Danilo stresses job creation as basis for fighting poverty in his administration
The President reported the creation of 100,000 formal jobs in 2013
Mariela Mejía
SANTO DOMINGO. The creation of jobs through the policies of attention to the rural areas, entrepreneurism, tourism, and the building of infrastructure, among other projects, is the basis on which President Danilo Medina establishes his efforts to reduce poverty in the Dominican Republic (estimated at 41%) and yesterday he said this in his speech which gave an account of the last year.
"As we have indicated on many occasions, the best policy against poverty and for the development of our people is job creation," he said as he stood before the National Assembly.
In his speech he cited information from the Ministry of Labor and the Central Bank that reported the creation of 100,000 formal jobs in 2013. "This means that we are on the road to fulfill our objective of creating 400,000 jobs during our administration," he said.
During his 39 page, one hour and 43 minute speech, the President presented a resume by sector of his administration in 2013, and the creation of jobs as a way out for the poor was a highlighted aspect in the results of the different government programs.
"Dominican men and women, in our country, the time for jobs has come! Creating new positions of good jobs and formalizing those that exist, is and will continue to be our principle objective in 2014 and the rest of our administration," he noted.
He said: "In 2013 we made 55 surprise visits all over the country. In those communities we took on 355 commitments. Commitments that have become investments for more than RD$8.0 billion, and which have created 35,000 jobs."
With credits for RD$3.456 billion to the micro, small and medium businessmen, through the Solidarity Bank, 71,236 entrepreneurs, the majority women, have started up productive initiatives all over the national geography, the President pointed out.
He said that the Mipymes ( a reference to the micro/small/medium-sized businesses) are a "key" piece for economic development. "Together they make up 97% of our business material. They are the principle motor for jobs, they are the biggest and most productive factory of our country," he said.
"And the RD$452 million from the Fundacion de Reservas del Pais which, through the entities for micro-credits to those that that receive them, have facilitated the granting of 10,700 loans to micro-businesses men and women. It is calculated that those loans generate more than 19,000 jobs in 20 provinces of the national territory," he pointed out.
Tourism and employment
As he reviewed the results of tourism, Medina recalled that during 2013, seven new hotel complexes opened their doors, adding 1,700 rooms to the existing inventory.
He indicated that during this period, the Council for Tourism Promotion approves 34 new projects, representing an investment of more than US$1.3 billion, and which will be carried out over the coming years.
"The investments approved will contribute more than 11,000 new rooms to our tourist offer. They calculated that this will create 16,000 new jobs, without counting those created in the construction phase of the projects," he said.
Public works and workers
More than 50 infrastructure project, between those delivered and those under construction, were noted by the President to have taken part in the creation of jobs to fight poverty.
"As a result of those projects, public works have created more than 10,000 direct jobs and thousands more indirect jobs throughout the country," he recalled.
He emphasized that hundreds of drawings for projects, headed by the construction of classrooms and child care centers, have allowed a large number of engineers to work for the first time for the state.
Contribution of Free Zones
The President noted that in the first year of his administration they have approved 54 free zone companies, 12 parks, and 16 expansions, which supposes the creations of 10,000 new jobs.
He indicated that 17 companies have announced the expansion of their operations, including such multinational companies as Timberland, Hanes, Covidien, Eaton and Gildan. "These new projects will generate 25,000 new jobs and occupy industrial installations of more than 500,000 square feet," he said.
Public housing
The creation of jobs to deal with poverty joins one of the largest housing construction projects for families of Boca de Cachon and La Barquita, affected by the flooding of the Enriquillo Lake and the Ozama River, respectively.
On 30 March, 560 families from Boca de Cachon will receive the keys of their houses. At the same time for the first half of 2015 they expect to have finished 60 buildings and part of the basic infrastructure of La Barquita.
Besides these projects, the President stressed the fact that the National Housing Institute (INVI) built 1,008 housing units in 2013, which benefitted 3.120 persons.
Added to these results are those from the water sector. Medina assessed the more than 400 project for the repair of aqueducts and sewers, and other projects which have managed to increase by more than 60 million gallons the daily water service to the benefit of a 1.1 million people.
"We are definitely going forward so that all Dominican men and women can enjoy real freedom, the freedom that is only obtained when a people live without fear, without poverty and without ignorance," he said.
Danilo: "The poor are not bad risks"
In order to reach the goal of 400,000 jobs during the 2012-2016 period, the President said that within the strategy is the reinforcement and revitalization of the rural areas.
