President Leonel Fernandez will launch today the school year from San Francisco de Macoris
as he spends the next few days in the eastern part of the fertile Cibao Valley. Waiting for the President are dozens, if not hundreds of groups, each one with a sheaf full of requests for jobs, public works and solutions to community issues. Top of the list are the remodeling of the Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital and the construction of four medical clinics around the growing urban area. One of the more curious requests will include the furnishing of more modern equipment for the local Public Works offices.
Major community groups are also going to request that the President decree that the area around San Francisco de Macoris be established as an “Eco-tourism Zone”. The President will move on to Villa Tapia, Tenares and Moca before returning to San Francisco for the night. The President will be joined by Education Minister Alejandrina German at the Manuel Maria Castillo Secondary School, as the new school year gets under way. An estimated 2.6 million children are scheduled to start school today. Some private schools have already begun classes, and others will start next week.
The President’s Social Plan distributed 200,000 pounds of food packages as well as school supplies, pre-natal care packages and medical care in advance of the chief executive’s arrival.