Presidents Leonel Fern?ndez of the Dominican Republic and Vicente Fox of Mexico have apparently found a way of putting some US$300 million to work in the DR. The money comes from the San Jos? Accords and could well mean more ambitious projects for the Fern?ndez Administration. According to Diario Libre, Fern?ndez and Fox have met privately to discuss this move and Fox apparently indicated that for the time being the Dominican Republic could channel its projects through the Mexican Bank of Commerce and Exports (BANCOMEX). When the Dominican Republic becomes part of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE), the project will be funded in a different way.
One of the main themes of the bilateral meeting was the question of education. Mexico will give the Dominican Republic the support needed to begin a software program for creating electronic blackboards for training Dominican fifth and sixth graders in English and computer skills.
?Qu? se dice?, the popular Hoy column seems to cast doubt on whether this will happen or not. According to the columnist, there is an Aztec folk tale that is well known in the Dominican Republic. Over the years, the good ?news? that the Mexican government has unblocked the funds from the San Jos? Accords for use in development projects is circulated every time the leaders get together. After each announcement of this type comes a type of amnesia and nobody manages to find proof that the blessed funds actually get here.
Later on, when another meeting of state is scheduled, with the presidents of the two nations close to each other, the Mexican President of the moment dusts off the big shiny words to tell his Dominican buddies that ?I have some money for you to use.? This is what has happened, according to the columnist, in the meeting between Fox and Fern?ndez. The writer asks his readers ?Do not miss the next chapter of this soap opera that could happen in December.?