Las Galeras.- President Luis Abinader continued this Thursday his tour of the provinces affected by Hurricane Fiona and reached the Las Galeras municipality, Samaná province, where he met with farmers and local authorities, to whom he assured that no family that has been affected will be left without receiving the friendly hand of the Government.
The president stated that this is a time for the nation, a time for the country and it is at this time that they should all work together.
“Let a home not be left unrestored. And not a single home is going to be left unrestored, I guarantee that,” Abinader said.
The head of state announced that he deposited RD$2 million pesos to the municipality of Las Galeras for aid to those affected and special personnel for the cases and told the residents to be patient so that the necessary help arrives.
He indicated that a special reconstruction day will begin over the weekend, covering every corner of the province, with all officials and personnel distributed in each place to determine and ensure that no one is left out.
He explained that the day covers a total of 8,300 homes, of these, 5,500 correspond to the eastern zone and 2,800 to the northeast and will be carried out in a tripartite manner where the municipalities will work with their personnel who direct the technical part, the Ministry of Housing and Buildings or another Government institutions and Neighborhood Councils.
He explained that to carry out the work with the materials that are going to arrive, such as wood, nails and zinc, a protocol has been drawn up that involves the participation of the city council, civil society, neighborhood associations, those affected and government personnel.
Full power restoration in about two days
The government official pointed out that so far a large part of the electricity has been restored and that they hope that in about two days it will be completely finished.
He highlighted the presence of the director of INAPA, Wellington Arnaud, who said he is present to bring solutions and ensure the restoration of everything related to the water issue.
He also highlighted the help offered at this time by the Dominican-French community and added that the French Development Agency is the one that collaborates the most with the Dominican Republic.
Abinader talks about support measures for the agricultural sector
Regarding the agricultural sector, Abinader reported that ten technicians are already working on the survey of those affected and it has been determined to restructure the payment of current loans with the Agricultural Bank with up to 7 years of term and zero interest.
Likewise, provide financing to all affected producers to restore their crops at zero rate and to producers with financing from commercial banks who wish to transfer it to the Agricultural Bank so that they also have the benefit of zero rate.
In the case of producers with informal loans, he reported, the Agricultural Bank has been instructed to relax the conditions, so that they can pay the lenders and receive the financial support they need to restore their crops and livestock.
“We are going to do all of this in the coming days, in the coming weeks. What I want to tell you is that there is all the willingness, we are going to find the resources wherever it is for us to attend to them, but we are going to do it with patience, just two days ago the hurricane passed and we are already solving it, the important thing is that they know that everything is already on its way”, he pointed out.
Regarding the Samaná Cluster, he said that he has talked with Seguros Banreservas and the Superintendence of Insurance so that they give an advance that allows the start of the restoration of the hotels and restaurants and that they simultaneously carry out the evaluations of the place.
Restoration of jobs
“When I think about restoring hotels, it’s about restoring people’s jobs. It is not only the hotels, it is the taxi drivers, who are the ones who do tours and that is what worries me so that these people can have jobs and normalize their lives as soon as possible, “said the president.
He emphasized that the community will have the help of the Social Plan in its different branches and insisted on working with a sense of urgency to do things as soon as possible.
The president indicated that the reconstruction work of the houses that are in worse conditions will begin and that first the emergencies will be attended to and then the other problems caused by the atmospheric phenomenon.
“We Dominicans have had many crises and we have emerged stronger and we are going to emerge stronger from this crisis as well,” he added.
Abinader visits collection center
Subsequently, the head of state visited the Santa Bárbara Fortress where a collection center was set up to receive and dispatch food, water, zinc, wood, mattresses and other household items for those affected by the hurricane.
He also visited the El Francés and Tesón neighborhoods to continue bringing solutions to all those affected, mainly in terms of home repair and reconstruction.
“Count on us. If a single house is missing, we are going to send materials for that single house, no one is going to stay.”
President Abinader was accompanied by the Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús-Chu-Vásquez; the Senator for the Province of Samaná, Pedro Catrain; the director of INAPA, Wellington Arnaud; the Governor of the province of Samaná, Teodora Mullix Geraldino.
Also, the Vice Minister for Naval and Coastal Affairs of the Ministry of Defense, Vice Admiral Ramón Gustavo Betances Hernández, ARD and the General Manager of EdeNorte, Andrés Cueto.
