Yesterday, Bloomberg news service circulated a report that the funds would go to finance a new fleet of transport vehicles to modernize traffic in the DR. DR1 reported this as well (http://www.dr1.com/daily/news061901.shtml), citing an Asia Pulse release. The irregular purchase and assigning of what are now being called “los pollitos blancos,” is the cover story of Ahora magazine this week. The use of the bonds to purchase vehicles was not on the original list of public works projects published by the government. It is notable that many of the projects which the government now says it will use the bond money for are already under construction and many appear in the 2001 National Budget. The government has said the bond money will go to: Expand Avenida Jacobo Majluta (Santo Domingo) Repair the existing Duarte Bridge (Santo Domingo) Expand the Las Americas Highway (Santo Domingo) North-South Corridor-Núñez de Cáceres, República de Colombia-Jacobo Majluta (Santo Domingo) Solve drainage problems on Luperon Avenue (Santo Domingo) Build the Circunvalacion Norte (Santiago) Build the Cardon-Barahona Highway (Barahona) Duarte Highway-Rancho Arriba (Cibao) Hato Mayor Highway-El Puerto (East) Improve and repave the Enriquillo Lake circuit (Southwest) Build San Pedro de Macoris-La Romana Highway (Southeast) Samana Bay marine front (Samana) Reconstruct the Samana-Las Carreras Highway (Samana) Reconstruct the Playa El Valle road (Samana) Santo Domingo-Samana Highway (Samana) Expand the Navarrete-Puerto Plata crossing (Puerto Plata) Extend the national toll booths system Puerto Plata Circunvalacion del Atlantico highway (Puerto Plata) Cabarete highway solution (Puerto Plata)
