Pablo Antonio Batista, of the Dominican Meteorological Association, that denounced that the new director of the Civil Defense, Elpidio Báez, who had 15 days on the job, opposed the opening of shelters and preventive measures, fearing that if impoverished Dominicans entered these they would demand government apartments to leave, as has occurred in the past. Elpidio Baez reportedly censured the official bulletins of the Oficina Nacional de Metereologia, in order not to cause panic to the population. He exercised a wait and see attitude in regards to Hurricane Georges that at the end worked against the population that was caught unaware by the brunt hurricane when it changed course and crashed into the DR. Contrary to what had occurred for the past 20 years, the hurricane did not take a northern course. But it was not until Monday evening that it was apparent that it had changed course and after hitting Puerto Rico it would hit the DR hard. The president of the Meteorological Association said that they had recommended 72 hours before the hurricane’s hit that extreme precautions be taken among the population. Three senators of the PRD believe that the improvisation and lack of early prevention brought about an increase in damages caused by Georges. Shelters were not made known until last minute, they say. Indeed it was not until the hurricane was already affecting the DR that President Leonel Fernandez made a Tuesday morning announcement to the nation at around 8 am. The Hurricane entered the DR at 5 am. Adriano Miguel Tejada, press secretary of the Presidency, denied the charges of irresponsibility of the government. He said that everyone in this country knows that public buildings and public schools are the shelters. He pointed to heroic efforts to restore potable water and electricity being carried out by the government. During David, power and water services were not restored for months, and the government expects to restore power and water in less than two weeks time.
