NewsWhore
08-16-2012, 05:00 PM
At 11:04am today, Thursday 16 August, Danilo Medina was sworn in as the 56th Constitutional President of the Dominican Republic amidst great public expectations for changes promised in his government.
During his inaugural speech he rallied all Dominicans, "let's get to work!"
"Today, more than ever, I stopped thinking as an individual to think and feel as a collective. Today, I change my individual soul for the collective soul of the people," he told the Dominican people in his inaugural speech.
Medina announced the master guidelines of his government program, restructuring of several government institutions, new departments that will be created and several ambitious goals. He said the 2010 Constitution and the National Development Strategy 2030 would set the path for his government program for the next four years.
He announced the Social Cabinet in the Fernandez government would become a coordination space for all the government's social programs. He said there would be three key initiatives: Solidarity Program (welfare), Progresando (directed by new Vice President Margarita Cedeno), and a new Quisqueya sin Miseria (Quisqueya without Extreme Poverty).
He announced a national crusade to eliminate illiteracy starting on 8 September 2012, International Literacy Day, and with the goal of declaring illiteracy to have been eradicated in the DR by 8 September 2014. An estimated 700,000 people living in the DR cannot read and write.
"Education is the new name for freedom," he said, acknowledging that education is the true key to development. He promised to implement the allocation of 4% of government budget to pre-university education in the 2013 national budget. He said that the Ministry of Education would be restructured, so that it can concentrate on educational matters, with matters such as food and construction programs delegated to other government institutions. He promised to decentralize the contracting of construction projects to favor more provincial builders. He said the goal of his government would be to add 18,000 classrooms nationwide by 2016, and for 80% of all students in public schools to receive eight hours of instruction by that date, from the current average of three hours per day.
In public health, he announced that by the end of his government 1.3 million poor Dominicans would be added to subsidized health plans. He announced a target of at least one low-cost government pharmacy per municipality, and the start of a catastrophic disease fund by 2013. He pledged that maternal mortality would be reduced to 50 in 100,000 by 2015.
The new President announced a new program, Vive Mujer (Woman Live), to promote gender equity and help abused women, with childcare support and follow-up for victims of domestic violence.
Security was a key element of his speech. "I want to reiterate that I do not want the people to fear going out on our streets." He announced integrated Police reform by the Ministry of Interior and Police. He called for a new, modern police force, where promotions are respected and with higher salaries, better equipped, and improved academic backgrounds.
He announced backing of the recently created Citizen Security Observatory, as a center that will map crime in the country in order to implement preventive actions. He announced a new program "Vivir Tranquilo" (Live in Peace), to strengthen police surveillance in barrios with high crime rates. He said the program would be backed by urban improvements, sports, job creation, and education efforts for a comprehensive focus.
On the issue of corruption in office, he announced that he would be promoting a culture of the law and transparency. He announced the new National Department of Government Ethics, to promote ethical actions among government employees and that employees would be investigated even in situations where there is just a public rumor. He said he would be the first to sign the new Government Ethics Code, which all government officials will be required to sign.
He announced the Medina administration would seek to create 400,000 jobs, with backing in technology, financing, market creation, and strengthening the business climate.
He called on young people, mentioning the skeptics who preferred not to vote because of a lack of trust in government. He said they needed to be the main actors in pushing for greater national development and urged them to renew their hope in a future in the country.
Medina is relying on the small business sector to create needed jobs. He announced that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce would now be the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Small Business. A new small business department will receive RD$1 billion in funding to back small and medium-sized business, with backing from the European Union. The idea is to encourage 15,000 new small businesses. He announced a decree would be issued to make it easier for small businesses to benefit from government procurement.
Medina said that the country's tourism industry was the engine of development and the goal is to double the number of tourists to 10 million by the end of the decade. He said he would support new facilities to stimulate new investment, work to strengthen the country brand, and security, as well as encouraging more cruise companies to make Dominican ports their mother ports.
For agriculture, he announced an ambitious program to grant land titles to 150,000 properties, and that the Agricultural Bank would be strengthened. At the same time he reported there would be RD$1 billion in government guarantees for private banking to grant loans to farmers.
He announced his government's goal is to resolve the electricity deficits by the end of his government, that power distribution companies would not be privatized, more installation of pre-paid meters, and the creation of the Ministry of Energy and Mining.
Regarding the environment, he announced that the water issue would be key to life and prosperity in the Dominican Republic. He backed the passing of the Bill of Water, which is stagnating in Congress. He said other priorities would be biodiversity, forests and quality of urban life, climate change adaptation and clean production, green markets, sustainability of production processes. He said he would send to Congress bills for the approval of the water, sanitation, forestry resources, biodiversity, biotechnology security, and payment or compensation for environmental services.
He said the foreign service was key to national development.
Our trade policies, our policies for attracting tourism investments and culture will be felt around the world," he said. He announced the restructuring of the Ministry of Foreign Relations that includes the "institutionalization, professionalizing and rationalization of the Dominican foreign service."
He had a special mention for Haiti, saying he would support the signing of a free trade agreement with Haiti on the grounds that it is the DR's second largest trade partner. He said that one day of trade with Haiti was equal to a year with Central America. He said that efforts would made to eliminate anarchic trade conditions with the "progress of the island" being the goal.
He announced attention to the migration policy, to ensure it is clear and transparent with the fulfillment of the migration law and penalization to corrupt military personnel and officers who are responsible for trafficking in people.
The Institute of Dominicans Abroad would be created to "be nearer to the needs of expatriate Dominicans."
The new President of the Dominican Republic ended with a rousing exhortation to all Dominicans: "let's get to work!"
www.presidencia.gob.do/app/do_2011/pre_discursos_det.aspx?id=15582&e=8%2f16%2f2012 (http://www.presidencia.gob.do/app/do_2011/pre_discursos_det.aspx?id=15582&e=8%2f16%2f2012)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
During his inaugural speech he rallied all Dominicans, "let's get to work!"
