Dominican deputies to Medina: Wear the pants, deal with Haiti

Santo Domingo.- Deputies from various parties on Tuesday asked the Government to "wear the pants" and deal with its relationship with Haiti, whose attitude in their view has Dominican Republic virtually cornered.

They said president Danilo Medina must personally defend the country against what they see as inertia by the agencies called upon to defend the country’s interests.

They said the government should consider economic conflicts with the neighboring country a matter of national interest.

"The truth is that perception is taking not only here in this country, of our weakness, but in the world, how that Haiti exceeds the Dominican Republic in all this and we want to harm this country," said Ramon Cabrera, of the ruling party (PLD).

Jose Cabrera, of the opposition PRD, said the state already has to assume the Haitian problem as a national interest.

While Ramon Rogelio Genao, of the pro-government PRSC, called on Medina’s administration to take action to respond to those taken by Port-au-Prince.

Haiti ambassador Fritz Cineas on Monday announced as of October 1 a ban on plastic products from Dominican Republic to protect their environment, since those products aren’t biodegradable.