Dominican Republic sugar baron gets sweet on politics

Santo Domingo.- Two senior politicos on Wednesday voiced support for statements from sugar and banking mogul Juan Vicini, who said he doesn’t want to see business leaders unfamiliar with political life displace the people whose mandate is the common good.

"It frightens me that a person with business success, not involved in the partisan or political process, seeks or is called by the people to the Presidency of the Republic. Those are conditions which I wouldn’t like to see in the Dominican Republic," said Vicini, interviewed by journalist Alicia Ortega.

Ruling PLD party deputies’ spokesman Rubén Maldonado agrees. He said when a business leader is called to occupy a political position such as the Presidency, it’s because they’re rejected by political actors because they don’t play their part. "Juan Vicini’s position carries much weight and is quite reasonable from the point of view that politicians must do political activities to be politicians as entrepreneurs do with business."

Opposition party –PRD- deputies spokesman Radhames Gonzalez called on business leaders who want to occupy a political positions to join the political struggle and even form a party if they don’t like none of them. "The people have been losing confidence in us because on several occasions we’ve done this badly."