My column of last August 13 was entitled “Change is becoming sustainable and irreversible”, referring to trends indicating that we are beginning to see light at the end of the dark tunnel that has been the calamitous effects of COVID-19.
Among other indicators, it took into account the Central Bank’s data stating that in the first 6 months of the year the economy had grown by 13.30%, and that “the faster than expected recovery” allowed it to “update upwards the growth projection for 2021 to a range between 9.0 % and 10.0 %”.
The CB assumed that, among other positive factors, the Monthly Indicator of Economic Activity, IMAE, measured in June “a remarkable inter-annual expansion of 12.7%”.
Bancentral then reported that the flow of remittances in the first seven months of 2021 grew 43.2 % with respect to the same period of 2020, data that comes from the confidence that inspires Dominicans abroad the conviction that things are changing for the better.
The good news comes as a cascade reporting the strength of international reserves, the increase in employment rates up to 34% above the years prior to the pandemic, among others.
This week alone there were 3 reports that speak of the good winds that are pushing the national ship.
Claro renews and extends its concession to operate in the DR until 2041, reports Roeto Gelio Viesca, its president, declaring that the initiative responds to the intention of “supporting the current management of the Dominican government and giving a vote of confidence to the current framework of legal security of the country”.
For his part, Antony J. Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, said in a meeting with our Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez: “We greatly appreciate the leadership that the Dominican Republic continues to demonstrate, for example, in the fight against corruption, which sets a benchmark for many countries. We will certainly have the opportunity to talk about Haiti and the work we can do together to contribute to finding lasting solutions to the challenges facing the Haitian people”.
At the inauguration of the Expo Cibao 2021, the Cibao business community has expressed through the mouth of Carlos Iglesias, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santiago, its support for the reactivation of the economy and employment that the President is undertaking and, moreover, expressed its support for the 13 reforms submitted to the social and political consensus.
The news could not be more encouraging as it informs that conditions are improving to address the many structural deficiencies encountered by President Abinader when he came to power.