President Danilo Medina shared his optimistic overview of the country with the Dominican people in his state of the nation speech on Saturday, 27 February 2016 on the occasion of Independence Day.
In his speech, the last of his term, the President highlighted the achievements of his past four years as part of his bid to be re-elected for four more years in office.
He said that the country was experiencing a boom time in tourism, the free zone industry, and small business. He spoke about the significant increase in roads, and the improvements in education, public health and citizen safety.
Some of the points made were:
The GDP grew 7.3% in 2014, the largest growth in the region, at 6.1 points more than the average 1.2% for Latin America and the Caribbean. Inflation closed at 1.58%, the lowest in the region.
The robust economy has made it possible for 299,325 formal jobs to be created between 2012 and the end of December 2014. He expressed optimism he would fulfill his campaign pledge of 400,000 jobs by the end of the term in August 2016.
Gross International Reserves closed 2014 at US$4.86 billion, and Net International Reserves at US$4.65 billion, which represents 3.5 months of imports, minus free zones. Medina says this reflects the positive performance of exports (up 5.3%), remittances (up 7.2%), tourism receipts (up 11.3%) and direct foreign investment (up 14.3%). All combined, the country received US$22.4 billion in hard currency, or 8% more than in 2013. He forecast that the 2015 figures for hard currency receipts would be around US$23.6 billion, up 1 billion from the previous year.
He attributed the bonanza to the US economic recovery and low petroleum prices.
He forecast “another 12 months of economic expansion to consolidate our model of sustainable growth accompanied by a reduction in poverty and inequality”.
He highlighted that tourism receipts are estimated at US$5.64 billion, the result of more than five million tourists visiting the country, consolidating the DR as the leader in regional tourism.
Medina added that the manufacturing in free zones were also experiencing a boom, with 152,227 people employed and 11 new export parks with 65 new companies.
He highlighted governmental financing programs for small business and farming, including those through Banca Solidaria, Banco de Reservas, the European Union’s “Proyecto Mas Pymes, and FEDA.
He focused on the government’s construction of the Punta Catalina power plant, stressing that it would lead to “annual savings of US$450 million to supply 24-hour power service to power to 235,587 additional customers.”
He spoke of the improvements and construction of over 100 roads and bridges nationwide.
In the education sector, he stressed that 40% of public school students are now attending the extended school day programs. He mentioned that the government has spent RD$2.33 billion on teacher training in 2014, and the continuing opening of daycare facilities and centers for children with special needs nationwide. He also highlighted that 25,000 Dominicans are studying in universities nationwide and abroad with government scholarships.
In public health he said the government was investing RD$18 billion to improve 74 public hospitals nationwide.
He spoke of the progress made with the 911 safety program and the installation of 1,000 surveillance cameras in the National District, resulting in a 3% drop in homicides.
He referred to the regularization of more than 150,000 undocumented people.
He hailed the conclusion of the legal case of irregular ownership in the Bahia de las Aguilas national park beach property in Pedernales and spoke of the prospects for the start of the land use plan prepared by the ministries of Tourism and Environment.
He said that the time had come to consolidate what has been achieved and continue pushing ahead great changes.
The speech was transmitted on Saturday, using a network of all TV stations, as reported in a Diario Libre editorial.
http://presidencia.gob.do/discurso/discurso-de-rendicion-de-cuentas-del-presidente-danilo-medina
http://www.diariolibre.com/opinion/editorial/contraste-YE2886331
