Industrial competitiveness hurting

[NewsWhore]

According to the Dominican Association of Industries (AIRD) the ability of the manufacturing sector to generate jobs and contribute to the country's development is being seriously affected by the openness of the Dominican markets. Manuel Diaz Cabral, president of AIRD, pointed to the Central Bank's recognition of the limitations faced by the free trade zones, especially in the textile sector. But he said that the competitiveness of local industry in general is affected by the indexation of salaries, the increase in energy and transport costs and the corrections to the exchange rate. Diez says that unfortunately authorities aren't noticing that those limitations also affect local businesses that do not enjoy the same benefits that free trade zones have. Diez, speaking in Hoy, said that the DR is walking along a tight rope and says that the local market is in a state of asphyxiation.

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