Santiago.- President Luis Abinader led a Council of Ministers this Sunday in Santiago, where the Government presented a management report that positions the province as the country’s main recipient of public investment, with more than RD$110 billion executed in the last five years, a figure that triples the investment made in previous periods.
During the meeting, held at the Professor Eugenio de Jesús Marcano Fondeur Botanical Garden, the authorities reviewed more than 200 works and interventions carried out in the province, highlighting high-impact projects such as the Monorail, the Cable Car, the comprehensive transformation of Arroyo Gurabo, the Navarrete Bypass, the Navarrete Aqueduct, and the future Amber Highway.
While presenting the Council’s conclusions, the Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, stated that this is the largest public investment executed by a government in Santiago during a single administration period, consolidating the province as one of the main economic, productive, educational, and cultural hubs of the Dominican Republic.
“This is a government that plans, executes, and returns to the territory to be held accountable. We have verified that practically all of the commitments made to Santiago have been fulfilled,” stated Paliza.
The official recalled that the first Council of Ministers of the current administration was held in Santiago in September 2020 and that, six years later, President Abinader returned to evaluate the results of the public policies implemented and verify the level of compliance with the demands presented by the citizenry and local governments.
One of the projects that received the most attention was the Santiago Monorail, considered the most important urban mobility project currently under construction in the country. Authorities highlighted that the infrastructure will transform the city’s transport system and significantly reduce travel times for thousands of users.
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Likewise, progress was evaluated on the Navarrete Bypass, intended to decongest traffic toward the Northwest Line, and the bidding process for the Amber Highway, which will connect Santiago and Puerto Plata more quickly and safely, boosting tourism, commerce, and regional production.
During the day, the results of the Arroyo Gurabo transformation were also highlighted, an intervention exceeding RD$3.2 billion that has allowed for the rescue of an area affected by more than six decades of pollution. The project included the relocation of more than 1,200 families and directly benefits more than 12,000 households in Santiago.
The authorities also highlighted the investments made in health, education, housing, drinking water, sanitation, energy, and road infrastructure, as well as the more than RD$275 million allocated to the modernization of the Santiago Botanical Garden, the venue chosen for the celebration of the Council.
Abinader reaffirmed that his administration will continue to prioritize Santiago within the national development strategy, considering that the growth of this province is fundamental for the economic strengthening of the entire Northern region.
“The coming years will be ones of greater well-being, more progress, and more opportunities for Santiago,” Paliza assured upon concluding the meeting, describing the day as a demonstration that the Government maintains its commitment to turning the population’s needs into concrete solutions.
