President Hipolito Mejia promised to turn the country into “a garden” if he is re-elected in 2004. The President said that aside from the four fundamental areas of national development – education, health, nutrition and housing – if he is elected, he would give priority to natural resources, environmental cleanups and the environmental conservation in general. He said that during his government more than 30,000 tareas of trees have been planted in the La Vega river basins. Speaking on the “Paradigma” TV show produced by Roberto Duverge and Luis Veras, Mejia highlighted the need to build all the aqueducts the country needs for the next 20 years and more sports facilities for the people. He called on those who are making money and generating profits in their businesses to think of other sectors, saying “That is what I call the real fight against poverty.”