One of the most admired and successful figures of the present government, Hamlet Hermann told El Siglo newspaper that he would consider running for mayor of Santo Domingo in the next municipal election. This is scheduled for May 2002. Hermann is credited with organizing public transport in the city of Santo Domingo. He directs the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET). His traffic agents also have organized traffic in general and have gotten a good reputation for offering a service and not being corrupt. He said he would accept to run for mayor if he were chosen by the Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD). Hermann was born in Santo Domingo and says he suffers when he sees how many city areas are deteriorating. He says one of the problems with the city government is that it has been run either by politicians that aspire to run for President or by show business people. "My municipal government would be like what I am developing here at AMET. I would not have commitments with the party, and would work under my own conditions," he said. He said that the city municipality has to be turned around completely, leaving aside political party complacency and the massive placement of employees. He said he would make it obligatory to fulfill municipal laws. The Partido de la Liberación Dominicana has never had a city mayor. The mayors of Santo Domingo since 1966 have been: PRD Ramón Baez Acosta 1966-68 Pedro Franco Badía 1978-82 Jose Francisco Peña Gómez 1982-86 (presidential candidate) Rafael Suberví Bonilla 1986-90 (presidential candidate hopeful) Rafael Corporán 1990-94 (successful TV show producer) Rafael Suberví Bonilla 1994-98 (presidential candidate hopeful) Juan de Dios Ventura 1998-2002 (leading orchestra band director) PRSC Manuel Ant. Jiménez 1968-70 Manuel Ant Jiménez 1970-72 Rafael Estrella Rojas 1972-74 Rafael Estrella Rojas 1974-78
