The recently announced program “I am a Person” that would issue birth certificates and IDs to some 600,000 persons who do not have the identification documents has generated a lot of suspicion in different political circles due to the upcoming elections. The program is sponsored by the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), in coordination with the Central Electoral Board (JCE) with funding from the Presidency Special Programs Agency (Digepep).
Media reports point out that in previous pre-electoral years, such as those of 1994 and 1996, there were similar programs to issue IDs/voting cards to Haitians looking to vote. The secretary general of the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), Ramon Rogelio Genao told reporters that it was risky to put such a plan into place during an election year, even if it is a “noble and necessary plan.” Other political leaders said the ID programs should be left exclusively up to the Central Electoral Board.
In an interview with Diario Libre, Digepep program director, Domingo Contreras said the program is not new. He said it calls for issuing birth certificates to minors, not eligible voters. He explained the object of the program is that all in the Dominican Republic have legal identity. He said the 600,000 number presented at the presentation of the program in a press conference was exaggerated, but did not give another number of possible beneficiaries.
Deputy director of Digepep Ajacx Mercedes added that the program cannot be put on hold because it would be a step back for the National Development Strategy. Mercedes says that the actions of the program have already reduced the number of children under five that do not have birth certificates from 25% in 2000 to 9% in 2017.
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
25 February 2019