"In 2013 we have seen the production of the farm sector grow by 16.5% in relation to 2012, and we have achieved that our exports have passed the US$1.2 billion barrier," he said.
He added that the acceleration of the sector was reflected in the increase within the agricultural GDP, which went from 5.2% to 8.3% as a result of an increase of 3.8% in farming and 2.2% in livestock production.
He said that the national production totaled nearly114 million quintals of food produced on 5,722.000 tareas of land (A tarea is approx. 629 m2 or about 6 tas. to the acre).
The President also showed his interest in supporting entrepreneurism for the creation of jobs. He recalled that the recovery rate on the RD$3.456 billion of small loans granted to 71,236 entrepreneurs for productive initiatives was 99%.
"This proves that when we said in 2000: "The poor are not bad risks" we were correct in trusting our people because they are good risks," he emphasized.
And he also said...
Surprise visits
Median said that in 2013 he carried out 55 surprise visits all over the country, in which he shared most of his time with farmers and other producers. In total he took on 355 commitments. According to what he said those commitments have been translated into an investment of RD$8.6 billion and generated 35,000 jobs.
Prosoli
As he mentioned the social programs, the President said that last year 77,258 new beneficiaries were included in the program called "Progressing with Solidarity" (Prosoli), "surpassing the established goals."
Barrick
One year after announcing that he would renegotiate the mining agreement with Barrick Gold, President Medina once again referred to the issue. This time he said that he fulfilled his word and managed to obtain "an agreement that is fair, transparent and well paid" for the country.
Barquita and Boca de Cachon
Medina also referred to the projects of Boca de Cachon and La Nueva Barquita, where he intends to relocate families that are exposed to the expansion of Lake Enriquillo in the Southwest and to the Ozama River in East Santo Domingo. He reiterated that on 30 March he would handover Boca de Cachon and at the end of 2015, La Barquita.
Dialogues with young people
The President announced that this year he would begin a series of talks with young national and international persons, so that "they are helped by knowing in detail their demands and needs in order to be able to continue to provide the best answers."
Suppliers
In 2013 the state suppliers increased by 600% , the President revealed yesterday during his speech to the National Assembly. He reported that they certified 6,377 companies as state suppliers, which he said allows for purchases from micro, small and medium companies to reach RD$60 billion.
Principles of Juan Bosch
In his speech, Medina made allusions to the founder of his party on two occasions, one of them to say that he works guided by the principles of "serve the people" and "do things well" which Juan Bosch taught him.
"As we have indicated on many occasions, the best policy against poverty and for the development of our people is job creation," he said as he stood before the National Assembly.
In his speech he cited information from the Ministry of Labor and the Central Bank that reported the creation of 100,000 formal jobs in 2013. "This means that we are on the road to fulfill our objective of creating 400,000 jobs during our administration," he said.
During his 39 page, one hour and 43 minute speech, the President presented a resume by sector of his administration in 2013, and the creation of jobs as a way out for the poor was a highlighted aspect in the results of the different government programs.
"Dominican men and women, in our country, the time for jobs has come! Creating new positions of good jobs and formalizing those that exist, is and will continue to be our principle objective in 2014 and the rest of our administration," he noted.
He said: "In 2013 we made 55 surprise visits all over the country. In those communities we took on 355 commitments. Commitments that have become investments for more than RD$8.0 billion, and which have created 35,000 jobs."
With credits for RD$3.456 billion to the micro, small and medium businessmen, through the Solidarity Bank, 71,236 entrepreneurs, the majority women, have started up productive initiatives all over the national geography, the President pointed out.
He said that the Mipymes ( a reference to the micro/small/medium-sized businesses) are a "key" piece for economic development. "Together they make up 97% of our business material. They are the principle motor for jobs, they are the biggest and most productive factory of our country," he said.
"And the RD$452 million from the Fundacion de Reservas del Pais which, through the entities for micro-credits to those that that receive them, have facilitated the granting of 10,700 loans to micro-businesses men and women. It is calculated that those loans generate more than 19,000 jobs in 20 provinces of the national territory," he pointed out.
Tourism and employment
As he reviewed the results of tourism, Medina recalled that during 2013, seven new hotel complexes opened their doors, adding 1,700 rooms to the existing inventory.
He indicated that during this period, the Council for Tourism Promotion approves 34 new projects, representing an investment of more than US$1.3 billion, and which will be carried out over the coming years.
"The investments approved will contribute more than 11,000 new rooms to our tourist offer. They calculated that this will create 16,000 new jobs, without counting those created in the construction phase of the projects," he said.
