The director of the Civil Aviation Board, Anibal Amparo Garcia, announced that his department is working closely with the US Federal Aviation Agency to restore the right of DR airlines to fly to US territory. He said the government has authorized 50% of the duties levied on charter airlines to be used for this purpose. The previous government invested more than US$11 million in a program with United Nations agency, ICAO, to this same end without any advances being made. Garcia said that his department is working on a diagnosis of the deficiencies of civil aviation and creating action plans for the maintenance of aircraft and operational safety. He said workshops would be held to prepared technicians. Garcia visited President Mejia yesterday with a US mission to discuss the situation. (26 April 2001)
