Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Senate unanimously approved this Wednesday the Resolution that authorizes the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, to declare in state of emergency for 45 days to 12 provinces affected by the hurricane fiona.
The provinces that were declared in a state of emergency through the initiative of the Executive Power are La Altagracia, La Romana, San Pedro de Macorís, the great Santo Domingo, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, Monte Plata, Duarte, La Vega, Santiago, Samaná and María Trinidad Sánchez, due to the consequences of Hurricane Fiona as it passed through Dominican territory.
The initiative approved in a single reading establishes that the affected people urgently need immediate attention to mitigate the level of growing vulnerability that endangers the safety, health, food and integrity of families, whose homes were destroyed, lost their belongings and Livelihoods.
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The resolution also provides that President Abinader report biweekly to the National Congress on the measures adopted by the Government to face the ravages and consequences of Hurricane Fiona, while the state of emergency remains.
During the shifts, Senator Virgilio Cedano said that the damage from Hurricane Fiona in the province he represents, La Altagracia, will have an impact in the coming months, for which he asked the institutions that are part of the financial system to show their help in favor of those affected and thanked the solidarity of the population.
While the senator of the Hermanas Mirabal province, Bautista Rojas Gómez, assured that Hurricane Fiona demonstrated the need for the Territorial Planning Law Project to be approved and called on plastic producers to take responsibility for the environmental damage that generate.
Meanwhile, the vice president of the Senate, Santiago Jose Zorrilla, thanked the aid agencies for their work in protecting lives in El Seibo province, one of the most affected by Hurricane Fiona. He highlighted the visits that President Abinader has made to the place and the timely intervention of the Government to help in the recovery of one of the disaster areas caused by the cyclone.
On his side, Senator Cristóbal Castillo asked the Government not to abandon the peasants who were affected by the loss of their production, in addition to highlighting the rapid intervention of the government due to the damage in the province of Hato Mayor.
Other initiatives
In addition, the Senate Plenary approved, and declared urgent in two consecutive readings, the Project that Amends Law 345-21 of the General State Budget for the 2022 Budget Year.
The initiative, which had been approved by the Chamber of Deputies, indicates that a new estimate of the income of the Central Government is approved for the budget year of 2022 with the aim of expanding social assistance programs, supporting the national productive apparatus, promote the electricity sector, create new canteens, among other important actions.
Also, in the legislative work of this Wednesday, the senators approved in first reading the Project that Modifies Law 86-00, which authorizes the Ministry of Education to set the fees or monthly and/or annual fees charged by private schools to those who make use of their services, proposed by Monsignor Nouel’s senator, Héctor Acosta. The purpose of the Law is to regulate the fees or rates charged by private schools for re-enrollment or re-enrollment of their students.
Also, the Bill Provides for the Installation of Renewable Energy Sources in Public and Private Buildings, an initiative presented by Senators Santiago José Zorrilla (El Seibo) and Alexis Victoria (María Trinidad Sánchez).
The purpose of the piece is to promote the use of alternative energy sources, promote energy saving and efficiency, and establish criteria for the use of renewable energy in public and private buildings, newly built or remodeled.
Likewise, the Senate approved in second reading the National Vaccine Law Project of the Dominican Republic, which has the purpose of guaranteeing adequate protection of the population against diseases preventable by vaccination, through the regulation and promotion of mechanisms that guarantee in all public and private institutions of the national health system, the acquisition of vaccines, their supplies and associated equipment, their supply, availability, distribution, adequate conservation, prescription and application of the same.
The project was presented by senators Lía Díaz Santana (Azua); Dr. Bautista Rojas Gómez (Mirabal Sisters); Faride Raful (National District); Melania Salvador (Bahoruco); and Ginnette Bournigal de Jiménez (Puerto Plata).
In addition, the Bill Declaring the Bullfights of El Seibo as Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Dominican Republic, an initiative presented by Senator Santiago José Zorrilla, Vice President of the Senate, in order to safeguard the bullfights of the Holy City Cross of El Seibo.
The Senate also approved in second reading the Bill that designates the Volleyball Palace of the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center in the City of Santo Domingo de Guzmán with the name of Ricardo Gioriber Arias, presented by Senator Santiago José Zorrilla.
Likewise, the senators approved the Bill that designates with the name “Juan Ramón Díaz” the High School of the Yerba Buena Municipal District, Hato province. Initiative presented by the senator, Hato Mayor, Cristóbal Castillo.
Also, the legislators favored in second reading the Law Project that Declares La Vega as an Ecotourism Province; initiative of Senator Ing. Ramón Rogelio Genao (La Vega).
The congressmen also approved this Wednesday in second reading the Bill Declaring the Province of Hato Mayor Tourist Pole, presented by Senator Cristóbal Castillo.
The Bill that Defines the Territorial Location of the Salto de la Jalda National Park, within the provinces of Hato Mayor and El Seibo, was also approved, and adds it to the Sectorial Law of Protected Areas, presented by Senator Dr. Cristóbal Castillo.
The purpose of the piece is to define the location of the Salto de La Jalda National Park, to promote the conservation of ecosystems and the existing biodiversity of the Cordillera Oriental or Sierra de El Seibo.
Also, in the session, the Bill that adds powers to the Superior Electoral Court, proposed by Senator Dionis Sánchez (Pedernales), was approved. The piece indicates that the powers of the Superior Electoral Court are not only those established in the Constitution of the Republic, but that the Magna Carta itself provided that they are those that are enshrined in the laws, always circumscribed to electoral matters.
Also, they approved in second reading the Bill that modifies article 01 of the Code of Civil Procedure, in order to establish new amounts in the jurisdiction of the peace courts, proposed by Senator Dionis Sánchez.
Likewise, the legislators approved in second reading the Bill that designates with the name Doctor Emilio Cordero Michel, the building of the National Museum of History and Geography, a proposal by Senator Dionis Sánchez.
