The Minister of the Presidency assured that a positive decision regarding a possible reappointment and, consequently, re-election of President Luis Abinader would suit the country.
Joel Santos Echavarria He clarified that he makes this approach in personal terms, because he has been an eyewitness of his executions, and of how the president manages himself and, in addition, there are a number of projects that must be continued.
Santos Echavarría acknowledged that this is a personal decision that the current head of state has to take jointly with your family.
Interviewed by Héctor Herrera Cabral in the D’AGENDA program that is broadcast every Sunday by Telesistema Canal 11 and Tv Quisqueya for the United States, the senior government official highlighted the achievements that this administration has achieved, despite the context in which Abinader took over the leadership from the country.
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He recalled that the first thing that the current government had to deal with was the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and then it has had to deal with the economic consequences that derive from the war between Russia and Ukraine, plus the atmospheric phenomena that affected to the country last year.
“He has to make a decision, clearly a positive decision from the president is convenient for the country, and that must be said, now, I say that from a personal point of view, that I have seen his executions day by day, that I have seen how it is managed, because I see that, truly, without a doubt, it has a number of projects that must be given continuity” Joel Santos insisted when asked about a possible reappointment of the president.
When specifying that this is a personal decision that he must make, in agreement with his family, the Minister of the Presidency reiterated that “it is in the interest of the country that President Abinader decide positively.”
By highlighting the successes of the current administration, He gave as an example the results obtained last year to which the president will refer on the 27th of that month before the National Assembly, of which he should be proud of the work he has done, and of the executions of his government.
“And without a doubt, one of the main achievements, to mention a few issues, are the government’s macroeconomic results, with growth ofl Gross Domestic Product of 4.9%, in the midst of the war between Russia and Ukraine that affected the performance of the countries and, above all, generated an inflationary pressure that this government, without a doubt, was able to overcome”, he highlighted
Joel Santos explained that inflation remained in decline throughout the year until it was below 8%, in a country like the Dominican Republic that has an open economy, fully exposed to the international market, which depends on all these external factors, and having achieved inflation below one digit is an achievement.
“And, obviously, it did so through a combination of factors, if it is true that freight costs that had increased due to the pandemic were being reduced, but the government, backed by the Central Bank, which implemented a monetary policy, that he took it with enough time, to be able to contain the money supply and its effect on the rise in prices,” Santos explained.
He also praised the decisions that were made, in a narrow scenario from the fiscal point of view, such as the subsidy for the main foods, and the main inputs, such as chicken, and the fertilizers that are essential for the agricultural production.
However, the Minister of the Presidency acknowledged that “there was certainly a containment of prices but, still, they are still above the average.”
“And, clearly, you have to understand it, not only is there a war, the same instability in markets like Haiti and Cuba that demand Dominican products, the Dominican Republic has also had to supply that demand, in what adjusts its supply, in the context of the war between Russia and Ukraine, it is still an interesting challenge”, he argued.
However, he was emphatic in affirming that, “it must be recognized that from the macroeconomic point of view, the Dominican government has reacted quickly to maintain a stability that is the envy of all of Latin America.”
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Joel Santos Echavarría said that it is a proposal of the Project of Comprehensive Law on Human Trafficking, Exploitation and Smuggling of Migrants, submitted by the Executive Power to the Legislative Chambers.
“And, as a proposal, I understand that Congress not only has the right, but also the power to strengthen it, adapt it to the circumstances, and debate it as such, I believe that any initiative has the possibility of being strengthened,” the Minister of Finance clarified. The presidency.
He insisted that “in Congress it has to be debated, worked on, strengthened, always taking into account the best interests of the Dominican Republic”.
“The immigration issue is curious because, no matter what you do, you receive attacks from both sides, you receive attacks from those who understand that you have to receive an indiscriminate flow, and the attacks from those who understand that, practically, the The border has to be closed,” lamented the senior official when interviewed on the D`AGENDA program.
He added that, and indeed I must say, one of the main elements of migration control it has to be the strengthening of trade areas on the border, and that it be lawful, to ensure a livelihood for Dominicans in the border area.
“But also, that the needs that Haitians have for products from the Dominican Republic, they can buy it, and they do not have to enter Dominican territory to satisfy their needs,” said the official.
Joel Santos specified that there is not a single need for the border issue, but that it must be a combination of factors.
Regarding the investments that are being made in Pedernales to launch the tourism industry, the Minister of the Presidency reported that within the Development plan there is immigration control.
“Without a doubt, to guarantee that there is security in the area, that is why I mentioned all these issues, because, clearly, any movement of illegality that could bring insecurity must be reduced, and it is clear that tourist destinations live off security, and all these elements are being taken into account to make it the safest destination in the Dominican Republic,” he said.
Santos warned that all necessary measures will continue to be taken to guarantee migration control, which the Dominican Republic has every right and need to exercise.
