President Hipolito Mejia has announced RD$30 billion in public works and social programs using money from the sovereign bonds and additional foreign borrowing. He expressed his optimism that the injection of new resources will boost the economy and he called for national unity to forge ahead. Speaking to the nation on TV last night, President Mejia said the government will inject RD$2.5 billion (US$150 million) of the sovereign bond money into priority public works before the years end. I decided to start this second year in government with a strong program of public investments that will boost the economy and strengthen its stability, he told his audience. He announced the imminent start of the RD$2.5 billion aqueduct to benefit the four northeastern provinces – a population of half a million. Likewise, he said funds will be used to complete the aqueduct on the eastern side of Santo Domingo at a cost of RD$1.4 billion. He said that project is 40% completed and will benefit around 1.3 million people. He also spoke of RD$6 billion being invested to build highways linking important tourism destinations and free zone areas, for which funds from the sovereign bonds would also be used. In the area of farming, he said the government will be investing RD$645 million in nurseries to promote fruit, vegetable and flower production. Also RD$590 million will go towards cold storage plants and RD$2.4 billion towards new farm produce markets, including the Merca Santo Domingo, both projects funded by Spanish loans. He spoke of RD$384 million borrowed from the Interamerican Development Bank for the Farm Produce Competitiveness Transition Project. Regarding education, he said the government has borrowed US$50 million to implement vocational training programs. He announced the start of the welfare program to benefit 25,000 families with children in public schools who would receive RD$300 per month each. He also spoke of US$200 million, funded by the Interamerican Development Bank, to improve schools and public health centers. He said the World Bank is lending US$25 million to finance an AIDS prevention program. He also spoke of a US$25 million loan to improve 60,000 houses throughout the country. The President promised to implement an austerity plan for government spending. He said government spending levels in 2001 will be maintained in 2002. He also spoke of reducing the power blackouts, lowering interest rates and the exchange commission, and supporting industrial competitiveness programs. He announced he would be sending to Congress a new bill for a Monetary and Financial Code that would ensure the autonomy and independence of the Central Bank. He said the new framework will allow the DR to compete in better conditions, attract new foreign investment and fulfill international market requirements. President Mejia made a call for national unity. I make a sincere call to all Dominicans, regardless of their political sympathies, to put aside politics and think of the nation above all. He said the time is right to renovate our hopes and strengthen the confidence in our country. He commented that people outside the country show more confidence in the nation than those within. He mentioned foreign investment is up from US$976 million in 2000 to US$1.2 billion by the end of this year.