After Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero announced that the RD$1,500 food subsidy given to those with the Solidaridad card would be increased to RD$5,000 a month, thousands showed up at the Megacentro mall where the Solidaridad offices are located to get the card. Those with the card supposedly would receive the cash payments as part of the new “Quedate en Casa” (Stay Home) government program. Thousands queued up at the Megacentro shopping mall since 6am when curfew was lifted on Friday, 3 April. The line ran outside the gates of the mall until several decided to jump the gate and chaos was unleashed, requiring the police’s intervention. This was captured on a video that went viral.
The measure was criticized because the agglomeration of people is exactly what the stay at home program and the curfew is trying to avoid. The Megacentro shopping center announced that the Punto GOB citizen service office in that plaza is closed, so no Solidarity Cards or “Stay Home” benefits are provided there. Through a press release, Megacentro said that due to the tumult of people who came to these facilities Friday morning, they were forced to seek support from the National Police and their security personnel.
The Social Cabinet of the Presidency informed that the 600,646 households that do not have the Progresando con Solidaridad card will nevertheless be included in the temporary Stay at Home subsidy. The government said these persons would be contacted by the Social Subsidies Administrator (Adess) by telephone to verify their data. The government alerted there would be no physical visits to persons homes.
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El Caribe
Hoy
6 April 2020