NewsWhore
02-28-2011, 03:20 PM
Speaking at the Te Deum service at Santo Domingo Cathedral yesterday in the presence of President Leonel Fernandez on the occasion of the celebration of Dominican Independence Day, Monsignor Victor Masalles called for a government of the rule of law, starting with the fulfillment of the 2010 Constitution. He commented that President Fernandez himself had described it as "The Constitution of the Century."
Monsignor Masalles, who is described as a member of the new generation of the Catholic Church, said that the Church is standing strong behind the fulfillment of the Constitution. "Each of the [Constitutional] principles must happen if we really want respect for our country and a dignified nation that knows how to command respect and can protect basic human rights, such as life, freedom, security, nutrition, housing, health and education, among others. We need to build a state of law where these principles are observed and Dominican laws respected."
He highlighted the social role of the Church and its relationship with the community. "I am convinced it is among those who best know the Dominican soul and can detect when political and economic interests seek to corrupt it. "The role of denouncing unfair decisions and actions is an essential task. This feedback that the church provides is vital for taking the social pulse of the nation. "For that reason it is not good to shut this down, or gag it, bribe or silence, manipulate or defame, in an attempt to turn the national forum into a monologue," he stated.
He recalled: "Let us be sincere. What would have become of the history of our island without the Montesinos Sermon or the Pastoral Letter of 1960 [the Church's strong attack on Dictator Trujillo]?"
Masalles stressed that "the people do not live off statistics and said that was why authentic service to the country was needed to which all committed to serve, because only the welfare of the majority will be the definitive judge of the efforts that each will have made for national development.
"We can't offer the people a check without funds. I refuse to think that the treasury will return that check for lack of funds of a nation that prides itself on having growth of more than GDP since the days of 1961 at the end of the dictatorship, when the Latin American average has been 3.4% during the same period.
"I refuse to think that despite this growth we return to the country figures that are less than half the average of the region in health and education, and we have some of the worst levels of competitiveness in education, electricity, wastefulness in government spending and favoritism in government decisions, according to the World Economic Forum Competitiveness Report.
The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report for 2010-2011 established that of 139 participating countries, the DR is 134th in diversion of government funds, 139th in favoritism in government decisions, 138th in wastefulness in government spending, 137th in primary education, 133rd in education in general, and 132 in quality of electricity.
"Our youth sees criminals as role models and heroes because they enjoy impunity, celebrities who show the best anti-values of any moral code, athletes breaking ethical rules to achieve goals at any cost. We are educating our youth to copy examples that go against the true values of the nation."
Masalles challenged the President to build the country envisioned by our founding fathers and the founders of his political party.
"Let us not hijack the ideals or those of the parties and much less the nation's ideals because by doing so we are betraying the mission to build Dominican authenticity," he declared. He reminded the President he was elected to lead the country and expressed confidence that the President would come forth with targeted decisions.
022811_WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2010_2011.pdf (http://dr1.com/news/2011/022811_WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2010_2011.pdf)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)
Monsignor Masalles, who is described as a member of the new generation of the Catholic Church, said that the Church is standing strong behind the fulfillment of the Constitution. "Each of the [Constitutional] principles must happen if we really want respect for our country and a dignified nation that knows how to command respect and can protect basic human rights, such as life, freedom, security, nutrition, housing, health and education, among others. We need to build a state of law where these principles are observed and Dominican laws respected."
He highlighted the social role of the Church and its relationship with the community. "I am convinced it is among those who best know the Dominican soul and can detect when political and economic interests seek to corrupt it. "The role of denouncing unfair decisions and actions is an essential task. This feedback that the church provides is vital for taking the social pulse of the nation. "For that reason it is not good to shut this down, or gag it, bribe or silence, manipulate or defame, in an attempt to turn the national forum into a monologue," he stated.
He recalled: "Let us be sincere. What would have become of the history of our island without the Montesinos Sermon or the Pastoral Letter of 1960 [the Church's strong attack on Dictator Trujillo]?"
Masalles stressed that "the people do not live off statistics and said that was why authentic service to the country was needed to which all committed to serve, because only the welfare of the majority will be the definitive judge of the efforts that each will have made for national development.
"We can't offer the people a check without funds. I refuse to think that the treasury will return that check for lack of funds of a nation that prides itself on having growth of more than GDP since the days of 1961 at the end of the dictatorship, when the Latin American average has been 3.4% during the same period.
"I refuse to think that despite this growth we return to the country figures that are less than half the average of the region in health and education, and we have some of the worst levels of competitiveness in education, electricity, wastefulness in government spending and favoritism in government decisions, according to the World Economic Forum Competitiveness Report.
The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report for 2010-2011 established that of 139 participating countries, the DR is 134th in diversion of government funds, 139th in favoritism in government decisions, 138th in wastefulness in government spending, 137th in primary education, 133rd in education in general, and 132 in quality of electricity.
"Our youth sees criminals as role models and heroes because they enjoy impunity, celebrities who show the best anti-values of any moral code, athletes breaking ethical rules to achieve goals at any cost. We are educating our youth to copy examples that go against the true values of the nation."
Masalles challenged the President to build the country envisioned by our founding fathers and the founders of his political party.
"Let us not hijack the ideals or those of the parties and much less the nation's ideals because by doing so we are betraying the mission to build Dominican authenticity," he declared. He reminded the President he was elected to lead the country and expressed confidence that the President would come forth with targeted decisions.
022811_WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2010_2011.pdf (http://dr1.com/news/2011/022811_WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2010_2011.pdf)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)