El Caribe reports that industrial free-zone manufacturing is up 3.7% during the first quarter of the year, compared to the same period last year. The article says that apparel production increased by 6.25%, a sharp contrast to the decline of 19.5% for the same period last year. Jeannette Dom?nguez, director of the National Council of Export Free Zones, presented the Statistical Report for the Export Free Zones 2002, and said that the number of companies in operation increased from 512 to 536 this year.
She referred to statistics from the council which indicate that during the 12 months of last year 4,245 jobs were lost. During 2002, the value of total exports declined by 3.3% compared to 2001, or from US$4.48 billion to US$4.34 billion, for a net decline of US$457 million.
Other statistics show that during 2002 there were 53 parks in operation, up 3.9% compared to 2001. Dom?nguez also mentioned the challenges that face the sector that must survive without tax privileges as of 2009, a proviso made in agreements signed with the World Trade Organization and the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.