"Today, more than ever, I stopped thinking as an individual to think and feel as a collective. Today, I change my individual soul for the collective soul of the people," he told the Dominican people in his inaugural speech.
Medina announced the master guidelines of his government program, restructuring of several government institutions, new departments that will be created and several ambitious goals. He said the 2010 Constitution and the National Development Strategy 2030 would set the path for his government program for the next four years.
He announced the Social Cabinet in the Fernandez government would become a coordination space for all the government's social programs. He said there would be three key initiatives: Solidarity Program (welfare), Progresando (directed by new Vice President Margarita Cedeno), and a new Quisqueya sin Miseria (Quisqueya without Extreme Poverty).
He announced a national crusade to eliminate illiteracy starting on 8 September 2012, International Literacy Day, and with the goal of declaring illiteracy to have been eradicated in the DR by 8 September 2014. An estimated 700,000 people living in the DR cannot read and write.
"Education is the new name for freedom," he said, acknowledging that education is the true key to development. He promised to implement the allocation of 4% of government budget to pre-university education in the 2013 national budget. He said that the Ministry of Education would be restructured, so that it can concentrate on educational matters, with matters such as food and construction programs delegated to other government institutions. He promised to decentralize the contracting of construction projects to favor more provincial builders. He said the goal of his government would be to add 18,000 classrooms nationwide by 2016, and for 80% of all students in public schools to receive eight hours of instruction by that date, from the current average of three hours per day.
In public health, he announced that by the end of his government 1.3 million poor Dominicans would be added to subsidized health plans. He announced a target of at least one low-cost government pharmacy per municipality, and the start of a catastrophic disease fund by 2013. He pledged that maternal mortality would be reduced to 50 in 100,000 by 2015.
The new President announced a new program, Vive Mujer (Woman Live), to promote gender equity and help abused women, with childcare support and follow-up for victims of domestic violence.
Security was a key element of his speech. "I want to reiterate that I do not want the people to fear going out on our streets." He announced integrated Police reform by the Ministry of Interior and Police. He called for a new, modern police force, where promotions are respected and with higher salaries, better equipped, and improved academic backgrounds.
He announced backing of the recently created Citizen Security Observatory, as a center that will map crime in the country in order to implement preventive actions. He announced a new program "Vivir Tranquilo" (Live in Peace), to strengthen police surveillance in barrios with high crime rates. He said the program would be backed by urban improvements, sports, job creation, and education efforts for a comprehensive focus.
On the issue of corruption in office, he announced that he would be promoting a culture of the law and transparency. He announced the new National Department of Government Ethics, to promote ethical actions among government employees and that employees would be investigated even in situations where there is just a public rumor. He said he would be the first to sign the new Government Ethics Code, which all government officials will be required to sign.
He announced the Medina administration would seek to create 400,000 jobs, with backing in technology, financing, market creation, and strengthening the business climate.
He called on young people, mentioning the skeptics who preferred not to vote because of a lack of trust in government. He said they needed to be the main actors in pushing for greater national development and urged them to renew their hope in a future in the country.
Medina is relying on the small business sector to create needed jobs. He announced that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce would now be the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Small Business. A new small business department will receive RD$1 billion in funding to back small and medium-sized business, with backing from the European Union. The idea is to encourage 15,000 new small businesses. He announced a decree would be issued to make it easier for small businesses to benefit from government procurement.
Medina said that the country's tourism industry was the engine of development and the goal is to double the number of tourists to 10 million by the end of the decade. He said he would support new facilities to stimulate new investment, work to strengthen the country brand, and security, as well as encouraging more cruise companies to make Dominican ports their mother ports.
For agriculture, he announced an ambitious program to grant land titles to 150,000 properties, and that the Agricultural Bank would be strengthened. At the same time he reported there would be RD$1 billion in government guarantees for private banking to grant loans to farmers.
He announced his government's goal is to resolve the electricity deficits by the end of his government, that power distribution companies would not be privatized, more installation of pre-paid meters, and the creation of the Ministry of Energy and Mining.
Regarding the environment, he announced that the water issue would be key to life and prosperity in the Dominican Republic. He backed the passing of the Bill of Water, which is stagnating in Congress. He said other priorities would be biodiversity, forests and quality of urban life, climate change adaptation and clean production, green markets, sustainability of production processes. He said he would send to Congress bills for the approval of the water, sanitation, forestry resources, biodiversity, biotechnology security, and payment or compensation for environmental services.
He said the foreign service was key to national development.
Our trade policies, our policies for attracting tourism investments and culture will be felt around the world," he said. He announced the restructuring of the Ministry of Foreign Relations that includes the "institutionalization, professionalizing and rationalization of the Dominican foreign service."
He had a special mention for Haiti, saying he would support the signing of a free trade agreement with Haiti on the grounds that it is the DR's second largest trade partner. He said that one day of trade with Haiti was equal to a year with Central America. He said that efforts would made to eliminate anarchic trade conditions with the "progress of the island" being the goal.
He announced attention to the migration policy, to ensure it is clear and transparent with the fulfillment of the migration law and penalization to corrupt military personnel and officers who are responsible for trafficking in people.
The Institute of Dominicans Abroad would be created to "be nearer to the needs of expatriate Dominicans."
The new President of the Dominican Republic ended with a rousing exhortation to all Dominicans: "let's get to work!"
www.presidencia.gob.do/app/do_2011/pre_discursos_det.aspx?id=15582&e=8%2f16%2f2012 (http://www.presidencia.gob.do/app/do_2011/pre_discursos_det.aspx?id=15582&e=8%2f16%2f2012)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)