Dominican Govt., Industries clash over economy ‘time bomb’ claim

Santo Domingo.- Government spokesman Roberto RodriguezMarchena on Thursday scoffed at a Dominican Industries Association (AIRD)executive’s claim that the country’s economy and macroeconomic stability are onthe verge of collapse.

“How can you talk about economic collapse when in the firstquarter this year it grew 7.1 percent, 10.1% in April and have created 413,000jobs. How can you come and say this?," said the official.

On Wednesday AIRD executive vice president Circe Almánzar calledthe country’s situation a "time bomb" that can lead to a collapse ofthe economy and macroeconomic stability, if the conditions aren’t created forthe private sector to create jobs and have enough confidence to make newinvestments.

But Rodriguez said Almánzar’s statement “doesn’t representthe feeling of industries” in the Dominican Republic.

"I believe what this person has said doesn’t representthe feelings of the country’s industries, I think Campos de Moya is thepresident of the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic and Ithink she is the executive vice president of the AIRD," Rodriguez said.