The eighth session of the political dialogue started by President Leonel Fernández spent much of its time discussing who might be nominated to an expanded Central Elections Board (JCE). The three major political parties the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD, which controls Congress) and the Reformist-Social Christian Party (PRSC) have agreed that the JCE membership should be expanded from five to seven members, but have yet to agree on acceptable candidates to fill the new slots. Yesterday PLD suggested for consideration Aura Celeste Fernández, who served on the JCE that organized the 1996 national elections. The PRSC aired a long list of potential nominees, including Prim Pujals, Zoila Medina de Martínez, Julio César Castaños Guzmán, Ramón Pina Acevedo, Alejandro Asmar and Cirilo Collado Luna. Last night’s also discussed a proposal by President Fernández for a "peace pact" between the parties for smooth conduct of the year 2000 presidential elections. The pact would outline an ethics code for electioneering. The next session of the dialogue, scheduled for next Wednesday, is expected to return to discussion of JCE candidates.
