NewsWhore
07-09-2012, 05:50 PM
A report in El Caribe focuses on the challenges President-elect Danilo Medina will inherit from President Leonel Fernandez. As reported, he will begin his presidency on 16 August in times of relative stability despite a poverty index of 35%, an unemployment rate of 14.4% and a fiscal deficit that economists have ranging from RD$85 billion to RD$115 billion for the end of this year.
President Leonel Fernandez on tour in Spain last week, told the Spanish press that the Dominican economy had grown on average 7.2% over the past eight years of his government, placing it as one of the most dynamic in Latin America. "Naturally, I cannot ignore that the Dominican Republic is a country that has to continue working to reduce poverty and social inequality, and create opportunities for all citizens," Fernandez told the press in Spain. The government is signaled out as the largest single job creator in the Dominican Republic, but most of these jobs are political patronage appointments. Medina has promised to create 400,000 new jobs and maintain the growth of the Gross Domestic Product.
Economist Pavel Isa Contreras, as reported in El Caribe, says that the poverty in the country should be less given the economic growth of recent years. He said that the next President should work to build a bridge between government and society.
El Caribe reports on the effects of political patronage during the Fernandez administration saying this affects governance. "There is a need for the people to perceive that the government is serious. When the state begins to play a different role and people perceive this, they will back the government," he said.
Sociologist Rosario Espinal said that the challenge for governance has less to do with political clashes, than with theft. She said each group of politicians that has reached power has endeavored to milk the state and this irritates the population. She commented the opposition is very weak and is not in capacity to do anything. Espinal said that growth bonanza is concentrated in few hands, such as banking, telecommunications, payment of debts and corruption. She called for the creation of more but better jobs. "I don't believe Danilo will start in government with his hands tied. Neither do I believe that taxes have to be increased to improve and subsidize education, because there is enough money for that," she said, as reported in El Caribe.
In an opt-ed piece in Hoy, Ubi Rivas writes that the Fernandez government can also show growth of the tourism sector, despite economic difficulties in source markets, and the growth of industrial free zone sector. Likewise, GDP is at 4.5% and inflation under 4% at year's end 2011.
But as negatives, he writes the challenges of the mass immigration from Haiti and security issues.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
President Leonel Fernandez on tour in Spain last week, told the Spanish press that the Dominican economy had grown on average 7.2% over the past eight years of his government, placing it as one of the most dynamic in Latin America. "Naturally, I cannot ignore that the Dominican Republic is a country that has to continue working to reduce poverty and social inequality, and create opportunities for all citizens," Fernandez told the press in Spain. The government is signaled out as the largest single job creator in the Dominican Republic, but most of these jobs are political patronage appointments. Medina has promised to create 400,000 new jobs and maintain the growth of the Gross Domestic Product.
Economist Pavel Isa Contreras, as reported in El Caribe, says that the poverty in the country should be less given the economic growth of recent years. He said that the next President should work to build a bridge between government and society.
El Caribe reports on the effects of political patronage during the Fernandez administration saying this affects governance. "There is a need for the people to perceive that the government is serious. When the state begins to play a different role and people perceive this, they will back the government," he said.
Sociologist Rosario Espinal said that the challenge for governance has less to do with political clashes, than with theft. She said each group of politicians that has reached power has endeavored to milk the state and this irritates the population. She commented the opposition is very weak and is not in capacity to do anything. Espinal said that growth bonanza is concentrated in few hands, such as banking, telecommunications, payment of debts and corruption. She called for the creation of more but better jobs. "I don't believe Danilo will start in government with his hands tied. Neither do I believe that taxes have to be increased to improve and subsidize education, because there is enough money for that," she said, as reported in El Caribe.
In an opt-ed piece in Hoy, Ubi Rivas writes that the Fernandez government can also show growth of the tourism sector, despite economic difficulties in source markets, and the growth of industrial free zone sector. Likewise, GDP is at 4.5% and inflation under 4% at year's end 2011.
But as negatives, he writes the challenges of the mass immigration from Haiti and security issues.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)