President Luis Abinader called on the entire political, social and business leadership to unite in order to turn the Dominican Republic around, with the approval of the set of reforms needed for institutionality and progress.
Starting this Thursday, he announced, I will send a communication to the leaders of the main parties and social and business organizations to accompany him in this task.
“Political differences are good and healthy in a democracy, but I ask that in this area we put them aside to tackle these reforms all together,” said the president in a televised address to the country.
He said he was confident that together we can achieve, in a single generation, a giant step forward to be among the best in the 21st century.
“With all these reforms we intend to maximize the enormous possibilities for the future that we have as a country,” said the head of state.
Below are the profiles of the reforms mentioned in his speech:
The reform of the Water sector: To implement, through social concertation a pact for water, already submitted to the Economic and Social Council and which will be extended until 2036 to bring water to the entire Dominican population, the creation of wastewater treatment systems and improvements in the technification of irrigation systems to increase savings of this scarce natural resource.
Reform of the National Police: Aims to transform the legal, institutional, operational and functional structure of the police force to guarantee citizen security. “We have already started a successful pilot plan that will be gradually extended throughout the country,” he said. 3
The reform for the modernization of the State: With the 24-hour Dispatch in Customs, and the approval of the Law Zero Bureaucracy and Efficient Government, 10 days ago, which will apply in the coming months to have a Government of agile response to the requirements of investment or permits; saying yes or no, but giving a quick and timely response.
The reform for Educational quality: To ensure that the investment of 4% of the GDP is converted into a quality education that will serve to train those who will make the required transformations in the Dominican society.
Health and Social Security reform: Seeks to establish a universal, efficient and quality health care system to protect the physical and mental condition of the entire population.
Transportation Reform: To create a modern urban and interurban mobility system and achieve a collectivization of transportation that decongests traffic and is useful for all citizens.
The Digital Transformation Reform: It will aim to maximize the use of information and communication technologies in the operation of government agencies and all social and productive structures of the country.
Comprehensive Fiscal Reform: To transform the system of government spending and revenues through greater efficiency and the creation, elimination or reduction of taxes, in order to promote economic growth with development and ensure the sustainability of finances.
Labor Reform: “Through the Social Pact that we signed a few months ago, its purpose is to promote consensus to review and transform the regulatory framework that governs employment, labor and Social Security to guarantee a dignified and fair life for all Dominicans”, informed Abinader.
Reform of the Hydrocarbons sector: To transform the country’s fuel matrix and reduce pollution, promote greater efficiency and produce important savings in foreign currency.
Reform of the Electricity sector: “With the signing of a national electricity pact, after 10 years of discussion, which has led us to eliminate the UERS and to be in the process of eliminating the CDEE to make this sector more efficient and keep it away from political influences so that the Dominican Republic has a quality energy service, competitive costs and wide coverage”, he said.
Transparency and institutional reform: with an independent Public Prosecutor’s Office and Chamber of Accounts working to put an end to impunity and corruption in our country. We will also present a bill that will modify the Comptroller’s Office of the Republic to make it more effective.
Regarding the electricity sector, he referred to the Manzanillo project. He stated that the bidding is already underway to build an 800 Megawatts power plant with its corresponding natural gas deposit, and also the construction of a shipyard and a loading dock for which the IDB has approved an allocation of 100 million dollars.
All these works, he assured, will create thousands of new jobs in our country, which represents the fulfillment of one of his greatest commitments to the citizens.
