The dialogue table for the reform of the foreign policy and migration in the Dominican Republic it had its second meeting yesterday and still did not have a defined agenda on what the topics to discuss will be. Some members, such as Jaime Rincón, from the Economic Development Council of Santo Domingo (Codes), expressed their disappointment at having arrived at the convention center of the Ministry of External relationships (Mirax) without knowing what they will talk about.
Enrique Garcia, director of Migration and who represents the Dominican Government in the dialogue, acknowledged that there was no previous meeting between the co-coordinators to define the points to be discussed. García guaranteed the delivery of information that the members of the table need about the statistics of the General Directorate of Migration (DGM).
The final agenda will be at the next meeting scheduled for March 14. In addition, a group will be created for the table in the WhatsApp messaging application where the co-coordinators and the other members will be able to communicate about the debate that will take place in the next meeting.
Another complaint revolved around the Government’s proposal that is contained in a document of just five pages, and it is in the last one that are, by way of example, the 11 proposed discussion points.
One of the proposals of the Executive Branch is the creation of special programs for the migration sectorized for agriculture, construction and other markets that depend on immigrant labor and the discussion on a more assertive migration policy to fight against human trafficking and illegal migrant smuggling.
The strengthening of the National Council of Migration; resume, complete and adapt the requirements of the National Plan for the Regularization of Foreigners (PNRE) to the reality and needs of the country, as well as updating the visa system for the arrival of foreigners, among other issues.
“This table, specifically, began with a very general document that has not even given us the opportunity to delve into the proposals of the official sector. We have to strengthen that part so that the time we are devoting is of greater benefit”, claimed Juan Carlos Guerra, one of the representatives of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD).
Instead, Pelegrín Castillo recommended that yesterday’s meeting be seen as a meeting in which each member presented their ideas to include on the agenda. “In the absence of a document to discuss it on time, we are generating proposals, initiatives and concerns,” he said.
Some of the proposals made by Castillo, who represents the Social Democratic Institutional Block- Progressive National Force (BIS-FNP), was to include in the discussion the maritime delimitations of the Dominican Republic and the Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Central America and the Dominican Republic. (DR-Cafta, in English).
