lunes, junio 12, 2006

DR1: Power Deficiency is Biggest Obstacle Part 2

Mr. Balcacer statement that "one of the country's weaknesses is its lack of long-term vision," is a very important one. The Electrical Forum should make sure to be based on a long term vision. We should develop a long term vision now for the electric power sector. A lot of progress has been done in that area in this GMH blog.

El planteamiento del Sr. Balcacer de que "uno de las debilidades del país es su falta de una visión a largo plazo," es muy importante. En el Foro Eléctrico se debe asegurar que esté basado ya en una visión a largo plazo para el sector eléctrico. Mucho progreso ha sido realizado en esta área en la Bitácora Digital del GMH.

DR1: Power Deficiency is Biggest Obstacle

The president of the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE), Eduardo Balcacer has said that the electricity crisis is the leading obstacle to the country's competitiveness. He said that one of the DR's competitors, El Salvador, despite having suffered a 15-year war, now has an efficient power service.
Speaking on Despierta con CDN TV morning talk show, Balcacer said that one of the country's weaknesses is its lack of long-term vision. He said that the country suffers from improvisations, and that more could have been obtained in the DR-CAFTA negotiations if this had been part of a National Development Plan.
The National Competitiveness Council (CNC) has underway the preparation of the National Competitiveness Strategic Sistemic Plan that should be ready by year's end and is intended to serve as a blueprint for national development in years to come.

DR1: Fernandez on Energy and Debt

President Leonel Fernandez spoke last Saturday about how energy and the national debt is limiting the government's ability to carry out social programs. As reported in Hoy, the President said that the government has to spend US$500 million a year on energy subsidies (both electricity and propane). He also expressed confidence that continued economic growth with economic stability would allow the government to increase spending on education and health. The President pointed out that the subsidies eat up more money that 17 of the state ministries. The President made his comments in reference to the report by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank on poverty in the Dominican Republic, which pointed out that the country needed to invest heavily in health and education. The President put his spin on things by saying that more money on education did not necessarily mean a better product. He cited the fact that the US spends about US$70,000 per student and Korea only US$15,000, yet Korean student far out-pace US students on most tests.