With the assistance of Dominican Vice-President Rafael Alburquerque and José Luis Machinea, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Juan Temístocles Montás, Minister of Economy, Planning and Development presented the document “The Dominican Republic 2030: Toward a Cohesive Nation.”

...the biggest challenge facing the country in the coming years is to consolidate what we have achieved and to develop the System of Economic and Social Census, placing special emphasis on the Population and Family Census by the year 2010, according to the President’s office.

Mr. Montás said that there is currently work underway to develop a series of analytical models for the short and long term such as certain macroeconomic models.

He said the biggest challenge facing the country in the coming years is to consolidate what we have achieved and to develop the System of Economic and Social Census, placing special emphasis on the Population and Family Census by the year 2010, according to the President’s office.

Temístocles Montás said this new planning system will require an effort on the part of the entire Dominican society to overcome the vision and the “short term” planning habits that have existed for many years in the DR.

On that subject, he emphasized the need to carry out rigorous studies and analyses to further the discussion of ideas and to create an informed view of the current problems facing Dominican society and its future perspectives.

The document, put together in collaboration with ECLAC, invites debate about what it is that the Dominican Republic aspires to in terms of strategy and economic, social and institutional indicators as it moves toward the year 2030, according to Montás.

He noted that the document will prove to be an invaluable guide to the elaboration of the National Development Strategy required by our current legislation.

In this sense, announced the Minister of Economy, Planning and Development, a Work Plan has already been designed with a view to the elaboration of this strategy which will be outlined in the near future.

The Work Plan, he added, contemplates a highly participatory process in which workers’ organizations, business people, professionals, academies, civil society and political parties will be integrated.

He confirmed that it is the intention of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development to present a concerted proposal of the National Development Strategy for the approval of the National Congress no later than October.

Publication of the document, “The Dominican Republic 2030: Toward a Cohesive Nation,” took place in the Cariátides Hall of the National Palace and was attended by diplomats, politicians, business people, NGO representatives and labor union leaders.