The Dominican Agro-Industry Board (JAD) yesterday urged the Dominican Government to eliminate the controversial Price Stabilization Institute (INESPRE) in favor of two new agencies and revival of the Agro-Fishery Bourse (trading market). Originally charged with ensuring stable prices for certain Dominican staples, INESPRE has been used aggressively by the Fern?ndez Administration to import cheap agricultural goods to pressure local producers, distributors and retailers to keep their prices down, and to directly distribute cheap staples in poor neighborhoods. In the process INESPRE has been severely criticized by producers for undercutting local production in favor of imports, by neighborhood colmados for competing with them and making it difficult for them to stay in business, and by several sectors for alleged improprieties in the bidding and distribution processes. JAD President Osmar Ben?tez explained that JAD would prefer that the government dissolve INESPRE and create a new, more transparent Commercialization Institute, which he pointed out was originally envisioned in the program of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) for President Fern?ndezs government. The new agency would untouched by past INESPRE scandals, such as recent allegations regarding rice imports. A new, separate entity could be designed to handle INESPREs more recent anti-poverty mission, namely helping to feed the poor. JAD would also like to see the Government reactivate the Bolsa Agropecuaria so that market mechanisms can promote cheaper prices through open pricing and bidding processes. He pointed out that such markets are functioning successfully in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua.