Lack of funds partially halts construction of coal-fired plants

Bani, Dominican Republic.-The construction of the two coal-fired plants in Punta Catalina (south) is partiallyhalted on lack of funds, with more than 2,000 workers laid off, communityleaders and the now unemployed denounced Thursday.

"The construction has slowed down andeconomic development that the people of Nizao thought had arrived is stalled,"said Elpidio Madé, Nizao township bus driver union general secretary, as quotedby elnacional.com.do.

Despite efforts for acomment from executives, contractor Odebretch PR manager Keysi Cruz told reportersshe would ask the State-owned electric utility CDEEE to authorize the statement,but no response thus far.

Shop owners,transportation businesses, community leaders and several workers said theeconomy of Nizao has slumped as a result of the layoffs.

Pedro Carmona, secretaryof the dump truckers union said the lack of work poses a grave threat to Nizao´seconomy.