President Leonel Fernandez, who created the new post of Metro Minister when announcing his August 2004 cabinet, and had firmly endorsed the start this year of the first line of metro, now seems to be having second thoughts. As reported in El Caribe, President Fernandez said that until he gives the go ahead, Metro Minister Diandino Pena will have to wait to start the metro. “That is as it is. When I give the green light it will start (the Metro), but hold on, because the light is yellow.”
On Tuesday, during his presentation at the Dominican College of Engineers (CODIA) workshop on metro experiences, Pena had said that he was only awaiting a green light from the President to get started on the first metro line in the DR, a 11 kms underground connection that he is promoting as the definitive solution to the city’s north-south traffic problems.