In her opinion piece in Diario Libre on 5 February 2026, Ellen Perez argues that doubling the GDP per capita should not be the Dominican Republic’s primary objective. While the country has already achieved this feat twice since 2000, Perez points out that economic growth hasn’t translated into superior social outcomes; the DR still lags behind nations with lower GDPs in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI).
She speaks to the trap of diminishing returns. Following the example of Chile, Perez warns that growth inevitably slows as an economy matures, making linear projections of 5% growth unreliable.
She urges the government to focus on development versus growth. Despite rising incomes and better access to basic services, she points out that the DR suffers from a “bottom-tier” education system (ranking 79th out of 81 in PISA 2022) and weak institutional frameworks.
She warns that increasing national wealth without radical improvements in education and justice risks creating a society of “wealthy but uncivilized” individuals.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
2 March 2026