Santo Domingo .-The second wave of reforms announced yesterday afternoon and explained by the President of the Republic and some government ministers stated that they include the unification of ministries and other institutions, freezing public payrolls and a series of prohibitions to contain public spending.
President Luis Abinader, during his introduction of the public spending reform, pointed out that many of these measures will require approval from the National Congress and the objective is to make the government more efficient and effective. In addition, resource optimization will allow financial and human resources to be freed up, redirecting them towards the areas of health, education and citizen security.
When the floor was handed over to Sigmund Freund, Minister of Public Administration, he added that, in addition to the objectives mentioned above by the President, coordination would be improved in order to reduce dispersion and work between agencies.
Duplications will also be eliminated, eliminating entities whose purpose no longer exists or which can be taken over by other bodies, and, finally, an attempt will be made to reduce bureaucracy in favour of a simpler state structure and a more agile and effective administration.
Freund, breaking down the key mergers, began with the Ministries of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCYT) and Education (MINERD).
He said that the aim is to integrate the education system, avoiding fragmentation between levels (initial, basic, secondary, higher), which will reduce costs and increase coherence in actions to improve learning.
As for the science and technology component of Mescyt, they will be sent to another entity that will devote its efforts to these aspects, including innovation actions.
The official continued by saying that the second merger will involve the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development, giving rise to the Ministry of Finance and Economy, in order to improve coordination and efficiency in public management.
The Administrative Ministry of the Presidency will be abolished and transformed into the Administrative Secretariat under the Presidency, in order to achieve a single coordination in all transversal and support areas, and improving human resources.
Likewise, the Economic Dining Halls will be integrated into the Presidential Plan against Poverty to improve coordination and efficiency, given that both institutions provide similar services to the population. The president said that there will be a third wave of reforms, but did not specify when.
Sigmund Freund was the one who gave the details.
Spending containment
The Minister of Finance, José Manuel (Jochi) Vicente, mentioned that among the measures is to make the use of state advertising more efficient, concentrating it only on the institutions that must make use of advertising and giving it educational and informative content.
Also, the purchase of non-utility vehicles is prohibited, the expenditure for general events and celebrations of the anniversaries of institutions is prohibited, and the printing of institutional reports is prohibited, which from now on will be digital.
Other measures include freezing the number of public employees in each institution at the levels of August 2024.
The hiring of police officers, military personnel, medical personnel and teaching staff is exempt from this provision.
The MAP may, on an extraordinary basis, approve exemptions depending on the nature and reasonableness of the need.
For this purpose, a maximum period of 4 months is granted to carry out the necessary implementations.
Likewise, trips abroad by institutions must have the approval of their governing body.
Projection
25 billion.
The Government estimates that savings will be achieved by merging and eliminating some institutions, according to its analysis.
Monte Piedad and Condex, eliminated
More institutions. Among the strategic eliminations, according to details given by Sigmund Freund, Minister of Public Administration, are the Caja de Ahorros para Obreros and Monte de Piedad, the Sectorial Commission for the Reform and Modernization of the Agricultural Sector, the Dominican Development Council Abroad (Condex), the National Council of Population and Family and the Presidential Commission for Port Modernization and Security.
The Business Commission for Mortgage and Trust Development, the International Advisory Commission on Science and Technology and the National Directorate for the Promotion and Development of Crafts will also be merged.
The National Maritime Affairs Authority will merge with the National Aquarium.
