Ines Aizpun of Diario Libre comments today in the page two editorial of the newspaper on how the “Comer es Primero” (Eating is First) social program underway by the government is making even more evident the vulnerabilities of Dominican society. As the government tries to identify its poorest that are benefit from the RD$500 a month credits for food, it is discovering the thousands amongst the very poor that legally do not exist. Their parents did not register them at birth, and they have continued living without legally existing. She points out that her commentary does not refer to the thousands of undocumented Haitian migrants that live in the DR (most Haitians in Haiti do not have documentation), but rather to undocumented Dominicans. She says that this has made it practically impossible to carry out a census in the slum barrios, and calls this registration a national priority. “What health plan, what education program, what assistance, job or social program can be carried out without knowing how many, where they are and who will receive the aid?” she asks.
She answers: “None. The train of happiness can pass by, or the one that takes the society of information and technology. Or even the metro. But without identification papers, no one will get on board.”