The director of the National Council of Export Free Zones, Janette Dominguez, said that 2000 was a good year for the free zone sector in the DR. She said that last year while the number of free zone industries in operation declined 0.6%, several of the 481 businesses in operation announced major expansions which resulted in more jobs. She said the free zones generated 14.7% more in hard currency for the Dominican economy, up from US$887.3 million in 1999 to US$1,018 million in 2000. Of the free zone operations, 52% are textile operations, 12% services, 6% tobacco plants and 4% footwear companies. In 2000, eight new free zone parks were approved, calling for a RD$331 million investment and the creation of 38,000 new jobs.
