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LA ROMANA.- The Minister of Public Works and Communications, Deligne Ascensión, highlighted the progress of the projects developed by the State in the eastern region, noting the importance of this area of the country, not only as a tourist destination, but as an area in constant economic growth.
By participating as a guest speaker at the AMCHAMDR business meeting, held in La Romana, Ascensión presented an infrastructure investment plan that seeks to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of the area, as well as promote the development of the tourism, commercial and agriculture, in his presentation: "Development Plans for the Eastern Region".
Among the works to be carried out, the minister highlighted the construction, expansion and repair of highways; the construction of new bridges to improve mobility in the region and the renovation of some already made.
“In the specific case of the 5 provinces that make up the Eastern region, we are investing more than 22 billion pesos: 10,806 million pesos, of which 1,459 million go with funds from the Road Improvement Program, financed by the IDB. To these figures we must add another 4,400 million that we advance to the contractor companies that work in the reconstruction works of the provinces affected by Hurricane Fiona,” said Ascensión.
He also highlighted the work carried out throughout the country to try to supply the needs of the Dominican road system, which has a total of 19,730 kilometers of highways, of which only 7,776 kilometers are paved.
“I must emphasize that in national terms our plan currently has about 600 works contracted for an amount greater than 90 billion pesos. This set of works will contribute to development through the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of the country's highways, the empowerment and improvement of neighborhood roads, as well as the provision of paved streets with their sidewalks and curbs," the minister stated.
Ascensión assured that this administration will continue working to close the road gaps in the Dominican Republic and that they have developed projects such as the "Peón Caminero Community Program" and "Public Works with the People", through which they seek to involve the population in the solutions and complaints of problems that affect their communities, in order to guarantee the development of the region and the well-being of its people.
"We are putting the effort of our management to provide solutions to infrastructure problems to improve the quality of life of our citizens, but especially of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our society," he said.
At the meeting, the president of the AMCHAMDR Provincial Committee in La Romana, José Melo Ortega, highlighted the needs of the Eastern region and the great development opportunities that the region presents.
"We are aware that the eastern region of the country is one of the most productive, but we firmly believe that we have not yet exploited its maximum potential, in terms of tourism, commercial, industrial and agricultural development," said Melo.
On his side, the executive vice president of AMCHAMDR, William Malamud, served as moderator of a question and answer section to Minister Ascension.
About the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AMCHAMDR)
The American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AMCHAMDR for its acronym in English) is a non-profit association, legally incorporated on November 8, 1923, which promotes a healthy investment climate based on access to knowledge, opportunities and a culture of best practices for the socioeconomic and professional development of its partners. AMCHAMDR is affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is a founding member of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America (AACCLA).