President Hipolito Mejia swore in his new Presidential Consulting Council made up of high-profile Dominican businesspeople. The new advisory group was announced in his state of the republic speech on 27 February. Members are Alejandro Grullon (Banco Popular Dominicano), Elena Viyella (Caterpillar energy company), Manuel Enrique Tavares (Itabo free zone, Tavares construction material), Roberto Bonetti (Mercasid), Ramon Menendez (Central Romana – Casa de Campo), Jose Leon (Presidente beer and Marlboro cigarettes) and Hector Rizek (major cacao exporter). President Mejia thanked the new team for contributing their experience and management capacity to the Dominican people. “At this time, the country needs concern and work from you, not from your companies because the nation is beyond the companies,” said the President.
He guaranteed that the initiatives that stem from the advisory group will be implemented by the Executive Branch.
Decree 147-04, which created the commission, outlines their functions, one of which is to collaborate in the makeup of an economic developmental strategy for the short, medium and long ranges and to recommend economic policies for national development to the President.