Santo Domingo. – Economist Henri Hebrard believes that with the withdrawal of the fiscal modernization project, what is now necessary is to discuss the space and methodology to carry out the discussion in order to adjust or develop another one that satisfies society.
“This discussion is necessary. Let’s take advantage of the luxury that the Dominican Republic has, that there is no imminence of an economic disaster,” said Hebrard, who added that it does not affect the fact that it will not enter at the beginning of 2025.
Regarding the space for dialogue around the need for fiscal reform and creating a project that satisfies society, he said that many propose that it be the Economic and Social Council (CES), but that other voices reject it.
The economic advisor stated that in these discussions we must answer what we want to achieve, how it is going to be done and in what time it will be achieved and, at the same time, find a way to create this consensus and the space for discussion.
“I highly value the universities’ proposal. I believe that INTEC has offered to carry out these discussions and I am not proposing leaving out the CES, but I am seeing that the president sent about 10 topics to the Economic and Social Council and, what has come out of there? Because there is an issue of representativeness and another of effectiveness”, the economist reasoned.
During his participation in the Reseñas program, hosted by journalists Rafael Núñez and Adelaida Martínez R., and which airs every Saturday at 9:00 p.m. on Entelevisión, Hebrard pointed out that the narrative of that project should have improved.
He recalled that Rolando Guzmán said that a tax reform always has something irritating.
«So, if you are going to irritate people… if you are going to provoke a change, it is better to make a reform of a significant caliber… because you are going to bother people equally on five points or on one point and, furthermore, if you have a greater ambition, you have room to negotiate,” said Hebrard.
He stated that with the withdrawal of the fiscal modernization project a chapter is closed and he understands that it was the only measure that the President of the Republic had to take, who left the democratic message that the sovereign is the people.
Regarding if a tax reform is not developed, economist Hebrard said that the political leadership has a great responsibility for what may happen next, pointing out that this goes much further, because there is a social interest: “If it is not done, I hope this great responsibility does not become a great guilt.”
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