President Leonel Fernandez described his project for the nation as one that can be synthesized in three ideas: institutional strengthing for democracy, growth and economic development and social equity. He spoke on his weekly TV program, “Agenda del Presidente.”
He commented that the nation’s institutions are strengthened, permanent growth over 6% is guaranteed per year, then social equity will be created through more formal jobs.
He commented that while from 1961 to date the DR is the country with the highest average annual growth percentage, so the problem is not one of growth and material progress, but rather one of inequality, exclusion and extreme poverty. He pinpointed that the transition of the Dominican population from one that was predominantly rural to urban-based is one of the causes for the wide spreads in standards of living. He said that the throngs of people that moved to the city took up marginal jobs, such as transporting people on motorbikes. He said that challenge in the medium and long term is to strengthen local industries so these can generate more formal jobs.
“I believe the road to progress is to increase production, productiveness, find ways to reduce unemployment, and insert ourselves in international markets, how to make a capital intensive model with technological base,” he commented.