The retail sales director of Esso Standard Oil in the DR, Vinicio Calventi Bonelly said during his presentation at the workshop, "Petroleum and its incidence in the Economy and Development of the Dominican Republic," that Exxon Mobil would invest RD$500 million in the next three years in the DR. He said during the workshop sponsored by the Fundacion Global, Democracia y Desarrollo, head by former President Leonel Fernandez, that the DR is one of the key markets that Exxon is focusing on in Latin America. In a report in El Siglo newspaper on his participation in the workshop, Calventi says the investment of the company will be carried out because of the perspectives for continued growth, and the social, economic and political stability. Commenting on the gas station market in the DR, he said there are 595 gas stations of which 93% are operated by retailers, and 7% by the distributors (Shell, Texaco, Isla and Esso). He said that the DR is the fastest growing market in the Caribbean and Central American region, posting a growth of 5.3% in this area in 2000. He commented that 46% of fuel product sales are in Santo Domingo, which concentrates 30% of all gasoline stations.
