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The statement was made by the director of Budget He highlighted the public's trust in the government and its positive assessment, as a result of transparency in the management of public resources.
The Director General of Budget, José Rijo Presbot, assured that the performance of the current budget management, adhering to strict control and rationalization of spending, has allowed for the proper execution of public resources.
In that regard, he indicated that salaries and contributions went from 1.12% in the first quarter of 2020, to 0.98% of GDP in 2024; contracting of services, from 0.33% to 0.26%; materials and supplies, from 0.22% to 0.10%; movable, immovable and intangible assets, from 0.13% to 0.04%.
Similarly, the central government deficit, as a percentage of GDP, in the first quarter of 2024 is practically half of that recorded in 2016, which stands at 1% of GDP, and 60% lower than that recorded in 2012, when it was 1.3% of GDP.
Rijo attributes this good performance to the control and rationalization of spending, and the public's confidence in the government of President Luis Abinader, which, according to the director of Budget, "It has been shown that what you pay for will not be stolen."“Likewise, he reiterated that the Government has a constant commitment to investing resources in projects that meet the needs of the population.”
He recalled that the largest deficit in the Dominican Republic's economy was recorded for the elections in 2012. “What caused that? It caused the Paquetazo, when a 16% tax was imposed on chocolate and oil.”He also pointed out that, "It's a shame that people who have been in Congress, who have participated in budget formulation, are now attacking what they never did."
According to data provided by the Budget Director, 2024 is projected to be the first election year in the last two decades in which public debt is reduced year-on-year in relation to GDP.
Debate from the territory: public investment and results
In an interview on the program “El Día”, hosted by Edith Febles and German Marte, Rijo Presbot pointed out that the debate already transcends the political aspect and that, instead, to debate the results of the Government's management, it is necessary to go to the territory and the people.
“The debate today is territorial. That is to say, you go to a town like Hato Mayor, for example, there is an investment of 8 billion pesos in 3 and a half years, while in 14 years not even 1 billion pesos were invested,” highlighting at the same time the construction of the headquarters of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo and the Hato Mayor-Sabana de la Mar highway, among other works.
He also explained how national investment has raised people's quality of life and attributed this to the implementation of current public policies in the territories: “That’s why what happened in the municipal elections happened, because people understand that they have a transparent, honest government that uses resources to meet needs, that there is no corruption, and that any corruption that does appear is fought. There is no impunity.”
