The Chamber of Deputies approved yesterday government borrowing for US$65.5 million. Press reports mentioned that of the money, US$20.8 would go to finance highways signposts, US$8.8 million to equip the Dario Contreras Trauma Hospital, US$15.4 million to equip the troops of the Armed Forces and US$10.2 to purchase 11 helicopters (protested for being used helicopters) and the purchase of 120 vehicles for the Armed Forces. A US$143 million for the Merca Santo Domingo farm produce market was not approved in the same session when it was opposed by senators that favor the re-election of Ramon Alburquerque as president of the Senate versus partisans of Minister of Agriculture Eligio Jaquez who favor the election of senator Andres Bautista (PRD-Espaillat) for the post. The US$143 million project is promoted by Minister Jaquez. His project received only 14 votes of 24 senators present, not enough to pass. Another package of US$69 million in loans for different government projects was left pending for another session. During the same session, Hoy newspaper reports that senator Antonio Rosario (PRD-San Cristobal), who is spokesman for the PRD group, alerted fellow senators that the quickie approval of loans could bring serious economic problems of the country.
