El Caribe newspaper editorializes today on three reasons why Dominican society should reject the constitutional reform efforts of Congress. The newspaper states: 1) The bill to the effect violates the Constitution because it does not justify the need for the reform. 2) Among the articles up for reform are several that modify the term of congressmen. This makes it evident that the intention of the legislators is to remain in office when their terms end in 2002. 3) Senators and deputies of the PRD would ally with their colleagues of the PRSC and PLD to achieve the objective of extending their terms. On the editorial page of today, the director of the Foundation of Institutionality and Justice, Francisco Dominguez Brito calls the constitution reform bill "a counter-reform." He says that it is a coup to democracy. He alerts it hides the intention of appointing a new Supreme Court of Justice and other judges so that the new judges respond to the political interest of the congressmen. The bill has met with resistance because of its untimeliness. Most sectors feel that Congress should dedicate its attention to more pressing matters that are sitting in the legislature.
