NewsWhore
07-27-2011, 04:00 PM
Proposals are on the table for changing the status of 43 villages across the country, basically a form of gerrymandering. (Gerrymandering is the political use of geographic boundaries to strengthen a party's hold on an area or a seat in Congress. It dates back to XIX century US politics.)
What all this means is that there are congressional proposals to set up municipalities in places like La Canela in Santiago province, or a municipal district in Las Cabuyas, also in Santiago.
Manuel Diaz (PLD) was quite open as he told El Caribe reporters that these suggestions for changes in status were aimed at establishing political control over these small villages and back streets that lack the requisites for such status. Of course Diaz is at loggerheads with his own party.
Researcher Pavel Isa Contreras says that most of the places that are tipped for conversion to either municipal districts or even new cities do not have the conditions needed to function as municipal entities. A small and dispersed population makes effective municipal government very difficult and planning nearly impossible, according to Isa Contreras.
There are currently 31 provinces, the National District, 155 cities and 229 municipal districts.
According to a leading PRD member, Tirso Mejia Ricart, there were 138 cities and about 100 municipal districts before the division of the National District in 2001.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
What all this means is that there are congressional proposals to set up municipalities in places like La Canela in Santiago province, or a municipal district in Las Cabuyas, also in Santiago.
Manuel Diaz (PLD) was quite open as he told El Caribe reporters that these suggestions for changes in status were aimed at establishing political control over these small villages and back streets that lack the requisites for such status. Of course Diaz is at loggerheads with his own party.
Researcher Pavel Isa Contreras says that most of the places that are tipped for conversion to either municipal districts or even new cities do not have the conditions needed to function as municipal entities. A small and dispersed population makes effective municipal government very difficult and planning nearly impossible, according to Isa Contreras.
There are currently 31 provinces, the National District, 155 cities and 229 municipal districts.
According to a leading PRD member, Tirso Mejia Ricart, there were 138 cities and about 100 municipal districts before the division of the National District in 2001.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)