The PLD?s mega-projects man, engineer Diandino Pena, told El Caribe that included on the PLD government agenda are the constructions of several major infrastructural works. As such, Pena justified to El Caribe, as published in its Sunday edition, the hefty sought-after increases in taxation. During the last years of the Fernandez administration, Pena had been the public works minister, but it was his role as the Presidential administrative secretary that landed him in Najayo prison on accusations of corruption.
During his time in public office, he oversaw the construction of the 27 Febrero, John F. Kennedy and Las Americas tunnels, a large part of the Autovia del Este and the Juan Bosch bridge, as well as several overpasses in Santiago. In contrast to the present administration?s modus operandi, the PLD works were carried out without the government having to borrow from abroad.
As a result of a recent trip to Brazil, President-elect Leonel Fernandez has revived the possibility of building a commuter train or tram for Santo Domingo.
Matias y Berroa?s cartoon in El Caribe earlier this week commented that the building of the train should be easy, as ?the holes are already there,? a reference to the so-named banking ?hole? that has obliterated the savings, earnings and standard of life of all Dominicans.