NewsWhore
04-29-2008, 03:10 PM
The president of the National Council for Private Business (CONEP), Lisandro Macarrulla believes that the country should sign a new agreement with the IMF after the presidential election. In an interview with El Caribe, he said that after the election the focus should be on eliminating the distortions that have impeded the country from achieving development that is more in line with its growth indexes. "If the country does not make the necessary changes, such as greater social inclusion, reduction of poverty and more opportunities for Dominicans, we will not have a sustainable climate of peace, nor will we be able to maintain the flow of investments to create the wealth the country requires," he stated.
He commented that with the previous IMF agreement, all objectives were accomplished with the exception of the electricity sector. Regarding the increasing food prices, Macarulla says that the government should improve the structure of costs within farming.
Macarrulla says that the country has to become competitive, not just sectors. "Here the electricity problem is serious, so is education and infrastructure. We have to better educate our workforce so it can make more important contributions to production. That takes time, and cannot be postponed. We cannot invest barely 2% of GDP in education," he told the newspaper.
Jesus Moreno of the Herrera Association of Industries also calls for a national political agenda to seek ways to increase local production, strengthen exports, and redouble efforts to secure systemic competitiveness and rationalize government spending. "Once the elections are behind us, when the real costs of electricity and food products become clear, society will come before the harsh reality and to confront this we will need unity, which means leaving to a side the political cannibalism," he said, as reported in El Caribe.
"We have to start thinking more about the country, and less about private interests, to promote a development agenda and the strengthening of institutions, so that we do not regret it tomorrow," said Moreno.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
He commented that with the previous IMF agreement, all objectives were accomplished with the exception of the electricity sector. Regarding the increasing food prices, Macarulla says that the government should improve the structure of costs within farming.
Macarrulla says that the country has to become competitive, not just sectors. "Here the electricity problem is serious, so is education and infrastructure. We have to better educate our workforce so it can make more important contributions to production. That takes time, and cannot be postponed. We cannot invest barely 2% of GDP in education," he told the newspaper.
Jesus Moreno of the Herrera Association of Industries also calls for a national political agenda to seek ways to increase local production, strengthen exports, and redouble efforts to secure systemic competitiveness and rationalize government spending. "Once the elections are behind us, when the real costs of electricity and food products become clear, society will come before the harsh reality and to confront this we will need unity, which means leaving to a side the political cannibalism," he said, as reported in El Caribe.
"We have to start thinking more about the country, and less about private interests, to promote a development agenda and the strengthening of institutions, so that we do not regret it tomorrow," said Moreno.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)