The bishop of La Vega tore into the government’s economic policy during his homily last Saturday during the celebrations surrounding the feast of Our Lady of Mercy (Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes). The Catholic prelate attacked the government’s lack of investment in education and health services as well as the corruption within its bureaucracy. Taking the PLD party’s election slogan, the bishop turned it around and told the faithful that “we’re going backwards!” Decrying the ailing health system, the bishop said that the only thing for the poor to do was to stay at home and wait for death to come. Bishop Antonio Camilo was speaking to a congregation that included former President Hipolito Mejia, and he also called for the reconstruction of the highway that leads from Moca to La Vega.