Speaking yesterday at City College, President Leonel Fernandez highlighted that the DR-CAFTA guarantees permanent access of Dominican produce to US markets. Fernandez said that the country is losing jobs after the elimination of the apparel quotas and the FTA would enable the DR and Central American countries to be in a better position to compete. Regarding agriculture, Fernandez highlighted that the Dominican market would be opened gradually (over 10-20 years) or safeguards would be instituted, giving farmers time to adapt to the competition from abroad. He stressed that for markets to be fully opened, the US farm subsidies would have to be eliminated at the World Trade Organization level. Fernandez is on a three day US tour to lobby for US congressional passing of the DR-CAFTA at the request of President George Bush.
Last night, President Leonel Fernandez flew to Washington, D.C. where he met his colleagues Abel Pacheco, Costa Rica, Antonio Saca, El Saovador, Enrique Bolanos, Nicaragua and Oscar Berger, Guatemala for a presentation at the US Chamber of Commerce. President Leonel Fernandez was the first to address the attendance of businessmen and government officers. The six statesmen are scheduled to meet with President George Bush on Thursday, 12 May. President Fernandez returns on Friday, 13 May.
Experts say that DR-CAFTA will have difficulties passing in the House of Representatives where Democratic Party representatives have expressed their reservations. The strong US sugar lobby opposes the treaty.