Participación Ciudadana, a civil society group, urged the government to put a stop to the numerous cancellations of government employees being made. Francisco Alvarez, spokesman for the organization said that the cancellations will contribute to public services becoming inefficient. He said that the mass firing is a loss to the state that have invested taxpayers money to train the personnel. He said that as a result of the lack of experience of the new employees, several bad deals could be signed. He criticized the government firing most of the assistant district attorneys, which will result in hundreds of trials suffering delays as the new officers start becoming familiar with the cases. "We understand that an end has to be put that every time there is a new government or a new government department head everyone has to be removed," he said. He praised the example of former District Attorney Francisco Domínguez Brito who kept all personnel he inherited from District Attorney Guillermo Moreno, giving continuity to judicial matters. He said that the government argues that it is only canceling 10% of public employees, but he said this could add up to 33,000 cancellations. He said that the government cancellations are not being made to reduce the payroll expenses, but rather to provide opportunities for new people. Most of those being hired allegedly "worked" for their posts by campaigning for today President Hipólito Mejía. Participación Ciudadana also criticized the delays in Congress passing the bill that would index fuel prices to international prices. The bill has been in the Congress since October 1999. Congress has suffered internal problems as several PRD deputies are still disputing their right to continue as deputies, regardless of having signed the 2×2 political agreement. The agreement stated that despite their being elected for four years in the congressional election of 1998, they would have to turn in their congressional seat to another PRD member in August 2000.
