The lead article in today?s Listin Diario ?El Dinero? section tells how the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic uses preferential exchange rates to finance the government. According to the article, the Central Bank has carried out this practice to the tune of RD$2.6 billion over the past year. According to Pedro Silverio, the head of the economic think tank Cenantillas of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, the Central Bank has subsidized the government?s payment of its foreign debt and that the Central Bank is providing dollars at the same rate that was in effect last March 2002 of RD$17.76. A spokesman for the Central Bank said that this would be eliminated in due time.