El Caribe reports that the PRD is demanding that the government present a national competitiveness plan as a pre-condition to the introduction of the DR-CAFTA agreement, as decided by the party’s top organizational board (known as the
"Presidium") during its session yesterday. Former president Hipolito Mejia, who leads one of the party factions, did not attend the meeting. The document states that the ratification of the FTA by Congress must depend on the introduction of compensatory measures to protect the productive sectors, as well as on the approval of a tax reform. Party president Ramon Alburquerque downplayed the significance of Tuesday’s meeting between Mejia and President Leonel Fernandez, stating that issues discussed agree with party policy.