In the face of recent articles that draw attention to the fact that there are over 1,100 unfinished public works projects, some of which date back 20 years, President Leonel Fernandez has embarked on a series of visits to places like Pedernales and Santiago Rodriguez, and promised even more public works. In an unusual move, the President’s public relations team has published a list of his promises to people in the Pedernales area. This past weekend, in Santiago Rodriguez, President Fernandez promised to push forward 40 projects in response to popular demand. Rural roads, schools, water projects and irrigation canals were at the top of the list. In Mao, Valverde province, he promised to build the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), equip the hospital at Laguna Salada, equip the High School at Jaibon , the primary school at Cruce de Guayacanes, the high school in Mao and to repair the Juan Isidro Perez school. In fact, the President’s list of projects took the words out of the Bishop’s mouth. When it was his turn to speak, the Bishop of Mao-Montecristi, Tomas Abreu, told the President “You have taken my speech away. You have already taken care of a lot of the things I was going to talk about.”