DR1: FTZs Cannot Compete Without Power

Hoy carries the comments of a leading Free Trade Zone employer, who claims that unless the current power crisis is resolved, Dominican Free Zone factories will not be able to compete with others in the region. Simon Torres Fernandez of Industrias Femar in Santiago says that the benefits of the forthcoming free trade agreement will be worth nothing if the situation does not improve. He proposed more investment in alternatives to conventional fuels, and pointed to the extra costs incurred by businesses such as his due to power cuts. "We will never be able to compete with other countries in the region unless electricity costs are reduced to a reasonable level", said Torres.