Tax measure protest: Businesses in the capital, towns shut doors

Santo Domingo.-The call to shutter businesses was felt in the National District’s main commercial arteries Wednesday, when shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, importers, gas stations, betting parlors and furniture stores joined the protest against the government’s deadline to install tax receipt printers immediately.

However most small business –which are not required to comply with the measure- kept their doors open.

National Merchants Federation president Iván García said around 1,500 businesses in and around the busy Duarte Av. had closed their doors, and that the walkout was also felt across the country.

He reiterated their refusal to immediately install the printers, claiming it would threaten the stability of small businesses. “We won’t accept Government pressure or blackmail and we only seek to sit at the dialogue table.”

Garcia added that at 6pm Wednesday the country’s business leaders will announce the results of the walkout, which will continue until at 6am Thursday.