The Medina administration has assigned RD$692.8 million to the brand new Ministry of Mines & Energy. The new entity will only deal with mining matters after an amendment to the law postponed the dispositions that will place the government electricity entities under the new ministry until after 2016.
As reported in El Dia, the budget breakdown for the new ministry includes millions for the promotion of mining in the country. It establishes more than RD$42 million for research and development and mining promotion.
The minister of mines has not yet been appointed. There is a director of mines, Alexander Medina, who is a former long time employee of Falconbridge Dominicana.
The role of the new Ministry of Mines is to evaluate, control the strategic policies, general plans, programs and projects.
The department of Mines is currently a division of the Ministry of Industry & Commerce.