In 2006, the government expects to keep the US dollar exchange rate under RD$35.7 to US$1, inflation below two digits and to generate a certain number of new jobs that will be defined with the private sector, according to a report by Diario Libre. The projected exchange rate for the next 12 months was used to design the National Budget and Public Expense bill, which according to the Presidential Technical Secretary Temistocles Montas, must be approved by 15 January 2006, as this is a requirement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the third revision of the stand-by arrangement at the end of this month. Montas was speaking following a meeting between the President and the government’s economic team, the first of a series of meetings aimed at analyzing the country’s economic situation and its outlook for the new year. The minister of Finance, the Presidency minister, the directors of the Tax Department and Customs Department and the manager of the Central Bank were also in attendance.