SANTO DOMINGO.-Of the 23 ministries that existed at the beginning of the government of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), in August 2020, only seven ministers retain their jobs that emerged after the first decrees of President Luis Abinader.
These are the Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz; that of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Franklin García Fermín; and that of Industry and Commerce, Víctor “Ito” Bisonó.
In the case of García Fermín, he is still waiting for the modification of the General Education Law, which contemplates merging the ministries that work with pre-university and university education.
The list is completed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Álvarez; of Tourism, David Collado; and Housing and Buildings, Carlos Bonilla.
Although the latter took over as minister in 2021, after the conversion of the National Housing Institute into that ministry, he held the position of director since 2020. The same with Mayra Jiménez in the Ministry of Women.
Directions
Some directorates that, despite their level of importance, are not considered ministries, have not changed since the beginning of the PRM government.
The General Directorate of Customs, headed by Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, appears on that list; the General Directorate of Internal Taxes, headed by Luis Valdez; and the General Directorate of Public Purchasing and Contracting, with Carlos Pimentel.
Among the institutes that have kept the same director since 2020 are the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewage, led by Wellington Arnaud; Olmedo Caba at the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources; Rafael Santos Badía at Infotep; Lorenzo Ramírez in Indocal; and Leonidas Batista at Indocafé.
Minister rotation
Among the entities that present the highest levels of turnover, some of them after scandals that affected the image of their incumbents, are the Ministry of Youth, with four ministers so far; the Ministry of Education; and that of the Presidency, both with three ministers.
The Ministry of Culture has also had three ministers, as have Public Health and the Ministry of the Environment.
While the Administrative ministries of the Presidency, Defense, Sports and Recreation, Energy and Mines, Treasury, Interior and Police, Women, Public Works, Health and Labor have seen their incumbent move on at least one occasion.
Change of position
Of these rotations of ministers, very few are left out of the government train, as they go on to occupy other departments or to be ministers without portfolio, except in cases of resignation or dismissal due to scandals.
Among those are José “Neney” Cabrera, Roberto Fulcar and Deligne Ascención.
The first directed the General Directorate of Special Projects of the Presidency; the second was Abinader’s first Minister of Education; and the third was Minister of Public Works for four years.
Those who are left out
Left out of the public administration were: Lisandro Macarrulla, who resigned as Minister of the Presidency; Jochi Vicente, from the Treasury; Hugo Beras, when leaving the Intrant; Dr. Santiago Hazim, who directed the National Health Insurance; and Luis Dicent, former Lottery administrator, who was found not guilty in the so-called Operation 13.
Also left out were the former Ministers of Youth, Luz del Alba Jiménez and Kimberly Taveras – the latter, currently a deputy – as well as Adán Peguero, from the Dominican Postal Institute.
The promotions
Among the promotions (considered this way due to the nature of the new function compared to the previous one) we can include the Minister of Education, Luis Miguel De Camps, who served as Minister of Labor, and Adolfo Pérez de León, who moved from the Essential Medicines Program and Central Logistics Support to the National Institute of Student Welfare. This small group also includes José Ignacio Paliza, who was initially Minister of the Administrative Department of the Presidency and then Minister of the Presidency.
Form of government
One of the things that stands out about the PRM government led by Luis Abinader is the media coverage of its management.
Abinader speaks every week on his program La Semanal, but almost every day during his usual day.
Their direct employees are quick to be cited negatively in the media, aware that such a thing could mean a call for attention or dismissal, which has caused fear or caution to be present in state decisions.
Valdez has been in charge of the Central Bank for 31 years
Position. Of course, the winner of this contest, if such a thing were to be, is undoubtedly the governor of the Central Bank, Héctor Valdez Albizu, who has been in the position for 25 consecutive years.
With the addition that he performed the same function between 1994 and 2000.
That is, he has been at the head of the Central Bank for 31 years. Its position is considered essential and strategic at the forefront of economic policy management.
