Upon making the announcement, President Fernández had some consolation words for Dominicans. He said he would include in the 2000 National Budget wage increases for the military and the police. He also said he has given instructions so that the private electricity distributor companies do not charge supposed arrears they are billing their clients. He explained the accumulated arrears are because the companies are billing consumers for the Corporación Dominicana de Electricidad’s (the state electricity utility that was privatized) deficient reading of counters or for its not reading these at all. He also announced the payment of upwards of RD$1,000 million owed to private contractors for construction works.
