President Hipolito Mejia, in his state of the nation address yesterday at the National Assembly, reaffirmed his commitment to govern for the poor. "My administration will continue to support macroeconomic stability, and the productive sectors that generate jobs and produce wealth, but I am not going to forget that my main commitment is to increase social expenditures to benefit the poor," said the President. He said that in the first six months of the year investments in the public health sector are up 9.8% and in the agriculture sector 53.3%. "This figure by itself is a clear message of encouragement and support to farmers and cattle ranchers that for years had seen their aspirations and economic problems ignored," he said. He said that his government has started 1,100 projects throughout the nation, most of social character, with an investment of RD$32,000 million. He said that by year-end 2000, his government completed more than 161 projects for more than RD$613 million. He said that his government would start others with international funding of US$241.5 million. He stressed his government would continue to give priority to education, health, food production, housing, tourism, protection of the ecology and natural resources, reform and modernization of the state, consolidation of the judicial branch and other branches of government. He reaffirmed his commitment to "re-establish decency in public administration and to reinforce it, I place my own conduct as an example of what I am preaching, more than words," he said. He dedicated half of his short speech, nevertheless, to criticize the previous administration, which was not well received by most, which feel the government should move on. El Caribe newspaper publishes comments of the dean of the state university (UASD), Porfirio García who said that in the speech the President was on the defensive, and did not project how his government will confront the situation it inherited. Deputy Pelegrín Castillo, also quoted in El Caribe, said that the speeches of both the President and that of the president of the Senate, Ramón Alburquerque, who preceded him, tend to introduce contradictions and social tirade, when the country needs unity at this time for many reasons. The president of the government party, Hatuey de Camps, admitted that much of the speech was dedicated to criticize the past government, but described it as "brief, concrete, positive and full of hope."
