President Danilo Medina has ordered the Ministry of Public Works to step in and clean up the city of Santiago, after deficiencies in the municipal refuse collection service led to an accumulation of garbage on the streets. Mayor Gilberto Serulle of the PRSC party ends his term on 16 August 2016.
According to Listin Diario, yesterday, Wednesday 1 June 2016 more than 100 heavy vehicles including trucks and bulldozers and over 400 workers began to clean up the city. Ramon Antonio Pepin, a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Public Works, announced that they would resume the process of paving Santiago’s streets and avenues starting next week, on President Danilo Medina’s orders.
During a press conference the newly elected mayor, Abel Martinez of the ruling PLD party, told reporters that the measures were being taken in order to prevent health problems in the country’s second largest city. He called on all sectors to cooperate with the citywide cleanup program.
