Reporting on the state of affairs at the Dominican industrial free zones, Eddy Martinez, executive director of the Asociación Dominicana de Zonas Francas said that while several companies have risen to the new challenges of the market, at the same time others have had to close down their operations.
As a result, there has been a decline in overall production and jobs in relation to 1995. He explained there are several companies that are now exporting to new markets for textiles and electronics in Europe, and many companies are seeking to improve their production and efficiency.
There are 12,000 fewer jobs and the total employees now number approximately 163,000. Most affected is the textile industry with the competition that the entrance of Mexico to the North American Free Trade Agreement has created. He said that the country can no longer compete by solely offering cheap labor.