Bishops blast the country’s ‘institutionalized violence, inequality’

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s Catholic bishops on Wednesday said the country’s "institutionalized violence and inequality" is evident despite its economic growth in recent years, which hasn’t led to a significant reduction of poverty.

The said it’s unfair that the country’s poverty is still at 40 percent, when the Latin American average is 25%.

"What’s worse, recent reports on poverty such as the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) 2014, show that while Dominican Republic’s poverty rate has declined slightly, homelessness has increased to around 20% of the population,” compared to the region’s 12% average

However the bishop’s statement to mark National Independence acknowledges the country’s progress in the issues of emergencies, citizen safety, education and the growth of community organizations.