The representatives of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) In the Dominican Republic they support government measures to face electrical fraud. However, they consider unfair that users who meet their payments are affected with blackouts of more than four hours a day, which puts at risk the national production.
Free newspaper He talked with leaders of the business sector, including the Dominican Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Codopyme), the National Council of Merchants and entrepreneurs of the Dominican Republic (Conacerd) and the National Central of United retailers (CNUD). They agree that Losses for the productive sector are millionaire and demand an immediate solution from the authorities.
Antonio Cruz Rojas, spokesman and vice president of Conacerd, denounced that “14,365 members have lost more than 145 million pesos in the January-October period due to electric disconnection, affecting the cold chain of the cold of Refrigerated products“
Also, Ricardo Rosario, president of the CNUD, described as “unfair and cruel” the generalized penalty of electrical circuits with batches of blackouts that range between four and eight hours a day, which has generated Millionaire losses in it trade and a growing social discomfort.
Fernando Pinales, president of Codopyme, stressed that the lack of efficiency In the collection of electricity distributors is directly affecting the MSMEs.
“We pay electricity, but when there is blackouts In the sectors where we operate, our companies also remain without light. This forces us to Operate with electric plantsincreasing our costs for the purchase of fuel, “he said.
Merchants and businessmen They call to the authorities so that blackouts They apply only to delinquent customers and not indiscriminately, since this situation is seriously affecting production and trade.
Crisis in the electrical system
The economist and professor at Harvard University, Juan Ariel Jiménezwarned yesterday that the government is implementing a strategy of “Fiscal blackouts“To mitigate losses in the electricity sector, which have reached levels not seen in the last 15 years.
“This strategy punishes those who regularly pay their light, making them responsible for Electricity theft of others and the lack of government control, “he said.”
According to him Performance Report of the Ministry of Energy and Minesthe subsidy to the electricity sector has tripled, from 424 million dollars in 2019 to about 1.5 billion in 2024. At the same time, the losses of the electrical system increased from 27.3 % in 2019 to 38.2 % in 2024.
Through a press release, Jiménez explained that the Lack of investments In infrastructure it has aggravated the crisis.
- He said that Investments In the sector they fell from 296 million dollars in 2019 to only 170 million in 2023, while the operational expense, including payroll, has increased by 14 million dollars.
Proposals to improve the situation
To reduce LossesJiménez recommended the installation of anti -arude networks and prepaid counters in popular sectors, in addition to Telemedida and Telecort technologies in urbanizations with greater purchasing power.
He also suggested programs from Social investment To improve energy efficiency, such as loans for the replacement of appliances and improvements in neighborhood infrastructure with high incidence of energy loss.
Entrepreneurs and economists agree on the urgency of adopting Structural solutions to prevent the blackouts continue affecting the economy of the country and the quality of life of citizens.
