President Hipolito Mejia announced yesterday that the economic team of the government is reviewing the RD$83-billion national budget in order to increase the allotments to certain institutions and whittle down the budgets of other governmental departments.
Among those called upon yesterday to make the modifications were: Jose Lois Malkum, Minister of Finance; Vicente Sanchez Baret, Customs director; Teofilo (Quico) Tabar, Internal Revenue director; Dr. Luis Ernesto Perez Cuevas, Budget director; Pastora Mendez, Treasurer; and Federico Lalane Jose, Controller General. The possibility of a complete overhaul to the budget, which would require new approvals from the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, has been discarded, due to the delays it would cause. In a side note that affects all government employees at the minimum salary levels, the reassessment of the budget will put a hold on the 7 percent raises they were expecting until, at least, next month.
