Dominican Presidents have a constitutional obligation to report to the National Assembly each 27 February. In general, this speech, which this year was more than 10,000 words, reviews events over the previous months and sets forth plans and programs for the coming months and years. Luis Abinader did not disappoint in this aspect.
While he talked about many issues, he focused on the vaccination campaign now underway and stated that by May or June 80% of the population would be vaccinated. The government has purchased 10 million vaccines from Pfizer, 8 million from AstraZeneca and two million from the United Nations program Covax. The Dominican Republic has received 50,000 AstraZeneca vaccines made under license in India and a further 90,000 are expected “within days”. China sent over 768,000 vials of its SinovacBiotech vaccine.
Education was another big topic, and Abinader noted that the Ministry of Education had trained over 100,000 teachers in the use of technology for virtual classrooms. The government has also distributed close to 200,000 small computers to teachers and students.
The situation in Haiti was certainly covered in the speech, and among the main items that the National Assembly applauded were the project for the construction of a maternity hospital in Ouanaminthe, Haiti, with the help of international organizations.
Another was the construction of a reinforced fence along crucial sections and a simple fence in other areas on the border with Haiti. The fence is to be complemented by state-of-the-art technology (probably Israeli) at all critical points. “With this, and within two years, we want to put an end to serious problems of illegal immigration, drugs and stolen car smuggling the country has suffered for years, and protect our territory,” said the President in his 27 of February address.
Anyone with a vehicle has felt the consistent rise in fuel prices. The President noted that since he took office, international oil prices have gone up by over 45%. On Friday, 26 February the highest increase in fuel prices in years was announced — a historic RD$9.50 price increase for gasolines and diesel fuel. Abinader sent people hope saying the government would submit a bill to amend the Hydrocarbon Law. The law has the “formula” for determining of the price of fuel in the country. The ruling PRM party is majority in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.
Construction projects including highways, bridges and housing were also a part of the speech. The Electricity Pact was signed. Abinader also promised to get rid of the “conchos” that pack the city streets. He said that the new buses on the Nuñez de Caceres Corridor in the National District is just the start.
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Listin Diario
Listin Diario
Bloomberg
Hoy
1 March 2021