Peralta stresses the advances made by the government in two years of its administration
The achievements are headed by an increase of jobs and a reduction of poverty
Amílcar Nivar
SD. The Administrative Minister for the Presidency, José Ramon Peralta, presented today and accounting of the most important aspects of the two years of the administration headed by President Danilo Medina, and stressed that during this period they have a achieved significant advances in the reduction of poverty and in areas such as education, employment, construction, farming, credit and foreign investment.
As the invited speaker at the breakfast of the Industrial Association of the Dominican Republic (AIRD), the official said that in the last two years the poverty rate was reduced by six points which means according to what he said that 534,139 Dominicans came out of poverty.
With regard to employment, Peralta said that the numbers are also consistent with this positive cycle of the economy which grew 5.2% in the second quarter, and he said that in the last two years they have created 236,000 new jobs of which 75% are in the formal sector. "This is to say that we are complying fully with the campaign promise by President Medina of reaching 400,000 jobs by the end of his," he noted.
Moreover, in the area of education, Peralta stressed that the school year which will soon begin, will have more schools than ever, with better prepared and motivated teachers, and with 800,000 students which for the first time will receive eight hours of class and adequate food.
Speaking before a large group of businessmen and public officials who took part in the AIRD breakfast, the Administrative Minister of the Presidency also said that the sale of cement has increased by 27% over the last year, and he recalled that construction is a sector which moves the economy. He indicated that according to the information from Don Tato Bisono (one of the most outstanding members of the construction community), housing sales have shot up by 250% since 2012.
In his speech, the officials said that credit in the private sector between December 2013 and July 2014 increased by RD $35.7 billion, which is a 7.4% increase. And he said that mortgage credit from the Reserve Bank over the last seven months went from RD$16.7 billion to RD$22.5 billion.
Likewise, he said that through the 65 branches of the Solidarity Bank they have delivered more than RD $5.3 billion in credit, benefiting more than 100,000 small businessmen.
In addition, regarding the farm sector, he said that so far this year they have carried out 74 surprise visits all over the country, and he stressed that in these communities the administration took on 277 commitments for production, which according to what he said, have resulted in investments of more than RD $5.8 billion.
Regarding foreign investment, the minister stressed that, as is logical, all these good indicators that the government is presenting together with the solid judicial security that it offers do not go unnoticed to foreign and international investors which have continued trusting in the country and for that reason the Dominican Republic continues being the principle receptor of investments in Central America and the Caribbean, with a 15.1% increase in investment over the last year.
Concerning the investment in free zones, he said that in this period of government they have approved 120 new companies which supposes an investment of RD $5.2 billion.
He said that all told it has been estimated that with the opening of new industrial parks and Free Zone companies, as well as the expansion of existing operations they will have generated a total of 53,445 new jobs.
Regarding tourism the Presidential Administrative Minister said that this sector grew by 11.7% in the first half of this year in comparison with 2013, and he said that the government is opening new possibilities for cultural historical mountain tourism all over the country. "For example, there is the project for the transformation of La Vega, which began last month. We are going to recover its public spaces and its cultural and historic patrimony in order to make La Vega a city full of attractions both for local tourism as well as international tourism," he pointed out.
And with regard to the informal labor sector of the country, Peralta said that the government is working without rest to resolve this issue which he called one of the greatest problems in the economy.
He said that one of the best instruments that they are using is the support of the small and micro businesses, especially through their access to credit.
The decree for the electricity pact
Peralta reported that in the next few days, President Danilo Medina will issue the decree which convenes the Economic and Social Council (CES) for the discussion of the electricity pact, which will allow him to reach a consensus on the actions that are required for the solution of this problem. Nevertheless, the minister reaffirmed that the date for completing the solution of the electricity problem is seen as the year 2017 the year when they expect that the two carbon fired plants which are being built at Punta Catalina, Bani, go into operation.
As the invited speaker at the breakfast of the Industrial Association of the Dominican Republic (AIRD), the official said that in the last two years the poverty rate was reduced by six points which means according to what he said that 534,139 Dominicans came out of poverty.
With regard to employment, Peralta said that the numbers are also consistent with this positive cycle of the economy which grew 5.2% in the second quarter, and he said that in the last two years they have created 236,000 new jobs of which 75% are in the formal sector. "This is to say that we are complying fully with the campaign promise by President Medina of reaching 400,000 jobs by the end of his," he noted.
Moreover, in the area of education, Peralta stressed that the school year which will soon begin, will have more schools than ever, with better prepared and motivated teachers, and with 800,000 students which for the first time will receive eight hours of class and adequate food.
Speaking before a large group of businessmen and public officials who took part in the AIRD breakfast, the Administrative Minister of the Presidency also said that the sale of cement has increased by 27% over the last year, and he recalled that construction is a sector which moves the economy. He indicated that according to the information from Don Tato Bisono (one of the most outstanding members of the construction community), housing sales have shot up by 250% since 2012.
In his speech, the officials said that credit in the private sector between December 2013 and July 2014 increased by RD $35.7 billion, which is a 7.4% increase. And he said that mortgage credit from the Reserve Bank over the last seven months went from RD$16.7 billion to RD$22.5 billion.
Likewise, he said that through the 65 branches of the Solidarity Bank they have delivered more than RD $5.3 billion in credit, benefiting more than 100,000 small businessmen.
In addition, regarding the farm sector, he said that so far this year they have carried out 74 surprise visits all over the country, and he stressed that in these communities the administration took on 277 commitments for production, which according to what he said, have resulted in investments of more than RD $5.8 billion.
Regarding foreign investment, the minister stressed that, as is logical, all these good indicators that the government is presenting together with the solid judicial security that it offers do not go unnoticed to foreign and international investors which have continued trusting in the country and for that reason the Dominican Republic continues being the principle receptor of investments in Central America and the Caribbean, with a 15.1% increase in investment over the last year.
Concerning the investment in free zones, he said that in this period of government they have approved 120 new companies which supposes an investment of RD $5.2 billion.
He said that all told it has been estimated that with the opening of new industrial parks and Free Zone companies, as well as the expansion of existing operations they will have generated a total of 53,445 new jobs.
Regarding tourism the Presidential Administrative Minister said that this sector grew by 11.7% in the first half of this year in comparison with 2013, and he said that the government is opening new possibilities for cultural historical mountain tourism all over the country. "For example, there is the project for the transformation of La Vega, which began last month. We are going to recover its public spaces and its cultural and historic patrimony in order to make La Vega a city full of attractions both for local tourism as well as international tourism," he pointed out.
And with regard to the informal labor sector of the country, Peralta said that the government is working without rest to resolve this issue which he called one of the greatest problems in the economy.
He said that one of the best instruments that they are using is the support of the small and micro businesses, especially through their access to credit.
The decree for the electricity pact
Peralta reported that in the next few days, President Danilo Medina will issue the decree which convenes the Economic and Social Council (CES) for the discussion of the electricity pact, which will allow him to reach a consensus on the actions that are required for the solution of this problem. Nevertheless, the minister reaffirmed that the date for completing the solution of the electricity problem is seen as the year 2017 the year when they expect that the two carbon fired plants which are being built at Punta Catalina, Bani, go into operation.
Amílcar Nivar
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