President Danilo Medina met yesterday with various sectors of the country, including trade unionists, businessmen, and the Catholic and Evangelical churches, in order to discuss a plan for an eventual reopening of the economy, 72 days after Covid- 19 made a presence in the country, claiming the lives of 393 people and infecting 10,364.
The first to be received were the union leaders represented by the president of the Autonomous Confederation of Classical Trade Unions (CASC), Gabriel del Río; the president of the National Confederation of Union Unity, Rafael (Pepe) Abreu and the president of the National Central of Dominican Workers (CNTD), Jacobo Ramos.
During the state of emergency, thousands of businesses have remained closed and only those linked to the primary needs of citizens have been providing services.
So far it is unknown whether the state of emergency will be extended for the fourth time.
Entrepreneurs
Subsequently, Medina received the country's business leaders, who presented proposals for the gradual and orderly reactivation of the Dominican economy in the face of the impact of Covid-19.
During the meeting, which took place in the Government Council Hall of the National Palace, the representatives of the main business organizations indicated that they will support the Government, whatever decision is taken.
Pedro Brache, César Dargam, Roberto Herrera, Carlos José Martí, Carlos Guillermo León, Juana Barceló, José Luis Magadán and Laura Peña Izquierdo participated in representation of the National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep).
Likewise, Ligia Bonetti, executive president of the SID Group, Celso Juan Marranzini and Circe Almánzar, of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD); Christopher Paniagua, from the Association of Commercial Banks (ABA) and the Po[CENSORED]r Group; and Frank Rainieri, from the Punta Cana Group.
Manuel Estrella, from Grupo Estrella; Federico Domínguez and José Manuel Torres, from the Dominican Association of Free Zones (Adozona); and Paola Rainieri and Andrés Marranzini, from the National Association of Hotels and Tourism (Asonahores), were also present.
Similarly, Juan Ventura, from the Industrial Association of the North Region (Airen); Mario Lama, from the National Organization of Commercial Companies (ONEC); Anyarlene Berges, from INICIA and Isaachart Burgos and Luz Estrella, from the Dominican Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CODOPYME); and Jorge Montalvo and Fermín Acosta, from the Association of Home Builders and Developers (Acoprovi).
Church representatives
The head of state also held a meeting with representatives of the Dominican Episcopal Conference, who expressed their concerns about the country in the time after the coronavirus. After concluding this meeting, Medina met with representatives of the Evangelical Church to get their opinion on a gradual opening of commercial activities. Monsignors Benito Ángeles, José Dolores Grullón, Faustino Burgos Brisman and Santiago Rodríguez were present for the CED. Braulio Portes attended for the evangelical Church; from the Dialogue Table, Nérsido Borg and Lorenzo Mota King. Likewise, the presidents of the Dominican Council of the Evangelical Unit (CODUE), Feliciano Lacen; of the Dominican Evangelical Fellowship (CONEDO), Jorge Duarte and of the National Council of Fellowships of Evangelical Pastors (CONACOPE), Adolfo Mateo.