BanReservas, which in the past was tethered to its role as a government bank, has now stepped up to become one of the leading banks in Latin America. BanReservas has gone from a ranking of 118 to a ranking of 63 within the four years of government of President Mejia. According to a bank report, BanReservas increased its participation in the domestic banking market from 20.1% to 25.5%, augmented its branches from 71 to 116 and amplified the number of automatic teller machines from 70 to 214. ?We have turned BanReservas into a successful business group with affiliates Seguros BanReservas (insurance company), AFP Reservas (pension plans), Inmobiliaria Reservas (real estate) and Peajes Dominicanos (toll booth operations).? The report says that the bank gave out loans for RD$15 billion in 2000, and that by the end of the Mejia administration its loan portfolio will stand at RD$41 billion. The bank informs that deposits were up from RD$18 billion to RD$52 billion. The same report indicates that the Dominican government owes the Reservas institution RD$20 billion, which represents 46% of the bank?s loan portfolio. Manuel Lara, the bank?s administrator, said that to reduce the debt, the government ordered the sale of 20 million meters of land in Santo Domingo and San Pedro de Macoris, as well as lands belonging to the State Sugar Council (CEA), properties of the divested Dominican Corporate of State Enterprises (CORDE), the beach lands of Corbanitos in Bani (to the Fundacion para el Desarrollo Banilejo), and government shares in the flour mill Molinos del Ozama and the tobacco company La Tabacalera. BanReservas manages the three toll booths in the country that produce RD$40 million a month.