President Hipólito Mejia, in Higuey for the celebration of the special mass on occasion of Virgen de la Altagracia Day (21 January), asked the patron saint of Dominicans for help. News reports said he requested that the Virgin Mary orient him to be able to effectively confront poverty in the DR. The Bishop of the Diocese of La Altagracia, Ramón de la Rosa y Carpio said during the mass that the social package the government has been promising to implement is a matter of life and death for the immediate future of the nation. The Bishop said that if this is not taken in a serious and efficient manner, the people will do without its traditional politicians in a few years. The package would soften effects of the new tax package in effect since 1 January that has had the effect of increasing most products and services by about 20-30%.
