The Public Works Minister, Diandino Peña, told a luncheon with the Corripio Communications Group that 61% of the RD$8.5 billion priority public works program President Fernández has announced for the rest of his term of office is earmarked for programs benefiting provinces. [The Corripio Group includes the daily newspapers Hoy and El Nacional and the Teleantillas and Telesistema television channels.] Peña said that RD$2.4 billion will be directed at works within the National District (DN) and RD$1.6 billion for tourism infrastructure projects; the rest will go projects for "the interior" or those of "national coverage or jurisdiction." For the latter category, he cited East Highway (alone earmarked for RD$750 million), the beltway around Santiago, the rehabilitation of the docks at Puerto Plata, the widening of the Navarrete road, reconstruction of the Santiago-San José de las Matas highway, and repairs to all the bridges damaged by Hurricane Georges. Peña attributed the program to lofty motives such as contributing to sustained economic growth, raising the quality of life and love of country. Political commentators in the media, however, note that many of the projects are those demanded by strikers or are in areas where the ruling PLD faces low or sagging political support.
