NewsWhore
08-04-2009, 05:50 PM
Representatives of the InterAmerican Development Bank and the World Bank told the press yesterday that 2 years would be enough to resolve the energy crisis in the DR "if the authorities decide so". Gina Montiel, Manager of Country Department Central America, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic for the Interamerican Development Bank and Rodrigo Chaves, Sector Manager, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, for the World Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean met with President Leonel Fernandez yesterday at the Presidential Palace for 5 hours yesterday.
Present also were Vice President Rafael Alburqureque, vice president of the Corporation of State-owned Electricity Companies (CDEEE) and Hacienda Minister Vicente Bengoa.
Speaking afterwards to the press, Montiel said they discussed a plan for recovery of the energy sector. She explained a revised plan would be presented in two months. Chaves said that he had no doubts that "if the Dominican Republic does what it is supposed to do, it can normalize the electricity sector." He did make it clear that this will not happen from one day to the next, because it is a problem that has been accumulating in the country for decades, and it will take a couple of years to resolve it.
The executive vice-president of the CDEEE (the department that controls most of the power service in the country), Radhames Segura, told reporters that the World Bank had already disbursed a loan for US$42 million to better the distribution network and another loan for US$40 million is currently in Congress awaiting approval. "These loans form part of the package of resources that the IDB and the WB have been placing at the disposition of the Dominican authorities", he emphasized.
Business sectors have complained that Segura has been at the helm of the energy sector for the past seven years and the situation has only worsened. Segura recently called for another summit to discuss the energy sector, but Ernesto Vilalta of the Association of Industries of Herrera suggested that he first fulfill agreements reached during the January Summit called by President Leonel Fernandez.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)
Present also were Vice President Rafael Alburqureque, vice president of the Corporation of State-owned Electricity Companies (CDEEE) and Hacienda Minister Vicente Bengoa.
Speaking afterwards to the press, Montiel said they discussed a plan for recovery of the energy sector. She explained a revised plan would be presented in two months. Chaves said that he had no doubts that "if the Dominican Republic does what it is supposed to do, it can normalize the electricity sector." He did make it clear that this will not happen from one day to the next, because it is a problem that has been accumulating in the country for decades, and it will take a couple of years to resolve it.
The executive vice-president of the CDEEE (the department that controls most of the power service in the country), Radhames Segura, told reporters that the World Bank had already disbursed a loan for US$42 million to better the distribution network and another loan for US$40 million is currently in Congress awaiting approval. "These loans form part of the package of resources that the IDB and the WB have been placing at the disposition of the Dominican authorities", he emphasized.
Business sectors have complained that Segura has been at the helm of the energy sector for the past seven years and the situation has only worsened. Segura recently called for another summit to discuss the energy sector, but Ernesto Vilalta of the Association of Industries of Herrera suggested that he first fulfill agreements reached during the January Summit called by President Leonel Fernandez.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)