Bernardo Vega is optimistic that with changes in congressmen and women and as a result of an increased awareness of regional needs emphasized by damages caused by hurricanes Georges and Mitch in the Caribbean and Central America, there is a good possibility the Congress that returns to work 19 January will vote in favor of textile parity for the region. The granting of similar conditions as those Mexico received as a signatory of the North American Free Trade Agreement will bring new dynamism to Dominican industrial free zone assembly operations. Regardless, of the present disadvantageous trading conditions, the DR is the fourth largest exporter of apparel to the US. In case textile parity is not passed, new areas that are not affected by quota restrictions would have to be more intensely promoted for Dominican free zones.