Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Thursday 4 April, ruling PLD party Senator Charlie Mariotti denounced the way that big business has created small and medium-sized companies (Pymes) to keep their stranglehold on government procurement after the Medina administration ordered more contracts to go to small business. As reported in Hoy, the legislator for Monte Plata said that small businesses could fulfill most government needs, including school and military uniforms. He also denounced the delay in the opening of the Small Business Park in La Canela, Santiago after the government invested RD$200 million in the infrastructure.
He went on to ask what has happened with Villa Jean in Los Tres Brazos, in eastern Santo Domingo, which also cost taxpayers RD$150 million. He said that the government commercial bank Banco de Reservas has only sent RD$40 million to the small business sector after the Presidential announcement of increased financial support. Mariotti said that more financing should be made available for the sector.