Public works and workers
More than 50 infrastructure project, between those delivered and those under construction, were noted by the President to have taken part in the creation of jobs to fight poverty.
"As a result of those projects, public works have created more than 10,000 direct jobs and thousands more indirect jobs throughout the country," he recalled.
He emphasized that hundreds of drawings for projects, headed by the construction of classrooms and child care centers, have allowed a large number of engineers to work for the first time for the state.
Contribution of Free Zones
The President noted that in the first year of his administration they have approved 54 free zone companies, 12 parks, and 16 expansions, which supposes the creations of 10,000 new jobs.
He indicated that 17 companies have announced the expansion of their operations, including such multinational companies as Timberland, Hanes, Covidien, Eaton and Gildan. "These new projects will generate 25,000 new jobs and occupy industrial installations of more than 500,000 square feet," he said.
Public housing
The creation of jobs to deal with poverty joins one of the largest housing construction projects for families of Boca de Cachon and La Barquita, affected by the flooding of the Enriquillo Lake and the Ozama River, respectively.
On 30 March, 560 families from Boca de Cachon will receive the keys of their houses. At the same time for the first half of 2015 they expect to have finished 60 buildings and part of the basic infrastructure of La Barquita.
Besides these projects, the President stressed the fact that the National Housing Institute (INVI) built 1,008 housing units in 2013, which benefitted 3.120 persons.
Added to these results are those from the water sector. Medina assessed the more than 400 project for the repair of aqueducts and sewers, and other projects which have managed to increase by more than 60 million gallons the daily water service to the benefit of a 1.1 million people.
"We are definitely going forward so that all Dominican men and women can enjoy real freedom, the freedom that is only obtained when a people live without fear, without poverty and without ignorance," he said.
Danilo: "The poor are not bad risks"
In order to reach the goal of 400,000 jobs during the 2012-2016 period, the President said that within the strategy is the reinforcement and revitalization of the rural areas.
"In 2013 we have seen the production of the farm sector grow by 16.5% in relation to 2012, and we have achieved that our exports have passed the US$1.2 billion barrier," he said.
He added that the acceleration of the sector was reflected in the increase within the agricultural GDP, which went from 5.2% to 8.3% as a result of an increase of 3.8% in farming and 2.2% in livestock production.
He said that the national production totaled nearly114 million quintals of food produced on 5,722.000 tareas of land (A tarea is approx. 629 m2 or about 6 tas. to the acre).
The President also showed his interest in supporting entrepreneurism for the creation of jobs. He recalled that the recovery rate on the RD$3.456 billion of small loans granted to 71,236 entrepreneurs for productive initiatives was 99%.
"This proves that when we said in 2000: "The poor are not bad risks" we were correct in trusting our people because they are good risks," he emphasized.
And he also said...
Surprise visits
Median said that in 2013 he carried out 55 surprise visits all over the country, in which he shared most of his time with farmers and other producers. In total he took on 355 commitments. According to what he said those commitments have been translated into an investment of RD$8.6 billion and generated 35,000 jobs.
Prosoli
As he mentioned the social programs, the President said that last year 77,258 new beneficiaries were included in the program called "Progressing with Solidarity" (Prosoli), "surpassing the established goals."
Barrick
One year after announcing that he would renegotiate the mining agreement with Barrick Gold, President Medina once again referred to the issue. This time he said that he fulfilled his word and managed to obtain "an agreement that is fair, transparent and well paid" for the country.
Barquita and Boca de Cachon
Medina also referred to the projects of Boca de Cachon and La Nueva Barquita, where he intends to relocate families that are exposed to the expansion of Lake Enriquillo in the Southwest and to the Ozama River in East Santo Domingo. He reiterated that on 30 March he would handover Boca de Cachon and at the end of 2015, La Barquita.
Dialogues with young people
The President announced that this year he would begin a series of talks with young national and international persons, so that "they are helped by knowing in detail their demands and needs in order to be able to continue to provide the best answers."
Suppliers
In 2013 the state suppliers increased by 600% , the President revealed yesterday during his speech to the National Assembly. He reported that they certified 6,377 companies as state suppliers, which he said allows for purchases from micro, small and medium companies to reach RD$60 billion.
Principles of Juan Bosch
In his speech, Medina made allusions to the founder of his party on two occasions, one of them to say that he works guided by the principles of "serve the people" and "do things well" which Juan Bosch taught him.
Mariela Mejía
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