The forthcoming stand-by agreement with the IMF will help the Dominican Republic’s recovery from the economic debacle created by the last administration’s inept handling of most macro-economic mechanisms. Banking supervision, monetary emission, sovereign bonds, and, of course, an enormous banking scandal, led to serious problems across the national economy. Now, according to the Listin Diario, the IMF stand-by agreement, part II, will increase the price of propane gas, fuel and electricity. On the plus side, economic stability stemming from increased tax collections and a stricter supervision of banking institutions will shore up confidence on the international currency markets. The peso is expected to remain more stable, prices will be more in line with the real costs and the economy’s overall performance should improve. The IMF agreement will last for 28 months and the country will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in investment money. Disbursements for US$670 million are imminent, and the government will have to cut “just”RD$790 million from its public spending programs. Government economic spokesman, Juan Temistocles Montas, told reporters that the IMF board would be looking at the final wording of the agreement on Monday, and a positive vote is expected. Accompaning Montas at the press conference were Hector Valdez Albizu, Julio Ortega Tours, and Rafael Camilo.