´Pots and pans´ protest to demand lower food prices, security

Santo Domingo.- The HomemakersCommittees Association and users of services on Tuesday announced a ´pots andpans´ protest starting 3: 30pm Thursday at the corner of Duarte and Ovandoavenues, in the National District, against the high cost of food, a lack of safety,unemployment and blackouts.

He warned that food pricesand health are deteriorating and complained of a lack of control of prices ofstaples, which "swallow" the family income.

"It´s notjustifiable that citizens pay between 15 and 20 pesos for a plantain, 20 for cassava,40 for yams, 20 for potatoes per pound, 10 for one pepper, 58 a pound ofchicken, 60 pesos for beef and 85 for pork," said organization presidentAna Cabrera.

She complainedthat codfish is as high as RD$150 perpound and 65 pesos for a liter of milk, "this decontrol is due to a lackof mechanisms to keep track of the prices in markets" she said, quoted byacento.com.do.

Cabrera warned presidentDanilo Medina that the people are tired of being made to believe that theeconomy has grown while the high costs eat into the pocket the poorest.

"People cannot withstanddeception or mockery any longer, such as the knowledge that oil prices havecome down considerably and we the housewives buy a gallon of propane gas to 81pesos. I wonder how the government will put on a face to call the people to goto the elections," she said.

The organizationcalled on the government to lower the prices on fuel, adding that thepopulation has been abandoned. “The country is a failed state since in threeyears of government the people don’t perceive signs of improvement.”