The National Development Council, head by President Leonel Fernández, approved the 1999 Budget Bill for RD$44,671.7 million. The budget will be sent to the National Congress next week. Rafael Camilo, director of the National Planning Office, said that significant increases have been set aside for health services, housing, potable water, construction, tourism, education and agriculture sectors. The government is assigning 66.4% to current expenditures and 29.2% to capital investments. Temistocles Montás, Technical Secretary of the Presidency, explained that the income is estimated based on a 6% increase of the Gross Domestic Product, an inflation rate of 6%, and a RD$400 million decline in income taxes expected to be reported by Dominican businesses that suffered losses from Hurricane Georges. The 1999 budget is 14.3% greater than the 1998 budget. Of the total, RD$43,570.7 million is derived from internal sources and RD$1,101 million from external sources.
