The bishops of the dioceses of Baní, San Juan and Barahona They deplored that the nine southern provinces still occupy the first places on the country’s poverty map.
The prelates demanded that the business sectors, political, social and religious leaders push initiatives that change that reality.
During a press conference, Víctor Masalles, Tomás Alejo Concepción and Andrés Napoleón Romero CárdenasThey considered it urgent to achieve true economic and social development that generates wealth, with decent and secure jobs.
They expressed that this would be possible with a change of mentality, in which local businessmen know that they are, that money earned from business activities invest it in their communities, and that they understand that they should not ask the presidents for everything.
The representatives of the Catholic Church gave as an example the paradoxical case of the province of San Juan, considered the “The Barn of the South”, and in which there is considerable agricultural production; however, it is one of the poorest and that the migration of its inhabitants every day it is increasing.
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Exploitation El Romero
When they were asked about the gold mine exploration plans in the El Romero community, in this municipality, the bishops favored its exploitation, prior to the environmental feasibility studies, as long as the results determine that would not cause damage to natural resourcesespecially water.
“Everything that we are, what the world is today, telephones, vehicles, machinery, electrical energy, we consume it, we enjoy it, because we find it in nature,” they indicated.
They added: “Metallic mining operations or not, generate immense wealth, what is necessary is to guarantee that the populations where these resources are exploited receive a good part of the benefits.”
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Works that claim
The priests, who represent the provinces of Peravia, Azua, San Juan, Barahona, Baoruco, Pedernales and Independencia, expressed that the region urgently the construction of second and third level hospitals, maternal and child care, meat and grain processing industries.
Likewise, the execution of works that allow the development of tourist activity.
Satisfied with president
Romero Cárdenas, Concepción and Masalles, Catholic leaders from the south, expressed satisfaction that the president Louis Abinader has set its eyes and ears on that region, and they reiterated that it is not fair to leave everything to the governments.
They insisted on the role of the business community and expressed that the business community in that area has a challenge: “take the head of state at his word, join his plans and projects, because the development of our region is not colored by political parties.”
The religious called on the population to demonstrate the same interest in the development of their areato see results.
