NewsWhore
09-04-2006, 05:40 PM
President Leonel Fernandez and most of the factory owners in the industrial free zones of Santiago and the surrounding areas, commonly known as "Zona Francas" or Free Zones, will be meeting today at the Gran Almirante Hotel in Santiago. According to Diario Libre, the agenda of the meeting deals with the need to re-launch the Free Zones as a prime source of employment in the area. In general, the Free Zones employ about 155,000 people in the Dominican Republic and in Santiago alone there are 57,000 people working in the "Zona Franca". Exports from the industrial parks has reached US$4.0 billion yearly but over the last few months production and exports have dropped, due in large part to the unfettered access of China to the US markets. The President and his economic team will meet with the National Council of Free Zones. World Bank and USAID representatives will also be present.
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