Secretary of Interior and Police, Norge Botello said he has information that at least three PRD senators contributed money to finance the organizers of the two-day shutdown of businesses in support of their demands. They are demanding a 100% increase in wages, declines in food prices and fuel prices. He said that the strike does not have popular support, but the organizers try to frighten Dominicans into staying home. Public schools and most private school children attended their classes on Tuesday. Traffic was 50% less, making for a very pleasant city of Santo Domingo. The Collective of Popular Organizations and the Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations was more successful in the barrios. Those that didn’t have to go to work, took the day off, enjoying a good excuse. All is expected to be back to normal tomorrow. The organizers of the strike are primarily minibus owners that are protesting their being displaced by the more comfortable AMET buses from main city routes. The minibus unions had for years maintained a stronghold over the city routes, charging anyone who wanted to pick up passengers on those routes fees of about RD$50,000. If these weren’t paid, the union members could get violent. The strike has had little effect on tourists that do not depend on public transport. While "conchos" are not operating, city residents are served by the radio-taxis and AMET buses.
