DR will continue open to tourism
The Medina government and Abinader transition health commissions met for the first time on Thursday, 16 July at the Presidential Palace to discuss actions to be taken to revert the present rising spread of the disease in the Dominican Republic.
The meeting took place a day before the Chamber of Deputies is convened to review a presidential request again to declare the country under the National State of Emergency.
President Danilo Medina submitted to the Chamber of Deputies on 15 July 2020 a request for a new declaration of a National State of Emergency. The letter is addressed to Radhames Camacho, president of the Chamber of Deputies, and says before making the request this was consulted with the new government authorities. The request is for a 45-day period that would extend 15 days into the new Abinader term that starts on 16 August 2020.
After the meeting, the High Commission for Coronavirus, Presidency Minister Gustavo Montalvo, told the nation that the tourism sector would not close, even if Congress approves the new National State of Emergency.
“No change in the current situation is really planned, except if after Congress approves it, President Danilo Medina will issue a curfew decree restricting activities,” he said. The Medina government continues through 16 August 2020.
Montalvo said the government has no plans to close the airports again. He said tourism and economic activities will continue their course.
Montalvo says the Medina administration and the Abinader team will work together to ensure that citizens continue to wear their masks, that the social distancing measure is enforced, and that the recommended hygiene measures are maintained.
The issue is that all Dominicans take their part in preventing the pandemic from spreading, said Montalvo. He highlighted that companies must ensure social distancing measures are complied with and citizens have their share of responsibility.
“If this does not work, the forces of law and order will proceed against those that violate these provisions,” he warned.
Vice President-elect Raquel Pena heads the commission for the Abinader team. She said the groups will continue to meet on a permanent basis until the government changes on 16 August 2020.
Also participating in the meeting were Public Health Minister Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas and Economy and Planning Minister Juan Ariel Jiménez; Amado Alejandro Báez, executive director of the COVID Response Management Committee; Foreign Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado, Roberto Álvarez, designated Foreign Minister, and Defense Minister Rubén Darío Paulino Sem.
Also present was the director of the Center for Emergency Operations, Juan Manuel Méndez García; the deputy director of the National Health Service, Noldis Naut; and presidential health advisors Patricia Leon and Jorge Marte.
Present for the Abinader health team were Plutarco Arias, Mario Lama, Roberto Alvarez, and Eddy Perez. Also, Victor Atallah, Eddy Pérez Then, José Miguel Stephan, Daniel Rivera, Natalia García, and Ivelisse Acosta.
Also attending was Paola Rainieri, president of the National Hotel & Tourism Association.
Source: DR1, Presidency
July 19, 2020
Category: DR News |