Back in 2021, the Abinader administration passed a law to provide incentives for investments in the seven provinces along the border with Haiti. The Law 12-21 created the “Special Area of Frontier Development” and extended the tax incentives that were initially provided by Law 12-01.
The Ministry of Economy and Planning explains that as of September 2023, some 51 proposals for new businesses have been received. The average investment hovers around RD$400 million in the industrial, commercial and farm sectors. A lot of the jobs are being created for non-specialized workers, especially in the farming sector.
Of the 10,000 new jobs, nearly three quarters (74%) are for non-specialized workers. About half of the new proposals are for the creation of banana farms in Montecristi province, once the base for the old United Fruit Company/Granada Company production of bananas.
The proposed manufacturing proposals include a labor force that is little qualified in specialized trades.
The Ministry notes that salaries for most of these jobs range from RD$10,000 up to RD$21,000 depending on the sector and the project.
While not sufficient to purchase the basic food baskets, the salaries do provide income in the region.
While Dajabon and Montecristi are the locations for over 90% of the proposals, a few are dispersed in Pedernales and Bahoruco. The lack of economic activities has been a drawback for that region to attract major investments, so far.
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Diario Libre
23 October 2023