Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez in a long interview with Pablo McKinney on Channel 9 spoke of his backing of the biometric identification of all persons living in the Dominican Republic, including thousands of undocumented Haitians, as reported in Listin Diario.
Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez considered that to apply the 80% Dominicans and 20% foreigners clause in the Labor Code for the hiring of workers, it is necessary to “close the border, really and effectively” and regularize a part of the illegal Haitians who are working in agro-industrial companies and in construction.
He estimated that both measures are possible, “absolutely possible, although some people believe that it is not possible, but for this it is necessary not only to have strong penalties, but also to have a biometric registry of everyone who is in the territory and this is being done”.
“It is possible to close the border, yes; other countries have done it, like Israel. The question is to get serious,” said Alvarez during the interview with Pablo McKinney for the program “McKinney”, on Color Visión, Channel 9.
Alvarez said that the Regularization Plan initiated in 2014 “eventually failed” as 288,000 were registered and finally, “I think 26,000 have certain documents.”
He stated that it is necessary to resolve the issue of foreigners by sectors, determining those who are necessary and then regularize those who have been here for many years.
He acknowledged that in the middle of an electoral campaign “it is not the moment to be talking about this issue or carrying out any kind of policy in this sense”.
Read more and follow the story in Spanish:
Listin Diario
Pablo McKinney
4 September 2023