The Chamber of Deputies passed the first reading of the bill that would divide the National District (Santo Domingo) into the province of Santo Domingo, with four municipalities (Santo Domingo Este, Santo Domingo Oeste, Santo Domingo Norte and Boca Chica). To ensure the quorum, the Listin Diario reported that the government authorized the use of state helicopters to transport the missing senators. Regardless, the sufficient numbers weren’t there to ensure the bill would be passed in a second reading, and the chair postponed the reading for next Tuesday. The bill has met with the opposition of PLD deputies, and some PRSC deputies. Deputy Pelegrin Castillo speculated that the government’s urgency is that the bill could lead to an increase in the number of PRD deputies and mayors that could be appointed by presidential decree. The bill has met with opposition on grounds that it would result in an increase in state bureaucracy without any significant benefits for the communities.
