Fenatrano bus units took Tuesday, 27 November 2018 off, but most people got to work in Greater Santo Domingo after the government OMSA added 80 units to the main routes, and Conatra and Mochotran decided not to heed the call for transport work stoppage. Motorcycle taxis were busy and the Metro system operated as usual. In some areas, shared taxis did not operate. Fenatrano had called the strike to protest the high fuel prices.
The state UASD did not open, as a precaution to prevent unrest. But most schools and businesses in Greater Santo Domingo opened as usual. Effects of the strike were not felt in the Polígono Central, the main business and commercial center of Santo Domingo. Diario Libre reported that the Avenida Duarte commercial street stores were operating as usual.
Nevertheless, the Coordinator for the Rights of the People and the Decrease in Fuel Prices said that passenger transport was 90% paralyzed and commercial and education established some 70% closed, reporters observed that traffic flow and businesses were functioning normally in areas such as Villa Juana, Villa Consuelo,Villas Agrícolas Ensanche La Fe.
Socorro Monegro, the coordinator called on the public to intensify their efforts on a peaceful protest to fight for the community demands and a reduction in fuel costs.
Antonio Marte, president of Conatra denied he “sold out” to the government and that was why his transport affiliates did not back the strike. He cited the government’s decision to lower fuel prices over the past six weeks. Marte argued that December should be a time for peaceful activities, a prudent break from disruptive protests now that economic activities have picked up. He said his organization did not want to add votes to what he called a “political strike.”
Ramón Rogelio Genao, spokesman for the PRSC opposition party said that the strike only affects the vulnerable.
The director of the OMSA bus company announced that OMSA buses would not be charging fares on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
Listin Diario
Hoy
Diario Libre
El Caribe
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
El Dia
28 November 2018
