New Dominican Republic president takes oath
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Luis Abinader takes oath as the new Dominican Republic president, in an inauguration a ceremony reduced by COVID-19.
Abinader’s win over Danilo Medina officially ended the 16 years rule by the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). He will be the 67th ruler of the Dominican Republic.
The 53-year-old economist promises modernisation, fighting corruption and crime, and creating jobs during his campaign.
Ceremony reduced due to COVID-19
COVID-19 has also forced a reduction in the ceremony program and the number of attendees in the National Congress, where Abinader took oath and delivered his first presidential speech.
Outgoing President Danilo Medina did not attend the inauguration citing COVID-19 as the reason. Medina only handed over the presidential sash to Abinader.
Among the acts that have been eliminated from the ceremonial are the traditional military parade and the gala dinner. However, the ministers’ swearing-in at the National Palace, lunch for foreign dignitaries, and mass have been maintained.
Only three foreign presidents, that of Honduras, Haiti and Guinea Bissau, have travelled to the Dominican Republic to attend the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lead the US delegation for Abinader’s oathtaking.
All the attendees wore a mask and white suit that is traditional in this type of ceremony in several Caribbean countries.
The Dominican Republic’s “new change”
In his speech, Abinader, outlined economic measures that he will implement to face the effects of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Continuation of assistance programs (FASE, Stay at Home and Pa’Ti) for the remainder of 2020
- Extension of tax facilities, especially for small and medium-sized companies
- Implementation of a Guarantee and Financing Program aimed at sectors affected by the pandemic for more than 100,000 million pesos
- Initiation of a repair and construction plan to impact more than 30,000 homes and to reactivate local economies throughout the country
- Encourage the Reserve Bank to give priority to projects in the tourism, industrial and export sectors to create employment and that are halted due to lack of financing
- Tourism relaunch plan to prmote and recover the influx of visitors prior to the pandemic
- Five billion pesos of financing, through the Agricultural Bank, at zero interest rate to provide marketing support and technical assistance to ensure food safety.
After his inauguration, Abinader tweeted that the Dominican Republic will begin with the construction of a new change.