Prominent journalist Orlando Gil’s column in the Listin Diario provides an astute look at Dominican politics. He says that the government is behaving like a bully on the issue of propane gas, and those that are opposing the removal of the subsidy are doing so with stupid arguments. High-ranking officials have put the final decision in the hands of President Fernandez, who was out of the country when these statements were made. Now they are talking about a nationwide speech that will define the new policies regarding fuels. The columnist does not understand these digressions. He explains that the subsidy on propane gas is not an act of generosity by this government as it is consigned in Law 112-00 that determines the weekly prices of fuel. This means that at the same time the government gave up its options as to fuel prices, all households are favored by the law regardless of their economic level. Paragraphs I and III of the law are quite clear on this point. They even point out how the subsidy will be paid for. The issue, he states, therefore, cannot be handled as a bogeyman or as a gift. The law came before the IMF agreement and the negotiators on both sides should have been warned about it and put in a modification of the law. The law was law before the current administration that began its term knowing about the law. So they can’t deny the existence now, nor play the demagogue by trying to make believe that it is sacrificing income in order to favor the population with the least resources, he concludes.