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NewsWhore
03-07-2011, 02:50 PM
Economist Miguel Ceara Hatton says that the most serious problem affecting development in the DR today is institutional, as reported in Hoy. Contributing as a panelist during the presentation of a report with recommendations for a national development strategy prepared by experts from the University of Harvard, Ceara said that political patronage and the political culture has overwhelmed the country and impeded strengthening of institutions that would spur development.

Ceara Hatton is the coordinator of the United Nations Human Development Program in the DR. He mentioned several examples, for example in tourism. "There are problems and regulations that are not met. I have on my desk, for example, a decree where the President authorizes a minister to violate the law. One cannot work that way," said Ceara Hatton during the panel discussion held at the Hotel Embajador.

He added that another case of lack of institutions is the recognition in the Constitution of rights to private beach property, mentioning the case of construction of a private property on a beach in Las Terrenas, and there was no way to stop this.

Ceara Hatton says that to achieve development, the DR first needs to solve the problem of its institutions, before attempting anything else.

"Unfortunately we have a democracy that sees as favors what is a right of all Dominicans," he said, while commenting on the presentation made by Ricardo Hausmann from the Center for International Development at Harvard University.

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