According to the Central Bank, the Fernandez government has reduced 7,628 jobs from its administration between September and December 2004.
The report on the Dominican economy released yesterday by the Central Bank, as reported in Diario Libre, shows that the number of employees on the government payroll declined from 320,558 in September 2004 to 314,190 in December, for a 1.9% reduction in jobs. Decentralized government organizations cut 1,260 jobs, or 3.1% during the same period.
City government employment, nevertheless, primarily controlled by opposition parties, increased 0.9%, going from 45,325 employees in September to 45,734 municipal workers in December 2004.
Overall, at the end of the year the number of public sector employees, at 399,258 persons was 1.7% less than in September 2004, two weeks after the start of the new government.
The government committed to maintain the same payroll level as in October 2004 in its letter of intent for the stand by arrangement with the IMF. In January, the government payroll was RD$2.47 billion, approximately 13% more than in October 2004, including a 15% payroll increase at the start of the year.