Santo Domingo.- The president Louis Abinader announced this Wednesday night a series of measures to help producers affected by the effects of the hurricane fionaamong which he cited the granting of loans at a zero rate, so that the farmers can recover their plantations.
The official said that part of the measures were taken by the Ministry of Agriculture, and said that an audit is being carried out to quantify the damage caused by the phenomenon.
He said that the exact amount of damage cannot yet be offered, but he advanced that they “have been substantial” and that it is contemplated to rebuild some eight thousand homes that were touched by Fiona.
He also announced that international aid will be managed by the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development.
“We are working to recover the areas affected by this hurricane, so we will give zero-rate loans to producers so they can build their plantations,” said President Abinader.
He affirmed that the loans will include farmers from Bajo Yuna, an area of great rice production, where the overflow of the Yuna River flooded thousands of cultivated fields.
“All sectors will be included, no area that has been affected will be neglected,” clarified the president, who said that “there had never been action as quickly as the government did to help the affected people.” “We are going to recover quickly, you can be sure,” Abinader assured.
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The president spoke during a meeting with the press, held at the Presidential Palace, in which the administrative minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, and the director of the Emergency Operations Center (COE), Juan Manuel Méndez, participated.
Fiona, the third hurricane of the cyclonic season in the Atlantic, caused serious damage to agriculture, drinking water and energy infrastructure, for whose recovery a substantial investment will be required, according to the head of state.
The greatest damage was recorded in the provinces of La Altagracia, La Romana, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, Samaná and María Trinidad Sánchez, located in the northeast of the Dominican Republic, where the eye of the phenomenon passed.
The Government plans to deliver 16,000 food rations every day, as well as materials for the reconstruction of houses affected by the meteor.
