President Hipolito Mejia addressed attendants at the American Apparel and Footwear Association annual meeting in Aspen, Colorado. He spoke of the advantages of airport facilities, proximity to the US, dynamic telecommunications sector, and adequate labor standards. Likewise, he highlighted the reform of the judicial sector, the new social security bill and the continued growth of the economy. He also promoted the new law that establishes incentives for investing in impoverished areas, such as the frontier zone. He said lower rent rates, preferential access to US apparel quotas and a 20 year tax exemption apply when contracting work or investing in a free zone plant in the frontier areas. The free zone association is also lobbying for lower wages to make free zone operations in this area even more attractive to those contracting apparel that does not require skilled labor. President Mejia also attended a breakfast with US apparel businessmen offered by Bill Compton, chairman of the Apparel Association of the US, and whose company Tropical Sportswear has several apparel operations in the DR. In Colorado, President Mejia was accompanied by Danilo del Rosario of the Office of Investment Promotion; Jeanette Dominguez, director of the Council for Export Free Zones; Raymundo Hache, president of the Association of Industries of Santiago; Jose Clase, president of the Association of Dominican Free Zones, among others.
