President Leonel Fernandez said in Cartagena de Indas, Colombia during his participation in the Grupo de Rio summit that maintaining high levels of growth for long periods is the best way for a government to be able to stimulate social programs. He expressed his hopes that the new government that starts 16 August will continue the programs by which the Dominican Republic has played a leadership role in regional integration and Caribbean relations. He expressed his hope that the economic boom may continue in the DR. He said Dominicans do not notice the boom, but foreigners do when they visit and see the dynamism of the economy. President Fernández said that the country needs to insist on a reduction of its foreign debt. He said that the country’s foreign debt payments are equal to the money budgeted for education. He says the DR needs to negotiate with lending countries so that funds that would go to paying the foreign debt can be invested in educational and other social programs.
