Standard & Poor’s rating services department said today that it has placed its ‘BB-‘ long-term ratings on the Dominican Republic on CreditWatch with negative implications. The CreditWatch placement reflects the risk that the ratings will be lowered if the emerging problems at Baninter further weaken political institutions, the external reserve position, and economic policy flexibility. The B short-term rating on the Dominican Republic was not placed on CreditWatch. For the Standard & Poor report, see
http://www.dr1.com/news/2003/051503_SanP.pdf