In a two-hour interview that aired in the early morning on Tuesday, 25 July 2023 with journalists Freddy Sandoval, Oscar Medina and Danny Alcantara for Hoy Mismo, Channel 9, President Luis Abinader shared insights and news on what’s happening in his government and his outlook for the country after three years in government. The President is expected to announce before 17 August 2023 that he is accepting the party’s nomination as the presidential candidate.
The President spoke of the reforms underway, the vigorous economy, public transit projects in the works, underground city wiring, the multilateral reach of his government, upcoming visits of the heads of government of Guyana and Jamaica and his trip next month to NY to attend the Dominican Parade.
President Abinader says the priorities of citizens of any country are: citizen security, jobs, and a high cost of living. He expects the actions taken for better training of the police and the monitoring of the crime situation through statistics to pay off shortly. Meanwhile, he said that while he is not satisfied with the level of insecurity, crime is on the decline. He said the country is affected by a situation whereby most violent crime is the result of social conflicts between known people. He said the crime rate is at 12.4% per 100,000 inhabitants.
The President explained he has instated governing by cabinet and mentioned he sees his government officials divided in groups by measures, water and construction, education, citizen security, health. He says the economy cabinet meets with him every week, and the tourism officials every month. He says, then he addresses the sports, youth, women and other different pressing topics. “I listen, and there is a national management committee,” he said.
He explained the way his government is set up he can ask any question, and expects to get an answer back with photos and report in half an hour.
Throughout the interview, he presented achievements of his administration. He said the level of poverty is at the lowest in the history of the Dominican Republic. “I want to leave a better country than what I received at the start of this government,” he said. “I think we are on the way. This is a different country. There is more respect for the laws, there is a regime of consequences, more efficiency in public spending,” he stressed. “We are doing more with less,” he highlighted.
All throughout the interview, he mentioned he is governing with numbers, indicators and statistics. He spoke of new projects underway and about to get started. His administration expects to kick start the construction of the John F. Kennedy Avenue and Máximo Gómez Avenue Metro onwards to Charles de Gaulle and, eventually, all the way to the Las Americas International Airport in the East.
He added that a tram is contemplated to provide efficient public transport on Independencia Avenue continuing on by train to San Cristóbal, where hundreds of thousands of city residents live and commute from every day to the capital city. He also spoke of a skylift that would connect Isabel Aguiar Avenue (Pintura) with Independencia Avenue and the Metro. He is optimistic the funding could come from the European Union’s newly launched Global Gateway strategy to boost infrastructure investment after his participation in the EU-CELAC meeting in Brussels, Belgium this July 2023.
The President reiterated the multilateral reach of foreign policy in his administration. “We have to be present wherever we have to be,” he said. He said just as he recently attended the EU-CELAC meeting, the country is looking forward to strengthening relations with India and Arabian countries, given their investment potential. He said for the first time in years, the relations are excellent with Caricom, the English-speaking Caribbean community. “In the past, Caricom was always confronting us. Now we are proactive instead of reactive with Caricom,” he said.
He says relations are excellent with President Lula Da Silva of Brazil, who he says has shown interest in multi-global relations. He mentioned his attendance to the Central American Integration System meeting. He mentioned continued exchanges with US Vice President Kamala Harris.
President Abinader is optimistic the country’s insistence on not tiring in its pressing for global support to Haiti will give fruits. He recalled years ago he mentioned the Somalization of Haiti, and that people thought he was exaggerating. “For two years, we have been suffering the consequences,” he said.
He mentioned that the Vice President of El Salvador committed during the SICA meeting to send advisors to assist the Haitian police. “El Salvador has experience,” he pointed out. He is optimistic the Haitian government will accept the offer.
He observed, nevertheless, that the peace-making efforts in Haiti would likely to fall under different leadership. He said the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness would be visiting soon, and has accepted that his country take an active role in the Haiti crisis.
He said the Dominican Republic can help in some areas such as logistics, but troops cannot be sent from here.
He described Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry as “brave” and deserving of global backing.
He spoke of the important congressional and academics mission that recently met with US legislators to explain the impact of the Haitian crisis on the Dominican Republic. He said as a result, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez has convened a legislative meeting to discuss Haiti.
He spoke of new strong ties with Guyana. He said from 8 to 9 August 2023, the President of Guyana Irfaan Ali will be in Santo Domingo to sign several agreements. “In the medium and long range, energy and food security could depend on these agreements with Guyana,” said President Abinader. “What they need we have, and what we don’t have, they have. That is our vision,” said the President. Guyana is strong in oil, the Dominican Republic in tourism and services.
On the home front, regarding the ruling PRM party participation in the 2024 elections, he said his opinion is that the most popular pre-candidates should be chosen. He mentioned National District Mayor Carolina Mejía as showing with a 70% popularity for continuing in the position. Mejia has yet to announce she will accept to run for mayor for the capital city again.
He acknowledged the country is lagging in tackling the distribution of power. He said funds that had been allocated had to be used to subsidize fuel prices that escalated due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.
President Abinader said that placing electrical wiring and others underground is a priority of his administration and a pending topic. He said he is proud renewable energies have tripled in the country.
The President confirmed he will be traveling to New York City to be present for the Dominican Parade on Sunday, 13 August 2023. He said the participation is in response to the continued support of Dominicans in NY to the country. Remittances were key to the restoration of the economy during the pandemic times.
The President spoke of how real salaries are the highest in Dominican history, growth is expected to be 4-5%, with the priority being to control inflation. He is proud of the achievement of going from the peso being 60 to 1 USD and US$6 billion in reserves, to the peso being at 55 to 1 USD and the country having US$15 billion in reserves. He said there is not a minimum possibility of devaluation of the peso given the strong influx of hard currency from free zone manufacturing and services, tourism, tobacco and cigar exports.
“Our stronger sectors are strong and will continue strong,” he said. “There are difficulties, but that is what a government is for, to resolve problems and situations,” he said. “We are the largest economy of Central America,” stated the President.
President Abinader concluded the interview telling the nation: “The country is doing well, we will continue well and the best moments of the Dominican Republic are yet to come.”
Follow the story:
Hoy Mismo Matinal minute 18:15
Presidency
N Digital
El Dia
Listin Diario
Hoy
DR1 News
NBC New York
I News Guyana
26 July 2023