President Abinader intends to increase the minimum wage

President Luis Abinader affirmed his intention to increase the minimum wage as part of the compensation that the government plans to make in the face of price increases of mass consumer products.

The Dominican president pointed out that as a result of the pandemic, food consumption is greater than production and that amid rising prices, producers are being assisted.

Interviewed in a special television program hosted by journalists Alicia Ortega and Huchi Lora, Abinader said that with the increase in the minimum wage “in the same proportion as inflation to “recover the purchasing power that has been lost”.

The head of state said that with this measure the middle class is compensated because the salary would rise in a cascade, at the same time that social assistance has been improved through the Supérate program, which benefits 1.3 million people with 1,650 pesos (

Tax Reform

Addressing the issue of tax reform, the President said that he is inclined to present a budget that sets out the improvements and then raise a discussion about where they will get the money.

However, he anticipated that tax exemptions will have to be eliminated “because they have already complied with his measure and we have to eliminate it”.

“We also have taxes that we have to eliminate, others that we have to reduce and also extend the base because one of the problems is informality. 56% of the Dominican population does not pay tax, that is, it is an issue that we have to present”, said Abinader

He clarified that “right now there are no conditions for a tax reform” but an agreement must be reached “to see when is the best time to implement it.”

The head of state indicated that he is inclined to increase collections, spend better and avoid duplications because he does not want to go the easy way of borrowing the country as was the norm in previous governments.

Tourism infrastructure

Abinader reported that numerous works are underway throughout the country and stressed that the Pedernales project will begin with the provision of services such as the airport, treatment plant, and electricity generation, at a time when at least 13 companies want to settle in the draft.

Regarding Manzanillo, he said that he will soon give the first pie to the installation of a shipyard that will generate 500 jobs while the IDB works with the government for the dock.

He said that on the 25th of this month he will go to Barahona to leave the port in operation and that on that day the exports of agricultural products to New York will begin.