The Chamber of Deputies passed the 45-day extension of the state of emergency on 25 August 2021 requested by the Presidency. Deputies of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and allies voted 79 in favor, 20 against. There were 21 abstentions for a total of 120 legislators of 178. Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) left the hall in rejection of the bill.
Once the president of the Chamber of Deputies Alfredo Pacheco (PRM-National District) was able to maneuver and get the bill approved, it was rushed to the Senate and put on the agenda for the day. Yet, the senators representing the PLD and the People’s Force rejected passing the bill and the request was sent to a committee for study. The members of the public health committee were given at most a week to come up with their recommendations.
The members of the public health committee are senators Bautista Rojas Gomez, Iván Silva, Carlos Gomez, Franklin Peña, Lenin Valdez, Alexis Victoria, Melania Salvador Jiménez and Milciades Franjul.
If the bill is not passed on 26 August 2021, the present state of emergency will expire, pending its reinstallation at a future date.
The government has requested the extension of the state of emergency at a time when schools will resume on-site teaching and curfew is in the process of being removed nationwide. Covid-19 active cases and the positivity rate are on a nationwide downward trend. The state of emergency enables the government to carry out fast-tracked procurement procedures.
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El Caribe
25 August 2021