President Luis Abinader upon accepting he won his bid for reelection announced he would use his next term to set his mark in the Dominican Republic and leave a legacy. President Abinader says he will focus on needed social and institutional reforms.
Now Anibal de Castro, executive editor of Diario Libre, writes that it is time to take the President’s word. He urges President Luis Abinader to make a difference and act regarding the controversial issue of migration from Haiti. Dominican statesmen for decades have said one thing and continued with the relative laissez-faire regarding immigration from Haiti. The Dominican Republic has carried a heavy burden as thousands of undocumented Haitians slip over the border seeking social services and work denied to them because of the decades of chaotic governance in that western third of the island.
Former Dominican ambassador Anibal de Castro writes:
“President Abinader maintains the idea of a legacy and we must take his word for it.
“With the electoral season now over, it is time to refine actions to comply with the trust placed by voters in the winning candidacy. President Abinader maintains the idea of a legacy and we must take him at his word.
“In these tasks, it is worth reminding readers of a Greek saying that has deep meaning: ‘He who plants trees knowing that he will never sit in their shadow, has at least begun to understand the meaning of life.’ The construction of the future begins now. What matters is a leader’s attention to the common good.
“Initiating reforms whose fruits will be seen for generations fits the vision of a true statesman. A legacy will be lasting and transformative to the extent that the immediate consequences are faced, knowing that the results will be harvested by others. Added to detachment is the requirement of a deep vocation for service, and, above all, courage.
“Immigration is an issue to consider. Temporary remedies have been sought without attacking it thoroughly. It is not enough to control the border and deport; we must apply the law with due severity without forgetting the dependence we have on foreign labor in key activities of the economy.
“Immigration of unskilled labor is bad, not for the reasons commonly given that focus on discrimination. It depresses the average salary, fuels informality and delays the incorporation of technology and capital into production. The result is low productivity and labor impacted by abuses and non-observance of rules.
“It is urgent that real reform of our immigration system be part of the legacy that President Abinader wants to leave to the country. He would be sowing for the future and also for the present.”
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
28 May 2024