President Luis Abinader inaugurated and announced works for RD$ 1,500 million for the development of the provinces of Bahoruco and Independencia.
He did so during an extensive work day in both provinces, in which he met with representatives of different sectors.
NEW UASD CAMPUS
He began the same in Neiba where he started the construction of a new campus of the Universidad Autónoma Santo Domingo (UASD), which will allow young people of the two provinces to study higher education without having to move to other places.
It will be built on 8,280 square meters, with 29 classrooms with capacity for 1,260 students, 3 biochemistry laboratories, 1 library, 1 auditorium and 3 levels of administrative buildings.
It is expected that this work, in which the Government will invest 783 million pesos, will boost the economy of the province of Bahoruco, as it will generate 750 direct jobs and more than 1,500 indirect jobs.
With this project, a claim that has been made by residents to the authorities for more than 12 years will be met.
PRESIDENT ABINADER STATES THE PURPOSE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S PUBLIC POLICIES
President Abinader stated that the objective of his government’s public policies is to allow young people to study and advance.
He said that a large number of them want to study but do not do so because they cannot travel to Barahona or to the Capital.
He said that the UASD extension program carried out by the Government will benefit towns such as Hato Mayor, Dajabón, Comendador, San Cristóbal, Azua, Baní and Cotuí.
Minister Carlos Bonilla said that “we are laying the foundations for change and the future of our nation. Education is the most influential factor in the progress of people and society because it enriches culture and values”.
ASPHALTING OF STREETS WITH A BILLION PESO INVESTMENT
Then, the Head of State started the asphalting of streets and the construction of sidewalks and curbs in Neyba and other cities of the Bahoruco province, with an investment of more than one billion pesos.
Deligne Ascención, Minister of Public Works, explained that it is contemplated to benefit the sectors of
Buenos Aires, Mancebo, Las Clavellinas, Villa Jaragua, the Estero-Villa Jaragua section, the Las Clavellinas-Villa Jaragua section, Petaca, El Barro and Galvan.
President Abinader was joined by Melania Salvador Jiménez, senator of Bahoruco province, Governor Juana Cristina Mateo; the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Mescyt), Franklin García Fermín; the Minister of State without Portfolio, ; Geanilda Vásquez; the administrative vice-minister of the Presidency, Igor Rodríguez; the vice-minister of Incentives for Production and Entrepreneurship, José Jáquez; the mayor of Neiba, José Darío Cepeda, and the rector of the UASD, Emma Polanco.
DELIVERY OF SUPERATE CARDS
In Jimaní, Independencia province, the President delivered 1,262 cards of the Supérate social program to low-income families at the Antonio Duvergé school.
Addressing the locals, he said that by doubling social aid during his administration, the country is among the only two in Latin America to have reduced poverty and undernourishment in the last two years, despite the crisis caused by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
He said that many politicians criticized his campaign offer in this regard because it was his tradition to promise and not deliver, but the same has been fulfilled.
“We have found a way to find money for things that were impossible before and we have done it in the worst economic circumstances, with the worst crisis in a century, with the pandemic and the consequences of that pandemic and then you add a war not seen since World War II,” he said.
He indicated that this, added to the other social programs of the Government, made the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (Fao) place the Dominican Republic as the number one country in Latin America in lowering the prevalence of undernourishment from 8.3 % in the previous period (2018-2020) to 6.7 % in 2021 and that extreme poverty decreased from 5.0 % in 2021 to 4.8 % in 2022.
CONSTRUCTION OF BINATIONAL MARKET
The President announced the construction of a Binational Market in the community of Malpaso, in which 89 million pesos will be invested.
The infrastructure, which will have an area of 11,225 square meters, seeks to stimulate the economy of the area.
MEETING WITH PRODUCERS
The Head of State led a meeting with 150 agricultural producers of the province of Independencia, in which they discussed issues related to tourism, commerce and agricultural production. The latter raised concerns to the President, among them the repair of access roads to the lands where they plant, loans through the FEDA, plowing equipment for the land, repair of irrigation canals and increase of the resources of the Agricultural Bank for the pledging of rice.
The President reaffirmed the government’s support to these sectors and called on the producers to present a development plan, with the guarantee that their demands will be answered, according to their priority.
MEETING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS
The President also met with community leaders of Jimaní, to whom he promised the completion of aqueducts, roads and the construction of the Independencia-Puerto Escondido-Pedernales highway, as well as the installation of Banco de Reservas ATMs in La Descubierta, Postrer Río, Mena and Cristóbal.
The Minister of Public Works, Deligne Ascención, announced the investment of 285 million pesos in local roads for the Independencia province and the construction of sidewalks and curbs in Jimaní and Duvergé with an investment of 20 million pesos.
The director of the Provincial Development Commission, Angel de la Cruz, said that the police stations of Guayabal, La Descubierta and Duvergé are under construction as well as a playground and a fire station.
The director of the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewerage, Wellintong Arnaud, said that the aqueducts of Jimaní are under construction and the drinking water supply networks of Los Alcarrizos and Guanuma are being extended and work is being done on the multiple aqueduct of La Descubierta for 240 million pesos.
WITH YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS OF JIMANI
The President promised to send the Minister of Youth, Rafael Jesús Feliz García, to the young entrepreneurs of Jimaní, so that he could socialize offers in favor of this sector of this province.
He announced that the Government will finance chicken farms to all those who want to install them.
Regarding the problems of low voltage in the zone, he promised that they will be solved in a short time and work will be done to improve the polytechnics which are already operating.
DELIVERY OF 63 HOUSES
Later, Abinader delivered 63 houses to residents of the sector of Jimaní Viejo and the municipalities of Cristóbal, Postrer Río, Mella, Duvergé, La Descubierta and Jimaní, built by the Institute for the Development of the Southwest (Indesur), fully furnished by the Social Plan of the Presidency.
Built in block and rebar with a zinc roof, they consist of three bedrooms, living room, bathroom, kitchen and laundry area.
